Guest guest Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Dear List, I first became an Amma devotee in 1995. Having come from a path of strict adherence to one guru, I was amazed when a local devotee stood up and said this other Divine Mother (Karunamayi) was coming to our city and we should all go see her because someone in another city said "It feels like Amma sent her." I personally felt no interest in anyone but Amma, but if Amma wanted me to go see Karunamayi, then I was the obedient disciple who would go see her, marveling all the while at this new organization. So I went to see Karunamayi, who was very sweet, but did not have the impact for me that Amma did. Later that year Swami Ramakrishna was in town for a retreat. Someone asked him if Amma had sent Karunamayi. He said no, that Amma was here for us Herself, and that when She sent someone it was one of her monks like himself. It is said that there are many good gurus, but where is there a good disciple? I don't criticize anyone for going to see another guru, but I don't think any of Amma's monks would go to see another guru or any of the "inner circle" so to speak. What is the difference between them and us? I want to be one of the steadfast ones. Swamiji gave a wonderful talk last year in Michigan in November. He asked if we had noticed people who went from relationship to relationship but never got serious about anyone. We all nodded. He said the reason that people who date a lot but don't get into serious relationship is that they know (at some level) that serious relationships cause pain and they are seeking to avoid pain. He said that it is the same way with gurus. Once we enter into a truly serious relationship with one guru, we will have major pain, and that many people seek to avoid this kind of pain by also visiting a variety of gurus rather than going deep with one. I had been in so much pain over my relationship with Amma at that time that I had decided I just couldn't go on. Swamiji's talk was like a light switching on! When I (with a grateful heart) went for darshan that morning, Amma greeted me with a laugh and a big, "Ahaaa!" meaning that she knew I had finally gotten it. A long time ago, in my previous path, one of the monks told us about a brief question he asked the saint Anandamoyima. He asked her how he could achieve realization. Her response? "Take any one sentence of your guru's and make it your own!" While we need to respect all paths and all teachers, it is still important to some of us to give our total obedience and honor to the Queen of Our Hearts, Ammachi. Jai Ma! In Her love, Jyotsna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Thank you so much for this lesson of sharing. I think that a lot of us (me included) would like to have a life filled with bliss. We don't want to make the commitment and bare the pain that is necessary to make that life of bliss possible. We want an easy path. We don't want to surrender the ego. We are so blessed that Amma is here and we can surrender to Her Love. Pahari Maa On Aug 13, 2005, at 3:10 PM, E. Lamb wrote: > Dear List, > > I first became an Amma devotee in 1995. Having come from a > path of strict adherence to one guru, I was amazed when a local > devotee stood up and said this other Divine Mother (Karunamayi) > was coming to our > city and we should all go see her because someone in another > city said "It feels like Amma sent her." I personally felt no > interest in anyone but Amma, but if Amma wanted me to go see > Karunamayi, then I was the obedient disciple who would go see > her, marveling all the while at this new organization. So I went > to see Karunamayi, who was very sweet, but > did not have the impact for me that Amma did. > > Later that year Swami Ramakrishna was in town for a retreat. > Someone asked him if Amma had sent Karunamayi. He said > no, that Amma was here for us Herself, and that when She > sent someone it was one of her monks like himself. > > It is said that there are many good gurus, but where is there a > good disciple? I don't criticize anyone for going to see another > guru, but I don't think any of Amma's monks would go to see > another guru or any of the "inner circle" so to speak. What is > the difference between them and us? I want to be one of the > steadfast ones. > > Swamiji gave a wonderful talk last year in Michigan in November. > He asked if we had noticed people who went from relationship > to relationship but never got serious about anyone. We all > nodded. He said the reason that people who date a lot but > don't get into serious relationship is that they know (at some > level) that serious relationships cause pain and they are > seeking to avoid pain. He said that it is the same way with > gurus. Once we enter into a truly serious relationship with > one guru, we will have major pain, and that many people > seek to avoid this kind of pain by also visiting a variety of > gurus rather than going deep with one. I had been in so much > pain over my relationship with Amma at that time that I had > decided I just couldn't go