To Amarnath: Arati/Group Prayer and Noise = To Chitanand

[Guest guest]

Ammachi, GeorgeSon <leokomor wrote:

>

> Om Namah Shivaya:

>

> This bewildered Son started the

> thread by giving an account of a

> very isolated area involving noise.

> ....

> Chitanand

> >>>

 

Namasivaya Chitanandji,

 

Will reply more specifically to your q's after some contemplation.

 

Meanwhile, my few general comments were meant as something to

contemplate on; not endorsement or none-endorsement of specific

situations.

 

Before coming to Amma, the group meditation environments familiar to

me were very strict( no children, no noise at least in the room );

some external noise( street noise, etc ) was usually beyond anyone's

control.

 

But with Amma there are always children, it seems; what to do?

 

I am not against a quiet environment. But?

 

Amritapuri, when Amma is there, is very noisy due to thousands of

devotees coming almost every day. Monday used to be a day of rest

after the Sunday Devi Bhava. Also, there are near by village radios

blasting Bhajans sometimes all day sometimes early in morning during

mediation periods; etc, etc.

 

Manoharan wanted to go someplace quiet since his primary practice is

meditation; but Amma's Presence at Amritapuri usually won out and he

stayed.

That is basically the choice: Amma's Presence (quiet or not) or

someplace quiet( Ramana's Ashram, Karunamayi's Forest Ashram, any

Yogananda's SRF Church in USA, etc. )

 

One thing that was a disappointment for me( for my ego? ) at

Amritapuri, was that during evening Arati Amma is not there on

stage; Amma leaves right after the bhajans while our eyes are closed

for a few minutes. According to the rules, no one should leave the

hall at this time and stay for Arati; most stay.

 

But there are always more devotees than space can accommodate

lined up along the path to Amma's room and some have taken their

positions in front of Amma's room where She usually feeds the

elephants ~ Ram and Lakshmi(?).

 

At Amritapuri, one has to look at all the rules and see how one can

be at two places at once, etc.

 

It seems with Amma things are not that black and white; and one

needs constantly to search ones heart. Sometimes these situations

are very confusing. But they seem to force one to go inward more.

 

Amma Bless,

amarnath

[Guest guest]

to summarize my amritapuri experience in most brief way:

 

lots of noise and constant inward pull to silence

 

Amma Bless,

amarnath