More about Amma!

645. Om sarva-vedanta-samvedyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is known by all of Vedanta

 I found such a brilliant article on Amma...and what's more, one of my favourite pictures too of Amma! It's from this site:
Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, lovingly known as Amma, was born Sudhamani Idamannel on September 27, 1953 in a small fishing village in the southwestern state of Kerala in southern India.
She was deeply in love with God since birth. As a young child, she would stay awake late into the nights singing songs to God, and she would often be found immersed in blissful meditation.
When her mother became ill, Amma stopped going to school after the fourth grade to look after her family. She was also drawn to look after the poor and elderly in her limited spare time. She was already finding herself in service to the world when she was only a child.
Amma is another rare case Self-realization without the assistance of any external spiritual support. Although she had no teachers or access to spiritual texts, her commitment to her incessant pull to God brought her into absolute union with God. In her early teens, people began to come and receive her darshan (sight of God) to be closer to Lord Krishna.
Then one day she had a vision of the divine mother. She became obsessed with the divine mother, calling and crying out to be with her. Eventually she came to know the divine mother intimately. Since then, she has been the living incarnation of the divine mother. She sees all of humanity as her children. Although her name, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is very fitting, meaning the divine mother of love and bliss, her "children" simply call her Amma (mother).
Anybody that spends time with her will see that her life is her miracle. Her life is in tireless service to the comforting and awakening of her children. In the west, she is known as the hugging saint, because she travels from city to city receiving millions of individuals with a hug. She regularly hugs thousands of people in one sitting. And amazingly, as people all around her begin to tire, she becomes brighter and brighter! If you have the opportunity, do your best to spend some time with the rare and great gift. She is The Heart. She lives Pure Love. She is such a clear manifestation of God in form.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, lovingly known as Amma, was born Sudhamani Idamannel on September 27, 1953 in a small fishing village in the southwestern state of Kerala in southern India. She was deeply in love with God since birth. As a young child, she would stay awake late into the nights singing songs to God, and she would often be found immersed in blissful meditation. When her mother became ill, Amma stopped going to school after the fourth grade to look after her family. She was also drawn to look after the poor and elderly in her limited spare time. She was already finding herself in service to the world when she was only a child. Amma is another rare case Self-realization without the assistance of any external spiritual support. Although she had no teachers or access to spiritual texts, her commitment to her incessant pull to God brought her into absolute union with God. In her early teens, people began to come and receive her darshan (sight of God) to be closer to Lord Krishna.

Then one day she had a vision of the divine mother. She became obsessed with the divine mother, calling and crying out to be with her. Eventually she came to know the divine mother intimately. Since then, she has been the living incarnation of the divine mother. She sees all of humanity as her children. Although her name, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is very fitting, meaning the divine mother of love and bliss, her "children" simply call her Amma (mother). Anybody that spends time with her will see that her life is her miracle. Her life is in tireless service to the comforting and awakening of her children. In the west, she is known as the hugging saint, because she travels from city to city receiving millions of individuals with a hug. She regularly hugs thousands of people in one sitting. And amazingly, as people all around her begin to tire, she becomes brighter and brighter! She is one of the greatest saints of all time and a great blessing for humanity. If you have the opportunity, do your best to spend some time with the rare and great gift. She is The Heart. She lives Pure Love. She is such a clear manifestation of God in form. Amma's unparalleled selfless service has led many to support Amma's mission by giving generously of themselves to help create many charitable activities and organizations from medical facilities to schools and orphanages to housing and disaster relief projects to general social support and support for the earth." Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's unending compassion!

644. Om jnana-vigrahayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the embodiment of Knowledge itself

Everyone's thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering in Nepal. Amma's compassion of course knows no bounds. And so, I read here that: 'Amma has directed to send 50 tons of wheat, 2,000 sets of warm clothes and medicines to Kathmandu‬ as immediate aid for survivors of the devastating earthquake there, most of whom are afraid to sleep inside the structures that are still standing. She has also sent a senior representative to study the situation on the ground and look for more ways to support aid efforts in the coming days. Our Amrita Hospitals telemedicine unit, ambulances and a team of doctors and paramedics are also preparing to make the trip from Kochi to Nepal.'
Amma's thoughts are always with those suffering and needing Her grace. Even nature can turn against us but Amma, our divine Mother, is always there protecting us from harm. She shields us from the slightest destructive wind and we should all be grateful for the divine shelter She provides in our lives. Thank You Amma for Your unending compassion and selflessness!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Realms of Amma-consciousness!