on. Swamiji's talk was like a light > switching on! When I (with a grateful heart) went for darshan > that morning, Amma greeted me with a laugh and a big, > "Ahaaa!" meaning that she knew I had finally gotten it. > > A long time ago, in my previous path, one of the monks > told us about a brief question he asked the saint Anandamoyima. > He asked her how he could achieve realization. Her response? > "Take any one sentence of your guru's and make it your own!" > > While we need to respect all paths and all teachers, it is still > important to some of us to give our total obedience and honor > to the Queen of Our Hearts, Ammachi. > > Jai Ma! > > In Her love, > Jyotsna > > > > > > > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > > > > > ▪  Visit your group "Ammachi" on the web. >  > ▪  >  Ammachi >  > ▪  Terms of > Service. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 --- "E. Lamb" <jyotsna2 wrote: > "Take any one sentence of your guru's and make it > your own!" Amen. Aravind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 I totally agree with Jyotsna & Pahari Maa about our guru. I, too, have seen Karunamayi and while quite sweet, she simply did nothing for me. I felt I was wasting my time that evening. I've seen other Indian gurus previously. Aain, there has been no comparison to Amma! She is changing me, my life and deepening my path. While this may not be the same for everyone, this is the truth for me. A Buddhist monk told a friend of mine, "You cannot go down the river with your foot in two different canoes." He further explained that you need to find your path and then take it. By being in two boats you will not get anywhere really-you will be split all the way. Someone also once asked Amma, "How do you know when you have found your guru?" Amma replied, "You fall instantly in love." Let me say further, Amma is not saying that the very first time you set your eyes on Her that you fall for Her. But rather, at a point, your love rises up instantaneously. For me, it was pretty darn rapid-the first weekend I was with her back in 2002 at Devi Bhava. in devotion to Amma Adriane Ammachi, Ardis Jackson <ardis1@v...> wrote: > Thank you so much for this lesson of sharing. > > I think that a lot of us (me included) would like to have a life filled > with bliss. We don't want to make the commitment and bare the pain > that is necessary to make that life of bliss possible. We want an easy > path. We don't want to surrender the ego. > > We are so blessed that Amma is here and we can surrender to Her Love. > > Pahari Maa > > > On Aug 13, 2005, at 3:10 PM, E. Lamb wrote: > > > Dear List, > > > > I first became an Amma devotee in 1995. Having come from a > > path of strict adherence to one guru, I was amazed when a local > > devotee stood up and said this other Divine Mother (Karunamayi) > > was coming to our > > city and we should all go see her because someone in another > > city said "It feels like Amma sent her." I personally felt no > > interest in anyone but Amma, but if Amma wanted me to go see > > Karunamayi, then I was the obedient disciple who would go see > > her, marveling all the while at this new organization. So I went > > to see Karunamayi, who was very sweet, but > > did not have the impact for me that Amma did. > > > > Later that year Swami Ramakrishna was in town for a retreat. > > Someone asked him if Amma had sent Karunamayi. He said > > no, that Amma was here for us Herself, and that when She > > sent someone it was one of her monks like himself. > > > > It is said that there are many good gurus, but where is there a > > good disciple? I don't criticize anyone for going to see another > > guru, but I don't think any of Amma's monks would go to see > > another guru or any of the "inner circle" so to speak. What is > > the difference between them and us? I want to be one of the > > steadfast ones. > > > > Swamiji gave a wonderful talk last year in Michigan in November. > > He asked if we had noticed people who went from relationship > > to relationship but never got serious about anyone. We all > > nodded. He said the reason that people who date a lot but > > don't get into serious relationship is that they know (at some > > level) that serious relationships cause pain and they are > > seeking to avoid pain. He said that it is the same way with > > gurus. Once we enter into a truly serious relationship with > > one guru, we will have major pain, and that many people > > seek to avoid this kind of pain by also visiting a variety of > > gurus rather than going deep with one. I had been in so much > > pain over my relationship with Amma at that time that I had > > decided I just couldn't go on. Swamiji's talk was like a light > > switching on! When I (with a grateful heart) went for darshan > > that morning, Amma greeted me with a laugh and a big, > > "Ahaaa!" meaning that she knew I had finally gotten it. > > > > A long time ago, in my previous path, one of the monks > > told us about a brief question he asked the saint Anandamoyima. > > He asked her how he could achieve realization. Her response? > > "Take any one sentence of your guru's and make it your own!" > > > > While we need to respect all paths and all teachers, it is still > > important to some of us to give our total obedience and honor > > to the Queen of Our Hearts, Ammachi. > > > > Jai Ma! > > > > In Her love, > > Jyotsna > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ▪  Visit your group "Ammachi" on the web. > >  > > ▪  > >  Ammachi > >  > > ▪  Terms of > > Service. > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Ammachi, "Adriane" <a1driane@s...