Western Philosophy

Buddhist art is rich with beauty, symbolism, and deep meaning. From the sacred symbolism of the Eight Auspicious Symbols to the vivid imagery of the Wheel of Life and the peaceful presence of Buddha images, these traditional works of art offer more than aesthetic inspiration—they reveal a practical path to greater clarity, peace, and compassion that we can internalize and practice in our daily life. In this series, we’ll explore the symbolic meaning behind Kadampa Buddhist sacred art and discover how we can use this symbolism to illuminate our modern lives. Each session offers accessible explanations, guided meditation, and time for question and answer. **April 2nd:** Understanding Sacred Art **April 9th:** Meditating on the The Eight Auspicious Symbols I **April 16th:** Meditating on the The Eight Auspicious Symbols II **April 23rd:** The Wheel of Life: A Map of the Mind I **April 30th:** The Wheel of Life: A Map of the Mind II **REGISTRATION** Standard: $12 \| Financial Hardship: $6 \| Free for [Members](https://meditation-dc.org/membership/) [Pre-Register Here](https://meditation-dc.org/thursday-evenings/) Each class is available by drop in. Everyone is welcome to attend, no previous experience is required. **LOCATION** Kadampa Meditation Center DC 1200 Canal St\. SW \| Washington\, DC 20024 **Metro Stop:** Waterfront or Navy Yard

Welcome to the 2026 road cycling season. Lots of paces from top racers to those just starting an exercise program. Several clubs will likely join together with One Love Cycling, including Korvelo (Korean Road Cycling Club), Viet Velo, Whole Wheel Velo Club. Sign up if you'd like, or simply show up. If you need the route GPS file, go to [ridewithgps.com](http://ridewithgps.com/) and search for Wakefield Route, which will show both the Southern part (16 miles) and the optional Western part (makes the ride total 25 miles.) Here is a link: [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44789824](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44789824)

Thursdays at 6:30pm Take 30 minutes at the end of your day to unwind and connect to your potential for inner peace. Suitable for everyone, these meditation classes offer guided meditations and practical advice for improving the quality of our mental peace. **Registration** Each class is available by drop in. **Standard:** $5 **\| [Member Pricing:](https://meditation-dc.org/membership/) Free** [Register Here](https://meditation-dc.org/thursday-night-rest-and-reflect/) Everyone is welcome to attend, no previous experience is required. **LOCATION** Kadampa Meditation Center DC 1200 Canal St\. SW \| Washington\, DC 20024 **Metro Stop:** Waterfront or Navy Yard

Please reserve your spot by registering on the below link : **Reserve** [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/join-biggest-community-investors-founders-washington-online-tickets](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/join-biggest-community-investors-founders-washington-online-tickets-1912156614909?aff=oddtdtcreator) **QUESTIONS ?** Pls Reach out to; Ridhi - [+971504724873](http://wa.me/971504724873) ( WhatsApp Only)

Please join the Corcoran School for its annual NEXT Festival in the famed Corcoran building! For over a decade, NEXT has showcased the work and skills of Corcoran School students, featuring performances, exhibitions, and symposia throughout the campus. Attendees are able to view and engage with the vast displays of the end-of-year projects and appreciate the contemporary arts, dance performances, musical pieces, and research that the students have to offer. **[Register here](https://corcoran.gwu.edu/next-festival)**. Throughout the evening, attendees will be able to experience the exhibition and enjoy dance, theatre, and music performances. You will have the opportunity to network and connect with one another over food and drink. Public programming and events will run through May 8, 2026. They will soon launch a festival guide with more information about the graduating class and NEXT festival events. Join us in celebrating this year’s graduating students.

