Meeting amritanandamayi ma "Amma"

[Ananda]

All is good.
The guru is in you.

[cpagal]

Hi Arunachala Bhakta,
Your message caught my eye today as I was looking for information about Amma. Years ago, during my childhood, I met Amma several times in the middle east. She was here for 5 days and I would go to meet her everyday after school. There were no crowds and I had a long time with her. I definitely felt electrified in her embrace. I took mantra diksha but my skepticism prevented me from undertaking mantra japa. Fast forward to several decades later, I have been devouring videos on Ramana’s teachings and this year I attended the iyengar classes from Sharath in Himachal. Is this the same place you went to? I found it so strange that we have had a similar set of experiences. I wanted to reach out.
I will be initiated into kriya yoga in February by Sri M, with God’s grace. I am so excited. Initially I had planned to go back to Himachal to study pranayama as I wasn’t able to do that in my initial visit. How do you balance the practice of kriya as well as techniques taught to you through Himalayan Iyengar? I worry that the pranayam taught in the kriya exercises will conflict with the style taught to me by Himalayan Iyengar. Hope you see my message.

@Arunachala Bhakta

Namaskaar everyone.
Just wanted to raise this topic by sharing my experiences with Amma.
I think that Her radiance might have caused my sudden awakening from total ignorance 18 years ago, as it happened(by amazing/awakening synchronisities) 2 days after I had been traveling by boat near Her ashram. We left one couple to ashram’s pier. After those events 2 days later took place, I went first time ever to Shiva (or any) temple at Chamundi hill, paid my respect’s and started my (conscious) bumpy spiritual journey. Almost exactly to date 12 years after that, my Kundalini started Her journey. And last week in the middle of a noisy band jamming session, not playing myself at the moment but stretching turned inwards, I suddenly fell in to my first Samadhi, one week after having Amma’s darshan. It only lasted for a split second, but as my prana was running high and there was strong feelings of ecstasy, right after Samadhi happened I was able to get back once more for few seconds to Anandamaya kosha just by leaving all other koshas one by one behind. Last step to Ananda was just like turning the main switch off Or was this conscious enter back to (savikalpa) Samadhi…? Don’t care really, I’m trying to shake the experience off, but felt so easy to do at that moment!
I’ve had Amma_s darshan once before and didn’t felt anything special that time, it was quite chaotic, but this time it was very much different case. Shivers started to spread from my face through out my body on every in breath, as soon as She entered the building, or got close, or anyhow 5 minutes before She entered the venue and was to be seen. I went with little expectations, but that changed the moment the shivering started.
All this(Amma’s event & Samadhi experience) got me very humble and boosted my bhakti sky high. Can’t wait to get to my next sitting session with no exceptions, just grateful that my karma and the grace of God has lead me to this kind of a path. Through Amma to Ramana, AYP and Himalayan Iyengar Yoga. Even though little bumpy, it’s sometimes so beautiful and full of light.
Will not miss an opportunity to meet Amma ever again. Maybe even I’ll check the main gate of the ashram someday.
[OM]