Universalism
Meet other local Universalists or people interested in Universalism, the belief in the eventual salvation of all creation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out universalism events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the universalism events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find universalism events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Universalism Events Today
Join in-person Universalism events happening right now
Parlons en français au "Riverdale Park East"
Allons trouver un peu d'ombre 🥵 dans le parc Riverdale et parlons en français! C'est l'endroit idéal pour admirer le coucher du soleil, et il y a des endroits à proximité pour prendre une collation ou une boisson à emporter (ou apportez le vôtre)!
**Point de rencontre: en face du café “Rooster Coffee House” à 479 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, M4K 2N4 (côté du parc)**
......................................………………………………….
Let’s find some shade 🥵 in Riverdale park and speak French! This is a great spot to enjoy the sunset, and there are spots nearby to grab a snack/drink to go (or bring your own)!
**Meeting spot: across from the café Rooster Coffee House at 479 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, M4K 2N4 (park side)**
................................................................................
Pour soutenir le groupe, nous demandons de payer $3.00 à chaque événement. Nous vous prions de bien vouloir apporter de la monnaie pour votre contribution. Si vous préférez, vous pouvez utiliser ce lien sur Square et montrer à Erin votre reçu: [https://square.link/u/Mgc9vPXQ ]
Merci,
Erin
To support the group, we kindly request that you pay $3.00 for each event. Please bring change for your contribution.
If you prefer, you can use this Square link and show Erin your receipt: [https://square.link/u/Mgc9vPXQ ]
Thank you,
Erin
SQUARE ONE - Practical Philosophy Meetup 🇨🇦
**🏛️ WHAT'S PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT?**
Practical Philosophy is a weekly meet-up that brings critical thinkers together for an opportunity to dive deep on a topic, practice communicating, and building a community. All with no ‘official’ philosophy knowledge required! 😎
Practical Philosophy is based on the idea that philosophy should be accessible to all, and not something reserved only for academics. Each week we choose a topic, and the goal is to use the conversation to develop our critical thinking and communication as we explore that topic.
The goal is to help develop our Critical Thinking, Communication, and Community 🙌
**📓 HOW DOES IT WORK?**
Each week, we pick one topic and discuss it. The topic for the week is shared, generally in the [Whatsapp group](https://tally.so/r/81LP4A), along with jump-off points to get the conversation going.
When groups get bigger than 7-8 people, it’s important that we break into smaller groups. This way we are able to maintain a conversational flow as opposed to having our meetups feel like a discourse or lecture.
**General Meeting Agenda**
Each Practical Philosophy meet-up follows this general timeline:
* 19:00-19:15 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the official start.
* 19:15-19:25 - Meeting introduction, explanation of Practical Philosophy and the topic for the week, read the guidelines and the overview so attendees know what to expect in terms of timelines.
* 19:25-20:45 - Break into small groups - introduce yourselves and general thoughts on the topic, open discussion afterwards. At this point the group can review the ‘jump-off’ questions as needed, but they are just there to help guide the conversation. It’s not obligatory to answer them.
* 20:45-21:00 - Bring everyone back together to discuss conclusions of the topic - each group gives a short 1-minute summary. Organizer concludes the meeting and everyone takes a group photo.
* 21:00 - The official meeting is over but it’s a great opportunity to get to know people in a non-structured environment, so we often stick around, chat, and get to know each other.
**🧧PRICING?**
Practical Philosophy is operated entirely on voluntary donations! If we are meeting in a café, buy a beverage! Donations are 100% voluntary, but they help us to bring the gift of deep conversation to people around the world. If you'd like to support, you can [donate here](https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/donate-to-practical-philosophy)!
(Practical Philosophy is a registered Canadian charity)
**💛 WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY**
**🗣** “I feel like Philosophy Club helps someone build their own belief system through a series of perspectives while not promoting what’s right and wrong” - Ekam
🗣 “I got hooked from day 1 (the topic was authority) and felt it was the right place for me. I feel it is a place where people can go to learn and discuss new perspectives and increase critical thinking and community by interacting with people who might challenge your point of views but at the same time encourage you to have openness and mind flexibility.” - Daniel
**🤓 FAQ**
* **Do I need to study or read anything to attend?**
No preparation is necessary. This isn’t a study of other thinkers. We want to know what you think about the topic, not what an old philosopher thought. If you have a perspective from a religion or a school of thought to share, throw it on the table and we’ll discuss it.
