Richmond Science of Spirituality Meditators practice a simple meditation technique designed to help participants invert their attention and connect with their inner source. This technique of Jyoti Meditation can be practiced by people of all ages, physical conditions, and faiths. Meditation has many practical benefits and can help reduce stress-related illnesses and improve our concentration for efficiency in educational or professional endeavors. Please join us if you are interested in meditati …

We are the DC Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery.  We help advance computing as a science and a profession.  We do this offline through lectures, workshops, discussion panels, and professional development seminars.  We partner with ACM HQ, ACM Public Policy, ACM special interest groups (SIGs), DC area technical user groups, and area university Comp Sci and Info Tech departments. Join us if you like any of the following categories: http://acm.org/sigs Suggest a topic or speaker, w …

The Washington Area Astronomy Meetup connects people interested in astronomy by fostering informal gatherings at local star parties, public observatory nights, astronomy lectures and other astronomy-related programs. No experience in astronomy is required and you don't need to own a telescope to participate. The free evening "star party" meetups posted here are hosted by local astronomy clubs and organizations that welcome public participation. These groups offer fun, safe ways to explore the ni …

The Center for Inquiry–DC (CFI–DC) offers an opportunity to put your principles into practice by joining other rationalists to work for positive change in society. In addition, the D.C. Center sponsors social events for freethinkers as well as intellectual programming. CFI provides an ethical alternative to religious and paranormal worldviews. In this time of rising religiosity, anti-intellectualism and political turmoil on ethical issues, it is critical that rationalists and freethinkers join t …

Welcome to the Cybersecurity Innovation Forum Meetup Group sponsored by George Mason University's Master of Science in Management of Secure Information Systems. Our meetups are held quarterly and feature a series of ten-minute case study presentations by cybersecurity experts and technology innovators followed by a panel discussion and questions. The focus of the meetings is on cybersecurity innovation including innovation rationale and motivation, technology, metrics and lessons learned. All ev …

Welcome Skeptics! Join Charlottesville's lively Skeptical community!  Founded in 2006, we're entering our fifth year of discussion dinners, happy hours, lectures, picnics, seasonal parties, with more events planned each month! What is Skepticism? Skepticism," when it applies to the Skeptic movement, means valuing the use of reason, rationality and the tools of science in our everyday lives.  (Note it does not mean "cynicism" or simply "Hey, I'm skeptical about a lot of things so this group must …

This meetup group is created for managers, professional IT architects, and everyone interested in information architecture art and science. We meet to discuss, debate, share ideas, collaborate to make sense of Big Data, Content Management (including Adobe CQ, Drupal, SharePoint, WordPress), Data Management, Enterprise Solutions, Mobile Technology, SEO, etc. Please make yourself at home - check out our scheduled events below and suggest new ones. Welcome on our board and let there be a higher …

We're a bunch of hackers, inventors, engineers, techies, developers and makers who love all things IT and security. Everyone is welcome - from advanced hardware hackers to those who would like to learn what can be done with these new technologies in the arts, sciences, healthcare, gaming, academia, and business venture opportunities. Our meetups are totally informal and are a great opportunity to chat about projects, create new ones, solve problems, mingle, network and generally shoot the breeze …

To stimulate and promote freedom of thought and inquiry concerning religious beliefs, creeds, dogmas, tenets, rituals, and practices. To collect and disseminate information, data, and literature on all religions and promote a more thorough understanding of them, their origins, and their histories. To advocate, labor for, and promote in all lawful ways the complete and absolute separation of state and church. To advocate, labor for, and promote in all lawful ways the establishment and maintenance …

CFI–DC Drinking Skeptically is an informal social event designed to promote fellowship and networking among skeptics, critical-thinkers, and like-minded individuals. CFI–DC Drinking Skeptically provides an opportunity for skeptics to talk, share ideas (and yes, drink) in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. We discuss the issues of the day and whatever else is on our minds. But most of all, we have fun while promoting skepticism, science, and rationality. Don't drink? Don't let that stop you from joini …

Learn how the science of well being can improve your company, your culture and your bottom line. What is Positive Business DC? People spend more time at work than any other aspect of their lives. We believe it’s time to take a page from science and history to increase well-being in the workforce. Workplace well-being leads to more than just a happy team. Other benefits include increased productivity, lowered attrition, and even increased profitability. We don’t expect you take our word for it. O …

www.novac.com ***The events posted here are open to the public and are offered monthly.  NOVAC Members have access to daily viewing sites and opportunities! :)  Please visit our website to become a member!!*** NOVAC is a non-profit organization formed in 1990, however, the club was around informally many years before that! We provide enjoyment and education to the public (and ourselves!) through amateur astronomy. We discuss telescopes, astrophotography, and anything above our atmosphere! :) W …

Fredericksburg Secular Humanists (FSH) is the Fredericksburg, Virginia chapter of the Washington Area Secular Humanists (WASH) .  Most members consider themselves freethinkers, non-theists, atheists, or agnostics. We welcome individuals who are interested in learning and intellectual explorations, and are willing to accept that not all questions have easy answers. Topic presentations are followed by informal discussions and socializing by the group. Dessert, coffee and tea will be provided du …

This is a group for anyone interested in Technology, IT, Cyber Security, Mobile Technology, Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, etc. Our goal is to connect with tech lovers like us and get together in great events such as Meetups, Seminars, Happy Hours (Yes, we love happy hours!) to share information, learn new technologies, discuss and network. We are looking forward to connect with you!

