Experiences with Amma
Amma is always with us
Excerpted from Immortal Bliss, September 1989 issue
In early March of 1989 I had the good fortune to spend a week with
the Holy Mother in New Delhi during her first trip through northern
India. This was my second trip to India, and I was accompanied by
my son, Dan, who was meeting Amma for the first time.
Being with Mother in India is indescribably enriching. The ancient
forms and rituals come alive through the vibrations of the age old
practices and customs. During my time with Mother, certain spiritual
questions and doubts arose that troubled me. I mentally prayed to
Amma that my mind would be put at ease. I always marvel at how the
selfless desires and the many unarticulated questions of the devotees
are answered by Mother; and the various forms in which these responses
manifest. The selfless desires of the devotees seem to find quick
gratification. During this trip I experienced many of these little
miracles, yet, by the end of my stay with Mother one nagging question
remained unanswered.
Because of business commitments, I needed to return to the U.S.
on March 7; and Mother was departing for Bombay on March 6. There
were several things that I wanted to do in Delhi before leaving,
but all attempts to plan these activities met with obstacles. I
finally realized that I was just supposed to let that last day happen
without any planning.
Early on the morning of March 6, my son and I came to see the Holy
Mother off. Mother went ahead in the ashram bus with the tour contingent,
and several brahmacharis were to follow in a car. As I was saying
goodbye to Amritatma, he asked if I would do him a favor, which,
of course, I was only too happy to agree to.
A few days prior, Mother had released the first copies of Awaken
Children, an English translation from Malayalam publication of recorded
conversations of Mother with other devotees. Only a small number
of copies had been printed, but somehow one of the original pages
had been lost, and the book was printed with a blank page. Amritatma
wanted me to go to the printers to check the complicated typesetting,
and to make sure that the text which he was retranslating would
fit on the page. As I sat next to Amritatma in the car, he translated
from Malayalam to English. I was amazed and overwhelmed to discover
that the words he was writing were the absolutely perfect response
to my earlier silent, but yet unanswered, spiritual question to
mother.
Needless to say, the rest of the day was a beautiful adventure.
I was light hearted and filled with Mother’s wonder. The printer
with whom we spent many hours, volunteered the story of his first
meeting with Mother and how in Mother’s presence his mind
was cleared of all previous skepticism. After finishing with the
printer the balance of the day was spent effortlessly completing
the tasks that I had hoped to accomplish.
Such events are common in Mother’s presence. However, they
all give testimony to Mother’s words – that she is always
with us – and help remind us of Mother’s absolute commitment
to serve her children tirelessly and selflessly. Mother’s
only apparent purpose is to patiently bring her children to the
ultimate goal.
|
Amma
International
Forum