Podcasts about Mata Amritanandamayi

 Why?Our time is limited. To waste time is the worst sin. (Mata Amritanandamayi) Because nobody can postpone his death!I have helped quite a lot of people who are wasting their time:1.) For seeing TV.2.) On a smartphone.3.) Social media.4.) GamblingThe people who I could not help ended in deep depression, frustration and even took suicide.When we are looking for distraction, we have the desire not to feel or think about that matters for us.With the distraction, we suppress our disturbing feelings and thoughts.Because of distraction, we:1.) procrastinate on our work and leisure time;2.) get too less sleep;3.) can't get all the things done;4.) have too less time for our family and friends;5.) lose focus;6.) ignore what we should do to improve; 7.) do not feel at all and become a Zombie or a person that will remain in his frustration for the rest of his life; 8.) become drug addicted. After some time we have suppressed a lot of necessary information to change something for the good.After a long time, we are just like a garbage bag, full of negativity that will result in frustration or depression.If we would enjoy our life, we would not look for a distraction. Because we don't have the time for that.And you think just a little distraction will not harm you?It will harm you because everything starts with the first step. The first step in the wrong direction will trigger the next step… And then to stop and to change the direction becomes more and more difficult. When we want to change our direction to become more mindful our negativity will surface. - It becomes a vicious circuit. I have spoken with the best drug addiction therapists (Veeresh, Humaniversity) in the world… The problem with the drug addiction is the suppressed negative feelings gathered over a long time… If the drug addicted person wants to change, the suppressed negative feelings showing up and hinder so. A small change in their personality requires a huge fight… For what?How to get rid of distraction?When you feel overloaded, stressfully…:Make sport, dancing, or better release your negative feelings…Afterward, meditate or sleep. Look what you enjoy this very moment.Feel your pain and let it go.Life is painful and life is many times for everybody hard. Remember, through our hardships, we learn the best. My Video: Distraction leads to depression https://youtu.be/1ELAVJ4-OC0My Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast.B/Distraction-leads-to-depression.mp3

Le nom de Mangala lui a été donné par Amma.. Nos échanges ont commencé ainsi Amma ou Mata Amritanandamayi, se déplace aujourd'hui dans le monde entier pour simplement donner de l'amour au travers d'un darshan, c'est-à-dire une étreinte dans laquelle elle prend ceux qui se présentent à elle dans ses bras. Rencontrer Amma n'est pas anodin. Certains témoignent « d'un arrêt dans le temps », « d'une grâce », « d'un mystère », « d'une lumière ». Dans cette émission, je vous présente Mangala, qui nous parle de son parcours et de sa rencontre avec Amma.   Pour continuer à suivre mon travail, retrouvez moi sur:  Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/gaiaimages_photography/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaiaimages Mon site internet: https://www.gaia-images.com Soutenir le podcast : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/alexandre.gaia Soutenez-nous sur Patreon et Tipeee !

 Love is the only medicine that can heal the wounds of the world.Be like the honeybee who gathers only nectar wherever it goes. Seek the goodness that is found in everyone.Happiness depends on how you accept, understand and surrender to situations.Love is our true essence. Love has no limitations of caste, religion, race, or nationality. We are all beads strung together on the same thread of love. To awaken this unity-and to spread to others the love that is our inherent nature-is the true goal of human life.Fill your hearts with love and gratitude. Life gives us what we need and not necessarily what we want. It follows its own wisdom, which is often incomprehensible to our gross minds. We should learn to accept situations in life. This attitude of acceptance is the secret to happiness.Happiness is within everyone, but we are not able to experience it because of our ego's likes and dislikes.Make a firm decision: 'Whatever happens, I will be happy. I will be strong. God is always with me.'Instead of "I love you," it would be better to say "I am love-I am the embodiment of Pure Love." Remove the I and you, and you will find that there is only Love. It is as if Love is imprisoned between the I and you. Remove the I and you, for they are unreal; they are self-imposed walls that don't exist. The gulf between I and you is the ego. When the ego is removed the distance disappears and the I and you also disappear. They merge to become one - and that is Love.Learn to be thankful to everyone, to the entire creation, even to your enemy and also to those who insult, because they all help you to growOnce you learn the art of relaxation, everything happens spontaneously and effortlessly.Have the conviction that God is your only real relative and friend.The change will only happen outside once we change within ourselves.Don't be discouraged by your incapacity to dispel darkness from the world. Light your little candle and step forward.My Video: Quotes Mata Amritanandamayi https://youtu.be/Z6Dx5g9IOvI My Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast3/Quotes-Mata-Amritanandamayi.mp3

