Towards Realizing Varnasrama Mission

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Towards Realizing Varnasrama Mission
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Based on

• GLOVESCO Vision Mission document
• GLOVESCO Membership guidelines
• GLOVESCO Membership Application
• Towards Realizing Varnasrama Mission
• Varnasrama Service Category document
• Varnasrama Service Application
• VESCO Coordinators
• Village Organization document

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Based on

• GLOVESCO Reference Manual Management Structure
• Varnasrama Book Series Charter
• Varnasrama Research Team Charter
• Mails received from Guru Maharaj

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Flashback

• What we know
• Varnasrama Research Team
• Varnasrama Book Series Project
• Plan for the Varnasrama Project

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• Our Accomplishments
• Successfully conducted so many meetings
• On the way to complete few books
• Updating Website bank frequently
• Recruiting more devotees interested to work for
  change
• Acquiring few good books for the library
• Taken great steps to complete the Documentary
  movie

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Roadmap

• To conduct a Campaign
• May be to plan to shift to Land if
• There is good set-up
• Convinced about the details of social security,
  etc.
• To plan for Varnasrama College

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Often Scattered
Multiple Goals
School for Children
Acquire Land
Varnasrama Lab
Krishna Consciousness Fulfilment
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Structure

• Abbreviations
• Where are we?
• Where do we want to reach?
• How do we reach there?
• KRISHNA CONSCIOUS BREAK
• Towards Realizing Varnasrama Mission
• Final Thoughts Conclusions

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Abbreviations

• VESCO Varnasrama Educational Steering
  Committees.
• VIT Varnasrama Initiative Teams
• VRT Varnasrama Research Teams
• GLOVESCO Global Varnasrama Educational Social
  Cultural Organization
• SERVE Social Educational Research for Village
  Empowerment
• SSP Spiritual Strategic Planning

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Where are We?

• Where are we and why are we conducting sessions
  every Sunday.
• Note down the points of everybodys response on
  white board.
• Discuss how would be our future and the plan
• How SERVE is going to serve?

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Where do we want to reach?

• Short term and Long term

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How do we reach there?

• Principles of Strategic Planning
• Spiritual Strategic Planning
• Template Strategy Map for MAKE VRNDAVAN
  VILLAGES

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Principles of Strategic Planning
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What is SP?

• Strategic planning is a tool widely used by
  governmental, educational, philanthropic,
  religious, and business organizations to take
  themselves through a process of transformation
  and growth in a rational, coherent, and unified
  manner.

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• All become one with the purpose of the
  Organization
• Each one live the purpose along with the Leader.

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• Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to
  go from here?
• That depends a good deal on where you want to
  get to? said the cat.
• I dont much care where said Alice.
• Then it doesnt matter which way you go, said
  the cat.
• Lewis Caroll, Alices Adventures in the
  Wonderland (1865)

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Principles of Strategic Planning
VISION
To realize Varnasrama Dharma
MISSION
Make Vrndavan Villages
Make Models Make Vanrasrama Colleges Make
Varnasrama Labs
OBJECTIVES
Feedback
GOALS
TARGETS
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Principles of Strategic Planning

• By design, the Strategic Planning Statements are
  terse. They are like sutras, aiming to compress
  much meaning into few words and to be easily kept
  in memory.

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Principles of Strategic Planning

• Environmental scan
• Organizational assessment
• Analysis and resolution of key strategic issues
• A strategic business or enterprise plan
• Budget
• Management review

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Spiritual Strategic Planning

• Intelligence, organization, and cooperation
• -Srila Prabhupada
• Intelligence Organization Cooperation Team
  Work
• Strategic planning happens in a team or in other
  words, it is a Team Work.

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Spiritual Strategic Planning

• In addition to producing a series of carefully
  distilled written statements, an important legacy
  of strategic planning is the interactive process
  used to derive and adjust the plan. As
  participants learn how it works, the systematic
  forethought involved with strategic planning
  ultimately becomes a way of life. In this way we
  can fulfill Srila Prabhupadas desires for us to
  cooperate with "organization and intelligence."

