What do you love now, that you hated when you were younger?

If by “What can I give for what I love?” you mean what can I dedicate myself to, then celibacy is traditionally understood as a voluntary commitment of one’s energy, attention, and lifestyle toward a higher goal.

In many spiritual traditions, celibacy (brahmacharya) is not seen merely as abstaining from sexual activity. It is often described as:

Conserving physical and mental energy.

Directing attention toward learning, prayer, meditation, or service.

Cultivating self-discipline and clarity of mind.

Reducing distractions from one’s chosen purpose.


However, celibacy is most meaningful when it is chosen positively for something—such as spiritual growth, devotion, study, service, or personal development—rather than simply as a denial of something else.

Since you’ve often discussed the Bhagavad Gita, Narayaneeyam, prayer, and spiritual practice, you might appreciate the traditional idea that celibacy is not an end in itself but a support for focused living and inner growth.
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That makes sense. Independence.

Many people associate celibacy with independence because it can represent freedom from obligations, expectations, and emotional entanglements that often come with romantic or sexual relationships. In that sense, the appeal is not necessarily the absence of relationships, but the ability to direct one’s time, energy, and attention according to one’s own values and goals.

At the same time, independence can be cultivated whether a person is celibate or not. True independence is often described as:

Thinking clearly for oneself.

Being emotionally self-reliant.

Managing desires rather than being driven by them.

Living according to one’s principles.


In the language of the Bhagavad Gita, this resembles self-mastery—being guided by wisdom rather than by impulses.

If “celibacy” resonates with you because of its association with independence, you might also appreciate related ideas such as:

Self-discipline

Self-sufficiency

Detachment

Autonomy

Inner freedom


Among these, inner freedom is perhaps the broadest. A person may be celibate yet not free, or engaged in family life yet deeply free. The key question is often: Who is in charge—the mind, or the impulses that arise in it?

That’s a theme that appears repeatedly in the Gita and many other spiritual traditions.