643. On jnanadayai namah: I bow down to Amma who gives knowledge of the Self.

Thank You Amma! I took one small step towards You and You took so many steps towards me. What a beautiful gift You have given me. And what you've given me even bigger than that is the lesson that optimistic faith is the right road always. You will always be my beacon, guiding me ahead. I have so many routes to traverse and I know in each of them there will be many ups and downs. I will walk each route safe in the knowledge that You are guiding me and leading me by the hand. You have smiled upon me and I know I am taken care of. Thank You, Amma!
'Don't forget God for even a second. If we lose our money while traveling, think how frantically we search for it! In the same way, if we are unable to do japa even for a brief moment, we should grieve: "Alas, Lord, I have lost so much time! " If there is such anguish, even the time we spend sleeping will not be wasted. Children, even if we lose a million dollars, we can recover it. If we lose one second, we cannot get it back. Every moment that we are not remembering God is lost to us. Chanting replaces other thoughts with that particular mantra. Just as saline water loses its salty taste by constantly adding fresh water, through constant repetition of a mantra, the number of thoughts can be reduced. In due course, all thoughts can be eliminated excepts one, that is God. Love will spring through japa if one has complete faith and intent to reach the goal. Mantra japa, done with the proper understanding of this principle will ultimately take us to the Source. At this point, the seeker realizes that the form he has been meditating on, as well as all other forms that exist within himself, are the manifestations of the Self.': AMMA
May we spend all our life lost in the realms of Amma-consciousness. 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Optimistic faith and Amma!

642. Om apari-cchedyayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose limits cannot be ascertained.

Optimistic faith. Putting everything in Amma's hands and surrendering every thought and word to Her. I'm currently undergoing a small health issue and I'm really trying hard to surrender every doubt, every fear, to Her. I've told myself a few times that I am not the master of my fate. Amma is my shepherd and I will willingly follow. If I am going through this, it is because She deems it necessary for me to have this experience. It's the brick She wants me to place on my spiritual foundation and then apply the cement of faith. I'll do it, Amma. You know best and I have already decided that my life is now a dedication to You. Like putty in Your hands, decide whatever You need me to do. You have sent me a few teachers who have taught me to strengthen my faith. Who have shown me clearly that when we repose our entire faith in You, things will always unfold for the better. Who live every beat of their heart as their surrender to You. I want my life to only have Your music, Your words, Your thoughts. And then, let me walk a path that lets me illumine others' worlds.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's temples!

641. Om dhyana-gamyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is to be attained through meditation.

How fortunate I have been to have seen Amma's Brahmasthanam temple at Delhi being consecrated by Her in 1995. When I think back about that whole event, I'm so thrilled to realise that the crowd was so much smaller and I was one amongst the few lucky people! I had no idea just how big the entire event that I had witnessed, actually was! That I was in the presence of a universal, divine leader. I had been Amma's daughter for almost 5 years by then but I had still not understood the full power of Her divinity. In fact, I always wonder if we will ever know the complete extent of Amma's divinity! I remember standing by and seeing Her do the prayers. And I prayed myself to the Gods above. Once again, my ignorance at not realising that saakshaat Devi Herself stood before me. This week, Amma consecrated the 22nd Brahmasthanam temple in Manjeri. I found a note about Amma's temples in the amritapuri.org site:
'Traditionally, if you wanted the benefits of a particular puja, you had to pay a priest to perform the puja for you. But Amma reasoned that if you are the person who is suffering, you must perform the puja yourself. “If you are hungry,” She said, “It’s not enough that someone else eats.” After so many years of listening to people’s problems, Amma determined that, generally, people experience sorrow or difficulties when their lives are under the influence of Saturn, Mars, or Rahu.
In another revolutionary move, Amma initiated mass pujas, guided by Herself or one of Her monastic disciples, in which each participant performs the puja for him- or herself. Amma asked everyone to join in these pujas, without any distinction of caste, religion, age or gender. Amma wanted to removed the oft-misused authority of the priesthood, letting the people connect with God directly.'
Well, we're lucky. We have in every which way, such a powerful and direct connection with the supreme Goddess Herself!
Om Amriteswariye namah!

A chain of love!

640. Om vag-adhisvaryai namah: I bow down to Amma who presides over speech

I have heard it said many times that words have the power to kill. And we are clever beings with the power to discriminate. Yet we hardly think it through when we mercilessly wound each other with words. We do it almost everyday, using speech mindlessly. As much as we hurt, we also have the power with these very words, to spread joy and happiness. To make at the very least one person in a day happy. Amma's darshans are such a powerful experience. Amma hugs us and whispers something wonderful and soothing in our ear. She heals us with Her words. If we tell Her our problems, Amma will always say something that will heal our wounds. All of Amma's words are only aimed at spreading the love and at healing. What a lesson to learn from Amma! We are not be capable of being such rivers of love but maybe we can use our words ot make one person happy each day. What a chain of love we'd start then!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Destroyer of the demons!