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Tips on Team Work

• Express a vision of the future
• Encourage team members to ask why and to question
  the status quo
• Listen carefully to each other
• Speak in concise language and avoid unnecessary
  story telling
• Do not prematurely form opinions, keep an open
  mind to new ideas
• Ask members for ideas and encourage team members
  to think creatively

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Tips on Team Work

• Use team language us, we, our team, together,
  lets do it
• Encourage honest feedback
• Develop team goals
• Be an example by taking part in the work/service
• Share information
• Reward team accomplishments
• Encourage (reasonable) risk taking
• Encourage cooperation
• Delegate authority

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Difference B/w Group and Team

• Group Team
• Think of themselves Think as a unit
• Think of their own interest Think of goals of
  the team
• Work independently, sometimes,
  Understand/ work for team goals against each
  other
• Are told what to do? Contribute knowledge
  talent
• Distrust each other Feel encouraged, by a
  climate of
• trust, to express their ideas

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Spiritual Strategic Planning

• How can we become expert in spreading Krishna
  consciousness? One important step is to learn to
  work in teams in a spirit of cooperation and
  respect. Today, many dozens of devotees across
  North America are combining their creative
  energies to develop initiatives that will
  strengthen and expand our society. Those efforts
  will be greatly enhanced if we strive to build
  effective teams within our initiative groups, as
  well as within our temples, our families and our
  communities.

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SP on SP

• Srila Prabhupada was in Vrindavan then, and we
  didn't know how long he would be with us. He was
  so weak. He would just lie on his bed and speak
  only with great difficulty. We felt any word
  Srila Prabhupada uttered might be his last.

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SP on SP

• One night I was sleeping on the roof of the
  gurukula building and around midnight one devotee
  woke me "Prabhupada is calling you! Prabhupada
  is calling!" Immediately I got up and went down
  to Srila Prabhupada's room. I didn't know what to
  expect. Why did Srila Prabhupada call me? What
  did he want to say? The silent intensity in
  Prabhupada's room heightened my anticipation. Is
  he going to give his final instruction?

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SP on SP

• Srila Prabhupada lay in an internal state of
  consciousness. I waited in the silence.
• Finally Prabhupada asked me, "Do you think this
  movement will go on without me?"
• I replied, "As long as we are sincere and chant
  Hare Krishna and follow the regulative
  principles, the movement will go on."
• Srila Prabhupada listened. Then, again with great
  difficulty and ever so softly, Srila Prabhupada
  responded.
• He uttered the words, "Organization. Organization
  and intelligence."

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Spiritual Strategic Planning

• I was startled. But later I considered the
  significance of Srila Prabhupada's pragmatic
  reply. Although sincerely chanting sixteen rounds
  and following the regulative principles are the
  basis of Krishna consciousness, intelligence and
  organization are also required, especially to
  spread Krishna consciousness and fulfill Srila
  Prabhupada's and Lord Krishna's mission.

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Towards Realizing Varnasrama Mission

• Introduction
• GLOVESCO Mission Objectives
• VESCO
• GLOVESCO membership
• Varnasrama Service Categories

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Introduction

• Varnasrama Dharma is a vast, deep, complex and,
  at times, mind-boggling subject matter, those
  individuals who strongly desire to help implement
  varnasrama require a forum for communication
  (theoretical level) as well as avenues to make
  varnasrama become a reality of life (practical
  level).

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GLOVESCO Mission and Goals

• MISSION
• To promote and establish universal concepts
  Principles of Varnasrama Dharma of all
  individuals in the Society.
• To realize the above statement within an agrarian
  based social structure through culture, family,
  education and devotion.

