YJA Convention 2016 07 Los Angeles CA

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Basics of Jainism: The Three Jewels
HS/COL Sagar Shah
EDUCATION With the story of a seed growing into a tree, we shall try to connect the Three Jewels of Jainism - Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct - and learn how they can help us grow on our journey towards liberation. Just as a seed grows and transforms into a plant, we too must be ready to let the right decisions take us from one point in time to the next.
Being a Good Jain
HS/COL Apurva Bhansali
EDUCATION From a young age, we are raised to be good Jains. Our parents are constantly telling us to work hard, be successful, to have a great career, get married, have kids, have religious values and to follow the teachings of Mahavir Bhagwan and the Tirthankars. But wait - Mahavir teaches us that happiness can not come from any of these material things and that we should give up our worldly possessions to find inner peace. So are we really being raised as good Jains? Be prepared to discuss your thoughts and your ideas in this interactive session! Being More - Panel
COL/JNE Rapir Dedhia, Avni Shah, Dipal Savla, Umang Patel
CAREER Life isn't a path, it's a journey. Many times our careers are shown to us as a step by step procedure to move towards only one goalsuccess. However, the greatest successes in life come from something more elusive: true passion. Join our panelists for a discussion about how they translated their skills and discipline to manifest the change that they believed in.
Being Smart with Social Media
HS/COL Juhi Hegde, Virag Vora, Simmi Nandu
CAREER Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, repeat. In today's day and age, social media has become a dominating aspect of our lives. However, more than just observing what others are doing, you can use these apps as opportunities to network, enhance career prospects, and expand your horizons! Come join us to discuss how to be smart with social media and use it to your advantage!
Biomedical Ethics - What's Right?
COL Vaishali lain
CAREER What is your stance on abortion? Can we justify using animals or animal products in biomedical research? Should we? How do you respond if a patient will ask you to do something that may go against your morals? Organized through a socratic seminar session, we will discuss some of these difficult decisions that undoubtedly some of us will have to make in the future. Disclaimer: some of these topics will be very sensitive, so we ask that you come with an open mind and be respectful of everyone's viewpoints!
JNE
Casual Speed Dating Pinita Shah, Bonita Parikh
LIFESTYLE This day and age, it's difficult to find people on the same wavelength as yourself. Most people are set with their own groups of friends - making it hard to broaden one's network. Where do you find these groups now? At Work? Grad School? Your Parents?! This session is all about friendships, opening up, and inviting in the new. Kick off convention by meeting people who share the same interests and networks as yourself - and build relationships that may last well into your future. Brought to you by Janvier, the Diamond Concierge.
JNE
Can Women Go To Moksha? Pinita Shah
INTERFAITH Women have made strides professionally, politically, and in society as a whole. So can women achieve the same status as males when it comes to religion or do women have extra hurdles that make the path to liberation more difficult? Join us as we explore how different religions answer this question. By looking at the similarities across these religions, we can work towards uncovering a woman's spiritual journey in today's world.
Changing the Conversation: Ahimsa, Self-Compassion, and Mental Health
HS/JNE Ramey Ko
Lifestyle Compassion and nonviolence are central tenets of Jainism, yet the people we often show the least compassion to are ourselves. For too long, mental and emotional health issues have been treated as a subject of shame. Change can only happen when we share openly, confront myths and fears, and realize that until we cease hurting ourselves, we cannot truly show compassion to others. This session will show us how to understand and value ourselves, expand the conversation on mental health, give us practical
tips on self-compassion, and learn how to be that truly supportive ally and friend. AGENTS OF CHANGE