1 January 2024, Amritapuri Ashram – New Year Celebrations
Thousands of people from across the globe gathered in the Bhajan Hall at Amritapuri Ashram to celebrate the arrival of the new year with Amma. The hall was vibrant with cultural programs presented by children from India and abroad, showcasing a rich tapestry of global traditions.
As the clock struck midnight, Amma’s message welcomed 2024 with heartfelt prayers for those enduring extreme hardships in various parts of the world. Amma addressed the gathering, emphasizing the importance of compassion and unity in overcoming global challenges.
Speaking on the occassion Amma said: “New Year’s is celebrated all over the world every year. Homes and streets are decorated with lights. There is dancing and singing and greetings of “Happy New Year!” Firecrackers are burst; sparklers are lit. But all the festivities, merriment and lights stop once the holiday is over. From January 2nd morning itself, humanity resumes its frantic race. Everyone withdraws into themselves. Selfish, hateful and vengeful thoughts plunge humanity’s mind into darkness. This is how our New Year’s celebrations have been so far. If we continue in this manner, the world won’t be benefitted. On the contrary, it will be harmed.
Even if we shout ourselves hoarse, straining our throats with exclamations of “Happy New Year!” nothing “new” is going to happen. Nor is anyone going to become “happy.” For people to remain “happy” and feel “new,” some ever-fresh factor is needed. If this factor, which never goes stale, is not there, even the dearest bonds will become old and dull. Humanity will constantly seek newness. Once caught in this cycle, life will never be fresh, new and joyful. The ever-new, ever-fresh factor is selfless love. If selfless, unconditional love is present, we will always remain fresh and happy, wherever we are.
Many people annually make New Year’s resolutions. It may be to start a new business or to expand an existing one, or to buy a new home with more rooms and amenities. Some resolve to buy a more expensive car or to travel to new places, or to increase their bank balance… But when New Year’s dawns, how many reflect and resolve to reduce their selfishness? To become a better human being? To try to love if not everyone, at least some, equally? To show compassion to the sorrowing? To love and protect Nature? To correct one’s own mistakes rather than blame others? Such resolutions are what really brings “newness” to life.
Today, we have just finished writing a page in the book of our life. We are now turning it and starting a new page. To some extent, we have the freedom to choose what to write next and how. Let us try to make it meaningful with positive intentions, actions and exemplary life lessons.
Everyone likes new things. Based on Amma’s experience, Amma believes that there is no one who doesn’t appreciate novelty. A new calendar, a new diary, a new pen, a new phone, a new computer—all bring us joy. This is because we always desire change. This reveals the basic underlying defect of all objects in the material world. No object in this world can give us long-lasting happiness or peace. Even the best joke or story loses its initial sparkle when repeated.
If a student fails a class, we give them chance to retake the exam, thereby creating an opportunity to achieve success. In a similar way, every new year is an opportunity to improve ourselves.
Be ready to look back at the past year, to identify your mistakes, to correct them and to accept new positive beginnings. Imagine a beautiful garden full of flowers. There will be many leaves on the ground. If the gardener declares, “I’m not going to rake up a single dead leaf,” the garden will eventually become filled with rotting leaves. Their foul odour will overpower the gentle fragrance of the roses. Fragrant flowers are within each one of us—like lotuses rising from dirt. So, definitely we can manifest the goodness within us.
Amma would like to list a few things that could possibly help us to improve our lives:
- Be grateful towards life. The emotion of gratitude plays an important role in enriching our life. Any experience in life—be it good or bad—can help us grow internally. Thus, be grateful towards every life experience and towards everyone who helps you in your life’s journey. Show gratitude towards this Earth and Nature.
- Good habits give our life direction and steer us away from the wrong path. At the same time, we should try to stop bad habits. List your bad habits in a diary—such as overeating, laziness, excessive use of cell phones, or craving for tasty food. Observe your progress in conquering those bad habits. If we do this, we will be able to overcome these habits in no time. What is most important is to keep ourselves under our own observation. Many children come to Amma saying they want to stop smoking. Some of them have been smoking for the past 30 or 40 years. They have the desire to kick the habit, but are unable to do so. Spending their lives inhaling cigarette smoke, in the end they find it difficult to breathe at all since their air passages have become so constricted. They want to kick the habit, but they feel helpless. These children should take a firm oath to quit. If they do so, they will definitely be able to stop. Many of Amma’s children have quit smoking. In the past few days itself, many children have come to Amma and asked for help quitting. Amma prays that divine grace makes this possible for them.
- Face all the challenges life prepares for you with serenity. Develop the mindset to accept all life experiences. Light the flame of faith in the candle of the mind. Even when going through a hurricane, maintain the highest vigilance and keep the flame alight. Maintain utmost alertness in each and every action. A hurricane uproots massive trees, but the small paddy stalks that bend their heads to the wind remain unaffected. Similarly, if we learn to welcome all life’s experiences, we will be able to go beyond them to a great extent.
- We must develop the habit of laughing and smiling. Laughter is the best medicine for physical and mental health. A successful businessman once placed two large mirrors outside every mall he owned. One was convex and the other concave. Seeing their hilarious reflection in the mirror, customers would invariably break into smiles or laughter. This mood reflected in the sales. When someone laughs, stress falls away by itself. Laughter is also infectious and soon spreads joy to others. It makes the atmosphere light. We should be able to smile, not just at the people we know but also at those we do not know. If we try, we will be able to do this.
- We should bring awareness into our every thought, word and action. Any action done with awareness will uplift us towards self-realisation.
- Maintain faith in your chosen path, in God, in Guru, and in your own self. This will give you the strength to overcome any challenge that life may throw your way.
- Take responsibility for your failures and unhappy experiences. This helps us to correct ourselves.
- Take care of your health. If necessary, bring changes in your lifestyle and food habits.
- Practice meditation every day to quieten the mind.
- Be compassionate towards everyone, including birds and other animals and plants and trees. New Year’s reminds us of the continuous flow of time. Our life is drawing closer to the end. Lost time is not found again. Hence, be alert and aware of how you use your time. In this new year, may our minds become serene, free from fear, from distress, from hatred and from anger! May the smile of love ever play on our lips. May compassion fill our hearts. May the Sun of discernment shine in our intellects. May everyone succeed in making the new year blessed with actions that spread the fragrance of love and compassion. May divine grace bless all my children!”
Amma concluded.
With the prayers of “Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu” the celebration concluded, leaving a profound sense of hope and togetherness as everyone embarked on the new year.