Author: Toronto OASIS

Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue).  Social 10:45am – 11:00am.

One way to understand the purpose of a secular community organization such as Oasis or the Humanist Association of Toronto, is to provide the community-building functions often associated with a religious congregation but without the religion. What is that role? In his talk, our featured speaker, Moses Klein, will explore the need that people may have for a quasi-religious community. Based on the experiences of our organizations, we will consider how well a shared secular humanist philosophy can provide the basis for such a community.

Moses Klein grew up in Toronto. After studying mathematics and philosophy at Yale University and the University of Wisconsin, together with other travels, he returned to Toronto in 2005. Since 2009 he has been teaching mathematics at a high school for international students. He has been active in the Humanist Association of Toronto since 2005, and currently serves as the group’s Spokesperson.

Our guest musicians will be Lunar Bloom (https://www.lunarbloomband.com/).   Lunar Bloom is an all-female indie-folk trio with voices that weave seamlessly in and out of harmony.  The three ‘blooms’ are long time friends, and have been collaborating together as music makers for 2 years.  Pulling inspiration from other artists, they create a sound that has the quirkiness of Regina Spektor, the sweet innocence of Dala, and the witchy appeal of Florence and the Machine.  Their music features dynamic range and honest story telling.

This week Aseema Singh will do the Community Moment.  The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves.  It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy.  Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community.  Interested in presenting your own Community Moment?  Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.

You can RSVP for this on our Meetup page at:
https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/jdmkqqyzjbfc/

Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue).  Social 10:45am – 11:00am.

In Part I of his talk at Toronto Oasis (June 2^nd), our featured speaker, Alex Beckmann, gave us an overview of the Big Bang – what we know about it, how it happened and some of measurable traces of the Universe in its very early stages of life.  In Part II of his talk, Alex will address the following questions:  What can we learn about the early Universe from particle physics? How constant are the constants? Can vacuum have energy and can there be many of them? And finally, what can we learn about the Universe from ourselves?

Alex studied physics in Kharkiv, Ukraine.  He did his Ph.D. in theoretical physics in String and Field Theory.  He taught physics at the high school and university levels in Ukraine and Germany.  Alex currently lives and works in Toronto.  His work in Toronto is in IT and involves cloud-based solutions for markets, investment banking, and research.  However, Alex still enjoys teaching physics!

Our featured musician will be Cassie Norton.  Cassie Norton is the music director of Toronto Oasis and a Toronto-based singer-songwriter. She is a classically trained violinist/folk leaning tunesmith with a punk rock heart. She has recorded two full length albums, Little Strength (2009) and Quiet Wilderness (2010).  She teaches a variety of private and ensemble classes at Regent Park School of Music, and at her private studio. Check out her website: www.cassienorton.com

You can RSVP for this on our Meetup page at:
https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/jdmkqqyzjbvb/

Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue).  Social 10:45am – 11:00am.

This Sunday our featured speaker will be Arnd Jurgensen.  In his talk Arndwill examine the deterioration of international law as a means of stabilizing the international order since the end of the Cold War.   

Arnd grew up in Germany, received his BA at NYU and MA and PhD from the University of Toronto in Political Science.    His research has focused on issues related to development, environment and democratic governance.  He has taught in the faculties of Applied Sciences and Engineering, interdisciplinary studies and currently teaches courses on international relations and U.S. Foreign Policy at the University of Toronto. He is also active as an environmental activist and musician.

Our guest musician will be Jessica Stuart (https://jessicastuartmusic.com/). Vancouver born, Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist/songwriter, Jessica Stuart has spent much of the last decade touring the world with her award-winning jazz-pop trio, The Jessica Stuart Few.  As an accomplished vocalist, guitarist and koto player (13-stringed traditional Japanese harp), Stuart has been praised for her on-stage charm, musical chops, and signature song writing style.   Described by The Globe & Mail as “endlessly charismatic”, Jessica has been likened to a modern-day Joni Mitchell with lyrics that describe the joys and challenges of the human experience, delivered in a catchy, but musically adventurous package.  

