Richmond IONS February 2024 Meeting

Richmond Ions February 2024, Sylvia CluteRichmond IONS February 2024 Meeting (February 17) and Central Virginia IONS Community Group Meeting. It will feature a talk by Sylvia Clute, Richmond-based trial attorney and author, on her recent book, Unitive Justice:  Bending the Arc of Justice Toward Love (October 2023).

Where: In person and online. Through ZOOM (Meeting ID: 865 1815 1952, Passcode: 142841) and in person at River Road United Methodist Church, Contemporary Worship Center, 8800 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229.



 

Richmond IONS February 2024 Meeting

“Unitive Justice: Bending the Arc of Justice Toward Love.”

Our February 17, 2024 program will feature a talk by Sylvia Clute, Richmond-based trial attorney and author, on her recent book, Unitive Justice: Bending the Arc of Justice Toward Love (October 2023).

Unitive Justice introduces a revolutionary concept: Justice as Love, or Unitive Justice, a way to achieve justice without inflicting revenge or seeking retribution. Sylvia, an experienced civil trialattorney, offers a much-needed alternative to the punitive model of justice by setting out fourteen Arcs from punitive justice to Unitive Justice. Of course, Justice system change is no small undertaking.

Justice is not limited to the courts ̶it is all-encompassing and exists to a large extent in our minds. Unitive Justice shows the promise that Justice as Love holds for transforming our justice system and world. It is not a “quick fix” for the brokenness in the world, but it is a start.

It may take many lifetimes to transform a world tethered to dualistic thinking, and yet it can be implemented by one person, in one prison pod, in one family, in one relationship, right now.

The fact that grave injustices have existed for time immemorial is a compelling reason to begin to create small pockets of Unitive Justice wherever we can and to nurture them with all the Love we can muster. Practicing Justice as Love is life-changing, if not life-saving, for many involved.

Sylvia last addressed our group about a decade ago on the subject of Restorative Justice, and this is the next step. Now she will give us insight into the life-changing concept of Unitive Justice and show how it can completely transform the way we approach justice.

Once you experience Unitive Justice, you can no longer believe that punitive justice is the best we can do.

About Our Richmond IONS February 2024 Meeting Presenter:

Sylvia Clute, our Richmond IONS February 2024 meeting presenter brings twenty-eight years as a trial attorney to the undertaking of creating a model  of justice with no punitive elements-what she calls Unitive Justice.

This epoch in her life began when her spiritual journey and her work in the courtroom collided, but she had important tools in her toolbox for what lay ahead. A law degree from Boston Univ. and graduate degrees in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Univ. of California/Berkeley bring practical knowledge to her work on cutting-edge policy reform.

She learned of diverse approaches to public policy when she studied in Paris, France, two decades after WWII and served two years in a remote Nepali village during her Peace Corps service. She now serves as President and Exec. Director of the Alliance of Unitive Justice, a nonprofit that offers training and programs on Unitive Justice theory and practice. (www.a4uj.org)

Unitive Justice is applicable in education, corrections, politics and government, spirituality/religion, and leadership-everywhere people come together in community. It is being taught in law schools, and grassroots groups are creating new ways of applying Unitive Justice in diverse settings worldwide.

Sylvia is the author of Beyond Vengeance, Beyond Duality: A Call for a Compassionate Revolution, and a novel, Destiny Unveiled. This book is her seminal work on Unitive Justice theory and practice, the product of 35 years of research and writing,  leading to a practical theory of Justice as Love.

About Central VA IONS Community Group:

Central VA IONS Community Group is an unincorporated association and a local community group of The Institute of Noetic Sciences, an international association based in Petaluma, California (www.noetic.org).

We do not promote any religion, religious organization, doctrine or set of beliefs or practices and we are open to all. Central VA IONS entirely depends on voluntary donations of its members and friends to support its programs, mailings and other costs.

We appreciate a love offering at each meeting from those attending who are not dues paying members. Richmond IONS/Central VA IONS meetings take place each month at locations announced in its program notices (currently on Zoom) and are open to all. Our website is at richmondions.com.



