- What: Saturnalia Party and Philosophic Discussion
- Time: 5 – 7 p.m. (5:00 – 6 pm – Informal Potluck Saturnalia Party)
- Time: 6 – 7 p.m. Philosophic Discussion: Stoic Meditation
- Location: That Book Store, 446 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield, CT
- Current discussion book: A Guide to the Good Life by William Irvine
- Pre-requisites: Open to the public; no Stoic or Buddhist knowledge is necessary.
- Cost: $1
The Stoa Buddhist Philosophy Group will be hosting its first ever Saturnalia Party, from 5 – 6 p.m. that will celebrate the holiday season, the Roman way, with a New England twist of a traditional potluck. Members and friends are welcomed to bring cold appetizers and desserts to share. No warming appliances or device will be available or allowed on site. Please don’t bring any drinks; the That Book Store is a tavern-like book store that has plenty of local wines, brew and non-alcoholic drinks available for sale. Togas, ancient Greek and Roman attire are welcomed but no necessary to participate. Most of us will be not be wearing a costume.
At 6 p.m., we will have our traditional Stoa Buddhist discussion. This week’s discussion will cover Stoic meditation and we will compare and contrast it with Buddhist meditation practices.
What was the Saturnalia? It was the ancient Roman festival of Saturn in December, which was a period of general merrymaking and was the predecessor of Christmas. According to History Today, “It was a public holiday celebrated around December 25th in the family home. A time for feasting, goodwill, generosity to the poor, the exchange of gifts and the decoration of trees…” To learn more, visit the History Today web site HERE.
On the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, our philosophical group offers a non-academic book discussion format where those interested in both Stoicism and Buddhism can come together and learn from the text being read and from each other through the guidance of a Stoic practitioner who is also an experienced Buddhist teacher. Our approach is to learn about the art of living and to strive toward the unfolding of our human potential for inner happiness, flourishing, and enlightenment.
TO LEARN MORE, visit the Stoa Buddhist Philosophy Group web site HERE.