I just love the back & forthing of the comment feature of blogging, don’t you? I’ve gotten many a post idea from something someone said in response to someone else’s something. And I’ve been 
nourished by many kind & affirmative words from some of my blogging buddies. Having discovered this whole blogging thang, I choose to not live without it now!! And so it is that a little, humbly pleased glow is nesting within my heart today. This is because of a comment I received today, from Jen of Step On a Crack, in response to my post of yesterday, about the H.U.G. award. Jen is the on
e who gave me this, & I’ve given it right back to her! In her kindness & loving spirit, Jen says:
YOU! You embody all that Amma teaches. Really…
A HUGE HUG to you and to your Heart…
Peace and Love to you my Friend!
Here’s why this comment immediately moved me to tears: Amma, known as the Hugging Saint, lives quite modestly Herself, although skads of money comes to Her from all over the world. She puts all of it into Her many humanitarian activities, as everything She does is for the benefit of “Her children.”She hardly sleeps, & spends literally every waking moment serving others. She can be fierce & is very funny, a tiny woman with a grand, all-encompassing heart. Raised in Hindu traditions, when asked what religion She is promoting, Amma replies, “Love.” Compassion beyond all measure is who, & how, & what — & why – Amma is. She is the bodhisattva I aspire toward being.
And, She is already ‘there’, believed by many (including myself) to be a fully realized, enlightened being. That is, Amma is one who is cognizant of her inherent enlightened self, Her Buddha nature, & is living it fully with Her every breath. An avatar of the Divine Mother, Amma spiritually nurtures all sentient beings. She, Herself, never makes these claims though, caring only for teaching Her children how to live lives of love, compassion & service to others. Her 
name in Sanskrit, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, means Mother of Immortal Bliss, & this is Her gift to us — that we may live in undiminished loving-ness for all of the breaths of our lives.
I fall far, far short of this ideal, but because of Amma’s unconditional love & Her grace, I have my eye on this goal, so to speak, & know that I will get ‘there’ too. A spiritual master to many people around the world, She took birth in this lifetime to be our satguru, our true teacher. It is immaterial whether or not we believe that a real guru has the transcendental capabilities of possessing mystical powers, being able to perform miracles, & mitigating one’s karma. Amma can truly lead us across the proverbial ocean of samsara, for She embodies the highest example of How To Be, & just as importantly, How Not To Be. Amma lifts up & inspires everyone, in accord with the noblest aspiration of what a mighty human can be, & what a mere human can accomplish in this world. Much like Jesus for many Christians, Amma is my guiding beacon. And when I flounder, because sometimes I can only recognize the darkness, it is Her spiritual light that helps me find my way again.
For someone to tell me, as Jen has, that — for all my flawed & faltering ways — I am embodying Amma’s teachings …….. well, the little, nestling glow takes hold, transcendentally warming me. An affirmation like this tells me two very important things: 1) Maybe I am doing something right, haha, & 2) I’m encountering & becoming friends with people who know how to see & appreciate it. It is a gift, for sure, one I mean to give right back to everyone I encounter. Hopefully, it will ignite a tiny glow, which will nest in their hearts too.
great post!