12 Jun 2010, Sanramon

At the end of darshan on Wednesday night (the last public program before the retreat), Amma practiced a new bhajan written in English by a German devotee. The following evening (Thursday), Amma sang this song during bhajans. The words beautifully convey Amma’s message about our need to restore the broken harmony between humanity and nature and how we need to care for our planet and all life forms.

Nature is our home
God in another form
……..
…………
For us to survive we need to strive
To care for all of life
—

Here at M.A. Center, these words are being put into action on a daily basis.

Each day, during Amma’s programs, dozens of volunteers have been heading up into the surrounding hills to care for the 350 newly planted fruit trees and hundreds of companion plants. Two year ago, Amma requested that the Ashram start an orchard. The unusually cool weather has provided a wonderful opportunity to serve outdoors while waiting for darshan or between program.

The orchard is just part of the ongoing ‘greening’ of M.A. Center. The Ashram also has a bee hive, an organic community garden, a plant nursery, two milk-giving cows, as well as a seed saving organic garden run by AYUDH. The activity runs year-round with help from residents, devotees, and volunteers from the surrounding communities, as well as karma yogis who come to M.A. Center from all over the world to help. Even the younger members of Amma’s community, the children of Amrita Balakendra, have participated in tree planting and other activities. The Ashram also serves as an outdoor classroom, having hosted a number of workshops in areas such as soil food web (led by Elaine Ingham), tree pruning, and erosion control.

Let us love and protect, care and respect, the wonder of this world.

— Sri Pati