* **Is there a specific philosophy that Practical Philosophy is focused on?**
The goal of our meet-ups is to not have dogmatic discussions, and flex our critical thinking muscles. Because of this, we want to hear from every realm of thought, and don't study a particular school.
* **Is it mostly men that attend?**
Surprisingly, no! Although often, philosophy is seen as a Candelabra affair in a dark room with a bunch of guys, our Practical Philosophy meetups are generally 50/50 between genders, and we don’t meet in any dark rooms.
* **Can I come alone?**
Of course you can, we encourage it :)
* **Can I be late?**
Please don't be! We do have a 15 minute grace period where we allow people to funnel in while we hang out, but after that if you arrive too late, it disrupts the flow of the conversation.
* **Where do you meet?**
The location is posted in Meetup and our [Whatsapp](https://tally.so/r/81LP4A) group for this location. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you join the Whatsapp group! If you want to know what other cities have a Practical Philosophy Club, you can see our chapters on our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/).
🤝**POLICY**
To respect our members privacy, we ask that no one privately message a member without first getting explicit consent. (This looks like speaking in person and being asked to message privately.) Contacting or texting other participants without prior consent is not permitted and may result in removal from the group. Practical Philosophy reserves the right to enforce this policy at its discretion to maintain a safe and respectful environment.
**PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY CLUB - Philosophy, everywhere. ✨**
We started in Practical Philosophy back in 2021 and there are now 50+ chapters in 25+ countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️
**\*\*\***
**Join our [Mississauga Whatsapp](https://tally.so/r/81LP4A) 👈**
**Follow us on [Instagram](instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/) 👈**
**Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/) 👈**
FREE Spanish, English, and French Oral Conversational Class 4 Adults
\*These classes are not a language exchange, but instead are meant to be a step in between so that students feel confident maintaining in depth and grammatically correct oral conversations outside of class\*
\***Meetup event numbers only tend to show new students registering and do not include returning students attending class.** **Per class, there is an average of 7 students.** The first 2 classes are free and then only cost between $18 and $35 depending on which type of class you want to continue with\*
These French, English (For Spanish and French speakers only), and Spanish classes are primarily meant for adults who are travellers, or who are planning to live in a French, English, or Spanish-speaking country. The classes are primarily oral-based through guided conversations. They will teach you how to handle conversations in situations such as **"Going to the Convenience Store"**, **"Making Plans"**, **"Negotiating Prices"**, and **"Going out for a Drink"**. To ensure that students get used to using the language automatically, students will learn to maintain contextual conversations with timing before moving on to the next lesson. Call (647)787-9953, e-mail us info@monkeylingo.ca, or visit monkeylingo.ca for more information! **Online and private classes are also available!**
No other language classes are as conversational as these ones. We guarantee it! Cheap parking can be found using the "Spot Hero" app.
CFI Toronto Hangout: Mondays
As I looked under CFI’s Mission, Vision, and Values, the phrase ‘**community**’ stood out in the opening line. Then, I found it repeated seven more times, all within a short description.
Elsewhere, CFI informs us we run ‘open’ and ‘friendly’ discussions in ‘safe and hospitable’ environments for everyone. And 'Critical Thinking' is, you might say, the backbone for starting any discussion.
But while we all know what thinking is, how is **critical thinking** different? Especially in matters that are not quantitatively measurable?
As humans, thankfully, we are born curious – we probably won’t have learnt to crawl on four to experience our body and the world around us. We all are capable of being forever-curious – and therefore seeing through the evidence methodically. That is a good start for any talk no matter how complex it may seem. If it’s a human problem, we may not solve it, but surely can think through it critically. That’s a big, and hopeful, first step!
Tantalizing? Let’s Talk!
FREE Spanish, English, and French Oral Conversational Classes 4 Adults!!
