New Events
Cheetah House: Buddhist Modernism and Meditation with Dr. Nathan Fisher
"Meditation is often presented in the West as a universal, scientific, and inherently beneficial practice capable of catalyzing therapeutic healing and profound psychological transformation. But where did these ideas come from, and why are they so compelling to so many of us? This talk explores the unique cultural movement known as “Buddhist modernism” and how it has indelibly shaped our default conceptions of this Asian religion and its rituals. We will examine how meditation came to be understood as a secular, therapeutic, and personal spiritual practice that is the essence of Buddhism, and how this diverse historical tradition came to be cast not as a religion at all but rather as an exceptional science of mind. Finally, we will explore how Buddhist modernist discourse and praxis can lead to a range of meditation-related challenges, and how even a basic appreciation of this cultural movement can help us make sense of important parts of many of our meditation journeys—indeed, the very water we have been swimming in without recognizing or even consenting to its assumptions, values, and norms."
Dr. Fisher recently received his Ph.D. in Religious Studies and Cognitive Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2011 before joining the Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at Brown University, where he managed the 'Varieties of Contemplative Experience' (VCE) study from 2012-2015. Before starting graduate school, he was a visiting scholar at the Mind and Life Institute—where he organized a small conference on Abrahamic contemplative traditions—and lived in Jerusalem for 2 years to explore aspects of living Jewish mystical and meditative traditions.
Wednesday, June 24th, 2026, 12:00 PM
1 hour 30 minutes @ $40.00
Legislative & Legal
CNS: Zizian attempted murder suspects obtain new counsel and trial date
A Superior Court judge granted new representation for one of two Zizian defendants, while the other will be tried for competency in March.
Suri Dao and Alexander Jeffrey are members of the Zizians, a loosely organized, cult-like group of radical vegans who claim artificial intelligence poses a threat to humanity. The two are among about 10 known followers of blogger Jack “Ziz” LaSota, a 34-year-old transgender woman who moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2016.
The group has been linked to six killings nationwide, including Lind’s death. Fellow Zizian Maximilian Snyder is accused of fatally stabbing Lind in Vallejo on Jan. 17, 2025. Lind had been scheduled to testify in Dao and Leatham’s case. Snyder has pleaded not guilty, and his preliminary hearing is set for April 21.
LaSota, a former aspiring tech worker, moved to the Bay Area to study the risks posed by artificial intelligence and later built a following among AI theorists and tech bloggers for her extreme views on AI, veganism, and gender.
Ongoing Focus
"Sarah Edmondson is a normal working mum. She spends her days rushing around after her sons, Troy, 11, and seven-year-old Ace, taking them to baseball games and working on her podcast with her husband.
However, a trace of her former life remains as a pale white line on her left hip, beneath her bikini line.
It appeared on Sarah’s body as part of an ‘initiation’ into a secret women’s circle, where she was blindfolded, told to strip naked, and branded with the logo of the controversial NXIVM cult.
Led there under false pretenses, she had been entrenched within the organization (pronounced “Nexium”) for 12 years while it consumed her career, relationships, and – crucially – her thought patterns.
Sarah’s ordeal began when she was 28. Working as an actor, she was at a film festival when she met a member of NXIVM, who told her that the group – founded by Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman – helped members reach their goals while living ethically and promoting world peace, through workshops on success and self-improvement."
"...Sarah was won over by the self-improvement aspects of the training and by day five admits she was a ‘zealot’.
‘I was inspired by what the group promised to be and was excited to meet so many people in personal growth, she explains.
With a price tag of $2,160 for Sarah and her then-boyfriend, it was more than a month’s rent at the time, but she threw herself in, implementing what she had learned, firing her agent, and getting new representation.
‘Everything that had been a sticking point in my life was flipped back as an opportunity for growth. I was told I had never pushed through my limitations, and that was true.’
Sarah began to feel more positive and motivated, and for the first time in years, weaned herself off sleeping pills. Feeling encouraged, she enrolled in further training and started to see more acting jobs roll in."
"...Over the years, she excelled at NXIVM, whose headquarters were in Albany, New York, and established her own branch – a thriving center in Vancouver. By 2009, it was bustling, with 80 students visiting a night.
Internationally, NXIVM was also booming, boasting celebrities such as Smallville actor Allison Mack and Battlestar Galactica's Nicki Clyne on its roster, and even hosting the Dalai Lama at one of its events.
However, behind the scenes, disturbing practices were emerging.
Some women in the inner circles were put on special diets or were criticized for eating, being told they were ‘indulgent’ if they were not under 100lb (just over seven stone). They were expected to practice daily acts of denial, forgoing sugar and caffeine, and told to take cold showers as a penance."
"Clearwater City Council and the Cleveland Street Alliance (the Church of Scientology and its real estate partners) discussed plans for the first time publicly at a workshop… for a $350,000,000 project to revitalize the downtown area.
“Instead of being just a pass-through to the beach, this will definitely be a stop. We want to make sure it’s more of a destination than just a stop,” said Al Battle, the Assistant City Manager of Clearwater.
Religious officials plan to take over 40 storefronts and 6 historic buildings already owned by the Church and convert them into restaurants, bars, and an entertainment district, among other uses, according to speakers at the meeting.
The Church will cover the entire cost of the renovations. Some of the properties have begun construction or demolition, while some are awaiting permits.
AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.
News, Education, Intervention, Recovery
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