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AYPforum
351 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 08 2005 : 12:54:22 PM
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1132 From: "jim_and_his_karma" <jim_and_his_karma@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed Jun 29, 2005 11:39pm
Subject: Amma the Hugging Saint jim_and_his_...
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Amma, who's hugged more people than Oprah Winfrey, is making the rounds, and will be
on the East Coast in July. Here's the sched: http://www.amma.org/tours/amma-tours/
n_america.html
I've never made one of these bhakti scenes (I'm more of a hatha yoga/vedanta/zen kind of
guy). Can anyone fill me in on what to expect?
Apparently it's quite a wait to get one's darshan, so my tendency would be to spend the
time in meditation...but the combo of an hour or more of meditation (far more than my 20
min normal practice) plus the bhakti blast of the darshan might be overcharging. I dont'
know...I feel like a 110 volt AYP practitioner about to plug into 220 volts. Will be
interesting to check the voltage compatibility!
1133 From: victor yj <vic@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 3:13am
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint vic
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I can give the perspective of someone who got fairly close but I guess not close enough.
I went to one of her gatherings. There was alot of chanting and people dressed in white and blissful vibes. A long line to have her darshan. It just didn't seem to be that much of my scene and my date at the time was not too enthusiastic about staying so I think we missed the main event.
I am curious to hear of your experience with her though. Please keep us posted.
jim_and_his_karma <jim_and_his_karma@yahoo.com> wrote:
Amma, who's hugged more people than Oprah Winfrey, is making the rounds, and will be
on the East Coast in July. Here's the sched: http://www.amma.org/tours/amma-tours/
n_america.html
I've never made one of these bhakti scenes (I'm more of a hatha yoga/vedanta/zen kind of
guy). Can anyone fill me in on what to expect?
Apparently it's quite a wait to get one's darshan, so my tendency would be to spend the
time in meditation...but the combo of an hour or more of meditation (far more than my 20
min normal practice) plus the bhakti blast of the darshan might be overcharging. I dont'
know...I feel like a 110 volt AYP practitioner about to plug into 220 volts. Will be
interesting to check the voltage compatibility!
For the AYP Lessons and Books, go to:
http://www.geocities.com/advancedyogapractices --
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1135 From: "jim_and_his_karma" <jim_and_his_karma@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 0:59pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint jim_and_his_...
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Actually, I've been reading up a bit further on her, and am surprised to learn that she's not
a bhakti yogi. Actually she's Advaita (which is pretty close to AYP...there's a lot of
Ramana Maharshi in this practice), she even teaches "I am" mantra. So now I dont' know
WHAT to expect.
My main concern is not overdoing. I honestly don't understand the mechanics
involved...why
a bunch of hyped up folks who aren't all likely rigorous practitioners can soak up that
scene for hours, meditating, getting energy-igniting hugs, etc, without overdoing and
feeling burnt/fried, while if I meditate an extra hour or add any one step it's a problem
(and it is...I've learned that the hard way!).
Yogani would probably point out that AYP is more potent, and thus must be done more
sparingly. But from what I've heard, the folks in that scene are getting some serious
relentless vibes for hours. Pretty potent (which is why people fly from long
distances to be at her darshan). Anyway, we'll see. I'll try to play it relatively cool.
--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, victor yj <vic@y...> wrote:
> I can give the perspective of someone who got fairly close but I guess not close enough.
> I went to one of her gatherings. There was alot of chanting and people dressed in white
and blissful vibes. A long line to have her darshan. It just didn't seem to be that much of
my scene and my date at the time was not too enthusiastic about staying so I think we
missed the main event.
> I am curious to hear of your experience with her though. Please keep us posted.
>
> jim_and_his_karma <jim_and_his_karma@y...> wrote:
> Amma, who's hugged more people than Oprah Winfrey, is making the rounds, and will
be
> on the East Coast in July. Here's the sched: http://www.amma.org/tours/amma-tours/
> n_america.html
>
> I've never made one of these bhakti scenes (I'm more of a hatha yoga/vedanta/zen kind
of
> guy). Can anyone fill me in on what to expect?
> Apparently it's quite a wait to get one's darshan, so my tendency would be to spend the
> time in meditation...but the combo of an hour or more of meditation (far more than my
20
> min normal practice) plus the bhakti blast of the darshan might be overcharging. I dont'
> know...I feel like a 110 volt AYP practitioner about to plug into 220 volts. Will be
> interesting to check the voltage compatibility!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> For the AYP Lessons and Books, go to:
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1137 From: "Dave Moore" <riptiz@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 3:32pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint riptiz
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Dear Jim,
I am puzzled as to why you feel fried so easily if you meditate for
longer periods or add other steps?
