Welcome to AHIMSA Berkeley
Our name evokes the deep principles of ahimsa, to which we are dedicated – ahimsa is the Sanskrit word for nonviolence – the human capacity for peace. AHIMSA is a non-profit, nonsectarian foundation, drawing on both Eastern and Western faith traditions, and founded in 1993 to mark the Centennial of the Chicago Parliament of Religions. Our central activity is to encourage dialogues and public forums on issues which bridge spirituality and science and society. Our mission is to serve the advancement of peace by exploring how religion, science, and social action impact our awareness, to seek pathways for understanding, and to encourage every individual to seek and find his or her own truth and wisdom. The acronym AHIMSA stands for, "Agency for Human Interconnectedness through Manifestation of Spiritual Awareness." ALL OUR ACTIVITIES ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Awakening Compassion:
The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.
-- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.
-- the Buddha
RETHINKING TECHNOLOGY… OR BECOME THE TOOL OF OUR TOOLS
A Silicon Valley Symposium
On Sunday, April 26, AHIMSA, in association with the Interfaith Center at the Presidio of San Francisco, ServiceSpace.org, and the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, presented a symposium exploring the effects of the Digital Revolution on people at work, at home, at school and on the road.
A panel of technologists, writers, and Silicon Valley insiders met to consider both the opportunities and threats presented by the Digital Revolution.
Among the topics:
- Do you ever feel as if our tools have become our masters, and that we must constantly adapt ourselves to their demands?
- In an information-based society, do notions like values, meaning, virtue and even wisdom have any place?
- If we really are becoming the tools of our tools, maybe the fault – and the solution – lies not with our tools but with ourselves. Maybe it’s time to rethink technology…. as if people matter.
Participants:
Rahul Brown - Entrepreneur, Business Development
Karl Dobrinich - Small business owner, non-profit consultant
Tom Foremski - Journalist, ‘Silicon Valley Watcher’
Nina Horne - Policy, Strategy, Public Good
Tapan Parikh - Professor, UC-Berkeley School of Information
Richard Whittaker - Writer, Artist, Publisher
Tom Mahon - Convener, Author, and veteran Silicon Valley observer.
From the audience:
Rev. Dr. Dorsey Odell Blake
Professor Muriel Parenteau
AHIMSA PAGES
» Ahimsa Voices
What is our deep hunger? How is ahimsa rooted in spiritual attitudes and practice? How is ahimsa manifest in everyday life? Stories, audio talks, past journals.
» Offerings
Listing of conferences and annual themes. Available materials.
» Links
Links to various organizations and events in an expanding network. These contacts will be maintained on a temporary basis, in connection with ongoing events and projects.
» Who we are
Our organization and history.
Welcome to our re-newed website. This new website is the generous contribution of Inflight Studio. Our original website, by CharityFocus, was also a gift of service. We give great thanks to both » inflightstudio and » ServiceSpace
Next page: Voices of Ahimsa
