First generation Asian-Americans are subject to stringent standards for success - a race for the highest grades, for the best colleges, and for the best medical positions. The pressure to become a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer comes from a framework that defined success for an immigrant generation. However, children brought up in America have found a different ethic - to be true and authentic to their inner self. This may mean leaving traditional fields to study history or theology, and instead of being a doctor, may lead to wanting to become a monk, an artist, or a rock-star. When generations collide, families will inevitably lead to conflict. Conflicts can become even more heated with lifestyle choices, like homosexuality or inter-racial dating. Swami Dayananda Saraswati, one of the most revered and respected Swamis in the United States, will help today's generation of students approach reconciling the wishes of their families with staying true their own destiny.

The pace of life as we know it overwhelms many of us. Between school and work, classes and the gym, friends and family, who has the time to slow down and think of the broader picture? Have you ever been inspired by a religious message but then had NO idea on how to implement it in your daily life? Through a unique panel of representatives from three different faiths, we can learn to make our daily lives more spiritual and thus less hectic. The three panelists include: Samani Charitra Pragya, Stephen Knapp, and Nirmal Singh.

Samani Charitra Pragya is a Jain nun (Samani) who speaks several languages and has taught messages of ahimsa and peace all over the world. Stephen Knapp is a Vedic scholar who was born into a Christian family. Nirmal Singh is a businessman, scholar, and activist who has focused on Sikh spirituality and the portrayal of Sikhs in the west. These three learned people will present practical methodologies to incorporate dharma and spirituality into our daily lives, with an emphasis on the stage in life at which we currently are.

While everybody wants the fairytale happy ending, half of all marriages in this country end in divorce. That is a scary statistic that no one wants to fall prey to. What can we do to increase the chances of happy relationships in our own lives?

Brother Reuben Thuku is an international lecturer for the Theosophical Society who travels the world teaching people how to live more harmonious lives. Past topics have included Practical Guidelines for Physical, Emotional & Mental Health, Marital Harmony, and Reflections on harmonious and right relationships. While Brother Thuku became blind as a child, his handicap has not been a barrier to his teaching ability. He is known for his warm smile, clarity, and ability to captivate his audience.

The Soviet government frowned upon religious expression, especially that of ancient, indigenous cultures. The core of the ancient faith of Lithuania, which had all but died out, is dharma.
"The core of the faith is harmony (Darna). First, darna aspires to inner harmony: people at peace with themselves. Second, it endeavours to create harmony at home and in the community. Third, it pursues harmony with the ancestors. Finally, it quests for harmony with the universe, i.e. with life and with the divinities."

Krivis Jonas Trinkunas is the leader of the Romuva movement to rebuild the ancient faith, for which he was persecuted during the Soviet Regime. Through his efforts, the Romuva faith is one of the ten religions recognized by the state.

Why was revival of this faith important? How do we foster connections with ancient ways that have long been broken? Why should we bother?

The Krivis will discuss why this mission to revitalize Lithuania became important to him. He will discuss with us how he went about fostering this movement and what lessons we can take away. What were the pitfalls? What were the successes?

What does it mean to be attached? Why is not being attached a goal? And how do we actually put that into practice?

In our lives, we all have preferences. I chocolate chip cookies better than oatmeal raisin. I am rather fond of having money, buying CDs, and eating out. I like one friend more than another person. It's normal to be attached to all of these. How do I change that? Why would I even want to?

How do we put into practice loving all people equally?

Loving certain people more than others is natural. How do you counter that natural tendency?

Nikhileswari Devi will lead us in a discussion on what attachment means; why loosing attachment is a goal; and what practical measures we can implement in everyday life towards this goal.

Are you true to yourself? Do you even understand what you should be true to?

Certified Conflict Resolution Facilitator Seshadri Mantha leads seminars for helping South Asians learn to embrace both cultural identities to become "authentic individuals." Authentic individuals tend to attract authenticity and long lasting relationships.

His seminar focuses on individual and group conflicts of having both "South Asian" and "American" identities. The theme of the seminar is dual identity, individual exploration, and transformation. The Session will address identity conflict and mechanisms of dealing with conflict. Participants will explore their feelings about dual identity through exercizes and develop an understanding of how feelings are the doorway to recognizing and embracing identities.

What control do we have over our lives? Does fate control life events like falling in love or getting in a car accident?

The question of free will vs determinism has been one of the most intensely fought battles in theology and philosophy. There is little doubt that humans have a perception of choice in our daily lives. We believe we make choices and we hope that we are not mere puppets of either the gods or the blind forces of the universe. But do we? The theological debate centers around whether God or fate controls our actions. The philosophical debate takes its basis in a set of universal physics that structure and order the world. If our actions are determined by either God or by the universe itself, then do we have responsibility and control over our own actions? Are the results of our actions pre-determined? Is there a reason for good and bad things that happen to us?