Guest guest Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Q1. What is it like to be Amma? What does she see, through her eyes? What does she feel through her hands? A1. There is no state where Amma dwells. She is beyond all names and forms. Amma is us. Amma is within us. The sun is only one, even though it may reflect differently in different pots of water. There is only one atman, within all. A porter and a scientist both use the same head. In our present state, identification with the body, we relate to ourselves as name/form/identity. Like ants, our world is tiny. In reality, we are an infinite ocean of bliss. We are not a drop of water, but the ocean, itself. When Amma looks at us, she just sees God. As a sculptor sees an image to carve in a rock, so Amma sees the divinity within us. The honey bee sees only honey, not the flower. Amma sees the tree that will grow from the seed. you are That. You are God, beautiful God. Realize that all is God, but for this, we must go beyond experience (where there is experiencer, experienced, experience). We must go beyond experience, where there is no duality. There is no two, only One. When we realize that we are not the body, but consciousness, we will cast off the body, like a snake casts off its old skin. Like we can stuff many yards of soft thread into a small matchbox, in our small body is infinite consciousness. You are the I in me and I am the you in you. People say "I am Christian/Buddhist/Hindu/Jew/Muslim." None is different. "I" is common. "I" is the pure self in all of us. Don't try to find out who Amma is. Try to find out who you are! Q2. Sometimes, doubts and fears about Amma arise. I try to offer them up and trust, but I don't like these feelings. How do I make them go away? Or is it just part of the process? A2. We have many weaknesses. Realize this, with a witnessing attitude and look within. Since we haven't studied the scriptures, it is hard to overcome weaknesses. When weaknesses arise, we can contemplate the scriptures and go beyond them. But we haven't studied properly. Our biggest problem is that we try to measure the master with the yardstick of our own experiences. This is nonsense. It's like a small fish trying to measure the depth of the ocean. The way to overcome weaknesses is complete surrender, awakening into ourselves. Pray to God, cry to God. This is not weakness, but looking into ourselves, the same as witnessing. When we tell our sorrows to a friend, we speak to something external. Prayer is awakening the supreme consciousness within. Amma tells a story of people sitting in front of a tent at an exhibition. There is a sign saying, "those who come in will get happiness." When you go inside, each person gets five minutes to say anything you want to the man and leave. Coming out, everyone is grinning. When we pour out our hearts, humans are limited in their ability to help. Everyone has problems to share. Don't be afraid. Cry and praying is surrender. Surrender is looking into the self. Trying to share your problems with others is like a small snake trying to swallow a big frog. Even though most of us claim to have faith, we really don't have much. Our faith is not full. Christ predicted correctly that he would be betrayed. Our faith is shaky and can change at any time. Once, a lover read in the bible that if you have faith as much as a mustard seed, you can move mountains. So, this person had a lover on the other side of the mountain. Daily, he prayed for the mountain to move, but he is always getting up to check and the mountain is still there. Eventually, he exclaims, "I knew it wasn't going to move!" He has no faith. Real faith is one's own life and breath. There is no difference between faith in the master, faith in god and faith in the self. Usually, if we hear others say bad things about the guru, our faith is gone. Once, in a village, the people were about to perform a fire sacrifice to bring rain to relieve a drought. There had been no rain for three years. Hundreds of thousands of people came to pray for rain. Among all these people, only one little girl brought an umbrella. Everyone asked why. The little girl replied, "it's going to rain!" Only she had real faith. Fear and doubt will come. We must learn to surrender to our own self. Amma isn't saying her children have no faith. Have faith in your own self. And if you see good, take it as an example. Q3. What is the nature of the ego and can we have compassion for it? A3. The nature of the ego is finding happiness in suppressing someone else or establishing supremacy. But there is also an ego of pure knowledge. Self-realization leads us to this different type of ego to teach others. Like burnt rope, this second type of ego has a shape, but