YM 2013 7 14 - Your 2012-2013 YJA Executive Board Young Jains of America Est. 1991 http://www.yja.org Young Minds Spring Issue Edited By: Sejal Dhruva & Sheenika Shah Featuring: Jai Jinendra! 2013 JAINA Convention Have you registered for the 2013 JAINA Convention yet? Join over 2,800 people this summer for an unforgettable experience! As we enter into the final few months of our term on the YJA Executive Board, we would like to take a moment to reflect upon the successes from the past few months. Each region held a successful retreat with a staggering number of attendees – both new and returning. We have, to date, hosted 25 different events, ranging from national dinners and social activities, to volunteering at soup kitchens and animal refuge parks. We are very proud and say thank you to our Jain youth for giving back to the community! In light of the recent tragedies around the world and close to home, the YJA Executive Board offers our prayers and condolences. Our hearts go out to the victims and families of those affected by the tragedies in Newtown, Boston, and India. These events mark yet another significant reason for us to believe in ahimsa. As comedian Patton Oswalt said, "When you spot violence, or intolerance … hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, 'The good outnumber you, and we always will.'” With that, we enter into the final chapter of our term, our hearts filled with love and optimism. We look forward to the next few months, and hope you do too! Jainism 101: Back to the Basics You’ve asked, we’ve answered! Take a peek at the most common questions asked by Jain youth about Jainism.
Transcript
YM
2013
7
14 - Your 2012-2013 YJA Executive Board
Young Jains of
America
Est. 1991 http://www.yja.org
Young Minds Spring Issue
Edited By: Sejal Dhruva & Sheenika Shah
Featuring:
Jai Jinendra!
2013 JAINA Convention Have you registered for the 2013
JAINA Convention yet? Join over
2,800 people this summer for an
unforgettable experience!
euismod tristique.
As we enter into the final few months of our term on the YJA Executive Board, we would like to take a moment to reflect upon the successes from the past few months. Each region held a successful retreat with a staggering number of attendees – both new and returning. We have, to date, hosted 25 different events, ranging from national dinners and social activities, to volunteering at soup kitchens and animal refuge parks. We are very proud and say thank you to our Jain youth for giving back to the community! In light of the recent tragedies around the world and close to home, the YJA Executive Board offers our prayers and condolences. Our hearts go out to the victims and families of those affected by the tragedies in Newtown, Boston, and India. These events mark yet another significant reason for us to believe in ahimsa. As comedian Patton Oswalt said, "When you spot violence, or intolerance … hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, 'The good outnumber you, and we always will.'” With that, we enter into the final chapter of our term, our hearts filled with love and optimism. We look forward to the next few months, and hope you do too!
Jainism 101: Back to the Basics You’ve asked, we’ve answered!
Take a peek at the most common
questions asked by Jain youth
about Jainism.
euismod tristique.
Young Minds May 2013
2
Inside this Issue:
• 7th Annual Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Ski Retreat 3
• 3rd Annual Southeast Region Retreat 4
• 3rd Annual YJA South Retreat 5
• 4th Annual YJA West Retreat 6
• 2013 JAINA Convention 7
• JAINA/AJC Legislative Internship (JALI) 7
• Boston Marathon Tragedy 8
• Poconos Reflections 9
• YJA Events Photo Recap 10
• Upcoming Events 11
• A Hidden Cheat Code to Life 12
• YJA 2014 Convention 13
• Jainism 101: Back to the Basics 14
• The Importance of Community Service 14
• Summer Programs 15
• A Teen Entrepreneur’s Approach to Aparigraha 16
• Recipe Corner 16
• Donate 17
• Letter from the Co-Chairs 18
Young Minds May 2013
3
skiing or snowboarding. After 5
hours of skiing and eating
Subway sandwiches, everyone
headed back to the Inn for
delicious warm Indian food for
dinner. The Jain Family Feud
session, presented by our own
YJA board members, allowed
each attendee to actively take
part! It was a fun competition
that ended with a lot of laughs!
Towards the end of the night, everyone relaxed by
playing Mafia and other fun games in the Bushkill Inn’s
game room.
The next morning after closing statements, everyone
went back home with smiles on their faces after having
an excellent weekend making new friends, enjoying
outdoor activities, and learning how to apply Jainism
with engaging sessions.
It was a weekend to remember and we thank everyone
who helped plan and organize this amazing retreat.