639. Om avaradayai namah: I bow down to Amma who destroys the unholy demons.

Let the unholy demon You destroy be our ego and all the negative energy we gather around us, Amma. It's high time we realised that we are not the doers. We are the instruments by which You orchestrate life on earth...a life in which each of us has to complete our cycle of karma before the final, grand exit. The day we let go of the steering wheel, the ride will be so much smoother. I guess then we can actually sit back and enjoy the ride instead of constantly doing some very pointless backseat driving. I was talking to a friend today about Amma and about Her question: do we pray out of fear or love? Do we look at Amma with fear or love? I used to worship Amma with fear. I saw Her as Kali, with the power of destroy. But over time I realise Amma is a Mother. Why would She destroy Her children? I can sometimes throw a tantrum and ask Her for a thing or two. Amma always obliges. She'll always be a Mother first. To me, Mother is divine anyway. The bond a Mother shares with Her children is a different one altogether. There's something very blessed in that. And thankfully, my Guru is my darling Mother, who will destroy all the unholy demons that threaten my peace.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Egoless, full of love state!

638. Om svarna-garbhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the cause of the Universe.

I finally found a picture that I think does justice to Amma's beauty, divinity and love for all of humanity. Look at the innocence and purity reflected in Amma! Imagine if we could have just a hundredth of that purity, how wonderful the world would be. We'd be egoless beings, genuinely helpful and with no hidden agendas. All we'd do is spread the love to each other. We'd be able to see beyond ourselves and feel the plight of others. We'd be able to reach out selflessly. And living only in the present, as Amma does, we'd be able to live every moment without anger, fear or rancour. How perfect would our lives be. And we'd be happier than we currently are. Sometimes I do wonder about the thoughts I have, tinged either with fear, worry, jealousy or irritation. In each of these, our ego plays such a pivotal role. But if only we could understand our true insignificance, how much easier life would become. We assume that when we say something, the world stops to listen. We assume that when we are angry, the universe will take notice. Or that our breath keeps the world going. We are but slight players in the larger canvas. And once we understand that our true will is to do good and then move on, life would shed itself of worry, fear, anger, meanness. Distilled down, it would just be pure love, Amma-consciousness. The state we all want to be in but refuse to go towards willingly. Amma, please give us the discrimination to do so, under Your constant guidance and care. 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A divine ride!

637. Om visva-garbhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who contains the whole universe in Her womb

Sometimes the fact is so simple, I miss it. That as Amma's child, I will always be protected. That Amma will always look out for me. That Amma will always shield me and hold me under the umbrella of Her all protective grace. When some days seems all uphill, I forget that I am holding the supreme Divine Mother's hands. That She will never, ever let go. That every step we take is planned by Her. All we need to do is realign our lives in such a way so that every word we speak is worthy of Amma; every step we take is one step towards Her; every thought we think is our dedication to Her. And then the journey becomes so enjoyable because we have finally done what Amma has always hoped for us to do: SURRENDER to Her! There are times I walk out of the house with many a plan for the day. And at any moment, everything changes. All the plans have to be ditched and something totally different worked upon. So why bother with pretending that we are holding the reins? Our charioteer is the very Goddess of the Universe. So why worry at all? She'll see us through. She'll help us across the difficult passes. Whatever happens, it's all Her divine order. So it's better to sit back and enjoy this ride:)

Om Amriteswariye namah!

New beginnings!

636. Om gandharva-sevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is served by the Gandharvas

An excerpt from an article on Vishu on www.amritapuri.org:
"If your first step is wrong, the whole journey will be wrong. World over an emphasis is put on beginnings. Getting off to a good start is essential, as the beginning is the foundation upon which everything that comes after rests. Indian culture, perhaps more than any other, stresses the importance of beginning things properly. The position of the stars and planets is taken into consideration to insure auspicious beginnings, homas are performed and stotrams are chanted to Lord Ganesha in order to remove potential obstacles before the start of any undertaking. Prayers to God are always offered. Even when studying the Upanishads, which declare the only true power to be our own Self, shanti mantras are chanted before beginning each session of study.
Ultimately, all these are ways of humbly admitting our finitude, the limited nature of our efforts, and are a means of supplicating to the Divine for favourable outcome. As Amma says, “Grace alone is the deciding factor”. By taking into consideration even subtle nuances beyond our intellectual understanding when we begin a project, we are both showing the sincerity of our effort as well as our faith in the words of the scriptures and the Guru."
Let every new beginning be blessed by You, Amma!
Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, my beautiful Amma!

