Divine on earth!

617.  Om atmane namah: I bow down to Amma who is the Self in all.

Part of a beautiful article about Amma, in 2000.
"A tiny dark-skinned woman draped in a white sari beams as she totters down the aisle of loving devotees. Their outstretched hands are like feather plumes, waving, reaching to brush her as she leaves the crowded hall. Her face is placid, strong and fully alert, as it has been unwaveringly for the last five hours, but her exhausted body can hardly balance; it seems that she may even topple over in a faint before she reaches the waiting car outside. The right shoulder of her sari is stained dark from the sweat and tears of a thousand cheeks that have found succor there. Mata Amritanandamayi has, since early this morning, without pause for food or even a sip of water, literally held one thousand people to her bosom, listened to their troubles and their deepest spiritual longings, showered them with flower petals, pressed sweet prasad [consecrated offerings] into their palms, blessed their photos, malas [prayer beads] and children; and one after the other, each and every supplicant has received the same undivided cosmic love from Ammachi, the Holy Mother.
Young and old, married and single, male and female, wealthy, impoverished, beautiful, crippled, suspicious, crazy and sincere—all are welcomed without exception. And as she embraces each one, chanting softly "Ma, Ma, Ma, Ma" in each person’s ear, the transmission of compassion coming from her is one steady stream that never ebbs, never wavers, and her shining face never registers even the slightest trace of preference or fear regardless of who kneels before her.
They say that Ammachi is an avatar, an incarnation of the Divine on earth. They say that her ego has been completely destroyed, that all vestiges of identification with a separate sense of self have been annihilated. They say when she looks out, she sees only one Self in everyone.
So from one who is said to have crossed over, what can we learn about the right relationship to ego? If her eyes see only God, does the ego even exist, in her view? What is this mahatma’s [great soul’s] message to true seekers of moksha [liberation] when it comes to the most fundamental and ultimately challenging battle of spiritual life? How does her apparently infinite love manifest when it meets the enemy of her disciples, the ego?
Mata Amritanandamayi’s guidance for the seeker of liberation is simple and absolute: Serve God and surrender the ego and all its desires. She says, as many of the most revered saints and sages throughout history have also proclaimed, "Contentment ensues from egolessness. And egolessness comes from devotion, love and utter surrender to the Supreme Lord."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A true Guru!

616.  Om ameyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is not measurable by any means.

Such a well written article from 2011! I just love the way the writer has written about Amma and the impact She has on everyone's lives!
"Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is a spiritual leader of a different kind. She doesn’t preach, she doesn’t ride around in a massive bullet proof Mercedes, she doesn’t sit atop a mountain and she’s really ruining the business for everybody else as she allows commoners to touch her. In fact, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is such a spiritual person that when the occasional reference of a saint is attached to her name, nobody seems to mind.
Achieving this level of notoriety was, as you’d imagine, not easy, but not for reasons you might imagine. Amma, as she’s commonly refered to, is famous for having touched the lives of more than 20 million people.Unlike your average politician, Amma (which translates into English as “mother”) has gotten this far by offering each and every one of them a motherly hug. Unlike your average free hug mob situation, when Amma is in town nobody shies away from the proceedings. As she tours several cities in India every year, she regularly works an astonishing 18 hour day  and she will give out up to 15.000 motherly hugs to people that have lost hope, are trying to find it or simply feel like they need a warm touch. Only recently Amma has started to reach out to people on other continents and over the last few years she’s drawn crowds to various places across the globe. At the moment she’s touring the United States and her impact is so strong that even in places often described “soulless” like New York people stand in line for hours for a couple of minutes worth of these motherly hugs. No matter how clinical you are, such a feeling must be innate to you. After all, all Mata Amritanandamayi Devi does is make you feel happy without asking for anything in return. I mean it, stand in line, get your hug, some hope, perhaps even personal fulfillment and you’re on your way. There’s no cashier and there certainly aren’t any bouncers.Even though there’s plenty of merchandising to be bought on the side (some of which can be rather pricey) pretty much all of the money raised goes to Amma’s foundation and, subsequently to the hospitals, schools, orphanages, pension rolls and whatever needy people that have gotten in touch with her organization. All of this was achieved by hugging people and spreading love around in its purest form. Amma does exactly what a mother does, except she treats everybody like her own child."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Thank You Amma...for everything!

