Amma: The Hugging Saint. Yeah, that's me in the photo. Don't use it.
Pema Chodron's When Things Fall Apart is the book I give to anyone going through a dark night. *(paid link)*
There is something about a sandalwood mala that carries the energy of thousands of years of devotion. *(paid link)* The wood itself remembers every prayer whispered over it, every tear that fell on its smooth surface during meditation. You can feel it the moment those beads touch your fingers ~ there's a weight there that has nothing to do with the physical wood. It's like holding a piece of history where countless seekers have poured their hearts out, seeking the same damn thing we're all after: peace, connection, some kind of understanding. Think about that. Every sandalwood tree that becomes prayer beads has absorbed decades of Indian soil, monsoon rains, and the vibrations of temple bells ringing across the scene.
I keep palo santo in every room, it is one of my favorite tools for shifting energy. *(paid link)*
Rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love, keep one close when you are doing heart work. *(paid link)*
Amma. The Hugging Saint. She’s hugged over 40 million people. Her free events pack stadiums, drawing thousands. Back in the day, when it was just 50 or 60 folks, they called her “Ammaji” or “Ammachi.” My first encounter with Amma was in 1990. She was perched on a beat-up, cushioned chair in a small basement room at The African-Methodist Episcopal Church in Central Square, Cambridge, MA. The moment I stepped in, her presence hit me. A pure, undeniable light. I dropped to my knees, bowing. The rest of the day? A blissful, sobbing mess, happily tucked away in a corner. Besides a few Swamis and helpers, there were maybe ten other people in that room. While I was lost in my tears, Amma caught my eye. She gestured me over. Nervous? Barely. I felt like a newborn giraffe, all awkward and self-conscious, as I stumbled towards her. I bowed again. She took my hand, then gently pulled me across her lap. She began to rub my body, head to toe, as I wept. Massaging my scalp, my forehead, patting my spine. Even squeezing my ears, tussling my hair. It felt like being held by pure, unadulterated love. After twenty minutes of this healing touch, Amma gently lifted my head. Her soft hands pressed her cheek and lips against my ear. She whispered Sanskrit mantras, and I soaked up every ounce of that love.“Pure Love Transcends The Body. It Is Between Hearts. It Has Nothing To Do With Bodies.” - Amma (Amma.org)
At that time, I was hosting a popular children’s TV show, chasing some vague fantasy of fame. Meeting Amma cracked my heart wide open. My approach to my career, to everything, shifted. Despite my flaws and challenges, Amma helped me blossom in ways I never could have imagined. In the years that followed, she’d often ask me to open her retreats and events. Spiritual comedy. I’d sit near her, delivering playful lectures and videos about the absurdities you find in spiritual communities. It was a privilege.“I don’t see if it is a man or a woman. I don’t see anyone different from my own self. A continuous stream of love flows from me to all of creation. This is my inborn nature. The duty of a doctor is to treat patients. In the same way, my duty is to console those who are suffering.”
-- Amma (Amma.org)
I remember sitting in Amma’s darshan hall, the crowd thick with restless energy, my body tight with a knot of grief I couldn’t name. When Amma pulled me into that hug, it wasn’t just comfort. It was like my nervous system finally exhaled after holding its breath for years. The weight of it shook something loose inside me, not in some airy way but deep in the pit of my belly where old pain had lodged itself. One of my clients once came to me carrying the kind of rage that clenches the jaw and freezes the breath. We worked with shaking and breath, letting the body do what the mind had refused. Hours later, she told me she felt like she’d emerged from a cave, raw but alive. Those somatic releases aren’t pretty. They’re messy and loud and real. And they reset what we thought was stuck forever.Amma’s Origins
Amma, an enlightened master, was born Sudhamani (meaning "bright, precious gem") Idamannel on September 27th, 1953, in Kerala, India. Devotees call her Amma, but also Mātā Amritānandamayī Devī - an incarnation of the Divine Mother. Her ashram, Amritapuri, is in Kerala. She came from a fishing family, with six siblings. Most of them didn't understand her, or treat her kindly. Yet, Amma’s unwavering commitment to her spiritual path eventually inspired her entire family to embrace her as the Divine Mother. Witnesses claim Amma was born without tears, a sweet smile on her face. Bluish skin, like Krishna. Though it soon turned brown, many believe she's an incarnation of Krishna. From age five, she spent most of her time in devotional prayer. "The Hugging Saint" travels the globe, holding free programs on every continent. In hotels, she rejects luxury, sleeping on the floor (beds and pillows removed). She barely eats, yet will hug thousands, sometimes for over 24 hours straight. Her *darshan*, her blessing, comes as a hug and gentle whispers. She offers mantras to those who ask, and makes herself available for life-or-death questions.“I am not interested in making believers by showing miracles; I am here to help you find the real truth, and to find liberation of the Self (Soul) through the realization of your eternal nature.” - Amma (Amma.org)