Mataji hoy nos recuerda cómo la materia toma forma y se hace modelar por el corazón, de cómo los proyectos se materializan y llega todo lo que se necesita... …pero ¿cuándo? Cuando nos conectamos con nuestro ser interior, sin miedos ni prejuicios, abriéndonos al Amor de la Madre. Y con esta conexión interior la Familia de Una Revolución de Consciencia hemos sido instrumento para dar forma a muchas iniciativas luminosas y tratar de contribuir así a la creación de una Nueva Era. ✨ ✨ … y en este proceso llegamos también a un cambio en la comunicación con ustedes, nuestra querida comunidad, para transmitir el mensaje de Mataji y de este movimiento de una manera todavía más ordenada y acogedora. Mataji ha sido instrumento perfecto del Universo para la creación del Movimiento Una Revolución de Consciencia y hasta hoy sigue siendo ella el motor de este increíble cambio de rumbo…. es ella quien nos guía y nos enseña cómo con valentía podemos cambiar el mundo… es ella quien nos inspira a entregar nuestro máximo esfuerzo… y es ella, Mataji, quien nos ha mostrado con su ejemplo cómo podemos vivir de corazón a corazón. ❤️ ➡ ❤️ Por ello, y para reconocer su encomiable e incansable karma yoga y su amor infinito, es que hemos querido seguir llamándola también con su nombre espiritual recibido por Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi, en Kerala al sur de India en 1993. Nuestra amada Mataji es Mataji Shivā quien está revolucionando consciencias y mostrándonos como vivir en armonía y felices, como vivir en Verdad, Simplicidad y Amor. ➡️ Suscríbete al canal de Youtube de Una Revolución de Consciencia y no te pierdas ninguno de nuestros lanzamientos: https://www.youtube.com/@unarevoluciondeconsciencia ➡️ Visita nuestra web y conoce sobre el Máster Espiritual, cursos y retiros que Mataji ofrece para que puedas realizar el camino espiritual del Yoga: https://www.unarevoluciondeconsciencia.org/ ➡️ Sigue a Mataji en su instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matajiomline/ Om Namah Shivaya

24th Aug 2022 These are teachings and pointers from ongoing NDA(Non-duality awareness)/Advaitic Satsangs held at Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

Amanda Lucia is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California-Riverside. Her research engages the global exportation, appropriation, and circulation of Hinduism, with designated attention to global guru movements. On her previous visit to Spirit Matters we discussed her book about Mata Amritanandamayi, Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace. On this program we focused on her new book, White Utopias: The Religious Exoticism of Transformational Festivals, which analyzes yoga practice and the intersections of whiteness and religious exoticism among the “spiritual, but not religious” (SBNR) at global transformational festivals such as such as Bhakti Fest, Wanderlust, Lightning in a Bottle, and Burning Man. The author of numerous scholarly articles, she is currently crafting a body of research on media representations of gurus, with particular attention to scandal. Learn more about Amanda Lucia here: https://www.amandajeanlucia.com/about