615. Om adisaktyai anamh: I bow down to Amma who is the Primordial Power, the first shakti, the cause of the universe.

So it does work. When you actually trust your future in Amma's hands, it works. But we can't hand it over with one hand holding one end of it. The entire future placed wholeheartedly, unrelentingly, in Amma's hands. Or by Her feet. And no questions asked. What power do we have anyway? It's laughable how much we think we are in control! We wake up thinking it's all going to be ok...or with our own plans. And then things go just the other way round. That's when we fret and fume. So much easier to just give in and wait for Amma's magic to start. And She will because She is after all our Mother who only has compassion and love for us. She will do anything to see us smile, to be happy. We will always be Her children who enjoy Her unending grace. Thank You Amma for helping us through this life. Thank You for giving the means to continue Your chain of love and giving. Thank You for choosing us to be Your children!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Led by Amma!

614. Om sacamara-rama-vani-savya-daksina-sevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is attended by Lakshmi on the left side and Sarasvati on the right side, bearing ceremonial fans.

I learnt one importnat lesson today. I am not the doer. My ego might lull me into thinking I am but I'm not. Amma is. Not even the next minute is under my control. That minute comes my way only because Amma deems it necessary for my growth! And when I realise this important truth, surrender to Her becomes so incredibly easy. What's the point of resisting anyway? I'm no master of my fate. I may well be master of my destiny because destiny is decided by our actions but my fate comes to me because Amma has decided that so shall it be. And so, to take it a step further, my fears therefore are totally unfounded because they're the workings of my ego. How can I worry about something that hasn't happened? In fact, how can I worry about something that Amma will send my way? She will only do that which is good for my growth. And so in my stride should I take the next moment and accept Amma's workings. Implicit faith. Because Amma only does good for us. Always. She is our Mother. Why ever would She hurt us? She will protect us till the end of the world. Always.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, Compassion!

613. Om kavyalapa-vinodinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who delights in hearing poetry

I found this beautiful story about Amma on this site. As usual, Amma's compassion shines through!
"Again as a tribute to motherhood which Amma symbolizes, I want to present the readers with the episode involving Amma and another Amma.

One point to be noted is Amma, the creator of this universe cries, while She sees Her children crying!

A woman devotee with tears during darshan, “Amma all the chickens in our area are sick; our hen is also starting to get sick, Amma wont you please save her? “

A brahmachari thought this woman was bothering Amma on a trivial matter

Amma cast him a severe glance that made him shiver.

Then Amma gave holy ashes to that woman and advised her to spread on the hen.

After this Amma called the brahmachari “Son you don’t understand her suffering; the only income that woman has is from the eggs’ sale she gets from this hen; her family will starve if the hen dies; that woman spends part of that income to come over here; knowing how she struggles Amma gives her money for the bus fare now and then; look at her attitude of surrender, even in the midst of misery”

Amma gets tears while she thinks of this episode.

“One who eats to his heart’s content does not know the pain of hunger. You have to starve to know this pain”

“Don’t compare one person to another; think from their level; only then we can understand their concerns and console them”

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Love, Love, Love!

612. Om kala-nathayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the mistress of all the kalas.

Some days are meant for introspection. And then there are days when the only thought is seva! Good days, these! Because your entire mind is concentrated on Amma. You know that every step, every bit of work is your dedication to Amma. And then it stops becoming work. It just becomes precious moments of seva strung together on a thread of love. Absolute bliss! Thank You for this wonderful opportunity Amma.
“The common expression is ‘I love you.’ But instead of ‘I love you,’ it would be better to say, ‘I am love — I am the embodiment of pure love.’ Remove the I and you, and you will find that there is only love. It is as if love is imprisoned between the I and you. Remove the I and you, for they are unreal; they are self-imposed walls that don’t exist. The gulf between I and you is the ego. When the ego is removed the distance disappears and the I and you also disappear. They merge to become one — and that is love. You lend the I and you their reality. Withdraw your support and they will disappear. Then you will realise, not that ‘I love you,’ but that ‘I am that all-embracing love.’”: AMMA

10 more days before I feel the love...

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Total faith, always!

611. Om kalatmikayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of the kalas

Just a few more days Amma. Still, my anxious heart! Right now it's all a whirl but today many stories connected with gratitude towards Amma came out as I met a kindred soul. We sat in a small cafe sharing stories about Amma. And as she taught me all that she had learned about faith, I saw so much acceptance in her. She has totally surrendered everything to Amma and in the hidden layers of this acceptance, is her own pain. Yet, she's readily and willingly handed over the reins of her life to Amma. And she's calm. And peaceful. And rewarded every minute of every day by Amma's voice that speaks to her and guides her. Listening to her was like listening to a satsang. Amma, why can't I just letgo so easily? Why does my ego play tricks on me all the time? Why does it allow me to identify with this body and not with my spirituality?? Help me Amma, to find my spiritual path. Allow me the grace to stay steadfastly on what I have set out for....to surrender completely and wholly to Your will and Yours alone!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma as my guiding light!

