Amma will start her Europe Yatra on October 11. She will visit 9 countries and will hold programs in 11 different cities which will include Satsang, Bhajan, Meditation and Darshan.
October 11-13: M.A Center, Germany October 15-16: Houten, Netherlands October 18-20: Winterthur, Switzerland October 22-23: Copenhagen, Denmark October 25-27: Chalons, France October 29-30: Munich, Germany November 01-02: London, UK November 04-06: Marseille, France November 09-11: Milan, Italy November 13-14: Helsinki, Finland November 16-18: Granollers, Spain
Ambassador Sanjay Kumar Verma of the Indian Consulate in Japan welcomed Amma to Tokyo. He spoke about the greatness of the Indian culture and values that emphasized the importance of peace, harmony, selfless service and non violence. ‘When it comes to humanity, Indian society traditionally believes in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – World is a family. Living in peaceful coexistence with fellow human beings and environment is a part of the Indian culture. In Indian context, peace is not only the absence of war. Peace is seen as an eco-system to further prosperity and happiness of mankind.
“Today’s life is full of different kind of Stresses. We cannot completely remove stress from our lives. Nor we can avoid stressful situations. However, we can cope with it and manage it with effective and intelligent strategies and Spirituality, Yoga including breathing exercises & Meditation are few among them.
He warmly welcomed Amma to Japan and said, “I believe Amma who comes every year to Japan to deliver spiritual talks must be contributing to the quest of our Japanese friends to know the “Truth of Life” as well as to ease out the stresses of life and well as learning the way to maintain “work-life balance”.
The Japanese people warmly welcomed Amma with traditional Japanese dance and music. On the first day of the three days of programs in Japan, students from ten colleges in Tokyo performed an entertaining traditional dance. These students are also a part of IVUSA who regularly participate in the Housing Project.
It was wonderful to see traditional Indian style bhajans sung by the local Satsang groups with drums, electric guitar, keyboard, pro-custom, saxophone accompanied by young children on chorus. They also sang bhajans in Japanese. They rendered it in Soprano classical music style. It was followed by a graceful Japanese dance.
On all the 3 days Amma gave satsang, darshan and sang bhajans. The last day, the program concluded with a peace prayer and puja for world peace. With this Amma concluded her 8 week long 11 city Yatra to Amrerica – Canada – Japan and returned to Amritapuri.
During Amma’s Chicago programs, United States Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi honored Amma with a congressional commendation recognizing her humanitarian initiatives and conservation efforts across the globe. Congressman Krishnamoorthi said that the congressional commendation was entered into the United States congressional record to ensure that people today and throughout history know who Amma is and what she has done. The commendation will remain a permanent part of the official congressional record.
Congressman Krishnamoorthi presenting the congressional commendation
Reading from the commendation, Rep. Krishnamoorthi said, “Amma continues to share her vision of peace, understanding and love through speaking programs, meditation retreats and her willingness to embrace all in need of blessing. Madam Speaker, I want to recognize Amma’s selfless and compassionate devotion to all people, the work of her charities to relieve poverty and provide health care and education, her outspoken advocacy against human trafficking, and her efforts to encourage sustainable practices and protect our shared ecosystem.”
After reading the congressional commendation, Congressman Krishnamoorthi said in closing, “We need more of her blessings now more than ever.” His words drew enthusiastic applause from the thousands assembled for Amma’s evening program.
Four days of blissful programs resounded the Delta Hotel Toronto Airport & Conference Centre. During the Question and Answer session at the retreat, Amma shared some heartfelt advice after asking everyone in the hall to laugh together. “If you can give even a moment of happiness to another being, that itself makes a difference in the world. When we come to know our true nature, we understand that all of creation is interconnected and that the whole world is one family. This is the way to share bliss with society.”
The volunteering tour staff traveling with Amma performed a dance during the retreat which brought joy and happiness to the entire crowd.
