________________
WELCOME
Dear
Readers,
This issue marks our fifth year of operation as a professional media charity in the Western world. Our innovation in producing the best international magazine on Jain culture and spirituality continues unabated. This issue will strike you as different from previous ones. We have a new designer in Jason Powell, and are keen to give you fresh images and material each time. The re-design was done from feedback received from you our readers and our marketing team. Our aim is to appeal to anyone curious about Indian culture and spirituality, whatever culture or background they may come from. Design is very important in attracting the eye, encouraging readers to read and enjoy the experience. We do not merely want to write about spirituality - we would like to convey its experience through the combination of text, pictures and design. Modern printing and design technology gives us a vast range of possibilities and we try to harness these in the magazine.
For
those who are new to Jain philosophy and culture, we are introducing a new page on Jain values (inside cover) and an article on the essence of Jainism by Aidan Rankin. In future issues, this emphasis on basics will continue and evolve into a series which will make this sometimes 'complex' philosophy, accessible to one and all. Aidan will be the Guest Editor of the next issue of Jain Spirit.
As editor, I travel all around the world and talk to people or communicate internationally on a regular basis. This enables me to get a pulse of what is happening to the Jain tradition, and what level of awareness and understanding exists out there. As I write this, I am about to leave for my annual trip to India where I will be meeting our key partners and visiting various centres. I have been invited to the Maryada Mahotsav led by Acharya Mahaprajna in Jhalgaon, Maharashtra, where there will be over 500 saints and nuns in one congregation. Such tours are very important to enable me to stay in touch with what is happening and make new contacts.
In this issue, Professor Richard Gombrich of Oxford University makes a very simple but profound point -Ahimsa is an invaluable gift from India to the world. India is one of very few countries which for centuries has shown that 'non-aggression is not the same thing as passivity, and to renounce aggression does not mean renouncing the possibility of having an impact on the wider world.' Those born into Indian culture will have automatically inherited this tradition, but it helps if we can share it with the modern world. This is where Jain Spirit becomes an important vehicle for education and dissemination. Retirement is a major issue for people who live in the West. It can easily lead to loneliness and isolation, and sometimes, a sense of worthlessness and low self-esteem. Sonal Shah's article 'Re-live not Re-tire' expresses a positive approach to retirement, where we can continue to have purpose and meaning, thereby ensuring that we retain good health and spirits. Veni Harania and Pritesh Shah discuss the science of happiness, a subject central to human aspirations. Lavinia Plonka cautions parents to take it easy and not go overboard on parenting - allow children to just be. All too often, we pass on our own stresses and ambitions onto them, and are in a rush to prove their intelligence. Patience is a virtue, even in parenting. In the Art section, Divya Malde provides practical advice on collecting art, a subject which may seem simple but is a big psychological barrier to many. And remember, not all good art is expensive. The beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. In her Viewpoint, Samani Pratibhapragya explains the secrecy of silence.
Articles by Prof. John Cort, Dr. L M Singhvi and Prof. Robert Zydenbos relate to Jain philosophy and scholarship, demonstrating the vast depths of this ancient culture. The strong emphasis on nonpossessiveness could not be more relevant today. We are really grateful to have such expert writers contributing to the magazine.
Jai Jinendra,
Soul Shan Atul
Atul K. Shah - Executive Editor
on International 2010_03
For Private & Personal Use Only
WELCOME 01
www.jainelibrary.org
