Yesterday a meditator friend and I went to see Amma,
the great Indian Saint who travels the world dispensing hugs,
motherly love and blessings. She was at the "Ma Center" in
the wilderness of rural San Ramon, in the Bay Area.
We parked and walked the trail to reach the main building;
and there She was, earthly manifestation of the Female
Goddess and Mother, pure ever flowing complete love.
To be in the presence of an Enlightened Being is so precious,
something that people travel long and far to experience.
The mind empties of its troublesome content, the body
gets infused with a sacred, blissful, and natural energy.

We sat on the floor as close as possible to Her, and watched Her
hugging and uplifting each person that presented in front of Her;
an unending procession of people, young and old, singles and
couples, and families with children; those who were sick and
those who were healthier. We became absorbed in the sacredness
and extreme naturalness of what was happening; unconcerned
of linear time, we soaked up the positivity, the love, the
sweetness with which all around us was imbued.
We then left for lunch in the little restaurant nearby and returned
to find that it was our turn to receive her blessings.

We stood in line and moved along as places freed.
We arrived close to Her, and devotees gave a paper handkerchief
to wipe away sweat from the face.
"What's your native language?" I was asked. "Italian".
I am excited like a child, and calm at the same time. I am not
quite sure how to make myself deign to receive Her Love.
Then, a divine hand gently pushes my head in place, on Her lap.
I feel intense and caring warmth enveloping the entire body.
Ma whispers mantras into my hears... the words uplift my
heart and consciousness, acting on the very core of my motherly soul.
I hear someone says: "She is Italian" -I imagine Ma desires to know
her children's native culture (involved as She is in worldly causes,
and especially women's, Goddess of justice and equality, this is of no surprise).
I feel that Ma is awakening my Divine Love to meet Hers.
The powerful, yet sweet and kind energy raises and raises in me,
until it reaches an apex and Ma suddenly lifts my head up, and
I am done. Suffused in blissful love, I get up and greet the Mother
and move away from the line to allow others to receive Her Gifts.

I returned to the floor and sat in ruptured meditation.
Beautiful, devotional music is being played on the stage above.
Heavenly singing voices accompany it. I look at Ma embracing
people of all nationalities and ages, awakening their dignity,
their devotion, their power. I feel truly and really Blessed.
I am Present and Lost at once, Present in Love, and Lost to
worldly concerns, established in the Reality of Divine Consciousness.
My friend arrives shortly after, seats on the floor to meditate and Be.
Linear time passes and it's of no concern, appearing for what it is, an illusion.

Later I am sitting outside by the pond, in meditation,
and then I lay down to rest on the shall laid out on the earth.
I am surrounded by young people in dreadlocks, a young mother
is playing with and breastfeeding her small child. A circle of people
nearby is singing and dancing in a devotional play, suffusing the air
with peaceful delight. I do not want this to end. But it's also ok that it will.
I am remembering Goa, India, 30 years ago. A young woman of 19, her naivety
and unconsciousness creating heavy karma that will require decades to undue.
I feel I am redeeming her a bit of that stretch of time, that difficult period of her life.

Time to go have dinner. Western food this time. I eat with appetite.
We return to the main building and see that a silent, peaceful crowd
has assembled to receive Amma, returning for the evening program.
She will embrace more and more people, way into the night, with no
apparent tiredness. Each embrace will be as fresh and energetic as if it
was her first. Such is the power of endless, divine, all-encompassing love.
Here she comes... simple, child-like, God-like Amma. A last look at Her
white-clad figure, as she is protectively guided inside the hall by her devotees.
People surround her and follow her inside to receive their darhsan, the embrace.
I silently say thank you, and good-bye, as we walk away.