Guest guest Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 Folks - if this is getting too long, lemme know and I'll pick up the pace. Otherwise, I'll keep going this way because it feels so good to write about it! ~ Namah Shivaya Part III Finally getting myself to leave my room and join the hundreds of strangers in this unfamiliar setting, I headed for the cafeteria for dinner. The food was delicious, tastier than I would've imagined possible when serving over a thousand people. It was like a home- cooked meal in that it was nutritious and abundant! What a treat! I made my way over to a table and ate dinner alone, simply people watching and enjoying the excitement. I realized it would soon be time for Amma to come out and begin the bhajans, so I tossed my plate into the trash and headed for the main hall. When I arrived, a friend from Austin spotted me and ushered me to a seat on the floor she'd reserved. She wanted to make sure I had a good view of Amma. I sat on the floor surrounded by devotees, old and young, from all parts of the world, all returning my smile when our eyes met. I turned and looked at the stage and was startled to see that Amma's chair was right in front of me! I hadn't anticipated being so close to her so quickly. When she finally came out and everyone rose to meet her, I didn't feel ready to see her. I felt like I wasn't in the right mindset yet, that I needed time to meditate or build up the appropriate sense of awe. Before I knew it she was walking up onto the stage, her head lower than everyone else's, yet clearly visible because she's like no one else. She sat down on the chair and I just gazed at her. All through the singing I stared at Amma's lovely face, the face that up until that first moment I'd only seen in photographs or on video. At different points when the music would swell and she'd throw her arms up to heaven I'd feel tears burn my eyes and run down my face. I didn't know the words, but the emotion ran through the crowd like electricity. I couldn't believe I was there. The singing ended. Again, quicker than I would've thought possible, Amma was suddenly down on the ground level in a chair and people were already lined up for darshan. I glanced at my number: 501 – 550. I was already sleepy and didn't know if I'd make it. I had no frame of reference for when the number 500 would be flipped over, so I just planted myself on the floor and watched. I felt a bit out of my body, the experience still too unreal to assimilate. I watched Amma do her thing, watched the people being hugged, and waited for something to hit me. It didn't come so I got up and walked around. I saw so many things I wanted to buy, but I was so sleepy I knew I shouldn't make decisions in that state. I kept wandering back near the stage so I could watch what was happening. I kept trying to figure out what it would be like when it was my turn, but again, no frame of reference. Around 2:30AM my number showed up on the flip cards. My friend from Austin told me she'd go for her darshan at the same time so I wouldn't be alone. I went to the end of the line, showed my number, and got down on my knees. I was now looking down the line straight into Amma's face. That is when it hit me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2003 Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 I¹m enjoying these. This one made me cry. on 7/30/03 12:14 PM, MSoliz at msoliz2000 wrote: > Folks - if this is getting too long, lemme know and I'll pick up the > pace. Otherwise, I'll keep going this way because it feels so good to > write about it! ~ Namah Shivaya > > > Part III > > Finally getting myself to leave my room and join the hundreds of > strangers in this unfamiliar setting, I headed for the cafeteria for > dinner. The food was delicious, tastier than I would've imagined > possible when serving over a thousand people. It was like a home- > cooked meal in that it was nutritious and abundant! What a treat! I > made my way over to a table and ate dinner alone, simply people > watching and enjoying the excitement. > > I realized it would soon be time for Amma to come out and begin the > bhajans, so I tossed my plate into the trash and headed for the main > hall. When I arrived, a friend from Austin spotted me and ushered me > to a seat on the floor she'd reserved. She wanted to make sure I had > a good view of Amma. I sat on the floor surrounded by devotees, old > and young, from all parts of the world, all returning my smile when > our eyes met. I turned and looked at the stage and was startled to > see that Amma's chair was right in front of me! I hadn't anticipated > being so close to her so quickly. > > When she finally came out and everyone rose to meet her, I didn't > feel ready to see her. I felt like I wasn't in the right mindset > yet, that I needed time to meditate or build up the appropriate sense > of awe. Before I knew it she was walking up onto the stage, her head > lower than everyone else's, yet clearly visible because she's like no > one else. She sat down on the chair and I just gazed at her. > > All through the singing I stared at Amma's lovely face, the face that > up until that first moment I'd only seen in photographs or on video. > At different points when the music would swell and she'd throw her > arms up to heaven I'd feel tears burn my eyes and run down my face. > I didn't know the words, but the emotion ran through the crowd like > electricity. I couldn't believe I was there. > > The singing ended. Again, quicker than I would've thought possible, > Amma was suddenly down on the ground level in a chair and people were > already lined up for darshan. I glanced at my number: 501 – 550. I > was already sleepy and didn't know if I'd make it. I had no frame of > reference for when the number 500 would be flipped over, so I just > planted myself on the floor and watched. > > I felt a bit out of my body, the experience still too unreal to > assimilate. I watched Amma do her thing, watched the people being > hugged, and waited for something to hit me. It didn't come so I got > up and walked around. I saw so many things I wanted to buy, but I > was so sleepy I knew I shouldn't make decisions in that state. I > kept wandering back near the stage so I could watch what was > happening. I kept trying to figure out what it would be like when it > was my turn, but again, no frame of reference. > > Around 2:30AM my number showed up on the flip cards. My friend from > Austin told me she'd go for her darshan at the same time so I > wouldn't be alone. I went to the end of the line, showed my number, > and got down on my knees. I was now looking down the line straight > into Amma's face. That is when it hit me. > > > > Sponsor > > > > <http://rd./M=259538.3625325.4914071.1261774/D=egroupweb/S=1705075991 > :HM/A=1695348/R=0/SIG=11u38u3s2/*http://hits.411web.com/cgi-bin/hit?page=1374- > 105951838331032> > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > Ammachi > > > Terms of Service > <> . -- Rick Archer SearchSummit 1108 South B Street Fairfield, IA 52556 Phone: 641-472-9336 Fax: 305-425-2820 http://searchsummit.com rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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