Guest guest Posted October 25, 2000 Report Share Posted October 25, 2000 I sent this to the other list and realized that not all may be on both lists, so just sharing this article I found through a link on . Prana > 10/25/00 2:35:27 PM > News Story - Guru Heals with Holy Hugs > > Wednesday October 25 7:01 AM ET > Guru Heals with Holy Hugs Guru Heals with Holy Hugs > > > > LONDON (Reuters) - Some 2,000 people thronged to a London sports hall > Tuesday evening to be hugged by an Indian holy woman described by > followers as a living saint. > > Mata Amritanandamyi Math, better known as ``Amma'' or ''mother,'' > spends most of her time wrapping her arms around crowds of devotees > who line up to tap into her spiritual ''energy'' and has hugged an > estimated 20 million people to date. > > Tuesday's event in South London was part of Amma's European tour, > taking in nine cities, which she hopes will help her take her message > of love and spiritual healing to the world. > > ``I want to flow into the hearts of people and awaken them,'' she > told Reuters in between hugs. > > Followers bridge race, religion, class, age and sex and hail from > afar afield as India, the United States, Japan and all over Europe. > But as they kneel crying at her feet, they agree on the power of this > tiny white-robed woman's hug. > > Twenty-two-year-old science teacher Vargini Lakshmikan described her > first hug: ``I was love-struck...it was a deeply moving experience > that went to the true essence of me.'' > > A tearful post-hug Linda Broom was overwhelmed: ''Something's been > lifted, I certainly feel different. I'm spiritually minded but I > didn't expect such a deep emotion.'' > > The 47-year-old guru made her first trip to the West in 1987, when > only a handful of people would gather to nestle their heads in her > lap as she whispered blessings. > > But press officer Rob Sidon, who quit his job in marketing to spend > more time with Amma, said the guru, who sleeps just two hours a day, > draws audiences in India of around 18,000 a day. > > ``She makes no claims, but she is a living saint,'' he said. ''She is > a God-awakened being...no-one's ever seen her yawn -- that's a > miracle,'' he added. > > Email this story - (View most popular) | Printer-friendly format > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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