British Society
The Lakeside British Society holds its monthly luncheon Saturday, August 4, 12:45 p.m., at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic.
The speaker will be British Consul Rita Felton, visiting from the embassy in Mexico City.
Menu choices begin with a small salad or cream of carrot soup; choice of club sandwich and fries or a cheese and onion quiche with fries or grilled fish and fries. Dessert is lemon tart. Cost is 150 pesos plus tip.
Contact Sue at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Sue Morris, (376) 766-0847, to confirm your attendance and menu choice.
Open Circle
Sandy Britton presents “Surprising Discoveries about the Unconscious” at the next meeting of Open Circle, Sunday, August 5, 10:30 a.m., on the patio of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS).
Brain science has increasingly demonstrated that your conscious mind – the part of your mind that you think of as “self” – is just a boat floating on the vast dark ocean of the unconscious. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the unconscious, in addition to controlling our body functions and storing our memories, is the source of our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, decisions, and actions. Most of the time it works beautifully, but when something goes wrong it can result in problems like depression, OCD and PTSD. In this talk you’ll hear about some of the latest discoveries in the neuroscience of the unconscious, as well as innovative therapies being developed for when things go wrong.
Britton is from northern California. Her background is in software development, but she’s always had a fascination with the “computer” between our ears. She combines her love of brain science and public speaking to bring you this talk.
Information: opencircleajijic.org.
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure screenings open to the public are offered at LCS each Monday from 10 a.m. to noon.
Bingo Lago
Have Hammer Will Travel sponsors Bingo by the Lake (Bingo Lago) each Tuesday, 1 p.m., at Maria Isabel restaurant. Tuesday, August 7, help Hope House fix their hail damage from last weekend’s storm by playing bingo and enjoying a chocolate truffle tasting by Sweets & Treats Ajijic. Mexican hot chocolate will be available.
All of the profits will go to this home for boys. There is a dog and smoker-friendly terrace available.
Democrats Abroad
Tuesday, August 7, Democrats Abroad Lake Chapala Chapter will reactivate its non-partisan voter registration assistance at the Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic.
The help sessions will continue throughout August where volunteers will be situated under the umbrellas each Tuesday 10 a.m. to noon. All U.S. and dual-U.S. citizens who will not be in the United States this fall should register to request their absentee ballots as soon as possible to make their votes count in the November midterm elections.
Individuals who are housebound or not able to come to LCS on Tuesday mornings can e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to request personalized help with their ballot requests. Additionally, citizens can also receive their state ballots by registering directly online at votefromabroad.org or fvap.gov.
The chapter’s series of monthly meetings and other activities will start again in September. All members, visitors and new residents at Lakeside are welcome to attend its meetings.
LCS TED Talks
Writer Anand Giridharadas will discuss “A Tale of Two Americas ... and the Mini-mart Where They Collided” at the next TED Talk, Tuesday, August 7, noon to 1:15 p.m., at the Lake Chapala Society Sala.
Ten days after 9/11, a shocking attack at a Texas mini-mart shattered the lives of two men: the victim and the attacker. In this stunning talk, Giridharadas, author of “The True American,” tells the story of what happened next.
It’s a parable about the two paths an American life can take and a powerful call for reconciliation.
Yoga
One-hour yoga classes by certified instructor Delia, featuring both chair and mat techniques, are held Wednesdays, 9 a.m., at American Legion Post 7 in Chapala. To sign up or for information, call 331-222-0438.
Cafe Mortality Ajijic
Debi Buckland, LMFC, Wendy Jane Carrel, MA, and Loretta Downs, MA, will hold an informal, respectful conversation about dying at their Cafe Mortality Ajijic, Tuesday, August 7, 3-4:30 p.m., at Min Wah Restaurant, Tepalo 96A.
A number of retired expats and visitors pass away unexpectedly in Mexico without a health care directive and/or an end-of-life plan. There is a need for continued conversation and education on this issue.
Loretta Downs has been speaking to locals about end-of-life for several years and encourages her audiences to become friendly with the idea of mortality and to prepare for it – think about it and express to others what you want.
