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still darshan
Today Amma was still continuing the morning darshan during bhajan time. On Wednesdays there are these days many students from Amma’s schools coming for darshan, so it goes on quite late into the evening. Vishwanath 30.08.2006
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Hail to Her Glory!
Amma has been singing songs in different languages for a few years now. Of course, She has been singing bhajans in different Indian languages for ages… (of which few of us westerners understand the difference). I remember how, maybe five years ago, She asked me to write the first english one. That’s how Lord of Vrindavan came into being. Last January I heard that Swamiji had been asking for a faster and more joyful english Bhajan for Amma to sing. I always liked singing “Sita Ram, Sita Ram…” It somehow tasted sweet in my mouth… So I sat down and…
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Filming Amma’s Pada Puja
One recent satsang day I was called to the Kali Temple to film several Pada Pujas at the end of darshan, as I have been doing recently. I climbed the spiral staircase at the rear of the temple and found darshan was nearly over. I positioned myself behind the last people in the darshan line as they made their way towards Amma so I would not get blocked from the puja. The first family was quite large and as they were setting up the crowd around Amma began to surge and push. The chanting of the Dhyayamo Sloka began, followed…
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A Dip in Love
It was a beautiful morning when I finally reached the ashram. Sisters in bright white were pouring out from the Temple after their morning worship. My heart felt immediately at ease. Time spent in the desert of the world had extended to a full six months and I was very happy to be back home. I was also anxious to see Amma. What would She say to me after all this time…? These days Amma’s schedule is so outrageously busy… I didn’t have much hopes for anything. In the afternoon I was standing by the enquiry booth just in front…
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Amma went swimming
Today Amma went swimming with everybody and came afterwards almost directly for bhajans. Everyone was still blissful from all the fun when bhajans started. Amma sang the following: Nanda Nandana Azhikullil Pelava Kaiviral Alarnda Chutavizhi (Lalitamba) Wondrous Goddess Om Namah Shivaya Uttama Premattin Jai Ma Ambe An old/new English song called Wondrous Goddess was there tonight. The Original is an old song called Ishwari Jagadishwari. Wondrous Goddess, precious Goddess Giver of the gift of grace Lighting fires of liberation Please remove my many sorrows With its pleasures and its troubles I have seen this worldly life Must I suffer like…
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avalanche of devotion
Today when Amma came out for Q & A, somebody wanted to clarify a doubt about what Amma said yesterday during bhajans. The question was: “Why is it that Amma has sometimes before said that there should also be reason in devotion, that bhakti should be tempered with jnana, but yesterday She said that there is no reason in devotion?” Amma replied that we should always look at the context in which She says any given thing. For some people who worship blindly and have the attitude that God resides only in an idol for example, Amma stresses the importance…
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Sunset at Amritapuri
Everyone knows that just like snowflakes, no two sunsets are alike. Their inherent beauty and unpredictability are Mother Nature’s gift to humanity – stirring the soul and spirit. But there is something about the sunsets in Amritapuri that lift the soul just a bit higher. Every evening, between 5:30 and 6pm, I head up to the roof of the ‘S’ flats (the Brahmachari building just behind the stage in the main hall) to do my IAM meditation. Afterwards, I rest in sivasana (corpse pose). Tonight, as I finished, I stood up to find a most spectacular sunset filling the sky…
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Coffee and Sweets
I have been at Amritapuri for three weeks now and there have been many opportunities for learning and growing. Something I would like to share that happened recently shows how Amma fulfills our desires, no matter how small, when we have an attitude of detachment. Since arriving here from the US, I have been able to release one of my bad habits – drinking coffee. I used to drink two cups per day, plus tea in the afternoon. The second day here, I was looking forward to a nice cup of coffee. I purchased one from the cafe and drank…
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Amma in a playful mood
Amma was in a very playful mood tonight during the bhajans. There were moments of laughter as She playfully scolded Swamiji and twisted his ear. A few times She would name a song that She wanted to sing but as I was announcing it to the audience She pointed Her drumstick at me – then She called for different song and looked at me mischievously as I fumbled through the index trying hard to get it right. Usually I have about ten seconds to find the song in the index before it kicks off and if Amma decides to change…
