Warmth for me is being in Amma’s arms, any place, any time, for as long as possible! I feel especially warm inside if I am being held when she is laughing.
Instructions: Whether you live on my side of the planet or in the Southern Hemisphere, enjoying real heat on the beach or in your yard, show us your take on warmth. You can go from the literal (saunas! scarves! steaming cups of tea!) to the figurative (the embrace of family members coming together for the holidays, the look of affection on your pet’s face, or even just a photo with a particularly warm color palette, no matter its subject matter).
Clarification: I am Graced to have this photo but it is not one I personally took. I happened to be in Amma’s arms when she was watching a play during her Boston programs many years ago.
As I planned my reminiscing post, I remembered a song that I created in the late 90’s. I wrote the words first and then asked my friend Meera to translate them into Malayalam, Amma’s language. Once I had the words, I worked on the tune. I sung it for Amma both in English and Malayalam. (FYI, Amma means Mother.)
This is the song. Please pardon any pronuncation errors!
amma ende karangal ennum ninne sevikkatte
amma ende manass˘ mantrathāl nirayename
amma ende vākkukal ennum ninne pukazhthette
ende hridayam ānandam kond˘ nrittamādatte
ende sneham prakāshamāyi ennenum thilangatte
amma ende vishvāsam valarnnu kondirikkatte
ennenum ammayepole āyi varename
amma itinnu vendi mātram nyan prārthikkyunnu
Mother, may my hands be in service, my mind fill with mantra
May my voice forever sing your praise, my heart dance with joy
May my love shine ever brighter, my faith ever grow
Mother, may each day I become more like you, only for this I pray
Only for this I pray
I have come to Amma’s ashram in Amritapuri, India almost every year since January 1990. While to me it often feels like nothing has changed during that time, it is also obvious that so much is different.
When I first met Amma she was 35 years old. Now she is 61.
I arrived soon after the main part of the temple had been finished; the top floors were not complete. I remember participating in brick and gravel seva. We would form human chains and pass the bricks to the top floors, one at a time. We would also carry bags of gravel where ever they needed to go. I remember thinking that part of me would remain in Amritapuri when I left India because of all the bricks I had touched. This is a picture of the temple as it looks today. Continue reading “Reminiscing- 1990 to 2014”→
The play was as wonderful as I knew it would be. The audience was spellbound and tears flowed freely. Several days before, Amma told us that she would end darshan early so she could watch it with us. That was such a gift. It also meant that the play was on the main stage so everyone could see it well. Continue reading “Living and Learning in Amritapuri- Dec 24 -25, 2014”→
I have been spending most of my time on play related activities. As most of you know, I worked on sewing the costumes for a while and then switched to backdrops. I did not attend many play practices early on because there were so many different groups rehearsing throughout the day. I eventually asked Chaitanya which would be the best ones for me to attend. I went often enough to know that it was a powerful play, one that brought up so many emotions in me, mostly tears of one sort or another but also plenty of laughter. During one practice, I was crying and looked to the right and left of me and saw that all of the people nearby were crying as well. This play hits deep. (For those of you who don’t know, it is about the life of St. Francis of Assisi.) Continue reading “Living and Learning in Amritapuri- Dec 24, 2014”→
My favorite joke, and the only one I ever remember is:
Question: Do you know how to make God laugh?
Answer: Tell him your plans for your life
Being with Amma is always a chance to work on learning to not be attached to plans and instead letting your life unfold. That lesson was definitely the theme of my day on December 19. Continue reading “One Minute, One Hour, One Day at a Time”→
After having so much emotion for the last two days, I was exhausted on the 15th. By the afternoon, I felt really ragged. Amma was at the beach meditating with the ashram residents. My general practice is to go late so I arrive just before a question and answer period begins; I’m as avoidant of meditation as ever!
Sreejit was in the kitchen cooking, so I decided to take some papaya to him before I went to the beach. On my way there, a crow dumped on my head. Some people say that is a blessing, I think it was more likely a consequence for my choice to skip the meditation. Continue reading “Living and Learning in Amritapuri- Dec 15-18, 2014”→
As hard as it is for me to imagine, my son Sreejit is turning 40 years old today! He was born on December 13, 1974. He has been such a blessing to his dad and me and to so many others.
I have loved looking through the old pictures in preparation for this post. So many special ones, especially in this age group. This was also the period when his sister Chaitanya joined our family! I remember Sreejit came to see me at the hospital after she was born, bringing chocolates and flowers. When it was time to go home, he wanted me to come with him. When I said that wasn’t possible, he wanted to take the chocolates back! (His dad doesn’t have a memory of this event, but since it is a strong one for me I’m going to leave it in!)
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Some of my memories of Sreejit’s school aged years were his involvement with Boy Scouts, summer camp and his love of Michael Jackson. He also started to draw during that time. A friend and he spent countless hours creating comic books.
Home from camp
Michael Jackson days
During his preteen and teenage years, Sreejit played the saxophone, piano and both acoustic and electric guitar. I took him to his first rock concert, to see Prince! He loved it and so did I. He became very interested in heavy metal music and wanted to become a rock star!
Sreejit’s life goals changed abruptly when he met Amma in 1990. A resident from Amma’s San Ramon ashram came up to me the night he met her and said, “Did you see the way that boy looked at Amma, and the way she looked at him? He is going to become a brahmachari (monk).” The woman didn’t know Sreejit was my son at the time she said that to me. Her intuition was certainly right on though. He soon exchanged his black heavy metal clothes for the white attire that most devotees wear. He learned to play the harmonium (a keyboard instrument that has bellows) and the tabla (Indian drums).