Gurupurnima was also celebrated with Amma into the early morning hours of the first day of public programs. (read Amma’s message here)
16 July, Toronto, Canada – America Yatra 2019 -from Amma’s Guru Purnima message
From the moment of our birth on this earth, through all the various phases of life that we travel through, up to the very moment of our death, there is always a guru there to impart us knowledge. Our journey into the world of knowledge begins at home where we receive our first lessons from our mother and father. After that, throughout our life, we have so many gurus.
Knowledge is light; ignorance is darkness. The day that we remember with humility and gratitude all the gurus that held our hand and led us from the world of darkness into the world of light is Guru Purnima. But most of the gurus in this category are those give their students information regarding the ever-changing world and its objects. They don’t have the ability to give their students true knowledge about the world or the real nature of the Self.
Attaining knowledge about the external world is merely gathering information. On the other hand, knowledge of the true essence of the world and our Self is knowledge born of discernment; that is the rise of true knowledge. The first type of knowledge continuously changes. The second type is the permanent and eternal truth. As disciples, the guru holds our hand and guides us into the world of that knowledge that is the source of all other knowledge.
The guru-disciple relationship exists in all spheres of life. But the spiritual guru-disciple relationship is incomparable. It is the greatest and purest of all relationships. It is the disciple’s love, devotion and faith in the guru that maintains that purity and greatness. The spiritual guru is detached and ever liberated—devoid of ego and likes and dislikes. Yet, the guru is also the embodiment of limitless compassion and patience. This compassion and patience keep the disciple close to the guru. This doesn’t mean that the guru will forgive all the disciple’s indiscretions.
A self-realized being has two facets—that of a mother and that of a guru. In this Kali Yuga, they are forced to stick to their mother aspect over that of the guru. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to uplift the disciple. This is why Amma often says, “Here, there are no disciples, only a mother and her children.” The guru is within the disciple. But in order for the disciple to awaken the guru, the disciple first must awaken the guru within the realized being. But in Kali Yuga, if the guru truly manifests, only those with sincere dispassion and intent of the goal will be able to hold on. This is why Amma gives more importance to the mother aspect. It is like giving anesthesia before surgery. Only a mother can compassionately forgive and tolerate all her children’s mistakes. This may not be possible for the guru. Just as Nature requires us to abide by her laws, certain rules and traditions need to be followed in the presence a guru. Mother Nature forgives all her children’s mistakes. But after a certain limit, she starts warning man’s ego by sending strong warnings.
When the guru tries to break the hard shell of the disciple’s ego, it can be painful. The disciple has fallen in love with his ego, nurturing it, thinking, “This is the truth.” But the guru knows the real truth—the truth that there is an enormous tree hiding within the shell of the small seed. In order for the tree to break free, the shell of the ego must break open. But for this to happen, the disciple must cooperate. If a patient kicks and screams, how can any surgery be done? And even if a surgery is attempted, it will never succeed. This is why the doctor administers anesthesia. Similarly, the guru’s love and affection are the anesthesia given prior to the surgery for saving us from samsara—the disease of the delusion that we are separate from God.
In the olden days, when disciples would live with the guru during their schooling, the scriptures would be taught to them in detail. So, spiritual life wasn’t so difficult for them. Before jumping in those waters, they already knew the basics of swimming. Thus, the guru would only have to watch them from a distance. One only really knows swimming, when they can stay afloat in deep water. If we don’t how, we can drown. The disciples of the past would already know how to swim—just not how to stay afloat in deep water. So, the guru would just have to be like a lifeguard, making sure they didn’t drown.
Surrender helps us discover both our inner and outer gems. No spiritual seeker has ever died of starvation. Through surrender, we will attain everything we need. We should try to develop this surrender. Many people go to see the ocean. Some enjoy the vast blue sky and the beauty of the ocean. Others catch fish and satisfy their hunger. Yet others enjoy the sea breeze on their face. But very few dive deep into the ocean and collect the pearls. Similarly, many people approach a sadguru for various reasons. But very few truly understand the principle of the guru and surrender, thereby discovering their True Self. May divine grace help all of Amma’s children develop such courage, power and surrender.