Please also visit and “LIKE” our  Richmond IONS Facebook page

Richmond IONS January 2024 Meeting

Richmond Ions 2023, Tom CoatesRichmond IONS January 2024 Meeting (January 20) and Central Virginia IONS Community Group Meeting. It will feature a talk by Thomas Coates and a celebration of our group’s 28th Anniversary.

Where: In person and online. Through ZOOM (Meeting ID: 865 1815 1952, Passcode: 142841) and in person at River Road United Methodist Church, Contemporary Worship Center, 8800 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229.

When: On Saturday, November 18, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, with a Potluck Lunch at the conclusion of the program. Also remember our FREE BOOK EXCHANGE.   Bring books you’re done with to our meeting and take home all you like.




Richmond IONS January 2024 Meeting

“The Evolution of God in Human Consciousness and Implications for Humanity.”

Ideas about God or Gods have evolved substantially during the course of the current cycle of human history, which began roughly 6,500 years ago. Traditional indigenous cultures were more organically aligned with their natural surroundings than we are today.

They were animistic in their orientation and connected with spirits everywhere, which most often were mediated by tribal shamans. We are taught to believe that animistic/shamanic belief systems and practices later evolved into polytheistic religious belief systems, as illustrated by the various pantheons of gods of cultures throughout the ancient and
“classical” world, including the cultures of India, Babylon, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome and many others.

We are also taught that starting between three and four thousand years ago, the Hebrews (later to become known as Jews) began developing the concept of monotheism, quite a novel idea at the time, and that it eventually gave birth to the two great monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam, whose combined followers today comprise more than half the world’s population. There are many misconceptions about this which we will explore.

Notwithstanding humanity’s so-called evolutionary advances with respect to notions of God, the state of our modern world makes two matters crystal clear: First, the planet-wide chaos, conflict and environmental degradation we continue to experience is directly related to our conflicted concepts of God.

Second, in order to resolve such problems going forward, our concepts of God will have to evolve further still – from ideas which foster separation (among us as humans, between us and our environment, and between us and God) to one which fosters Unity with all-that-is.

This talk will build on the talk given in May 2023 by Robert Bushman (entitled “Who Is God? A Radical Interpretation of the Old Testament”), and will offer suggestions about where we may go from here to initiate this next evolutionary leap in our consciousness, in order to save both ourselves and our environment.

About Tom Coates, our Richmond IONS January 2024 Meeting Presenter

Tom Coates is a Richmond-based lawyer who has represented numerous spiritually oriented and public interest groups throughout his career. He was a co-founder of Richmond’s Ekoji Buddhist Sangha in 1985, and has been a member and contributor of the Richmond IONS chapter since its formation in early 1996.

In his spare time, he enjoys reading, creative writing, painting, woodworking, alpine skiing, biking, backpacking, sailing, time travel, metaphysics, and relaxing with his family at their ancient Outer Banks beach cottage and their Colombian Andes Mountains retreat. He now is looking forward to undertaking a new role as an ambassador for Earth in the Galactic Federation.




About Central VA IONS Community Group:

Central VA IONS Community Group is an unincorporated association and a local community group of The Institute of Noetic Sciences, an international association based in Petaluma, California (www.noetic.org).

We do not promote any religion, religious organization, doctrine or set of beliefs or practices and we are open to all. Central VA IONS entirely depends on voluntary donations of its members and friends to support its programs, mailings and other costs.

We appreciate a love offering at each meeting from those attending who are not dues paying members. Richmond IONS/Central VA IONS meetings take place each month at locations announced in its program notices (currently on Zoom) and are open to all. Our website is at richmondions.com.

About Our Richmond IONS Facebook Page:

Please also visit and “LIKE” our  Richmond IONS Facebook page

Richmond IONS December 2023 Meeting

Richmond Ions December 2023, Sunny BeachRichmond IONS December 2023 Meeting (December 16) and Central Virginia IONS Community Group Meeting. It will feature a talk by Sunny Beach.

