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Beautiful New Mexico
21-25 June 2009 The programs in Albuquerque New Mexico consisted of one surprise after another. First there was the last public evening at the end when Amma sang Khol Darvaza. Then the first retreat night, as the darshan line trickled down to the last few, everyone rushed forward expecting a repeat of the previous evening. Playfully, Amma smiled and said that She would sing tomorrow night. With that sweet promise, we all went to bed, only to wake up for a cultural treat that began the morning program. Even before Amma arrived for darshan, an announcement was made saying that…
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Q126: Recent movie?
Question 126: “What was the most interesting movie you watched recently? What was special in it?” Please make your answer clear and brief (maximum 5 or 6 lines).
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Cyclone Aila: Food distribution
One of the things that took us all by surprise often was the number of people who came to eat. Initially we started seating everybody and serving them but soon found out that this would be a fatal experience. Firstly the number of people who came to eat was a sizeable one and the people to serve them.. very few. After cooking the food in that heat and with that soggy wood, and again coming out and serving the food; carrying these huge vessels from one end to the other was a great challenge. And then getting these huge vessels…
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Q125: Childhood Idol?
Question 125: “Who was your childhood’s hero figure or idol? What ideals did you see in him/her” Please make your answer clear and brief (maximum 5 or 6 lines).
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arms outstretched in bliss
Tues 23 Jun Tonight was the first night of the Albuquerque retreat. Amma sang a new English bhajan – “In This World of Change”. Amritapriya played harmonium and sang lead with Amma. It was very sweet. Amma sang: Sri Gananayaka Sundar Hai Nayana Tere Kanivotu Kattarulitaname In This World of Change Iswar Parameshvara Markanda Madhurya Shristiyum Niye (in Spanish) Amma Amma Taye At the end of Shristiyum Niye, instead of ‘Devi….. Devi…… Devi’, Amma sang ‘Devi….. Devi….. Madre Divina’ and the crowd repeated back. This happened twice. The last round, Amma just sang Madre Divina, Her arms outstretched in bliss.…
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The next Mata Rani?
22 Jun 2009 Tonight was the last public program in New Mexico – the Retreat starts tomorrow. During the evening program, archana had just finished and it seemed like darshan was going to end soon. Ramanand took the stage to perhaps sing a few bhajans. It was going to be an unusually early night – 2am. But then something happened. There was a mad scramble. Amma had asked for a microphone. Then a harmonium. Then tablas. All were moved near Amma. She was going to sing! People ran in from the hallway, friends contacted their roommates who had gone to…
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Thirst Quenched
It was barely a year and a half since I first met Amma but it seemed as though I knew her for ages. I was blessed to be with Amma at Bangalore. It was a great pleasure for us, the students of Amrita School of Engineering, Bangalore to volunteer for Amma’s darshan programme and since this was my first seva at the ashram I was naturally excited. I chose crowd controlling near the stage with a desire to be near Amma for the rest of the two days. By the end of the day our lecturers announced that our turn…
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The Recycle Fashion Show
12 June 2009 — San Ramon A gown made of old fruit and vegetable sacks… a pair of pants fashioned from rice bags… a wedding dress stitched from used shrink wrap… These were just some of the “new fashions” modeled at the Recycle Fashion Show put on during darshan one afternoon in Amma’s San Ramon ashram. In order to help create awareness regarding the importance of recycling, devotees in San Ramon put on a fashion show in which all the clothing was fashioned from potential trash. Other original clothing included a cocktail dress made of plastic cut from household cleaning…
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Converting into Meditation
18 June 2009 On the Second retreat evening, Amma held the meditation and question and answer session outside. The hotel is right next to the LA Airport and also a very busy intersection, so it was quite noisy. Amma playfully noted that we should hear all the noise as ‘Ma and Om’ (referring to the meditation that is done just after Amma enters the hall for darshan). Bhajans were Sri Gananayaka Murali Vale Pyare Kanha Anandanmrita Rupini Sankara Siva Sankara Manasa Vacha (in Spanish) Sri Rama Namamu Nammavararu Namagilla Jai Ma Ambe Murali Vale Pyare Kanha is a new Krishna…
