Author: Lavanya Waechter

Experience of the Breath and Restorative Practice Retreat

Experience of the Breath and Restorative Practice Retreat

Apr 16, 2018 | |

Experience of the Breath and Restorative Practice Retreat A student’s experience of attending the Breath and Restorative Practice Workshop at Amritapuri, India with Retreat Leader Brahmacharini Shobana. I arrived at in Amritapuri two days before attending the Breath and Restorative Practice Retreat. Before signing up for it I wasn’t at all interested in the ‘Breathe’ part of it! I was attracted by the restorative bit. I thought it would help me to recover from the long journey and jet lag. I didn’t realize at the time that learning and practicing breathing techniques would manifest some wonderful results, almost immediately!...

Read More
Amma’s Effortlessness—Understanding From a Yogic Perspective

Amma’s Effortlessness—Understanding From a Yogic Perspective

Apr 4, 2018 | |

Amma’s Effortlessness—Understanding From a Yogic Perspective Sage Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, insists on “Sthiram Sukham Asanam”, which means that the final yogic posture should be firm, yet comfortable and relaxed. When we practice yoga, our efforts in doing a yogic posture should result in effortlessness; this is the essence of yoga. It sounds contradictory, but the secret lies in understanding this effortlessness. Effort and effortlessness are not contradictory, but complementary. How does this happen? Through yoga. When we perform an action fully established in a yogic mind, then our efforts will lead to effortlessness. We walk with ease...

Read More
Tree Planting and Forest Conservation

Tree Planting and Forest Conservation

Mar 26, 2018 | |

The Value of Trees Sri Mata Amritanandamayi, a humanitarian and spiritual leader known all over the world as Amma or Mother, has told us that in ancient times in India people would perform rituals to worship trees, especially if there was a need to cut a tree down and sometimes even before plucking its fruit or leaves. Amma says that in the old days there was no need for environmental preservation because protecting nature was part of the way of life and was a way of worshipping God.In those days, when people needed to cut down a tree they...

Read More
The Bliss of Roaring Silence

The Bliss of Roaring Silence

Mar 13, 2018 | |

The Bliss Of The Roaring Silence We can experience this unusual phenomenon only in the Divine Presence of a Sadguru like Amma. In general people become uneasy and restless when they are subjected to silence. Silence can be frightening or gloomy. In my younger days, sometimes when I walked back home from a cinema theatre after a second show at 12 am, I used to feel very uneasy and used to sing loudly till I reached home. Generally and unfortunately, silence, especially in the night is associated with the presence and roaming around of ghosts, yakshis, bhoothas, thus were...

Read More
Bhagavad Gita – A Song Divine

Bhagavad Gita – A Song Divine

Mar 7, 2018 | , |

(Editor’s Introduction: Here Swami Amritageetananda (a senior disciple of Amma) shares the purpose and power of the Bhagavad Gita. This is one of the most sacred texts of Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Truth). Sanatana Dharma is the formal name for the broad and diverse Hindu religion and philosophy). BHAGAVAD GITA – A SONG DIVINE Once a year we offer special worship to the Divine Mother Bhagavad Gita by chanting Her eighteen chapters. To use the word “celebrate” is to dilute the sanctity of Bhagavad Gita, the Song Divine, that came out of Bhagavan Krishna’s Divine mouth. Just as Ganga Mata...

Read More