Sunday Morning Gatherings Are Suspended Due To COVID-19 Quarantine

Featured Presentations For September, 2020

Dr. Beatriz Gallagher

Open Circle Ajijic

October 6, 2019
Presentation by Dr. Beatriz Gallagher : Your Immune System and the Battles Within You
YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuMmfrFKnns" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

Essential for your survival, the immune system can distinguish between self and non-self, friend or foe, and its powerful chemicals can destroy sick cells and pathogens. It is a complex system always at work, but it can also turn against you and attack healthy tissues by mistaken identity. It can be overactive and cause allergies or become weak and then you get sick. Bea will tell you what compromises its integrity and how to feed it properly to keep it humming.

Dr. Beatriz Gallagher obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Science and Biochemistry and a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition. She also holds a diplomate in Chinese Medicine and a PhD in Integrative Medicine and Clinical Nutrition. Other training includes Biochemistry of Addictions, Nutrigenomics, and Genetic Testing. She moved to the Chapala area in 2010 and has since maintained a private practice here.

Rachel McMillen

Open Circle Ajijic

December 1, 2019
Presentation by Rachel McMillen: Reconciliation - It's More than Just a Word
YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsO4hCU3JgQ" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

Understanding the history of our interactions with the people who were the original inhabitants of our countries, can only take us so far on the path of reconciliation. Knowing what is happening in the present can give us tools to help, but to gain knowledge that can help us weather the economic and climate storms of the future, we need to learn from the traditional beliefs of our indigenous neighbors.

Rachel McMillen is an adult educator with an Honors Arts degree (English language and literature) and the author of the Dan Connor Mystery series, described by one reviewer as "mysteries with a conscience." She and her husband spent thirty years sailing the west coast, meeting and working with the indigenous people who live there.

Sandy Britton

Open Circle Ajijic

November 3, 2019
Presentation by Sandy Britton: How and Why We Remember
YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGFMWJ_LZAs" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

We humans define ourselves in large part through our memories, to the point where loss of memory feels like loss of self. Our memories also play an essential role in our survival. While memory has been studied by philosophers and scientists for centuries, it's only been in the last fifty years or so that researchers have learned how subtle and complex memory really is. Recent research has added even more insight into how memory works - and how it can work against us. Come take a journey through this fascinating aspect of the human mind, and learn the latest findings on how to improve your ability to remember.

Sandy Britton is from northern California. Her background is in software development but she's always been fascinated by the computer between our ears. She combines her love of brain science and public speaking to bring you this talk.

Don Munroe

Open Circle Ajijic

January 19, 2020
Presentation by Don Munroe: Here Comes the Judge
YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMSISALkn2s" target="_blank"]** CLICK HERE **[/a]

Judges are the guardians of the Rule of Law which is at the foundation of any true democracy. Without an independent, non-partisan, even courageous judiciary, the Rule of Law is threatened. Using the United States and Canada as the main reference points, Don will define what we mean by the Rule of Law and demonstrate its importance. He will then take a critical look at how our judges are selected and whether those processes are compatible with the democratic values that the Rule of Law is intended to protect.

Don Munroe is a prominent Canadian lawyer whose career has included criminal and civil litigation; chairmanship of the British Columbia Labour Relations Board; visiting professor of constitutional law at the University of Victoria; and some 30 years as an arbitrator and mediator. Don has appeared as counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada on four occasions and at age 38 was designated a Queen's Counsel