**This event is for leaders who are ready to amplify their influence, command change through next-level communication skills, and master their message in the media and on stage!** **At Media Mastery Experts LIVE! you will… ​​** * Expertly craft your messaging and pitch in a way that gets media attention – and learn how to ace your TV, print or audio interview to gain instant expert credibility. * Enhance your executive presence with science-driven communication and leadership training. * Master on-camera presence through training on body language, voice intonation, and harnessing potent insights from human evolutionary biology and neurobiology. * Level up your communication skills to craft clear, compelling narratives and influence people to take action in presentations, negotiations, and sales settings. * Refine your personal branding and position yourself as a thought leader without months of expensive retainers. * Receive high-impact media assets, including ready-to-use footage from your in-studio interview with a national award-winning journalist. * Instantly strengthen your speaking and presentation skills and learn how to create TED-Worthy talks that resonate and leave a lasting impact. * Get an insider look at how the media works in the U.S. so you can maximize your impact More information and registration link at: [https://mediamasteryexperts.com/live ](https://mediamasteryexperts.com/live) Schedule a Strategy Session and get your questions answered here: [https://calendly.com/nick-mediamasteryexperts/15-min-clarity ](https://calendly.com/nick-mediamasteryexperts/15-min-clarity)

Ok, we’re stepping slightly outside the philosophy for this one—but it’s worth it. Join us for the Hungarian Heritage Festival: great food (goulash, pastries, more), live music, folk dancing, and a relaxed, authentic vibe you don’t get at the usual crowded events. [Hungarian Heritage Festival, April 25, 2026](https://kossuthfoundation.org/events/hungarian-heritage-festival-april-25-2026/) It’s a bit beyond our usual range—but sometimes the best stuff is just outside the bubble. Come out, explore, and make a day of it.

**\*\*\* NOTE change of library space - We're meeting at Dolley Madison Library in McLean VA for this meeting \*\*\*** *theme:* **Lacan 3 Orders, freeing desire & the Id** **\| DIY Classical Psychoanalysis** *Making psychoanalysis accessible to the masses!* Psychoanalysis "unlocks the past, informs the present, and expands the future. video clips: **Psychoanalytic theory in 3 minutes** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucB1b6f750k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucB1b6f750k) **Psychoanalysis A Curiosity about the mind 6min** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcmVjQBF4MQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcmVjQBF4MQ) Psychoanalysis = a theory and practice treating symptoms and personality as **disguised compromises** around unconscious conflicts, using a structured relationship (transference) to make those patterns visible so you can **repeat less blindly** and **choose a bit more freely**. "Until you ***make the unconscious conscious***, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." Carl Jung \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Interpersonal Process Group** **Psychodynamic shared exploration, learning and growth** Interpersonal process groups focus on the interactions and dynamics between group members to facilitate personal growth and learning. These groups provide a courageous space for individuals to explore their interpersonal patterns, receive feedback, and develop more effective social skills. **The core principle is that the group itself becomes a microcosm of a member's real-life relationships, allowing for insights and behavioral changes.** Key aspects of interpersonal process groups: * **Exploration of Interpersonal Dynamics:** Members examine their communication styles, relationship patterns, and how they relate to others within the group. * **Feedback and Self-Awareness:** The group provides a platform for members to receive feedback on their behaviors and develop greater self-awareness. * **Development of Social Skills:** Members practice new ways of relating, communicating, and collaborating within the group, leading to improved social skills. * **Microcosm of Relationships:** The group mirrors real-life relationships, allowing members to observe and analyze their patterns in a safe and controlled setting. * **Personal Growth and Well-being:** Through these processes, individuals can experience significant personal growth and enhanced well-being. Benefits of participating in an interpersonal process group: * **Increased self-awareness:** Understanding one's own behavior and its impact on others. * **Improved communication skills:** Learning to communicate more effectively and assertively. * **Stronger relationships:** Developing more fulfilling and meaningful relationships. * **Reduced anxiety and stress:** Finding support and coping mechanisms for social challenges. * **Enhanced empathy and understanding:** Learning to see situations from others' perspectives. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Join us for an exciting meeting of personal growth as we delve deep into the realm of self-development. This meetup is designed for personal growth addicts like you who are eager to unlock their hidden potential and take charge of their lives. Don't miss this chance to meet fellow personal growth enthusiasts, share experiences, and learn from one another. Step into a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and transformation. Come prepared to engage in provocative conversations, share your opinions, wrestle with challenging ideas, and leave with a renewed sense of deeper meaning and learning. **Tentative Agenda:** 1:00pm Social, Setup & Introductions, guidelines, terminology; 1:15pm Interactive open dialogue conversation & sharing; 2:45pm debrief, summary, debrief 3:00pm finish Light snacks, candy & water provided. Dolley Madison Library is in McLean, VA near I-495 beltway exits 44, 45 or 46. **Conference Room** is 1st door on immediate left after entering\.Repressions vs Narrative Integration \| Classical Psychoanalysis DIY

