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Uttama Premattin … at the German Ashram
We left Spain in the afternoon; following the Rhone River to the North up through France and into Germany, where the river was the same, but the name was now the Rhine. Another reminder that water is the same, though called by many different names and so as Amma says, the Truth is One, called by many names. Alas, we passed through the magnificent scenery in the dark. We could only remember the past trips when we enjoyed spectacular castles and fall foliage along the riverbanks. Arriving at the German ashram at 4:30a.m., we stumbled up the steps. One of…
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Amma, Ven a Mi Corazon
Dusky grey-green olive leaf branches fanning from twisted black tree trunks on tan fields, the jagged, blue-grey pinnacles of Mountserrat rising like a Disney castle in the distance; the Spanish ashram could not be more picturesquely located. These peaks are the home of the Black Madonna of Mountserrat, now overlooking the abode of the white robed, Brown Madonna from the Arabian Sea. Our caravan reached the ashram as the golden light of the late afternoon sun stroked the old stone walls of the classic Spanish farmhouse. Amma was already inside her room there, having come the day before after the…
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Q172: Detachment or Dharma?
Question 172: “For you, what comes first: acting with detachment, or acting according to dharmic values and principles?” Please make your answer clear and brief (maximum 5 or 6 lines).
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Om Shanti, On the Way to Spain
Despite being up all night, some of us really wanted to enjoy the magnificent scenery as we crossed the Pyrenees mountains and over the French-Spanish border. We passed the rectangular boxlike farmhouses with their classic red-tiled roofs. They looked like children’s drawings of houses nestled among the autumn vineyards with their vibrant red and yellow leaves. These two story houses were designed to stable the animals below and house the people above. In this way, the animals were safe and the people got the heat from the bodies of the animals. Tall thin cypress trees bordered the fields and villages,…
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Promenade in Toulon
In the brief period between programs we decided to get some fresh air and walk to the ocean a few minutes away from the hall. On the way to Toulon, Amma had wanted to stop with group at the seashore, but the weather was against us. It was raining heavily as we approached the sea. Amma said that she didn’t want anyone to get sick, so to our sorrow, we were not able to stop with her. When she arrived at the hall she asked us if we had gone to the sea during the trip and we answered that…
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Your Loving Grace
Your Loving Grace Your loving smile is my guide through this stormy sea When crashing waves rock my boat, I call out your name And feel your loving arms hold me close. You are the boatman, guiding me through every storm You are the glowing sunrise that fills my heart with wonder Joy or sorrow: this is just a passing phase What is everlasting Amma, is your loving grace by Priya Kaushik
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Amma s Kindergarten
All of Amma’s programs in the West offer childcare. Switzerland had a beautiful area for the children, full of crafts projects. In Holland we saw them making origami and paper flowers: tulips, of course! We were curious to see what they would offer in Germany, because this country is so well-known for its emphasis on early childhood education. The word “kindergarten” is a well-known around the world and most of us attended a kindergarten when we were very young. Kindergarten is a German word meaning “children’s garden”. The classic kindergarten is a place where young children make the transition from…
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Eco tour in Europe with Amma
In all the cities on the Europe tour we could see Amma’s teachings on protecting the environment and respecting nature being put into practice. All the programs had recycling and composting of all the waste generated. Near the kitchen there were huge containers for separating the hard and soft plastic, paper and organic waste. Inside all the halls there were recycling stations in different locations. The Italians got the highest marks for artistic and colorful recycling signs decorated with instructive drawings. Amma’s bookstore went to great lengths to avoid the use of plastic bags. A few departments were lucky enough…
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Om abala-gopa-viditayai namah
Paris Devi Bhava, 2010 There were two notable special needs children in Paris. One blonde be-speckled boy kept storming the stage during bhajans to get to Amma. He tried every mode of ingress and at meditation time, he finally managed to elude his parents and the security people to slip onto the peetham beside Amma. She welcomed him and tried to make him form padmasana with his legs and put his fingers in chinmudra. Failing, she slipped into what was clearly a deep state of concentration. The boy slithered around the peetham, but Amma clearly sank deeper and deeper into…
