"Love and compassion are the very essence of all religions.
Where, then, is the need for us to compete unnecessarily? "
- Amma addresses the Parliament of World Religions again this year in Barcelona, Spain

Amma gave the closing plenary address to a thunderous standing ovation on the final evening of the ten-day gathering of the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions. She was joined at the ceremonies by Federico Mayor, the former UNESCO Director-General, and Dr. Raimon Pannikkar, a respected Spanish philosopher.

Amma's discourse stressed the importance of harnessing "spiritual power" in an effort to rise above religious differences. "The problem arises when we say my religion is right; yours is wrong. This is like saying my mother is good; yours is a prostitute." Amma emphasized that "love and compassion are the very essence of all religions."

Love is our true essence. Love has no limitations of caste, religion, race, or nationality. We are all beads strung together on the same thread of love. To awaken this unity-and to spread to others the love that is our inherent nature-is the true goal of human life.

Indeed, love is the only religion that can help humanity to rise to great and glorious heights. Love should be the one string on which all religions and philosophies are strung together. The beauty of society lies in the unity of hearts.

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It was the last day of the Seattle retreat. Torrential rains and the biting cold didn't deter a lot of people from coming. A huge crowd had arrived for the public darshan. I sat next to Amma for some time during the darshan. A Jewish man came up to her and ... Read More

Swami Ramakrishnananda will be touring the North and South American continents in the coming months of August and September. He will be conducting free public programs, meditation, bhajans and retreats. There will be a three-day retreat during the labor day weekend in M.A.Center.

This retreat is a valuable opportunity to take a break from our hectic lives, regain our natural rhythm, and reconnect with Amma and our Selves. This annually retreat includes meditation, chanting, hatha yoga, question & answer sessions, classes on Vedic scriptural texts and opportunities to hear the inspiring stories of the swami's experiences with Amma. Please join us for the weekend and return home renewed, re-energized and revitalized.

Click here for details, and to register for the labor day retreat. Click here to get details of Swami Ramakrishnananda's tour this August and September.

Commemorating Amma's 51st Birthday we will be having a month long SALE. The festivities begin September 1st. There will be many surprises awaiting you, from new items to bargain prices, so don't miss out. Visit us.

After a stop in Japan Amma traveled to eleven cities throughout the U.S. during her recent summer tour and then to Toronto, receiving many thousands in her untiring arms. In between this she also traveled to Barcelona, Spain, to deliver the closing plenary address at the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions. Updates on the events during the tour can be found here if you had missed them.

Questioner to Amma: Amma, you say that everything is One, but I see everything as separate. Why is it so?

Amma: Seeing things as separate or different is not a problem. The real problem is not being able to behold the Oneness behind that diversity. That is wrong perception, which is indeed a limitation. Your way of looking at the world and what is happening around you needs correcting; after that, everything will automatically change.

Just as our vision requires correcting when our external eyes weaken - that is, when we begin seeing objects as double - the inner eyes also needs adjusting, as instructed by someone established in the experience of that Oneness, a Satguru or True Master.

Briefly excerpted from the book " From Amma's Heart"

... We decided to give everyone who attended Amma's Northwest programs the opportunity to participate in the craft seva. All items made during the four day period would be donated to Seattle's tent city, a roaming shelter where homeless people join together to live. A craft table was placed adjacent to our welcome table. Interested people could learn to knit and crochet, or if they already knew how, just dive in. Others were offered the chance to cut polar fleece to make scarves. Soon, all over the hall people could be seen with their hands working busily to contribute to this seva. One person was even spotted crocheting as she moved through the darshan line on her way to Mother!

In the space of four days, 92 polar fleece scarves, 28 knitted or crocheted scarves, 18 knitted or crocheted hats and numerous afghan squares were produced. Towards the end of the retreat, we asked Amma to bless everything. As she showered flower petals on the items, she said "Premam, premam," which means "Supreme Love." She also commented that it is very good for people to keep their hands busy in this way...
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This is the August 2004 edition of Amrita eNews, a monthly newsletter.