119. Om bhakti gamyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is attained only through devotion
Many blog posts of mine carry a mention of my spiritual soul sister, Bindu. For those of you who don't know her, she is one of the nicest human beings on earth. She also shares an incredible connection with Amma. I always felt her prayers to Amma were powerful and always carried results. I naively believed in Bindu's soul connection with Amma. Today, it's no longer a naive belief. I know. It is a connection for real.
She believes in dedicating her day to Amma. It started with dedicating prayers in the morning in her small prayer room. With framing and exchanging posters of Amma. With having small gatherings of devotees in her house. It expanded to doing helpline prayers for others, talking about Amma to one and all and reaching out to as many people as possible regarding Amma. She's been busy professionally for a few years and all she does despite her hectic schedule, is dwell on Amma. She never thinks a word out of place for others. She will pray as hard as you want her to, despite prayer being a very personal space and time. She will sacrifice her time and do anything when she sees it as being a diktat from Amma.
And when we are able to step out of the "I, Me, Myself" mould and look to others to extend help and prayers, that is true devotion. Because Amma looks at us as emissaries who carry Her message, we have to live life in its purest form. Do as much good in as many ways as we can. It may sound cliched but we have no idea what the other person is going through. What sorrow hides behind wavering smiles, who's to know? Amma can see through everything and know our true nature. But we can't. When we are able to see Amma in each other, that is true devotion. When we are able to wipe a tear without wanting any reward, that is true devotion. When we can see beauty in everything, that is true devotion. What use does Amma have of flowers and incense stick and sweets? Her true reward is in seeing us being good to each other. When each of us can approach Her with a smile. When She can see the world alight and awash with kindness, that to Her will be a perfect moment.
Let's express our devotion then, through the language of kindness towards all.
Om Amriteswariye namah!
Many blog posts of mine carry a mention of my spiritual soul sister, Bindu. For those of you who don't know her, she is one of the nicest human beings on earth. She also shares an incredible connection with Amma. I always felt her prayers to Amma were powerful and always carried results. I naively believed in Bindu's soul connection with Amma. Today, it's no longer a naive belief. I know. It is a connection for real.
She believes in dedicating her day to Amma. It started with dedicating prayers in the morning in her small prayer room. With framing and exchanging posters of Amma. With having small gatherings of devotees in her house. It expanded to doing helpline prayers for others, talking about Amma to one and all and reaching out to as many people as possible regarding Amma. She's been busy professionally for a few years and all she does despite her hectic schedule, is dwell on Amma. She never thinks a word out of place for others. She will pray as hard as you want her to, despite prayer being a very personal space and time. She will sacrifice her time and do anything when she sees it as being a diktat from Amma.
And when we are able to step out of the "I, Me, Myself" mould and look to others to extend help and prayers, that is true devotion. Because Amma looks at us as emissaries who carry Her message, we have to live life in its purest form. Do as much good in as many ways as we can. It may sound cliched but we have no idea what the other person is going through. What sorrow hides behind wavering smiles, who's to know? Amma can see through everything and know our true nature. But we can't. When we are able to see Amma in each other, that is true devotion. When we are able to wipe a tear without wanting any reward, that is true devotion. When we can see beauty in everything, that is true devotion. What use does Amma have of flowers and incense stick and sweets? Her true reward is in seeing us being good to each other. When each of us can approach Her with a smile. When She can see the world alight and awash with kindness, that to Her will be a perfect moment.
Let's express our devotion then, through the language of kindness towards all.
Om Amriteswariye namah!
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