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Little Lalita’s determination
Sitting near Amma saw another amazing baby interaction. New York Abeda comes to sit for meditation on stage during Amma’s darshan holding her one and a half year old baby Lalita.Lalita, however, has other plans… no sitting quietly for her. She wants one thing and one thing only – to get to Amma. It doesn’t matter to her that she can’t walk yet. She crawls, holds, falls over all of us until she makes her way up to Amma chair. Lalita talks to Amma, she calls Amma’s name (Abeda said: I could not make out ‘Amma’ in her baby talk…)…
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Service is Good!
During most Saturday programs at M. A. Center, I sit in the back of the hall cutting out old photos of Amma from cassette covers, calendars, and various outdated printed material to recycle or frame. Inevitably, a few children – maybe 4 or 5, sometimes more – will stop by to help along with a parent. They sit for a some time, and some stay, while some eventually get distracted and bounce away like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. Some come back, only to bounce away again… Tonight, I was looking forward to returning to my usual spot after having…
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When watching movies…
This experience reveals that Amma is always with us and watching our steps. From my childhood, I was being a typical human being liking the media entertainment. It always used to be just a 3 hour entertainment and the effect of it will fade off after completing the movie. For some reason, recently the movies I watched didn’t let me be myself at all. I was getting glued on to the incidents happened in the movie and forgetting the fact that it is just a movie. This went for almost 2 weeks. I could feel my energy drain and lack…
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Your Beautiful Smile
I do not wish to see anything anymore, I have seen you. I do not wish to hear any sound, I have heard you. I shut my mouth as you answer me, silently. No fragrance is better, than the aroma of your being. Your soothing feather-touch wakes me up. Desires try to creep in, but I awake fully, seeing your beautiful smile. The loveliest I have ever seen. by Satheesan Rangorath
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Birth of New Year
Ma, long long ago, was there a God, named sun, When the vibrant prana calmly rested in Brahma? The effulgent Self already swallowed the illusion, Only silence reigned with empty space illumined. Then silence disturbed, the dance of Siva began, The vibrant prana roared Om, Om and Om, The Self willed let me become many and many, Thus the universes countless born endlessly. Lord, the silent witness, willed with his mind, And the prana vibrated with the three gunas, The trinity were born, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, Creation began, its beginning incomprehensible. Infinite worlds came into existence, so-called Sat, One…
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Tsunami twins
This afternoon, while on stage, there was a bit of commotion near Amma. The photographer and videographer were nudging for a clear view of two young children who were coming up for darshan. As I was near the chair, I managed to get a close look at the scene. The boy and girl were adorable, smiling and posing for the camera with Amma. Their parents were beaming with joy. Instantly, I realized what I was watching. These two children were Tsunami babies, born out of Amma’s infinite compassion. Ten years ago, Liji and Srijith had lost their son and daughter…
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Christmas Carols from around
Christmas Day in Amritapuri was celebrated with a 1-1/2 hour set of Christmas Carols from around the world sung while Amma was giving darshan on the stage. Groups from the US and Europe, sang traditional carols in their respective languages accompanied by keyboard, zither, bells, and clarinet. 18 carols were sung in all with words posted on the screens in the hall. The set ended with a joyous version of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas!’ Some of the carols that were sung included: Alleluia Silent Night (English) Es ist ein Ros’entsprugen (German) Les anges dans nos campagnes (French) Sydameeni…
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When is it going to snow?
Over 1800 foreign visitors from around the world have come to Amritapuri to celebrate Christmas with Amma. Festive decorations and lights adorn the International Canteen, and a small tree with a nativity scene lies at the base of the stairs to Amma’s room. Close to 150 children of different nationalities make up part of this mix. 12 year old Kishan from the UK and 9 year old Hermanni (Sandeep) from Finland especially love the annual play which is put on by the International residents and visitors and performed on Christmas Eve. Kishan went on to say that he loves to…
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Taekwondo from Milan, White cranes fly to Kenya
“There is a lot of positivism in Life.” Indeed that is what AYUDH volunteers from Milan showcased in their recent event “Sulle Ali di un sogno” (On the wings of a dream). Having met Amma in the recent Europe tour and also in few previous years, they had been inspired by Amma’s relentless humanitarian activities and having been in the annual European AYUDH week organised in Germany, they wanted to be the first to support white crane project. White Crane was a project conceived by an AYUDH, Mattias who was blinded at 21 towards getting guidance canes for blind children…