A Genuine Hug Could Make All The Difference By: Narayani Ganesh Dec 14, 2021, 17:41 IST For those who are grieving – either over the loss of a loved one, loss of, or on hearing news of a tragic copter crash that killed all on board – nothing one says can alleviate the pain and suffering they are going through. In fact sometimes words could have just the opposite effect, of aggravating the state they are in. But there is something in a hug that makes the aggrieved feel less pained, less stressed and less lost. Scientists say that hugging triggers the release of oxytocin in the body, which is why it is also referred to as the ‘cuddle hormone'. Oxytocin tends to reduce stress and increases happy feelings.This is perhaps why Mata Amritanandamayi began hugging those who came and poured out their problems to her. One warm hug from her and poof! Everything seemed to get better, and the visitor went away feeling that there was someone who really cared and who could feel their pain and empathise with them. This wordless therapy has worked for millions who have met this hugging mother or Hug Ma as she is popularly known. Scientists who explored ‘how to hug,' say there are two kinds of hugs performed by strangers. What makes one hug better than another? In the first, “crisscross” style, each hugger puts one arm over their partner's shoulder and the other arm under their partner's arm. In the second, called “neck-waist” style, the researcher put both arms under the participants'. In total, each of the 45 female participants in the study received six hugs, each hug lasting for anything between 1.5 seconds to ten seconds.Anna Düren, psychologist at Goldsmiths, University of London, and the study's first author, says the Covid-19 pandemic began before she and her colleagues could collect mixed gender data in follow-up studies. Nevertheless, part one of the study done in a controlled environment concluded that hugs of a shorter duration were less effective than those of a longer duration, even if the hug was from a stranger. The experiment's second phase took place in the real world. Researchers recruited 100 pairs of students observed socializing on campus to hug in public. The team gathered data on gender, height, and how emotionally close the pairs rated themselves. Without prompting the students on how to hug, it was found the crisscross style was more common, accounting for 66 out of 100 hugs. Düren says the male-male preference for crisscross hugs was especially interesting because previous work has indicated people feel more egalitarian about this style of hugging. The crisscross, she says, might convey closeness without adding romantic subtext.Hugs don't just confer emotional closeness; they've been shown to improve our mental and physical health. Hug Ma has been hugging visitors for decades now, as a sort of spiritual therapy, and this has never failed to make the hugged feel better. It gives one a sense of being accepted, understood, and empathized with, resulting in a magical effect; hence the moniker in Hindi, ‘jaadu ki jhappi', magical hug, that leaves one feeling loved, cared for and wanted. Hugging speaks volumes without having to use words, and is comforting, calming, therapeutic and soothing. So long as the intention is pure and the feelings are altruistic, even hugs from strangers, at a time when you are down and out, can work wonders. ganeshnarayani@yahoo.com

Speaking about Sri Krishna is like introducing one to one's self,” Amma told the thousands of people gathered in Amritapuri to celebrate Krishna Jayanti. The day had been filled with festivities—Go Puja1 in the morning, a procession of young gopis, gopas, Radhas and Krishnas in the afternoon, uriyadi2 until the sun went down, and then Bala Gopala Puja to the recitation of the Srimad Bhagavatam4 until the midnight hour. Once the midnight hour arrived, Amma began leading everyone is bhajans celebrating the Lord: “Agatanayi Agatanayi Vishnu Devan.” In Amma's satsang, which followed the bhajans, Amma stressed the infinite potential dormant in human beings and the power of their free will. “We can become like Sri Krishna; we can become like Kamsa,” Amma said. “We can become like Rama; we can also become like Ravana.” Amma then spoke about the glory that was Sri Krishna. “Life is not mathematics, science, logic or philosophy,” Amma said. “It is a continuous flow of experience. We can transform our lives into an experience of spreading happiness to one and all. Sri Krishna's life was the perfect example of this. If all our infinite, innate auspicious qualities were to take the form of a human being, the beautiful result would be Lord Krishna. He expressed the infinite power inherent in humankind to its fullness. It is for this reason that he is glorified as the Purnavatar—the complete incarnation of God. Sri Krishna was both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. He was human and yet not human. He was complete in all ways.” Amma concluded her talk by stressing the importance of innocent love and faith, saying that their birth in the heart of the gopis was in fact a greater miracle than Krishna's lifting of Govardhana Hill. “We need to transcend logic and firmly establish ourselves in innocent love and faith. We need to look at life through such eyes. Then all experiences will become blissful, like amrita [nectar]. That is the message of Lord Krishna's life. … Sri Krishna's words and actions demonstrated the different facets of life, the secrets of para-dharma and apara-dharma4 , and the subtleties of action, inaction and enlightened action. To understand Sri Krishna's message, we need unwavering love, devotion and faith.” Bhagavan Krishn's unparalleled influence on the world has prevailed for thousands of years, pervading every aspect of life, including devotion, literature, the arts and even political strategy. The Bhagwad Gita is the core text of Sanatan Dharma, which Krishn gave to us by teaching Arjun. It is a scripture that transcends all religious boundaries. The Bhagavatam defines Krishn as a purna avatar – a complete incarnation. The word ‘avatar' means ‘to descend'. It signifies the totality of consciousness assuming a human form. Krishn was a purna avatar in that he always abided in the True Self – ever perfect, with no ups and downs or mental disturbances. However, just as a policeman goes undercover dressing as a thief to catch a thief, so did Krishn; he went down to the level of man. When we see how some people live – devoid of dharma, with no sense of charity, just greedily grabbing and accumulating what is not theirs, hurting others, wasting this precious gift of human birth just eating and drinking – we can understand Krishn's avatar as descent; going down to each one's level in order to show them how to live life in a way that would bring peace to themselves and to others. Through his life and teachings, Krishn awoke bhakti, jnana and the true spirit of karma in us. Bhakti is love for the imperishable. From an objective point of view, it is the love towards one's goal. Without it, one cannot move forward on any path. In any area of action, it is love that elevates a person. Whether a book is about science or history, the words in it are comprised of letters; they are its foundation. In the same way, the foundation of any path is bhakti. Bhakti is nothing but constant and continuous remembrance of God.