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GLOVESCO Mission and Goals

• To establish Varnasrama Educational Steering
  Committees locally, regionally, nationally and
  Continentally.
• To help set up models or micro-units of
  Varnasrama Communities (Villages) where the
  principles of Varnasrama Dharma and Vaisnava
  Dharma will be promoted through Varnasrama
  Colleges.
• To locate and secure suitable land for the
  purpose of establishing Varnasrama communities.

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GLOVESCO Mission and Goals

• To demonstrate in a practical way how the
  principles of Varna (categories    of
  occupational engagement) and Asrama
  (categories of spiritual    practice) are
  Universal Principles, the essence of which are
  found in all    the major religious faiths such
  as Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist,  Jewish,
  etc.
• To recruit and train Qualified Teachers in the
  various Arts, Sciences and other fields of
  knowledge for the purpose of teaching at the
     Varnasrama  Colleges and Communities.

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GLOVESCO Mission and Goals

• To systematically conduct Seminars Workshops to
  provide Training Education in all Varnas and
  Asramas.
• To demonstrate the principles of
  Self-Sufficiency, Sustainability and Localized
  Economy, following the principles of Varnas and
  Asramas.

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GLOVESCO Mission and Goals

• To Compile, Publish and Distribute Literatures
  (pamphlets, books, magazines) for the sake of
  informing and educating people.
• To establish Educational Curriculum Designs and
  define other Educational Guidelines for the
  Varnasrama Colleges.
• To demonstrate a more natural and simple
  life-style based on the principles of
  God-consciousness keeping the traditional family
  unit as the nucleus and basis for healthy,
  peaceful and progressive communities.

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Supporting Objectives

• To recruit members from Different Communities
  interested in helping realize the Mission
  Statements and Goals.
• To help revive interest in Indias ancient
  teachings of the Vedic epics through Wayang, Art,
  Music, Dance, Theatre, Drama, Poetry, Painting,
  Sculpture, Hymns, Songs, etc.

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Supporting Objectives

• To establish Schools, Colleges, Libraries,
  Workshops, Asramas, Cultural Centers, Residential
  Quarters, Nature Cure Clinics, Religious Centers,
  Small-scale Cottage Industry, Varnasrama
  Villages, etc., which will all help manifest and
  develop the concepts of Varnasrama Dharma.
• To Raise Funds for such projects.

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Supporting Objectives

• To teach concept of Life Long Education to
  society at large based on four universal
  principles Discipline, Compassion, Cleanliness
  Truthfulness.
• To give special respect, attention and protection
  to Cows, Spiritual Preceptors, Women, Children,
  Youth and the Aged recognizing that all forms of
  life (including animal life) are sacred and
  cannot be neglected,  abused, rejected or
  destroyed.

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Supporting Objectives

• To promote Organic and Natural Farming based on
  concepts of sustained agriculture avoiding modern
  destructive chemicals which create ecological
  imbalances in nature.
• To protect the environment and Mother Nature by
  setting up Forest Sanctuaries and Reserves for
  birds and animals.

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Supporting Objectives

• To work closely with other Educational,
  Scientific, Social, Religious and Cultural
  Institutions who may have similar goals and
  objectives.
• To demonstrate the Principles of Simple Living
  and High Thinking, the motivation of which will
  be for self-realization, self-awareness
  and personal growth.

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GLOVESCO membership

• GLOVESCO offers four categories of FREE
  Membership for anyone interested to become
  connected with a self-sufficient rural based
  varnasrama community life-style, and this, even
  before one may be ready to move to the country.

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GLOVESCO General Membership

• Open to individuals from any denomination.
• Sympathetic to the Mission Statement, Mission
  Goals and Supportive Objectives of GLOVESCO.
• Willing to promote locally such aims and
  objectives of varnasrama.
• Must fill in the GLOVESCO General
  MembershipApplication Form.
• Must supply two references

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Membership Guidelines

• Chanting the Holy Names of God daily, minimum 20
  minutes.
• Reading the Holy Scriptures daily, minimum 20
  minutes.
• Promoting the aims and objectives of Varnasrama,
  as outlined in the various statements of
  GLOVESCO.
• Endeavoring to develop the four pillars of
  Dharma discipline, compassion, cleanliness and
  truthfulness.
• Associating with other like minded persons in
  ones locality.

