Cigarette butts collected from a Pacific NorthWest "Kick Butts Day"

Excerpts from Amma's birthday message outlining three things we can do for Nature on our OWN birthdays, and more...

Speaking on the occasion, Amma addressed how it had been difficult during the pandemic for many devotees to come see Amma.

“Amma knows that many of her children are sad that this year too, as for the past two years, they aren’t able to be with Amma,” she said.

“Even so, Amma knows and experiences your love and devotion. And you are always in Amma’s thoughts—in my heart, in my remembrance, and in my prayers.”

Saying that she knew that many of them wanted to give Amma something on their own birthdays, Amma suggested they do three things:

“Take a seed and put it in some soil with some manure and wrap it up in a piece of paper. Drop those seed balls in a place where they can sprout—either around your house or in some wooded area. The more saplings you can plant, the better. This would be the greatest gift you can give to Amma.”

(See separate article regarding how to make and sow seed balls)

San Ramon residents make California wildflower seed balls

The second thing Amma requested was that everyone clean one kilometer of land on their birthday.

“Sweep the area and clear away all the garbage”, she said.

The third request was regarding carpooling. Amma said she has been requesting devotees to engage in the practice for 15 years now:

“Try to take at least two other people in your vehicle when you travel to work. But please make sure that they are not strangers; you should make sure that you are safe. You can also do the same kind of carpooling when you travel to a temple or when coming here to the Ashram.”

Amma pointed out that carpooling like this saves money, fuel, reduces environmental pollution and gradually reduces traffic and even road accidents.

Amma then said, “Amma knows that all her children are trying to do selfless actions. They feed the poor how ever much they can. They try to keep their surroundings clean. But, Amma feels that we can still do more. We should try to use our birthdays as a day to serve the world.”

In her satsang, Amma also spoke about the importance of remembering just how dependent we are upon Nature and how it is through Nature that God blesses us. She said,

“When we live in this world and enjoy the delights and bounties of Nature, there is one mistake humans, consciously or unconsciously, tend to make. They forget that they have received all these as a gift from that supreme power, God. They forget the truth of Nature, the reflection of God. We forget the invincible power of Nature. Over and above all, we forget the truth of love, which is the foundation of life. We may forget God and Nature in the hustle and bustle of daily life. But we should never forget love. Because only if we have true love will God and Nature shower their blessings upon us. But today, the entire human race is gripped with amnesia. Man has forgotten everything that makes life wholesome and beautiful.”

Amma also spoke about love and how we need to keep expanding and growing in love.

“Most of us stand on the lowest rung of love,” she said. “Amma doesn’t say that this love is not love, but we should not remain there. We should climb up the rungs of love, step by step, and reach the highest peak of love. This is the purest love. This love is present within us even now. All we have to do is to put in the effort to awaken it. May this love awaken and spread out towards all humanity as universal love! This is the greatest blessing of life. We should become embodiments of love. When love awakens within, compassion, sacrifice and joy will awaken spontaneously. Love finds beauty in every ugliness. When love overflows from our heart, flowers of peace will blossom all around us. When we beautify our eyes with the eyeliner of unity, all differences will vanish.”

Amma concluded her satsang by saying,

“Children, may your eyes melt with compassion. May your heads bow low with humility. May your hands be immersed in serving others. May your feet tread the path of dharma. May your ears be ready to hear the sorrows of the unfortunate. May your tongue ever speak kind words and the truth. Amma prays to the Paramatman that, in this way, the lives of my children become blessings for the world.”

from www.amritapuri.org

Trash collecting from Pacific NorthWest sevaites