To Aikya about my concern about tokens and being able to see Amma

[Guest guest]

Aikya wrote:

 

Amma tells the token folks how many tokens to distribute before the

program starts. It is always more than 700. She will say to give out

1300 or 2000. Then, if there is still a big line after all those are

distributed, they will ask her permission to give out more. In

previous years, "more" meant more numbered tokens. The exchange token

is relatively new. It's purpose is both to ensure that new people and

those who have not had darshan yet will get it and also (my opinion

only on this) to encourage people to stay in her presence.

 

 

 

Dear Aikya and those others who wrote about the tokens. Hearing all these

stories about the tokens, and having to have a token to get a token, and that

perhaps Mother does this, in part, to keep people from leaving the hall really

alarms me. It makes me feel I will not be able to see Amma again, and that

makes me very sad. I saw Her every year for 6 or 7 years, until I moved from DC

to Oregon. Then the trip became too difficult. But even the last time I saw

Her, I was ill, and I had to leave the Hall right before Devi Bhava and take

a nap, else I would have simply collapsed. In fact, it was "hearing" Mother

call me to come so I wouldn't miss Devi Bhava, and "hearing" the Amma Amma

Taye being sung that woke me up. My dorm room was not anywhere near the hall so

I was "hearing" via my inner ears.

 

But always before, I have sat in a chair on the side, and have not had to

sit too long, before I was taken up to see Mother. Then I would come and go as

my energy and symptoms allowed, being particular mindful of the things I

wanted to experience like the puja where everyone's light is lit from a light

that

Amma has, and where they say "Om para shatiyai namaha." I would try to get

to some of the satsang talks and some of the bhajans, but every year as my

health got worse, the amount of time I could spend in the hall was less and

less.

Maybe I am worrying too much over nothing, but all these changes make it

seem like it will be very difficult for me. Maybe others who are ill who have

seen Amma under these circumstances can write and share how they handle this new

structure and how they are handled by the lap people.

 

At Mother's Feet ~ Linda

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

It seems that Sweta and perhaps others have replied to you, Linda.

There always is a Special Needs area and the devotees who help in

that area do an amazing job of helping those who cannot sit for

long, cannot stand for a long time, cannot sit on the floor, or

whatever the individual's need is--to get to see Amma. A couple of

years ago my sweet little 80+ year old Gujerati friend Shreedevi

Munchi went to see Amma for her first darshan in New York City. In

spite of very long lines and huge crowds, she was graciously

accommodated with the help of Gabriella from Austin TX and the

Special Needs sevites in New York.

 

Previous to Gabriella and I encouraging Shreedevi and assuring her

that accommodations would be made for her, Shreedevi and her sister

in Mumbai had stayed away from Amma for several years due to the

huge crowds around Amma that they saw on television. Unfortunately,

neither on doordarshan or our local TV news stations, they do not

tell about Special Needs seva and Special Needs areas in all the

places Amma goes.

 

Aikya

 

Ammachi, nierika@a... wrote:

>

>

> Aikya wrote:

>

> Amma tells the token folks how many tokens to distribute before

the

> program starts. It is always more than 700. She will say to

give out

> 1300 or 2000. Then, if there is still a big line after all those

are

> distributed, they will ask her permission to give out more. In

> previous years, "more" meant more numbered tokens. The exchange

token

> is relatively new. It's purpose is both to ensure that new

people and

> those who have not had darshan yet will get it and also (my

opinion

> only on this) to encourage people to stay in her presence.

>

>

>

> Dear Aikya and those others who wrote about the tokens. Hearing

all these

> stories about the tokens, and having to have a token to get a

token, and that

> perhaps Mother does this, in part, to keep people from leaving the

hall really

> alarms me. It makes me feel I will not be able to see Amma again,

and that

> makes me very sad. I saw Her every year for 6 or 7 years, until I

moved from DC

> to Oregon. Then the trip became too difficult. But even the last

time I saw

> Her, I was ill, and I had to leave the Hall right before Devi

Bhava and take

> a nap, else I would have simply collapsed. In fact, it

was "hearing" Mother

> call me to come so I wouldn't miss Devi Bhava, and "hearing" the

Amma Amma

> Taye being sung that woke me up. My dorm room was not anywhere

near the hall so

> I was "hearing" via my inner ears.

>

> But always before, I have sat in a chair on the side, and have not

had to

> sit too long, before I was taken up to see Mother. Then I would

come and go as

> my energy and symptoms allowed, being particular mindful of the

things I

> wanted to experience like the puja where everyone's light is lit

from a light that

> Amma has, and where they say "Om para shatiyai namaha." I would

try to get

> to some of the satsang talks and some of the bhajans, but every

year as my

> health got worse, the amount of time I could spend in the hall

was less and less.

> Maybe I am worrying too much over nothing, but all these changes

make it

> seem like it will be very difficult for me. Maybe others who are

ill who have

> seen Amma under these circumstances can write and share how they

handle this new

> structure and how they are handled by the lap people.

>

> At Mother's Feet ~ Linda

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Aikya wrote:

 

It seems that Sweta and perhaps others have replied to you, Linda.

There always is a Special Needs area and the devotees who help in

that area do an amazing job of helping those who cannot sit for

long, cannot stand for a long time, cannot sit on the floor, or

whatever the individual's need is--to get to see Amma...

 

 

To Aikya and all others who responded to my concerns about my disability and

the tokens and darshan, all my dear sisters and brothers ~ I cannot thank

you enough, or find the words to tell you how much each of your responses meant

to me. Thinking of it brings tears to my eyes, and I know that Amma was

speaking to me through each of you. Any fears I had of the crowds and the

tokens

and all of that has been completely dispelled, and I am eager for next

summer's tour. I may go back to the DC area so I can go with my daughter to see

Amma, or I might go to Fairfield, or Albuquerque, because my hubby has assured

me

that he will get me to see Amma one way or the other. All the stories those

of you who saw Amma during Her winter visit, once again uplifted me and gave

me wings of hope and devotion. Once again, my very heartfelt gratitude to all

of you. Love, your sister Linda