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Prologue
The purpose of this book and the teaching approach is to instill core Jain Values in young children that will help them to live a happy, peaceful life and enable spiritual growth at an early age. This book outlines various opportunities/challenges for children to practice their Jain values and see how it can be applied in daily life. My hope is that as the young ones grow up and encounter various people, situations and events unfolds in their lives, they will have a way to find comfort, inner peace and answers to their questions. They will have an approach to think about people, life events, materialistic things, achievements, success and to live a confident, loving, kind, compassionate and happy life.
Whatever I'm today is because of my parents - Kunja Shah and Pravin Shah. I'm very grateful for their love, understanding, their approach to life and religion, and the lessons I learned from their life events. Our parents taught us Jainism in a way that it developed a great amount of respect and love for the religion. It was always taught as a very internal religion and it was about how it is helping you and making you better. So, when I had my own children, my goal was simple - pass on what I learned and serve as much as I can.
My inspirations are my children - Ariha, Naimik, Riaan and all my pathshala students. I'm very thankful for the opportunity that I got to serve as a pathshala teacher. All the material in this book went through multiple tests - first it was my own logic and experience, second was my daughter Ariha and then all the pathshala students. I couldn't have done this without my family and especially my sister Krupali Shah, who always believed in me and my husband Binoy Shah, who was always there for me.
I have complied information from many sources and the thoughts in the book are just my perspectives/my understanding. If there is anything incorrect then it is unintentional and I ask for forgiveness - Micchami Dukkadam
This book is a work in progress and if you have any feedback then please do let me know. Also, if there is anything I can help with please feel free to reach out to me at pratiksha.shah@outlook.com.
My Jain Valugs Journal
