Instruction / Support GroupsFREE TRAVEL-RELATED PROGRAMS are offered weekly at REI, 9901 Capital of Texas Hwy. N. March 26: "Volunteer Vacations in the Outdoors." Thursdays, 7pm. 343-5550.
CONSIDER IT DONE (C.I.D.) INTERNET will present two workshops this week at Dr. Data, Austin Telco Bldg., Hwy 290 E. Web Marketing will be offered Thu, March 19, 7-9pm (free); Internet 200 will be offered Sat, March 21, 10am-1pm ($49.95). Call for details. 926-3999.
SHAMANISM AND THE PREHISTORIC Rock Art of West Texas will be presented by Priscilla Murr at Casa de Luz Auditorium, 1701 Toomey Rd. Sponsored by the Jung Society of Austin. $12 members, $15 non-members. Reservations. Fri, Mar 20, 7:30pm. 458-1108.
AIDS SERVICES OF AUSTIN will sponsor an informational program on how to manage HIV disease/AIDS with nutrition and exercise, to be held at Concordia University, 3400 N. I-35. Featured speaker is Dr. David Wright, and musical entertainment will be presented by Mandy & Marnie. Admission is free. Sat, March 21, 9am-1pm. 458-AIDS.
SPORT SAFETY TRAINING will be offered by the American Red Cross, featuring instruction in prevention and lifesaving skills, including adult and child CPR and sports safety first aid. Call for registration. Sat, March 21, 9am-4pm. 928-4271.
A NATURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE will be held at the High Point Fellowship Church, Yeager Ln. & Jourdan Crossing. Topics include "Maximizing Your Health for the Next Millennium," "Ultimate Health for Women," "Quality that Changes Lives," "Sharing Nature's Sunshine Health With Others," and more. Cost is $30. Sat, March 21, 9am-4pm. 310-8880 or 280-3736.
TOXINS AND OUR HEALTH is the topic of a discussion and workshop offered by Unity Church, 2806 Del Curto. Sponsored by the Church and the Jeremiah Project (and interfaith outreach for those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities), the program will focus on how chemicals in our homes, buildings, and everyday products may cause or exacerbate health problems. Suggested donation is $15 per person/$25 per couple. Sun, March 22, 2-5pm. 444-5162.
CHRISTIAN HISTORY EXPERT Robert Wilken will speak at Concordia University, 3400 N. I-35. A 1955 graduate of Concordia, Wilken's appearance is part of the Year of the Alumni: Learners to Leaders Speaker Series. Sun, March 22, 3pm. 486-1192.
ART CLASSES WITH BERYL KERWICK are being offered in six-week sessions at the Dougherty Arts Center, 1100 Barton Springs Rd. Courses offered include Drawing - On the Right Side ($70), and Acrylic and Water Media Painting and Collage ($75). Classes begin as soon as Mon, March 23. 397-1458.
A VOLUNTEER TUTOR WORKSHOP will be offered by the Literacy Council of Williamson County at Round Rock High School. The 12-hour workshop focuses on the Labach Way to Reading, a curriculum designed to teach English- speaking adults the fundamentals of reading, writing, and comprehension. March 23, 26, 30, April 2, 6-9pm. 244-6648.
A FREE HOMEBUYER WORKSHOP will be offered at the NAACP Community Development Resource Center, 2209 Rosewood, Room 212. The class will cover credit difficulties and how to overcome them; accumulation of adequate funds for down payments and closing costs; and what it takes to be approved for a mortgage loan. Admission is free, but reservations are requested. Tue, March 24, 6-10pm. 477-5541.
THE SCHOOL-TO-CAREER COUNSELING DEPARTMENT and LBJ High School invite all parents and high school students to participate in "Smart Choices: Strategies for Successful College and Career Planning," to be held at LBJ High School, 7309 Lazy Creek Dr. Thu, March 26, 6:45-8:30pm. 414-0002.
THE WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE will be held in Austin at the Renaissance Austin Hotel, featuring four of the country's top business leaders - Michael Dell, Debra Benton, Susan Larson, and Carol Thompson. Website: http://www.witi.org. Thu & Fri, March 26 & 27. 800/334-9484.
ENGAGED BUDDHISM, Non-violence and Economic Localization is a workshop led by Sarah Gilliatt, a student of Thich Nhat Hanh, to be held at Stonehaven Ranch. The classes will explore the relationships between non-violence, spiritual practice and the violent economic globalization of the planet. Fri-Sun, March 27-29. 396-5526.
