Another Mother Coming To America
File under: The Siddhi of PR and Amma All-Over-The-Planet
Mother Meera is gearing up for a North Americian tour early next summer after being cloistered in Germany for the past 25 years. They've even seemed to wrangle the blessing of Ammachi, in a way. From the text of a recent devotee recruitment letter:
Mother Meera is an avatar I visited many years ago in Germany. When I had a conversation with Amma, the "Hugging Saint" and asked about Mother Meera, Amma said "I am she".Like any good Divine Mother worth her sari, Meera and her folks are setting the expectations high:
The unique gift of Mother Meera to the world is to make available for the first time in the history of the Earth the radical transformative Light of Paramatman, the Supreme Being. In this time of crisis and growing spiritual hunger, the Mother offers Her children a direct transmission of Light that dissolves all barriers and changes the entire being. This Light can be received by all who are open, whether or not they have met Mother in the body.This insures a good supply of devotees with suggestions already in place and ready to manifest as "miraculous" happenings after they finally get to bathe in Mother Meera's "Light of Paramatman."
Just like her sister in divinity, Mother Meera is yet another hurricane of occluding beliefs and expectations about self-realization. Instead of bringing an end to their devotees' ignorance, these ladies cement it in place by way of the ridiculous things their devotees believe about them, and about self-realization by extension.
It's an exercise in mass hysteria, as is any big time guru's satsang. While it can bring a bit more joy to the world at times, it does so at the expense of the spiritual understanding of those who attend. This makes Mother Meera a Kali without a sword, and not much more useful than a paper hammer as an assist in coming to nondual understanding, which is what it's all supposed to be about in the first place.
posted by guruphiliac @ 4:19 PM
28 Comments:
Jody,
Your blog actually inspired a discussion at my home, and consequently a little piece titled "A human at last" at http://sunyata.blogsome.com/ .
No doubt i cant be humorous like you, although i tried.
thanks and all the best.
Nice little article. I thought you did a great job with the funny. I've republished the piece with a tiny bit of editing here:
The Last Real Human In India
Thanks for the free publicity - i owe you ONE free darshan :-)
My S-I-L joked that if i ever become a swami or whatever, my bro and she will be my first devotees. I seriously replied that that will never happen. To which she said - thats true, you dont have what it takes ... then she came out with this line about me being the only human avatar.
Then i tried (unsuccessfully) to make a funny piece out of it.
BTW, the discussion took place in my tongue (Hindi). The "and shit" i put in 2 places is actually because I am a Martin Lawrence fan.
bye and keep us all laughing.
You write about Mother Meera's visit to US:
It's an exercise in mass hysteria, as is any big time guru's satsang. To be honest I think you are nuts. MM hasn't been to US for a long time, and she has devotees, who would like to see her. She doesn't make any outrageous promises or anything. You seem to be very intolerant of other peoples creeds and are unfair in your treatment. Instead of quoting from the website that anounces her visit website, you out of the context quote a foreword of one of her books, published since long, so not connectet to this visit. most people who see her do this on recommendation by somebody who already had the experience. Above all the Darshans are in total silence, so it means Nill Propaganda How you can call this mass hysteria must stay the secret of your prejudiced mind. So get it from me please: Mother Meera doesn't fit into your (anti) Guru stereotype, even though you'd like to mould her that way.
Please!
Mother Meera is an ignorant homophobe, and she need not say a thing to fill her devotees' heads with stinking occlusion. Her "Light of Paramatman" does the trick just fine.
Jody, it would be alright if you resort to truth and not twisting facts, like saying she would try get an endorsement of Amritananda. She didn't even know the quote. So, conclusion, you are resorting to lies. Btw. she is not homophobic. Read my article on that here. What you say is rubbish, and you don't even try to find out facts. But who cares?
Jody, it would be alright if you resort to truth and not twisting facts, like saying she would try get an endorsement of Amritananda
Read it again. I didn't say she tried to get an endorsement from Amma, I said the letter suggested she had the endorsement of Amma, by way of the devotee's story.
she is not homophobic. Read my article on that
Dude, it's a he said, he said thing now. If Andrew Harvey is to be believed at all, Meera was ignorant at that time in a way that could be considered to be somewhat homophobic.
And how much of an asshole he was then or is now doesn't make the slightest bit of difference about it.
hey jody,
it is very sad to read how you write about Amma and Mother Meera.
i have met Mother Meera many years ago, and i have lived in Ammas Ashram in Amritapuri for the last 7 years.
