Amma shared that although conflicts and unrest are increasing in today’s world, there are profound yet simple actions each one of us can take to restore peace and happiness. Here are excerpts from her message at the Amritavarsham 72 celebrations in Amritapuri on September 27, 2025.
For 65 years now, Amma has been listening to her children’s grief, their small joys, their complaints and their laments. Amma intimately knows the depth of their heartaches and the pain behind their tears.
Even if we cannot completely give up our old bad habits, we must at least try. New habits that aid one’s inner growth and benefit society should take birth within us. That is the true birthday. In this way, countless new births of goodness will keep taking place.
When such trees of virtue blossom within us, the colours and fragrance of their flowers will spread everywhere. They will bring boundless joy to us as well as to others. That is the real birthday celebration.
Change within brings change without
Amma knows changing is not easy. But darkness is spreading all around, and anxiety about the future is increasing. In such a situation, each individual must become a little tree of goodness. Otherwise, the world will not change.
Everything in creation is a wonder. And the greatest wonder of all is the human being. This is because humankind has a unique gift—the ability to think deeply, to discern right from wrong, and to act accordingly. When this sense of discernment awakens, then a new dawn will break. With that, a change arises in one’s inner attitude. A change in one’s external world automatically follows.
There is nothing wrong with the world. The only problems are those created by humankind’s distorted perspective. Human beings are misusing their ability to think and to choose. In the world, there are two sets of laws: manmade laws and the laws of the universe.
The ultimate order of the universe
Just as manmade laws have a particular structure, the universe also has its own rhythm and order. Human laws can be modified. But the subtle laws of the universe cannot be altered. No one can ever change them.
No one can escape God’s laws. No manmade law can overrule them. For example, if someone declares, “I don’t believe in the law of gravity,” and jumps from the 10th floor of a building, can he break the law of gravity? Never. Instead, he will break his own arms and legs.
Today, we act only within the framework of human and governmental laws. Such laws, of course, are necessary. But often, we violate the great universal laws that govern both humankind and all beings. In worldly life, rules and distinctions are necessary. But the attitude, “The Earth and nature belong only to we humans; we will live as we like and do as we please,” is wrong.
We must live by our words
On one hand, we hold conferences and discussions all over the world against war, inequality and injustice. We loudly proclaim the need for environmental protection, cooperative effort, interfaith harmony and peace. We draw up agreements and treaties. Yet the very actions we protest and vow to stop continue unabated.
On one hand, we sing praises of our little land of Kerala, calling it “God’s Own Country,” “Land of Literacy,” “Land of Culture,” etc. We advertise such things to the world. But it feels as though God fled this land long ago—because we have lost our sense of dharma.
Be it day or night, women and girls still cannot walk alone without fear. Amma’s constant prayer is, “O Lord, at least today, may I not hear of any atrocities or cruelties committed against women or girls.” Yet, this prayer remains only a dream. For this, we cannot blame God.
We cannot expect God to do 100 percent of everything. In fact, people hardly give God any space in their lives at all. For many, the attitude is: “If time and interest remain after everything else, then maybe God.”
Set God aside for a moment. Suppose it is human effort that truly counts. Even then, are we acting when we should, in the right way, with sincerity and dedication?
The main reason humans fail to act in accordance with dharma is because of the lack of spiritual values in society. People believe that they can live as they please, drowning their lives in alcohol and other bad habits. Thus, their entire lives waste away.
Communities in communion
Society used to function according to basic spiritual values. In the old days, one could obtain values and a sense of security from the family itself. The whole village also lived like one big family.
In Amma’s village, all the houses were very close to each other. When you looked out of your house, you would be looking right into the next house. In those days matchboxes were scarce. Early in the morning, each person would check if anyone else had lit their stove.
If someone had already done so, the next person would light their stove from that fire. That person’s neighbour would then come and light their stove from this fire. Like this, everyone would light their stoves from the next person’s house.
Nowadays, many sweep their homes and dump the waste across the wall into their neighbour’s yard. Earlier, most houses had “Welcome” sign at the entrance. Now it has been replaced with “Beware of Dog.”
Five goals for education
If we have values, we will be able to control our base emotions to a great extent. Education plays a vital role in the upliftment of both the individual and society. Though we have made great progress in education today, values in society are declining. Divorce, depression, suicide, murder and drug addiction are on the rise.
Education should fulfil five goals:
1. Livelihood: It should provide us with knowledge and training to earn wealth, position and the necessities and comforts of life.
2. Character formation: Just as importance is given to physical health, equal importance should be given to cultivating good character. Education must help us develop a healthy mind, emotional maturity and discernment.
3. Love and gratitude: Education should teach students to love, respect and feel grateful to nature and to God.
4. Duty to society and world: Students should be inspired not only to care for their own families, but also to fulfil their responsibility and repay their debts to society, the nation, the world and to nature itself. We must remember that nature blesses us with food, shelter, sunlight, rain, mountains, forests, rivers, trees, flowers and fruits. Education must motivate us to perform social service and selfless actions according to our ability.