\*These classes are not a language exchange, but instead are meant to be a step in between so that students feel confident maintaining in depth and grammatically correct oral conversations outside of class\*
\***Meetup event numbers only tend to show new students registering and do not include returning students attending class.** **Per class, there is an average of 7 students.** The first 2 classes are free and then only cost between $18 and $35 depending on which type of class you want to continue with\*
These English (For Spanish speakers or advanced learners only), French, and Spanish classes are primarily meant for adults who are travellers, or who are planning to live in an English, French, or Spanish-speaking country. The classes are primarily oral-based through guided conversations. They will teach you how to handle conversations in situations such as **"Going to the Convenience Store"**, **"Making Plans"**, **"Negotiating Prices"**, and **"Going out for a Drink"**. To ensure that students get used to using the language automatically, students will learn to maintain contextual conversations with timing before moving on to the next lesson. Call (647)787-9953, e-mail us info@monkeylingo.ca, or visit monkeylingo.ca for more information! **Online and private classes are also available!**
No other language classes are as conversational as these ones. We guarantee it! Cheap parking can be found using the "Spot Hero" app.
Full Moon Mystery Meditation in Cancer
**Full Moon Mystery Meditation in Cancer**
*"I BUILD A LIGHTED HOUSE AND THEREIN DWELL"*
***
You are warmly invited to join us for the **Full Moon Mystery Meditation in Cancer**
**Monday, June 29th, 2026 at 7:30 PM EST** (Doors open at 7:15pm)
Cancer is the great **door into incarnation** — the sign through which souls descend into matter and through which, in time, they return. At the full moon in Cancer, the great tidal flow of life between spirit and matter is most keenly felt. It is a moment to honour the vast work of manifestation itself, and to turn the tide of personal need toward the impersonal service of all.
**Full Moon exact:** *Monday, June 29, 2026 at 7:57 PM EDT*
***
**Join us in person**
Toronto Theosophical Society, 792 Glencairn Ave, Toronto, ON M6B 2A3
**Or join us online via Zoom:** [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85005356634?pwd=bUTKsgjKwtiF79OrhJ9jaaoMjyjxbP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85005356634?pwd=bUTKsgjKwtiF79OrhJ9jaaoMjyjxbP.1)
**Fee:** Always free
***
**The Mystery of Cancer**
**The 7th Field of Group Work**
The 7th Field represents the seventh aspect of the divine plan — the embodiment of spirit in matter, and the consecration of form to soul purpose. Cancer governs the great door of incarnation through which souls descend, and through which, in time, they consciously return. It is the mystery of the lighted house: matter rendered luminous, form made fit for the indwelling life.
*Major Themes of Cancer*
**The Lighted House**
The Cancer keynote points to the soul's central task in this sign: the **construction of a fit vehicle for spiritual life**. Not escape from form, but the purification and consecration of form — matter rendered transparent to the soul's intent.
**The Mass and the Individual**
Cancer governs **mass consciousness** — the tides of collective emotion and racial memory. The disciple's task is to stand within the mass without being absorbed by it: to feel the pain of collective existence fully, and yet serve with clarity. This is the transmutation of Cancer — from unconscious participation to **conscious compassionate inclusion**.
**Matter as Mother**
Ruled by the Moon, Cancer holds the memory of all that matter has worn — the past, the womb, the seed. In the initiate's hands, this becomes the **power of recognition**: the capacity to meet every living thing at the level of its own nature. The Cancer initiate does not love from above; they love from within, having entered the depths.
**Planetary Rulers**
**Exoteric Ruler: Moon** ☾ — Form-building, instinct, and the pull of the past. The Moon rules Cancer at the personality level, governing the tides of emotional life and the magnetic power of habitual response.
**Esoteric Ruler: Neptune** ♆ — At the soul level, Neptune dissolves the separating walls between self and other, opening the disciple to the vast sea of group consciousness. Neptune in Cancer confers exquisite sensitivity and the power of spiritual perception through feeling.
**Hierarchical Ruler: Neptune** ♆ **—** At the highest level of initiation, Neptune reveals Cancer's deepest mystery: that matter itself is divine, that the waters of space are full of life, and that compassion — not as sentiment but as cosmic law — underlies the entire structure of manifested existence.