Every 4th Friday of the month Rene Davila hosts an "Alternative Milonga" at Lioudmila Dance Studio. He creates very eclectic tandas, using music that one would "normally" not associate with Argentine Tango. Why? Because 1. It's fun 2. It's a new challenge: Leaders and Followers really need to tune in and connect, in order to create a different kind of experiences. 3. It's playful to match some of our traditional or Nuevo moves to different music. Lesson starts at 8, Milonga at 9. Admission: $15

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Facing Fascism,”** on the history, hallmarks, and lingering power of a deadly ideology, with Kevin Matthews, professor of history at George Mason University and teacher of courses on early 20th century European history. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-facing-fascism](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-facing-fascism) .] Few political movements have aroused as much anger and fear as fascism. But despite its legacy of violence, persecution, and genocide, fascism continues to hold a strange attraction to many. Join historian Kevin Matthews for an in-depth look at an ideology that brought death to millions in Europe and yet continues to deeply influence our politics and culture. Dr. Matthews will start by discussing how the ideology of fascism arose in the aftermath of the First World War and took hold in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. To give you a better grasp of what exactly fascism is, he’ll discuss its central themes: Anti-democracy. Extreme nationalism and anti-communism. The use, or threat, of violence in politics. Rejection of established values such as scientific objectivity. Denial of equal rights, especially for women. The assertion of power where a power vacuum exists. We’ll examine the rise and fall of two notorious fascist dictators, Adolf Hitler of Germany and Benito Mussolini of Italy. For a time it was believed that fascism died in the ashes of the Second World War, but it clearly didn’t, and we’ll look at where it remains a political force today. Finally, we’ll examine how fascism continues to permeate popular culture in ways that trivialize it, popping up in music from punk to Madonna, with its latent eroticism making it the subject of films such as *The Night Porter.* Having been called “the most self-consciously visual of all political forms,” it enlisted fashion leaders to produce uniforms and continues today to inspire a look known as “Nazi chic.” Dr. Matthews previously has given fantastic Profs and Pints talks on Ireland’s fight for independence and on World War II German submarine attacks off our coasts. He’s sure to leave you with a much better understanding of fascism and a recognition that is has hardly gone away. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler during Mussolini's 1940 visit in Munich (photographer unknown / public domain).

Every Sunday afternoon before church, one of the Covenant Life Church prophetess' hosts a prophetic training class that activates participants in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. During this class, participants will be provided opportunity to be taught how to use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and will have opportunity to ask questions and talk with someone who has been used in the Gifts during ministry. Teaching is provided on the gifts with emphasis on the Gift of the Prophecy. A combination of lecture and experiential learning is employed to teach, guide and instruct the participants. Everyone is welcome, all classes are free. Childcare is not provided.

Hi everyone! For our next meeting on the 25th of this month, we are reading Aristotles's Nicomachean Ethics, Books 8, 9, and 10. Book 8 is on friendship and it leads to a discussion on pleasure in book 10. (I see some elements of Marcus Aurelius here). I saw several translations on Amazon, with notes, so I will be reading one of those, but any copy will do. Arthur, we liked your proposal to read Tacitus. Could you tell us about your idea at our next meeting? Let's discuss when we meet. As usual, we will meet in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in the **205-B Accessibility Room**, located on the second floor. Ask at the Center for Accessibility front desk if you are looking for us. See you there!

“Education does not change the world. Education changes people. People change the world.” (Paulo Freire) Featuring newly unearthed archival footage of Brazil in the 1960s, this fascinating excursion into the early work of Paulo Freire shows how he implemented the ideas of democratic, non-hierarchical education that made him the internationally revered education philosopher he became. “Learn to read in 40 hours” was not a slogan but a promise Freire and his teaching corps made to illiterate farmworkers in the Brazilian countryside, and that they made to themselves. Simply put, instead of rote memorization, educators used familiar surroundings and objects to construct meaningful vocabulary. Moving interviews with some of the hundreds whose lives were forever changed by learning to read, sign their name, and thus vote personalize the link between education and democracy. Both were upended by the 1964 military coup that exiled Freire for 16 years and gave him to the rest of the world.—Judy Bloch Ticket Info/Price: Single Admission: $15 ($10 for ages under 25). Director’s Pass: $110 (10 tickets)