L&L
dave
1144 From: "david_obsidian1" <david_obsidian1@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 11:25pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint david_obsidian1
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--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Moore" <riptiz@h...> wrote:
> Dear Jim,
> I am puzzled as to why you feel fried so easily if you meditate
for
> longer periods or add other steps?
> L&L
> dave
Hi Dave,
well, Jim can answer that but I guess he is busy. I'll take a stab
at it.
He's been doing some of the AYP practices, you know, the ones in
Yogani's lessons (did you check any of them out yet?). Anyway, to
keep a long story short, they are pretty advanced yoga practices
and you can get 'fried' in one way or another from either (a)
releasing 'stuff' that needed to be cleansed from your nervous
system and/or (b) merely going suddenly to greater depth in an
advanced practice. Jim is experiencing some or both of these and is
applying the principles of 'self-pacing' --- calibrating and
measuring his practice in real-time, watching its effects --- to
make sure that he does not fry himself too much. He merely seeks to
avoid fried Jim, to whatever extent sensible.
There's a lot in AYP about this self-pacing. It's pretty important
when the practices start to take root.
Best regards,
David
1134 From: "Dave Moore" <riptiz@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 3:55am
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint riptiz
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Dear Jim,
I am not familiar with Amma or her teachings but my own experieces of
being with guruji are as follows.In her presence you may experience
all or some of the following.
The gentle energies that radiate from her constantly which bathe you
in love.Feelings of peace and calm.A desire to remain and soak up the
energies.Life changing thoughts as a result of your meeting due to a
change in consciousness and greater compassion towards
others.Satisfaction with your 'lot' and the realisation that there are
many worse off than you.
I hope you experience all these things and enjoy darshan. God bless.
L&L
dave
1136 From: "jim_and_his_karma" <jim_and_his_karma@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:11pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint jim_and_his_...
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Dave,
I've already used Advanced Yoga Practices (AYP - the topic of this group) to awaken a
mediumm amount of those qualities in myself. They are innate inside each of us, and can
be cultivated and harnassed with a little work. In fact, that's what we are all working on
here: using AYP practices to cultivate stillness (what you call peace) and ecstatic
conductivity (what you refer to as energies). And AYP works rather amazingly well and
efficiently at bringing them about!
Having cultivated this stuff via my own practice, I'm curious to see what it's like
externalized (which is new for me), and to see how I react (because I'm on a certain track,
and unsure how the vibrations will correspond). If you mostly find yourself looking to the
external for these things, you may want to give AYP a try to see what it's like to generate
peace and energy from within, to see what that's like.
I hope you don't mind this "sales pitch" for AYP, but 1. it's free! and 2. you needn't
abandon your guru to try it, and 3. hey, you ARE in an AYP forum! :)
--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Moore" <riptiz@h...> wrote:
> Dear Jim,
> I am not familiar with Amma or her teachings but my own experieces of
> being with guruji are as follows.In her presence you may experience
> all or some of the following.
> The gentle energies that radiate from her constantly which bathe you
> in love.Feelings of peace and calm.A desire to remain and soak up the
> energies.Life changing thoughts as a result of your meeting due to a
> change in consciousness and greater compassion towards
> others.Satisfaction with your 'lot' and the realisation that there are
> many worse off than you.
> I hope you experience all these things and enjoy darshan. God bless.
> L&L
> dave
1138 From: "Dave Moore" <riptiz@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 3:30pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint riptiz
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Dear Jim,
I am not looking for externalisation of effects but am simply giving
my experiences when I went to India to receive shaktipat.In fact the
whole ashram had a gentle vibration and feeling of peace and in
front of Dhyanyogi's mahasamadhi you could feel his vibrations.Yes
these qualities are inside us all and as you say we develop them
constantly but encounters with realised gurus usually leads to a
boost in the results.Certainly with shaktipat you are never the same
again and as guruji told me it is the first day of your
rebirth.Simply listening to him chanting was enough to start
physical kriyas within me.