And, of course, we thank everyone who attended and
One morning under the blue sky, thousands of people from around the world came together for running, running with each other. Lots of us, in thousands, also got together to cheer. We had water, food, clapping hands, and smiles on our faces. What a sight! People have been running and cheering at the Boston Marathon for years, but this year something very different occurred. Two young men, raised and educated in this same city, exploded bombs. Three people had to face death prematurely. Two hundred sixty-four men, women, and children got hurt, some lost their limbs. Suddenly the whole atmosphere changed under the same blue sky! Lots of us cried, grieved, and blamed the two young men for this horrible act. Thoughts came to mind that these brothers in reality also had the pure, perfect soul within them, full of love, bliss, and peace. The thought of a perfect soul in a person who can perform such a horrible act! Is this possible? We all do small acts of love and hate, day and night, in our thoughts, action, and speech. Somehow we justify them. Do we realize that these thoughts of day and night, good or bad, can accumulate, multiply, and grow within us? On the occasion of Mahaveer’s 2612th birthday celebration, we all should think of his teachings. Mahaveer said: think deep, within. Watch those thoughts, speech, and actions. Observe and realize your pure soul within- full of love and bliss. Separate from worldly feelings. Like the gold in mines is mixed with dirt and stones, with the effort of purification, it can be made pure. Pure gold looks altogether different from the dirt it originated in. In the same way, our pure soul is different from that under outside circumstances and is within us to experience. With profound experiences of his own soul, Mahaveer was able to love Chandanbala, a soft-hearted slave, Chandkoshio, a poisonous snake, and Gautam, a learned noble man. Mahaveer saw the same blissful soul in all. Let us pray for bliss and peace to all of the victims, including the two young men.
Navakār Mantra
Ṇamō arihantāṇaṁ I bow to the arihants, destroyers of
their inner enemies.
Ṇamō siddhāṇaṁ I bow to the siddhas, the liberated
souls.
Ṇamō āyariyāṇaṁ I bow to the acharyas, the religious
leaders.
Ṇamō uvajjhāyāṇaṁ I bow to the upadhyays, the
religious teachers.
Ṇamō lōē savva sāhūṇaṁ I bow to all the sadhus and sadhvis,
those who have renounced the worldly life and follow a path of
simplicity.
sō an haṇamō ārō, savva āva aṇāsaṇō
Maṅgalā ṇaṁ a savvēsiṁ, aḍamama havaī maṅgalaṁ This five-fold bow (mantra)
destroys all sins and obstacles, and of all auspicious mantras, is the
first and foremost one.
-----
Please take a moment to read the Official Statement by JAINA
President Dr. Sushil Jain on the Boston Tragedy.
YJA offers its prayers and condolences to the victims and
families of those affected by the tragedy at the Boston Marathon.
Recently, I was lucky to have the opportunity to go to a YJA retreat in Poconos, Pennsylvania. They had multiple sessions that were targeted at Jain youth. One, however, stood out to me. It was a presentation by Chintav Shah on the most basic Jain sutra, the Navkar Mantra. For most Jains, the Navkar Mantra is taught at a very young age. It is engraved in their minds from childhood. Now, if you were to say it at this very moment, what would you think about while saying it? For many, the answer would be different every time they were asked. The sutra has become a blur of words you have been taught to memorize. This defeats the whole purpose of the sutra. The Navkar Mantra is the strongest form of appreciation. Each line in the sutra should have a unique meaning to every person who speaks it. Each of the first four lines in the sutra have more impact than the last four lines combined. Another topic discussed at this session was meditation. The 14 Gunasthanaks, are the 14 stages of spiritual development in Jainism. The first being the lowest, and the 14th being the highest. The first one is Mithya-Drashti Gunasthana, which is wrong faith. The 14th one is Ayogi Kevali Gunasthana, which is an inactive omniscient state of being. This is also known as Siddha. It is a pure soul, with no body. Most of us are only in the second Gunasthanak. This is not because we have wrong faith, but because we have unfocused faith. How do you fix this problem? Meditation. While meditating, your soul overtakes your mind (when done correctly). This can be done by removing all external distractions. This, as you can imagine, is much easier said than done. There are 4 meditative states (Dhyans). They are Shukhla, Dharma, Arta, and Raudra. Shukhla is the highest state. With meditation, you could reach Moksh up to 6 times faster. The concept of “spirituality”, in my opinion, is quite arbitrary. However, Jainism has its own definition. Many of us are so busy with our lives, we forget the small things that make a big difference. Whether it be meditation, or properly saying the Navkar Mantra, these small steps will help you develop spiritually.
Memorable Moments from the 7th Annual
Northeast/ Mid-Atlantic Poconos
Ski Retreat: Virag Vora (Foxboro)
“The retreat was unforgettable!