Where: In person and online. Through ZOOM (Meeting ID: 865 1815 1952, Passcode: 142841) and in person at River Road United Methodist Church, Contemporary Worship Center, 8800 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229.

When: On Saturday, November 18, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, with a Potluck Lunch at the conclusion of the program.




Richmond IONS December 2023 Meeting

“The {He}Art of Shamanism.”

Our December 16, 2023, program will feature a talk by Sunny Beach a/k/a Suun Eater, a Baltimore-based metaphysician and urban shaman. In his own words, his talk will be about the following:

An exploration into the wisdom, power and mysteries of wholistic medicine, mysticism, magick, alchemy, nature, intention, ascension, our multidimensional reality, consciousness and creation.

These are a few of the topics we will be discussing and exploring together: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual bodies; non-duality (s.t.o./s.t.s.), heart centered alchemy; the 12 universal laws; the 12 laws of karma; the laws and application of magick and alchemy; wholistic medicine and wholistic healing modalities (psychospiritual, emotional and physical wholistic medicine through healing personal, ancestral, planetary and galactic karma)

In addition, we will address the ego (including temperance, attachments, and archetypes); shadow work (negative ego death of the false self and polarity integration); and astro theology and cosmology; chakras, nadis, meridians, ley lines, densities and dimensions.

We will also touch on empathy, clairvoyance, intuition, claircognizance, telepathy, telekinesis, OBE, astral projection, psychic abilities and paranormal aspects of consciousness (ordinary, non-ordinary consciousness, higher states of consciousness and awareness).

Furthermore, we will address plant medicine, allies, vision quests, working with power and understanding nature (mineral, plant-animal, human, angelic, elemental and devic kingdoms).

In addition, we will address individual, planetary, solar, universal, galactic and cosmic consciousness; the power of thoughts, emotions, intention, intonation (communication), (s)words, spells, sigils, symbols, shapes and colors upon “reality” as we experience it.

Moreover, the areas of DNA, quantum physics (the morphogenetic field and multidensity/multidimensional nature of consciousness as reality); soul retrieval, spiritual sciences, Christ consciousness and unity consciousness are. also included.

About Sunny Beach, our Richmond IONS December 2023 Meeting Presenter

Sunny Beach, aka Suun Eater, is an auto-didact metaphysician and urban shaman whose home base is Baltimore, Maryland.




About Central VA IONS Community Group:

Central VA IONS Community Group is an unincorporated association and a local community group of The Institute of Noetic Sciences, an international association based in Petaluma, California (www.noetic.org).

We do not promote any religion, religious organization, doctrine or set of beliefs or practices and we are open to all. Central VA IONS entirely depends on voluntary donations of its members and friends to support its programs, mailings and other costs.

We appreciate a love offering at each meeting from those attending who are not dues paying members. Richmond IONS/Central VA IONS meetings take place each month at locations announced in its program notices (currently on Zoom) and are open to all. Our website is at richmondions.com.

About Our Richmond IONS Facebook Page:

Please also visit and “LIKE” our  Richmond IONS Facebook page

Spiritual Practice Series December 2023

Spiritual Mind Practices December 2023, Simona AronowOur 13th installment of our Spiritual Practice Series, December 2023, will be held on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, and will feature a talk by Simona Aronow. The talk will be entitled, “Authentic Movement as a Spiritual Practice.”

This program is part of our new partnership with Sanctuary of Earth, Inc. They are on ZOOM only, which will offer live presentations focused primarily on spiritual practices (and referred to as “Spiritual Practice Series”).

This series is held on the first Wednesday of each month (except for July) from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., Eastern Time, and from 4:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., Pacific Time.

To join us, please click on https://zoom.us/join  The Meeting I.D for ZOOM is 814 7835 9729, and the Passcode is Earthlove.

Please note this is a different Zoom link, Meeting ID, and Passcode than what we use for our third-Saturday-of-the-month meetings.