it will crumble if you touch it. If there is a deer in the garden, you cannot say, "My dear sweet dear, please do not eat these tender leaves!" The deer will then destroy the entire garden! But if you shout and wave a stick, it will go away. But do not beat the deer! We accumulate negative tendencies when suppressing others. Giving compassion to the ego leads to egoism. You don't need compassion for the ego, but discrimination. Say you're sorry if you get angry and your ego will slowly disappear. You must understand the consequences. The ego is destructive. We need awareness, not compassion. If you touch fire, you will be burned. This is the awareness we need. If you hold a glass and drop it, it will break. We need awareness, not compassion, with the ego. If we fracture our arm, we'll have a cast. We must be careful not to hurt our arm or hit something with the cast. This is compassion. Even if we get angry, have courage. Say you're sorry. This is real courage. A person who gets angry is a coward. We may see a drunkard staggering and mumbling like a child. When we see him, we will tease him. When we get angry or have other negative emotions, others will tease us. When we see someone else angry, we may say, "stupid fellow!" Instead, we should look at ourselves. It's difficult, but we must keep trying. We should try our best to say good words and to not hurt others. An officer was once promoted from Major to Colonel. In his office on the first day, he was taking charge. When he saw a person standing by his office, he picked up the phone and said, "Hello, President Bush! Is Laura okay? I would love to have dinner with you both!" He then hung up and asked the man, "What are you doing here? What do you want?" The man smiled and replied, "I'm from the maintenance department. I'm here to connect your phone!" This is how the ego traps us. Then, we look stupid. We try to nourish and nurture the ego. We always have to be bigger and better than others. In fact, we are only becoming fools. Amma says, "become a zero, if you want to become a hero." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Hi Iswari, Thankyou! Thanks for posting this- I was going to ask someone to, but you were so quick off the mark! Hope you're having some quality time with Amma. At her feet, Nirmala Ammachi, "ammasiswari" <ammasiswari wrote: > > Q1. What is it like to be Amma? What does she see, through her eyes? What does she feel > through her hands? > > A1. There is no state where Amma dwells. She is beyond all names and forms. Amma is > us. Amma is within us. The sun is only one, even though it may reflect differently in > different pots of water. There is only one atman, within all. A porter and a scientist both > use the same head. In our present state, identification with the body, we relate to > ourselves as name/form/identity. Like ants, our world is tiny. In reality, we are an infinite > ocean of bliss. We are not a drop of water, but the ocean, itself. When Amma looks at us, > she just sees God. As a sculptor sees an image to carve in a rock, so Amma sees the > divinity within us. The honey bee sees only honey, not the flower. Amma sees the tree that > will grow from the seed. you are That. You are God, beautiful God. Realize that all is God, > but for this, we must go beyond experience (where there is experiencer, experienced, > experience). We must go beyond experience, where there is no duality. There is no two, > only One. When we realize that we are not the body, but consciousness, we will cast off the > body, like a snake casts off its old skin. Like we can stuff many yards of soft thread into a > small matchbox, in our small body is infinite consciousness. You are the I in me and I am > the you in you. People say "I am Christian/Buddhist/Hindu/Jew/Muslim." None is different. > "I" is common. "I" is the pure self in all of us. Don't try to find out who Amma is. Try to find > out who you are! > > > Q2. Sometimes, doubts and fears about Amma arise. I try to offer them up and trust, but I > don't like these feelings. How do I make them go away? Or is it just part of the process? > > A2. We have many weaknesses. Realize this, with a witnessing attitude and look within. > Since we haven't studied the scriptures, it is hard to overcome weaknesses. When > weaknesses arise, we can contemplate the scriptures and go beyond them. But we haven't > studied properly. Our biggest problem is that we try to measure the master with the > yardstick of our own experiences. This is nonsense. It's like a small fish trying to measure > the depth of the ocean. The way to overcome weaknesses is complete surrender, > awakening into ourselves. Pray to God, cry to God. This is not weakness, but looking into > ourselves, the