Amma in San Ramon / Fri -Sat Devi Bhava

[Guest guest]

First, the usual details:

 

Mother wore a deep crimson sari, thick with gold weaving. From a distance,

Her skirt looked like ripples of red & gold, up close it was a very small

pattern of embroidery that gave a liquid sheen to the fabric.

 

(I will venture to say "psychedelic," although there is probably a specific

graphic arts term for the visual effect that is less value-laden.)

 

The end of the Devi Bhava was very long. I think there were at least 8

ceremonies with baby feedings and alphabet instruction, and perhaps seven

weddings... Let's see, a bride in cream, bright blue, fuschia pink, saffron

gold, green, creamy gold, and violet purple. There was much celebration and

ululalating (whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo-WHOOOOOOP!)

 

When Swamijji sang Devi Sharanam the fast part at the end was like an

amazing speeded up tape! One's ears could barely distinguish the Names of

Mother rippling through air. The Boat Song was played with great precision

drumming to the start of Amma's joyous laughter at the first baby's sweet &

charming feeding, and Vagadeswari, and at least one other song before Amme

Amme Taye.

 

I think Mother stood up from Her chair around 12:30 pm today.

 

Second, some personal experiences:

 

Amma Zapped this child again with Her shakti shower of petals. Something

yellow stuck on the bridge of my glasses, and between the staggering

inability to walk, and the tangible sensation of this flower stuck between

my eyebrows, the back corner of the giftshop seemed a safe place to retreat

to for most of the rest of the blessing.

 

Prajna and I found ourselves seated near to each other at the back of the

Hall as Amma departed. The sight of Amma turning the corner down the aisle

towards us, Her feet striding purposefully and gracefully, was yet another

of the 1000 forms of Amma (or perhaps Million Rupini?) etched on my mind's

mirror from this past week.

 

Later in the sky one of the clouds looked like an Omkara. That sticks

too.

 

And also watching the sunrise with so many awestruck sisters & brothers, and

seeing deer lope along distant hills, silhouetted against the early morning

sky, a layer of ground mist drying up with the Sun's rays below them, many

of us catching our breath at Mother Earth's beauty.

 

Third, some imperfect imprints from the Satsang, hopelessly abridged:

 

The program began the night before a little after 7 p.m. It was very

crowded in Amrita Hall, and also the dining Hall with the video feed. The

number of sevites helping to make the programs possible was in visible form.

 

Again, Amma reminded us in Her satsang before the puja that all our words

should be sweet. No shouting, no yelling, no cursing. All our ways of

speaking to each other should be sweet.

 

She began by pointing out that in all cultures, people are most concerned

with having a nice place to live and having enough money. People want all

their desires and needs fulfilled. BUT, if they are all filled, will we get

peace? No, there will be more desires coming up.

 

So Mother asks Her children a question. Let's say God appears before you

and offers to fulfill all of your desires. But, you will have no peace of

mind. OR, God will grant you peace of mind, but none of your desires will

be fulfilled. How many of you would choose inner peace? (Please raise your

hands). I was not in Amrita Hall, so couldn't see the show. But Swami said

something about how easy it is for people to raise their hands, but it is

not really true.

 

(Choosing inner peace also would include having your mind soar to spiritual

heights... ) And then she gave a humourous example...discussed the

continuous human search for love, the way the human mind justifies its

mistakes with external rationalizations, gave another humourous example,

emphasized the need to look within and not depend on external support, that

all spiritual strength is within us, discussed the necessity of

understanding karma and performing good actions & observing the rules &

laws... that the spiritual science gives us ways to obtain God's grace, that

good people should do good actions more often, the positive-negative battery

example, the reminder that all our actions should bring happiness to others,

to remember that there is an invisible hand that guides us, although we have

negative thoughts and habits of bad action they can be overcome, gave the

example of pouring pure water in to salty water to purify and dilute it...

 

[somewhere in there, Amma paused to explain to some of Her children that it

was not a singing night, it was a satsang night, and the reminder of how She

attends to people's concerns and worries was very palpable.]

 

God gave us discrimination. When we have the choice to act, we should use

it.

 

Our actions will return to us in the form of good or bad experiences.

 

Any person can use the key of love to open anyone's heart.

 

Told a beautiful story about mutual help and assistance.

 

Where a turtle crawls you can see footprints. After a lion runs, it looks

back and sees what distance it has crossed. So too we should stop and look

back along our path...

 

Discussed marriage, completeness, losing one's individuality due to intense

competition between partners... we must understand the nature of the world

and worldly relationships: It is not about finding the right marriage

partner, but BECOMING the right marriage partner.

 

LOVE is a mahamantra. It is the most powerful mantra. However, it is not a

mantra to be chanted with the lips, but with the heart and expressed through

our words and actions. All knowledge is within us, that understanding is

the goal of human birth. We should try to fill the treasure chest of our

heart with love and then live off of that tremendous wealth.

 

We should have gratitude to all things in the world. Be compassionate to

the poor, a kind word, a compassionate smile, a small favor... It is how

much we give that matters.

 

LOVE is our real refuge.

LOVE unites all beings in creation.

LOVE is God's real form.

When LOVE arises within then we are able to see God everywhere.

 

And then She prayed for Her children to obtain God's grace and light the

lamps of love and peace to shine for the world.

 

Coming soon to Dearborn Michigan! Safe travels all!

 

Thank you Amma, lotsof love, Prashanti