***
**Positive Qualities**
Profound Receptivity to Spiritual Impression
Deep Nurturing Power
Tenacity in Service
Capacity for Inclusive, Impersonal Love
The Power to Build Consecrated Form
***
**Negative Qualities**
Absorption in Mass Emotion
Possessiveness and Attachment to Form
Psychic Permeability Without Discrimination
Living in the Past
Moodiness and Sentimentality
***
## **The Labour of Hercules**
**The Capture of the Golden Hind**
Hercules is given a seemingly gentle task: to capture the golden-horned, brass-footed hind sacred to Artemis — a creature of extraordinary beauty that has been ravaging the countryside, though no one understands how or why. He pursues it for a full year through all the signs of the zodiac, across every kind of terrain, never catching it by force, never tiring of the chase.
At last, when he stops trying to seize it and simply holds it — gently, with open hands — it permits itself to be taken. Artemis meets him on the road and accuses him of violating the sacred. But Hercules explains that he has captured it in order to present it to Eurystheus, so that its destructive wandering may be ended and its beauty restored to its proper place.
The hind represents the intuition — the soul's own light, always glimpsed but never grasped by effort. The lesson of Cancer is precisely this: that spiritual life cannot be seized. The lighted house is built not by force, but by **patient, loving, consistent attention**. The Cancer disciple learns that the divine feminine does not yield to conquest; it yields to reverence. And what is offered reverently to the service of the whole ceases to destroy and begins to illuminate.
Read the full story here (free PDF): [https://www.bailey.it/files/Labours-of-Hercules.pdf](https://www.bailey.it/files/Labours-of-Hercules.pdf)
***
Thank you for participating in a Full Moon Meditation Collaboration between the Toronto Theosophical Society and Toronto Open Heart.
**\~ Love is never wasted** 💙
Weekly Monday night community meditation
Weekly Monday night online meditations in a welcoming community
35-minutes of sitting meditation practice followed by interactive sharing, discussion
We experiment with different solo meditations, from restful absorption to creative visualizations, mindfulness-style noting (of various mind-body components), loving-kindness, sound meditations, choiceless awareness and many others. You don’t need to follow any of these techniques if you don’t want to – some people prefer to stay with their tried-and-true regular practice.
The CEC is passionately nonsectarian – both humanistic and contemplative traditions are represented.
Check our website for more sit details: http://cecmeditate.com/calendar/
Since Covid-era lockdowns began in 2020, we've hosted these on zoom.
zoom link: [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/799184864?pwd=UXIvUkZ4QVBZQ0Q2VUh0Y2NNVnJkQT09](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/799184864?pwd=UXIvUkZ4QVBZQ0Q2VUh0Y2NNVnJkQT09)
Starting May 2026 we're meeting in person in Toronto AND online. Come sit with us!
Universalism Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY IN CHRISTIE PITTS 🇨🇦🌳
**🚨 SPECIAL EVENT - PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY AT CHRISTIE PITTS! 🚨**
**NO PHILOSOPHY EXPERTISE REQUIRED!**
**🏛️ WHAT'S PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT?**
Practical Philosophy is a weekly meet-up that brings critical thinkers together for an opportunity to dive deep on a topic, practice communicating, and building a community. All with no ‘official’ philosophy knowledge required! 😎
Practical Philosophy is based on the idea that philosophy should be accessible to all, and not something reserved only for academics. Each week we choose a topic, and the goal is to use the conversation to develop our critical thinking and communication as we explore that topic.
The goal is to help develop our Critical Thinking, Communication, and Community 🙌
**📓 HOW DOES IT WORK?**
Each week, we pick one topic and discuss it. The topic for the week is shared, generally in the [Whatsapp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/B7LyJIeBlaH5VtXkMJTTph?mode=gi_t), along with jump-off points to get the conversation going.
When groups get bigger than 7-8 people, it’s important that we break into smaller groups. This way we are able to maintain a conversational flow as opposed to having our meetups feel like a discourse or lecture.
**General Meeting Agenda**
Each Practical Philosophy meet-up follows this general timeline:
* 19:30-19:45 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the official start.
