No Presentations Are Scheduled For October, 2020

But We Have Big Events Planned For November

Attendance is by prior reservation only. CLICK TO RESERVE

Open Circle Ajijic

November 1, 2020
Presentation by David Ellison: Fascinating Stories Behind Mexican Street Names
YouTube link: Coming Soon

David Ellison has long had a debt to pay to Los Niños Heroes, the martyred young cadets who defended Chapultepec Castle in 1847 during the US invasion. A gifted raconteur, Ellison will explain his debt and how he will pay it with his forthcoming book that introduces expats to Mexican History. He will regale the audience with captivating stories from that book-in-progress about some of Mexico's inspiring heroes and colorful scoundrels, including the "rest of the story" that never makes the textbooks. This is history and herstory like you've never heard it before.

David Ellison recently retired after 36 years in education. He was a teacher (History his favorite subject), mentor teacher, school administrator, education columnist and community activist. He was honored as the New Haven Unified and the American Council of School Administrators Region VI Teacher of the Year in 1996.

Open Circle Ajijic

November 8, 2020
Presentation by Daniel Acuff: Your Life Is a Battlefield. Your Weapons: Power, Control, and Domination
YouTube link: Coming Soon

Dr. Acuff will explore how you and the important others in your life use power, control, and domination to win, get ahead, and avoid losing in the game of life. He will analyze each of the weapons that you and others utilize in this battle, and will show how you also apply your physical body along with intellectual, emotional, social, and ethical powers to gain control. You'll be surprised to discover how these forces play out consciously and subconsciously in your everyday life.

Dr. Acuff's Ph.D. is in philosophy, sociology and education. He has been a seminar leader, radio talk show host and marketing consultant for more than 40 major corporations. He is author of fifteen books including three philosophical/spiritual works of fiction: God Lied - What's Really Going on Here, The Mysteries of Quan, and Golf and the Zen Master.

Open Circle Ajijic

November 15, 2020
Presentation by Jim Cook: Soldaderas: The Women Warriors of the Mexican Revolution
YouTube link: Coming Soon

Women played a crucial role in the Mexican Revolution. Although they are often portrayed merely as camp followers of the various armies, they also served as front-line combat troops. As their roles evolved, women proved they could be as fierce in battle as any man. Some even rose to command male regiments. Jim's presentation will describe this evolution in roles and discuss some of the Revolution's most famous soldaderas.

Jim Cook received his Bachelor's Degree in History and Political Science and his Master's in Public Administration. After retirement in 2007, he and his wife Carole moved full-time to Mexico. During the following fourteen years, they have traveled throughout the country, photographing people and places while studying Mexico's complex history. Jim has written extensively about the Mexican Revolution in his photo-journal blog, "Jim and Carole's Mexico Adventure."

Open Circle Ajijic

November 22, 2020
Presentation by Peter Steven Malakoff: Ayurveda and Aging
YouTube link: Coming Soon

Ayurveda is the oldest medical science in the world, at the root of Tibetan, Chinese, Persian, and western Medicine. According to Ayurveda, 'Old age is a disease born of Time.' Our lives reside in the body of Time and our body, like everything that grows, eventually decays and dies. Buddha said: "Suffering is inevitable," and he also said "All suffering is not necessary." In this way, the disease of Aging is inevitable, but it may be manifested in a timely or untimely, comfortable or uncomfortable, disease-free or disease-filled manner. Herein lies the Ayurvedic approach to aging . . . it does not prevent death but prolongs life and health, offering understanding and practical wisdom on how to live our elder years in the best possible way.

Peter Malakoff is a Religious Studies scholar who lived in India for nearly ten years. In 2004 he received his Ayurvedic Sadhana Padavika Diploma from Kalidas Sanskrit University in Nagpur, India.