The AYP practices are a great gift to many especially as the
meditation technique and mantra will now cost you #1200 in the UK to
learn from the TM people.In my experience Hatha yoga, the mudras
bhandas, pranayams etc will give you a great start but meditation
will take you further, in fact without it you have little or no
chance of reaching enlightenment.The effects of meditation are
greater when the mantras are given by a siddha of which I have been
blessed to receive, so I guess it was meant to happen.I am sure you
will experience further love and harmony from Amma.
L&L
dave
1139 From: Ute Reeves <nowyoga@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 3:36pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint nowyoga2001
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Jim,
I have been hugged by Amma on several occasions. It was several years ago
when it wasn't soo much of a mob scene. I actually did a three day weekend
retreat once. I experienced it as a gentle energy. I could go deep in
meditation but it was not overpowering. I also noticed different people had
different experiences, but it seems, nobody overdosed.
Ute
1141 From: "jim_and_his_karma" <jim_and_his_karma@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:30pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint jim_and_his_...
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--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, Ute Reeves <nowyoga@e...> wrote:
> Jim,
> I have been hugged by Amma on several occasions. It was several years ago
> when it wasn't soo much of a mob scene. I actually did a three day weekend
> retreat once. I experienced it as a gentle energy. I could go deep in
> meditation but it was not overpowering. I also noticed different people had
> different experiences, but it seems, nobody overdosed.
> Ute
Thanks, Ute
To clarify, I'm not worried about getting my circuits blown by the enormous love spout of
this woman. But the AYP practices are designed to give you all the energy and purification
your system can stand - it's about finding that exact point where you're making progress
but not overloading. It's a delicate line, and AYP is all about that line.
therefore i'm concerned about the effects of adding to what I'm already doing.
A few hours in meditation while waiting for darshan plus the hug itself - in addition to the
practices I'm already rigorously doing - may push me over that line. But we'll see....i'll go
check it out and report for the use of other AYP practitioners. Worst comes to worse, i'll
get a headache or be crabby for a couple days.
1159 From: "Sylvia Brallier" <sylvia@tantricshamanism.com>
Date: Fri Jul 1, 2005 11:56am
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint serpentpries...
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I have gone to see Amma when she comes to the US almost every year since
1988.
I find the energy to be very calming to the nervous system. The only burn
out is the long nights of sleep dep.
For those just starting with Amma, the main practices that are encouraged
are mantra, chanting bhajans and selfless service. Just last year, she
started a new program called the "I Am " meditation, which is a combination
of hatha, pranayama and meditation. It is a commitment to a minimum of half
and hour a day of this practice. I have not done it yet, as my practice
plate is already full, and I want to avoid the karmic faux pas of collecting
practices without following through.
Back in the old days, they would have us do a kundalini oriented meditation
practice, which they no longer teach during the course of the retreats. It
consists of imagining the kundalini serpent spiraling up the spine a
vertebra at a time. I have found it is quite effective in clearing away
blockages in the spinal energy.
Warm regards,
Sylvia Brallier
The Tantric Shamanism Institute
http://www.tantricshamanism.com
1160 From: "Richard" <richardchamberlin14@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri Jul 1, 2005 0:44pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint azaz932001
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--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "Sylvia Brallier" <sylvia@t...> wrote:
>>. Just last year, she
> started a new program called the "I Am " meditation, which is a
combination
> of hatha, pranayama and meditation. It is a commitment to a minimum
of half
> and hour a day of this practice. I have not done it yet, as my
practice
> plate is already full, and I want to avoid the karmic faux pas of
collecting
> practices without following through.
>
>
The I AM meditation? That sounds just a bit like AYP to me!!!
Blessings R.C.
1162 From: victor yj <vic@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri Jul 1, 2005 2:04pm
Subject: Re: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint vic
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The I AM meditation is not new or unusual. I recall a massage teacher who used and promoted it in association with "ascended masters" of the Saint Germaine Elizabeth Claire prophet school . They use the "I AM" mantra and the phrase I AM throughout their teachings. Personally I was a bit surprised that Yogani used this particular mantra as that particular school did not appeal to me. Once I understood Yoganis perspective I tried it and very much like the mantra.
Richard <richardchamberlin14@hotmail.com> wrote:--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "Sylvia Brallier" <sylvia@t...> wrote:
>>. Just last year, she
> started a new program called the "I Am " meditation, which is a
combination
> of hatha, pranayama and meditation. It is a commitment to a minimum
of half
> and hour a day of this practice. I have not done it yet, as my
practice
> plate is already full, and I want to avoid the karmic faux pas of
collecting
> practices without following through.