610. Om pratipan-mukhya-rakanta- tithi-mandala-pujitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is worshipped daily starting with pratipad (first day of the lunar half month) and ending with the full moon

Amma's guiding words...
"God simply is. He has no conditions and no limits. He gives unconditionally. If the door of your heart is closed, He will not come in. He will wait outside, but He will not break in. He is not aggressive because He is love. Love is not aggressive. Love is a constant, uninterrupted and unbreakable flow."
"Anything in our fate can be transcended by performing actions with an attitude of total surrender to God. But we have to be ready to act, instead of just sitting somewhere, idly blaming fate. It is a sign of laziness to blame fate without doing any work."
The habitual reaction stored in the past comes up again and again. And each time you react, it becomes stronger and stronger. You and your victim each have a past. Both of you react to each other. The other person has also been abused a number of times. Each one reacts according to the strength and density of his past reactions. Both of you have volumes and volumes of giant-sized books to which you unknowingly refer. A Mahatma remains a blank sheet of paper, while an ordinary person keeps on writing on the pages, continuing to add to those gigantic books each time he reacts.

Always in our hearts!

609. Om daharakasa-rupinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the subtle Self in the heart

Peace. Elusive and frustrating. A simple 5 letter word that we spend our lives searching for! Amma has always said that we will only find it within ourselves but I think I only find it in those gentle hands that wipe away our tears, the soft white saree that absorbs our pain, the rudraksha bracelet that kisses me as I dissolve into surrender. Amma, I only know peace when I am in Your presence. You always say You are always there for us despite physical distances but how do I convince my heart that this is so? When can I transcend this state of doubting and realise that surrender is more than a word: it's a state of a liberated mind. A trusting, optimistic mind.

Allow me this peace, Amma. Allow me the knowledge that You are standing beside me always. That whatever turn of the road I find myself at, You have willingly put me there because You know what lies ahead. Help me Amma, through all the trials and tribulations; through all the many hills I have to climb. And once I conquer the hills, the mountains will I enjoy for the divine breeze!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Staying on the Amma path!

608. Om danda-nitisthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who maintains the rules of justice without the slightest error.

Just 14 more days to go before we finally see Amma! It's such a lovely feeling to know that in 2 weeks, Amma will be here:)) And 18 days later, Amma will leave to make yet another set of Her children gloriously happy! What a blessed star it is that serves as Amma's guide! What a beautiful life Amma leads, wherein She is able to make each and every child of Hers happy, always. If only we could demonstrate a millionth of Amma's compassion and love, we would be much better human beings. And the world would be nicer, safer, more trusting. We wouldn't need to walk around with the baggage of unfounded grouses nor the burden of our ego. We could actually just learn to smile always and deposit every cent of faith in the bank of the higher power. Then, we could sit back and enjoy the divine grace. With Amma's constant guidance, it is a definite possibility. All we need to do is to unlearn the lessons our ego has taught us and steadfastly stay on Amma's path. Always. Today and forever.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Making a difference!

607. Om devesyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the protector of the gods.

Salutations to Amma who is not only the protector of human beings but also the protector of the Gods. A beautiful story I found here
"In 1995 I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata (not a big health concern but I did lose over 75% of my hair), was told by the leading Doctors in Boston that there was no treatment for this and that I would lose all of my hair permanently.  I sought out alternative therapies and started working with a Reiki practitioner.  I had good results with the Reiki and my hair started to grow back.  I decided then to learn Reiki myself and began learning meditation and energy healing from a wonderful woman Joan.  Joan not only taught me to meditate and heal myself but told me about a wonderful Indian Saint — Amma.  Joan had been going to see Amma since she first started coming to the Boston area.  She encouraged me to come with her to meet Amma but I had obligations already scheduled for the time of Amma’s visit.  For the next few years it was the same story; my teacher would invite me to go and I would have a conflict and not be able to attend.  Over 10 years later I had moved from the area and had lost touch with my teacher when Amma’s visit to Massachusetts was brought to my consciousness again.
I checked my schedule and made the plunge. I signed up for the 3 day retreat with Amma hoping I might bump into my teacher there. The first 2 days of the retreat I didn’t see her and gave up looking and just enjoyed the bliss of being with Amma.  On the 3rd day of retreat Amma did a beautiful question and answer session with everyone outside and then served us all dinner.  Just as Amma handed me my plate, I turned and saw Joan my teacher.  That night I received Amma’s Darshan (Blessing) together with my teacher; we were able to tell Amma the story and she wept tears of joy as she blessed us.  It was an unforgettable moment and reunion!  I’m sure there are many, many wonderful stories out there about Amma and though mine is simple it was a magical time for me.  I was blessed to return to this year’s retreat and spent the retreat with my teacher and friend Joan.  Amma’s blessings are pure and healing and I’ll always be grateful that she brought me back together with my friend.Om Naymah Shiva *written by,  Arlene Hayes

Amma's guidance!