SahajaYoga Meditation is meant for everyone who desires to find his or her true self. A state, which is Joyous, Peaceful and which emits Love for everyone. It is not just a book or a set of exercises but a living science that will open up to you gradually as your meditation become deeper, stronger and more fulfilling. SahajaYoga Meditation was founded by Honorable Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in 1970. It involves the awakening of a subtle spiritual energy known as the mother `Kundalini` which lies d …

This group is for anyone in the Washington, D.C. area working in (or interested in) Natural Language Processing. Our meetings will be an opportunity for folks to network, give presentations about their work or research projects, learn about the latest advancements in our field, and exchange ideas or brainstorm. Topics may include computational linguistics, machine learning, text analytics, data mining, information extraction, speech processing, sentiment analysis, and much more. If you're active …

WINFORMS is a professional organization dedicated to the advancement of the theory and practice of operations research and the management sciences in the greater Washington DC area. WINFORMS, with 120 individual members, is one of the largest geographic sections of INFORMS. WINFORMS holds joint meetings with many other organizations, such as the Institute for Industrial Engineering National Capital Chapter, the National Economists Club, and the Washington Statistical Society. In addition, WINFOR …

Interested in casual, weekday evening conversations (and hearing interesting speakers) to explore questions and doubts related to Christian faith and finding meaning in life? If yes, then grab a beer and join us! DC Theology Pub is an experimental conversation designed to foster fresh new perspectives on--and questions regarding--Christian spirituality in the 21st Century: it is part discussion group and part speaker series. Recently we have started to focus on book discussions on science and fa …

Maybe you're one of those people who sits in a church pew on Sundays thinking to themselves, "I don't believe a word of this." Or perhaps you've checked out of the dogma arguments altogether, avoid church or temple and just to try living a good, decent life. Or, maybe you don't believe in god, but instead seek an ethical path consistent with your understanding of the universe. If any of those sound like you, we should meet! We're the Northern Virginia Ethical Society, a congregation composed of …

RVA Data Hackers is a community of programmers who meet regularly to develop skills and learn about the tools and techniques of Big Data. We discuss how to find, organize, understand and serve data sets large and small. We'll cover anything related to 'big data' -- machine learning, artificial intelligence and architectures to scale Big Data for the Internet. If you're a programmer interested in machine learning algorithms and managing big data, this group is for you. Topics vary from basic conc …

A diverse group of seekers meets weekly to hear a short presentation by a fellow student of Theosophy, followed by open Q&A and discussion. This group has been active in the DC area since 1920, and is affiliated with dozens of similar groups around the world. Theosophical discussions commonly include subjects like reincarnation and karma, universal brotherhood, great teachers and masters of wisdom, the nature of the soul, comparative religion, laws of science and nature, the origins of man and t …

We’re a new social group for Politically Conservative Skeptics. We meet for dinner and other events designed to promote fellowship and networking among non-theists, skeptics, critical thinkers, rationalists, and other like-minded and politically conservative individuals. Our events provide an opportunity for our members to talk, share ideas in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. We discuss the issues of the day and whatever else is on our minds. But most of all, we have fun while promoting skepticism, …

The Independent Investigations Group DC (IIG DC) investigates fringe science, paranormal and extraordinary claims from a rational, scientific viewpoint, and disseminates factual information about such inquiries to the public. Investigations we perform begin with accumulation and analysis of facts, as best as they can be ascertained and gathered without bias.  With facts in hand we attempt to look for a hypothesis that explains the facts and does not contradict known scientific theory.  Then, we …

This group is bringing together individuals interested in exploring Solar and Sustainability. Our mission is to provide education and offer resources, information and ideas for energy efficiency, alternative energy, and sustainable living. The advantages of group interaction are: 1. People have many different ideas and solutions to energy sources and our group explores them all. 2. Learning about the great products and services from qualified installers and vendors will help make decisions easie …

Drinking Skeptically is an informal social event designed to promote fellowship and networking among skeptics, critical-thinkers, and like-minded individuals. Drinking Skeptically provides an opportunity for skeptics to talk, share ideas (and yes, drink) in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. We discuss the issues of the day and whatever else is on our minds. But most of all, we have fun while promoting skepticism, science, and rationality. Don't drink? Don't let that stop you from joining us! Som …

Prepare yourself for a profound and energy revitalizing experience! Laughter Yoga is a new body-mind therapy that allows us to laugh without depending on jokes or traditional humor. LAUGH AT YOURSELF, SCIENCE CONFIRMS: ARE YOU REALLY, TRULY CAPABLE OF LAUGHING AT YOURSELF? If so, it's a good sign that you have an optimistic personality and a good sense of humor, a new study suggests. A small, new study in the journal Emotion of 70 people reveals that those who are really able to laugh at themse …

SEE OUR LATEST PROGRAM IN "FILES" The Chez Nous Reston Salon meets monthly in Reston, typically on Sundays from 5-8pm to enjoy a generous buffet and lecture on a broad range of eclectic topics... from mathematics, to nature to art, decision science...coral reefs and even the universe. I launched the salon in May 2008 to explore fascinating topics and build on an idea for "thoughtful entertainment" in Reston, Virginia. Over two dozen speakers have offered evenings of remarkable interest. Every …