Dream: Phase 1 of Faith

1. Dream: Phase 1 of Faith

2. Your Dreams Determine Your Destiny • We shape our dreams & they shape us • No great people - ordinary people committed to great dreams

3. Your Dreams Determine Your Dignity • No dream means no esteem, just existing • Krishna’s plan for you gives hope & a future

4. Your Dreams Determine Your Direction Your roles determine your goals. If you are married, part of your dream involves your children and your spouse. If God gives you a dream it won't be to ignore what they think and you go on. Confirm it with the people closest to you. There are seasons in life. But don't waste your life.

5. Dedicate Reserve Time Evaluate my Abilities Associate with Godly Dreamers Make my Dream Public D.R.E.A.M.

6. Dedicate Yat karosi yad asnasi Yas juhosi dadasi yat Yat tapasyasi kaunteya Tat kurusva mad arpanam “What ever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform-do those, as an offering to Me.” Gita 9/27

7. Krishna’s Will is Perfect, Pleasing, & Personal • Offer yourself as a living sacrifice • Agree IN ADVANCE to use everything in His service

8. Don’t Conform, Let Krishna Transform • Not looking at God, but everybody else • Keep up with Jonses • Become carbon copy of everyone else, instead of what Krishna intended you to be

9. American Dream • American dream was not all consuming 30 years ago; Dad went to work, Mom stayed at home, home in suburbs • Ward & June • Father Knows Best

10. If you want to get serious about what Krishna's dream is for your life, you have to decide if you're going to settle for the American dream or for Krishna's dream. The good life or God's life. Materialism or ministry. Rat race or Krishna's race. Dedicate yourself and don't worry about being like everybody else.

11. Dump the excess baggage. There may be relationships, friendships that are pulling you down, because they have goals that are counter to what Krishna has for your life. You can't always please the crowd and Krishna at the same time. A lot of things aren't necessarily wrong but they're not necessary..

12. Reserve Time for Krishna • Have to be quiet to hear Krishna speak • To hear His vision, turn off television • He’s trying to get thru, but busy signal

13. Japa “I am the Supersoul, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, middle, & end of all beings. Of vibrations I am the transcendental OM. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the Holy Names.” Gita 10/20,25

14. Kinds of Faith “According to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one’s faith can be of three kinds - in goodness, passion, or ignorance. As one exists under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith.” Gita 17/2,3

15. Power of the Holy Name

16. Purifies the Heart srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana kirtanah hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt satam

17. “Even those who are constantly engaged in sinful acts are all corrigible to the standard of perfection if they take shelter of the Holy names of the Lord. Lord Chaitanya recommended that simply by glorifying the Lord’s Holy Name, a tremendous change of heart can take place.” Bhaktivedanta Purport SB 2/4/18

18. Chanting End & Means

19. Evaluate My Abilities • You are God’s poem • Unique Handiwork • What are your interests, passions? • What do others say you are good at?

20. “The stage had then been set. Charu had been the president of two ISKCON temples, operated a large traveling festival, spoken into microphones and on stage hundreds of times, produced radio shows, and also had some limited exposure to the Utah culture. He had money for a down payment, the ethic to produce more money as needed, the experience of establishing and running temples, and a respect for the Mormon lifestyle. Therefore, the pious and godly location available catered to his qualifications and specifications. A window of opportunity opened for Charu and His wife Vaibhavi, allowing them to jump through and become Utah's Krishna Pioneers.” Chad Young, BYU History Paper

21. Unique & Effective What did you do with the talents Krishna gave you?

22. Associate with Godly People Sat Sanga • No such thing as a neutral friend • Lots of people missed God’s dream cause their friend was not interested • Both dreams and discouragement are contagious • Not taught, but caught

23. Don’t Hang out with Turkeys

24. If you want to fly like an eagle.

25. “So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that: asat-saṅga-tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra [Cc. Madhya 22.87]. For those who are interested in spiritual life, the first business is to give up the association of bad elements.”

26. Bad friends ruin the noblest people As iron sharpens iron, friend sharpens friend Radhanath & Gary in Nepal

27. Make your Dream Public • Statement of Faith “It is the confident assurance that something Krishna wants is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us even though we cannot see it up ahead."

28. “There is a story about the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. One day while sitting on a New York park bench he was approached by a subway conductor. This occurred during his early days in America when he was yet unknown and extremely poor. The conductor inquired as to who he was and what he was doing. Prabhupada, as the swami is called, explained that he was very wealthy and had temples all over the world filled with spiritual disciples. The man looked puzzled at what appeared an obvious fib whereupon Prabhupada replied, "It is only separated by time!"

29. ISKCON Mayapur

30. ISKCON Tirupati

31. ISKCON Delhi

32. ISKCON Vrndavan

33. ISKCON Bangalore

34. ISKCON Utah

35. ISKCON Durban

36. 1. It gets you started. There is no more procrastination. Now that you've announced it, you're accountable to try and you have to get moving. 2. It attracts other people's support. The moment you state your dream other people want to get in on it. A dream from God will attract people you don't even know yet that will help. 3. It releases Krishna's power. Because of your faith, you've stepped out of the boat and started walking on water and Krishna holds you up.

37. The first phase of faith is a dream. It starts with a dream. Nothing happens in your life until you start dreaming. I'm not saying just think up whatever you want to think up. I'm saying seriously, ask God. I dare you to dream great dreams for God. It doesn't cost a penny to dream. • I want people to be able to say about you that you served Krishna's purpose in your generation -- then you died. That's what I hope people will be able to say about me.

38. My orders are to fight; Then if I bleed, or fail, Or strongly win, what matters it? God only doth prevail. The servant craveth naught Except to serve with might. I was not told to win or lose,– My orders are to fight.

39. What's your dream? Not the American dream but what's Krishna's dream for your life? You must be willing to say I'm not going to conform to the standards of this world, but go for the glory -- Krishna's Glory. You are Krishna’s poem.