same as witnessing. When we tell our sorrows to a friend, we speak to > something external. Prayer is awakening the supreme consciousness within. Amma tells a > story of people sitting in front of a tent at an exhibition. There is a sign saying, "those who > come in will get happiness." When you go inside, each person gets five minutes to say > anything you want to the man and leave. Coming out, everyone is grinning. When we pour > out our hearts, humans are limited in their ability to help. Everyone has problems to share. > Don't be afraid. Cry and praying is surrender. Surrender is looking into the self. Trying to > share your problems with others is like a small snake trying to swallow a big frog. Even > though most of us claim to have faith, we really don't have much. Our faith is not full. > Christ predicted correctly that he would be betrayed. Our faith is shaky and can change at > any time. Once, a lover read in the bible that if you have faith as much as a mustard seed, > you can move mountains. So, this person had a lover on the other side of the mountain. > Daily, he prayed for the mountain to move, but he is always getting up to check and the > mountain is still there. Eventually, he exclaims, "I knew it wasn't going to move!" He has no > faith. Real faith is one's own life and breath. There is no difference between faith in the > master, faith in god and faith in the self. Usually, if we hear others say bad things about > the guru, our faith is gone. Once, in a village, the people were about to perform a fire > sacrifice to bring rain to relieve a drought. There had been no rain for three years. > Hundreds of thousands of people came to pray for rain. Among all these people, only one > little girl brought an umbrella. Everyone asked why. The little girl replied, "it's going to > rain!" Only she had real faith. Fear and doubt will come. We must learn to surrender to our > own self. Amma isn't saying her children have no faith. Have faith in your own self. And if > you see good, take it as an example. > > > Q3. What is the nature of the ego and can we have compassion for it? > > A3. The nature of the ego is finding happiness in suppressing someone else or > establishing supremacy. But there is also an ego of pure knowledge. Self-realization leads > us to this different type of ego to teach others. Like burnt rope, this second type of ego > has a shape, but it will crumble if you touch it. If there is a deer in the garden, you cannot > say, "My dear sweet dear, please do not eat these tender leaves!" The deer will then > destroy the entire garden! But if you shout and wave a stick, it will go away. But do not > beat the deer! We accumulate negative tendencies when suppressing others. Giving > compassion to the ego leads to egoism. You don't need compassion for the ego, but > discrimination. Say you're sorry if you get angry and your ego will slowly disappear. You > must understand the consequences. The ego is destructive. We need awareness, not > compassion. If you touch fire, you will be burned. This is the awareness we need. If you > hold a glass and drop it, it will break. We need awareness, not compassion, with the ego. If > we fracture our arm, we'll have a cast. We must be careful not to hurt our arm or hit > something with the cast. This is compassion. Even if we get angry, have courage. Say > you're sorry. This is real courage. A person who gets angry is a coward. We may see a > drunkard staggering and mumbling like a child. When we see him, we will tease him. When > we get angry or have other negative emotions, others will tease us. When we see someone > else angry, we may say, "stupid fellow!" Instead, we should look at ourselves. It's difficult, > but we must keep trying. We should try our best to say good words and to not hurt others. > An officer was once promoted from Major to Colonel. In his office on the first day, he was > taking charge. When he saw a person standing by his office, he picked up the phone and > said, "Hello, President Bush! Is Laura okay? I would love to have dinner with you both!" He > then hung up and asked the man, "What are you doing here? What do you want?" The man > smiled and replied, "I'm from the maintenance department. I'm here to connect your > phone!" This is how the ego traps us. Then, we look stupid. We try to nourish and nurture > the ego. We always have to be bigger and better than others. In fact, we are only becoming > fools. Amma says, "become a zero, if you want to become a hero." > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Nirmala, I don't think I've ever before taken verbatim (well, as close to it as possible!) notes before. I just had the clear feeling that I should this time and I'm very glad to be