Shanti Bhavan - Wikipedia

Shanti Bhavan - Wikipedia

Shanti Bhavan

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The Shanti Bhavan Children's Project (in Hindi: "haven of peace") is a U.S. 501(c)(3) and India 80-G non-profit organisation based in Bangalore Karnataka, India, that operates a pre-K-12 residential school in Baliganapalli, Tamil Nadu.^[1] The school annually enrolls 12 boys and 12 girls (at four years old) for its incoming pre-school class. Thereafter, students stay at the school year-round except for summer and winter breaks. Students attend Shanti Bhavan free of charge and are provided with nutritional meals, clothes, shelter, education, healthcare and emotional and mental support. Shanti Bhavan is accredited by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), and administers the ICSE and ISC exams during students' 10th and 12th grades. After students' 12th grade, Shanti Bhavan also pays for their college education.^[2]

Shanti Bhavan Children's Project

Founded	August 1997
Founder	Abraham George
Type	501(c)(3)
Focus	Creating social mobility in lowest caste communities
Location	Bangalore, India
Area served	Baliganapalli, Tamil Nadu
Method	Education of Dalit children
Key people	Abraham George - CEO Ajit George - Director of Operations Urmila Michael - Chief Administrative Officer
Website	shantibhavanchildren.org

At present, the school accommodates approximately 300 students who come from rural villages or urban slums. A majority (95%) of the students are Dalits - formerly known as untouchables. Due to caste-based discrimination, the students come from extremely impoverished backgrounds.^[3]

Students are educated in subjects such as mathematics, history, geography, Hindi, English writing/reading, physics, chemistry, business, accounting, biology, etc. Older students attend workshops in writing, public speaking, and debate.

Contents

HistoryEdit

The school was founded by Dr Abraham George, an Indian-American businessman and philanthropist. After serving in the Indian Army, Dr. George attended NYU's Stern School of Business and began his own company, Multinational Computer Models Inc. In 1995, he began the non-profit organisation The George Foundation. Shanti Bhavan was established in August 1997 as a project of The George Foundation to help economically and socially disadvantaged children, mostly Dalit, in rural India - specifically in the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka regions.^[4]

In 2008, as a result of the global financial crisis, Shanti Bhavan underwent a financial crisis of its own.^[5] With the help of current Director of Operations, Ajit George, Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project moved from a privately funded institution to a mixed model of individual donations, corporate and NGO partnerships, and grants. On September 10, 2008, Shanti Bhavan separated from The George Foundation and became a non-profit organisation run under the Shanti Bhavan Educational Trust.^[6]

MethodEdit

The school takes in children as young as four years old whose families are below poverty level.^[7] Shanti Bhavan financially supports them throughout their years at the school as well as through college, providing 17 years of support education.^[8]

Shanti Bhavan follows the CISCE curriculum; students take their ISCE examinations in their 10th and 12th grades to determine their college placement.

MediaEdit

Shanti Bhavan featured in the documentary The Backward Class (2014), and the Netflix documentary series Daughters of Destiny: The Journey of Shanti Bhavan (2017),^[9] written, directed, and co-produced by Vanessa Roth.^[10][11]

In 2014, Shanti Bhavan student Visali was honoured as one of Glamour’s Women of the Year.^[12] In 2016, Shanti Bhavan student Keerthi was profiled in Glamour’s The Girl Project.^[13][14]

Partners and programsEdit

The organisation has a volunteer program which employs volunteer educators from some educational and non-profit organisations such as ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty),^[15] and She's the First^[16] to teach academic and non-academic subjects.^[17]