635. Om gauryai namah: I bow down to Amma who has a fair complexion

I always scour the internet for pictures of Amma. And there are several out there. But I realise that none of them does justice to Amma. None of them captures Her innate divinity and Her overwhelming humility. Not one comes close to encapsulating the river of love that She is. Which shutter can capture Her infinite compassion? Amma is tinier than She looks in pictures. And She's like a tsunami of love walking through a hall full of people. One look from Amma is enough to turn us into jelly. All we wish is for that moment to totally freeze in time, so that we can visit it time and time again. Her smile, Her loving gaze...no picture will ever do full justice to it. The one above is one of my favourites from Amma's recent Singapore visit. Amma meditating and taking part in the 1 minute silent prayer for world peace. She looks so peaceful. I love this picture. Her saree as usual has a glow of its own. And yet...it doesn't do Her justice. For nothing can contain Amma's love, grace, compassion, divinity. She is the most beautiful person I know. Heavenly.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Meditating on Amma's words!

634. Om sailendra-tanayayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the daughter of Himavat, the king of the mountains

"A person who has inner peace is relaxed. His life is balanced. He is never overexcited or anxious, and he never grieves about his past. He confronts the situations in life calmly and intelligently, because he has great clarity of vision. His mind and vision are not clouded by unnecessary thoughts. Remember, he will have the same problems in life as other people; but a man who knows that inner peace will confront things differently. His attitude will be different. There will be a special charm and beauty in all that he does. He remains unperturbed in all circumstance that arise in life, no matter what they are."
"Attachment to the Guru makes one detached from all worldly concerns and worries. It helps the spiritual seeker forget about the world and concentrate on God. The spiritual progress of a disciple or a devotee depends on the intensity of his or her remembrance of his Guru or God, which is also meditation; and this will culminate in total Oneness."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Always Amma!

633. Om umayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is Parvati devi

Amma's humility is always a lesson in training our ego. The ego is like an eggshell. Ready to crack at the slightest pressure. And we burden ourselves so much by carrying several eggshells all over the place. Sadly, we're the ones who throw these eggshells down and trample over it with our fledgling emotions. Because we aren't rooted in our hearts and heads, we sway easily. It's a lesson to watch Amma. She never lets anything sway Her. There is absolutely NO play of ego in Her. And that is possibly the biggest lesson Amma is teaching us every day. We take offence so quickly when people say things about us. But it just shows how flimsy our own self confidence is. What we need to do is be rooted in Amma consciousness at all times so that even the mightiest tornado cannot shake our faith in the universal love Amma is sending towards us. Nothing can shake it. We stay steady on our path that's pre destined by Amma anyways. And then, really, whose words hold any weightage?? In the larger scheme of things, wherein only Amma matters, why do we bring in the equation of other people? It's always Amma. And only, only Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Helping us along the path!

632. Om sindura-tilakancitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who shines with a vermillion mark on Her forehead.

Life's a test most times. It isn't a test the universe presents us but more really the test we put ourselves through. Most situations are self created. We find our friends and then we find ourselves in situations that we have in some way edged along. So Amma always tells us to be careful of the friends we choose, saying that friends are like elevators that can either take us up or down. We need to be conscious of our choices every day, 24/7. Moral choices that we make will affect the road ahead. The best way to always go ahead seems to be by keeping our mind rooted in Amma at all times. Amma will always point us to the right choice. She will always guide us correctly. Through Amma, I have made some life long friends and we are able to speak always of spirituality and rarely waste precious moments on idle gossip. What binds us is the right ties of spirituality. There is very little space for negativity and such friendships are absolutely the best! At every juncture, life requires us to make choices. From something as simple as food, to moral issues, we are in positions of power everyday. And when we take a step in the wrong direction, it'll always be downhill from thereon. But when our mind is firmly in Amma consciousness, the mind will steer us towards the right space wherein we can continue dwelling in Amma consciousness.

Thank You Amma for being the bestest guide and guru ever!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Surrender and meditation!

631. Om divya-gandhadhyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is richly endowed with divine fragrance.

My life's now all about certain words. Surrender. Meditate. And as these words enter our spiritual lexicon, it becomes so much easier to face challenges. Once we surrender, Amma's taken over our steering wheels. And when we meditate, we feel such a closeness to God! Difficult words to put into practise but I'd like to think that it's the only way ahead!
In today's facebook page, here is a quote by Amma on finding peace (which is what we all seek!):
'Peace is not something that is gained when all desires are fulfilled or when all problems are settled. As long as the mind is there, desires will come up and problems will exist. Peace is something that arises when all the thoughts settle and you transcend the mind.'
and more from Amma on the meditative, no-mind stage:
'The mind should disappear. You should become ‘no-mind.’ A person who is in the state of ‘no-mind’ might dwell in the world of diversity, but in reality, he is in God. You might see him act or speak, but he does neither. He is actionless and has no speech; he is still and silent in all circumstances. But your mind will impose a mind onto him. Your mind will impose a body, speech and action onto him. You yourself are divided; therefore, you will try to make him divided also. Yet, try your whole lifetime, put forth all your effort and call the whole world to help you, and still you cannot divide him. You will become exhausted and collapse, trying to do the impossible'

Amma, please help me reach this state!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Just a prayer away!

