‘Life in Resonance’ Celebrated at the Ninth Annual BAPS Women’s Conference

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Panel Discussion on work life balance.

STAFFORD:  In physics, resonance is defined by a phenomenon that follows when a powerful, vibrating system causes another system to oscillate with greater amplitude at a specific frequency. In life, resonance is defined by the innate beliefs and timeless principles that drive an individual’s actions as well as his/her physical and mental state of mind. Harmony within mind and body resonate harmony within our surroundings.

This year, the ninth annual BAPS Women’s Conference at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Stafford, Texas provided a renewed approach to the over 1000 attendees on balancing three major aspects of one’s life through the theme of “Life in Resonance”: cultural identity, work-life balance, and emotional health.  In today’s world, everyone is constantly striving for balance, whether it be at school, work, or at home. While self-help books and online forums can be great sources of inspiration for those seeking this type of balance, open discussions among peers can often have a greater impact in making this a more achievable goal. The conference was commenced with lighting of the divo or deep pragtya by Nikki Patel-Grover, Dr. Aparna Kamat, Jyostna Patel, Dr. Heena Thakkar, Malisha Patel, Dr. Nita Gandhi, and Nalini Mathur.

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Dr. Rina Patel

The keynote speaker, Malisha Patel, Chief Operating Officer of Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital set the tone of the conference with her keynote address. Speaking from her own experiences,  Patel motivated the women in the audience to make time for self-care and create positive energy to maintain balance in life. She spoke to the importance of encouraging each other and helping the future generations feel empowered to strive for their goals.

Dr. Shital Desai, PharmD, delivered an insightful message on building pride in one’s identity through confidence in one’s intrinsic beliefs and practices.  She shared, “While we may exist in varying environments, it is our identity and what we value that defines us and determines the course of our actions, irrespective of the environment.”

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Dr. Shital Desai

Circling the ever-debatable topic of maintaining a work-life balance, a panel of distinguished women, explored various practical methods and solutions, including knowing when to say no by highlighting purposeful priorities from our chaotic lives and learning to accept help from family and friends. Monika Patel spoke about the tremendous benefits of accepting help from those around you in helping provide stability through life’s changes, while Shobana Patel spoke to the importance in having a purpose in your day-to-day tasks to find balance in all activities. In making sure there is quality in the time spent on all activities, Hiral Patel stressed saying no to additional commitments.  Each panel member emphasized the role of spirituality as the core of maintaining this day-to-day balance.

Lastly, Dr. Rina Patel, PharmD, discussed the topic of the balance between body and mind and highlighted the impact of focusing on mental health. She emphasized the crucial role played by spirituality for a content mind and a healthy self.

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The Keynote speaker, Malisha Patel

Spreading this message of science, practicality and spirituality across the nation, the conference was held in 12 cities with attendees from various personal and professional backgrounds.  Speaking to the conference theme, Life in Resonance, Sonal Bhuchar, a conference attendee, stated “The biggest thing I took away from all of the speakers, there was a common denominator of finding your own spirituality. And finding resonance in what you do, based on the anchor of spirituality.”  While there are many strategies and approaches to finding and maintaining balance in life, the conference reiterated using spirituality as the base of all efforts. The conference delegates were reminded not only of the necessity for maintaining stability, but also of their inherent strengths which allow them to pursue this very goal.

About BAPS
The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a worldwide socio-spiritual organization in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, is dedicated to community service, peace and harmony.  Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families and individuals. Through a number of social and spiritual activities, BAPS endeavors to produce better citizens of tomorrow who have a high esteem for their roots – their rich Hindu culture.  Its 3,300 international centers support these activities of character-building. Under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a community that is morally, ethically and spiritually pure, and free of addictions.

About Pramukh Swami Maharaj  
His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, has inspired millions of people across the world to lead a God-centered, morally pure life. As the present leader of BAPS, Pramukh Swami Maharaj travels from village to village, continent to continent, emphasizing the importance of family harmony, community service and spiritual progress.  His compassion for humanity, universal wisdom and striking simplicity has touched many around the world.

For more details, please visit
www.baps.org
Contact: BAPS North American Headquarters
Phone: 732-777-1414
Email: media@na.baps.org