The heart is not in the sandals.

[Guest guest]

When everyone had received prasad, a devotee approached Amma, telling

her that she had just scolded another lady because she had approached

Amma while wearing her sandals. The woman told Amma that she had

sternly told the lady that one should never approach the Guru wearing

shoes or sandals, but that one should come barefoot and humble. She

asked Amma if what she had said was correct, and if she was in the

right to have scolded the woman.

Amma's response was quick: "The heart is not in the sandals."

As always, Amma's focus was on the attitude, not the act. It is

better to approach the Guru with humility and a pure heart while

wearing one's sandals than to approach barefoot and full of pride.

After Amma's answer, Amma and those immediately around her broke into

laughter. But, as there was no microphone, no one else knew why they

were laughing.

Soon, the group around Amma shared the story with the circle of

people directly behind them. Of course, they too began to laugh. Then

the circle of people directly behind them wanted to know what was so

funny, so they also were told. In this way, the laughter gradually

spread, like a single slow-moving shockwave, throughout the temple.

By the time the story reached the very back of the hall--setting off

a final burst of laughter--several minutes had passed. So Amma asked

what they were laughing at. When she heard the reason, of course, she

fell into laughter once again.

 

"To eliminate the ego, always be humble and bow down to others."

—Amma

[Guest guest]

That's beautiful, and it reminded me of something that happened in Rhode Island

a few

years ago. There was a girl that really, really wanted to give Amma a present,

and she had

picked out a pair of (used?) lovely shoes/slippers. Many people were aghast to

see her

offer these to Amma, but Amma -- seeing the purity of the girl's heart/offering

--

touched them to her head in gratitude. It was very beautiful and a good reminder

to not

get so caught up in the custom that we forget the meaning behind it. Blessings,

Iswari

 

Ammachi, "amarnath" <anatol_zinc> wrote:

> When everyone had received prasad, a devotee approached Amma, telling

> her that she had just scolded another lady because she had approached

> Amma while wearing her sandals. The woman told Amma that she had

> sternly told the lady that one should never approach the Guru wearing

> shoes or sandals, but that one should come barefoot and humble. She

> asked Amma if what she had said was correct, and if she was in the

> right to have scolded the woman.

> Amma's response was quick: "The heart is not in the sandals."

> As always, Amma's focus was on the attitude, not the act. It is

> better to approach the Guru with humility and a pure heart while

> wearing one's sandals than to approach barefoot and full of pride.

> After Amma's answer, Amma and those immediately around her broke into

> laughter. But, as there was no microphone, no one else knew why they

> were laughing.

> Soon, the group around Amma shared the story with the circle of

> people directly behind them. Of course, they too began to laugh. Then

> the circle of people directly behind them wanted to know what was so

> funny, so they also were told. In this way, the laughter gradually

> spread, like a single slow-moving shockwave, throughout the temple.

> By the time the story reached the very back of the hall--setting off

> a final burst of laughter--several minutes had passed. So Amma asked

> what they were laughing at. When she heard the reason, of course, she

> fell into laughter once again.

>

> "To eliminate the ego, always be humble and bow down to others."

> —Amma