I have seen Anmma giving Darshan 20 hours without taking a break to eat or go to the bathroom..she did not stop unless the last person has seen her and recieved a hug from her. Mother has so much compassion with everyone..she is so simple and humble she is full of humour and laughter ..but she simply cries with somebody who tell her his problems. Amma and Mother Meera are very simple ...they dont advertise for themselfes..,
I only went to see Amma and Mother Meera after having experiences of their blessings and grace...why is it that if i had any problems and i prayed, my problems were solved so fast..it is stunning to realise that actually praying to God is the fastest help we can get.God is allways eager to help us because he loves us as his children.
I am so happy that through Mother Meera and Amma i developed this inner relationship with God ...nobody is able to take it away from me ever again...the world is just impermanent ..friends come and go..one day we are happy ..and the other we are sad...but god will be allways with us silent and not silent...we will really feel and understand his presence and love in our life, that we did not see before due to our ignorance if we try to pray or talk to him sincerely.(this is not about hearing voices)
What Amma and Mother Meera are doing is just sacrificing their time for us...they are allways there...they dont have anything for themselfes.
i see Amma giving Darshan everyday to such large crowds...please dont judge them for what they are..they are truly saints with divine mother energy able to bless everyone and everybody and rid us of our suffering and pain....or giving us understanding and happyness, showing us through their own example, how we should lead our lives, how to be kind to everyone, how to help others who are suffering and how to approach God and how to be simply happy,
god bless you,
Atulya(marion)
atulyamol@yahoo.de
they are truly saints with divine mother energy able to bless everyone and everybody and rid us of our suffering and pain
There is no more 'divine mother energy' at an Amma or Meera satsang than at a Bangkok brothel. People rid themselves of their suffering and pain because they believe they've come into contact with God. Divine mother energy is simple faith healing. Folks get helped, but not for the reasons they believe they did.
....or giving us understanding and happyness,
They don't. You give that to yourself by being open to the belief that it comes from Amma or Meera. They are just idols that happen to be alive.
Hello Jody I am not writing to you to convert you. It is up to you what you want to believe. But I don’t think people shouldn't get a wrong image of Amma and Mother Meera because of what you write about them. How long have you known them really? I am a bit upset with your answer because I have seen Amma suffer and cry with people about their problems. She always tries to help them through listening to their problems, giving advice and praying for them or helping them materially in providing free Houses for the Poor, building Shelters, giving Money to the Poor and Widows (pensions), providing free Medical help or Schools, Orphanage homes. etc)
How can you claim to know Mother Meera or Amma? I have lived In Ammas Ashram and seen all this myself. We were there when the Tsunami happened. We were litteraly under water, everything was damaged and destroyed. Amma took immediately took action. She arranged for everyone of the 13000 people who were there in the Ashram at the moment to be evacuated in one of her Engineering colleges across the river... she evacuated us and all the fishermen folk and people from the beachside who lost their homes, family members everything in only 2 hours. Amma herself and a few people stayed till the last person were transferred safely acroos the river. Many people lost their houses in the Tsunami. Amma immediately provided them with Food, Money and Clothing and Medical help. When we were finally allowed by the government after 3 days to go back to the Ahsram (beachside) we found everything in a big mess. Every morning after the Tragedy, the Bramacharinis and Western devotees went out at 5am to the beach and carried Bricks and Sand to build new Houses for the people who lost everything and served them food. I was there and I saw, I helped myself. Amma will help people anyway if you like her or not and it doesn’t matter to her what people think of her. I see her as an amazing person who selflessly is giving her life to serve Mankind.
You can check out all the info on Ammas Website: www.amritapuri.org or www.amritapuri.org/tsunami/tsunami.php
and also read about Ammas charity projects and Tsunami help. Amma donated 23 million US$ gave Tsunami Relief work.
Take care.
Best Wishes, Atulya
atulyamol@yahoo.de
I saw Mother Amma a couple of years ago took my partner who has taught Maths and Physics for 15 years with me a very intellectual man. I dont follow gurus but I had a dream one evening of this woman amma. I looked up on the internet found her site and found her going to London one year. I did not know what to expect. I was hugged and she whispered something in my ear and I dissappeared, my body dissapeared, I have never felt so relaxed in all my life, it felt what I can only imagine bliss to feel like. I have no doubt that being in the presence of someone who's energy is of such a light vibration can effect my own. And, if this is a placebo effect of my own mind, so what? if it works, so what? I may visit Meera this year.