>
>
The I AM meditation? That sounds just a bit like AYP to me!!!
Blessings R.C.
For the AYP Lessons and Books, go to:
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1164 From: "jim_and_his_karma" <jim_and_his_karma@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri Jul 1, 2005 2:43pm
Subject: Re: Amma the Hugging Saint jim_and_his_...
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I think it was Ramana Maharshi who first and most widely advocated this mantra, is that
correct?
--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, victor yj <vic@y...> wrote:
> The I AM meditation is not new or unusual. I recall a massage teacher who used and
promoted it in association with "ascended masters" of the Saint Germaine Elizabeth Claire
prophet school . They use the "I AM" mantra and the phrase I AM throughout their
teachings. Personally I was a bit surprised that Yogani used this particular mantra as that
particular school did not appeal to me. Once I understood Yoganis perspective I tried it
and very much like the mantra.
>
> Richard <richardchamberlin14@h...> wrote:--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "Sylvia
Brallier" <sylvia@t...> wrote:
> >>. Just last year, she
> > started a new program called the "I Am " meditation, which is a
> combination
> > of hatha, pranayama and meditation. It is a commitment to a minimum
> of half
> > and hour a day of this practice. I have not done it yet, as my
> practice
> > plate is already full, and I want to avoid the karmic faux pas of
> collecting
> > practices without following through.
> >
> >
>
> The I AM meditation? That sounds just a bit like AYP to me!!!
>
> Blessings R.C.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> For the AYP Lessons and Books, go to:
> http://www.geocities.com/advancedyogapractices --
> To change your email delivery to "daily digest," send a blank email to:
> AYPforum-digest@yahoogroups.com --
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>
>
>
>
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>
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1140 From: Ramon Sender <rabar@mindspring.com>
Date: Thu Jun 30, 2005 4:07pm
Subject: Amma rabar94114
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Jim wrote:
> I've never made one of these bhakti scenes (I'm more of a hatha
yoga/vedanta/zen kind of
> guy). Can anyone fill me in on what to expect?
> Apparently it's quite a wait to get one's darshan, so my tendency would be to
> spend the
> time in meditation...but the combo of an hour or more of meditation (far more
> than my 20
> min normal practice) plus the bhakti blast of the darshan might be
> overcharging. I dont' know...
First-timers normally are ushered to a special row where the wait is much
shorter - 40 minutes, if you're lucky. We got our hugs a few years back.
It's a very very very very soft experience!
As for what kinda guy you are: think of Shakara, the founder of advaita
vedanta, who spent the last years of his short life composing love songs
to the Mother. What else is there for His Lonesomeness to do?
(pondering) My great aunt Emma was known as 'Amma' in the family.
She only had one arm - lost the other to a telephone pole while holding
it out the car window. She taught me a good hiccup cure when I was 8:
"Walk around the house not thinking of a fox..."
Attempting to 'not-think' of something gives the 'thinker' something
substantial to chew on. I use it today to give the 'thinker' something while
I'm meditating elsewhere.
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2010 : 04:46:10 AM
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Hope you're doing well dear Jim, pardon me for opening up this old topic but after reading all this i am very interested to know what happened with you after...
Love,
Ananda |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2010 : 03:20:29 AM
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Hi, Ananda.
I didn't like the scene much. Enormous retail operation going on, like a kitsch snake oil show. And we were all led in a chant which was translated for us only after we'd finished chanting it...it turned out we were pledging our devotion and loyalty to Amma. Ick. I didn't stay for the hug.
But I will say one thing: most gurus project a well cultivated guru-ish image, just like in the movies. Charisma!! But Amma was different. Not projecting any image at all. Very child-like (though, paradoxically, I've heard from multiple trusted sources that she's actually quite controlling).
My barometer to sort out folks who have really let go from those using spiritual practices to hang on yet more tightly (expanding ego via pride in their spiritual "attainment") is this: with the earnest ones, you wouldn't hesitate to walk up and suddenly start a game of slappy hands, as you might with a three year old. By contrast, those with a stake in projecting an image of spirituality tend to be super extra mature-seeming. It's like they've gone 180 degrees the other way. Letting go of the whole "image" thing leaves you childlike (you know what the bible says about little children and heaven!). Reinforcing self image ("I used to be lost in ego, but now I've transformed into a beautiful spiritual butterfly!") takes you the other way.
Amma was unmistakably child-like. So my feelings were, I guess I'll say, ambivalent.