We were all one huge family
there, and we made some lasting
memories. I recommend the
retreat for anyone able to go!”
Apurvi Mehta (Long Island)
“My favorite part of the retreat
was Chintav Shah's session about
how to actively think about the
meaning of each line of the
Namokar Mantra while praying.”
Vishruti Shah (Chelmsford)
“Poconos was a great way to
reconnect with all of the friends
we made in YJA and also find
some new friends!”
Divyansh Shah (Burlington)
“The amount of fun we had skiing
and snowboarding, and the
amount of knowledge we gained
through the informative sessions
is incomparable to any other
event I've been to!”
Shikha Shah (Rutherford)
“Not only did I learn more about
Jainism but met amazing people,
too! This was by far the most
exciting and rewarding weekend
of my life and would come back
each and every year!”
Poconos Reflections
By: Shivani Shah
Young Minds May 2013
10
YJA Events Photo Recap
JCNC Sleepover (West)
YJA Goes to Holi in NYC! (Mid-Atlantic)
Pre-Retreat Dinner – Atlanta (Southeast)
Rock Climbing with YJA Boston (Northeast)
YJA Dallas Bowling Night (South)
YJA West Bowling Night (West)
Pre-Retreat Dinner – Raleigh (Southeast)
YJA So-Cal Takes Over Santa Monica (West)
YJA Goes to Popcorn Park Refuge! (Mid-Atlantic)
Young Minds May 2013
11
Walk for Hunger with YJA Boston (Northeast)
YJA Dinner in Philly! (Mid-Atlantic)
YJA Board Takes Over Chicago (Mid-West)
Upcoming Events
Mid-Atlantic: June 1: YJA Pre-JAINA Jersey Picnic (Edison, NJ)
Many of us have a difficult time applying the Jain knowledge we learn to our daily lives. Mahavir Swami gave us the knowledge, but he left applying it to us. The karma theory, when applied to our daily lives, can lead us to cut sadness and anger entirely. The karma theory states that all events in our life are governed by and determined by our past karmas. Take any negative or bad event that occurs in one’s life. Any adverse or negative event that occurs is a result of one of two reasons. The first reason a negative event can occur is if you had previously done something ethically wrong. For example, you copied every single homework assignment throughout the school year and once the final exam came around, you failed miserably. In essence, the reason that you failed your finals is because your bad karmas simply came into fruition. The second reason a negative event can occur is to allow you to encounter or experience some other more beneficial event. Here’s an example of this reason – imagine you miss the school bus, and end up having to walk to school, but on that walk you find a $20 bill on the ground. To sum it up, the second reason that a bad event happens is for something even greater to happen in the future. If you are angry, sad, or flustered after every negative event in your life, you will live miserably. If you accept that it was meant to happen because either you brought it upon yourself (reason 1) or because something better is supposed to come out of it (reason 2), then you can live a much more happy, satisfied, and calm life. The secret is to tell yourself that every negative or unlucky event that occurs in your life from this day forth is because of the second reason. Next time you miss an exit off of the highway, don’t curse your luck; rather, say to yourself, “I just missed this exit because it was meant to happen.” Who knows, maybe missing that exit prevented a traffic jam or a car accident.
our life are governed by and determined by our past karmas. Take any negative or bad event that occurs in one’s life. Any adverse or negative event that occurs is a result of one of two reasons. The first reason a negative event can occur is if you had previously done something ethically wrong. For example, you copied every single homework assignment throughout the school year and once the final exam came around, you failed miserably. In essence, the reason that you failed your finals is because your bad karmas simply came into fruition. The second reason a negative event can occur is to allow you to encounter or experience some other more beneficial event. Here’s an example of this reason – imagine you miss the school bus, and end up having to walk to school, but on that walk you find a $20 bill on the ground. To sum it up, the second reason that a bad event happens is for something even greater to happen in the future. If you are angry, sad, or flustered after every negative event in your life, you will live miserably. If you accept that it was meant to happen because either you brought it upon yourself (reason 1) or because something better is supposed to come out of it (reason 2), then you can live a much more happy, satisfied, and calm life. The secret is to tell yourself that every negative or unlucky event that occurs in your life from this day forth is because of the second reason. Next time you miss an exit off of the highway, don’t curse your luck; rather, say to yourself, “I just missed this exit because it was meant to happen.” Who knows, maybe missing that exit prevented a traffic jam or a car accident. So I urge you to try this soon - tomorrow - the next time anything adverse occurs to you, repeat to yourself, "This needs to happen for something beneficial to occur in the future, I just don't know what it is yet." Get this idea through your brain from this day forth, and your outlook on life will change extraordinarily. Avoid the immediate anger and sadness at all costs; in fact, smile that the experience occurred and people will begin to admire you. Every human being must face pain, but he is judged by how he reacts to it.
