Guest guest Posted December 28, 2001 Report Share Posted December 28, 2001 [NOTE: this e-mail was prepared with voice dictation software, and is likely to have many mistakes. Please try to do your best to make sense out of it.] Beloved Sisters and Brothers, Aikya recently put out an invitation for us to share stories of "extending grace," how others have been affected by our devotion to Amma. I don't know this story fits into the category, but I'd like to share it. This is the story of Anil. It began about a week after my second retreat with Amma. For days after being with Amma, I was so full of bliss that I'm sure I was radiating something very unusual. I was taking my daily exercise, walking in a beautiful park that's quite near my house. My heart was unusually open. Just as I was leaving the park, I noticed a man lying down under a tree who seemed to be in some distress. Totally influenced by Mother's inspiration, I walked over to him and asked him how he was. Initially, I thought that he was an African-American, although it turned out he was from India. He was reluctant to talk to me at first, but we did get a conversation going. He was homeless and had just gotten out of the hospital because of serious heart problems. He was in a lot of pain, and he had some terrible scabs all over his legs. He was very depressed. Then all of a sudden he noticed something hanging around my neck. It was a sandal wood mala that Amma had blessed which had a very pretty picture of Amma hanging down from it. He reached out and grabbed the picture and said, "Mataji, Mataji," I told him who it was, and he just kept grabbing hold of it. So I took mala off and handed it to him. He immediately started doing mantra japa, "Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya......." This helped him to relax enormously and to take some comfort. He was totally with Amma's presence. We talked some more for a while and I told him about Amma. Then I had a packet of sacred ash (given to me by Amma) in my pocket which I gave him, and I also gave him the mala. Well, this was the beginning of a friendship which lasted for several years. The next day when I took a walk I saw him again, and he had used all the sacred ash to rub over his legs. The scabs on them had almost cleared up, and he was no longer in pain. In those early days of knowing Amma, I didn't have satsang with anyone, so Anil and I became satsang for each other. He had become estranged from the early traditions he grew up with after living so long in a Christian country. So it was also wonderful for him to have someone to talk with about his Hindu roots. Just about every day, we would talk about Hinduism and about devotion. His family were Shiva devotees, and his grandfather had built a temple to Lord Shiva. Anil was very eager to come up to the ashram and to meet Mother someday, however it never happened. Yet Amma had filled his heart. It was only by allowing myself to become a vehicle of Mother's love, just as I had observed it in Her ashram when She was there, that I was able to be so open and compassionate. I felt that it was really important for me to show Anil that I cared about him, rather than that I felt sorry for him because he was homeless. So every time I saw him I would bring him a little present. Sometimes it was something very practical, and sometimes it was just something personal or for fun. His favorite presents were always tapes of Mother's bajans. Throughout, Mother was always my inspiration as well as my grace. I learned so much from Anil, much more than I can relate in this e-mail. But it certainly was a meeting blessed by Amma. I don't know where he is now, he moved out of the area and we lost contact. So now I pray that he is well. Om Namah Shivaya! At Her Feet, vaishnavi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 29, 2001 Report Share Posted December 29, 2001 That's uplifting - Om Amriteshwariye namah - We just keep help and motivating - let the flame of Love in the hearts burn again better everyday! Om Namo Shivaye Ammachi, cvaishnavi@a... wrote: > [NOTE: this e-mail was prepared with voice dictation software, and is likely > to have many mistakes. Please try to do your best to make sense out of it.] > > Beloved Sisters and Brothers, > > Aikya recently put out an invitation for us to share stories of "extending > grace," how others have been affected by our devotion to Amma. I don't know > this story fits into the category, but I'd like to share it. > > This is the story of Anil. It began about a week after my second retreat > with Amma. For days after being with Amma, I was so full of bliss that I'm > sure I was radiating something very unusual. I was taking my daily exercise, > walking in a beautiful park that's quite near my house. My heart was > unusually open. Just as I was leaving the park, I noticed a man lying down > under a tree who seemed to be in some distress. > > Totally influenced by Mother's inspiration, I walked over to him and asked > him how he was. Initially, I thought that he was an African- American, > although it turned out he was from India. He was reluctant to talk to me at > first, but we did get a conversation going. He was homeless and had just > gotten out of the hospital because of serious heart problems. He was in a > lot of pain, and he had some terrible scabs all over his legs. He was very > depressed. > > Then all of a sudden he noticed something hanging around my neck. It was a > sandal wood mala that Amma had blessed which had a very pretty picture of > Amma hanging down from it. He reached out and grabbed the picture and said, > "Mataji, Mataji," I told him who it was, and he just kept grabbing hold of > it. So I took mala off and handed it to him. He immediately started doing > mantra japa, "Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya......." > > This helped him to relax enormously and to take some comfort. He was totally > with Amma's presence. We talked some more for a while and I told him about > Amma. Then I had a packet of sacred ash (given to me by Amma) in my pocket > which I gave