* 19:45-19:55 - Meeting introduction, explanation of Practical Philosophy and the topic for the week, read the guidelines and the overview so attendees know what to expect in terms of timelines.
* 19:55-21:15 - Break into small groups - introduce yourselves and general thoughts on the topic, open discussion afterwards. At this point the group can review the ‘jump-off’ questions as needed, but they are just there to help guide the conversation. It’s not obligatory to answer them.
* 21:15-21:30 - Bring everyone back together to discuss conclusions of the topic - each group gives a short 1-minute summary. Organizer concludes the meeting and everyone takes a group photo.
* 21:30 - The official meeting is over but it’s a great opportunity to get to know people in a non-structured environment, so we often stick around, chat, and get to know each other.
**🧧PRICING?**
Practical Philosophy is operated entirely on voluntary donations! If we are meeting in a café, buy a beverage! Donations are 100% voluntary, but they help us to bring the gift of deep conversation to people around the world. If you'd like to support, you can [donate here](https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/donate-to-practical-philosophy)!
(Practical Philosophy is a registered Canadian charity)
**💛 WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY**
**🗣** “I feel like Philosophy Club helps someone build their own belief system through a series of perspectives while not promoting what’s right and wrong” - Ekam
🗣 “I got hooked from day 1 (the topic was authority) and felt it was the right place for me. I feel it is a place where people can go to learn and discuss new perspectives and increase critical thinking and community by interacting with people who might challenge your point of views but at the same time encourage you to have openness and mind flexibility.” - Daniel
**🤓 FAQ**
* **Do I need to study or read anything to attend?**
No preparation is necessary. This isn’t a study of other thinkers. We want to know what you think about the topic, not what an old philosopher thought. If you have a perspective from a religion or a school of thought to share, throw it on the table and we’ll discuss it.
* **Is there a specific philosophy that Practical Philosophy is focused on?**
The goal of our meet-ups is to not have dogmatic discussions, and flex our critical thinking muscles. Because of this, we want to hear from every realm of thought, and don't study a particular school.
* **Is it mostly men that attend?**
Surprisingly, no! Although often, philosophy is seen as a Candelabra affair in a dark room with a bunch of guys, our Practical Philosophy meetups are generally 50/50 between genders, and we don’t meet in any dark rooms.
* **Can I come alone?**
Of course you can, we encourage it :)
* **Can I be late?**
Please don't be! We do have a 15 minute grace period where we allow people to funnel in while we hang out, but after that if you arrive too late, it disrupts the flow of the conversation.
* **Where do you meet?**
The location is posted in Meetup and our [Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/B7LyJIeBlaH5VtXkMJTTph?mode=gi_t) group for this location. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you join the Whatsapp group! If you want to know what other cities have a Practical Philosophy Club, you can see our chapters on our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/practical-philosophy-locations/).
🤝**POLICY**
To respect our members privacy, we ask that no one privately message a member without first getting explicit consent. (This looks like speaking in person and being asked to message privately.) Contacting or texting other participants without prior consent is not permitted and may result in removal from the group. Practical Philosophy reserves the right to enforce this policy at its discretion to maintain a safe and respectful environment.
**PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY CLUB - Philosophy, everywhere. ✨**
We started in Practical Philosophy back in 2021 and there are now 50+ chapters in over 25 countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️
**\*\*\***
**Join our [Toronto Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/B7LyJIeBlaH5VtXkMJTTph?mode=gi_t) 👈**
**Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/) 👈**
**Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/) 👈**
University of Toronto and Historic Yorkville!
\*\***The Toronto History Walks Explorer Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email**
**torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**
**for more information or for signing up!\*\***
\*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket price when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:**
**torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**
Get your history fix with this special double tour. It combines both U of T and historic Yorkville in one shot.
On March 15, 1827, a royal charter was issued by King George IV, for the establishment of King's College. The charter was the result of the efforts of John Strachan, the Anglican Bishop of Toronto, the College's first president.
King's College was a religious institution tied to the Church of England and the Family Compact. In 1849, the newly elected government of Canada voted to rename the College, University of Toronto and broke with the church. Strachan resigned to open Trinity College as a private seminary.
