Today we went on a safari around the Athi River side of the Amrita children’s Home property line. We were surveying the construction site,taking documentation of the physical boundaries of the 11 acre plot. We found a mature indigenous tulsi plant with seed pods, so we collected them for our tulsi start. We also saw hippo tracks everywhere along the water’s edge. The natives say the hippos are more vicious than big wild cats, crocs and alligators. Especially if they have babies…….they are deadly if you get near their young. They tell us to stay completely away from these mammals.

Our local guide who walked with us was hired by Amrita Children’s home as an askari (gateman). He lives down the road from Amrita Children’s home in a Masai Village. They are a local tribe that depend solely on cows for their livelihood. Their homes are built of cow manure, sticks and they graze the cows in the local area. This year the monsoons did not deliver and so there is no grass.

When we went to their village they told us the cows are dying and sometimes they go without food for 5 days. One woman spoke to me for a long time about how this is affecting their families. She told me they can’t send their children to school because they are required to pay money for tuition that they don’t have. The children all had flies hanging onto their eyes and mouths and the children were coming after us and reaching out to hold onto our shirt, hand whatever they could touch. When I felt their soft little innocent fingers touching me I was immediately called to their heart felt pleas. I felt like it was Amma calling us to the aid of these people. We have read about many people like this, we have all seen it on TV, but when you meet an emaciated mother with her child on her back looking you in the eyes, telling you her story, you are never the same. Once Amrita Children’s Home is stabilized our goals are to reach out to neighbors with ongoing food and educational programs in the local area. Our long term goal is to reach out to 2000 local people for an ongoing food program.

Take a look at these statistics:
- In Africa 50% of the people live below the poverty line.
- 25.4 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are living with HIV
-3/4 of all women infected with HIV live there
-3.1 million new HIV infections arose there in 2004
-2.3 million people in the region died in 2004
-There are 12 million orphans in Africa
-By 2010 UNAIDS predicts 27 million orphans
Every two months more people in Africa die of AIDS than were lost in the Indonesian tsunami

Once you look these people in the eyes, you can get a glimpse of Amma’s teaching that all are one. It wasn’t so easy to come home and just put some music on or forget what we saw. We realize the gems that Amma has given, are an opportunity to embrace this situation as fully as she allows us to be her vehicles. If I walk away from this situation, not doing my best, I feel like I am walking away from Amma.

Hanuman and Nikhila

Few days back, one ashramite asked the other, “Why do you smell bad?” the latter said, “I am back from my seva.” The former frowned, “I wonder when computers started stinking?” The latter said, “No! Today I got a chance to do a unique seva. You get a chance to do this seva once in 10 years.” And he started explaining. Yes! the bramacharin was referring to ashram septic tank cleaning seva.

After 10 years all the 4 huge tanks are full and they needed immediate action. First, a contractor was approached and he demanded a huge cost. He needed 10 days and 1500 dollars to do the job. Usually, his workers get fully drunk before they start the venture. They needed liquor to forget themselves while doing this most menial job. But, being in the ashram they couldn’t get intoxicated either. Unhappily, 3 men went inside the septic tank and 2 waited outside to transfer the bucket loads into the lorry. Every half an hour, they stopped the work, came out, went outside the ashram to smoke a cigar or chew tobacco. After six hours they cleared one lorry load of filth and they stopped their work.

Soon, this became talk of the ashram. During our dinner, senior ashramites recollected how Amma spearheaded septic tank seva every time. Almost 14 years ago, the night before Amma gave Sanyasa to most of her senior disciples; Amma came out her room and started emptying the septic tank. She summoned all the swamis who had taken up the vow of silence and fasting for the last 3 days. Amma asked them to clean the septic tank. As they started, a small bit fell near the mouth of one of the swamis and she remarked quickly, “Sweet pudding!” and laughed heartily. As the pit from the girl student’s hostel was removed for cleaning, Amma handed over a bucket of filth to one of the swamis and said, “Here is a girl’s beauty.” Her words were pregnant with deep meaning.
These vintage memories prompted bramacharis to undertake the venture by themselves. Next morning, when we announced our decision to the contractor, he refused to believe. He said, “We are happy to quit. But, swami! emptying 4 huge tanks is not a joke. Am sure you will have 12 or 13 lorry loads to clear.” Many bramacharis volunteered themselves for the seva. Actually, not more than dozen men are needed. But, twice the number had volunteered. So, we divided ourselves into 2 groups. One group a day was the deal. Soon, we started chanting the 1000 names and 4 ‘experienced’ bramacharins jumped inside the huge tank which contained deposits for the last 10 years.

What seemed menial for the workers became a celebration for the ashramites.
As the first round of archana ended, we heard, “Ramaha, Ramau, Ramaaha” from inside the tank. Yes! the bramacharis inside had started recollecting their Sanskrit grammar lessons. No! They recollected the most valuable lesson that Amma had taught, “A spiritual seeker needs to go beyond likes and dislikes.”
The bhajans followed sankrit lessons. Those of us who had never sung before, got a chance to show our skills now. Amidst chanting and fun lorry loads of human waste was getting removed from the tank. By the end of the day 5 lorry loads of waste from 2 tanks had been removed.
The next day, after Mandukya Upanishad class the second group started. After listening to the Supreme Upanishad truth for 90 mintues, here we get a wonderful chance to put them into practice.

As the work progressed, the contractor again appeared in the scene to check the progress. He was flabbergasted when he saw bramacharis chanting divine names and emptying the tank. When his men could empty just one lorry load a day, Amma’s children had emptied 5 lorry loads the previous day.