5. Awareness of the Self: Education should awaken awareness of our true essence—that we are not separate or isolated individuals, but part of the universe itself. It must instill the knowledge that “Just as the water in the middle of the ocean and in the wave on the shore are essentially the same, I too am a wave among the countless waves in the great ocean of the cosmos.”
Education and values are one
In short, education must provide the strength to face life’s challenges, nurture the power of thought, awaken inquiry, refine character and develop compassion for fellow beings. Today we often speak of “value-based education.”
In truth, education and values are not two separate things. They are one—like sesame seed and its oil. We need both education to earn a living as well as education for life itself. There are two types of education—one for livelihood, and one for life.
When students study to become a doctor, an engineer or to take up some other profession, that is all for livelihood—to earn a living. The second kind of education is for life itself. This must be given top priority.
It is this education that gives us a thorough understanding of the nature of the world and its objects. It teaches us to recognise our emotions and how to manage them. It allows us to see things in their appropriate place and proceed accordingly.
The goal of education is not to create people who can only understand the language of machines. Instead, its main purpose should be to impart a culture of the heart—a culture based on moral and spiritual values. But unfortunately, we are forgetting this.
Spirituality is our GPS
If we transform our attitude, we can transform our circumstances. Spiritual understanding is like using a GPS. Say, we want to drive to our friend’s house but we are unsure of the way. If we use our GPS, we can be assured that we reach our intended destination.
If we drive without a GPS, we will need to keep asking for directions from strangers along the way, and we could be led astray. We will also be stressed throughout the drive. Similarly, the GPS of spiritual knowledge helps us to peacefully travel along the unpredictable roads of life without getting lost.
In English, the word saṁskāra translates as “culture.” In a lab, a culture is a sample of bacteria provided with the ideal environment for it to grow. What does “culture” mean in this context? It refers to creating favourable conditions where the bacteria in the sample can thrive.
Similarly, saṁskāra—spiritual culture—provides us the ideal environment for internal growth. For this growth to happen in children, a conducive environment must first be created in homes and then in schools and colleges.
Nowadays, we are more focused on our desires than our needs. Desires and needs are two different things. We should recognise the difference between the two. For example, both a watch that costs $100 and a watch that costs $10,000 will show the correct time. That is all we need.
Amma doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t wear expensive watches. That is up to each individual. But there is no end to desires. We need to try to find contentment in what we have and to find joy in giving to others. This is the greatest wealth we can attain in life.
Patience, Perseverance, Potential
We should try to cultivate this quality of patience because patience is the foundation of all growth. On road trips, we may have seen signs saying, “Attention! Road Repairs Ahead! We thank you for your patience and cooperation.” When we see such signs, we immediately slow down and drive more carefully, regardless of how much of a hurry we may be in.
In the same way, when we interact with others, they may say things that irritate us, but in such situations, we need patience. For all we know, some road-repair may be going on in their mind as well. Just as we are patient with a handicapped person, we need to understand that people with anger are also handicapped in one way and they need to be dealt with patiently.
We are not candles dependent on others to be lit. We are the self-effulgent Sun. We are not helpless kittens; we are all powerful lions. We need to develop patience and perseverance to awaken our inner potential.
Man has learned to fly like a bird and swim like a fish, but has forgotten how to walk and live like a human being. Wherever a turtle crawls, it leaves a trail in the sand. Similarly, we should strive to leave the mark of good memories before we depart from this world.
A simple key
Conflicts and unrest are increasing in society. It is like a bomb kept in each house that could explode at any time. We hold meetings all the time, but do our hearts meet? Are we able to meet our True Self?
Divorces are increasing. Marital relationships are not rooted in love. Spouses only think about their own selfish interests. They do not hear what the other is speaking. They listen as per their own preconceived perceptions. How will family relationships continue if there is no real communication?
The key to true familial harmony is patience. The husband and wife should mutually adjust to each other. They shouldn’t search for their own happiness alone. Each one needs to consider the level of their partner.
Amma’s Prayer
When the full moon rises, the Earth is freed from the darkness of night. Similarly, may the light of love and selflessness dispel the darkness of selfishness, hatred and conflict covering the world. May a beautiful new dawn of goodness bloom. May the light of truth and dharma fill the hearts of humanity. Amma offers this prayer to the Supreme: May the whole world be filled with peace and happiness.
Whether we laugh or cry, time will go by. So, we should fill our lives with laughter. Like any other decision, happiness is also a decision. It is the firm decision, “Let anything come my way, I will be happy. I will be courageous. I am not alone; God is with me.”
This self-confidence gives us the power to do anything we set our mind to. Let us do our best and pray for Divine Grace.
॥ ॐ लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ॥
Om Lokah Samasthah Sukhino Bhavantu
May all beings everywhere be happy and free.