What The Community Is Still Pondering

Open Circle Ajijic June 21, 2020 Presentation by Christian Robertson: How Local Bamboo Warriors Combat Climate Change YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEq9kpawtIE" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Did you know that Bamboo is one of the fastest ways to combat the effects of climate change? The Bamboo Warriors (coined by Dale Hoyt Palfrey) are working to plant 3 hectares (7.5 acres) of bamboo in the hills of Poncitlán to improve the local environment and create jobs for the next generation. They offer classes at DIF and are looking for ways to introduce bamboo to everyone at Lakeside. Christian Robertson has 30 years of real estate experience in the US and Mexico. He owned a koi fish farm for 7 years in California. In his 20 years in Chapala, he has become passionate about reversing global warming and supporting disadvantaged Mexicans.	Open Circle Ajijic May 24, 2020 Presentation by Lila Wells: I Love David Sedaris YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCLCvkWF60k" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Lila Wells will share a dramatic reading excerpted from several works of David Sedaris, one of her favorite authors. Sedaris is the best-selling author of several collections of autobiographical, self-deprecating essays, mainly describing his middle-class upbringing in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina, up to his time living in France and now in England with his life partner, Hugh Hamrick, an artist and set designer. He also has written over 40 essays for The New Yorker magazine and been nominated twice for a Grammy Award. Lila came to Lakeside from Asheville, NC, in 2015 and quickly became involved in theatre. She has appeared at Lakeside Little Theatre (Nunsense, 2016), Bare Stage Readers Theatre, and has acted and directed at Naked Stage Readers Theatre.	Open Circle Ajijic March 15, 2020 Presentation by Dr. Michael McManmon: Life on the Spectrum: The Perspective of a Man with Asperger’s Syndrome YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO7nIJZ8rVM" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Presented by Dr. Michael McManmon. Growing up in suburban New Jersey in a Catholic family with mental illness, suicide, learning differences, Autism, and alcoholism made things very confusing. How would any young person developing in a similar environment ever know what was normal behavior? Dr. McManmon will explain Asperger’s through personal stories and concepts unique to understanding people with this syndrome. Dr. McManmon is a licensed Psychologist and founder of the College Internship Program (CIP). He is on the Professional Advisory Board for Asperger’s Syndrome Training and Employment Project and is the author of four books on the subject. He continues his search for answers, working with young adults with emotional, social and learning problems.	Open Circle Ajijic March 15, 2020 Presentation by Dr Sydney Metrick: The Art of Life YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snl3LoQu5qE" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Living Lakeside we are fortunate to be surrounded by the arts. Outdoor murals, art shows, music and performance abound; as do classes in a wide range of art forms. Whether you are a maker, a witness, or some of each you get to experience the healing power of the arts. The arts create and communicate the meaning of our lives. Throughout recorded history, people have used pictures, stories, dances, and chants as healing rituals. The arts can be personal or political, soothing or inciting. They are change-making. Sydney Metrick, author of Moving to Mexico, I Do, and Crossing the Bridge, and co-author of The Art of Ritual and Rituals for Life, Love and Loss has a doctorate in Expressive Arts Therapy. She’s used the arts in her work with individuals, groups and communities for both support and celebration.
Open Circle Ajijic March 08, 2020 Presentation by Michael Hogan: How the US and Mexico Came Together to Defeat the Last Empire in The Americas YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8k0HL56xpk" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Historian Michael Hogan returns to present his latest work, GUNS. GRIT, AND GLORY: How the US and Mexico Came Together to Defeat the Last Empire in The Americas. In Hogan’s 4th appearance on our stage he will discuss this little known period that marked the end of the French Occupation of Mexico and entertain us with anecdotes and character sketches of the historical figures of the day. Among them will be a Mexican general who brought camels to the Sonoran Desert to transport US artillery to Mexico, and a 24-year-old Mexican lad who raised millions of dollars selling Mexican bonds with the help of Mary Todd Lincoln. Hogan is the author of 25 books including one that inspired an MGM movie and six documentaries. Following the presentation, please join Professor Hogan at a book signing and luncheon at La Nueva Posada just a few blocks down the road.	