Ishan Shivanand argues that internal growth beats material goods because what you build inside yourself can't be taken away. Learn an instrument, a language, or martial arts instead of chasing the next smartphone. Small investments in yourself compound into lasting happiness.
Even your forum is an investment. Is it the best gift you can give to your family members and friends? Because even if you give them something, you invest so much on it, and what is the use of the gift? But imagine if you give your forum members or your family and friends a forum membership, then at least for 1 year they have the power to invest upon themselves. And not external— external investments are nonsense. They are degradable, they objectify, and they are easily lost. The only thing permanent is that which you have invested internally in your own self. Ramji is Ramji even in Vanvas. The Pandavas are Pandavas wherever they go. In the same manner, a Shivayogi is a Shivayogi. Shivayogi is a mindset. No matter what life throws at you, it can always take away that which is external. External, but it can never touch that which is there in your heart. And that is where I want the seed to be planted. Seed of God and the seed of my Guru, it belongs in your heart. So write in your golden book that this year, how and what do I plan to invest upon myself? Learn a new music instrument so that next time Babaji comes to your town and city, you are the one sitting on stage next to him and playing that which you have loved, that which you have changed. Start to learn a new language so that the next time somebody comes to you and says, you don't have to say, 'Jana se paa.' You have the power to grow. You are born as an animal on earth, but you have the power to die and live as a god. And that is what I pray and hope. Practice martial arts, make your body bigger. No one was born a Bruce Lee. I'm sure when the child was born, he didn't kick his doctor and the mother was told, Mubarak ho Bruce Lee, hua hai daant tor diya doctor. Day by day by day he worked, he evolved his own self. So if people can evolve, why can't you? You can either be manipulated by hunters or you can give direction to your own life. It is there, it is in your DNA, it is in your genes. So wake up now! Wake up now. Enough time spent on running after things that do not give you happiness. And even if they do, so momentarily. You are happy with your iPhone 8 till the time iPhone 9 doesn't come. And that will also not come 10 years later. Every 6 months new one comes. You must now spend time on internal happiness, that happiness which cannot be taken which cannot be touched, which cannot be thrown away. So start investing now, okay? You have 10 rupees in your pocket. That 10 rupees can either go to Coca-Cola, that 10 rupees can either go to some other multinational, or that 10 rupees could go to you. Choose. Where you want yourself to be. And I pray, and I bless, and I hope that one day I see you there. Bless you. Namah Shivaya.