Sreejit’s fFirst trip to India
Sreejit moved to Amma’s San Ramon ashram in 1994 and lived there for 15 years. During most of that time, he worked two or three jobs simultaneously, as well as doing the work required of an ashram resident. In addition, he completed his Philosophy degree at San Jose State College. Soon after he graduated, he wrote a book titled, Of Mind Or Matter. The book was fiction, but it incorporated his knowledge of philosophy and spirituality.
Sreejit’s love for music has continued throughout his life. He has composed many songs. One of my favorites is “It’s a Long Road”
It’s a long road
I’ve forgotten
who I am.
It’s a long road
I’ve forgotten
what’s the plan.
Your hands
hold me close
but your eyes
are to the sky,
millions seek your mercy
but you say
freedom is your right,
just fight.
Do you remember me,
for I don’t have the eyes to see,
do you remember me,
am I your everything,
for you’re everything to me.
To walk through this world
a human being
is to carry the burden
of countless lifetimes
of suffering.
As I grow weary
I remind myself
that every problem
I’ve created myself.
Do you remember me,
for I don’t have the eyes to see.
I know I don’t deserve
this life I’ve been given
– time after time
I’ve chosen easy over right.
But, still
you shower praise
and I can’t help but
think your crazy
– crazy for the life,
crazy for the fight,
crazy for the divine
and I know your right,
but do you remember me?
The recording features David Balakrishnan on Violin Anu Aiyer on table, Swarna Aiyer on keys Amritapriya Schmidt on backing vocals and Sreejit Poole on vocals and guitar
Sreejit was invited to come to Amma’s ashram in Amritapuri, India in 2009 to be a cook in the Western kitchen. That has been his primary ashram work since that time. 2009 was the same year that he and Chaitanya, who also lives at the ashram, started creating Broadway style musicals which are performed on Christmas Eve. Chaitanya writes and directs the plays; Sreejit and his friends write most of the tunes. During the musicals, Sreejit plays the harmonium and frequently sings and/or has a voice role (In Indian plays the voices often come from people on microphones behind the scenes.) A few years ago, Sreejit was an actor in the play as well as participating as a musician. As soon as one musical is over, Sreejit and his friends start writing the musical scores for the next one.
Sreejit and Chaitany are on each end
Sreejit as preacher
Moses after the opening of the Red Sea
Jesus speaking to crowd
Three Wise Men
Play Musicians
In 2012, Sreejit started a blog called The Seeker’s Dungeon. He said this about his blog:
There are plenty of people to write about a heaven that they haven’t experienced. But I want to write about the road traveled to get there. This is meant to be an intense and honest look into the motivations of the human spirit and a search for answers into how we can use the passions of humanity, not just to satisfy our base level instincts, but to bring about a positive change in our world. Maybe it is dark. That is fine. Only when we open the blinds do we see the dust in the room. The dust to me, if not the main goal, is still interesting all the same..
At first, The Seeker’s Dungeon was a poetry blog, but over time he started writing in many different styles. I was amazed at the depth and skill of his writing. I feel so much respect for his work. Many other bloggers were impressed as well; as of today he has 7,670 followers. For most of a year, he encouraged me to start a blog of my own. I began to feel the desire to participate in Dungeon Prompts, a weekly challenge he offered to other bloggers. One day, I decided to build the blog and answer one of his prompts without him knowing I was doing it. I loved surprising him in that way. I am so grateful to him for introducing me to blogging and the WordPress community.
You never know what Sreejit is going to do next. Recently he started a YouTube page and posted some of the music he has composed. He also has begun to play the guitar again. And most surprising, he has decided he wants to learn to tap dance! He asked me to bring tap shoes for him to India and has started teaching himself to tap.
Sreejit has dedicated his life to spiritual growth and service from the time he met Amma at 15 years of age. He has used his 40 years of life well. I am so proud of him and proud to be his mother. Happy 40th Birthday Sreejit!
With Love, Mom
Notes:
Some of you may wonder why you are receiving this on December 12. India is 13 1/2 hours ahead of Seattle so it is already his birthday here!
Today was a public darshan day. Amma’s form of giving a blessing to those who come to her is to give them a hug. The crowds were larger than normal as she had been gone from the ashram since the beginning of October.
Amma started giving hugs at 11 a.m. and continued until 2:30 a.m. on Monday. Many groups sang bhajans during that time; it is quite a festive occasion. During the public darshan programs, those of us who are staying here have the opportunity to hand Amma prasad for a short period of time. The prasad that Amma gives those who come to her is a packet of sacred ash and a piece of candy. The prasad packets are bundled in groups of three and the prasad giver hands Amma the bundle. It is a good opportunity to practice concentration since Amma may need the prasad at any time; the range is probably between 10 seconds and 2 minutes. I do my best to never take my eyes off of her hand. I love this seva (volunteer work). Several years ago, my inner voice started spontaneously saying “home” every time I handed the prasad to her…..home, home, home. To me serving Amma in this way is home. Continue reading “Living and Learning in Amritapuri- Dec 7-9, 2014”→
“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”-William Shakespeare
ed his life to spiritual growth and service from the time he met Amma at 15 years of age. He has used his 40 years of life well. I am so proud of him and proud to be his mother. Happy 40th Birthday Sreejit!
Living, Learning and Letting Go 