Atma Research
Does the Atma (Soul) exist?
Can I feel it, can I experience it?
To find scientific solutions to these and more questions join the Virtual session in English every Wednesday on Yahoo Messenger at aatmarthis@yahoo.com
Eastern time 9 pm to 10 pm every Wednesday. Don’t miss the next discussion on Sept 5th
YJA 2008 Chicago
Hey guys! This is the official group for the YJA 2008 Convention which will be held in the Chicago area at the Marriott Lincolnshire resort. Join this group and keep checking in to keep updated on the latest news and events as we plan to bring you the best convention yet next July.
We are currently looking for volunteers that can commit to joining planning committees. If you are interested, please email me: rshah@lindenllc.com
Young Jains of America (YJA) is a committee of Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) who puts emphasis on projects relating to Jain youth from ages 14-29.
Our mission is: “to be recognized as a national and international umbrella Jain youth organization for establishing a network to share Jain heritage and religion through young people.”
Rutul Shah
p.s. Stay tuned by entering in your contact information in the following form:
Hip hop makes scriptures cool for young Jains
Via Times of India:
Edison, New Jersey: Jain scriptures sung in hip hop. That’s the latest East-meets-West saga as over 5,000 Jains from the US and other countries congregate here on Friday for the Jain Associations In North America (Jaina) meet.
And, bringing about this unique fusion is cappella singer Krupesh Mehta, who will perform at the ‘peace JAM’ during the convention, to get youth attracted to the scriptures, using this popular genre of music.
And, how does he get them to mix ?
“Realising the power of the word ‘Om’ forms the premise of the track that I will be performing. The energy of ‘Om’, going into the depths of its meaning, inspires you to look within yourself, realise your capabilities. And Jain ideology too emphasises the same, with purity of soul and raising your consciousness being the ultimate aim,” says Krupesh, an NRG Jain.
Having been raised in Queens, New York, his inclination for hip-hop came naturally. “I grew up listening to it. I realised that the youth would find it more appealing if hip-hop was the mode of presentation,” he says.
Krupesh, ‘Kru’ to his friends, started writing in 2000 while in high school and has used his mastery over words for the performance. “The style is hip hop but it’s all about words. They truly reflect the essence of the Jain scriptures,” he says.
The four-day convention will see performers using a combination of poetry, music, and lyrics to communicate their vision and message about various topics ranging from politics to spirituality and from racial bias to social injustice. While generational icon, Lauryn Hill, has been specifically invited for her spiritual and lyrical alignment with the convention’s theme ‘Peace Through Dialogue.’
And, beyond music, about 60 Jain scholars will discuss the ‘Building of a Diaspora – Jains without Borders.’
Kellogg Conf, Jain Int’l convention in Udaipur (Aug 5-7)
Dr Kirti Jain has helped arranged a Jain International Convention of NRIs in the enchanting city of Udaipur under the auspices of Acharya MahaPragya Ji on “Relevance of Jainism in the Present Context” on August 5 thru 7, 2007.
Dr. Jirti Jain and his team of organizers have arranged for 4 days of complimentary lodging and boarding in accordance with the traditional Mewari hospitality, along with available heritage tours of the region including the famous Ranakpur & Dilwara temples.
Please view the invitation here
JAINA Convention 2007 Photos
Jaina Convention 2007
Thank You for making this year’s convention one of the most successful so far. Our speakers, artist and planners feed off of the energy of the participants and that energy was stronger than ever.
Hats off to everyone involved.
Peace Jam, What’s That?
Over the past few days, we’ve been getting alot of emails asking what this so called Peace Jam is. People hear that 8-time Grammy winner Lauryn Hill’s coming, that we have poets from HBO’s Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam showing up, winners of Apollo Theatre Night making an appearance, Jain beatboxers dropping a beat, etc. But what does that have to do with our conference and how does hip hop relate to Jain dharma?
Hip Hop was founded upon the principles of non-violence. Back in the late 1970’s, the hip hop culture grew out of the social injustice that was placed on minorities in the rising New York urban community. Instead of in-sighting violence, leaders such as DJ Kool Herc setup block parties to bring the suppressed communities together. These block parties served as a gathering of like minded individuals to express themselves through the arts.
The Peace Jam as a result is utilizing the core principles of hip hop combined with a conscious and purposeful overtone to bring light to our theme: Peace Through Dialogue. Hip hop now has a prominent role in the music industry, the fashion industry, the arts, in education, and in many other aspects of life. What better way to show how non-violence can bring upon some real change in life?
To see Ms. Lauryn Hill and other artists perform at the Peace Jam, sign up for the evening social activities when registering for the Jaina conference.
Beatboxer, DJ | Deepen Shah
Our very own Jain beatboxer and DJ, Deepen Shah utilized his skills to drop beats and full songs. He’s been a heart-throb to many of the young ladies at YJA, and he’s become even sexier now that he carries around a guitar. Expect to see Deepen perform on his own and in collaboration with other artists.
To see Deepen and other artists perform at the Peace Jam, sign up for the evening social activities when registering for the Jaina conference.
About Jain Diaries
Jain Diaries is a blog by YJA about Peace, Compassion, and having a good time. Written and edited by youth just like you. Enjoy!