Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Om Blessed Selves I am rather new to this list and am finding it so interesting and helpful! I have a newbie question. What does is mean when Amma hands out an apple? In Her, carma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Dear Carma, I don't think it means one thing in particular. She almost always hands them out on birthdays and other special occasions (if you mention them!). She often gives them to devotees who offer her something hand-made or unique. Sometimes, she gives them and it's not clear why. In any case, these apples are surely infused with her shakti and I'd venture that there may be different energies/intentions according to individual needs. Love, Iswari Ammachi, "carma" <vaishnovi108 wrote: > > Om Blessed Selves > > I am rather new to this list and am finding it so interesting and > helpful! > > I have a newbie question. What does is mean when Amma hands out an > apple? > > In Her, > carma > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Hey Carma, Welcome. I'm not sure any of us "know" what anything Amma does "means." See Iswari's post last night about what Swami Amritaswarupananda (Big Swamijji) has been saying recently in lectures, that the longer he is with Mother, the more mysterious Her ways appear. But all of the Guru's prasad is grace, and it does seem as if She has an infinite amount of it to dole out. There have been times when I've sat near Her and been wondrous at the tokens of love showered on some who approach, and other times worried that they are facing some major obstacles to be given so much Vibhuti, and other times been jealous, and other times been like, oh, look at that-whatever-nonchalant, etc. etc. etc. Perhaps easy/easier/egolicious to say because we *have* received so many apples on our wedding anniversaries and birthdays, and one time a few years ago She gave me an apple in Washington D.C. when I was appealing to Her for assistance in how to take care of and love my stepson. He wouldn't eat it though! Thought it was like something out of that Snow White story (Although he'll take the Hershey kisses we bring home for him.) This year in New York's programs I became a sevite driving someone around to fetch apples for Mother's prasad, and by the time we got to the third or fourth store looking for the right size -- not too big or heavy to fit in Her hand, nice quality, right price, etc. -- I was in such Bliss musing on the blessing of being in the Big Apple searching for Mother's apples. Whew - I laugh and cry and sigh and flinch all at the same time remembering the feeling. Later that night, I couldn't even sit down at a table to help wash and polish the subsequent second or third batch that was needed for Devi Bhava because I knew I'd just do a psychic faceplant (so to speak) or cry all over them or something more emotional than seva-like. And so I just stood there mute and watching until the, uh, more grounded devotees finished that work. Ah, meditating in the heat outside the Fruit Exchange... thank you Amma!!!! love Prashanti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Om Namah Shivaya Prashanti, It was so nice to read about your experence with Mothers apple seva on the US tour. When I was on the North India tour, I had the chance to help one of the Western brahmacharinis with the apple seva. It turned out to be quite a leela, and was one of the most challenging experiences I have ever had! I was quite ill throughout much of the tour (with bronchitis, EColi, bleeding/cracked feet, lower back pain, etc.) yet my seva required that I not only work while sick, but also after traveling for 1-2 days straight without sleep. The last thing I wanted to do upon arriving to each venue after being sick on a bus for days without sleeping was transporting and washing Mother's apples - talk about tapas! She must have known that I needed this in order to become more detached from physical comforts, and to learn to sacrifice my selfish interests for Her (and Her devotees). This was one of the only sevas that required heavy physical labor immediately upon arrival to each location - pretty much the last thing I would have ever chosen for myself, being strongly influenced by tamas (I can barely function when I lose even a few hours of sleep, much less days of sleep, and tend to want to 'take it easy' when I'm sick!). The only way I made it through was by praying with great urgency.....I have alwasy regretted that I was not able to be more surrendered, especially knowing what a rare blessing it is to serve a Satguru such as Amma! I honestly don't know how the brahmacharinis and brahmacharis survive the entire tour. I have such great admiration for their dedication and willingness to sacrifice sleep, health and physical comforts in order to serve Amma. Ôm Amriteswaryai Namah, Nischala D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Ammachi, "carma" <vaishnovi108 wrote: > > Om Blessed Selves > > I am rather new to this list and am finding it so interesting and > helpful! > > I have a newbie question. What does is mean when Amma hands out an > apple? > > In Her, > carma > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 This is so fascinating! Thank you all for your thoughts and stories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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