AV50 report: Flight and first day

[Guest guest]

Namah Shivaya.

 

I did not want to go on this trip because I would have to travel without my

husband and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to handle the challenges. But

Amma prevailed. It was indeed in many ways an ordeal, a sacrifice.

For everything offered, the spiritual rewards have been immeasurable. And

over and over I saw that Amma was doing what she could to pave the way, to

give the medicine the best taste possible.

 

 

In retrospect, there were many powerful symbols on this trip, which from the

beginning felt like a dream.

 

Left on Sept. 9.

 

The overriding theme on the long trip from Chicago-London-Bombay was a small

girl, about 18 months old, who sat near me on the plane with an older man

whom I assume was her grandfather. Apparently this child had just been taken

from her mother. She spent the entire trip screaming for her mother until

she wore herself out, slept for awhile and started up again. There was no

way to comfort her.

 

The more I identified with her, the more this sense this trip made. In fact,

she could be seen as a symbol of humanity.

 

Arrived in Cochin 4:30 am on 9/11. Unlike arrival in Trivanduram in 2000,

the first scent to greet my nose was not urine but a certain sweetness that

remained all the way to Amritapuri. Even the diesel fuel smelled sweet! When

I got first darshan, the vibhuti smelled just like this scent. The Cochin

airport is modern, clean and it was full of huge posters with Amma smiling

at us, announcing the upcoming celebration. The customs official even said

"Om Namah Shivaya" to me as I passed through his line.

 

About a dozen of us were met by an ashram bus and took the 4 hour trip to

the Ashram. More experienced people answered newcomers questions. We sang a

little. I chanted Names. The mood was ecstatic. We arrived just in time for

breakfast and had darshan later that morning. One of my roommates gave her

bed to me.

 

Since I hadn't been there since Jan. 2000 it was fun to see all the changes.

All the trash is gone, even from the taxi yard, and there are beautiful

tropical plants growing along all the buildings. There is a fancy hibiscus

garden along and behind B building. The flowers are used for aarati.

 

Western café has a patio garden with tables attached to it.

There are several dozen dining tables and hundreds of plastic chairs!

 

It's easy to direct dial long distance for very good rates.

 

Another nice change was at evening bhajans: book and page numbers for all

songs are announced, as on the tour.

 

Next: prasad from Ram

 

In Amma's grace,

premarupa

Aum Amriteshvaryai Namah