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Mysterious Bhavani, Mysterious Amma
Jan, Bharata Yatra 2009 This south indian tour has been fascinating for me. Usually I have seen Amma on US tours- somehow seeing Her near temples and holy rivers, seems more appropriate than in hotels and ballrooms… This time was the first time I accompanied Amma’s famous trips to Her favorite Bhavani river. Little did I realise the rich symbology that was to hit me. I first thought that Bhavani was a simple river, whose banks have been sanctified by Amma each year. But somehow, I thought, if each time, Amma stops there, there must be something special there. I…
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Living in the present with Amma
We on tour with Amma are learning this lesson intensely – to live in the present, whether on the journey or in the destination. While our straight-jacket mind thinks of program places as the real events of the tour, it calculates the distance between places and time of journey etc. Sometimes more than even the program place we lose ourselves in thinking that once the bus stops we have to rush to secure a place for our mats. All for a stay as brief as one or two days! Sometimes mistaking it for the end of our lives. Amma’s tours…
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Looking into her eyes
When Amma came to my hometown in the U.S., I didn’t know what darshan was or what it meant. A friend told me, “Amma is a saint! It is a huge blessing to be in her presence.” I got a token, I got a hug, and afterwards I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. Was I supposed feel more? Other people seemed to. I asked my friend, Grace, about her experience. “Oh, it’s when I look into her eyes!” she said. “It’s like looking into the depths of the universe!” “I couldn’t meet her eyes!” I exclaimed. Suddenly I…
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Q106: Worst Habit?
Question 106: “What is your worst habit? Have you tried changing it?” To post your answer, click on ‘Add Comment’. Please think well before you answer, and make your answer brief and clear.
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Fruits of my action
18 Jan 2009, Bhavani River, Bharata Yatra 2009 About two years ago, when I was living at the San Ramon ashram, I had to drive into San Francisco one day for work. San Francisco is about an hour away and there are many homeless people in the city. I had brought a lunch with me that day and driving home at the end of the day, I still had a nice red apple left uneaten. As I pulled up to a stop light, I spotted a man on the street corner, whom, by his appearance, I could tell was homeless.…
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Free cellphone
Bharata Yatra 2009, When i arrived in the Ashram 3 days earlier I didnt know that i ‘d go on tour with Amma. And when i learned about it, I decided to go even if i was not very confident for I dont know much about AMMA, I dont even know what “Aum Namah Shivaya” means, i just say it becasus i feel what it means. So here I am in Kodungaloor alone, without any family,friends and any cellphone since it fell off the train during my way to the Ashram. I am surrounded by people i dont know. That…
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Love in Coimbatore
18 Jan 2009, Coimbatore In Coimbatore during a morning darshan I was standing on the first floor of the school which gave a full view of Amma giving darshan. She was doing this in full speed. People pushed and rushed to secure darshan tokens in exchange for the timecards served on their arrival. It looked like they wanted nothing else but the tokens for darshan. Sure the love in their hearts was stirred fully awake. But Amma seems much more eager to meet Her children or why would she undertake such travel travails upon herself on such large scales the…
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Q105: Saddest day?
Question 105: “What was the saddest day in your life? Do you feel it to have also been, a valuable spiritual learning experience?” To post your answer, click on ‘Add Comment’. Please think well before you answer, and make your answer brief and clear.
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inner coolness
13- 14 jan 2009, Bharata Yatra 2009, Kodungallur on the 12th evening amma arrived at amrita vidyalayam, kodungullar. amma stayed there. the ashram is about one kilometer away. i saw an old man, who was supposed to be at amrita university for an ugc inspection – but was here. i asked him why he was here.” “this is the place amma initiated me to a mantra, and the lalita sahasranama. how can i forget?” this is the bond the old timers have with kodungullur. remember, in those days, the brahmasthanam festival was for 9 days, with 5 archanas of 1000…