Some of Stuart’s recent career highlights include a Top 40 single in Japan, a “Best Album” designation in the international Independent Music Awards, festival performances in Australia, Germany, China, Japan and North America ,and regular rotation on airwaves around the globe, from the BBC to the CBC.

Coming off of the release of single “Fukue’s Theme Part I” that accompanied a record-breaking viral CBC documentary about the artist herself (3 million views and counting), Stuart is excited to be releasing an indie-pop single this summer under the new project name JESSA.

This week Anna Popovitch will do the Community Moment.  The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves.  It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy.  Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community.  Interested in presenting your own Community Moment?  Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.

You can RSVP for this on our Meetup page at:
https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/jdmkqqyzjbmb/

Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue).  Social 10:45am – 11:00am.

The Big Bang – what do we know about it and how did it happen? Do we have any measurable traces of the Universe in its very early stages of life? What does the word “Inflation” mean outside of financial markets?  Our featured speaker Alex Beckmann will address these questions in his talk.

Alex studied physics in Kharkiv, Ukraine.  He did his Ph.D. in theoretical physics in String and Field Theory.  He taught physics at the high school and university levels in Ukraine and Germany.  Alex currently lives and works in Toronto.  His work in Toronto is in IT and involves cloud-based solutions for markets, investment banking, and research.  However, Alex still enjoys teaching physics!

Our guest musician will be Kid Grit.  Kid Grit’s folk songs are quiet and pensive reflections of a life lived. From the depths of isolation possible in a digital age, to the heights of exaltation, living and growing up in nature. His music travels through the processes of life and how we heal, through gentle whisperings, swelling warm harmonies, and sometimes painful personal admissions – attempting to find peace and truth in the smallest of things.

You can RSVP for this on our Meetup page at:
https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/jdmkqqyzjbdb/

Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue).  Social 10:45am – 11:00am.

This Sunday our featured speaker will be Daryl Landau, Executive Director of Conserve Democracy.  Following a brief overview of the threats to, and core elements of, democracy, Daryl will open things up for discussion:  What threats do you see, and what would you be prepared to do to conserve our democracy?

Motivated by the recent decline in civilization, Daryl left a consulting career in human rights, governance in private companies, etc., to work on a pro-democracy non-profit.  His qualifications include a B.A. in politics, two unfinished Ph.D.’s, and an addiction to news.  He has belonged to and voted for all the major parties at some point in his life.  Look for Conserve Democracy (@ServeDemocracy) on Twitter and Facebook.  

Our musical guest will be Philosofree.  Phil ‘Philosofree’ Cheney is a Corporate, Executive and Life coach, author, consultant, poet and writer, composer, musician and builder.  He has published 8 books and 5 CDs of original music.  You can check out his music at https://philosofree.bandcamp.com and https://www.philcheney.com/music/.

Clive Hannah will do the Community Moment.  The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves.  It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy.  Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community.  Interested in presenting your own Community Moment?  Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.

You can RSVP for this on our Meetup page at:
https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/jdmkqqyzhbjc/

Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue).  Social 10:45am – 11:00am.

This Sunday our featured speaker will be Michelle Edmunds.  Michelle was taken from her mother in Toronto when she was two years-old and placed in foster care. She was eventually adopted by her foster family. At age five she was told by her adoptive parents that she had another mother and father that were not able to raise her. From that day forward the search began for her identity and parents. Michelle wanted to know who they were, why did they “give her away” and why wasn’t she allowed to know their names – what was the big secret?

Over the past two decades, Michelle has been involved in adoption reform, has researched child welfare legislation and adoption practices in both Canada and the US. She created and produced a podcast (2006) where she interviewed adoptees and mothers and fathers who had lost children to adoption, politicians and celebrities, such as playwright, Edward Albee and rapper, Daryl McDaniels from RUN-DMC (both were adopted). 

Michelle will talk about why adoptees search, the myths surrounding privacy for mothers and why truth and identity matters to all humans. 