University College was created as a branch of University of Toronto. During the American Civil War, the threat of Union blockade prompted the creation of the University Rifle Corps, which saw action against the Fenians on the Niagara border in 1866.
Founded in 1830 by Joseph Bloor, and William Botsford Jarvis, the Village of Yorkville was muddy York's northern residential suburb.
With historic establishments like The Red Lion Inn, Yorkville Town Hall or even the fierce political radical William Lyon Mackenzie, it was here that notoriety was achieved, in Yorkville itself.
Omnibus horse drawn streetcar service started in 1849 to connect the old St. Lawrence Market in Toronto with Yorkville, and by 1853, the population of the village had reached 1,000 residents.
By the 1870s, Potter's Field, a cemetery stretching west of Yonge Street at Bloor Street was closed, and the remains moved to other area cemeteries. Yorkville was growing fast, and soon Toronto was ready to pull the neighbourhood into its orbit. On February 1, 1883, Yorkville's name changed officially. It was now known as St. Paul's Ward!
This walking tour is for all fitness levels and skills. Please dress for the weather. The extensive walking tour begins at the Queen's Park SUBWAY Station at the **southwest corner** of University Avenue and College Street adjacent to the Tim Horton's at the corner.
The walk ends at the Toronto Reference Library at Yonge Street and Asquith.
This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person!
\*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket price when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:**
**torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**
Downtown Toronto French conversation exchange
This is an informal conversation group for anyone wanting to practice / use their French and meet some new people. All levels are welcome, but having a conversational level is strongly recommended (and of course native French speakers are very welcome too!). / Il s'agit d'un groupe de conversation informel pour toute personne souhaitant pratiquer / utiliser son français et rencontrer de nouvelles personnes. Tous les niveaux sont les bienvenus, mais il est recommandé d'avoir un niveau de conversation approximatif (et bien sûr, les locuteurs natifs du français sont également les bienvenus !)
Nous nous rencontrerons dimanche, de 14h00 à 16h00, au foodcourt de Brookfield Place, qui heureusement a beaucoup de tables et garde la musique basse!
+ Juste un rappel que ce groupe est un lieu d'échange détendu avec les autres dans un esprit de respect, de tolérance et de réceptivité à la multiplicité des cultures et des niveaux de français représentés. Merci de respecter ces principes en participant aux meetups.
Riverdale Park 5K Run / Walk / Jog
5K every week till the snows come down! Or try to!
We'll meet by the track. I'll be there early to warm up. We will start the 5K exactly at 9:30am. As mentioned in the About Us,
* Using the park track we can all go at our own pace and never really be left behind unless we all finish way ahead of you. :D I think an hour is enough time to dedicate to the run. I'm pretty slow, so you will likely have me around for most of the hour.
* Members are free to leave the run whenever they want.
* Bring your kids, your pets, your partners, etc.
* All encouraged to stick around afterwards and enjoy the park or neighbourhood on your own.
* Let's get stronger, healthier and foster a great community at the same time.
We also welcome runners who are not in our neighbourhood and want to join us spiritually and run from their own neighbourhoods. :-) Imagine how much healthier and communal the world would be if we all stopped for an hour once in a while to run together; re-centring and re-charging together?
CFI Toronto Hangout
As I looked under CFI’s Mission, Vision, and Values, the phrase ‘**community**’ stood out in the opening line. Then, I found it repeated seven more times, all within a short description.
Elsewhere, CFI informs us we run ‘open’ and ‘friendly’ discussions in ‘safe and hospitable’ environments for everyone. And 'Critical Thinking' is, you might say, the backbone for starting any discussion.
But while we all know what thinking is, how is **critical thinking** different? Especially in matters that are not quantitatively measurable?
As humans, thankfully, we are born curious – we probably won’t have learnt to crawl on four to experience our body and the world around us. We all are capable of being forever-curious – and therefore seeing through the evidence methodically. That is a good start for any talk no matter how complex it may seem. If it’s a human problem, we may not solve it, but surely can think through it critically. That’s a big, and hopeful, first step!
Tantalizing? Let’s Talk!