606. Om guha-janma-bhuve namah: I bow down to Amma who is the Mother of Guha (Subrahmanya)

More quotes by Amma (and thank You Amma for helping me understand the true meaning of selflessness through the eyes of a child!)
"At present, love is like a spark within us. Constantly blow on it, using the fan of the Divine Name, japa and meditation. you may perspire, sneeze and cough, but do not stop. Your body may become hot; tears may fill your eyes; you may want to faint. But do not stop. If you perspire, you sneeze and cough, persist in your efforts, and be assured then that you are heading towards the goal. Soon you will become Love itself. This is the reward for your love."
"At present, God is the last item on our list. But He should be the first. If we put God first, all other things will fall into proper place in our lives. Once we have God in our lives, the world will follow. But if we place the world first, God will not follow. If we embrace the world, God will not embrace us. To have God in us is a struggle in the beginning, but if we persist, it will lead us to everlasting bliss and happiness. All struggles will end. To embrace the world is easy and things go smoothly in the beginning, but this will culminate in never-ending sorrow and suffering. We are free to choose one or the other."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Celebrating life!

605. Om go-matre namah: I bow down to Amma who became Surabhi, the cow that grants all wishes.

As I sit on a cusp of another new day, I offer my gratitude to You, Amma, for allowing me the wish of a new dawn. And everyday is a celebration of this gifted life! A beautiful quote by Amma:
"It is not good to run away from life. That is cowardice. A person who runs away from life is not fit to be a spiritual seeker. That is why Krishna did not let Arjuna run away from the battlefield. Life is a battle. It is not something to be avoided. Furthermore, you cannot avoid it. What will you do to avoid it? You may run to the Himalayas, or to a forest, or to an Ashram in order to escape from life. But life will follow you there as well. Just as you cannot run away from death, you cannot run away from life. Wherever you go, death follows. Wherever you go, life also follows. You cannot avoid either; you can only transcend them."

May we only know how to celebrate life because we are blessed with a guru like Amma! 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Keeping the faith alive!

604. Om guna-nidhaye namah: I bow down to Amma who is the treasure house of all good qualities

Bless me Amma, so I may always remember that You are my puppeteer. Let no ego creep in anywhere because I am not the doer. I must always strive and do well only to remove this cycle of rebirth. Bless me Amma, so I know never to look back and hurt anyone. Never should I walk the path of success strewn with the pain of others. Bless me Amma so I can learn from You and always be of help to everyone around me. Bless me Amma so my hands are truly helping hands, always reaching out to those who need it. Help me unlearn lessons taught to me by ego and learn new lessons taught to me by the perfect balance between my heart and intellect. Always let me remember that You are the Supreme One and if the reins of my life are in Your divine hands, everything will always run on the smoothest course. If I can keep my faith alive, I'll never have to flounder in the sea of trials and nor will I have to drown in the waters of sadness. Faith itself will keep me going. Faith that whatever happens, You are always with me, by my side.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's lessons!

603. Om guru-murtaye namah: I bow down to Amma who has assumed a severe form, who has assumed the form of the Guru.

Our Guru is a true visionary. In this article, Amma looks at the feminine aspect in society and the role of women:
"In her address, 'The Infinite Potential of Women,' Amma called on the need for women and men to come together in unity, accepting, respecting and valuing each other’s differences. 'Alienating women from matters of finance and politics is to discard half of the intellect and strength of society,' Amma said.
Amma also stressed the importance of women holding on to their innate femininity and qualities associated with motherhood. 'It’s true that women must move forward, but they also need to turn back to consider the child following in their footsteps, not discarding their parental responsibilities. For the sake of her children, a mother should have at least some patience. It’s not enough to give a baby space in her womb; she must also give it space in her heart.'"

Thank You Amma for teaching me a valuable lesson today. I needed this one!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's religion of love!

602. Om dara-hasojjvalan-mukhyai namah: I bow down to Amma whose face is radiant with a smile

This is what each of us carries in our heart: Amma's absolutely radiant smile. Her smile has no hidden meaning, no other thought except love and joy for and towards Her children. Amma's smile reflects Her divine radiance and Her inherent purity. Which is why when we see Amma, She is always smiling. She will always welcome each devotee as Her long awaited child; with such warmth that all our worries melt away in Amma's embrace and we walk away from Her, rejuvenated by Her unending love. How fortunate we are to be able to live this life with Amma's hand always on our heads. How fortunate that we are able to take guided steps that teach us what we need to learn. How fortunate that Amma is always watching over our well being and ensuring that we cross this ocean of samsara with the right spiritual values!