630. Om tryaksaryai namah: I bow down to Amma whose form consists of three letters or syllables.

I can't believe it's been nearly a week since Amma left! Last week this time, we were super excited. It was the second day of Amma's programme and we were basking in the warmth of Her love. The real test for us is to keep the faith going when Amma isn't physically in our presence. We all absolutely love and adore Her but the unhindered way in which we express our love for Her when in Her presence, is beautiful and sadly different from when Amma isn't in front of us. When not physically (how limiting this word is actually, when it comes to Amma!) in Amma's presence, we throw in small seeds of doubt: 'Does Amma know of my predicament? Please can She be listening?' The correct answer of course would be that Amma is always with us. She's really just one prayer away from us. Call out to Amma in earnestness and She will be there. I'm petrified of flying and so always imagine Amma sitting in the next seat, holding my hands. It's the only way I can fly. I'm trying to now imagine Amma in every segment of my life, exactly like this. Holding my hand, helping me through life. I'm an unlearned child, Amma. What do I know about traversing the many paths that just show up? Help me make decisions, Amma. Please help me manoeuvre through life making correct choices. Let every word I speak be Your choice for me. Let every word I hear be what You wish me to hear. Let every thought I think be what You have wanted me to think. Let every action be my dedication to You. Thought, actions, words, feelings. Let them all just be my wrapping on the gift of gratitude for this life, Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Answer in Amma's words!

629. Om tridasesvaryai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the ruler of the Gods.

I always find answers in Amma's words. It's there either in the words or in the meaning or in what is implied. Somewhere, Amma tucks in an answer for us. Always!
'Don't forget God for even a second. If we lose our money while traveling, think how frantically we search for it! In the same way, if we are unable to do japa even for a brief moment, we should grieve: "Alas, Lord, I have lost so much time! " If there is such anguish, even the time we spend sleeping will not be wasted. Children, even if we lose a million dollars, we can recover it. If we lose one second, we cannot get it back. Every moment that we are not remembering God is lost to us. Chanting replaces other thoughts with that particular mantra. Just as saline water loses its salty taste by constantly adding fresh water, through constant repetition of a mantra, the number of thoughts can be reduced. In due course, all thoughts can be eliminated excepts one, that is God. Love will spring through japa if one has complete faith and intent to reach the goal. Mantra japa, done with the proper understanding of this principle will ultimately take us to the Source. At this point, the seeker realizes that the form he has been meditating on, as well as all other forms that exist within himself, are the manifestations of the Self.'
Children, spirituality is nothing but giving up and then taking back. Spirituality is to unburden everything and then take the burden back. But this time the burden is no more a burden. To put it in another way: don’t take up the burden until you feel that it is weightless. Yes, when you have completely emptied yourself of the inner burden, you take it back—you carry the burden of the world. But now you won’t feel any heaviness. On the contrary, you will feel a tremendous amount of joy springing forth from deep within, even while carrying the burden of the world. Previously, it was real suffering, but now there is no suffering at all, because your mind is fully at rest, and therefore, you do not feel it to be a burden anymore. Even though you still perform actions, you are involved and at the same time not involved. You start seeing things from an entirely different angle. You play a role, but you never identify with it. You remain outside. No matter what you are doing, you always feel blissful.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Gratitude, Surrender!

628. Om tri-murtyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the aggregate of the Trinity (Of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva)

Thank You Amma for letting me see yet another year. Another time for introspection. Another year ahead for spiritual advancement. Another renewed path to walk on when I can talk about You and seek Your grace. When I can lose myself in Your beauty and renew my promise to dedicate my life to You. When I can strongly coax myself once again to keep the faith. Every day is a renewal of our spiritual vows to ourselves. To see the gratitude in all things in our lives. During Amma's programme, Swamini Krishnamrita Prana spoke about a startling fact: if we have a house to live in, we are more fortunate than nearly 75% of the population. If we are able to stay in a safe environment, we are luckier than a very large percentage of the population. If we have food to eat, we are better off than nearly 80% of the population. With the next moment being an uncertainty, we have to hold the light of gratitude to all the people and things in our lives. Everything in our life is precious. Everything and every person is a lesson, to help us on the spiritual path. At the end of the day we are only instruments of Amma. We should surrender and become like putty in Her hands. Allow Her to mould us to what She thinks we should become. Allow Her to put us on whatever path She thinks best for us. It's all about surrendering to Amma. She can see the entire route while all we can see is the end of the immediate road. May we walk wisely on the road Amma has destined for us.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's coveted darshan!