Obezite vakalarındaki patlamaya karşı Rujuta Diwekar ve Radhe Maa, son 30 yılda 34 milyondan fazla insanı kucaklayan Mata Amritanandamayi, Transandantal Meditasyon'u dünya çapında tanıtan ve Beatles'ın bir aşramının öncüsü Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, "Gecelerin Efendisi" Osho... Hindistan'da guru çok. Aralıklı oruç, ketojenik diyetler, detoks suları, insanlar ve inançlar... Derya Acemoğlu ile Dünya Hali'nde bu hafta "Gurular" var.

Guru is like the shining flame of an oil lamp : Mata Amritanandamayi : Ved Vayas Jayanti : Speaking tree

In this episode of the Be Here Now Guest Podcast, Nina Rao and Devadas Labrecque speak with Japna Tulsi about her film, Windfall of Grace, which details the story of Neem Karoli Baba.Japna Tulsi is a keen spiritual traveler. She has a background in Rural Development and has worked as a consultant with various NGOs in the field of environment and sustainable livelihoods. Responding to a deep desire to fulfill her higher calling, she embarked on a film project on Neem Karoli Baba in August 2017 as an amateur filmmaker. The result is Windall of Grace.Devadas Labrecque is a devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi, a kirtaniya, a composer, and an artist hailing from Brooklyn, New York. He leads kirtans throughout the world and has produced a wide variety of recordings, including Nina Rao's chant album, Antarayaami. Go to windfallofgrace.com now to stream the film today.

Vandana Atara Aura shares about the tremendous support that is available to us and the Divine healing team that is always there for us when we call upon them. Learn who are the Divine Healing Team and how to work with them to unlock physical and emotional pain, heal past trauma, support your body into its evolution through the ascension journey, or to complement and supplement your 3D medical care... Vandana always takes us into magical healing journeys, and this call is no exception!! The journey is very deep and so nurturing. Allow your self to receive this gift and experience connecting and receiving healing from your Divine Healing Team! I highly recommend it! Find Vandana Atara Aura : VandanaLightHealing.com Join the LIVE sessions : YourDivineUniqueness.com Vandana Atara Aura was gifted her name by her spiritual teacher Mata Amritanandamayi affectionately known as Amma the Hugging Saint from India. The Sanskrit word Amma means Mother. Vandana was gifted her sacred name by her divine mother to embody the qualities of motherly love, benevolence, kindness & compassion. She is the Creator & Guiding Light of Vandana Light Healing & is a divine channel, soul guide, angelic shaman, energy healer, mentor & ascension teacher whose soul role is to inspire and empower all sentient beings.

Jungian analyst, author, and astrologer Sherene Vismaya on Mata Amritanandamayi, the Dark Goddess Kali, the Aries New Moon, Black Moon Lilith, the planets as archetypal gods, the horoscope as a map, the natal chart as an X-ray of the psyche, Tarot cards XX & XXI, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' 5 Stages of Grief, Chiron as the archetypal healer, and the conscious and unconscious sides of Mars, Saturn, and Pluto.

"Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you," Keeanu Reeves. I am the only one who is me, there will never be another like me, I am unique and important, even when no one else has realized it. How do we release comparisons and enjoy who we are and we can find the gifts we have that are uniquely ours.