Thank You Amma for initiating us into this religion of love!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's thoughts...!

601. Om darandolita-dirghaksyai namah: I bow down to Amma who has long tremulous eyes

Thoughts for the upcoming week...by our darling Mother:

"God gave us pen and paper; he offers hints on good and bad things we could write, but allows us the freedom to choose."
"At present, love is like a spark within us. Constantly blow on it, using the fan of the Divine Name, japa and meditation. you may perspire, sneeze and cough, but do not stop. Your body may become hot; tears may fill your eyes; you may want to faint. But do not stop. If you perspire, you sneeze and cough, persist in your efforts, and be assured then that you are heading towards the goal. Soon you will become Love itself. This is the reward for your love. "
"Women should wake up from their sleep, wake up to spiritual awareness. There is infinite spiritual power within them. They are not weaklings and they must realize this. They have at their disposal two very powerful tools, love and patience, which are the sharpest and the strongest weapons of all. These two qualities are capable of conquering anything with ease."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Keeping the world simple!

600. Om daksa-yajna-vinasinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the destroyer of the sacrifice conducted by Daksha

How fast things move and time flies! I've completed 600 mantras. Another 400 to go. And each of the 600 mantras have been a step closer to Amma. I've looked at many ways of singing Her praises and in each word, I have discovered another way to develop faith, or found other websites and blogs about Amma. Found other ways to stay connected, found kindred souls across the planet. Amma's made this whole world a mini Amritapuri. During Amma's programme, the place is exactly how Amma would want the world to be. Simple. Everyone gets along with everyone else as we're all motivated by a common goal. To be in the presence of our divine Mother. We are all happy to just revel in Her aura and we take strength from Amma's presence. The wave of people who move towards Her in a programme isn't just numbers: instead it's a movement of people hoping to cleanse their lives and divest themselves of all the negative baggage. How beautiful that Amma brings all of us together and wraps us in the soothing sheets of Her love! And when we are able to let go of all our ego, it becomes so easy to be nice, to stay simple. And perhaps this is what Amma would like us to cultivate everyday to make this world a much better place!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Faith that works!

599. Om daitya-hantryai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the killer of demons

And I can vouch it works!! The minute we resolve to leave everything to Amma, She wraps it all up very beautifully! There's not a moment that Amma left me these past few days. And all I needed to do was realise that She's with me. I may well have wandered off from my shepherd but She was always there waiting to get me home. How can I ever think You aren;t looking out for me, Amma? If there ever is a Mother who cares, that is You!

I enjoy reading this blog by Amma's devotee, David. Here's a small excerpt from an article on happiness:

"Everything that happens is an opportunity to evolve.  It reminds me of my favorite story.  I heard this story from one of Amma’s students:

There was once a king in Persia who decided to quit his job and go to India; he was on a search for peace and Enlightenment, and he had heard about a great guru there.

When he arrived, he was surprised to find that the guru lived in a poor little house.  

The king asked to become a student of the guru.  The guru said no, then explained: “you are a king and I am a poor man; we have nothing in common”.  So the king replied: “I am not a king anymore.  I am here to be your servant.”

So the guru agreed.  

The king served the guru for 7 years.  For 7 years, the guru said nothing, and did not offer any teachings or words of advice.  One day, the guru’s wife said to the guru, “The king is serving us very well.  You should give him initiation, and teach him something”.  The guru replied, “He is not ready.”  His wife did not believe him.  

So the guru suggested that the wife should test him.  The guru said,  “Get a bucket, and fill it with dust, cow manure and garbage.  Then go to the roof.  I will call for the king and when he arrives at the front door, you should dump it on his head.”  The wife agreed.  So the guru called the king to the house.  

When the king arrived outside the door, the wife dumped garbage on his head.  

The king looked up and said: “What is wrong with you?  If I was still a king, I would have you punished for this!”  He was angry.  

Then he went inside to the guru, and the guru said “Oh, never mind.” 

Because the king got angry, it showed that he was still not ready.  

So after 7 more years, the guru said to the wife: “I think he is ready”.  His wife said, “Really, how do you know?”  The guru replied, “Let’s test him again”.  

So they dumped garbage on him again.  But this time, he said:  “Oh, thank you!  I needed that!”  And he came inside, where the guru blessed him and initiated him.  After this, the king quickly attained enlightenment.  

So, when life dumps garbage on your head…..   just smile.

