Birthday Darshan is so.....sweet!!!

January 6, 2010

Aum Amriteshwaryai Namah...

I have had a really nice day. It started out with sitting in the dining hall with the leftover cookies and brownies and offering them to those who did not come yesterday to the party due to various things like seva commitments etc.

Then, I ate my breakfast (idly and sambar) - Yummy!!! Then, I hung out for a bit in the dining hall with Luciole and made my way up to the stage for Amma's arrival at about 10:30am. It was so sweet to watch Her arrive on stage and start the Darshans today.

I got my Darshan token and so did Jim so we will be going up together this time as a couple. I had a very relaxing day all in all. I went to the Tour Orientation after lunch and got my tour staff bracelet so I feel all official and all....AND...(as Jim would say with lots of gusto), the bracelet is purple so it goes with my look and wardrobe.

After Orientation, I went back to the room and created a little necklace and bracelets for my *new* Amma Doll that is going to be blessed this evening when I go up for Darshan. She looks so...cute!

Jim and I got in the line for Darshan and my Darshan was really, REALLY sweet. I went up with the two tiffins - one with candied coconut pieces and one with roasted cashews. I said to Amma that yesterday was my birthday and She smiled and ate two pieces of the candied coconut and fed me a piece of it too. Then I placed a pearl necklace around Her neck and reached behind me for my Amma Doll as Jim was holding it for me. I held it up to Amma in my cradled arm and with such care and attention, Amma placed sandalwood paste on the forehead of the Doll and charged it with Her shakti. She handed me some prasad (vibuthi and rock candy). She then took me to Her bossom while I held the Doll in my other hand and stared at it with tears in my eyes. She started saying the blessings in my ear in Punjabi and then all of a sudden, stopped and put me on Her other bossom and pulled Jim in. She must have caught Jim from the corner of Her eye. We did not expect that in India She would give us Darshan together, but there She was doing just that! Jim came forward and placed a garland over Her head and She took him into Her bossom and blessed us together. It was so...very sweet. As I started to move away, She reached out and handed me a second prasad (vibuthi package and rock candy).

Now, Amma didn't shower me with flowers or hand me an apple, but that's probably because She knows that I am not a fan of apples. I kinda miss the flower shower but nonetheless, I am so blessed and lucky to have had the Divine Mother Herself feed me with Her own hands on my birthday. Now how many people can say that?!?!