So there will be no confusion, please note that this new ZOOM-only speaker series is in addition to our traditional third-Saturday-of-the-month meetings, which are both in-person and online via ZOOM and include a potluck lunch.

Description:

The practice of Authentic Movement is a movement meditation practice of moving and witnessing. Its roots are in Jungian active imagination and supports a process of Awareness and Consciousness from the inner wisdom of the body.

We open to embodied attention, noticing sensations, images, thoughts, and feelings, woven into movement expression from our direct embodied truth. The  movement can be expansive and active, a small gesture, or stillness.

In our time together, I will share some basic principles, explain the form of the practice, and have some time to learn skills for deep listening and expression of what is most authentic and present for you.

We move all the time, and there is no right or wrong way to engage with this practice.

Bio:

Simona Aronow (BC-DMT, CMA, NCC, NCTMB), facilitates Movement for self-awareness, expression and transformation. She brings to this work over 45 years of experience as a therapist, teacher, healer and supervisor.

Simona is a Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist specializing in Authentic Movement, and also certified in Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies.

She has taught in the certification program for the Laban Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies, the Embodying Spirit/En-Spiriting Body Training program,
and directs and teaches a 2 year program in Embodied Kabbalah.

Simona maintains a private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, with individual clients, and teaching in person and virtually.

Meeting Info:

The Meeting info is at the top of the page. As to cost, there is a suggested donation of $10 or more to https://www.SanctuaryOfEarth.org/donate

For more information, see SanctuaryOfEarth.org, richmondions.com, or email Susanna Calvert at SusannaCalvert@gmail.com

Richmond IONS November 2023 Meeting

Richmond Ions November 2023, Jeffrey LongRichmond IONS November 2023 Meeting (November 18) and Central Virginia IONS Community Group Meeting. It will feature a talk by Jeffrey Long, MD.

Where: In person and online. Through ZOOM (Meeting ID: 865 1815 1952, Passcode: 142841) and in person at River Road United Methodist Church, Contemporary Worship Center, 8800 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229.

When: On Saturday, November 18, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, with a Potluck Lunch at the conclusion of the program.




Richmond IONS November 2023 Meeting

“God and the Afterlife.”

Dr. Long will address our group on his more than twenty-five years researching the NDE phenomenon. In 1998, Dr. Long and his wife Jody established the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation (NDERF) with the goal of creating a forum for near-death experiencers to share their stories.

Since then, more than 5,000 people have done so, and the Longs’ NDERF website has become the largest platform in the world for personal accounts of NDEs.

Dr. Long has authored two books on this subject, the first entitled Evidence of the Afterlife – the Science of Near-Death Experiences, in 2010, the second God and the Afterlife, in 2016. Dr. Long’s conclusions are based on accounts from thousands of near-death experiencers from diverse backgrounds and religious traditions, including non-believers.

In Evidence of the Afterlife, Dr. Long showed us compelling scientific evidence of life after death. God and the
Afterlife goes further, revealing evidence that God is real.

Here, Dr. Long presents startling evidence that a Supreme Being exists – and there is amazing consistency about what the Supreme Being is like. God and the Afterlife is the first intensive exploration of the people who report having gone to the frontier of heaven, met God, and returned to share. their journey.

Dr. Long studied thousands of stories of people who journeyed to the afterlife. Despite a wide variety of differences in how people experience NDEs, he discovered remarkable similarities in their descriptions of God – a Supreme Being who radiates love and grace.

God and the Afterlife expands on the analysis begun in Evidence of the Afterlife, is groundbreaking and profound,
and provides new insights into the human experience. It transcends our notions of mortality, and offers hope,
comfort, and the possibility of eternal life. We are very grateful to have Dr. Long as our guest speaker.

About Dr. Jeffrey Long, our Richmond IONS November 2023 Meeting Presenter

Jeffrey Long, M.D., is a radiation oncologist and NDE researcher in Georgetown, Kentucky. He has appeared on
NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, FOX’s The O’Reilly Factor, and The Learning Channel.