The truth is, it is not really garbage."

 

Truly, it isn't. Just another opportunity for us to sidle up really close to Amma and get Her undivided attention!!

 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Faith and Amma's gift!

598. Om daksayanyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is Satidevi, the daughter of Daksha Prajapati

Some days can be quite a test of our faith. When Amma rattles our very bones and speaks to us of mixed blessings; when She tells us to stand strong and hold on tight for the ship is well and safe on the waters. But when we're enveloped on our own darkness, who is to see clearly this beam of faith? It's such a test She puts us through. I wish we had the mental clarity and strength to be able to hold on to this faith and tide over everything that comes our way. There is a certain grace even in the way we tide over problems. What possible use is it when we cry and berate fate?  For Amma, the ideal way for us to react would be to look at problems with equanimity. When Amma sees that strength of the mind in us, She will always be there for us, standing strongly and firmly by our side.

Give me this strength that I speak of so confidently, Amma. For I have it not. And to have it would be the ultimate gift from You!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's quotes!

597. Om trikonantara-dipikayai namah: I bow down to Amma who shines as a light within the triangle

Some beautiful quotes by Amma, from here:
"A person handles millions of rupees in the office or in the bank, but he knows that it is not his wealth. He has no attachment to it nor does he desire it. Likewise, the headache is over if we understand that none of the things in this world are related to us. One will have no more problems when it dawns in him that the wife and children are not his own. What we have as our own is God alone."
"Now the mind is full of many thoughts accumulated from the different experiences of life. When thoughts increase, we will not get any peace regardless of where we are or what we have. When thoughts decrease we can find peace even if we are not provided with any comforts or facilities. Those who decrease their thoughts through practice can find peace regardless of the time or place. For them, the so-called world of chaos and confusion becomes an abode of peace and harmony. For others it remains like a hell."
"If you do the work, you will get the wages. God will not simply give something to someone without their working for it. Self-effort and grace are interdependent. If tapas (spiritual discipline) is performed sincerely, you will see God’s grace flowing to you. Sitting behind closed doors and saying, 'The sun is not giving me any light' is silly. Open the door and the light will come in. Likewise, open the doors of your heart by removing egotistic thoughts and by developing qualities such as love and humility. That takes effort. God’s grace flows in a never ending stream.You have to prepare your mind to become a suitable instrument and then receive it."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Guru, Guide!

596. Om ravi-prakhyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who shines with the special brilliance of the sun

When we take our secrets and concerns to Amma, we wonder if anything might happen. Has Amma heard me? Will She remember to take care? Will She take note of my distress? Just as I would take a bullet for my child, so also, Amma would do anything for us, Her children. Our Guru is someone extremely special in oru lives, who shines with the special brilliance of the sun. In Amma's own words:
‘Children, we can grow spiritually only if we see the Guru as the manifestation of God.  We should not accept anyone as Guru before we are fully convinced personally that He is authentic and truthful.  Once we choose someone as Guru, we should surrender completely to Him.  Only then will spiritual development be possible.  Devotion to the Guru means total surrender to him.’  
‘The Guru is not someone who is confined to the body.  When there is selfless love for the Guru, we will be able to see Him not only in His body but in every living and nonliving thing in this world.  Learn to see everything as the Guru’s body and to serve them accordingly.’  

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The world pulsating as one!

595. Om hrdayasthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in the heart

Funny that my title yesterday was about Amma in my heart...and today the mantra confirms it! I didn; need the confirmation (none of us do!) but it's nice to revisit this feeling every now and again. 27 more days to go. The wait intensifies with every minute. And in between these seconds, we pack in our schedules for the day while all the time, our eyes are concentrated on the goal: that day when Amma will finally be here in Singapore. When finally we can all come together as one big Amma family and joyously celebrate DIVINITY! When we can sit with our eyes closed and meditate on the form we have been aching to see for a year. What wonderful times to come! Amma, You are our soulmate, Mother, Guru, Goddess and Guide. We keep You always tucked away in our hearts so that selfishly we can feel Your love at all times. Let us have the grace to spread out this love net far and wide and be gracious to all; to make everyone feel special and good. May we always find it in our hearts to give out the same love we do towards You, to everyone else. And then the world will pulsate as one united heart!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma in my heart!