Amanda J. Lucia is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California, Riverside, where she is a Co-Director of the Institute for the Study of Immigration and Religion. Her research focuses on religious encounters between North Americans and South Asians since the early-19th century. Her first book, Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace (2014) investigates a contemporary guru movement (that of Mata Amritanandamayi) through the ethnographic accounts of devotees. Dr. Lucia’s research interests include guru authority and sexuality, and the politics of cultural representation. Her current book project, Spiritual Nomads: Creating Yogic Selves and Spirituality in Festival Spaces is a study of American spirituality through yoga festivals. We spoke mainly about her research on Amma, the so-called “Hugging Saint,” and what it reveals about contemporary spirituality, guru-disciple relationships and other phenomena. Learn more about Amanda Lucia here: http://religiousstudies.ucr.edu/full-time-faculty/amanda-lucia/

Waiting several hours in line for a hug is well worth it for thousands of people, the devotees of the Guru, Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi. In Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace (University of California Press, 2014), Amanda Lucia, Associate Professor of Religion at UC Riverside, provides a rich ethnographic account of Amma's American followers and convincingly argues that there is much to learn here about gender, interpretation, and contemporary American religiosity. Amma's devotees in the United States are usually “inheritors” or “adopters” of Hindu traditions, which shapes their interpretive vantage point and understandings of Amma as Hindu goddesses or feminist. American multiculturalism and romantic orientalist attitudes frequently reifiy cultural differences further structuring the interrelations between South Asian and non-Indian devotees in the American context. In our conversation we discuss female religious leaders, darshan, gurus in American context, purity and ritual, women's empowerment, village and urban transformations, Devi Bhava, and gendered interpretations of Hinduism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waiting several hours in line for a hug is well worth it for thousands of people, the devotees of the Guru, Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi. In Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace (University of California Press, 2014), Amanda Lucia, Associate Professor of Religion at UC Riverside, provides a rich ethnographic account of Amma’s American followers and convincingly argues that there is much to learn here about gender, interpretation, and contemporary American religiosity. Amma’s devotees in the United States are usually “inheritors” or “adopters” of Hindu traditions, which shapes their interpretive vantage point and understandings of Amma as Hindu goddesses or feminist. American multiculturalism and romantic orientalist attitudes frequently reifiy cultural differences further structuring the interrelations between South Asian and non-Indian devotees in the American context. In our conversation we discuss female religious leaders, darshan, gurus in American context, purity and ritual, women’s empowerment, village and urban transformations, Devi Bhava, and gendered interpretations of Hinduism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waiting several hours in line for a hug is well worth it for thousands of people, the devotees of the Guru, Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi. In Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace (University of California Press, 2014), Amanda Lucia, Associate Professor of Religion at UC Riverside, provides a rich ethnographic account of Amma’s American followers and convincingly argues that there is much to learn here about gender, interpretation, and contemporary American religiosity. Amma’s devotees in the United States are usually “inheritors” or “adopters” of Hindu traditions, which shapes their interpretive vantage point and understandings of Amma as Hindu goddesses or feminist. American multiculturalism and romantic orientalist attitudes frequently reifiy cultural differences further structuring the interrelations between South Asian and non-Indian devotees in the American context. In our conversation we discuss female religious leaders, darshan, gurus in American context, purity and ritual, women’s empowerment, village and urban transformations, Devi Bhava, and gendered interpretations of Hinduism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waiting several hours in line for a hug is well worth it for thousands of people, the devotees of the Guru, Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi. In Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace (University of California Press, 2014), Amanda Lucia, Associate Professor of Religion at UC Riverside, provides a rich ethnographic account of Amma’s American followers and convincingly argues that there is much to learn here about gender, interpretation, and contemporary American religiosity. Amma’s devotees in the United States are usually “inheritors” or “adopters” of Hindu traditions, which shapes their interpretive vantage point and understandings of Amma as Hindu goddesses or feminist. American multiculturalism and romantic orientalist attitudes frequently reifiy cultural differences further structuring the interrelations between South Asian and non-Indian devotees in the American context. In our conversation we discuss female religious leaders, darshan, gurus in American context, purity and ritual, women’s empowerment, village and urban transformations, Devi Bhava, and gendered interpretations of Hinduism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waiting several hours in line for a hug is well worth it for thousands of people, the devotees of the Guru, Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi. In Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace (University of California Press, 2014), Amanda Lucia, Associate Professor of Religion at UC Riverside, provides a rich ethnographic account of Amma’s American followers and convincingly argues that there is much to learn here about gender, interpretation, and contemporary American religiosity. Amma’s devotees in the United States are usually “inheritors” or “adopters” of Hindu traditions, which shapes their interpretive vantage point and understandings of Amma as Hindu goddesses or feminist. American multiculturalism and romantic orientalist attitudes frequently reifiy cultural differences further structuring the interrelations between South Asian and non-Indian devotees in the American context. In our conversation we discuss female religious leaders, darshan, gurus in American context, purity and ritual, women’s empowerment, village and urban transformations, Devi Bhava, and gendered interpretations of Hinduism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waiting several hours in line for a hug is well worth it for thousands of people, the devotees of the Guru, Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi. In Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace (University of California Press, 2014), Amanda Lucia, Associate Professor of Religion at UC Riverside, provides a rich ethnographic account of Amma’s American followers and convincingly argues that there is much to learn here about gender, interpretation, and contemporary American religiosity. Amma’s devotees in the United States are usually “inheritors” or “adopters” of Hindu traditions, which shapes their interpretive vantage point and understandings of Amma as Hindu goddesses or feminist. American multiculturalism and romantic orientalist attitudes frequently reifiy cultural differences further structuring the interrelations between South Asian and non-Indian devotees in the American context. In our conversation we discuss female religious leaders, darshan, gurus in American context, purity and ritual, women’s empowerment, village and urban transformations, Devi Bhava, and gendered interpretations of Hinduism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waiting several hours in line for a hug is well worth it for thousands of people, the devotees of the Guru, Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi. In Reflections of Amma: Devotees in a Global Embrace (University of California Press, 2014), Amanda Lucia, Associate Professor of Religion at UC Riverside, provides a rich ethnographic account of Amma’s American followers and convincingly argues that there is much to learn here about gender, interpretation, and contemporary American religiosity. Amma’s devotees in the United States are usually “inheritors” or “adopters” of Hindu traditions, which shapes their interpretive vantage point and understandings of Amma as Hindu goddesses or feminist. American multiculturalism and romantic orientalist attitudes frequently reifiy cultural differences further structuring the interrelations between South Asian and non-Indian devotees in the American context. In our conversation we discuss female religious leaders, darshan, gurus in American context, purity and ritual, women’s empowerment, village and urban transformations, Devi Bhava, and gendered interpretations of Hinduism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as we’ll discuss:How and why to set intention before meditation.How different mantras are used for different meditations.Commonly used terms in meditation that most of us have not yet learned. (FYI prana, pranayama, chi, chakras, asanas, mulabandha, mantra) Ajayan Borys (aka Henry James Borys) has been exploring and teaching a variety of meditation practices since 1970. He studied in residence under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation Program® and spent a decade teaching the TM Program®. In the mid-90s, he studied with Mata Amritanandamayi or Ammachi, (A-ma-chi), known as the “hugging saint” serving as the meditation teacher at her ashram in Kerala, India. He has taught throughout North America, Australia, Europe and India, Ajayan has gained international renown as a consummate teacher. Upon his return the US, he founded a uniquely effective program of meditation, called Effortless Mind®. To learn more about Ajayan go to http://www.ajayan.com .

