Guest guest Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Namah Shivaya, Since a couple of people on this list have expressed feeling disconnected from Amma lately, these related, but HIGHLY unofficial notes from a Q&A session at last weekend's retreat might be helpful. They address the main points, so you can at least get a general idea of what was said. I don't know how to e-mail Sw. RK for authorization. But, in the spirit of Sw. Dayamrita's response, I think it will be OK to share this. This is just from my imperfect, incomplete notes and not an exact representation of what was said. But, I hope it helps. Q: How can we have blissful experiences even though Amma isn't here? The answer was that our experiences help us to get surrender. And, when we eventually know that Amma knows everything, it's easier to surrender to Her, because we've never seen God. (Incomplete note: Or, God than to Amma?). I think the general point was that it may be easier to surrender to Amma who we've seen, than to God who we haven't seen. When we are doubting and think that Amma looks like a human being, and wonder how can She be God, then we can go by our experiences & the experiences of those who we know well. Then I think he said a Mahatma is one with Consciousness, and suggested prayer & contemplation. Sw. RK referred to a devotee who mentioned that with so many people praying to Amma, She must always be engaged. Sw. RK said She has a separate line to each of us. It's up to us to attune ourselves to Her. (This is from an incomplete note: Mahatma doesn't have to be with us, but through devotion and faith ...) It was pointed out that we have to work, it's not easy, and it doesn't happen all at once. When we know that Amma is a Mahatma, we should stick to it. She won't show us each day. Also, living with Amma doesn't mean people will get full devotion. Some live with Amma and then leave because they couldn't cultivate the faith in Amma. Faith in Amma can happen even when we are far away. I think he said that apparently, it's Amma's good qualities, (love and compassion), which opens our hearts. To wrap it up, Sw RK again suggested to go by our close friends' experiences and to observe Amma's actions. It's like cultivating faith in God who we don't see, but in whom we believe. It's our own effort. Q: How does one cultivate an attitude of surrender? A: If Amma makes it easy, then there is no effort. There is no free lunch in spirituality. Now it's off to work on cultivating some devotion & faith Sweta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 - ammachi Saturday, September 11, 2004 1:10 PM 2 Unofficial Q&A's Namah Shivaya, Since a couple of people on this list have expressed feeling disconnected from Amma lately. I had not added myself to the 'disconnected' devotee group officially, but I have been experiencing it privately - to the point I wasn't even really responding here. I read all the posts, but the distance between me and anything Amma related has seemed intense lately. This had reached the point that I had actually wondered if I was not where I belonged-or rather, perhaps where Mother did not want me to be anymore. Thank you so much for the q/a's given here because this part adressed the other possibility I was considering: When we are doubting and think that Amma looks like a human being, and wonder how can She be God, then we can go by our experiences. When we know that Amma is a Mahatma, we should stick to it. She won't show us each day. Oops, I deleted an important part of this: that it may be easier to surrender to Amma than God because we've seen Her. I think it's the opposite for me - last year, when I met Mother for the first time, I was literally awestruck and nearly overwhelmed by my absolute realization that Amma IS God. This year, not just during my time with Her in Iowa, I have felt more distanced and have been more apt to think of Her in terms of a super human-type mother. I had been wondering for some time if Mother has been testing the strength of my faith by leaving it to me to know who She really is - or if not actually 'testing' it, forcing me to examine it more closely. Questions keep arising about whether or not I can (or will?) surrender to the point I know I need to -and deeply think I want to. Several people have expressed regrets about not being able to be with Amma over Thanksgiving and I am in the same boat; I am heartbroken that She will be in the US and I 'have' to celebrate the holiday with family. And yet I know, deep down and from the spiritual heart, that surrending my need for familial approval is going to be essential at some point if I intend to 'grow' spiritually. The whole thing has made me feel almost ashamed in front of Mother - God is going to be in my country and I dare to be too busy and-or too otherwise committed to seek Her out???????? Well, that's