627. Om trijagad-vandyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is adorned by the inhabitants of all three worlds.

Such a deep longing for Amma. Such a feeling of emptiness. 3 days out of 352, to enjoy the bliss in Amma's presence. The rest of the days are the real test. We feel Her presence but it's the absence that hurts. And then we look for ways to feel even more connected with Amma. Amma always says that physical distance should never be a barrier for Her children but it is difficult especially the days just after Amma leaves. We miss Her very presence and of course, that beautiful hug which changes everything. I read about Amma's darshan in amritapuri.org:
"Amma’s darshan is, as far as we can tell, unique in the history of the world. Darshan means “to see” and traditionally, a Master is seen but not touched. And in India, women do not touch men in public. But Amma’s darshan emerged as a loving mother’s embrace, beginning when She was only a teenager and held and comforted the lonely and suffering in Her village, and extending up to the present day. Amma makes herself available to anyone wishing to receive her blessing. There is never any charge, and no one is turned away. Hour after hour, day after day, year after year — for over thirty years now, She has been embracing all who come to Her. Man or woman, sick or healthy, rich or poor, regardless of religious faith, caste, young or old: even the very elderly, even Her own parents, regard Her as their very own Mother. Amma now travels across India and to over a dozen countries throughout the world. Everywhere She goes, She gives darshan to all who come to Her.

Amma’s hugs and kisses should not be considered ordinary. When Amma embraces or kisses someone, it is a process of purification and inner healing. Amma is transmitting a part of Her pure, vital energy into Her children. It also allows them to experience true, unconditional Love. When Amma holds someone it can help to awaken the dormant spiritual energy within them, which will eventually take them to the ultimate goal of Self-realization. — Amma"

Om Amriteswariye namah!

In gratitude, always!

626. Om tripurayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is older than the Three

A dear friend who's also my Reiki teacher, asked me to say aloud the gratitude I give. These were mine:
Thank You for the Guru under whose grace and guidance I walk.
Thank You for my daughter who is a gift from my Guru.
Thank You for my loving family which has been possible only because my Guru wanted me to have this safe environment.
Thank You for the financial stability my Guru has provided me, which allows me to do what I desire to do.
Thank You for giving me a sweetheart of a dog who senses my connect with Amma.
Thank You for the health I enjoy which Amma has given so I can walk confidently on my spiritual path.

Every thanks for me, starts and ends with Amma. At Amma's programme I saw people disabled, hurt, upset, maimed by life. Everyone has their own story. And truly, the next moment isn't a certainty. Therefore we need to leave it all unto Amma. And keep the faith that Amma will always do what's best for me. She will take care of me. She might allow me my mistakes but if it is necessary in my path, then so be it. Amma will never give up on me. She is there, 24/7, keeping an eye on me. Helping me along. My entire life is a dedication to Her. And so, in gratitude to Amma, would I like to live every moment.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The pain of separation from Amma!

625. Om kaivalya-pada-dayinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who bestows liberation

I normally like to be very timely with the writing of each post but yesterday has to be an exception. I was with Amma all day and all night. During Devi Bhava, I soaked in Amma's beauty and was just happy to be in Her divine presence. Through the night, as the crowds surged and Amma's strong divinity just washed over everyone like a calming wave, we all went about our work with a heavy heart. After 3 days of bliss, it was a countdown of a few more painful hours before it was all over and Amma left! The last of the crowds. 2 weddings. Varied ceremonies. Everyone was eager but tired. The energy came in waves. But not for the Mother who had sat 10 continuous hours consoling, joking, caring, mothering each and every one of Her children. She stood up happy, full of compassion and energized with Her love for us. The singers sang a song I will now always associate with the pain of separation from Amma. "Amma, Amma taye..." That's when the tears flowed freely, creating banks of sorrow and wretched pain. In a room of about five to six hundred people, everyone stood alone, battling this pain. And then, Amma came out back on stage in Her gorgeous white saree. She lifted Her hands with a "Mata Rani Ki Jai!" The smile was back in our lives. The clouds had parted. We smiled, we imitated Her. And then She looked at all of us with immense love. Before the tears could start again, She was gone. We held on. A few hours hence, the pain's resurfaced. Reality's hit home. It's going to be another 12 painful months. And yet, the positive shade would be to say that it's 12 months of living under Amma's umbrella of grace before we see Her again. 12 months of chanting Her name, of living by Her principles, of living a good life. Of letting Her grace, compassion and love guide us everyday. Of letting Her lead us through life. And once that thought settles in, life becomes just a few degrees more bearable!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Stay positive, stay in the light!