Long has also served on the Board of Directors of the International Association for Near-Death Studies(IANDS) and established the nonprofit Near-Death Experience Research Foundation and the NDERF website, the world’s largest forum for NDE accounts.




About Central VA IONS Community Group:

Central VA IONS Community Group is an unincorporated association and a local community group of The Institute of Noetic Sciences, an international association based in Petaluma, California (www.noetic.org).

We do not promote any religion, religious organization, doctrine or set of beliefs or practices and we are open to all. Central VA IONS entirely depends on voluntary donations of its members and friends to support its programs, mailings and other costs.

We appreciate a love offering at each meeting from those attending who are not dues paying members. Richmond IONS/Central VA IONS meetings take place each month at locations announced in its program notices (currently on Zoom) and are open to all. Our website is at richmondions.com.

About Our Richmond IONS Facebook Page:

Please also visit and “LIKE” our  Richmond IONS Facebook page

Spiritual Practice Series November 2023

Spiritual Practice Series, November 2023, Daniela BumannOur 12th installment of our Spiritual Practice Series, November 2023, will be held on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, and will feature a talk by Daniela Bumann.. The talk will be entitled, “The Wellspring of Being: Embracing Authenticity and Oneness.”

This program is part of our new partnership with Sanctuary of Earth, Inc. They are on ZOOM only, which will offer live presentations focused primarily on spiritual practices (and referred to as “Spiritual Practice Series”).

This series is held on the first Wednesday of each month (except for July and (this year) September) from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., Eastern Time, and from 4:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., Pacific Time.

To join us, please click on https://zoom.us/join  The Meeting I.D for ZOOM is 814 7835 9729, and the Passcode is Earthlove.

Please note this is a different Zoom link, Meeting ID, and Passcode than what we use for our third-Saturday-of-the-month meetings.

So there will be no confusion, please note that this new ZOOM-only speaker series is in addition to our traditional third-Saturday-of-the-month meetings, which are both in-person and online via ZOOM and include a potluck lunch.

Spiritual Practice Series November 2023

Description:

Dive into the depths of your authentic self and explore the interconnected tapestry of existence in “The Wellspring of Being: Embracing Authenticity and Oneness.”

In this transformative 90-minute workshop, we embark on a profound journey of self-discovery and interconnected living. Guided by immersive presentations and reflective discussions, participants will unravel the essence of authenticity, learning to align their actions with their true selves.

Through the exploration of interconnectedness, we illuminate the threads that bind us to all beings, fostering empathy and compassion. Join us in this enlightening exploration, discovering the wellspring within and weaving harmony into the fabric of existence.

Bio:

Daniela is a multifaceted expert: corporate. consultant, international teacher, transformation speaker, life mastery coach, and evolutionary consciousness guide.

She is a best-selling author of two books that reveal her visionary approach to personal and professional transformation: High-Performance Without Pain: A 7-Step Blueprint to Reclaim Your Vibrant Life and Get Even More Done, and Gliding You Home: A Dolphin’s Dream of A New Earth.

The former book unveils seven mindfulness habits that empower high-performers to transcend achiever’s burnout, revitalize strained relationships, and nurture unparalleled productivity. The latter book explores unlocking spiritual potential for fulfillment and greater unity on Earth.

She empowers her clients to cultivate new habits, forge a next-level mindset, and establish transformative boundaries. https://www.vibrantlivingnow.org/

Meeting Info:

Meeting info is at the top of the page. As to cost, there is a suggested donation of $10 or more to https://www.SanctuaryOfEarth.org/donate

For more information, see SanctuaryOfEarth.org, richmondions.com, or email Susanna Calvert at SusannaCalvert@gmail.com

Richmond IONS October 2023 Meeting

Richmond IONS October 2023, Nelson MarquinaRichmond IONS October 2023 Meeting (October 21) and Central Virginia IONS Community Group Meeting. It will feature a talk by Nelson Marquina, MSc, PhD, DC.

