by Sharda Chaitanya
Amritanandamayi Mata is here in New York as part of her North American Summer tour. I arrived at the venue (the unmanageably enormous Jacob Javits Center) before 8:00 a.m. today. The token line was cuing up, officially opening at 9:00 a.m., and already there were 200 people ahead of me.
Being part of these events is so much fun! It's relaxing and amazing and everyone, with the exception of a cranky karma-yogi or two, is elated and giddy about seeing Mataji. The atmosphere is charged with Her energy and the absolutely beautiful music and Vedic chanting permeates the room with celestial sounds.
The synchronicities began last night, (the following is one of several) just after the thought of seeing Her really came to my mind and entered my heart. I was making my way over to Whole Foods to have a bite for dinner when the sense of Amma filled me, and connected me to Her presence. That felt really good and reassured me that I was in step. Being dinner time, around 8:00 p.m. Whole Foods was packed, as happens on these steamy dog days of Summer when, after working all day, no one wants to go home and make dinner.
After figuring out if I wanted cooked or raw, and choosing cooked, I went upstairs to the seating area to munch out, and was barely able to find a table. I squeezed in somewhere, under a hot light fixture with not the best view of the B-ball courts across the street. (If you want to see a fierce pick-up game, check out the courts on East Houston and Christie. Lots of eye candy!) It was a not great seat nor even close to my usual spot, but I had to make due.
Earlier, as I was leaving the apartment, I managed to grab one of Mataji's books as a last minute thought - just in case. I don't know about other big, pretentious cities, but in New York if you are alone, especially in a restaurant or somewhere similar, you absolutely have to have either, A). A book. B). That day's New York Times C). The New Yorker, New York or Time-Out magazine, or D). A hand-held device that you're either talking into or playing on. Because God forbid you should not look or appear busy either doing work-related stuff or catching up on the latest event or trend to hit the Big Apple. So there I was, the cornball that I am, with a book entitled
Wake Up, Children, by Mata Amritanandaji. Ha Ha -
sooooo not hip or urbane. I couldn't care less as I placed the book next to me while I ate some roasted veggies and mash potatoes.
No sooner was I deep into the best mash potatoes outside of my sister's Thanksgiving version, than I heard someone say, "Om Namah Shivaya". In the fraction of a second that it took me to wonder if I had even heard that correctly, I looked up and saw two twenty-somethings approaching my table. They looked at me as I replied, "Om Namah Shivaya", with a natural ease, as though everyone in Whole Foods greets each other that way! They asked politely if they could sit here (being a table for four), and naturally I said yes and waved them over, squishing together my purse, my phone and my book so they could have room.
As the one across from me made eye contact, she said that she saw my book and knew right away I was a devotee. Very cool! Of course we struck up a conversation and I found out they are sisters, and the one who greeted me with the auspicious mantra was following Mataji around the country as She toured from city to city. One thing lead to another. I was informed that a few of this devotee's friends needed a place to sleep, and before I know it I am offering two other traveling devotees a place to crash on my living room floor! It was second nature to me to make such an offer, and I would never think twice. The woman remarked that her sister was witnessing something very out of the ordinary. Without skipping a beat, I replied, "Oh, what's that, 'The Devotee Network'...?, as we both chuckled knowingly. Yes, she said. She explained how her sister wasn't used to how easily we bond, and look out for one another. It's like family - it just is.
We talked about Amma, how long we've known her, our recent histories, etc. They were both so sweet and charming, and it felt like we've always know one another. The one who was on the tour was also volunteering at the boutique, and we agreed I would say hello in the morning. But it turned out her friends did not need a place after all, and by the time I got my hug from Amma this morning, and all of that transpired, my friend had been relieved from her duties at the Ayurvedic table.
But that almost doesn't matter. What matters is that Mataji saw to it that her devotees found each
other in the middle of an over-crowded island, in the midst of a fully packed seating area, in what might seem like a random turn of events. Where Mataji is concerned, nothing is random or without meaning - three people made a connection where one might not otherwise exist were in not for Grace. It was a not-so-small reminder that we are watched and looked after from Above. After all, Mataji is our Spiritual Mother. And just like family. She just is!
Afterthought: As I was having my morning coffee today, 7/12/13, the day after posting this, I realized that almost nothing in this story reflects the title I gave it. I did have darshan of Mataji and got a huge and very tight hug! I want to go more into what it means to be near her, and I hope to write about that in a part II and part III. There are two more days of Mataji in New York and I plan to be in attendance for both. I want to say 'updates as they come in', but I am processing a lot from yesterday and still don't know where this energy will land. Om Namah Shivaya. Sharda
Related link: http://fengshuiserenity.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-power-of-divine-shakti-waves-of.html
SaLuSa