On one hand your quick off the cuff lines are humorous, on the other when it comes to two mother figures that have consistently brought comfort and compassionate healing to many, your shallow lines fall flat. Have you actually been in a bangkok brothel or any brothel for that matter? Have you even been in the presence of Ammachi, Mother Meera or anyone that has comforted you or held you compassionately? I am not convinced by your writing of either. I truly wish you an experience that touches and inspires you. What I do feel in your writing is distrust, and defensiveness and a sense of not wanting to be dissapointed. While defenses can protect us and keep us safe from dissapointment and hurt, they can also keep us from feeling love and joy. I have been blessed with the opportunity to see Amma and each time feel so uplifted and insired to be loving and compassionate to all I meet. I find much strength in being loving. I do plan on seeing Mother Meera and look for every opportunity to receive and give love. Wishing you much love
Kiana Love
kakini@gmail.com
www.kakinihealth.com
I am not convinced by your writing of either.
Get in line. You are the latest of a string of folks who grossly misunderstand my intentions, projecting some kind of disappointment where there is none, at least as far as these devi-figures are concerned.
I'll say it for you as I do all the others, these God-posers are setting a bad example of self-realization. That is my complaint, that the big-time gurus trade in myth and superstition, not enlightenment, which doesn't make you any more God than my dog's ass.
But don't take it from me, read the Upanishads. These devis are attempting to refute its truths in their rush to attract devotees (and their money.) The sad thing is that they are successful, essentially bending the truth over and screwing it right up the ass.
Jody!
Your comments are completely ridiculous i have to say.
I hope you will be fortunate enough to meet Amma and Mother Meera one day in order get the picture right.
They only good thing in this blogger is to actually read about other peoples experience who met Amma and Mother Meera and i was delighted to read the comments of Kiana and Kelly Martin.
Blessings,
Atulya
atulyamol@yahoo.de
I hope you will be fortunate enough to meet Amma
I did and formed my picture from those meetings. While I haven't met Meera, that wasn't necessary to form a picture of the infantile nonsense you folks decide to believe about these ladies, a nonsense that prevents your own spiritual understanding as it get buried under layers of myth and speculation.
Hi Jody,
Check this out:
http://fuknus.chrisdamitio.com/?p=2884
it's obvious that Jody's only intention here is to be a skeptic, which is a classic ploy to resist all forms of mental control. Resisting mental control is great, except in realms where the price of entrance is submission of the ego-- which is the 'nondual world' jody claims here to be an expert on.
it really appears to me that the greatest hypocracy is claiming to know so much about spirituality that you can discredit other gurus. Jody, do you not see that you're claiming a great authority here to know what is and isn't the goal of spirituality? Are you sure want that responsibility? Look at the criticism you throw at others who make don't even make that claim!
I, too, was a Western skeptic with no understanding of the world as living and intelligent Spirit all-pervasive. I, too, thought idolatry was for the weak minded. Then I learned, and only because I genuinely wanted to know the Truth, that skepticism is a cheap ticket for the weak of heart. If God really is everwhere, why not make an idol to focus the celebration of God? Knowing God is a joy that makes it so that can't help but want to celebrate, and when that moment happens you'll be desperate for someone like Amma (in all Her forms) who is the embodiment of everything Good and wholesome. We are so blessed to have Her because through Her we actually can celebrate all that is good in Life- here in real life and not just in the abstract!
I'm not posting this to convert you, you do whatever you want! But if you feel anything from reading this, I would recommend the beginning short-story inside of Richard Bach's "Illusions".
I also wanted to add that there is a difference between providing a service of helping people to make informed decisions about their devotion and being a witch-hunter. I appreciate the former and it is a real service. The latter discredits you and spoils the fruit of that service.
it's obvious that Jody's only intention here is to be a skeptic
Apparently, the Kool-Aid you have already drank is preventing you from understanding what my intention actually is, which is to debunk the idea of human divinity, not the ideas of self-realization and enlightenment as they are defined in the Upanishads.
submission of the ego-- which is the 'nondual world' jody claims here to be an expert on.
Actually, 'ego,' as the term is understood in the West, has nothing to do with nondual truth as it is understood by a jnani.
Jody, do you not see that you're claiming a great authority here to know what is and isn't the goal of spirituality?
I'm just some asshole online with some opinions about these things.
Are you sure want that responsibility?
I will do whatever I feel I should.
