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Hindu Mystic, Amma, offers Her Message of Love to Barcelona

P. Burruezo

Thousands of people came the past Thursday and Friday to the Mar Bella sports hall in Barcelona to receive the teachings and hug of the Hindu mystic Amma.

BARCELONA a few years ago, the Mallorquin editor Jose J de Olaneta, a specialist in indigenous issues and spirituality published a book dedicated to the Hindu Saint Sri Ma Anandamayi. Reading it, causes some commotion for the reader, it takes them into a spiritual world of absolute devotion and consecration towards the divine and the natural world. There are still devotees of Sri Ma in India and throughout the world.

Along a similar line, 49 year old, Amma, MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI has consecrated her life to the most downtrodden and to mother nature. Her foundation raises funds to finance, in India, hospitals, senior citizen centres, houses for the most poor.

Amma travels throughout the world giving "darshans" (which would mean something like spiritual meetings and meditation) where she gives a hug to everyone that wants one. In these meetings, the foundation accepts donations but, in any case, the primary message to be conveyed is simple: We are one with everything around us and with all Creation. There is a unity in the world and we have to live in harmony with it.

Patiently Waiting

It is a mystic experience. Amma's devotees, who aren't necessarily Hindus, but rather from all other religions or beliefs, wait patiently until it is their turn. Then, Amma hugs them as she recites a mantra. Many devotees walk away very moved by the meeting, crying. It is an initiation for the purification of souls.

Born in the Indian state of Kerala, the mystic travels continually to explain her beliefs and gather resources with which she undertakes all her various humanitarian activities in her country. On this occasion, on her European tour, Amma was here last week in Barcelona. Thousands of people came together on Thursday and Friday at the Mar Bella sports hall to recede a hug and the teachings from the Hindu mystic.

Barcelona. is the only Spanish city that MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI has visited on this European tour. 80 people formed the entourage of the mystic. The state capital already welcomed Amma last year in early November. On that occasion, Thousands of people also came together.

Before getting a hug, this journalist had the fortune to speak a few minutes with Amma while she continued hugging. Amongst other things, MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI said: "There is definitely a problem in the world, a big problem, and it is the lack of spirituality. This lack is the source of all environmental, problems, war, physical problems....We need to return to spirituality to understand the greatness of the Creation, to learn to love It".

For Amma, "all religions should stop placing so much importance on philosophical and political aspects of their beliefs. They should focus on the essence of all religion. This essence guides the whole of all people and all of nature. Religion is the boat the helps us cross to the shore. Once on the other side, we leave religion and walk without the boat towards the essence of all life".

Even though Amma MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI is Hindu, and even though the musicians are Hindus and the scents that filled the Mar Bella hall in Barcelona are from the orient, one thing for sure is that Amma doesn't push Hinduism. It's not about proselytising sessions. For her, everyone has to search for the essence from their own tradition because"the spiritual path is the big step that humanity must take. This step must begin with the individual. Change from within is very necessary to make the world more positive there are no regional problems or partial solutions. Everything is One".