Ten Hours A Day Hugging
Periodico de Cataluña', Barcelona
Angels Gallardo
November 2000
Last night 'Amma' was hugging people till four o'clock in the morning,
and today she will do it again, without losing her smile or her
energy. In the past three days in Barcelona, Amma will have embraced
more than 15,000 people. Regardless of their religion, faithful
devotees wait for their turn in the Nova Icaria sportshall, in Villa
Olimpica.
Mata Amritanandamayi, known as Amma, is one of the most important
spiritual teachers in India and one of the few mystics recognized
in both the East and the West. She preaches by example. Her message
says principally that we are unhappy because of lack of love, and
she has dedicated her life to be 'the loving and unconditional mother'
for everyone in the world.
A Leader without Precedent
One of the characteristics of this woman, born in Vallickavu (Kerala)
47 years ago, is the ability with which she has synthesized the
principle words of all religions to elaborate a particular creed
that covers the essential of all faiths. Amma says, "In both
the West and the East, people give too much attention to the intellectual
aspects of religions, they give too much importance to the external,
to the words. I think, that there is an excess of words in all parts
(of the world) and a huge lack of love".
Her teachings follow a traditional Advaita Vedanta philosophy,
but as a spiritual leader the way she embodies what she teaches,
and her physical nearness to the people, has no precedent in history,
be it a Hindu, Christian, Mohammedan or Buddhist. She embraces as
mothers embrace, sitting and putting those who come to see her on
her lap. She smiles and disarms them.
"When you give pure love to someone, the person opens. A relation
similar to a mother and child is formed, and the person becomes
more accessible. He can understand where the essence of life is,
and he can discriminate. One heartfelt given hug can change the
whole life of a person", she explains.
Amma considers that "90%" of all human beings on the
planet are not happy and they look for happiness in the wrong places.
"The people who come to see me have traveled many years, looking
for a place to rest", she explains. "To reach it, we should
let the wrong (the false) go from our minds and come to the core
of our being. That is where the peace is."
Amma was recognized as a spiritual Master at the age of 22 and
since then she combines her hugs, in India, USA and Europe, with
a wide diversity of school centers and hospitals. Her organization
is officially recognized as a public charity institution and finances
urban projects for people without resources.
She is interested in science, although she considers that the scientists
should open their intellect to that which is not tangible.
"The scientific world is divided into two categories: the
known and the unknown (that which goes beyond the intellect). The
unknown is what we should try to discover."
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