One fine morning when I was in my mid-twenties, I woke up and the life I had previously led was over. I was consumed by a longing to be truly intimate with God, the one truth. This great longing grew daily, and it first manifested as being aware of the unseen in nature. Nature invited me into itself, and I found myself taking very long solo trips deep into the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This naturally led to a resonance with Native traditions, and before long I met my first teacher, a highly-respected Lakota medicine man who was very committed to upholding the Old Way. With this association, the intimate awareness of spirit deepened. I met my master, Mata Amritanandamayi, in 1993. There was an immediate recognition that I needed to spend as much time as possible in her presence, so I spent most of the next nine years in her ashram in India. This was a period of intense de-conditioning where so much was exposed. Amma knew my longing for truth, and consequently pushed me quite hard, so that a natural, authentic surrender and love was all I knew. It is said in the scriptures that love leads to knowledge (Bhakti to Jnana), and knowledge leads to love. That they are two sides of the same coin-not separate. There arose in me a natural resonance with self-inquiry, and with Amma's blessing I spent two years a Ramana Maharshi's ashram in Tiruvannamalai. Then one day I knew I was done with India, and returned to the west. When I returned, I had nothing to hold on to. No family, home, money, job, car, or health. The body was quite weak and tired, and the old way of striving couldn't survive. Surrender naturally deepened, and it was at this time that the personal self really lost its hold. In 2004, Pamela Wilson invited me to share my experience with others. After talking to Amma about it and receiving instruction from her, I felt an overflowing and a readiness to share. In recent years, Adyashanti has been and continues to be an invaluable guide and a support in this unfoldment and recognition of what's true. He has my deepest gratitude. My heart bows down to all of my teachers and friends who make up the fullness of this life, and no words can describe how this heart bows to Amma. Joi's site Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 7/2/2011. Second BatGap interview with Joi YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Spiritual Awakening in Tahoe City 00:04:42 - A Total Inside Job 00:09:08 - The Power of Presence in Nature 00:13:47 - Spontaneous Prayer and Connection with Nature 00:18:37 - A Journey of Healing and Transformation 00:22:39 - Powerful Experiences and Native American Wisdom 00:26:32 - Surrender to the Divine Feminine 00:30:55 - Exploring Eastern Philosophy and Emotional Release Techniques 00:34:26 - Various Jobs and Meeting Amma 00:37:59 - A Moment with Shri Swami 00:42:16 - Claimed by Amma 00:46:04 - Receiving the Silent Transmission 00:50:37 - Seven Years of Restlessness 00:54:14 - Experiencing Total Oneness 00:58:04 - The Divine Intelligence within Amma 01:01:43 - A Spontaneous Invitation to Ramana Maharshi's Ashram 01:05:55 - Going deeper into the inquiry 01:09:24 - The Power of Being Seen 01:13:09 - The Other Side of the Coin 01:16:48 - A Silent Recognition of Presence 01:20:17 - The Depth of Presence and Clarity of Understanding 01:24:47 - Faint Remains of Ignorance and the Instrumentality of the Physical World 01:29:07 - Experiencing Grace and Presence Everywhere 01:33:18 - Letting Go of the Known 01:37:37 - Letting Go of the Need to Know 01:42:13 - Filling up the Space 01:46:16 - The Beauty of Living Fully 01:50:10 - The Danger of Identifying with Awakening 01:54:23 - The Different Approaches to Awakening 01:57:56 - Wrapping Up the Conversation 02:01:07 - Farewell and Next Time