One month ago, after spending over 24 hours at my college’s annual Relay For Life, I walked back to my dorm room with a sense of accomplishment (along with a little bit of delirium). We had just raised over $200,000 to help fund cancer research, prevention programs, and patient support/treatment programs. I didn't get paid for this. I didn't win any prizes, nor did I have any agenda for making this event successful. I felt obligated to help support a cause that I knew would make a difference knew would make a difference in people's lives. In some ways, this is how I practice Jainism in my everyday life. I view community service as an act of selfless kindness, which follows the Jain principle of ahimsa. Through volunteering, I have found a way to help those who do not have the means to help themselves. The commitment I have made to Relay For Life allows me to directly give back to the community, since a large percentage of the funds raised go directly towards patient care and treatment, while also giving me a sense of growth. Being able to see the multiple perspectives of cancer patients, their caregivers, and their loved ones has been enlightening for me. At the start of each Relay there is a survivor’s lap; cancer survivors and their caretakers take a lap across the track in order to commemorate their strength and support in fighting cancer. This one lap may be the biggest reason I volunteer at Relay For Life. Each year this moment brings a smile to my face as I realize that an event that changed my life so profoundly was able to change the lives of so many. This is just one of many examples for why community service is important to me. It is very easy to get involved and volunteer; most soup kitchens and homeless shelters are in need of volunteers, and there are chapters of major non-profit organizations in almost every area. If your organization of choice is not in your area, take the initiative to start a local chapter! I hope that your experience with community service is as fulfilling as mine.
JAINA Summer Internship Program (JASI) The JAINA Summer Internship (JASI) is a full-time, intensive internship offering U.S. undergraduate and graduate students a chance to work with a service-based community organization in a start-up environment. JASI interns receive hands-on experience that provides professional and personal growth in the areas of non-profit project management, IT support, and social networking/community building, as well as rewarding opportunities to support the global Jain community.
More information can be found online at: http://www.jaina.org/internship.
JAINA Academic Scholarship Program The JAINA Academic Scholarship program (JASP) will
provide educational scholarships to high school
seniors going into college who wish to pursue higher
learning in the fields of arts, science, engineering
and literature. At this time JAINA will not provide
fellowships or loans. The scholarship award will be
known as the need-based JAINA Academic
Scholarship Award (JASP).
More information can be found online at: http://www.jaina.org/scholarship.
Jain Summer Camp Come study Jainism in Claremont this summer. The
week-long program will include academic sessions
featuring noted scholars in the field of Jainism
peaking on the origins and culture of the faith
tradition. It will also provide an opportunity for
participants to socialize with their peers and become
more deeply involved in the Jain community with
visits to the Jain Center of Southern California and
other fun activities planned for the week.
More information can be found online at: http://www.jaina.org/summercamp.
Claremont International Jain Conference Claremont Lincoln University is an inter-religious
university where the religions and value-based
communities of the world meet to study, form
friendships, and engage in activism. Thanks to
generous support from the Jain community,
Claremont Lincoln’s Center for Jain Studies is able to
host a major international conference every
summer. This year, the August 23-24 conference will
This last year has been hectic for me, with starting my own business, lots of amazing YJA work, and high school. I find myself reflecting on how I can use the values that I have been brought up with to improve my life and others’ lives on a daily basis. I consider Jainism my way of life, and find myself religiously confused like many first-generation Jain Indian-Americans.
One of the Jain values I adhere to is aparigraha, which means living within your means and being simple in life. Even though I may be influenced by current society, materialistic pleasure, and peers, I try to control how much I own and how much I consume. As a high school sophomore, I am always influenced by new trends, but find myself straying in order to pursue my own passions. I tangle with the materialistic aspect of aparigraha, but I’ve been able to control my technological and intangible wants because of my thinking.
As a young entrepreneur, I struggle with keeping my vision when my ideas are challenged, especially when the challengers are older and wiser than myself. The entrepreneurial society consists of very passionate people, myself included. However, passion sometimes takes its toll on the values we possess. Trying to stay calm when others challenge my passion, vision, and direction, is something that I work on every day, along with approaching on-the-spot business decisions with composure. I spend my days like any other teen, but I try to spend an hour reflecting on my decisions, values, and daily actions. If I find that something I did affected someone or something in a negative way, I try to change it the very next day, and consequently try to make it better. I live my life on Jain principles, even when many of them are challenged, and try to change the world while doing so, one day at a time.