“At a Death Café … the aim is to increase awareness of death to help people make the most of their (finite) lives,” says deathcafe.com.
Most of all, Cafe Mortality Ajijic encourages an exchange of stories and perspectives as a way to embrace death. Space is limited to 24 people and reservations are requested. RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The donation of 35 pesos toward a drink includes a tip. Sweets are extra. (All funds go directly to Min Wah.)
LCS bus trips
The Lake Chapala Society is headed to Tlaquepaque, Forum Mall and Home Depot, Wednesday, August 8.
On Thursday, August 23, LCS heads to Galerias Mall and Costco. The bus departs 10 a.m. from the sculpture in La Floresta.
Cost is 370 pesos for members and 470 pesos for non-members.
Exploring Spanish
Lake Chapala Society members can take advantage of a free Spanish class, Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the LCS Sala.
For newcomers to lakeside
“Introduction to Lakeside” is available to Lake Chapala Society members only. Topics include banking, shopping, medical services, transportation, housing, utilities, maid and gardening services, social protocols, fiestas, holidays and religious observations.
Thursday, August 9, 9 a.m.; cost is 250 pesos. Register in the office or on the Web site. LCS membership must be current for the duration of the class.
Tech classes
Lake Chapala Society members can take technology classes Thursdays, 10-11:30 a.m., in the LCS sala.
Thursday, August 16: Google Photos. Learn the basics of Google Photos. Store all your photos for free, create albums, share photos, enhance pictures, backup your smartphone photos automatically.
Thursday August 23: iPhone Q&A. Bring your iPhone questions for clarification.
Thursday August 31: Android Q&A. Bring your Android questions for clarification.
LCS Prueba Mexico
The Lake Chapala Society offers more courses on Mexican traditions.
Thursday, August 31, the course is titled “Temascal: ancient Mexican ritual” (purifying spirit). It will be presented by Ricardo Yohualoceloth and Cesar Mata in the Tlatonal community near Ixtlahuacan from 2-6:30 p.m.. The fee is 650 pesos. A minimum of ten students will need to sign up by August 24.
Imbibing Mexican style
Lake Chapala Society members can partake of a Prueba Mexico class in Mexican hot cocktails with instructor Carlos Yañez, Tuesday, September 11, 3-5 p.m.
Learn how to prepare a vampirito, a sangrita, a casuela, a traditional margarita and a michelada, just in time to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. Sign up through September 6 at the LCS office.
Always wanted to write?
As part of the Lake Chapala Society’s Personal Enrichment Program, Writer Rachel McMillen will lead the course, “An Introduction to Creative Writing,” Mondays, September 3-24, 2-4 p.m. at the South Campus Board Room.
Creative writing is considered an art, a door to express thoughts and emotions with imagination. Learn how to use language and “voice,” character development, dialogue, narration, backstory, theme, point-of-view, plotting, how to create the story arc, editing and critiquing.
Sign up at the LCS office, 10 a.m. to 2 pm. Enrollment ends August 29.
Insight Meditation
The Heart of Awareness Insight Meditation Community offers multiple opportunities each week for silent meditation: On the “First Sunday,” August 5, the center is open from 9 a.m. to noon for three rounds of sitting and walking meditation. Participants are welcome to come for all or just a portion of this extended practice period. Additional meditation periods are offered Wednesdays, 4 p.m. and Thursdays, 11 a.m.
Wednesday, August 8, the meditation period will be followed by a video talk by Julie Nelson titled “Taking Vows, Attaining Nothing: A Zen Perspective on Personal and Social Projects.”
Nelson, an economics professor and teacher in the Boundless Way Zen school, talks about how the concept of non-attainment can transform the way we work with our desires, intentions and deeply felt commitments, examining our longing for happiness and health and our aspirations for social, economic and environmental justice.
Everyone is welcome to come for just the meditation or the program and discussion, or both. The session ends at 6 p.m.
A yoga class is offered at The Heart of Awareness on Thursdays from 9-10:45 a.m.
The meditation center is at Guadalupe Victoria 101, Ajijic. Information: heartofawareness.org.