Open Circle Ajijic March 5, 2020 Presentation by Clair Kuntz: Writing a Legacy Letter, the Ultimate Love Letter YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsHKTXkHqxU" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Lila Wells will share a dramatic reading excerpted from several works of David Sedaris, one of her favorite authors. Sedaris is the best-selling author of several collections of autobiographical, self-deprecating essays, mainly describing his middle-class upbringing in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina, up to his time living in France and now in England with his life partner, Hugh Hamrick, an artist and set designer. He also has written over 40 essays for The New Yorker magazine and been nominated twice for a Grammy Award. Lila came to Lakeside from Asheville, NC, in 2015 and quickly became involved in theatre. She has appeared at Lakeside Little Theatre (Nunsense, 2016), Bare Stage Readers Theatre, and has acted and directed at Naked Stage Readers Theatre.	Open Circle Ajijic March 1, 2020 Presentation by Michael Reason: The Universal Power of Music YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsHKTXkHqxU" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Music is all around us. It is an integral part of the human experience and has the power to transform our lives in myriad ways. Pianist and conductor Michael Reason will lead us on a journey to discover how music can be the inspiration for change, how it can heal mind and body, and how it connects with the soul. After leaving music college, Michael worked on numerous theatrical productions as Music Director in England during the 1980s and emigrated to Canada in 1991. Since then he has had a highly successful career as a professional orchestra conductor working with orchestras across Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. In addition, he has held the position of Music Director for the Prince George Symphony, the Niagara Symphony, and the Hamilton Philharmonic in Canada. He now lives in Ajijic where he founded the Lake Chapala Community Orchestra and has assumed the roles of conductor and artistic director.	Open Circle Ajijic February 23, 2020 Presentation by Jan Miller: What You Believe about Yourself - Isn't True? YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU6shr4MZEw" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] “You're so smart” - “cute” - “shy.” Or “boisterous” - or “trouble.” All our lives we're defined and labeled. We live our lives according to these labels that others have pinned on us. What if we create a different version of ourselves? Who would we be? What would our life be like? We can empower ourselves to be who we want to be. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. Jan Miller, a three-time author, was a sign-language interpreter for twenty years. She then went onto private practice offering seminars, counseling, and motivational talks to individuals and corporations. Her books reflect her philosophy that each of us does the best we can with the choices we make but we all have more potential for change than we realize. Jan lives in Verona, Ontario, Canada, with her husband Dick.
Open Circle Ajijic February 16, 2020 Presentation by La Compañía de Ópera de Jalisco YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igOk7mYAUIs" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] The Compañía de Ópera de Jalisco has delighted Open Circle audiences for the last five years. Today's program will focus on art songs of Latin America and Mexico, some of which will make you shamelessly weep, some of which will make you rejoice, all of which you will make you crave more. The Compañía has received multiple awards and has established a name for itself nationally and internationally. The vocalists are María de Jesús Cárdenas (soprano); Teresa Banderas (mezzosoprano); Chema Lopez (tenor); and Ricardo Lavín (baritone). They will be accompanied by pianist Rodrigo Ibarra and Juan Fernando Magdaleno (violin).	Open Circle Ajijic February 9, 2020 Presentation by Loretta Downs: How to Die When You're Ready YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4SnQaPg2Ro" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Self-determination is the process by which individuals control their own life, including the end of it. Learn about the ethical, safe, and legal ways available in the US, Canada, and Mexico to exercise this basic human right to die on our own terms - how we miss opportunities to use it and what obstacles prevent us from achieving it. Loretta Downs, MA, CSA, has been companioning people at the end of their lives for nearly 40 years—listening, serving, and observing the many ways we die. She sees natural death as a sacred passage deserving of recognition and fervent support. Loretta founded Chrysalis End-of-Life Inspirations, is a member of a hospital ethics committee, an Advance Care Planning Facilitator, and a Certified Senior Advisor. She has a masters degree in gerontology with a major in thanatology. In summer she raises Monarch butterflies in Chicago; in winter she hibernates in Ajijic.	