Where: In person and online. Through ZOOM (Meeting ID: 865 1815 1952, Passcode: 142841) and in person at River Road United Methodist Church, Contemporary Worship Center, 8800 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229.

When: On Saturday, October 21, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, with a Potluck Lunch at the conclusion of the program.




Richmond IONS October 2023 Meeting

“The Latest on the Perils of 5G”

Our October 21, 2023 program will feature a talk by Nelson Marquina, MSc, PhD, DC, President, Founder and Chief Science Officer of Laser Biotech International.

Dr. Nelson Marquina is one of our most popular and frequently requested guest speakers, and for good reason. Always on the cutting edge of technology, Nelson is a developer of photonic and bioelectromagnetic systems and treatment protocols for healthcare applications in physical medicine and dentistry.

He has spent much of his professional life investigating and researching both the beneficial and the adverse health effects of modern technology such as electromagnetic fields (EMF). He has been developing guidelines and techniques for enhancing the EMF
beneficial effects and protecting from the deleterious effects.

Nelson focuses on how EMF, including 5G, affect our nervous and endocrine systems, and their influences on our physical and mental health, our emotions, and our spiritual experiences. In researching the EMF effects on humans, he addresses the nature of the self and our perceived nature of reality from the most fundamental principles of biophysics and biochemistry.

During the Covid year of 2020, Nelson gave us a cautionary presentation about the potential perils and pitfalls of 5G, but that was at a time when it was not yet in common or widespread use. Now 5G is ubiquitous, and its effects are no longer a subject of mere speculation, but the reality with which we all are living.

We are extremely pleased that Nelson is willing to take time from his busy professional schedule to address our group once again. It’s another not-to-be-missed program for all who can attend!

About Dr. Nelson Marquina, our Richmond IONS October 2023 Meeting Presenter

Dr. Nelson Marquina was born in Perú and now lives in Richmond, where he is the Chief Science Officer of Laser
Biotech International. His early exposures to shamans in the Peruvian Andes influenced his view of the world and his later interests in biophysics, psychology, and healthcare.

He earned a Master of Science in mathematical statistics from Worcester Polytechnical Institute and doctoral degrees in systems engineering from the University of Houston and in chiropractic medicine from Logan University.

He also extensively trained in the US and in Japan in acupuncture and energetic medicine, which qualified him to be certified by the Virginia Board of Medicine in Asian Meridian therapy, and Korean and Japanese acupuncture.

Nelson is a former Senior Scientist at NASA/Johnson Space Center and he has served on the faculties of the University of Houston in Systems Engineering, Virginia State University in Biophysics, the University of Rhode Island and University of Minnesota in Electrical Engineering, and Logan University as the director of research.

He also held engineering and management positions with GE, Honeywell and Lockheed Electronics in research and development in US government and NASA related projects. He has conducted seminars in technical and healthcare areas across the US and in countries such as Japan, China, Australia, Perú, Argentina, and Canada. His website is www.laserbiotech.com.




About Central VA IONS Community Group:

Central VA IONS Community Group is an unincorporated association and a local community group of The Institute of Noetic Sciences, an international association based in Petaluma, California (www.noetic.org).

We do not promote any religion, religious organization, doctrine or set of beliefs or practices and we are open to all. Central VA IONS entirely depends on voluntary donations of its members and friends to support its programs, mailings and other costs.

We appreciate a love offering at each meeting from those attending who are not dues paying members. Richmond IONS/Central VA IONS meetings take place each month at locations announced in its program notices (currently on Zoom) and are open to all. Our website is at richmondions.com.

About Our Richmond IONS Facebook Page:

Please also visit and “LIKE” our  Richmond IONS Facebook page

Spiritual Practice Series October 2023

Spiritual Earth Practices October 2023, Sarah nortonOur 11th installment of our Spiritual Practice Series will be held on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, and will feature a talk by Sarah D. Norton, Ph.D.. The talk will be entitled, “Dreaming with Earth: How dream images connect, expand, and hold us in times of uncertainty ”

This program is part of our new partnership with Sanctuary of Earth, Inc. These are on ZOOM only, which will offer live presentations focused primarily on spiritual practices (and referred to as “Spiritual Practice Series”).