ReferencesEdit

1. ^ economic development « Helping Women Helps the World
2. ^ GOPIO News, May 25, 2009
3. ^ "School Of Angels". business.outlookindia.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
4. ^ The Power of Education | NEED - The Humanitarian Magazine
5. ^ "Team | Shanti Bhavan Children's Project". Retrieved 2022-07-07.
6. ^ "Rural Education - Shanti Bhavan overview". Tgfworld.org. 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
7. ^ Friedman, p.632
8. ^ "InfoChange India News & Features development news India - Poorest of poor dalit children get a world-class education". Infochangeindia.org. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
9. ^ "Daughters of Destiny | Netflix Official Site". Netflix.
10. ^ "Review: ‘Daughters of Destiny’ on Netflix Explores Caste Struggles in India", by Mike Hale, The New York Times, July 28, 2017. [Consulted 2 August 2018].
11. ^ "In Daughters of Destiny, Educating the 'Untouchables'", by Jenna Marotta, Vogue, July 27, 2017. [Consulted 2 August 2018].
12. ^ SHANTI BHAVAN VISALI WON GLAMOUR AWARD US 2014. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-09.
13. ^ "How a Special School Changed This Girl's Life". 16 May 2016.
14. ^ "Get Schooled—The Story of Keerthi from India".
15. ^ "Shanti Bhavan, India : ASTEP - Artists Striving To End Poverty". Asteponline.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
16. ^ "Aspire: the She's the First blog » Shanti Bhavan". Shesthefirst.org. Archived from the original on 2010-12-16. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
17. ^ "Shanti Bhavan Children's Project - Volunteers". Shantibhavanonline.org. Archived from the original on 2009-05-09. Retrieved 2010-12-28.

Other referencesEdit

• Thomas Friedman (2007). "The Unflat World". The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century. Picador. p. 641. ISBN 978-0-312-42507-4.

External linksEdit

• Official website

THE QUEST FOR COSMIC JUSTICE | Kirkus Reviews

THE QUEST FOR COSMIC JUSTICE | Kirkus Reviews

THE QUEST FOR COSMIC JUSTICE

BY THOMAS SOWELL ‧ RELEASE DATE: OCT. 1, 1999

A cosmic straw man is vanquished in the fight against dangerous ideals such as social justice and equality. 

This is not the place to look for original ideas or honest analysis. Presumably, Sowell’s (Migrations and Cultures, 1996, etc.) goal is to entertain those who share his convictions rather than convince open-minded readers, and this audience will be pleased. 

“Cosmic justice” is presented as a fundamental departure from the “traditional” conception of justice, which Sowell claims has the “characteristic of a process,” rather than of a particular outcome. 

He conveniently forgets to mention that this “tradition” dates back only to the emergence of liberal-democratic states and that contrasting notions of procedural vs. substantive justice remain the subject of lively debate. 

Admitting legitimate disagreement over even something as slippery as justice would soften the blows he aims at those who think inequality and any associated oppression raises concerns a just society should address, and Sowell is not one to temper a political argument simply to maintain intellectual integrity. He is not straightforwardly defending inequality, of course, but rather is pursuing the familiar strategy of attacking measures that could alleviate it. 

Sowell, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford, boldly asserts that those who believe equality should be pursued through public policy “assume that politicizing inequality is free of costs and dangers.” No names are mentioned, and it is indeed hard to imagine that anyone would believe there are no costs or dangers. By stating the issue in terms of extremes, however, he ducks the real issue—the challenge of weighing costs and benefits—and avoids the need for incorporating any subtlety into his discussion. Confronted with such disingenuous blather, readers may find Sowell’s criticism of others applies well to Sowell himself: “To explain the levels of dogmatism and resistance to facts found in too many writings . . . it is necessary to explore what purposes are served by these visions.”

希修 우리는 우리의 마음을 편하게 해 주는 얘기를 진실/진리라 믿는다

(14) Facebook

希修
< 우리는 우리의 마음을 편하게 해 주는 얘기를 진실/진리라 믿는다 >
.
남의 말을 들었다가 결과가 안 좋으면 후회가 생기지만, 내 마음을 따랐을 경우엔 설사 결과가 안 좋아도 후회는 크지 않다. 그렇기에 대부분의 사람들은 자신의 가슴/직관을 따르면서, '나는 최선을 다 하고 있다' 믿으면서 산다. 그런데 그 가슴/직관이라는 건 살아 오는 동안 축적된 정보들의 산출값이기도 하지만, 그에 못지 않게, 어쩌면 그보다 더 크게 운명/숙명/업의 작용일 수도 있지 않을까 싶다. 결국 대부분의 사람은 '타고난 대로' 산다는 얘기가 되는 것일 확률도 제로는 아닌 것. 삶의 의의를 '경험을 통한 학습'이라 본다면 '타고난 대로' 사는 것도 이승에서 받은 숙제를 한다는 얘기가 되니 괜찮지만, 다른 것에 삶의 목적을 둔다면 물론 판단도 달라진다. 그래서 ‘구원’ 같은 강력한 동인이 없는 한, 나이가 들수록, 즉 '이제와 방향을 틀기엔 매몰비용이 이미 너무 크다' 싶어질수록 자기 삶을 합리화하는 쪽으로 생각하게 된다. 

