Question: Before my birthday, I had several dreams. In the dreams the negative forces were trying to fight my soul. The end result in most of the dreams was that the soul won.

Question: My question is, was God trying to tell me something?

Sri Chinmoy: Only to take life seriously. Seriously means to be a supremely chosen instrument of God. This always you have to remember. We are all God’s instruments. But in a class there may be fifty students. One is at the bottom of the class and others are first, second, third. If I am studying in that class, my goal is not just to be in the class, but to be first. Some students say, “As long as I am in the class, it is enough.” My disciples do exactly the same. Some of them say, “As long as I am on the path, as long as I am in the boat, I can sleep, I can snore, I can relax.” Who needs that kind of passenger? The Pilot wants people who are awake, alert and looking all around. He wants passengers who are singing, chanting and doing all kinds of things. The Boatman is steering the Boat towards the Destination and they are inspiring the Boatman. These are the good disciples.

Always think of doing something and becoming something. When I say doing something, I do not mean by hook or by crook, but on the strength of your aspiration, dedication and surrender to God’s Will. Do everything with your heart’s inner cry and with your life’s outer dedication. Then you will have no time to look at the negative forces. If you always look at the north, how can you look at the south? Your goal is not behind you. Your goal is ahead of you. It is right in front of you, in front of your nose. So if you are always aiming at the positive side of life, then the negative side will automatically drop off because it no longer exists for you.