of service! We arrived late because my ride was after Amma's Kitchen and I've had to sleep in and miss much of the morning programs because I'm still recovering from everything....so, while I haven't had quantity time, I surely had quality time at yesterday evening's program. She basically kept me within five feet of her throughout the entire program.. Afterward, I realized that I smelled like her! I still do! I don't want to take a shower! =) But I will. =) Love, Iswari Ammachi, "frangi888" <frangi888 wrote: > > Hi Iswari, > Thankyou! Thanks for posting this- I was going to ask someone to, but > you were so quick off the mark! Hope you're having some quality time > with Amma. > At her feet, > Nirmala > > > Ammachi, "ammasiswari" <ammasiswari@> wrote: > > > > Q1. What is it like to be Amma? What does she see, through her > eyes? What does she feel > > through her hands? > > > > A1. There is no state where Amma dwells. She is beyond all names > and forms. Amma is > > us. Amma is within us. The sun is only one, even though it may > reflect differently in > > different pots of water. There is only one atman, within all. A > porter and a scientist both > > use the same head. In our present state, identification with the > body, we relate to > > ourselves as name/form/identity. Like ants, our world is tiny. In > reality, we are an infinite > > ocean of bliss. We are not a drop of water, but the ocean, itself. > When Amma looks at us, > > she just sees God. As a sculptor sees an image to carve in a rock, > so Amma sees the > > divinity within us. The honey bee sees only honey, not the flower. > Amma sees the tree that > > will grow from the seed. you are That. You are God, beautiful God. > Realize that all is God, > > but for this, we must go beyond experience (where there is > experiencer, experienced, > > experience). We must go beyond experience, where there is no > duality. There is no two, > > only One. When we realize that we are not the body, but > consciousness, we will cast off the > > body, like a snake casts off its old skin. Like we can stuff many > yards of soft thread into a > > small matchbox, in our small body is infinite consciousness. You > are the I in me and I am > > the you in you. People say "I am > Christian/Buddhist/Hindu/Jew/Muslim." None is different. > > "I" is common. "I" is the pure self in all of us. Don't try to find > out who Amma is. Try to find > > out who you are! > > > > > > Q2. Sometimes, doubts and fears about Amma arise. I try to offer > them up and trust, but I > > don't like these feelings. How do I make them go away? Or is it > just part of the process? > > > > A2. We have many weaknesses. Realize this, with a witnessing > attitude and look within. > > Since we haven't studied the scriptures, it is hard to overcome > weaknesses. When > > weaknesses arise, we can contemplate the scriptures and go beyond > them. But we haven't > > studied properly. Our biggest problem is that we try to measure the > master with the > > yardstick of our own experiences. This is nonsense. It's like a > small fish trying to measure > > the depth of the ocean. The way to overcome weaknesses is complete > surrender, > > awakening into ourselves. Pray to God, cry to God. This is not > weakness, but looking into > > ourselves, the same as witnessing. When we tell our sorrows to a > friend, we speak to > > something external. Prayer is awakening the supreme consciousness > within. Amma tells a > > story of people sitting in front of a tent at an exhibition. There > is a sign saying, "those who > > come in will get happiness." When you go inside, each person gets > five minutes to say > > anything you want to the man and leave. Coming out, everyone is > grinning. When we pour > > out our hearts, humans are limited in their ability to help. > Everyone has problems to share. > > Don't be afraid. Cry and praying is surrender. Surrender is looking > into the self. Trying to > > share your problems with others is like a small snake trying to > swallow a big frog. Even > > though most of us claim to have faith, we really don't have much. > Our faith is not full. > > Christ predicted correctly that he would be betrayed. Our faith is > shaky and can change at > > any time. Once, a lover read in the bible that if you have faith as > much as a mustard seed, > > you can move mountains. So, this person had a lover on the other > side of the mountain. > > Daily, he prayed for the mountain to move, but he is always getting > up to check and the > > mountain is still there. Eventually, he exclaims, "I knew it wasn't > going to move!" He has no > > faith. Real faith is one's own life and breath. There is no > difference between faith in the > > master, faith in god and faith in the