[In-person] Curiosity Café — Grief
Grief is often labelled as a negative emotion to be avoided, if at all possible. But many identify grief as a marker of love — a continuation or expression of it. And insofar as we experience loss, grief seems like the most fitting response. This suggests that there is something good and important about grief, even if it is painful.
But what *is* grief? When we grieve, whom or what are we actually grieving? And what can our experiences of grief tell us about the value of whom or what we are grieving (or, indeed, the value of grief itself)?
Together, we’ll consider what role grief can and should play in our lives, beginning with our lived experiences and ending with an investigation of grief over time. In addition to the questions above, our exploration will be guided by the following:
* Whom or what can we grieve?
* What are the similarities and differences between different kinds of grief?
* Despite being painful, why is grief important?
* Is love worth the pain of grief? Where do you draw the line?
* In your life, what has helped you to grieve? What has hindered your grief?
* What makes grief more or less possible in different circumstances, with access to different resources? Why might it be important for us to make more space for grief?
* How can grief isolate us? How can it bring us together?
* Does grief diminish over time, or do we grow around it?
* Is the point of grief to get over a loss? Can you ever complete grief?
* Why does grief diminish in cases where the person, relationship, or thing continues to matter to us?
Join co-moderators Alexandra Gustafson and Adrian Ma on Tuesday, June 30th, to explore these questions and more.
(This is a discussion-based event intended to provide a space to collaboratively explore the concept of grief, such that we may gain a better understanding of what it is and of our own experiences of it. However, this event is *not* intended to be a place for engaging *in* the process of grieving: although of course this might happen (and it’s okay if it does), please note that the moderators have philosophical and event-leading expertise, but aren’t equipped to provide therapeutic support/emotional counselling.)
**Space is limited!** **Please obtain a “Pay-What-You-Can” ticket from Curiosity Café at [this link (click here)](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/curiosity-cafe-revisited-grief-tickets-1992389203742) to attend this event. You need a ticket to be admitted.** See the above link for more info about tickets and other options including a limited number of free tickets. Come and hang out with us, grab food, and read through our handout from 6-6:30pm. Our structured discussion will run from 6:30-8:30pm with a 10 minute break in the middle.
Hope to see you there!
***__________________________________________________________________________***
This event is brought to you by [Being and Becoming](https://beingnbecoming.org/), a Toronto based non-profit. We aim to create community around exploring everyday concepts and experiences so that we may live more intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful lives. We use philosophy as a tool with which we can come to a richer understanding of the world around us.
By offering activities, spaces, and other opportunities for conversation and co-exploration, we hope to enable the meeting and fusion of individuals and their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background: indeed, we believe the journey is best undertaken alongside explorers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.
Find out more about Being and Becoming [here](https://beingnbecoming.org/).
About the Curiosity Café Series:
For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to join us at our Curiosity Cafés and are wondering what they’re all about: every two weeks, we invite members of our community to come out to the Madison Avenue Pub to engage in a collaborative exploration of our chosen topic. Through these events, we aim to build our community of people who like to think deeply about life’s big questions, and provide each other with some philosophical tools to dig deeper into whatever it is we are most curious about.
Thursday Discussion Group (formerly Mystic Christianity)
### Thursday Evening Discussion Group
**In\-Person \| Starts at 8:00 PM \(Doors open at 7:30 PM\) \| Drop\-In**
**Starting material:** *[Network of Thought](https://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Network-of-Thought-Krishnamurti-ebook.pdf)* by **Jiddu Krishnamurti**
This weekly discussion group offers a reflective and open space to explore themes of **mysticism, spirituality, and inner transformation** through selected writings and talks by Jiddu Krishnamurti, Annie Besant, Alice Bailey, and other thinkers whose work invites deep **inquiry into consciousness, freedom, truth,** and **the nature of self-understanding**.
Rather than promoting a particular belief system, the group emphasizes **shared reading, thoughtful reflection, and respectful dialogue**.
Participants are welcome to engage at their own pace—whether through listening, contemplation, or open discussion.
While there is **no requirement to commit before attending**, *the intention is to gradually build a group of participants who are interested in returning regularly and engaging sincerely with the material* and the group process. Newcomers are very welcome, and those who feel drawn to ongoing study are warmly encouraged to continue attending.