624. Om guhyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is to be known in secret.

A beautiful story by Amma:

One evening at 5pm or so, a duck walked into a bar and asked the bartender if he had grapes. The bartender replied in the negative. The next day at around the same time, the duck walked in again and asked the bartender if he had grapes. A trifle irritated, the bartender replied in the negative once again. The third day, at the same time, the duck walked in and asked the bartender yet again, if he had grapes. This time the bartender lost it. Angry, he told the duck that the next time he asked for grapes, he'd nail the duck's webbed feet to the floor of the bar. The fourth day, once again, the duck walked in. This time, he had a different question.
Did the bartender have nails?
No, said the bartender.
"In which case," replied the duck, "do you have grapes?"

It's a funny story but Amma said that this story reveals the nature of the mind. When it gets hooked on negativity, it will find a way to always fall back on the negative pattern. Amma once again dwelled on the strong linkage between self confidence and faith. Keeping ourselves in the negative space is the equivalent of mistaking a rope for a snake or a snake for a rope or even a cow for an elephant in the night. In the darkness of negativity, we are unable to see clearly. We have to move away from this negative dark space to the positive brightly lit space of faith and belief. In that space, everything will stay crystal clear and we will have correct perspective of everything around us.

I think just as there is a warning associated with touching a live wire or playing with fire, so also should there be a warning about negativity. Nothing can get us down like negativity and nothing else can conquer everything like positivity. Here's hoping and praying that Amma will always give us the grace to enjoy positivity and faith in our lives. We need Your guidance and help in this, Dear Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A life dedicated to Her!

623. Om kevalayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the absolute, who is complete, independent and without any attributes.

After 11 months, I finally got Amma's darshan. What a long wait this has been! What a journey, what a ride. I think this visit of Amma's is a page turner for me. My life is now truly at Her feet. I'm in the journey to surrender everything to Her. Isn't it laughable how we actually walk around pretending that the world journeys around because of us??? With the next step an uncertainty, how can we possibly think that things happen because we will it to? Absolutely EVERYTHING is Amma's will. I was upset I couldn;t see Amma at the airport but how brilliant that instead, I got to spend nearly an hour and a half listening to Her at close quarters and being given food blessed by Her! We sat under a beautiful moonlit night, in a lovely garden, listening to Amma talking and singing. How could not this be divine intention? I've rarely eaten a tastier meal and had a more enjoyable evening. This is my life. Amma-centred, Amma-centric. From hereon, I move in circles. Happily, I might add. Because my world will only revolve around Amma.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Prayers with love!

622. Om klinkaryai namah: I bow down to Amma who is creator of the syllable klim

Had the best time in Amma's presence where She touched upon the one question that has nagged me for years! Do we pray out of fear or do we pray out of love? The politically correct answer is of course to say out of love but Amma said that we live in times where our prayers arise out of fear. Fear during exams, at difficult times. That's what we do. Go to temples and always ask God to make things right. How can such prayer possibly arise out of love? It is fear that guides us. One who is truly spiritually realised will pray out of love. It is faith in God that will give us the self confidence to believe. If we are walking in the dark, we may walk with many fears: fear of ghosts, of robbers, of the dark itself. However if we are walking with our Mother, we won't be scared because we know we are not alone. Similarly, we must always walk with the knowledge that God is with us and God is taking care of us. Fear takes way our faith and erodes every shred of it. God is like our GPS guiding us through life. We may get confused at times but we'll always reach our final destination. One of the fears that we always have is the fear of death. So we pray to God to give us long lives. Amma says that when we check into a hotel, we are aware that we are only there for a few days and so we enjoy our stay there. We don't get upset that we have to check out. Similarly should we approach this life, aware that it is transitory and that we will require to check out.
Amma spoke powerfully and yet wishing for all Her children to have this fearless state. It was truly an evening to live by!
“God’s power is not something outside. It is within us. We need to awaken that power.”: AMMA
Om Amriteswariye namah!

Love and compassion!

621. Om divya-vigrahayai namah: I bow down to Amma who has a divine body

“Love just happens. Nobody thinks about how to love, or when and where to love. Nobody is rational about love. Rational thought hinders love. Love is a sudden rising in the heart. Love is an unavoidable, unobstructable longing for oneness. There is no logic in this. It is beyond logic. So do not try to be rational about love. It is like trying to give reasons for the river to flow, for the breeze to be cool and gentle, for the moon to glow, for the sky to be expansive, for the ocean to be vast and deep, or for the flower to be fragrant and beautiful. Rationalisation kills the beauty and charm of these things. They are to be enjoyed, experienced, loved and felt. If you rationalise about them, you will miss the beauty and charm and the feelings they evoke. Sit by the seashore. Look at it. Feel its vastness. Feel the rising up and down of the waves. Feel and be amazed at the creation and the creator of such magnificence. What good will it do you to rationalise about the ocean?”

