In this thought-provoking talk, Shahin Bekhradnia explores core Zoroastrian concepts from the Gathas of Zarathushtra, including Ahura Mazda, Vohu Manah, Spenta Mainyu, Angra Mainyu, free choice, environmental stewardship, and the role of ethical action in modern life.
Abstract:
The speaker will explore the essence of Ahura Mazda — the “Lord of the Mind” — and humanity’s capacity to make conscious choices between Spenta Mainyu and Angra Mainyu. Drawing on the principle of Vohu Manah (“Good Mind” or “Good Thinking”), the talk will examine how right thinking leads to right choices and, ultimately, to actions that benefit society as a whole.
Within this framework, the speaker will reflect on the Parsee community and the recent High Court reviewing of the equal rights of Parsee women, rights that have historically been denied by the BPP Parsee Panchayat. The discussion will also address the urgent need to restore and preserve the environment in the face of pollution, waste, and resource depletion. From the speaker’s perspective, the relentless pursuit of excessive material wealth has contributed significantly to environmental degradation and social imbalance.
The talk will further highlight how harmony with nature lies at the heart of Zoroastrian tradition — reflected in its festivals, calendar, and cultural practices. Many enduring customs within the faith cultivate mindfulness, gratitude, and reverence for the natural world, continuing a legacy that stretches back to antiquity and is well attested in literary sources.
About the Speaker:
Shahin Bekhradnia was born in London of Iranian Zoroastrian parents. She studied Anthropology focusing on Zoroastrianism at Oxford University. She later founded a school in Oxford and became a crime & family court magistrate. She has given talks and published articles on Zoroastrianism which also inspired her environmental consciousness.