Jain Spirit 2003 06 No 15

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 40

YOUTH
ed
NETWORKING
oliaunoggo
EMR JAIN STUDENTS
linu bread aid no 115
Sear
IX WEEKS INTO YOUR FIRST year at university and it is reading week: a time to reflect. You have never before been around such a large group of people of your age. In the first few weeks you experience a social life that you have never expected. You get caught up in the atmosphere. Then it hits you. The sense of purpose with which you started university has vanished. Those values which have been built into you over the years have gone into hiding. Nothing seems to make sense any more. Nothing feels right. What do you do? Who do you turn to? Where do you go?
Now, what if there were a group of students who shared the same values with which you were raised? What if these people thought and behaved in a way you felt most comfortable with? How could you continue to live a student life being so consciously aware of your thoughts and actions, be they emotional or physical? The Jain Student Network (JSN) in the UK was established in response to these very questions.
JSN is a countrywide initiative set up by Jain students in Britain, and is run under the umbrella of Young Jains UK. The vision for JSN is that each university area in the UK will have a group of students who wish to learn how to live a non-violent, soul-aware life. Each of these university areas will be a node of the national network of Jain students. The Jain Student Network at each node will hold regular sessions to share the Jain philosophy with each other and discuss methods of applying these thoughts to student (and wider) life.
Currently, through the drive of the JSN leaders, nodes exist at Warwick,
38
Jain Spirit June - August 2003
hine Halls Suraj Shah tells us about a new initiative to encourage university students to apply Jainism to modern life
Suraj is inspired by his Granny Manchester, Leicester, Cambridge, Aston, Bristol and London. Links are formed so that students in one node can meet like-minded students in another
one through the events which bring these nodes together. Fun is maintained throughout. Last Halloween, a group of
students created "Trick or Treat - Jain Style!" where they roamed the streets and handed out sweets to random people. It certainly brought contribution into play.
NETWORKING JAIN STUDENTS
'Trick or Treat': Jain-style!
Strong links are formed with the local Jain communities too. JSN Manchester has been kindly offered the use of the Jain Samaj Manchester community hall. JSN Warwick was warmly welcomed by Jain Samaj Leicester to the local Jain temple.
It is vital to know who you are, and
blog
fel si no
through the understanding of this, the practice of Jain principles like ahimsa becomes more meaningful. This is regardless of what you are a child, a student, a professional, a mother, a teacher - or where you live in the world. JSN wants to ensure that the understanding and exploration of Jainism continues whilst people are away from home and at university. The Jain Student Network is not limited to a particular area within the UK. It extends throughout the nation and by forming links with Jain societies at universities in the USA and other countries it will wrap itself around the world.
The leading students of JSN have been inspired by the activities they have taken part in via Young Jains UK. JSN only exists because a group of dedicated individuals got together, decided what they wanted, planned how they were to get it and made it happen. Action is the key!
Whilst studying at the University of Manchester, Suraj Shah is actively involved with Young Jains and has a vision to develop his soul and those of others by applying the principles of Jainism.
Young Jains is actively supporting the Jain Student Network and is offering sponsored membership to Young Jains UK. This means that qualifying students can become members of Young Jains for FREE. For more information on JSN and Young Jains Student Membership, see their website at
http://www.youngjains.org.uk/students/
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF AUTHOR