594. Om indra-dhanuh-prabhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is resplendent like the rainbow

Om my darling Mother, 28 days more to wait to finally see You! When I can finally sit in one part of the hall and cry my heart out to You. The tears, a strange mix of happiness and sadness, of surrender and an overwhelming rush of love, will flow unhindered, uninterrupted as all Your children sit, meditating on Your beautiful form. When I'm around You, my mind buzzes with possibilities. It is awake to everything spiritual. I'm alive, well, unconcerned, fearless, happy, loving. When I'm away from You for long Amma, I give in to my ego and become fearful and afraid, angry, upset. Is it that my true nature is only surfacing when I'm with You? Do I give in to my negativity when away from You? Teach me to always feel that sense of security and to know that wherever You are, You are always with me. To know in my heart that WHATEVER You put me through or the road You make me travel, will always be for my benefit. Let me never think of You with my mind but always, only with my heart!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Everything Amma positive!

593. Om bhalasthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in the forehead (between the eyebrows)

This is from a site I have been following for a while. And today, I found an article which is, as usual, well written and from the heart:

"Amma generally says that if you talk about your problems to other people, it only increases the problem and negativity.  Think of your problem as mental garbage.  Don’t spread it all over the place.  Dispose of it.  Offer your lovely garbage to God.  Offer everything you love to God, and offer everything you don’t want, too.  Have faith that god will take care of it.  With other people, the best thing is to speak only positive words.  If you are in a bad mood, a bad mental loop, then try to stay silent.  Go for a walk, if you can.  Or excuse yourself to the bathroom, and go and pray on the toilet.  Do whatever you need to do, to have some time alone with yourself and with god.

One thing that has helped me to be more positive, and let go of problems and negative thoughts, is to remember that problems are not real.  A problem is only a story that is in my head.  Everything that happens is what it is.  It is all part of the great cycle of life and death and rebirth, and it’s causes are unfathomable.  The are reasons behind everything that I do not understand.  And so I accept that.  And I accept what happens.  Everyone’s actions, even if they seem crazy to me, are perfect — perfect because that is their path.  How can I know that their actions are not perfectly what their need to be doing, to learn life’s lessons.  For most people, it is their path to learn lessons the hard way, and not the easy way.  Instead of following wisdom, their path is to make countless painful mistakes, until they are tired of the pain.  So when I see problems, in my life or in the world, I try to remember this.

In my experience, when I complain to god, it feels good.    It is like a guilty pleasure.  I get to be negative, and complain, and whine, but it is calorie-free.  Because I am complaining to god, I know that I am doing the right thing, so I don’t have to feel bad about my complaining.  If I complain to my friends or co-workers, then my conscience reminds me, afterwords, that it is better to share only positive words, or stay silent.  Because negative complaining is such a major way that people communicate, I find it difficult to have long conversations with most people.  I usually have short conversations, trying my best to stay very positive and calm, and then I leave.  I try to spend time with those who like to talk about spiritual things, or who are very positive and loving, or those who are calm and quiet."

Yet another Amma's child who has learnt the art of being positive, from Amma!
Om Amriteswariye namah!

Meditating on Amma's words!

592. Om candra-nibhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is resplendent like the moon.

To a Mother who I look towards for my grounding, to a Mother I look towards for my meditation: 

"People may interpret this thought of purifying the mind as a desire as well. But this desire for purification is to eliminate all other desires and thereby do selfless service to the world. The intention behind this desire is high and pure. Whereas, the intention behind almost all other desires is not so. While the desire to purify the mind destroys all other thoughts and desires, the desire to enjoy worldly pleasures redoubles the thoughts and desires, the end result of which will be sorrow and suffering."

"Ups and downs are the very nature of life. It is not the incident but how we confront it that is most important. Incidents by themselves cannot influence us. If we are mentally weak, their effect will be worse than if we are strong and well-controlled. The wise ones quickly overcome such situations. A wise man may also feel sad, but quickly realizes that it is all a play, that it is the nature of life. If you go on worrying, it will dissipate a lot of your energy and will make you inactive."

I needed that last one! Help us stay strong, Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma on my mind!

591. Om sirah-sthitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in the head

In the head, in the heart...it's always AMMA! For a sense of direction and a sense of purpose, it must always be AMMA. Sometimes when people say 'spiritual leader', it's always with a sense of caution because we worry about religion and all its negative effects. But Amma's religion is just pure love. Love in its most unadulterated form. And so when we think of Amma, there is no hesitation to do, to serve, to love. Because Amma is everything pure and beautiful in this world. 

Amma says: "Our character is born of habits. Therefore, a discipline is needed in order to build up good habits. Our present way of living is the result of our past way of living. In order to remove the bad habits and ways of the past we should develop good, new habits. A regular routine is needed for this to happen. In the beginning, we should have love for our routine and strictly follow it. Then only progress is possible."
and, 
"Positive acceptance of the Guru’s words and deeds and utter obedience to him with application of his teachings in one’s life are what gives the greatest amount of joy to the Guru."
Let us vow to have positive thoughts in our heads for that is what Amma wants in us. And when we follow Her teachings, Amma will truly be happy.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma centric!

