Living Lightly on the Planet: Jain Practice for Reducing Accumulation, Moderating Consumption, and Letting Go of What Weighs Us Down.
The UNT program in Jain Studies and the Department of Philosophy and Religion are excited to welcome two Preksha meditation instructors to our campus for an introduction to this time-honored practice. Samani Dr. Chaitanya Pragya and Samani Dr. Him Pragya are both visiting professors at Florida International University, members of the Jain renunciant order of Samani, and scholar-practitioners of Jain philosophy. The Samanis will offer an introduction to Preksha meditation, which aims at the purification of mind and body through the release of accumulated stressors.
This experiential workshop will guide participants through practice sessions that introduce Preksha's spiritual, emotional, and material benefits:
- Spiritual: letting go of accumulated karmic weight
- Emotional: calming desires and anxieties
- Material: developing more moderate consumption habits in daily life
This event is free and open to the public. No prior experience is needed to participate! Vegan catering will be provided at the conclusion of the workshop. Please register via our Eventbrite page for a complimentary ticket so that we can plan for catering and accommodations. All registered attendees will receive email updates for the event.
Program
3:30 pm: Welcome and Introduction
Dr. James Meernik, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Jain Society of North Texas
Jain Education and Research Foundation
Dr. Leah Kalmanson, Bhagwan Adinath Professor of Jain Studies
4 pm: Part 1. Preksha Meditation--What and Why
5 pm: Part 2. Stress Management and Relaxation
6 pm: Concluding Remarks
This workshop is a part of the Philosophy and Religion Graduate Student Association conference "Food, Consumption, and Climate Change." Related to the conference theme, the Samanis will conclude the workshop with a talk on the topic "Living Lightly on the Planet: Jain Philosophy and Practice for Reducing Accumulation, Moderating Consumption, and Letting Go of What Weighs Us Down."
Our event is made possible with the generous support of the Jain Education and Research Foundation and the Jain Society of North Texas in collaboration with UNT's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Philosophy and Religion, the Philosophy and Religion Graduate Student Association, and the Bhagwan Adinath Professorship in Jain Studies.
Speakers
Samani Chaitanya Pragya is senior disciple of Acharya Shree Mahashramanji, the 11th Acharya of the Jain Shwetamber Terapanthi Tradition. She was initiated by H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna in the benign presence of Acharya Tulsi in 1986 at Rajnagar, Rajsthan. Dr. Pragya received her PhD in 1997 from Jain Vishva Bharati Institute (Rajasthan, India) with a dissertation on the "Philosophical and Scientific Study of a Jain Canon Bhagavatī Sūtra." She is currently a visiting professor at Florida International University and a former head of the Department of Jainology and Comparative Religion and Philosophy at Jain Vishva Bharati Institute. Her recently edited books include Jainism in Modern Times (2015), Scientific Perspectives of Jainism (2017), Jain Philosophy: A Scientific Approach to Reality (2018) and Jainism on Modern Issues (2020) (JVBI, Ladnun). She has published widely on Jain philosophy, religion, ethics, logic and spirituality, as well as offering instruction in Preksha practice.
Samani Him Pragya is a senior disciple of Acharya Shree Mahashramanji, the 11th Acharya of Jain Shwetamber Terapanthi Tradition. She was initiated by H.H. Acharya Shree Mahaprajna in the benign presence of Acharya Tulsi in 1991 at Ladnun, Rajsthan. She received her PhD in 1997 from Jain Vishva Bharati Institute (Rajasthan, India) with a dissertation on the "Social Philosophy of Acharya Tulsi." She is currently a visiting professor at Florida International University and a Associate Professor in the Department of Jainology and Comparative Religion and Philosophy at Jain Vishva Bharati Institute. Her specializations are in Jainism, comparative religion, comparative philosophy, meditation and spirituality, nonviolence, the science of living, and Sanskrit and Prakrit languages. She is conducting a current project "Commentary on Sanskrit Grammar Kalu-Kaumudi".