about it, but it really does help to know that others struggle with similar issues. I know Amma meant the dark clouds on the sun to include the big picture, but I must admit that there are dark clouds over my sun right now. Namaste, Snehalata Also, living with Amma doesn't mean people will get full devotion. Some live with Amma and then leave because they couldn't cultivate the faith in Amma. Faith in Amma can happen even when we are far away. I think he said that apparently, it's Amma's good qualities, (love and compassion), which opens our hearts. To wrap it up, Sw RK again suggested to go by our close friends' experiences and to observe Amma's actions. It's like cultivating faith in God who we don't see, but in whom we believe. It's our own effort. Q: How does one cultivate an attitude of surrender? A: If Amma makes it easy, then there is no effort. There is no free lunch in spirituality. Now it's off to work on cultivating some devotion & faith Sweta Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! Ammachi/ b.. Ammachi c.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 It all comes back to faith in yourself in the end. (A bold statement, but I know it's true, because Amma said so, I believe it, and that's that.) ;-) Ammachi, "Dixie Thacker" <dixielou@s...> wrote: > > - > > ammachi > Saturday, September 11, 2004 1:10 PM > 2 Unofficial Q&A's > > > Namah Shivaya, > > Since a couple of people on this list have expressed feeling disconnected from Amma lately. > > I had not added myself to the 'disconnected' devotee group officially, but I have been experiencing it privately - to the point I wasn't even really responding here. I read all the posts, but the distance between me and anything Amma related has seemed intense lately. This had reached the point that I had actually wondered if I was not where I belonged-or rather, perhaps where Mother did not want me to be anymore. Thank you so much for the q/a's given here because this part adressed the other possibility I was considering: > > > When we are doubting and think that Amma looks like a human being, and wonder how can She be God, then we can go by our experiences. When we know that Amma is a Mahatma, we should stick to it. She won't show us each day. > Oops, I deleted an important part of this: that it may be easier to surrender to Amma than God because we've seen Her. I think it's the opposite for me - last year, when I met Mother for the first time, I was literally awestruck and nearly overwhelmed by my absolute realization that Amma IS God. This year, not just during my time with Her in Iowa, I have felt more distanced and have been more apt to think of Her in terms of a super human-type mother. I had been wondering for some time if Mother has been testing the strength of my faith by leaving it to me to know who She really is - or if not actually 'testing' it, forcing me to examine it more closely. Questions keep arising about whether or not I can (or will?) surrender to the point I know I need to -and deeply think I want to. Several people have expressed regrets about not being able to be with Amma over Thanksgiving and I am in the same boat; I am heartbroken that She will be in the US and I 'have' to celebrate the holiday with family. And yet I know, deep down and from the spiritual heart, that surrending my need for familial approval is going to be essential at some point if I intend to 'grow' spiritually. The whole thing has made me feel almost ashamed in front of Mother - God is going to be in my country and I dare to be too busy and-or too otherwise committed to seek Her out???????? > > Well, that's about it, but it really does help to know that others struggle with similar issues. I know Amma meant the dark clouds on the sun to include the big picture, but I must admit that there are dark clouds over my sun right now. > > Namaste, > Snehalata > > > > > > Also, living with Amma doesn't mean people will get full devotion. Some live with Amma and then leave because they couldn't cultivate the faith in Amma. Faith in Amma can happen even when we are far away. > > I think he said that apparently, it's Amma's good qualities, (love and compassion), which opens our hearts. To wrap it up, Sw RK again suggested to go by our close friends' experiences and to observe Amma's actions. It's like cultivating faith in God who we don't see, but in whom we believe. It's our own effort. > > Q: How does one cultivate an attitude of surrender? > > A: If Amma makes it easy, then there is no effort. There is no free lunch in spirituality. > > Now it's off to work on cultivating some devotion & faith > > Sweta > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > > Sponsor > > > > > > > - ----------- > Links > > > Ammachi/ > > b.. > Ammachi > > c.. Terms of Service. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.