Hi all,
I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on if Amma is in a sense Kali?
Through an odd sets of incidences (synchronicity in motion...) - i have been doing some research about Amma and a local group of followers that exists here in the Seattle area. From my inner thoughts and information i've found online - there seems to be a belief by many that Amma is a form of Kali, the funny thing is that my heart - and the incidents that brought me to this question - lead me to strongly believe that yes, Amma is Kali.
I'm attending a 12 hour retreat tomorrow with the Amma followers. I cannot remember the last time i was this excited. It's one thing for me to go to a hindu temple and worship and attend class - but i've yet to find anything specifically devoted to Kali and as such, have had a longing in my heart to openly share and express my devotion for Kali.
Although the retreat is tomorrow and i haven't been to any services yet, I feel so exuberant at the prospect of being able to worship Kali - through the form of Amma - it's like a dream come true for me. It seems that Kali is never lacking in leading me to opportunities to assist in her worship.
Anyhow, curious to hear other thoughts on this matter.
Thank you...............
Good heavens, Andy! I was only thinking of you yesterday and wondering how you were and lo and behold, up you pop!!!
Well, although I no longer consider myself to be a close devotee of Amma, I have spent a lot of time around her over the past 12 years and it's a common belief among her followers that she is indeed an avatar of Kali. There are early stories of how she revealed herself to her first devotees - tales of them witnessing her in full Kali bhav, levitating etc. there's also a video called The Early Years which shows her dancing as Kali, with trident and flickering tongue - she's in her early twenties and it's amazing. Ask if any of the people at your retreat have a copy.
Whilst I never witnessed these incidents in person, I have no doubt whatsoever that She is Kali. As you know, Kali is my ishtha deva too (my personal God) and, without being able to prove my belief scientifically, I just KNOW that this is so.
Have an awesome time and let us know how you get on.
With much love
Sunanda xxx
Amma - Kali
Hi dear sunanda,
mother does indeed work in strange and mysterious ways - does she not? and at the same time - never ceases to amaze!!
thank you for taking the time to add your thoughts in regards to Amma. Myself, I am part cynic (not with Amma, just with life) - which is good, because it helps to balance out my overly idealistic side. That having been said, there has been just too many events pushing me to this present point for me to have any recourse ~but~ to believe that Amma is Kali.
It would seem that Kali knows me, and knows that my cynical nature cannot simply ~~accept~~ things, so with her divine grace - she affords me the extreme luxury of seeing her in motion while she paints the canvas w/her beautiful strokes - so that when the finished work is in front of me - there can be little room for doubt of where I am to go next.
As you're no doubt aware, Kali is believed to be the fast track to self-realization and i have oft wondered that if a different aspect of the divine mother had called to me instead - if the signs would still be quite so obvious - thus is it because of Kali's doing - that i get these "hit me in the face/smack me over the head" type interventions. As you too hold Kali as your ishtha deva, and as from your past posts you've obviously been through similar - i guess i'm not espousing anything you haven't already experienced firsthand yourself.
The retreat was wonderful - so many great people with such devotion. Although it would probably be wrong of me to presume that everyone that follows Amma - also follows Kali, I can say that there was a large number of people there that seemed intimately familiar with Kali, Dakshinewar, etc - it truly floored and amazed me. Part of their service is singing various bhajans. One aspect that i enjoy is the bhajans display reverance for many deities, from Krishna, Radha, Shiva, Rama, Durga, and so many others and of course, Kali. During some songs that were sang for Kali - tears would flow from my eyes. To know that the divine mother has called to me for about a year and a half, and here i was, gathered in a group of people - singing in celebration of ~~~KALI MA~~~ it just seemed ... surreal.
Ideally, i find it difficult to worship someone that is still alive - just seems weird to me, to worship ~a human being~. But, it seems that this is where Kali wants for me to be, there can be little room for doubt. I have prayed for Kali to accept any reverance offered to Amma as reverance for Kali. When I look at Amma, i try and see Kali. Very interesting times indeed.
Amma is coming to Seattle in late May - and i fully intend to join the line for darshan. There is also going to be a private retreat, but that i am ~~very~~ leery to attend. The hook for the retreat is getting to spend more close and personal time with Amma. However, something doesn't seem right that the only difference between me getting that special time with Amma and someone else not getting it is - me perhaps having the money that someone else does not. It seems wrong that money should be a deciding factor (but ideally, the darshan is free and open to all - which takes place before the retreat). While I do not mind donating towards her campaign and cause for all the good she does around the world, but on a spiritual level - it seems wrong to buy one's way into spiritual closeness. Do you perhaps have any thoughts i could hope you might be willing to share on this?
Namaste,
Andy
Hi Andy
I'm more than willing to share but feel that some personal stuff may well come up so I'm going to pm you later on today, if that's OK.
With love
Sunanda xxx