Time Stands Still While Waiting To Get Back To The Mother Ashram...

January 12, 2010

Aum Amriteshwaryai Namah...

Today we leave the Program Site in Coimbatore headed back to Amritapuri. No one knows why the South India Tour has been cancelled but there are many theories and rumours.

We left the site at about 12:30pm and arrived at the University at about 1:30pm. We chanted the 108 Names and the 1,000 Names on that bus ride and completed them in just enough time to arrive at the University.

We as humans are such creatures of habit as we all started walking toward the swimming pool which is where we all hung out and drank our chai on our way to the Program. Instead, we were quickly ushered out of that area and into a palm jungle where we were to be served lunch. Everyone thought that Amma was going to be there to serve us so the tribe quickly moved through the jungle to find no one other than the food trucks setting up.

We were served lunch and ate in the jungle area. As soon as we were all finished eating again the tribe started to make their way (very quickly) back to the swimming pool as though Amma had arrived there. We got to the swimming pool at the University which is an Olympic size swimming pool to find no one there.

People started changing into their swim wear and jumping into the pool. Okay...not a great idea since they had all just filled their stomaches with rice, potatoes and daal. Interestingly enough, it was only the Westerners that were in the pool. Not a single one Indian was in the pool. I was later told that the Indian are afraid of the water and don't know how to swim.

I was very tempted to go in as well, but did not have the proper swim wear with me. I don't know why, but I didn't think to bring swim wear this time with me to India. For men, long shorts (just above the knee) is the only real appropriate thing to wear in the water. I don't even own a pair of those kind of swimming trunks to be honest. For woman, there is a swim dress that they must wear which covers them from shoulders to ankles. Many of the woman even wear their sari blouses under the two wide shoulder straps of this hideous dress.

Time seemed to pass ultra slowly. Now that we were going back to Amritapuri, I was fine with this decision of Amma's but I wanted to get a move on. This sitting around in the sun waiting for something to happen was really driving me nuts. Thank God for Vivek and Pranada who were on my bus and connected with me earlier in the morning as we were waiting at the Program site to leave, I had some company and some people to chat with. This eased the slow move clock for me.

Rumour had it that Amma was going to arrive at 5:30pm at the pool and we would have some time with Her then.

Vivek, Pranada and I were discussing how people (especially the Indian Brahmacharinis) run to get the best possible seats and closest to Amma. I was sharing how I am kind of over that. I feel Amma in my heart and She is often talking about just that - how we need to see Her everywhere and not be so attached to Her physical body. Vivek was good at pushing to find out how I do that since it is also good to be attached to the Guru's Form. I explained that when I chant my mantra or do the 108 Names or sing bhajans, I feel Her in my heart. Often at Satsangs, I have my eyes closed not even looking at the alter while singing bhajans and I go within to seek refuge in Her who rest within my soul.

Finally Amma arrived at 5:30pm and She gave a bit of a Satsang about the same very issue. There was a devotee who is constantly fighting to get to the very front and sit right in front of Amma and she is successful most every time. Amma inquired why it is that she does this. At first, the woman responded by saying that where she comes from no one runs after things but when she came to the Ashram, she saw everyone running after Amma to be as close to Her as possible and thought that this was somehow a measure of the level of devotion one has for Amma. In fact, the woman admitted that she does not find that much peace sitting so close to Amma, rather when she sits a distance away she finds more peace and tranquility.

Amma said that there are many others who wish to have a chance to sit close to Amma as well. The woman started crying and disclosed that she is actually very depressed and unable to function in the real world and this is why she tries to sit as close to Amma as possible, with the hopes that she will start to heal over time. To this Amma said that if she was fighting to sit near to be healed then there is no problem.

There were other stories and jokes told and Amma laughed a lot. Amma practised some of the new Tamil 2010 Bhajans. She sat with us until about 8:30pm and then we had dinner there and got back on the road headed for the Ashram at 9:00pm.

At about 2:30am the A/C bus broke down and we were all woken up out of sleep and told that the Ashram was sending another bus to fetch us and take us the rest of the way. OMG...this was like the last straw for me. I started praying really hard and chanting my mantra really hard to get this bus going. I just wanted to be back already. Somehow, the bus started working again and we were on our way. We arrived at the Ashram just in time for Archana 4:30am. I went straight to my bed.