LAMA YESHE WANGMO, one of the few Western-born women who have been ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist Llama, will present two lectures in Austin this month. The first, "The Spiritual Quest: A Great Journey," will be held at the Shambahala Center, 1702 S. Fifth. A $10 donation is requested. Fri, March 27, 7pm. 301-3070. "The Art of Living Spiritual Lives" will be presented by Anna Cox, Ph.D. at the Friends Meeting House of Austin, 3014 Washington Sq. Call for costs and details. Sat, March 28, 10am-4pm. 263-2701.
THE MIDDLE WAY: PARENTING WITH BALANCE is a program offered by Parents Anonymous of Texas. The 15-week session focuses on creating balanced, respectful family relationships. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Begins Mon, March 30. 459-5490.
BUSINESS INVEST FOR GROWTH offers a weekly orientation session on "How to write a winning business plan to get working capital to start or expand your business." Meetings are held at 1009 E. 11th St., Suite 104. Tuesdays, 9-10am. 494-8044.
CLAYWAYS POTTERY STUDIO is currently taking registration for adult classes in wheel throwing and handbuilding. They are located at 5442 Burnet Rd. 459-6445.
CIRCLE-IN-A-SQUARE POTTERY offers potter's wheel and handbuilding classes in small groups at their location, 3303 E. Fourth. Day and evening courses are available. Open house days are held weekly, featuring demonstrations in clay, kiln openings, free refreshments, fine pottery and ceramics, and more. Saturdays, 10am-12:30pm. 247-FIRE.
LAUGHING AT THE SUN GALLERY offers a variety of classes each week, including non-ferrous metal sculpture w/Daryl Colburn; painting w/Nichole Tarnay; and jewelry fabrication w/Rita Ross. Ongoing. 326-4410.
HENNA TATTOO PAINTING and Henna Tattoo classes are offered at the Michael's store, 183 & 620. Ongoing. 335-3014.
BEGINNING DRAWING FOR ADULTS is offered in six-week sessions at the ArtPlex, 1705 Guadalupe, sponsored by the Artists' Coalition of Austin. Limited to 12 participants. Saturdays, 10am-noon. 443-6331.
THE ENTREPRENEURS' ASSOCIATION is offering business-development classes and seminars to emerging multimedia business as part of the city's multimedia economic-development program. Website: http://www.grow-biz.com. Ongoing. 933-1983.
THE CAPITAL AREA JOB CLUB hosts weekly career-related programs at no charge in the first-floor conference room at The Echelon I, 9430 Research Blvd. Tuesdays, 6pm. 338-9144.
PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY is addressed in the "Speak Easy Workshop," offered weekly at 5555 N. Lamar, Bldg. C, #127. First session is free; continued participation is $25 per month. Thursdays, 7pm. 990-8766.
FREE INTERNET CLASSES are offered weekly by Compu-Care Management & Systems, Inc., 13740 Research. Wednesdays, 7-9pm. 219-8025.
A COMMUNITY FOR CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE holds a weekly Zen-informed sitting group at the Friends Meeting House, 3014 Washington Sq. Childcare is available. Thursdays, 7:30-9:30pm. 445-2081.
CAPOEIRA is an Afro-Brazilian exercise which combines music, dance, acrobatics, and martial arts. Both beginner and advanced classes are offered by the Senhor do Bonfim Capoeira Group, with the first two classes given free of charge. Tue/Thu, 7-8:30pm (beginners); Mon/Wed, 5-6pm (advanced); Sat, 11:30am-1pm (free demonstrations). 708-9436.
Fitness & YogaYOGA & RELAXATION CLASSES are offered by Julieta Butts at Stacy Park (or a nearby indoor space during inclement weather). $6/class. Daily, 7-8am & 8-9am and 5-6pm & 6-7pm. 440-7258.
AUSTIN DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL CENTER offers T'ai Chi, Aerobics, and yoga classes at their location, 12221 MoPac Expy. N. Weekly. 901-6488.
A NEW STEP AEROBICS CLASS will be offered by Michelle Ramos at the Dittmar Recreation Center, 1009 W. Dittmar. One-hour classes feature warm-up, cardio workout, cool down, and strength and toning ab work. Cost is $20 per month; first class free. Mon/Wed, 6-7pm; Sat, 10-11am. 441-4777.