When his men needed to liquor to forget themselves, Amma’s children dosen’t need anything to go beyond themselves. What seemed menial to the former became worship to the latter. He said, “I accept that you guys are trained to accomplish your goals.” How true was his comment!

As we were emptying the 3 rd tank, we were surprised to see a big frog and his family living happily inside the tank. Though we wanted to take them away out of the tank and show them the free world outside, they didn’t want to come out. They reminded us of the material minds which refuse to take glimpses into higher truths that a Guru is willing to show. By the end of the day, all the 4 tanks of human waste had been emptied. So far, 14 lorry loads had been removed. As the unique seva was drawing close, Thumban the ashram dog came running. He waged his tail, lovingly peeped into the tank and said in his own language  “Well done!” to those 4 bramacharis still inside the tank. So, two days of festivities ended happily.

- Ram Kumar

Question 145:
“What does Rama represent for you? Why?”
Please reflect deeply on the matter before answering, and make your answer clear and brief (maximum 5 or 6 lines).

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The three day retreat program in Michigan started in the evening. Br. Dayamrita Chaitanya gave a satsang, which was followed by Amma’s satsang.

Here is a list of bhajans from today’s program:

* Sri Gananayaka
* Kuch Na Le Aya Tu
* Arikil Undenkilum
* Bhaktara Bandiharu (Kannada)
* Amma Undan Kaivaliyai
* Chetuletti Vetukoneda
* Jai Jai Janani Jai ho teri

The following lyrics from the ‘Arikil Undenkilum’ reflected my feelings while listening to the bhajans today “O Mother, even though Thou art near I am wandering, unable to know Thee. Eventhough I have eyes, I am searching unable to see Thee”.

Sudhakar

Dearborn, Michigan – Day 1, Monday, November 23, 2009

The Michigan program started in the evening. Swami Ramakrishnananda gave a satsang, which was followed by Amma’s satsang.

Here is a list of bhajans from today’s program:

* Dayakaro Tum
* Murali Vale Pyare Kanha
* Kanna Ni Enne Marannuvo
* Mayyagi Menu tu chahidi
* Manesa Nin Svanthamayi
* Kannilenkilum (Telugu)
* Shankara Shiva Shankara
* Karunamayi Devi (Kannada)
* Ma Jay Jagadambe Ma

Sudhakar

A tv report 13 Nov 2009 (TV1 España directo)

I first met Amma in 1989 when Amma came to LA for one of her first programs. I cryed in her arms like a baby during my first darshan.   I had been seeking the path for 6 years after being fed up with working in the world and  being diametrically opposed to the values of such a capitalistic system of greed and materialism.  My body was the indicator that something was very much wrong with my way of life.  I had two critical brushes with my health that helped me turn to the path.   When Amma  came to LA, USA I was teaching yoga and I was a host on a spiritual radio talk show, interviewing  new age personalities.  I asked if Amma would be on my radio show and they told me she didn’t speak English, but I could interview her big swami.  When I interviewed him I realized I had never spoken to anyone like this in my life.  I would ask him a question and there would be a long pause before he would reply. Now remember this was a live radio talk show. I had been an improvisational actor and thinking on my feet was my forte.  After that interview I landed in her ashram one year later as one of the first western devotees to stay long term.  There were only a few huts, and I was a lucky monkey to be living in one of them.

In the beginning I was a rebel against the sadana routine  that occurred at Amritapuri. I thought they were all a bunch of complacent  sheep, following bhakti  which I wasn’t into.   I prided myself as a an advanced yogi from the west doing my own thing.  The strange thing is I would find myself always at Amma’s side, and this was unconscious on my part, I just followed my heart.  This went on for about 5 years, then I realized I didn’t know anything and started to try the ashram routine. When I started going to archana, bhajans, seva, spiritual talks etc.  I realized that this was the ticket to my higher self.  It was like jumping into the river and flowing effortlessly downstream instead of trying to struggle upstream.  My weakest area in the ashram lifestyle was seva.  When Amma asked me to go work at the press in my free time I rationalized that I didn’t have any free time. I felt I was always engaged in sadhna. As a result of not listening to my guru, I was gently pushed back to the western world to work.  I would work, save my money and come back whenever the first opportunity arose. This went on for the next 14 years.

This past year I got a big boon from Amma when I came to see her at Amritapuri. I was asked to help with security around Amma and  I was also getting to place her sandals on her feet every day.  I was in the flow of Amma shakti and everything was so effortless.  Before I had come I had made a decision that I would do whatever was asked of me.  I had made this decision 14 other years, but could never do it.  After one month of Amma  bliss I returned the USA to numerous trials that continued one after the next for 1 year.  The USA economy had just crashed and everything else seemed to be crashing as well. My partner and I were tested continually until we really thought we were going to go over the edge.  We finally took our last amount of energy and jumped to Amritapuri with the intention of staying for two years.   When we got to Amritapuri, Radhika from the international office approached us and asked if we would consider going to Kenya, Africa to help start the orphanage.  My partner Nikhila, who is a nester by nature had been moved 5 times in the past year and looked me square in the eye and said. “If you think I am moving one more time, you are crazy. There are many capable people here at this ashram that I can handle 108 orphans from Africa and unless Amma asks herself , I don’t think I am in any shape to care for 108 orphans.  Well, guess who asked us the following week? When Amma asked, Nikhila immediately turned her heart to what Amma was asking.   Now  we are here in Kenya Africa and this is the beginning of the blog about what happens in Kenya.

- Hanuman