J&K |
Edited by - Jim and His Karma on Oct 28 2010 12:09:40 PM |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4520 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2010 : 05:37:44 AM
|
Hi Jim,
Welcome back. 
quote:
I didn't like the scene much. Enormous retail operation going on, like a kitsch snake oil show.
For what it's worth, Amma's devotees sell loads of stuff on the tours. It is all sold to raise money to support hundreds of charitable activities all over the world.
I got to see this in action once when the tsunami hit India in 2004. The village around Amma's ashram was wiped out completely with 150 people dead. All 10,000 people living in the village were evacuated to dry land. I was one of those evacuated. 10 schools which were unaffected by the tsunami were turned into refugee camps, with one thousand people in each school. For the next 4 months, in the ashram, we cooked for those 10,000 people, twice a day. Trucks went out, morning and evening to every school with big pots of cooked rice and vegetables in. It was unbelievable to be part of. Eventually, their homes were rebuilt, and they are now back in the village.
In all Amma donated 25 million dollars to help people affected by the tsunami, not just in her own village, but on the east side of India too which was much more badly hit. If it wasn't for all the things being sold on the tours, there wouldn't have been the money to feed those people, or to rebuild their homes.
Here is some info on where the money goes:
http://www.amritapuri.org/activity
And in case you're wondering, Amma doesn't actually have any money. She is effectively a nun, and lives in poverty. The money is owned by a charitable trust which is managed by trustees.
quote:
And we were all led in a chant which was translated for us only after we'd finished chanting it...it turned out we were pledging our devotion and loyalty to Amma. Ick.
And again, for what it's worth, there aren't any chants where people pledge their devotion and loyalty to Amma. Amma isn't interested in that at all. You may have been confused because the word "Amma" means "Mother" and is used to refer to the "Mother of creation", or "God" in other words. There are chants in Sanskrit which are basically saying, I surrender myself before God. Amma (Amritanandamayi as she is also called) is into that. In a big way. And she tends to prefer the Mother aspect of the divine rather than the Father when it comes to chanting.
I hope you go again, and get a hug next time!
Christi
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2010 : 06:37:48 AM
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Thank you both, a couple of days back i've met Priyan here in Lebanon. He's been a resident at her ashram (for 10 years now) and it was pretty much as you said about Amma dear Jim.
The guy was very child like and i felt a presence around him which is something i've experienced for the first time. It was this sort of aura which made it easy to be quiet but it wasn't that much of an intense thing. All in all the meeting was pleasant and humble. And he pointed out the way for me to another teacher in his seventies who lives here in Beirut and makes a one week gathering with a group of 3 or 4 people and i've spoke with him and am going to meet tomorrow :-). He's a disciple of swami Chidananda the former president of the Divine life society.
And might visit Amma's ashram this year...
Love,
Ananda |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2010 : 12:38:27 PM
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Christi,
I agree with Yogani that guru bashing is unproductive (gurus should be judged for their teachings, not their behavior), and a likely source of "flame wars" on this forum. And, as I said, I am ambivalent about Amma, and have no agenda "for" or "against". However, I think it's worth balancing your statement via other views. At very least, it will give Ananda more background in deciding whether to make this journey (again, I myself am ambivalent). But I'll have no further comment in this thread.
Another side to the Amma money story:
http://bit.ly/9x1OkP (also read the replies linked at bottom)
Other links of interest:
http://cultofhuggingsaintamma.wordpress.com
support group for ex-devotees: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/examma
As I noted, on my 2005 visit the chant was translated (afterwards, which made it weirdly coercive - and it was not the only coercive element I picked up on), and the translation was as I'd described. I'm neither lying nor "confused". And, yes, I'm aware of the meaning of "amma". |
Edited by - Jim and His Karma on Oct 28 2010 12:39:19 PM |
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Parallax
USA
348 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2010 : 1:54:59 PM
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Fwiw
I've had Darshan 3x now (she comes through Boston once a year), and really enjoyed the experience. I could feel the Silence in a couple of my chakras, particularly the 2nd time I went. She definitely exuded a childlike quality...particularly that smile! After 8 hrs of non-stop hugs she was laughing and smiling as if she had just sat down.
Hope it helps!! |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2010 : 3:13:58 PM
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Dear Parallax, thank you for sharing your experience. And thank you guys for showing the ups and downs; I am very grateful. But please i would appreciate it very much if this discussion could be let go of and ended here.
Namaste |
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Amma the Hugging Saint
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