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Life is a celebration
it’s Onam. all over Kerala people are joyously celebrating Onam. children… they spend their days plucking flowers and running around after dragon flies, arranging the courtyard with flowers… with new dresses they swing on the trees… here also in the ashram we have one swing next to amma’s room. almost all the swamis have used it at least once. The ‘grown ups’ watch the ‘children’ with wonder. i remember what amma always says: “we have to be childlike, we should cultivate that innocence…” with amma every one becomes a child. The ‘grown ups’ watch the child with wonder Dhyanamrita 4…
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Orphaned in this world?
Again Amma was greeted by the cheerful sound of Her children from the Parippally Orphanage. The whole front of the hall was teeming with little ones who are so full of enthusiasm when they come to Amritapuri to see their own Amma. Jai Gopalaka Jay Hitakari Arundu Cholluvan Omkara Swararupini Tirumukham Darshanam (Tamil) Kannir Katalukal Hail To Your Glory (English) Gange Ginta Pavitralu (Kannada) Shiva Shiva Hara Hara Ambe Jagadambe Somehow Amma’s voice was so clear and full of strength tonight. I mean that sometimes, because Amma has to speak day and night to devotees and disciples, Her voice really…
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Onam present
A cat gave birth to two kittens and is happily settled in one of the brahmachari dormitories. This reminds me of something that Amma says about devotion. Devotion is of two types. One is like that of baby monkey and one like that of a kitten. A kitten is happy wherever the mother places it. If it is suffering at all, it will just cry. Then the mother cat will come pick it up by the scruff of its neck and place it in a better location. The mother knows what the baby needs. A baby monkey will hold on…
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Spiritual name
It is nineteen years since I first met Amma. On that occasion, in Paris, we all asked her for a mantra, which she freely gave; but having a spiritual name was never an issue for us. I was from time to time bothered by being unable to explain my Christian name (Anthony), which can be traced back to Roman times but has no known meaning; but as it did not occur to my friends to seek a new name I thought no more about it. So it was quite a surprise to find myself in Amritapuri this year considering whether…
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Evening Amritapuri
Just as every day is a celebration with Amma at Amritapuri, the sky adds a colorful backdrop for every evening.
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Bhaktavatsale was sheer bliss
As Amma walked onto the stage tonight She was greeted by a cheerful “Om Amriteshwaryai Namah” from the children of Her Parippally orphanage. Amma looked happily down at the little girls in the front row smiling radiantly. I often look at the children that come near Amma and wonder at their innocence, wanting desperately to imbibe some of it, but the past still weighs on my shoulders. Still I am hopeful, seeing how the people who have been around Amma for a long time, have become very childlike in a positive sense. Today Amma sang the following: Sirme Mayur Mukut…
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Amma’s Surprise Present
On the level of never ending, infinite compassion towards man and all of creation, Amma is predictable. On the level of hugging and chanting with her children Amma seems predictable. At the same time Amma is totally unpredictable, and many times the expression of her strongest blessings catch us totally by surprise. In that moment of shock, the ego is startled into something otherworldly and she gets in and does her love-magic totally beyond words. These words are an attempt to share a bit of one such experience beyond words. For this child Tuesday in Amritapuri, Meditation Day, has another…
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Vyathayariyikkan Vazhiyariyate
The bhajans tonight were: Ambadi Kanna Vyathayariyikkan Namami Kalike Asa Nasikkattora Tiruvadi Tedi Pahi Pahi Devi Oh Mind Become Surrendered Om Namah Shivaya Karunatankatamizhi Ambe Jagadambe I do not remember hearing mother sing the song Vyathayariyikkan very often. A very deeply touching song from way back: Not knowing how to communicate my grief, heart-broken, I remain If Thy all-seeing eyes fall on me with compassion, that shall be my refuge Thy twin eyes radiate countless rays of auspiciousness, Will not a tiny wave among them caress my body, O Mother? Bewildered, my mind is restless, the body collapsing, But for…