BUDO TAIJUTSU/NINJUTSU CLASSES are offered by the Austin Bujinkan Tanemaki Dojo, featuring the ancient art of Japanese armed and unarmed self-defense. First lesson is free. E-mail: Kendall65@juno.com. Mon/Thu, 7:30-9:30pm. 385-3036.
AUSTIN CHA YON RYU offers early morning and evening classes in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Kung Fu, and T'ai Chi. Master John Blankenship is celebrating his 25th year teaching in Austin. Ongoing. 453-3618.
YOGA YOGA STUDIOS, 1700 S. Lamar, offers a variety of classes and yoga-related activities each week. Over 20 special beginning-level yoga classes are available. "The Sound of Gong," a yoga meditation workshop, will be offered by Mehtab Singh on Sun, March 20, 1-4pm. 326-3900.
T'AI CHI FOR WOMEN meets weekly to help participants calm the mind, strengthen the body, and lift the spirit. Sat, 11:30am (Sun Dragon Martial Arts) & 2:30pm (Rolling Hills Yoga). 458-8886.
STILL POINT AIKIDO offers instruction in Seidokan Aikido six days a week at two locations. Aikido is a martial art that teaches the individual to blend with conflict in order to reach reconciliation quickly and efficiently. Ongoing. 703-8942.
TRINITY YOGA, developed by master yogini Kali Ray, is led weekly by Tara O'Neill, RN, at Casa de Luz, 1701 Toomey. Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm. 912-0790.
PRENATAL YOGA is offered weekly by Shannon Potts-Hickey. Postpartum with infants, beginning, and continuing classes are also available. All classes are held at the Nob Hill Bldg., Suite 412, 2520 Longview. 288-7238.
T'AI CHI AND RELATED PRACTICES are offered weekly at Tom Gohring's School of T'ai Chi. Over 30 classes a week teach the complete t'ai chi system. Website: http://www.taichitom.com. Ongoing. 452-8664.
ALL LEVELS HATHA YOGA CLASSES are offered weekly at the Friends Meeting House, 3014 Washington Square (in the UT Area). By donation. Tue, 8pm; Thu, 6pm. 476-4064.
HATHA YOGA classes are offered by Marci Winters at the Nob Hill Bldg., 2520 Longview, #412. First class is free. Fri (gentle yoga) 5:30-6:30pm; Wed, 7:30-8:30pm. 462-9862.
Calling All Support Groups! If you want your support group listed, free of charge, in the widely distributed (free) Guide to Self-Help Groups, please call Bronwyn at The Mental Health Association, 454-7463
support groupsAmerican Cancer Society offers a Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant Group, a Gynecological Cancer Group, a Life After Loss Group, and Dialogue, a group for persons with cancer and their friends and family, 928-1144.
Anorexia, Bulimia Support Group, Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm, 469-7678
Avoidants, schizoids, and other "undifferin-tiated" loners support group, 349-5422
A Bisexual Women's Support Group is now forming. Free, 479-0950
Child Sexual Abuse Survivors Group, 459-5490.
Chronic Pain Support Group, 707-0262
Debtors Anonymous, free, 12-step group for under-earning over-spenders; Business Owners Debtors Anonymous also offered, 912-5793
Fibromyalgia Support, first Thursday of each month, 458-5572
Gay Men's Support/Therapy Group is held Tuesdays, 6-8pm, 477-0798
Grofians of Austin explores ego death/rebirth and non-ordinary consciousness (based on the work of Stan Grof), 448-1251
Hospice Austin offers free grief support groups, including a parent group, a spouse group, a general group, and a caregiver's group. 342-4700
Human Potential Center has 30 activities to help people transform their lives, 441-8988
A Men's Group meets Mondays for friendship and learning, 892-6833.
Men/Fathers Hotline for men experiencing custody or visitation problems, 472-DADS
Overeaters Anonymous, 327-2802
PFLAG, Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays, 302-FLAG
Panic/Anxiety Disorder Support Group, 257-7964
Parents Anonymous offers many programs, including a new Spanish-speaking group, 459-5490 (crisis hotline: 800/554-2323)
Rational Recovery, a non-12-step alternative to AA, 451-8036 or 385-5877
Waterloo Counseling provides a variety of services for the gay and lesbian community (including bi, trans, HIV/AIDS affected), 444-9WCC