Take care of yourself if you want to enrich others lives

However, this fact should be remembered as a rule for life; Your ability to contribute to others is only equal to your ability to contribute to yourself. 

Let me explain this with a simple yet profound Vedic analogy. A tree contributes its branches, fruit, leaves, flowers and so much more to the world. But this contribution is possible only until the roots of the tree are healthy and strong. Taking care of the roots is akin to taking care of the self. Like the tree can be uprooted if the roots are weak; in the same way failing to contribute to the self will result in turmoil in every unpredictable situation. 

Like the roots of the tree are invisible to the world, so is the self; and like the roots are the strength of the tree so is the self the strength of the individual. Taking care of the self therefore is not just a need but the duty of every human being. Contribute to yourself if you wish to be a source of contribution to others; failing which, even with the desire to contribute to others you will be unable to do so. 

What then is contribution to the self ? Your taking the effort to feel oneness with yourself is the highest contribution you can make to yourself. 

To begin with, one can start practicing self-love as a contribution to oneself. We believe human beings love beautiful things. Instead, the reality is that when you love something; you find beauty in it. Similarly, when you start loving yourself, you will see beauty in yourself and in your life. In this state of existence, knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, consciously or unconsciously, you can only be a source of contribution to the entire humanity. 

The best investment one can make is the investment in one’s own self. Failing to understand this will keep one in a race in which one can never win. Instead, focussing on one’s strengths and working towards eliminating the weaknesses will give a tremendous shift from the race to divine grace. Because, when you are ready to work on yourself, the entire universe will work with you.

Wishing you all a life full of contribution and celebration for yourself and others. 

Aham Brahmasmi!!