This is a **drop-in group**, and no prior background or preparation is required.
**All are welcome.** Come as you are, reflect together, and take part in a spirit of openness and mutual respect.
Universalism Events Near You
Connect with your local Universalism community
Omnipresent Atheists Weekly Meetup
Jimmy V's Grill & Pub in Grandview Heights. You are responsible for your own meal/drinks. We usually don't have any agenda other than eat, drink and talk. :) If the weather is nice we will be on the back patio, otherwise we are in the cigar room.
This group has been meeting every Tuesday evening for over a decade. Many attendees do not RSVP on meetup. Please don't let the small number here discourage you. Anyone/everyone is welcome to come. We'd love to have you join us.
COTA bus #5 comes to W. 5th and Wyandotte Rd. And it's a minute walk to the restaurant.
Free In-Person Meeting: Get Over Losses & Betrayals, Build Lasting Relationships
This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships.
Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse.
Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well.
Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship.
Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action?
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships!
Break free from self imposed limitations
Here we will discuss:
• How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes.
• Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you?
• Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it?
• Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love?
• Fights & arguments - what's really behind them?
• What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others?
• How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change?
• Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them?
• How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about?
• How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career?
Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general.
Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person.
Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life.
We look forward to having you join us!
This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
Psychic Fair
We will have our certified mediums available and you can receive 3 10-minute readings for $20.
To keep you safe, we will be following all CDC and Health Dept. guidelines at our psychic fair today. Sitters and readers required to wear a mask. We will maintain a minimum of 6 foot physical distance during readings. Please, if you can, bring your own portable chair to use during your readings.
Please note that we are at our wonderful new home at Unity of Columbus, 4211 Maize Road, Columbus, OH
Free in Person Meeting - Get Over Losses and Betrayls
Do you want more motivation and confidence to build Lasting Relationships?
This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships.
Are you burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse.
Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival, while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well.
Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship.
Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action?
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships!
Break free from self imposed limitations
Here we will discuss:
• How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes.
• Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you?
• Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it?
• Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love?
• Fights & arguments - what's really behind them?
• What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others?
• How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change?
• Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them?
• How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about?
• How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career?
Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general.
Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person.
Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life.
Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
This class is held at the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center.
Volunteer Opportunity
Open Shelter has teamed up again with Red White and Boom! Friday, July 3rd & we are looking for volunteers to run the event’s alcohol booths. Proceeds from sales go to the Open Shelter’s organization.
There are two available shifts: 12-6p & 5-11p.
There will be an ipad-like device to process transactions in addition to cash. Everything will be in bottles or cans, so transactions should be very easy. Must be 21+.
There are multiple beverage stations along the Civic Center Bridge. The stations are covered and also have beverage trucks next to them, so volunteers can cool off in the trucks.
As far as parking, it is suggested those who are coming from the east use the Columbus Commons Garage, and those from the west use the Belle Street Garage.
Harry from the Open Shelter will be your contact.
(614)562-2169
mailto:harry@theopenshelter.org
More information about the event:
https://redwhiteandboom.org/
More information about the organization:
https://theopenshelter.org/
Free In-person Meeting: Unwanted Emotions & Loneliness, How to Get Over Them
This is an in-person meeting.
Did you know that unwanted emotions like loneliness, sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, anxiety, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not chemical imbalance in your brain due to some nebulous chemical reactions by chance.
Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you.
The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life.
For instance, let's say you are already carrying a huge load on your back, then you cannot take on much more, but, let's say something else happens to you, such as the difficulties from the Pandemic, then the resultant combined weight on you can take you over the edge, kind of like the straw that break the camel's back. When this happens, people's attention usually goes to the straw that was added, but actually the majority of the weight had come from the huge load that were already there, holding a person down and causing a person issues.
So how do you remove the huge load that was already there? How do you lighten them up? Is it possible to get rid of them?
That is what this meeting will be all about.
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life.
Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
Humanist Program
This presentation will be by Ben Iten, humanist chaplain and HCCO Board Member. Speaking on expressing Humanism values in American democracy.
This meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online. The formal presentation will start at noon.
Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk.
The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event.
Join Zoom Meeting
[https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1)
Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953
Passcode: 760812
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