Category: interesting
selected posts because its interesting
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Volunteers distribute food and water in Sendai
14 March 2011 Embracing the World has sent its first group of local volunteers from our Japan Center to Sendai—the major city nearest the epicenter of the earthquake, and hit hard by both the quake (Japan’s worst-ever) and the subsequent tsunami. At Amma’s request, the ETW representatives went to Sendai in order to study the situation on the ground and also to distribute food and water for the refugees. We set out for Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture on 13 March, within 3 days of the disaster. Because all the highways going north are completely locked down for military and authorized use…
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the day that was
watching ’embracing the world’ video triggered some memories in me. it was sometime in 1998 and i had been a part of amma’s free housing project – amrita kuteeram. amma had organized a team of volunteers which was to build 25 thousand free houses for the poor. as a forerunner, we visited every applicant’s address and our task was to filter out ineligible ones. the selected applicant or families were sorted out again according to the urgency of the need and that task was to prioritize constructions for the first year, second year, consecutive year and so on. amongst one…
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A letter written to Amma
This is a letter written to Amma by an ex resident of the Ashram. Sharing this for the benefit of Amma devotees. — My dear friend, Even though I address you in this way, to me you are beyond that. I recall, more and more, what you said to me when I left the ashram and when I spoke so many negative words about the ashram. You told me that if one sees what is sweet as bitter instead, it is because one’s intellect has become diminished. I did not understand that at the time, but today I recognize myself;…
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Historic moment at Buffalo
25 May Buffalo, NY I was fortunate to be there and want to share my experience with all of you. It was a historic occasion , probably one of a kind .. It was a great moment that a university in US would choose to confer a doctorate not on a scientist or an engineer but a Sage, Spiritual Master… One of the deans said “In honoring Amma, we are also honoring the TRADITION SHE REPRESENTS AND the culture and spirituality that India has to offer”. So it was a great day for Sanatana Dharma. Slee concert hall was large…
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amma, i want to see my krishna!
28 April 2010 – Kochi amma sometimes would visit a devotee’s place. at the house, she would first perform a puja and then would gather to talk with the family members. likewise during one visit in kochi, after the puja, amma was meeting with the family privately in a room. after few minutes, the little girl of the house whispered secretly in amma’s ears. amma started laughing and then explained what the little girl had just told her. (“avalkku njan avalute kannne kanichu kotutha mati” അവള്ക്കു ഞാന് അവളുടെ കണ്ണനെ കാണിചു കൊടുത്താല് മതി) “she(the little girl) only wants me to show…
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A unique seva of cleaning the septic tank
27 Nov 2009, Amritapuri 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…
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If I walk away, I am not doing my best
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.…
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A unique seva
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…
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Flood relief in Kurnool
Around 4 AM on the 5th of October there was a call from Amma enquiring on the on flood situation in Andhra Pradesh. I conveyed the information that I had gathered from the media and also our devotees circle in AP. The situation there was pretty bad and it was said that this was the worst floods in a 100 yrs. The AP administration was totally unprepared for this kind and this scale of flood, though it is said that part of it was due to their making. Amma than sent me to AP to co ordinate the relief work…