This series is held on the first Wednesday of each month (except for July and (this year) September) from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., Eastern Time, and from 4:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., Pacific Time.

To join us, please click on https://zoom.us/join  The Meeting I.D for ZOOM is 814 7835 9729, and the Passcode is Earthlove.

Please note this is a different Zoom link, Meeting ID, and Passcode than what we use for our third-Saturday-of-the-month meetings.

So there will be no confusion, please note that this new ZOOM-only speaker series is in addition to our traditional third-Saturday-of-the-month meetings, which are both in-person and online via ZOOM and include a potluck lunch.

Spiritual Practice Series October 2023

Description:

The times we find ourselves in are nothing if not unprecedented and unpredictable. If we can take time to slow down and listen to our dreams, we can find that space, make vital connections to ourselves and those around us, and begin to listen to the voice of Earth speaking to us despite the chaos. Even our most frightening nightmares have a gift to give us.

By paying attention to dreams, synchronicities (meaningful coincidences), and other unconscious contents that call out to us, we can find this place of deep connection and resilience even in the throes of despair or overwhelm. Join us to explore dream images, climate despair and hope, and develop a plan to listen to your dreams more deeply.

Bio:

Sarah D. Norton, PhD, is a depth psychologist and independent scholar with an MA and PhD in Depth Psychology with an emphasis in Jungian and archetypal psychology. With a passion for intersectional environmentalism, grief work, and creativity she writes about climate and current events from an archetypal perspective: http://sdnortonphd.net/.

Sarah is the convener for education for the Foundation for Family and Community Healing, a certified dream group facilitator (Haden Institute in North Caroline), the editor of the publication The Rose in the World, and cohost for LABRC’s Psychreative. You can contact her at sarah.norton.phd@arcticmail.com

Meeting info is at the top of the page. As to cost, there is a suggested donation of $10 or more to https://www.SanctuaryOfEarth.org/donate

For more information, see SanctuaryOfEarth.org, richmondions.com, or email Susanna Calvert at SusannaCalvert@gmail.com

Richmond IONS September 2023 Meeting

Richmond IONS September 2023Richmond IONS September 2023 Meeting (September 16) and Central Virginia IONS Community Group Meeting. It will feature a talk by P.M.H. Atwater.

Where: In person and online. Through ZOOM (Meeting ID: 865 1815 1952, Passcode: 142841) and in person at River Road United Methodist Church, Contemporary Worship Center, 8800 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229.

When: On Saturday, September 16, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, with a Potluck Lunch at the conclusion of the program.




Richmond IONS September 2023 Meeting

“Edge Walker: The Many Lives and Deaths of P.M.H. Atwater.”

Our September 16, 2023 program will feature a talk by P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., world-renowned Charlottesville author and NDE researcher, on her just published personal memoir, Edge Walker: The Many Lives and Deaths of PMH Atwater.

In her many books examining NDEs and other extraordinary phenomena, P.M.H. Atwater has, thus far, only revealed bits and pieces about her own life. Now, in Edge Walker, she finally tells us the whole story. This book explores, in great detail, her journey as a near-death experiencer, prolific author, wife, mother, and spiritual human.

A courageous trailblazer, P.M.H. has spent her entire life walking between worlds and trying to build bridges between them. Perhaps she sums it up best in her own words: “I’ll be almost eighty-six when this book is published. I leave you my laughter and my life and my books, and a host of questions still to be answered. No regrets. I did the best I could each step of the way.”

An international authority on near-death states, P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., is the author of 19 books. Her writings have also appeared in numerous magazines, newsletters, and journals. Some of her research has been validated in clinical settings also mentioned in the Lancet Medical Journal. She has been given numerous citations, appeared on national television, and spoken twice to groups at the United Nations about her work.