And one of the most beautiful definitions of Compassion (only Amma could explain it so beautifully!)
"Compassion does not see the faults of others. It does not see the weaknesses of people. It makes no distinction between good and bad people. Compassion cannot draw a line between two countries, two faiths or two religions. Compassion has no ego; thus there is no fear, lust or passion. Compassion simply forgives and forgets. Compassion is like a passage. Everything passes through it. Nothing can stay there. Compassion is love expressed in all its fullness.”

Thank You Amma for Your gift of love and compassion. May we bask in it forever!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Being content!

620. Om aneka-koti-brahmanda-jananyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the creator of many millions of worlds

I looked for happiness everywhere. Till I heard Amma say that it's within us. And yet the search continues. Within. So when I find articles on this, I'm happy to share. From one of my favourite blogs:

‘Be content and happy with whatever comes to you.’

  This is one of my favorite Amma quotes.

  When I hear this quote, I feel calm.  I feel like there is no need to fight and struggle so much.  It reminds me of something that another saint, Baba Hari Dass, said to me.  He said ”You can’t do everything.”  I used to have a huge long list of things I wanted to accomplish and experience in life.  But now I am finally starting to relax.  To have a job I enjoy, a hobby I enjoy, and some time for meditation every day… that is enough.

Another thing that comes to mind when I hear this quote, is:  ”Hey, isn’t that too passive?  Shouldn’t I fight and work hard to accomplish goals?”  I think that idea is true, too.  It think the ideal is to do both.  Work calmly and steadily toward worthy goals, and at the same time, completely accept whatever comes to you.  I think the two ideas are compatible.

I first heard this idea from Gandhi, in his autobiography.  He basically says that we should take action towards our goals, but leave the results –the fruits of our actions– to God.

Another teacher that talks a lot about this is Byron Katie.  She says: ”Whatever happens, that is what I want.”  What a simple recipe for contentment.  In a way, it sounds a bit extreme to me.  I mean, what if terrible things are happening around me?  But the bottom line is that I don’t know what is best.  It is like the story of Job, in the Bible.  He has to go through so much pain, and he asks why, why, why me?  At the end of the story, God speaks to him an basically says, ”Don’t you trust me?  Everything I do is for the best, in one way or another.”

I try to think this way, every day.  At work, when somebody gives me a hard time, I think about this.  My first reaction is a knee-jerk reaction of frustration or anger.  But my next instinct is to breathe, and then remember my philosophy.  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." 

Thank you David, for this!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, our prayer!

619. Om pavanakrtaye namah: I bow down to Amma who is of sacred form

It's almost uplifting when I see that unless and until my daughter prays to Amma, she doesn't feel right about starting her day. Or boarding a flight. Or leaving for school. To me, that is real prayer. Real devotion. She doesn't need to spend hours with her arms folded. All she needs to do is imprint the very thought of Amma in the very fabric of her being. Once we do that, we're already praying every second to Amma. Once we do that. we're already keeping Amma in our mind all the time. Can there be a better way to live our lives? Can there be a better show of gratitude to our Master who has given us this gift of life? When everything is ephemeral, the only constant is Amma. And may Amma always stay as our life breath in us.
‘Many of us may have watched the waves at sea. They rise, then fall, then rise again, then fall again… and this cycle continues endlessly. It is the same with our experience of the world and its objects and relationships. We may find happiness, but this happiness will soon turn to sorrow. The sorrow that we feel will subsequently turn back to happiness but this oscillation continues endlessly. In order to maintain inner balance, we need to find peace within instead of depending on the external world.’: AMMA

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Goddess of Pure Love!

618. Om paramayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the supreme

In a little over 4 days, the Goddess of pure love will be amongst us!!!
"All wars and all conquests arise from the ego, in most cases the national egos, the collective egos of a nation. Rarely is it personal egos. Whenever there is a conflict, it is between two big collective egos. Each side may shout at the top of their lungs that they are fighting for the commom good, for the protection of the nation’s freedom, for the peace of all of humanity, and so on. But if you penetrate to the real cause, you will find that it is their egos fighting. If some country or leader poses a threat to a country or to the world, threatening all nations and all of humanity, you may fight, but fight with love. If you go to war, fight with love for humanity; fight against evil and against unrighteousness. Fight with detachment, for real love arises from detachment."

"Pure love removes all negative feelings. Destroying all selfishness, it expects nothing but gives everything. Pure love is a constant giving up – giving up of everything that belongs to you. What really belongs to you? Only the ego. Love consumes in its flames all preconceived ideas, prejudices and judgements, all those things which stem from the ego. Pure love is nothing but the emptying of the mind of all its fears and the tearing off of all masks. It exposes the Self as it is."

Om Amriteswariye namah!