self. Usually, if we hear > others say bad things about > > the guru, our faith is gone. Once, in a village, the people were > about to perform a fire > > sacrifice to bring rain to relieve a drought. There had been no > rain for three years. > > Hundreds of thousands of people came to pray for rain. Among all > these people, only one > > little girl brought an umbrella. Everyone asked why. The little > girl replied, "it's going to > > rain!" Only she had real faith. Fear and doubt will come. We must > learn to surrender to our > > own self. Amma isn't saying her children have no faith. Have faith > in your own self. And if > > you see good, take it as an example. > > > > > > Q3. What is the nature of the ego and can we have compassion for it? > > > > A3. The nature of the ego is finding happiness in suppressing > someone else or > > establishing supremacy. But there is also an ego of pure knowledge. > Self-realization leads > > us to this different type of ego to teach others. Like burnt rope, > this second type of ego > > has a shape, but it will crumble if you touch it. If there is a > deer in the garden, you cannot > > say, "My dear sweet dear, please do not eat these tender leaves!" > The deer will then > > destroy the entire garden! But if you shout and wave a stick, it > will go away. But do not > > beat the deer! We accumulate negative tendencies when suppressing > others. Giving > > compassion to the ego leads to egoism. You don't need compassion > for the ego, but > > discrimination. Say you're sorry if you get angry and your ego will > slowly disappear. You > > must understand the consequences. The ego is destructive. We need > awareness, not > > compassion. If you touch fire, you will be burned. This is the > awareness we need. If you > > hold a glass and drop it, it will break. We need awareness, not > compassion, with the ego. If > > we fracture our arm, we'll have a cast. We must be careful not to > hurt our arm or hit > > something with the cast. This is compassion. Even if we get angry, > have courage. Say > > you're sorry. This is real courage. A person who gets angry is a > coward. We may see a > > drunkard staggering and mumbling like a child. When we see him, we > will tease him. When > > we get angry or have other negative emotions, others will tease us. > When we see someone > > else angry, we may say, "stupid fellow!" Instead, we should look at > ourselves. It's difficult, > > but we must keep trying. We should try our best to say good words > and to not hurt others. > > An officer was once promoted from Major to Colonel. In his office > on the first day, he was > > taking charge. When he saw a person standing by his office, he > picked up the phone and > > said, "Hello, President Bush! Is Laura okay? I would love to have > dinner with you both!" He > > then hung up and asked the man, "What are you doing here? What do > you want?" The man > > smiled and replied, "I'm from the maintenance department. I'm here > to connect your > > phone!" This is how the ego traps us. Then, we look stupid. We try > to nourish and nurture > > the ego. We always have to be bigger and better than others. In > fact, we are only becoming > > fools. Amma says, "become a zero, if you want to become a hero." > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 This was fascinating to read. I cannot get enough Amma information...!! I want another new book. I read through them like water. I am now reading the 50th Anniversary Book-the big gold one. This is full of stories and speeches. I am taking longer to read this one. Even in rereading many books in which Amma is quoted, it is like reading it new each time in some way. The truth is so refreshing in our world. adriane Ammachi, "ammasiswari" <ammasiswari wrote: > > Nirmala, I don't think I've ever before taken verbatim (well, as close to it as possible!) notes > before. I just had the clear feeling that I should this time and I'm very glad to be of service! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Did someone take notes on the Boston retreat Q&A? If so, I missed that post and would like to see it. I asked the first question (what it¹s like to be Amma, etc.) and would like to study her answer more carefully. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Yes, that was me. It should be in the archives...I think last Friday night or Saturday AM? Iswari Ammachi, Rick Archer <groups wrote: > > Did someone take notes on the Boston retreat Q&A? If so, I missed that post > and would like to see it. I asked the first question (what it¹s like to be > Amma, etc.) and would like to study her answer more carefully. Thanks. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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