When judging morality, should we prioritize **intentions/duty** or **outcomes/results**? It introduces two influential philosophers as representatives of these approaches. * **Immanuel Kant (deontology):** An action is moral when it is done from **duty** and follows rational, universal principles (the **categorical imperative**). Certain acts—like lying—are wrong regardless of the consequences; you can’t do a wrong thing for a right reason. * **John Stuart Mill (utilitarian consequentialism):** The morality of an action is determined by its **effects**, specifically how much **happiness/well-being** it produces. Mill argues that some pleasures are “higher” than others, and that good intentions don’t redeem harmful outcomes. ## Discussion Questions 1. **The lying dilemma:** A murderer comes to your door and asks if your friend is hiding inside. Kant would say you must not lie. 2. **Can good intentions rescue a bad outcome?** 3. **The organ harvest problem:** A surgeon has five patients dying of organ failure and one healthy patient in for a checkup. Killing the one to harvest organs would save five lives, and the math works out for the utilitarian. Why does this feel so deeply wrong? Is that feeling a point in Kant's favor, or just a bias we should overcome? 4. **Do rules need exceptions?** Kant insists moral rules must be universal, with no exceptions. But most of us can imagine extreme scenarios where any rule seems like it should bend. Does the need for exceptions fatally undermine deontology, or is the strength of the system precisely that it refuses to bend? 5. **Who gets to calculate the consequences?** Utilitarianism asks us to maximize good outcomes, but we're notoriously bad at predicting consequences. If we can't reliably know the results of our actions, is it practical to base our entire moral system on outcomes? Does this uncertainty push us back toward rules and principles? 6. **Everyday morality:** Think about a real moral decision you've made recently, even a small one. Did you reason more like a Kantian (what's the right thing to do in principle?) or more like a utilitarian (what will produce the best result?)? Do most people naturally lean one way? 7. **Justice vs. the greater good:** A town can prevent a deadly plague by sacrificing one innocent person. The greater good is clearly served. But is it just? Can an action be morally right and deeply unjust at the same time? 8. **The big synthesis question:** Are these two systems actually opposed, or do they often arrive at the same answers by different paths? Is it possible that we need both: rules to guide us in the moment and consequences to evaluate systems and policies over time?

Main Library, Meeting Room 2B Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.

**Welcome to the Women’s Columbus Bogleheads® Sub-Group** This sub-group is for **women who want to learn and discuss finances in a safe, supportive space**. For those interested in moving towards financial independence and retirement by learning investment basics, choosing your 401(k) investments, minimizing taxes, and more. We’re a local chapter of **Bogleheads®**, following a long-term, practical investment philosophy: [Investment Philosophy](https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy): https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy [Bogleheads Forum](https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php): https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php No question is too small, and no experience is too simple. Share, ask, and learn — at your own pace, without judgment, in a group of like-minded women. Let’s build confidence and knowledge **together**!

ASH is Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists of First Unitarian Universalists of Columbus Ohio TBD Snacks are usually available, and you are welcome to bringing something to share!

You can also join the meeting by Conference Call at (518) 263-8851.

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.

Walk for Children - 2026 Save Soil Walkathon in Columbus 🌍 Over 52% of the world soil is degraded and scientists warn we may have only a few decades of fertile soil left. As Sadhguru shares, soil is a living system—and when it degrades, our food, health, and future are at risk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyT-6qiubd0 🚶‍♂️🌎This Earth Day, Join the Walk for Children-2026 SaveSoil 5K Walkathon here in Columbus and help raise awareness about soil for the future of our children! Every step you take helps: ✔️ 1. Raise awareness in your communities about protecting and restoring soil. ✔️ 2. Supports sustainable food systems. ✔️ 3. Helps secure our children’s future. 📅 Date: April 26, 2026 📍 Location: Scioto Audubon Metro Park Check-in address 400 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215 ⏰ Time: 8:30 a.m. check-in event starts at 9:30 a.m. 👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walk-for-children-2026-save-soil-walkathon-in-columbus-registration-1986596534713?aff=oddtdtcreator 👉🏼Free and Open to All. Share this message and bring your neighbours, friends & family along to celebrate our planet! Let’s make it happen!