You may remember the palpable sense of disappointment around Australia 12 months ago when one of the world’s most beloved saints, Amma, “the hugging saint” had to cancel her planned visit because of the SARS crisis.
Well, SARS has taken a back seat (let’s hope permanently) and now the planned visit by this very special woman will take place early next month.
Her Holiness Mata Amritanandamayi, or Amma, has earned widespread respect and love for her non-sectarian philosophy, which advocates unconditional love and compassion for one another and a respect for the natural world.
In late 2002, the woman known as “the hugging Saint” who is believed to have personally embraced and blessed more than 20 million people over the years, was presented with the prestigious ‘Gandhi-King Award for Non-Violence. Amma is only the fourth person to ever receive the award, together with Nelson Mandela, the UN’s Secretary General, Kofi Annan and Jane Gooodall, the acclaimed British primatologist. The award recognizes her tireless efforts to overcome human suffering and her practical approach shown in a vast range of educational, medical and welfare institutions in many countries.
Based in an ashram in the south of India, she also spends many months each year travelling the world where literally thousands of people wait patiently for contact with her. She lovingly embraces each person she meets in a unique form of darshan (blessing) and may feel transformed by this contact.
Now aged 50, she works tirelessly, reportedly sleeping as little as two hours a night and spending up to 20 hours each day receiving the thousands waiting for her blessing. Amma’s message, urging people irrespective of race or religion, to overcome their differences and work constantly towards peace has never been more poignant nor desperately needed. |
