EDISON, NJ: “Are you here today to receive the gift of happiness or to give it? Enough of living a life of wanting; you are all here to give the gift of happiness.” With this surprising challenge and invitation, Sister Shivani captivated her audience of over 4,500 special souls who came from far and wide to listen to her speak at an event hosted by the Brahma Kumaris at the NJ Convention and Expo Center in Edison, NJ, on June 24.
In attendance were a number of community luminaries, including Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey, who bestowed upon Sister Shivani a proclamation on behalf of the township of Edison, which welcomed her and encouraged residents to honor her for her pure spirit and dedication to bringing us the gift of happiness.
After a few words on “awakening” by Brahma Kumaris regional director Sister Mohini and other notable members of the non-profit, spiritual organization, Sister Shivani was welcomed to the stage with thunderous applause.
In the pin-drop silence that followed, Sister Shivani explained in the simplest and most relatable of terms how we can control our destiny, our state of mind, and our happiness.
She talked about the proliferation of social media and the overwhelming amount of daily input we receive: of news, of emotion, of all sorts of stimuli. At its mercy, we become helpless. How, then, can we prevail? By reading, watching, and listening to what we want to become, not what the world has become.
By filtering the flood through a sieve, by minimizing our exposure to negativity the way we cut carbs from our diets, we can ensure our own happiness and empower ourselves to make a gift of it to others.
The evening concluded with a powerful meditation, creating an atmosphere of absolute quiet. In complete silence, Sister Shivani guided thousands of people to exit the venue.
This unique ending has punctuated each of the 14 events in Sister Shivani’s US tour, having a profound impact on those in attendance by empowering them to sustain their calm, tranquil state on their way home.
India Post News Service