Open Circle Ajijic February 2, 2020 Presentation by Dr David Truly: The Lake Chapala Riviera: A Mature Retirement Destination? YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRg1a9oXKXI" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] While the Lake Chapala Riviera has always been a destination for some retirees, its popularity and recognition over the past decades has resulted in a dramatic increase in home sales and development. While this area has a history of boom and bust, this recent trend suggests the maturation of the area as a retirement destination. This presentation focuses on the cycle of retirement destinations and this area's position within that cycle, so that we may better understand the various forces shaping its evolution and the issues that affect the long-term sustainability for both the foreign and Mexican communities. Dr. David Truly, a former resident of Ajijic, has a PhD in Cultural Geography from the University of South Carolina and has studied this area since 1997. He will offer an overview of not only his own research but the current work of other researchers on this topic.	Open Circle Ajijic January 26, 2020 Presentation by Phil Rylett: What are you? And why you won’t believe it. YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vpLSEnfCtE" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] WHAT are you? It is something we rarely think about. We are much more concerned with WHO we are. Our identity defines our differences. I am not you. You are not me. But if you knew WHAT you are, would those differences start to crumble? Would you see yourself differently? And your relationship to all life, our planet, and beyond? How we got here tells us quite a bit of where we are going. Take a humorous trip back in time and space and let's just see how you got here and what it means for your daily life today - nutrition, health, sex, relationships, love, etc. There's a lot going on under the hood. Let's find out what it all means. Phil Rylett is a native of England. Careers in pharmacology, nursing and computer science define what he did. But what is he? Well, all will be revealed during the presentation.
Open Circle Ajijic January 19, 2020 Presentation by Don Munroe: Here Comes the Judge YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMSISALkn2s" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Judges are the guardians of the Rule of Law which is at the foundation of any true democracy. Without an independent, non-partisan, even courageous judiciary, the Rule of Law is threatened. Using the United States and Canada as the main reference points, Don will define what we mean by the Rule of Law and demonstrate its importance. He will then take a critical look at how our judges are selected and whether those processes are compatible with the democratic values that the Rule of Law is intended to protect. Don Munroe is a prominent Canadian lawyer whose career has included criminal and civil litigation; chairmanship of the British Columbia Labour Relations Board; visiting professor of constitutional law at the University of Victoria; and some 30 years as an arbitrator and mediator. Don has appeared as counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada on four occasions and at age 38 was designated a Queen's Counsel	Open Circle Ajijic January 12, 2020 Presentation by Yann Kostic: “The best vision is insight.”—Malcolm Forbes YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgR8py8USzY" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] As of this writing (December 2019), the bull market is officially the longest on record, but this does not stop skeptics from asking when will it end, and maybe more importantly, how badly. This leads to the question: how long will any other market stay strong? With the ever-changing U.S. political “Helter-Skelter,” to the UK’s “Never Ending Story,” Black Swans are lurking everywhere. Along with this financial market update, we will cover the three largest financial mistakes retirees make when establishing themselves in Mexico. Tom Zachystal, CFA, CFP & Yann Kostic M.B.A. have presented at Open Circle for the past three years. Unfortunately, Tom cannot make it this year.	Open Circle Ajijic January 5, 2020 Presentation by David Bryen: Caring for the Soul in Times of Chaos YouTube link: [a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztrUUXEi-cA" target="_blank"] CLICK HERE [/a] Humanity is experiencing The Dark Night of the Soul! How do we address the shredding of civility and eruption of hate and polarization, without being overtaken by our own tribalism or withdrawing in fear? How do we preserve the interior dimensions of soul life when chaos preoccupies our attention? How do we thread our way between responsibility to the world and connection to the soul? But what is soul? How does it work? What does it want? How do we unlock its intelligence rather than fall prey to primitive reactions? Listening to and loving the soul is the true work of our lives. During his lifetime career as a psychotherapist, David Bryen became a fierce defender of the soul. He retired to Ajijic ten years ago, builds sets for the local theaters, authored a motorcycle adventure book, and a poetry book revealing the erotic nature of the Divine Feminine. David is Open Circle's coordinator.