JVB Houston - Report Of 6th Annual Program

Jain Vishwa Bharati of Houston celebrated its sixth year at an annual function organized at the Preksha Center on the evening of December 11 th 2005.

A brief agenda of the program follows:

Highlights of the Welcome address were as follows:

• Reiterating JVB's Mission: To serve the community in achieving good health, peace of mind and divine experience without any barrier to cast, creed, gender, race and faith. Reminding the patrons, how JVB Houston strives to achieve it through the weekly program, weekly radio broadcast by Samaniji, through workshops on topics of special interest to the community and private consultations provided by the Samanijis.
• Capturing the highlights of our activities during 2005 - a 3-day camp on Preksha Meditation at the Margaret Austin Center in March, a 3-month training program to certify 5 instructors in Preksha Meditation, an experimental children's workshop in May, attendance at the Jain Convention in San Diego in early July, Acharyashree's birthday celebration on July 9th, and two workshops - one on Anger Management and the other on Diabetes.
• Advising the attendees about purchasing the land for building a permanent facility - thanking those who contributed generously towards this noble cause, informing them of the financial gap that exists today to build the facility and requesting their support and help in filling the gap.
• Summarizing the program details for the first quarter of 2006.

• • Preksha center to remain open from January thru March since Samanijis will be staying here
  • Announcement of three workshops in these three months, on obesity, gynecological disorders, and diabetes
  • Enriching the weekly program of Yoga and Meditation with new classes in English of one hour duration on ‘ Basics of Jain Religion' for patrons who new to the center and to Jainism
  • Announcing the availability of Program information on the website www.JVBHouston.org

Samani Sanmati Pragyaji introduced the audience to Dhyan by conducting a 20-minute session on Dhyan.

A group of ladies performed a skit aimed at informing the attendees about JVB's Mission. It was beautifully done through the medium of questions and answers in which the answers to a series of commonly faced situations in day to day to life were compared with what they could or should be once. Someone has learnt and started practicing the principles of Preksha Meditation in their daily lives - the key message here being that the discipline of Preksha Meditation helps you to overcome the many grieves of day-to-day living.

Samani Jayant Pragyaji in her Pravachan talked about the three keys Tripadi to achieve success in whatever one aspires to accomplish. The three keys being: s elf-confidence, courage, and perseverance. Samaniji gave beautiful illustrations to explain each. Samaniji's Pravachan was not only well received, but became a highlight of the evening.

Mr. Sampat Rampuria offered the vote of thanks beginning with thanking the Samanijis for the ultimate sacrifice they have made in their lives and their willingness to help the Houston community in learning both, spirituality and leading a healthy life. He also thanked Mr. and Mrs. Sunil Mehta for providing the facility and a residence for Samanijis to start the JVB center in Houston. All performers of the evening, the members of the JVB Executive Committee for their hard work and devotion to the center, a group of ladies who provided the food for the evening, and finally the attendees without whose support the center could not have achieved what it has over the past six years.

The program was attended by well over 100 people and was truly a delightful evening.