8-9 July Boston, New England, Marlborough – America Yatra 2019
As Amma entered the hall of the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center, delegates from the Chappiquidic tribe as well as Our Lady of All Nations Church welcomed her in their traditional way with a beautiful song of prayer of humility, love, and peace for all.
Their prayer set the stage for a night of celebration for all different religions, races, and types of people coming together in the name of world peace and selfless service. In a traditional song, the group exclaimed: “For this day we give so much. We give especially great thanks for Amma to be here as a beacon of light to guide people. We pray for all people everywhere- the elderly, children as we walk this sacred road, this sacred night, we pray to come together in the message of love. In this day we acknowledge Amma for her blessings. We are all related.”
For three days Amma held public programs of darshan, satsang, bhajan in the heart of Manhattan at the Grand Hyatt which drew huge crowds from all over the country. Amma spoke about the importance of having faith in ourselves. “If you don’t have faith in yourself, then there is not much to gain even if you believe in God. Faith in God is to strengthen your faith in you, the faith in your own Self. This is, in other words, called Self-confidence–– confidence in your own Self. If that is not there you cannot succeed in life, whatever your field may be. Self-confidence is nothing but mental balance, courage and control over your own mind to confront the problems of life.”
The final program, being a Saturday night, went all night until mid-morning, upon which Amma and the tour group travelled further up the East Coast for the next stop on the summer tour in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Amma held a two-day program at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in the Washington DC area. On the first day, Dorothy Bush Koch— daughter of 41st President of the United States George H.W. Bush and sister of 43rd President George W. Bush— officially welcomed Amma to the nation’s capital city. “Doro” and her sister-in-law, Patricia Reilly Koch, garlanded Amma, received her blessings and offered a few words.
US President’s family meeting Amma
Doro explained that she had become aware of Amma and her humanitarian endeavours when Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, designed the “Amrita Learning App,” a mobile application designed to tackle the problem of low-literacy in the United States. Ultimately Dorothy’s family’s charity, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Adult Literacy, would honour Amrita for the app as one of the winners of its 2018 Adult Literacy XPRIZE Contest.
“We are living right now through a time of deep division and discord—not only in our country but across the world,” said Doro. “Amma is here to show us that another path is possible—the path of love and compassion.”
“It is no exaggeration to say that Amma’s humanitarian work surpasses that of many governments,” she added. “In addition to Amma’s darshan and other charitable efforts, Amma is harnessing the power of science and technology to improve people’s lives and create a more equitable world, and we are so excited to be partnering with her on this new frontier.”
Amrita has been working with literacy in rural communities for more than 20 years. In 2008, it received the UNESCO National Literacy Mission Award from the President of India for Adult Education. It also provides tablet-enhanced literacy in more than 100 villages in 21 Indian states.
Amrita has offered the Amrita Learning App free of cost, and it is being used by thousands of learners and by large communities in the U.S., such as World Education, Proliteracy, NAHMA (the National Affordable Housing Management Association), Literacy Services of Wisconsin, Lit Fit Neo, Milwaukee Knowledge Exchange, and the Literacy Council of Central Alabama.
June 28-29, Atlanta, GA – America Yatra 2019 On the first day of the program in Atlanta, several dignitaries honoured Amma during a short stage function after the morning meditation session. The Consul General of India, Atlanta Dr Swati Vijay Kulkarni, spoke a few words on the occasion: “Amma, your life is an example of the concept ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’–– ‘the whole world is one family.’ For you, meditation is as precious as gold and compassion is the fragrance of your life. We are so blessed that you have made the South East a part of your itinerary. Thank you, Amma.”
25-26 Jun, Dallas – America Yatra 2019 Amma held a two-day program at the Delta Hotel Dallas Allen as part of her America Yatra 2019. “Love the trip and the destination. This will help us to remain happy in all circumstances” reminded Amma during her address at the program.