Amma’s Mission: Hospitals, Housing, Disaster Relief & More
Amma’s international organizations, Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) and Mata Amritanandamayi Mission Trust, impact millions globally. Beyond spiritual education, these groups have a proven track record of helping the poor and uplifting humanity. She’s raised hundreds of millions for disaster relief, healthcare for the poor, environmental initiatives, global hunger, and education for struggling students. The core mission of Amma’s organizations is selfless service. It's rooted in her teachings on *karma yoga*: helping the less fortunate as a form of prayer. Thousands volunteer for Amma’s organizations ... monastics, students, householders. They come from every religion, race, creed, and ideology. At her events, you’ll hear about "Embracing the World." All her charitable work operates under this banner. Amma’s Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India’s #1 private university, offers degrees in Arts & Sciences, Biotech, Business, Engineering, Medicine, Ayurveda, and more. Students can also study meditation, Sanskrit, and yoga.A few highlights from Amma’s extensive humanitarian work:
- Awarded over 100,000 scholarships, aiding disadvantaged individuals and families impacted by farmer suicide.
- MAM’s 5-campus university teaches nanotechnology, biotechnology, robotics, and satellite-enabled software solutions. Amma's goal: “To use the power of modern technology to provide the effect of targeted aid to communities and individuals in crisis.”
- Built four charitable hospitals for the poor and disadvantaged.
- Established the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre (AIMS) and several HIV/AIDS care centers. AIMS hospitals and programs boast 1,300 beds, a 400-bed medical college, and a 210-bed Intensive Care Facility. They’ve served over 5.5 million patients since 1998.
- Amma’s MAM funds and manages over 47 grammar schools, integrating spiritual and universal values into education.
- MAM is part of the “United Nations Billion Tree Campaign,” planting over 1 million trees worldwide.
- Amma’s SREE program and over 5000 self-help groups help over 100,000 women, improving their lives and supporting their families.
- Built over 200,000 homes for the poor.
- Raised and donated over $50 million for earthquake, tsunami, and hurricane relief.
- Awarded over 60,000 microloans to help families improve living conditions, careers, health, and businesses.
- Established nine tailoring schools, furnishing them with over 2000 sewing machines.
- Educated over 500 students to become bus, truck, and taxi drivers.
- Trained hundreds of young people in trades like mobile phone and TV/VCR repair, plumbing, fashion design, and bag manufacturing.
- Her Amrita Nidhi financial-aid program provides pensions to over 100,000 widows and physically/mentally disadvantaged individuals.
- Built four elderly-care homes, complete with community prayer, ceremony, and function halls.
- Amma’s AYUDH helps young people integrate spiritual and universal values, teaching them to assist the elderly, homeless, and disadvantaged.
- Built two homes that continually provide food, housing, and education for hundreds of children.
Amma’s Miracles
Amma performed miracles early in life. Licking the sores of lepers, healing them. While she downplays these, confirmed stories circulate throughout India. In her youth and beyond, Amma showed amazing generosity and compassion to the lower classes, her impoverished neighbors, and all animals. She’d often forgo her own hunger, giving her food to hungry cows and goats. For many, Amma was the miracle that saved their livestock and families. She’d also give her family’s belongings to those in need. Even as a young girl, Amma spontaneously hugged others, simply to comfort them.“If we penetrate deeply into all aspects and all areas of life, we will find that hidden behind everything is love. We will discover that love is the force, the power, and inspiration behind every word and every action. This applies to all people, irrespective of race, caste, creed, sect, religion, or of what work people do.” - Amma (Amma.org)
Amma Quotes
- “Children, love can accomplish anything and everything. Love can cure diseases. Love can heal wounded hearts and transform human minds. Through love, one can overcome all obstacles. Love can help us renounce all physical, mental and intellectual tensions and so bring peace and happiness.”
- “True worship of God is rendering help to those who are suffering.”
- “Different people will think different things - that is the nature of the world. People have the right to have faith or not to have faith.”
- “For me, everything in creation is God, there is nothing but God. Every single object is a wonder ...