She has donated both the copyright and all proceeds from her popular Big Book of Near-Death Experiences, an encyclopedic study of the phenomena, to the International Association of Near-Death Studies to aid in their work. Edge Walker is filled with surprises, as will be Ms. Atwater’s talk about it. We are blessed to have her back on our stage once again, and are grateful for it.

About P.M.H. Atwater, our Richmond IONS September 2023 Meeting Presenter

P.M.H. Atwater is the world’s most prolific NDE author, as well as one of its original, most indefatigable and highly respected researchers. Inspired by three NDEs of her own, Ms. Atwater began her research in the mid-1970s, almost 50 years ago, just after moving from Idaho to Virginia.

Since then, she has investigated over 5,000 NDE cases and others involving intense spiritual transformation around the world and authored nineteen books on this fascinating subject.

Ms. Atwater has won many awards, appeared on numerous TV shows and spoken at the United Nations and around the world – always inviting people to look beyond the surface appearance for the deeper truths underlying what we think we know.




About Central VA IONS Community Group:

Central VA IONS Community Group is an unincorporated association and a local community group of The Institute of Noetic Sciences, an international association based in Petaluma, California (www.noetic.org).

We do not promote any religion, religious organization, doctrine or set of beliefs or practices and we are open to all. Central VA IONS entirely depends on voluntary donations of its members and friends to support its programs, mailings and other costs.

We appreciate a love offering at each meeting from those attending who are not dues paying members. Richmond IONS/Central VA IONS meetings take place each month at locations announced in its program notices (currently on Zoom) and are open to all. Our website is at richmondions.com.

About Our Richmond IONS Facebook Page:

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Spiritual Practice Series September 2023

Spiritual practice series September 2023Our 10th installment of our Spiritual Practice Series will be held on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, and will feature a talk by Stephanie Whitehead. The talk will be entitled, “Signs & Synchronicities: Recognizing and using them to help you in your life.”

This program is part of our new partnership with Sanctuary of Earth, Inc. These are on ZOOM only, which will offer live presentations focused primarily on spiritual practices (and referred to as “Spiritual Practice Series”).

This series is held on the first Wednesday of each month (except for July and (this year) September) from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., Eastern Time, and from 4:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., Pacific Time.

To join us, please click on https://zoom.us/join  The Meeting I.D for ZOOM is 814 7835 9729, and the Passcode is Earthlove.

Please note this is a different Zoom link, Meeting ID, and Passcode than what we use for our third-Saturday-of-the-month meetings.

So there will be no confusion, please note that this new ZOOM-only speaker series is in addition to our traditional third-Saturday-of-the-month meetings, which are both in-person and online via ZOOM and include a potluck lunch.

Spiritual Practice Series September 2023

Description:

Going about our day, we often run into coincidences, subtle signs or synchronicities that make us wonder if someone, maybe even the Universe or Spirit itself, is sending us a message. But do we really believe it? Do we brush it off as coincidence or wishful thinking?

Stephanie Whitehead believes it’s not a coincidence and that these messages can be a powerful tool to help you in your life. Join the talk on Signs and Synchronicities. Learn how to recognize them and use them to
guide spiritual growth, decisions, and more. Let these messages from the Universe, from Spirit, and from loved ones help guide you and give you valuable insight you may need in your journey through life.

Bio:

Stephanie Whitehead is a follower of Earth-Centered Spirituality and the lessons we can learn from nature. She is a Reiki Master Practitioner and Teacher certified in Animal Reiki and specializing in animal massage. She is an intuitive Tarot Reader and tasseomancer (tea leaf reader), and has been studying signs and synchronicities in her life and in the lives of others for several years now.

She is also a writer of fiction and non-fiction and she teaches writing classes on breaking writer’s block and journaling. She is a singer and ritual leader as well and has recently become a licensed officiant in Virginia.

Meeting info is at the top of the page. As to cost, there is a suggested donation of $10 or more to https://www.SanctuaryOfEarth.org/donate

For more information, see SanctuaryOfEarth.org, richmondions.com, or email Susanna Calvert at SusannaCalvert@gmail.com