590. Om kataksa-kinkari-bhuta-kamala-koti-sevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is attended by millions of Lakshmis who are subdued by Her mere glances.

Somedays all it needs is to have one listening ear and one non judgmental talk with a good friend. And the amazing thing is that we can freely talk about Amma (because all our thoughts naturally tend to veer towards HER!) and narrate stories centred around our wonderful Mother. That's about all it takes to make us feel better. To make us forget all the worries and cares. Because at the end of the day who is there, waiting patiently to smoothen every crease from our worried brow?? ONLY AMMA!

As Amma says: "Mental purity will come through constant chanting of the divine name. This is the simplest way. You are trying to cross the ocean of transmigration, the cycle of birth and death. The mantra is the oar of the boat; it is the instrument you use to cross the samsara of your restless mind, with its unending thought waves. The mantra can also be compared to a ladder that you climb to reach the heights of God realization."

May we all learn to live an Amma-centric life!
Om Amriteswariye namah!

Something to soothe the soul...

589. Om kama-kotikayai namah: I bow down to Amma of whom Kama (Shiva) is a part or an approximate form.

Because I need these quotes from Amma for myself:

"Once you accept a perfect Soul as your Guru, stop wandering, both mentally and physically. Stay with the Guru; surrender to Him or Her. That is it. Cast off all worries and unnecessary brooding over incidents and experiences of the past, and mentally and physically travel towards Him, toward His real Being. This is the real journey."

"Declare an open war with your mind. The mind might pull you and push you into the same old habits. Understand that it is only a trick of the greatest trickster, the mind, to divert you from the path. Do not give up. There will come a point when the vasanas will lose all their strength and give way for the Lord to come in and rule. Till then try and keep trying. Let the failures “fail” to stop you from continuing your practice."

"Worrying is not a solution to any problem; it will only make things worse. Discriminative thinking is the only way to overcome life's problems. When we worry, our power of discrimination becomes weak, and then even insignificant problems seem overwhelming."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Holding onto Amma!

588. Om trikutayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in three parts

Dear Amma, whenever the going seems difficult, please send me a gentle reminder that You are always there for me. I tend to forget. And so I fret and fume and work myself up. And somewhere in all of this, I forget the vital role you play in my every second. All I need to do is surrender completely. Wherever You place us, it's because You know we need to be there for our spiritual growth. Allow me the moment of grace to realise the power of this faith, Amma! Whatever happens, let me hold on tightly to You just as a child would hold on to her Mother's arms while crossing a road. So also, as I undertake this journey, let me hold on tightly to You. Cos I know that You will lead the way.
"The Guru is indispensable for a spiritual aspirant. If a child goes near the edge of a pond, the mother will point out the danger and lead the child away. Similarly, the Guru will give befitting instructions when necessary. Her attention will always be on the disciple.": AMMA (Source)

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Our life, an incessant flow!

587. Om sri-sodasaksari-vidyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of the sixteen-syllabled mantra

From an article in www.amritapuri.org and an excerpt from a talk by our beloved Amma:
"This is Sri Krishna’s message: Life should flow incessantly like a melodious song. Just as the dancer becomes one with the dance, we should allow our life to become one with its incessant flow—making it a blissful confluence of happiness, beauty, compassion and creativity. The flow of a river is musical, beautiful and blissful. It accepts everyone, treating everyone the same. Whether people use it for drinking or bathing, whether they worship it, spit in it or dump waste into it, it doesn’t discriminate against them. This was the message of Sri Krishna’s life as well.
May the divine teachings of Sri Krishna inspire my children to use their bodies, emotions and intellects in the service of others. May my children see themselves in everyone, and see everyone in themselves. May divine grace bless all of my children."

That's exactly what Amma's made of Her life: an incessant flow of love and compassion towards Her children.  Being with Her is to take in this beauty and enjoy the bliss of Her presence!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

My Amma on love!

586. Om kama-sevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is worshipped by kamadeva (the god of love)

2 lovely Amma's quotes on love:

‘There is love and Love. You love your family — your father, mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, etc. But you do not love your neighbour. You love your son or daughter, but you do not love all children. You love your father and mother, but you do not love everyone the way you love your father and mother. You love your religion, but you do not love all religions. Likewise, you have love for your country, but you do not love all countries. Hence, this is not Love; it is only love. Transformation of this love to Love is the goal of spirituality. In the fullness of Love blossoms the beautiful, fragrant flower of compassion.’ 

“Love is the only medicine that can heal the wounds of the world.”

Om Amriteswariye namah!