him, and I also gave him the mala. > > Well, this was the beginning of a friendship which lasted for several years. > The next day when I took a walk I saw him again, and he had used all the > sacred ash to rub over his legs. The scabs on them had almost cleared up, > and he was no longer in pain. > > In those early days of knowing Amma, I didn't have satsang with anyone, so > Anil and I became satsang for each other. He had become estranged from the > early traditions he grew up with after living so long in a Christian country. > So it was also wonderful for him to have someone to talk with about his Hindu > roots. Just about every day, we would talk about Hinduism and about devotion. > His family were Shiva devotees, and his grandfather had built a temple to > Lord Shiva. Anil was very eager to come up to the ashram and to meet Mother > someday, however it never happened. Yet Amma had filled his heart. > > It was only by allowing myself to become a vehicle of Mother's love, just as > I had observed it in Her ashram when She was there, that I was able to be so > open and compassionate. I felt that it was really important for me to show > Anil that I cared about him, rather than that I felt sorry for him because he > was homeless. So every time I saw him I would bring him a little present. > Sometimes it was something very practical, and sometimes it was just > something personal or for fun. His favorite presents were always tapes of > Mother's bajans. Throughout, Mother was always my inspiration as well as my > grace. > > I learned so much from Anil, much more than I can relate in this e- mail. But > it certainly was a meeting blessed by Amma. I don't know where he is now, he > moved out of the area and we lost contact. So now I pray that he is well. > > Om Namah Shivaya! > > At Her Feet, > vaishnavi > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 29, 2001 Report Share Posted December 29, 2001 Dear Vaishnavi, I love your story about Anil. What selflessness and love came through you. I am inspired. Pranams, Prasadini cvaishnavi wrote: > [NOTE: this e-mail was prepared with voice dictation software, and is likely > to have many mistakes. Please try to do your best to make sense out of it.] > > Beloved Sisters and Brothers, > > Aikya recently put out an invitation for us to share stories of "extending > grace," how others have been affected by our devotion to Amma. I don't know > this story fits into the category, but I'd like to share it. > > This is the story of Anil. It began about a week after my second retreat > with Amma. For days after being with Amma, I was so full of bliss that I'm > sure I was radiating something very unusual. I was taking my daily exercise, > walking in a beautiful park that's quite near my house. My heart was > unusually open. Just as I was leaving the park, I noticed a man lying down > under a tree who seemed to be in some distress. > > Totally influenced by Mother's inspiration, I walked over to him and asked > him how he was. Initially, I thought that he was an African-American, > although it turned out he was from India. He was reluctant to talk to me at > first, but we did get a conversation going. He was homeless and had just > gotten out of the hospital because of serious heart problems. He was in a > lot of pain, and he had some terrible scabs all over his legs. He was very > depressed. > > Then all of a sudden he noticed something hanging around my neck. It was a > sandal wood mala that Amma had blessed which had a very pretty picture of > Amma hanging down from it. He reached out and grabbed the picture and said, > "Mataji, Mataji," I told him who it was, and he just kept grabbing hold of > it. So I took mala off and handed it to him. He immediately started doing > mantra japa, "Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya......." > > This helped him to relax enormously and to take some comfort. He was totally > with Amma's presence. We talked some more for a while and I told him about > Amma. Then I had a packet of sacred ash (given to me by Amma) in my pocket > which I gave him, and I also gave him the mala. > > Well, this was the beginning of a friendship which lasted for several years. > The next day when I took a walk I saw him again, and he had used all the > sacred ash to rub over his legs. The scabs on them had almost cleared up, > and he was no longer in pain. > > In those early days of knowing Amma, I didn't have satsang with anyone, so > Anil and I became satsang for each other. He had become estranged from the > early traditions he grew up with after living so long in a Christian country. > So it was also wonderful for him to have someone to talk with about his Hindu > roots. Just about every day, we would talk about Hinduism and about devotion. > His family were Shiva devotees, and his grandfather had built a temple to > Lord Shiva. Anil was very eager to come up to the ashram and to meet Mother > someday, however it never happened. Yet Amma had filled his heart. > > It was only by allowing myself to become a vehicle of Mother's love, just as > I had observed it in Her ashram when She was there, that I was able to be so > open and compassionate. I felt that it was really important for me to show > Anil that I cared about him, rather than that I felt sorry for him because he > was homeless. So every time I saw him I would bring him a little present. > Sometimes it was something very practical, and sometimes it was just > something personal or for fun. His favorite presents were always tapes of > Mother's bajans. Throughout, Mother was always my inspiration as well as my > grace. > > I learned so much from Anil, much more than I can relate in this e-mail. But > it certainly was a meeting blessed by Amma. I don't know where he is now, he > moved out of the area and we lost contact. So now I pray that he is well. > > Om Namah Shivaya! > > At Her Feet, > vaishnavi > > > > Sponsor > > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > Ammachi > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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