의미, 목적 이런 건 불확실하지만 내 마음이 편하고 불편하고는 너무나 확실하고 또 죽음이 가까울수록 마음이라도 편한 것에 대해 점점 더 절박해지기 때문. 

젊을 땐 '생각하는 대로 살'았다가도 나이들수록 '사는 대로 생각'하게 되는 것, 

나아가 '생각 따위 무슨 소용? 어차피 한바탕 꿈 걍 관조하며 즐겨!' 식으로 흘러가는 것도 이런 이유이며, 그렇기에 나이와 '지혜' (얄팍한 처세요령을 의미하는 게 아님)가 비례하는 사람은 흔치 않다. 

통념들과 다른 부분들로 인해 사람들을 '불편하게' 했던 분들 (소크라테스, 예수, 석가 등)은 모두 당대에 미움을 받았고 (부처님의 윤회관은 당시의 상식을 그냥 인정해 준 제스쳐가 아니었습니다. 에혀..), 다시 살아온다 한들 이마에 '나 예수,' '나 석가'라 써붙이지 않는 한 현재의 기독교인들이나 불자들에 의해 박해받을 확률이 높지 않을까 나는 추측한다. 인간이 또 다시 인간으로 윤회할 확률은 온세상에 산과 들의 형태로 존재하는 흙의 양과 비교한 손톱에 낀 흙의 양만한 비율에 불과하다는 얘기도 (SN 20:2) 다른 이유가 아니지 싶다.
.
그나저나 Thomas Sowell의 "The Quest for Cosmic Justice"는 불교적인 관점에서 특히 흥미로운 책이었음.
.


Wraith Ryu

업장이란 것도 결국 무의식의 패턴이죠. 생각은 무의식 따라 일어나니, 그냥 일어나는 생각의 연쇄에 빠져 살다 가는것이 대부분의 인생인 것 같아요.


希修

Wraith Ryu 그쵸! 그래서 "One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making darkness conscious."라는 Carl Jung의 얘기처럼, 마음챙김을 통해 무의식을 의식의 차원으로 끌어올려 제어하지 못 하면 결국 타고난 경향성 (뭐 운명/숙명이 거창한 게 아니라 타고난 경향성이 곧 운명/숙명이겠죠)의 노예가 되는 게 아닌가 싶어요.
.
그렇기 때문에 "분별 마라. 내려놓아라"만 외운다고 해서 수행이 되지는 못 하는 거죠. 의식의 차원에서 설사 이게 된다 하더라도 무의식에서 들끓고 있는 온갖 상카라는 걍 포기, 무시함으로써 탐진치의 치를 더 키우는 결과가 되니까요. 그래서 생각을 '나'라고 집착 않는 것도 중요하지만, 동시에 모든 생각들에 대한 책임 역시 나에게 있음을 잊어서도 안 되는 것 같아요. 생각의 기준의 나의 기분/이익/가치관이 아니라 4성제와 12연기여야 한다는 점이 중요할 뿐이죠.


Wraith Ryu

希修 그렇죠. 생각도 결국 연기따라 자동으로 일어나는 것인데.. 내려놓으라고 놓아질 수 있는것도 아니고 말이죠^^

希修

Wraith Ryu 네. X를 '내려놓기' 위해서는 X를 '있는 그대로' 보아야 하며, 이건 (i) X를 발생시키는 원인 이해, (ii) X를 소멸시키는 원인 이해, (iii) 내가 X에 끌리는 이유 이해, (iv) 궁극적으로 X가 가져올 고통 이해, (v) X에 대한 환상에서 완전히 벗어남의 다섯 가지가 필요하다고, 그래서 DN 1도 기록하고 있는 것이죠. 제 생각에는 아마도 과거 업 때문에 '자동으로 떠오르는 생각' (나의 현재에서의 능동적 참여는 0%에 가까운)에서부터 100% 나의 현재 의지로써 적극적으로 추구하는 사유까지, 다양한 종류의 생각들이 있을 것 같긴 합니다.


