Amma: the meaning of our lives!

908. Om tat-tvam-artha-svarūpinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the meaning of tat (that) and tvam (you)

As for me, Amma defines everything, She gives meaning to our very lives. Everything that happens around me and within me is but a play by Amma. I just imagine Her laughing heartily, wondering why I take myself so seriously when our innate nature is Joy and Amma Herself resides in us. I for one certainly need to remember that Amma is the architect of my life. When even the next breath isn't a certainty, what ego drives me to think that I can steer the vehicle of my life? Experience has taught me that the sands of time shift our fate within seconds; that absolutely everything is but an ephemeral scent in the winds that gently toss us through life. Each of us is searching for our light tower, for that beam of light that will bring us safely ashore. Amma is the only safety. Amma should be the end all and be all of our lives. I hope to be able to chant Her name every second of the day so I may never forget to live in gratitude of the fact that I have found shelter at Her feet. She is my meaning, She is my purpose.

Om Amriteshwariye namah!

The reality I know

907. Om tattva-mayyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is reality Itself or Shiva Himself.

Amma is the only reality we know. She cuts through all the maya that surrounds us and shows us our true selves: Sat cit ananda. If we follow Amma's teachings, we may well learn that all the obstacles and hardships that come our way are the debt we are repaying for the sins of our previous births. Amma is helping us get rid of it all so that we can experience bliss in this life. Amma is the only reality I wish to live by in my life. I know when life throws me curveballs I get upset and ask Amma how She can do this to me! Why would a Mother let Her child suffer? Does my Mother not love me enough? Does She not see what pain She is putting me through? Would I allow my child to undergo any suffering if I can help it? That's when, much against my momentary mood, I force myself to pray. I tell Amma that She is the all-knowing divine Mother. I have to force my faith out from hiding and talk it back into myself. I have to teach myself - yet again - to trust that Amma will only do what is best for me! Because She is my reality and She will take me ahead with as much care, through the wheel of life.

Om Amriteshwariye namah!   

Surrender!

906. Om tattvādhikāyai namah: I bow down to Amma who transcends all cosmic categories

For us, Amma is the omniscient, omnipresent Mother of the universe who transcends all the tattvas. As each name breaks down the Devi's various qualities, we realise, as best as we can, that Amma is the all-pervading presence in our lives. All we need to know and practise is 'surrender'. But the mind, joining together with the ego, plays tricks on us and tells us we can surpass any situation; that our next breath is ours; that we are the ultimate doers. I have had many a knock on my head from the universe to tell me what happens to the best laid plans of mice and men! But surrender is just such a difficult concept to grasp, because from our very birth we have been taught independence. Surrender is laying down of ourselves at Amma's feet and realising that we can only see till the end of the road whereas Amma can see the entire route. And more. Surrender is knowing that we are in the presence of Divinity Herself. Surrender is understanding that even our next breath is a gift from Amma. May we learn to surrender completely to Amma who in Her divinity and grace, will engulf us in Her unending love.

Om Amriteshwariye Namah! 

Radiating peace!

905. Om baindavāsanāyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is seated in the Baindava (Ajna) chakra

Baindava: the spot between the eyebrows

This reminds me of how Amma has been leading us in the peace meditation. One of Amma's instructions has been to imagine a pearl in between our eyebrows, inside a triangle, shining and radiating light all around. Amma's white flower meditation is meant to bring peace to the entire world in these difficult times. Everyone is going through periods of turbulence. May Amma guide us through these many obstacles and see us through to the other side of this spiritual path, safely. Amma, please bless all those who are reaching out to You. We know no other shelter; we know no other comfort. You are the only shade in which we can rest our weary heads. We, your children ache for Your unending grace and infinite, divine love.

Om Amriteshwariye namah!  

Madguruh Sri Jagadguruh!

904. Om vidagdhāyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is expert in everything.

My Mother is the strongest, most beautiful, most protective, most loving and the most compassionate mother on earth. Amma. She is an expert at making each of us feel loved even from miles away. When we cry to Her with all our heart, Amma reaches out with Her infinite grace and divinity and envelops us in Her loving embrace. She is the expert is loving unconditionally. What does a Guru want from us? Amma only asks us to give Her all our negative tendencies. She wants for each of us to become aware of the divinity within us. Imagine loving thousands and thousands of people unconditionally and giving so much of Herself to each of us! All we need to do is realise the truth about who Amma is (not that we can ever understand the full extent of who Amma truly is!) and be grateful that we are the children of the Master of the Universe! Madguruh śri jagadguruh!!

Om Amriteshwariye namah! 

Our Safe Amma World

903. Om kalyāyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is capable of creation

The 699th Shloka is Amma as Savitri: the creative power in the universe! For us, Her ardent devotees, this is a known fact that everything begins with Amma and resides with Amma. I bask in the warmth of the knowledge that She created me. Through my sadhana, I just hope to find that higher purpose She created me for. We have all been created for a higher purpose and I think the beauty of getting older, with Amma as our Guru, is that it helps us connect more and more with our inner selves. We make friends long distance without even seeing them, through the sheer connectivity of prayers! Remya Warrier is one such friend who I have never met and yet it seems like Amma brought us together many lifetimes ago. I haven't seen Bindu in 6 years and yet every time I hear her chanting, Amma creates that safe, spiritual bubble within which we revel in each other's happiness! Amma has created for us the perfect world of supportive, non-judgemental brothers and sisters who have our back, every day. Why wouldn't we? After all, we do share a common Mother who loves us all to bits !!!

Om Amriteshwariye namah! 

Finding our Inner Selves

902. Om vijnāna-kalanāyai namah: I bow down to Amma who realizes the knowledge of Brahman

At Amma's lotus feet is the seat of all knowledge. We will find every truth to the universe right there, at Amma's feet. Swami Vivekananda once said: "The goal of mankind is knowledge ... Now this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside: it is all inside. What we say a man 'knows', should, in strict psychological language, be what he 'discovers' or 'unveils'; what man 'learns' is really what he discovers by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge."
The only person who can help us ignorant souls unveil this knowledge that very much lies within us, is our beloved Guru. She dusts away the cobwebs of ignorance, selfishness, greed, lust, anger, jealousy and other such vices, to show us our true self and our infinite capabilities. Imagine breaking free of the vices that bind us down to petty thoughts! Imagine a life where we are constantly in the know of the knowledge within us and we can see the world as Amma would like us to see it: seamless, filled with love! That will truly be a life of sac-cid-ananda! I pray with trepidation to Amma to take away these cobwebs. Trepidation, because I know that when She strips them away, I will feel pain. But after that, it will help me realise the fount of knowledge that lies within me. And then I can truly dwell in the nature of my true loving self, as God has created all of us.
Om Amriteswaryai namah!