On Saturday, July 13, Amma began her tour stop in Southern California with an all-day public program at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, Orange County. People from all walks of life gathered in immense numbers, drawn together by Amma’s radiant love and compassion.
During the four days of programs, Amma led meditation, prayers for world peace, and bhajan sessions. As she embraced all who arrived in the form of her darshan, local devotees expressed their devotion and gratitude through musical performances.
“The beauty of this creation is in its diversity. Sanātana Dharma has always acknowledged and accepted this diversity. Our ancient seers never saw any contradiction in diversity. Nor have they denied it,” shared Amma in a spiritual talk.
“This was because they had the wisdom to experience the universe’s diversity as various names and forms of the absolute consciousness.”
Notable attendees included Maria Shriver, former First Lady of California when Arnold Schwarznegger was Governor, and her daughter, Christina Schwarznegger. Shriver is also a broadcast journalist, a trailblazer in women’s empowerment, and a member of the Kennedy family, an American political dynasty known for its spirit of public service. They both sought Amma’s blessings in spending time with her.
Brahmacharini Amrita Chaitanya shared about her life with Amma in an introductory talk. She explained how the Guru is not a limited individual, but a guiding principle that teaches us all the time. We lack clarity regarding the obstacles that block our spiritual growth, so through the ages, masters from all faiths have lived among us to compassionately guide us to liberation.
“A person going to darshan had a question for Amma: ‘Amma, could you give me some advice regarding my spiritual practices?’ Without a moment of hesitation, Amma replied in Malayalam: ‘lokattinu upadravam cheyyaatta etu pravrittiyum saadhanayaanu’ – Any action that doesn’t harm the world is a sadhana,” said Bri Amrita.
She continued that Amma teaches the fundamental harm that underlies all other harms is that of seeing ourselves as separate from others, the world, and ultimately, the divine. For Amma, it is not possible to harm anyone in any way, because she is free of this sense of separation. In her vision, the whole world is a unified experience.
Said Bri Amrita, “It is our ego that creates this separation. This is the source of fear, anger, jealousy, selfishness through both inferiority and superiority complexes. It is the source of all suffering. Therefore, any behaviour that nourishes the ego actually harms us – and through that, harms the world that we are an inseparable part of. Freeing ourselves of this harm is the greatest gift we can offer the world.”
Amma’s programs in Irvine finished early morning on July 17th. Her next tour stop is Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Find out more – us.amma.org/tour