Wraith Ryu

希修 예. 있는 그대로 보라는 것은 석가모니가 강조하신 것이기도 하죠.
자유의지로 일으키는 적극적인 생각의 경우, 어떤 식으로든 알아차림이 함께하고 있을것이란 느낌이 듭니다.

=====

THE QUEST FOR COSMIC JUSTICE | Kirkus Reviews

THE QUEST FOR COSMIC JUSTICE

BY THOMAS SOWELL ‧ RELEASE DATE: OCT. 1, 1999

A cosmic straw man is vanquished in the fight against dangerous ideals such as social justice and equality. 

This is not the place to look for original ideas or honest analysis. Presumably, Sowell’s (Migrations and Cultures, 1996, etc.) goal is to entertain those who share his convictions rather than convince open-minded readers, and this audience will be pleased. 

“Cosmic justice” is presented as a fundamental departure from the “traditional” conception of justice, which Sowell claims has the “characteristic of a process,” rather than of a particular outcome. 

He conveniently forgets to mention that this “tradition” dates back only to the emergence of liberal-democratic states and that contrasting notions of procedural vs. substantive justice remain the subject of lively debate. 

Admitting legitimate disagreement over even something as slippery as justice would soften the blows he aims at those who think inequality and any associated oppression raises concerns a just society should address, and Sowell is not one to temper a political argument simply to maintain intellectual integrity. He is not straightforwardly defending inequality, of course, but rather is pursuing the familiar strategy of attacking measures that could alleviate it. 

Sowell, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford, boldly asserts that those who believe equality should be pursued through public policy “assume that politicizing inequality is free of costs and dangers.” No names are mentioned, and it is indeed hard to imagine that anyone would believe there are no costs or dangers. By stating the issue in terms of extremes, however, he ducks the real issue—the challenge of weighing costs and benefits—and avoids the need for incorporating any subtlety into his discussion. Confronted with such disingenuous blather, readers may find Sowell’s criticism of others applies well to Sowell himself: “To explain the levels of dogmatism and resistance to facts found in too many writings . . . it is necessary to explore what purposes are served by these visions.”

Primitive Quakerism Revived: Living as Friends in the Twenty-First Century by Paul Buckley | Goodreads

Primitive Quakerism Revived: Living as Friends in the Twenty-First Century by Paul Buckley | Goodreads

Primitive Quakerism Revived: Living as Friends in the Twenty-First Century

Paul Buckley

, 

Charles Martin

 (Editor)

4.13

8 ratings1 review

The Religious Society of Friends arose as a passionate missionary movement in the 1650s and suffered through decades of persecution before gaining legal toleration in 1689. The new religious sect questioned the fundamental values and underlying principles of English society, pointedly challenging the social, political, and religious status quo. From its inception, members of the Society felt divinely called to model a God-centered alternative to the surrounding culture. Outwardly, this was manifested by such things as distinctive ways of dressing and unique forms of speech. Inwardly, Friends were characterized by their faithful dependence on the immediate direction of the Inward Light of Christ in all aspects of their lives. As the years passed, the outward forms dropped away and the peculiarities of the Quaker way of life gradually disappeared. While in some ways Friends today continue to resist "the world's ways," they have largely accommodated themselves to the forms, customs, and standards of the peoples they live among.

Primitive Quakerism Revived challenges contemporary Friends in each of the Society's branches to reexamine their fundamental beliefs and practices, to identify the changes and additions that have been made in the past three and a half centuries, and to acknowledge which of those are unacceptable compromises that need to be abandoned. This book is a plea to reclaim the essential Quaker principles and mission by modeling a joyfully faithful community of God.

166 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2018

Community Reviews

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Micah

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December 3, 2021

I read Buckley as a neo-Hicksite, which is interesting - old-school Hicksism is much more conservative theologically and socially than modern-day Liberal Quakerism.

While the book did not speak to me quite as much, given my theological difference with Hicksism, I thought it was a competent introduction to that strain of Quaker thought. I'd recommend this book to Liberal Quakers that sense that what they have found in their meetings is weak sauce and want more.

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