If you have never heard about Amma, here is a good report by New York Times
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/business/ammas-multifaceted-empire-built-on-hugs.html?from=world
I attended Amma's retreat at the end of June in Toronto, due to the Massachusetts retreat dates conflicting with work event. I just made a trip out of it to Canada, a country I have never been to.
The retreat is unusually intense, packed with tracks of activities day and night. The popular Darshan goes on until early morning every day where people line up to receive hugs from the saint. It is amazing to see all these people come around her to support her and volunteer in her events. This has been the 10th year here at Toronto, where people attended year after year. I am a first timer and there are not a whole lot of things in spirituality I can call myself that.
"May all beings in all the worlds be happy" "The goal is to lift the fallen ones" The chanting has many sacred and inspirational words. Amma sings and chants. She is out there all day all night long with very little rest. I went to bed exhausted while she was still in the hall receiving long line of people. A couple of hours after I arrived the hall next morning, she came into the hall again to do another round of activity. Has she slept at all? She puts herself out there to be among the people. She tirelessly hug people, feed people, sing and dance for people. What a loving saint!
Her book details many miraculous events taking place in her life. Reading it is like reading the biography of Buddha. People started to recognize her as a saint since she was in her 20s when supernatural events happened around her. She also regularly channeled Lord Krishna, and later Mother Kali. She established school, university, hospital, charity organizations, in and outside of India. She does many things the government can't even accomplish. ....
I attended Darshan all three days. On the second day, I got in line a lot earlier than the time being told. I was in awe when I found myself sitting in the middle of the second row, right in front of Amma. Even the microphone was a little to the side and did not block my direct vision with Amma. This is after the line we stood in got separated into two parts, one entering seats from one side, the other from the other side. It just happened that I ended up right in the middle, each of the 50 rows had at least 30 people and . I was totally awe struck, thinking that this has to be Kwan Ying's arrangement. What is the odds of ending up right in the middle?
During the water ceremony on the third day, everyone was getting one small container of holy water blessed by Amma. The woman next to me was made to keep the water for later after she drank the water all up. So she asked for one more. The person who passed out water happened to have one more left after giving one to the woman next to me. So I asked to have the last water and I did. This is like another arrangement by Kwan Yin. No one in the audience got more than one.
I made sure that I request and receive a mantra from Amma, a mantra with special meaning to myself that representing God.
During the three days, I also attended "I Am" meditation sessions, a form of meditation created 30 years ago by Amma. She started to teach it now when she feels people are finally ready.
