Generation Jain: Jainism Your Way

This year's YJA 2008 Convention in Chicago will be an experience of a lifetime bringing together 800 youth from across the globe! In an era where our individuality is formulated through diversity, explore the collective community of distinct individuals. Discover how your "silhouette" is accentuated against the backdrop of shared experiences. Who are you and how did you get to be that way?

Through a variety of fun, innovative, and interactive programming experiences, attendees will engage in conversations related to stereotypes, developing leadership, and creating community. Learn about the dynamic and inter-connectedness of the Jain principles of non-violence, non-absolutism, and non-possessiveness. Explore how to infuse these principles into your daily lifestyle.

Culture:
Experience a variety of cultural sessions that incorporate Jain cooking, arts, music, and literature (to name a few). Engage in thought-provoking sessions that explore these various threads as they braid together to create our culture as we know it and as we create it.

Knowledge:
Just as the roots of a tree provide a foundation for its ability to grow in a multitude of directions. You will learn a combination of traditional Jain topics and practices, exploring Jain cosmology, ethics, karma, meditation/yoga, rituals, etc. and have a chance to question their implications in the world we currently live in.

Global Impact:
The symbiotic relationship between one's life and the world at large is a valuable one to investigate. You will have the opportunity to engage in the dialogue and discussion about the connections of basic Jain principles and their impacts on animal rights, feminism, human rights, bio-technology, and the environment.

Leadership:
What is leadership? What does it mean to be a leader? Is it the process of influencing others to a particular destination? Or is the cultivation of an ability to nurture others in their process? Are these two mutually inclusive or exclusive? Are there other models of leadership? In a variety of dynamic sessions, we will engage in this inquiry through various discussions, activities, and exercises.

Spiritual Development:
Who am I? Who am I not? Spiritual discovery is a process of continuous unfolding. By engaging in programming experiences that delve in a creative inquiry, we will challenge our assumptions about ourselves, how we view others, and how we view the world around us, thereby connecting with our inner self and connecting with others. In this Socratic dialogue, we will explore various avenues such meditation, contemplation, etc.

Giving back:
A master gardener plants and nurtures the individuality of each seed. By enabling each seed to grow in its own, the gardener ultimately feels a sense of personal satisfaction while giving back to the community. Similarly we will engage in sessions led by powerful speakers about the value of contributing back to our communities. We will explore our own self expressions in the context of our communities on various levels, through teaching others, helping the homeless, or participating in projects / organizations as a method to give back!