Our musical guest will be Lauren Barnett (https://www.laurenbarnettmusic.com/), a passionate singer, songwriter and saxophonist.  Her compositions reflect the different moods, sounds and meditative escapes that can be found in the city of Toronto.  Lauren is the lead singer, saxophonist and songwriter for the band The Heavyset Quartet.  She also participates in the community-based band Street Brass which brings music of the Americas to Toronto parks and streets.

​Dan Cooperstock will do the Community Moment.  The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves.  It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy.  Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community.  Interested in presenting your own Community Moment?  Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.

You can RSVP for this on our Meetup page at:
https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/jdmkqqyzhbqb/

Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue).  Social 10:45am – 11:00am.

Epistemological responsibility is the moral imperative to only believe what is true. Our featured speaker, Scott Jeffries, will argue that having a high regard for evidence should be considered an essential component to living a moral life. If your beliefs are based on willful ignorance such as denying the benefits of vaccination, holding an uninformed political view, or neglecting to question a long-standing tradition, then your personal beliefs are irresponsible regardless of whether or not they’re explicitly being acted upon…  And that irresponsibility will always influence others and move society in the wrong direction.

Scott Jeffries is a baptized Anglican, practicing skeptic, and popular science addict. He co-founded the (still active) Freethinkers, Skeptics, and Atheists @ York student club and currently moderates a monthly Meetup group called Toronto’s Cafe Skeptique with over fifty active members. In his professional life, Scott works as a media & data director for a marketing agency specialized in helping nonprofits.

Our musical guests will be Nathan Smith and Emilyn Stam.  They are multi-instrumentalists drawn together by their shared love of québecois fiddle and piano music.  Traditions swirl and intermingle in their music.  Their combined influences and pursuits include bluegrass, old-time, Scandinavian, and Western European traditional music. Both are prolific tune composers with a flair for combining a creative spark with the timeless vitality of traditional songs and tunes.  

Originally from Smithers, BC, Emilyn has toured and recorded extensively in North America and Europe with The Lemon Bucket Orkestra, accordionist Filipo Gambetta, and clarinettist John Williams, among others.  www.emilynstam.com

A North Bay native, Nathan plays and sings with his bluegrass band The Barrel Boys in addition to appearing with The Double Cuts, Ivan Rosenberg, and The O’Pears. www.nathansmithmusic.net

You can RSVP for this on our Meetup page at:
https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/jdmkqqyzhbhb/

Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue).  Social 10:45am – 11:00am.

On their website the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) defines trauma as follows:

“Trauma is the lasting emotional response that often results from living through a distressing event. Experiencing a traumatic event can harm a person’s sense of safety, sense of self, and ability to regulate emotions and navigate relationships. Long after the traumatic event occurs, people with trauma can often feel shame, helplessness, powerlessness and intense fear.” (https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/trauma)

This week our featured speaker, Laval Martin, will lead us in an interactive session, discussing the nature of trauma, how to recognize its presence, and how to heal and move forward.  Specifically, Laval will address the following:

– Triggers and what to do if you’re triggered during this talk

– What counts as trauma?

– Recognizing the trauma response

– The four stages of moving through trauma

– Tools and strategies for healing

– When to seek professional therapy

– Does the trauma go away?

– Acceptance and (maybe) forgiveness

Laval Martin is a corporate trainer on topics such as resilience, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness (lavalmartinconsulting.com). Holding a Master of Social Work degree, he also provides psychotherapy and relationship therapy (wisemindtoronto.com). Additionally, Laval has practiced various martial arts and self-defence systems since 2001, with a focus on avoiding and de-escalating conflict. He is a full-instructor of Senshido and also holds an instructor certification with Safe International. Laval has been hosting a monthly Beer and Philosophy Night for over four years.

Our guest musician will be Erik Bleich. Erik is a singer songwriter whose genre blends classic pop and folk traditions – from street lit lullabies to manic, rambling romps.  It’s his vision of folk music for the Internet Age.  Check out his website: www.erikbleich.com

This week Lola Bradford will do the Community Moment.  The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves.  It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy.  Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community.  Interested in presenting your own Community Moment?  Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.

You can RSVP for this on our Meetup page at:
https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/260749110/