> wrote: > Someone also once asked Amma, "How do you know when you have found > your guru?" Amma replied, "You fall instantly in love." Let me say > further, Amma is not saying that the very first time you set your > eyes on Her that you fall for Her. But rather, at a point, your love > rises up instantaneously. > in devotion to Amma > Adriane Hi, While I agree with the statement " ... rather, at a point in time .." and that is how I would classify my coming to Amma, I do not think the 2 sentences "... instantly in love ..." (meaning at 'zero' point in time) and "...rather, at a point in time ...." match up. But I am willing to hear more on this, provided the discussion does not go into 'timelessness' - that can be boringly philosophical and ineffective (for me, and for almost anybody in mayic world)! Mine was not a case of "instantly", it was a case of 13 years of skeptical (esentially skeptical about the Devi Bhava and my own adolescent ideas of why bhajans and pujas were uncool), patient "contemplation" till she whacked it into my head of her authencity and relevance (to me). Yet, I have no complaints. I am convinced that Amma is my guru, whether I fit into the above (my understood) Amma-provided definition or not! Jai Ma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Amma had made this statement at a retreat. With time's passing, perhaps the word was "spontaneously". Although things can happen in an "instant" at any time...LOL..so that is all I can say. (Ok, that's a lie!!) It probably doesn't matter much except having your own "knowing" when finding your guru. Once you do, it is surely unmistakable. love adriane Ammachi, "manoj_menon" <ammasmon@s...> wrote: > Ammachi, "Adriane" <a1driane@s...> wrote: > > Someone also once asked Amma, "How do you know when you have found > > your guru?" Amma replied, "You fall instantly in love." Let me say > > further, Amma is not saying that the very first time you set your > > eyes on Her that you fall for Her. But rather, at a point, your > love > > rises up instantaneously. > > in devotion to Amma > > Adriane > > Hi, > > While I agree with the statement " ... rather, at a point in > time .." and that is how I would classify my coming to Amma, I do > not think the 2 sentences "... instantly in love ..." (meaning > at 'zero' point in time) and "...rather, at a point in time ...." > match up. > > But I am willing to hear more on this, provided the discussion does > not go into 'timelessness' - that can be boringly philosophical and > ineffective (for me, and for almost anybody in mayic world)! > > Mine was not a case of "instantly", it was a case of 13 years of > skeptical (esentially skeptical about the Devi Bhava and my own > adolescent ideas of why bhajans and pujas were uncool), > patient "contemplation" till she whacked it into my head of her > authencity and relevance (to me). Yet, I have no complaints. I am > convinced that Amma is my guru, whether I fit into the above (my > understood) Amma-provided definition or not! > > Jai Ma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Om Namah Shivayah Blessed souls on the list I see my relationship with Amma like any long-term relationship in my life. Friendships, marriages, and other types of meaningful and fulfilling relationships are all difficult! If I am willing to "stick it out" with a good friend, why not the Mother of the Universe?! I do read works by other teachers (Neem Karoli Baba, for one) but always refer back to Amma. I try not to jump from one 'lily pad' to the other. I believe that a commitment is a commitment, and I've made one to Amma. I believe that Amma is The One for Me and that's all I need to know. I do believe in the power of satsang, and that I can only gain from being around people of like mind. However, I have never felt compelled to see any other gurus or teachers that come into town. (I did go and see Ram Dass speak, but he doesn't bill himself as any sort of guru. Rather, he spreads the word of love and service through the lens of his own guru.) Unlike others, I fell in love with Amma immediately upon setting eyes on her. I had been hearing a lot about her for a few years and wanted to meet her, so when I finally got to meet her -- well, WOW. I saw the swamis and the pada puja and the garland and the flower petals. I simply lost my breath and started to sob. My life has never been the same since. With love, At her holy, holy feet, Erica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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