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Levels of GLOVESCO Membership

• Individual
• Family
• Community
• Village

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VESCO

• Five registered members are needed to establish a
  steering committee at any of the following 5
  levels (see below). Such five members must be
  approved, recognized or appointed by the level
  above them. Each steering committee has one
  appointed VESCO Coordinator who is the link with
  other VESCO steering committees, both above and
  below his level

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GLOVESCO Council
Continental VESCO coordinator
Continental VESCO coordinator
Continental VESCO coordinator
Continental VESCO coordinator
National VESCO coordinator
GLOVESCO Members
Regional VESCO coordinator
Local VESCO (5 members) coordinator
GLOVESCO Members
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Min requirements of Coordinator

• Committed and dedicated primarily to Srila
  Prabhupadas Varnasrama Mission
• This must be their primary service, their primary
  focus, their primary meditation
• Must have skills relating to the Mission
  Statement, Mission Goals and Supporting
  Objectives of GLOVESCO
• Must be good communicators and be able to work as
  a team with members of their respective areas of
  service

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Min requirements of Coordinator

• Must have a strong sadhana, as they are meant to
  be examples for others to follow
• Should also be able to interact with individuals
  who may not be full fledged ISKCON devotees, but
  who show interest in living a simple agrarian
  lifestyle
• must be enthusiastic, determined and perseverant
  to help implement Varnasrama Dharma in all its
  different aspect and levels

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GLOVESCO Members
Individual Members
Village Community Members
Family Members
Community Members
Large (51 to 101)
Small (10 to 50)
Small (2 to 10)
Large (51 )
Medium (101)
Medium (11 to 50)
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GLOVESCO Membership Application

• GLOVESCO Membership Application Form (Hand outs
  given to you)

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What will all do?

• There is a need to engage various individuals, at
  whatever level may be suitable for them and in
  whatever activity they may be inclined or
  qualified to perform.
• Get-Involved Petal
• Get-Involved Pick-Your-Seva List

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Service Categories A Great Opportunity for
Service
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Varnasrama Service Categories

• Consultants
• Coordinators
• Monitors
• Donors.
• Editors
• Farmers
• Helpers
• Instructors

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Varnasrama Service Categories

• Managers
• Moderators
• Monitors
• Proof Readers
• Researchers
• Skilled Labor
• Writers
• Reporters

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Varnasrama Service Categories

• Handouts
• The categories listed provide an initial choice
  of possible engagements for interested persons
• All such services are purely voluntary and should
  be performed essentially for the pleasure of the
  Lord and His devotees.
• Service Categories, according to natural
  qualities (guna) and natural activities (karma)
  of individuals.

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Varnasrama Service Categories

• Definition, Duties, Qualifications and
  Application
• All such services are purely voluntary and should
  be performed essentially for the pleasure of the
  Lord and His devotees.
• This document gives a description of various
  Service Categories, according to natural
  qualities (guna) and natural activities (karma)
  of individuals.

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Importance of Communication

• Constant communication is a great edge to push
  Varnasrama Mission.
• As we all know, todays world of communication
  via e-mail, via chat sessions and more recently
  via Skype inter-computer telephone exchange, has
  become easier and more economical than ever
  before. We should take advantage of all these
  facilities to help push forward the cause of
  varnasrama.

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Where does SERVE fit?

• To help Varnasrama Dharma become a reality, as so
  much desired by Srila Prabhupada, various
  mechanisms need to be in place
• SERVE can help us identifying various VITs
  regionally,

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Final Thoughts

• A great revolution is at the anvil
• Its up to us to become an instrument, somehow or
  the other, in a way that suits our nature and
  occupation or simply Just Do It formula.