One fine morning when I was in my mid-twenties, I woke up and the life I had previously led was over. I was consumed by a longing to be truly intimate with God, the one truth. This great longing grew daily, and it first manifested as being aware of the unseen in nature. Nature invited me into itself, and I found myself taking very long solo trips deep into the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This naturally led to a resonance with Native traditions, and before long I met my first teacher, a highly-respected Lakota medicine man who was very committed to upholding the Old Way. With this association, the intimate awareness of spirit deepened. As the longing for union intensified, the heart opened. This journey took on the qualities of para-bhakti, or intense devotion to the divine. Spontaneous giving of myself to spirit through prayer and tears was a natural response, and I felt myself being consumed. I met my master, Mata Amritanandamayi, in 1993. There was an immediate recognition that I needed to spend as much time as possible in her presence, so I spent most of the next nine years in her ashram in India. This was a period of intense de-conditioning where so much was exposed. Amma knew my longing for truth, and consequently pushed me quite hard, so that a natural, authentic surrender and love was all I knew. It is said in the scriptures that love leads to knowledge (Bhakti to Jnana), and knowledge leads to love. That they are two sides of the same coin-not separate. There arose in me a natural resonance with self-inquiry, and with Amma’s blessing I spent two years a Ramana Maharshi’s ashram in Tiruvannamalai. Then one day I knew I was done with India, and returned to the west. When I returned, I had nothing to hold on to. No family, home, money, job, car, or health. The body was quite weak and tired, and the old way of striving couldn’t survive. Surrender naturally deepened, and it was at this time that the personal self really lost its hold. A couple of satsang teachers came through my little town in Colorado. Satsang in America was a new experience for me. I realized that these teachers were talking about what I was experiencing. In 2004, Pamela Wilson invited me to share my experience with others. After talking to Amma about it and receiving instruction from her, I felt an overflowing and a readiness to share. In recent years, Adyashanti has been and continues to be an invaluable guide and a support in this unfoldment and recognition of what’s true. He has my deepest gratitude. My heart bows down to all of my teachers and friends who make up the fullness of this life, and no words can describe how this heart bows to Amma. Joi's site Interview recorded 7/2/2011. Second BatGap interview with Joi Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.