A Teen Entrepreneur’s Approach to Aparigraha
By: Poojan Mehta
As a young entrepreneur, I struggle with keeping my vision when my ideas are challenged, especially when the challengers are older and wiser than me. The entrepreneurial society consists of very passionate people, myself included. However, passion sometimes takes its toll on the values we possess. Trying to stay calm when others challenge my passion, vision, and direction, is something that I work on every day, along with approaching on-the-spot business decisions with composure.
I spend my days like any other teen, but I try to spend an hour reflecting on my decisions, values, and daily actions. If I find that something I did affected someone or something in a negative way, I try to change it the very next day, and consequently try to make it better. I live my life on Jain principles, even when many of them are challenged, and try to change the world while doing so, one day at a time
consists of very passionate people, myself included. However, passion sometimes takes its toll on the values we possess. Trying to stay calm when others challenge my passion, vision, and direction, is something that I work on every day, along with approaching on-the-spot business decisions with composure.
I spend my days like most teens, but I try to spend an hour reflecting on my decisions, values, and daily actions. If I find something I did affected someone or something in a negative way, I try to change it the very next day, and consequently try to make it better. I live my life on Jain principles, even when many of them are challenged, and try to change the world while doing so, one day at a time
Recipe Corner “NOGO (No Onion-No Garlic) Pesto” by: Priyanka A. Shah | Pinki’s Palate
Tips:
Some of my favorite greens are:
Basil, Kale, Cilantro, Parsley, Arugula
Kale & Parsley, Kale & Basil & Cilantro, or Arugula & Basil
Some of my favorite nuts to use are:
Walnuts, Almonds, Pine Nuts, Macadamia Nuts or
Marcona Almonds
Ingredients:
3 cups of your favorite greens, either one type or a mix of a few- chopped;
Ingredients (Con’t):
1/4 to 1/3 Cup of your choice of nuts;
2-3 Tbsp dried Oregano, Italian Seasoning, or Zaatar;
1/2 Cup of freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese (without animal rennet);
1 Tsp red chili powder if you would like to add a spicy kick;
1/2 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil;
Lemon juice (to taste –better if using Kale/Arugula combinations); and
Salt and ground black pepper to taste (approx. 1 Tsp for each).
Directions:
Add ingredients to a food processor in the order as listed
Blend to a smooth paste. If blending gets difficult, add ingredients slowly with olive oil to make it easier to blend.
And it is as easy as that!
For more delicious, Jain friendly recipes, please visit Priyanka’s blog: http://pinkispalate.wordpress.com/
Please Make a Contribution to YJA Today to Pass Jain Principles & Practices onto the Next Generation of Youth!
Jai Jinendra! The Executive Board for Young Jains of America (YJA) plans to be very active in bringing Jain principles to youth across the country. We would like to take this opportunity to briefly discuss our current projects and how they will make a difference to the YJA community:
Monthly Webinars – Educate and raise awareness about Jain principles and ideals and address youth problems, difficulties, and concerns.
Website Maintenance – Continue to develop a professional website for Jain youth and create a forum to share Jain principles and values.
Regional Retreats – Weekend retreats held in each region to instill a sense of religious and cultural pride among Jain youth.
Community Volunteering – Organize volunteering events, such as Relay for Life and assistance at soup kitchens to allow youth to participate in charitable community activities.
National Dinners – Encourage the development of friendships with Jain youth in their local cities, while conversing about real-life topics relating to Jainism over a delicious meal.
With the support of donors like you, YJA has grown to be the largest Jain youth organization in the world. For the YJA Executive Board, it is an honor to be a part of a group that motivates and inspires countless lives.
Please consider supporting our efforts with a personal contribution to YJA today. A contribution of any amount will provide tremendous support to instill a sense of among youth about their Jain heritage. The ultimate goal of the YJA Executive Board is to prepare today's Jain youth to become tomorrow's Jain leaders.
Not only do we appreciate your donations, but the fundraising team would like to hear from you! Please e-mail
[email protected] with your comments or suggestions for improvement by YJA. If you have any questions regarding Young Minds, please e-mail [email protected].
We thank you for your wonderful contribution! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Young Jains of America Contribution Form *You can make a contribution by credit or debit card at https://www.yja.org/donation/donation.php*
Full Name: ___________________________________________________________
Company Name (Optional): ___________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________ City: ____________ ST: ____ Zip: ___________