I, too, thought idolatry was for the weak minded.
Actually, I am an initiated bhakta, in the tradition of a great Hindu bhakta, who worships a Hindu icon. My beef is not with Hindu bhakti, my beef is with the idea that realization/enlightenment renders you anything other than a normal human being who happens to have access to nondual truth.
you'll be desperate for someone like Amma (in all Her forms) who is the embodiment of everything Good and wholesome.
I've already got an Ishta Devata who whips ass on people like Amma. Did you know that in India, Amma is like a Pat Robertson? She is the favorite of the RSS, India's equivalent to the white identity movement, aka the Ku Klux Klan and their ilk.
But if you feel anything from reading this
Sure I do. I feel I've encountered another Kool-Aid drinking critic who doesn't have a clue about, a: what I'm really up to with my blog, and b: about the nondual truth these allegedly divine gurus are supposed to be teaching. That's probably because they only teach their own divinity. That's how a big-time guru keeps the coffers full.
Oh my GOD!! Can we say "blogger suicide"? Way to totally discredit yourself and everything you say!
Thanks Jody. I was worried that people reading your blog were thinking that they were getting the "real scoop" on the beautiful souls you get some masochist joy out of scandalizing. You've just successfully proven yourself to be far more nuts than any guru you lamblast.
Yes, that's right Jody. Amma is the Pat Robertson of the East, her devotees are just like the KKK, and Mother Meera is really Hitler reincarnated to accomplish world domination by brainwashing people into believing in human divinity.
I'm glad you could clarify for everyone here just how reliable your mentality is.
At least you've given a lot of people today the gift of a good laugh, I know I really needed it.
Maybe you should pray to your ishta to "whoop Amma's ass" some more, you're so far from being able to do it yourself. And maybe Rush Limbaugh will be sympathetic with your breed of pandering, but any sensible person sees right through you now.
and I even once valued the info I got here too...
oh God, again thanks for the laugh!!!
any sensible person sees right through you now.
Here are some facts:
The head of the New Delhi ashram organized a gang which attacked the residents of the Green Avenue neighborhood in April 2007.
Amma is the beloved of the RSS. The RSS are akin to the Ku Klux Klan. Remember the Gujurati riots a few years back? That was the work of the RSS:
The critics allege that the entire activities of Amritanandamayi ashram are slowly coming under the control of right wing Hindu outfits. For instance,as shown in Religion under Globalisation, an essay published in Economic and Political Weekly (March 27, 2004), Amrithavarsham 50 (Amma's 50th Birthday bash) was hijacked by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh/RSS and affiliated organizations which are hell-bent on creating a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation) out of the secular, pluralist and democratic India. While inaugurating her birthday celebrations on September 23, 2003, L.K. Advani, the architect of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and the then Home Minister of India, said that the spiritual strength of a country was more important than its advances in the fields of agriculture, industry or knowledge. It was for pointing out this fact (that the right-wing Hindu activists were using Amritanandamayi Ashram as a front to extend their hold on Kerala society) that writers such as Paul Zacharia came under the attack of Hindu fanatics.
Your victory histrionics aside, Amma in India and Amma in the U.S. are two different presentations, carefully designed to work in each market. The Amma of India would not go over so well with her bliss-bunny customers, who would be horrified to learn that Amma implicitly supports an organization that has engaged in genocide.
Your seeming incapacity to grok this is natural for a Kool-Aid drinker, thus, I have no fears about my credibility, although apparently you do.
As far as Amma and MM go they draw huge crowds...and crowds can turn into fanatical mobs!
Its definitely not a 'zendo' around the 2 of them.....Jodi has a very jaundiced view of teachers...far as i can tell...not sure he ever met one or met one he liked or admired.
not sure he ever met one or met one he liked or admired.
I've met a number of teachers I liked, but none of them were shitting all over nondual truth as a marketing gimmick.
Why is anyone trying to change Jody's opinion? You people are getting yourselves upset over nothing. Who cares what Jody thinks?? She's obviously someone who reads things here and there and decides what she thinks is true or untrue - really, like all of us. I don't agree with her at all, but there's no need to attack her. If you feel it is her loss not knowing Mother Meera or Annan (like I do), then keep it to yourself and don't spread the negativity!
If you feel it is her loss not knowing Mother Meera or Annan (like I do), then keep it to yourself
Or let me know. Either way, I'm not likely to swayed from my contention that the idea of divine enlightenment does more to prevent it than all the brothels in the world.
Dear friends, this blog is truly sad to read, in a way. I, like many authentic seekers of truth, love, and perfection on earth, struggle to understand why people are so quick to judge and become negitive. Isnt LOVE and PEACE what all humans want and seek to find? I struggle to relate to humans so much as Love, thus God, seems to be myth practically to many people today. I understand that its my job to find love in myself and thus see it in others, but I cant help sometimes to be saddend by people who have loud mouths and small hearts and brains, but think otherwise. Maybe I am just more advanced in my human evolution and I havent quite accepted that there are not many people who can see what i see. Life should be so simple! We live, we help others, we inturn are helped to be taken care of by others, and we can enjoy life and all the beauty and joy and laufter that life has to offer! When I am around a perfect master who is authentic like MM and Amma, I feel so filled with joy and peace, and I feel God! Its when I am in the world around normal humans like Jody here, that I find it hard to be happy being with these people. Jody, many years ago I asked God directly for an experience of him, and then I had one! I also was able to understand that we are in fact spiritual beings having physical experiences, and thus we are all seeking for the same thing, just in different ways! This lead me to being emerced in white light for several hours at which time I literally felt I was one with God as I lost a total sense of who I was. This experiences have changed me for ever! I know more then anything that God is real, and the ultimate thing to seek in life, as it feels better then anything else we can have! And believe me, I have had many worldly experiences both good and bad. I suppose I was ripe at the time and ready, but God. do I wish you could do the same, as all the fear and judgement and hidden anger you have would disapear in a moment! You would be reborn as well, as God loves everyone equally - just like MM and Amma do and demonstrate! I can understand how you think these teachers are fakes, as you havent had an experience of God yet. If you did, you would truly see! Then you would know! I SUPPOSE WE ALL HAVE TO SEEK EVERTTHING OTHER THEN GOD FIRST, AND REALIZE THEN THAT ALL THESE THINGS ARE NON-PERMANENT. THEN WE ARE RIPE TO SEEK THE ONLY THING THAT IS PERMANENT, WHICH IS GOD! GOD IS LOVE, AND GOD INCARNATES HIMSELF INTO BODYS TO HELP US FIND HIM, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT MOTHER MEERA AND AMMACHI AND JESUS AND KRISHNA ARE - GOD INCARNATED. Our little human minds cant understand this, as humans seem to use their minds first to devide what is whole, and once they are ripe to seek God, begin to then use their minds to unite everthing thing, and thus eventually see all this is, as one! Its so simple, and I hope I was able to help bring love and true knowledge to this blog. "Open your heart Judas, not your mind" - Jesus Christ. May God Bless us all.
I had my first experience with Mother Meera earlier this year with a friend who has been a devotee over ten years. It was a peaceful gathering of mostly like minded devotees, some of whom appeared to be almost like Stepford drones with permanent smiles. They might have been genuinely happy, but they sure looked stoned.
The people who were running the event were very pleasant and helpful. Some seemed to have known each other and several devotees for decades and some were newly acquainted. Everyone was treated with equal hospitality and grace.
A few weeks after the Darshan event I was contacted to be a guest at Mother Meera's home here in the US for a weekend. I was not made aware that it was all a big time sales pitch. That's right, regardless of whether Mother Meera is genuine, her organization is a HUGE con game. Her "people" are trying to sell rooms in her compound for $60,000 each with a minimum purchase of two for $120,000. These are rooms, people, not homes. This is in a part of the country where the depressed real estate market has two bedroom, two bathroom complete houses available for $100,000 - sometimes less.
Available information on the sales plan is sketchy at best with a lot of pie in the sky about how the community will make the rules for how they want to live. The community? So they want to sell rooms for $60,000 each then let others tell you what you're allowed to do there as well as *what your responsibilities to the community will be*!
It's a multi-multi-million dollar real estate game where they are selling the purported value of the presence of Mother Meera when she spends almost all of her time somewhere else.
Again, this is all through her handlers. Mother Meera herself might be as pure as the driven snow. An interesting event that happened there was the repeated tease of Mother Meera actually talking with the group from wherever she was at the time. Of course that never happened and everybody was so, so understanding of the fact that Mother Meera is so terribly needed elsewhere for people or things apparently more important than at least responding or offering information to people who are being asked to fork over grossly inflated amounts of cash for the privilege of hanging out in a place where she shows up now and then.
No matter who or what she is or isn't, her operation has major issues.
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