Hello:

I was directed to you website by a friend in Texas. I must compliment you at how detailed and thorough your site is.  I have met many of the teachers listed and possibly agree with you on many points - except for one.

AMMACHI - OR Mata Amritanandamayi of Kerala, India

Throughout the world she is called the hugging saint. She is revered in her own country as a healer and sage, and credited with thousands of miracles. She travels around the world and has a daily routine that very few of us could live with or practice. She travels through the United States every summer and has an Ashram in California and New Mexico. But, as you say, who knows?

What began as one woman's journey to bring spiritual nourishment (on foot!) and a path of devotion to thousands in her own country, has become the driving force behind an international organization promoting awareness of a greater spiritual journey and providing healing to millions around the globe.

I realize you are skeptic and no one can fault you for your personal belief system. Bat as you are rating these Guru's - I would like to ask - how is this process done? Only by their websites or by personal experience? Are you aware of her great charities and of her 800 patient bed hospital AIMS, (State of the art)  that gives medical care free to the poor in India?

I would like to share some direct experiences I have known from this woman. (After all, who wants to take someone else's word for her miracles?)

I was at a retreat with Amma in the early 90's in Rhode Island. While showering for the morning session - suddenly the hot water went off - and my
back was severely burned. With a great deal of pain - I managed to dress and
get myself over to the hall where Amma was giving her morning darshan.
(Hugs and blessings) Her Swami approached her and explained what had occurred. Amma called me to her lap and put me, face down, across her knees. Then she put her hand on my back and held it there for some time. When I arose, the burn was gone, the pain was gone, and there were no marks that anything had happened to me.

A year ago, again on a retreat in Rhode Island, I became very ill. I went for darshan, and when Mother Amma blessed me, she ran her hands across my chest. At the same time I could feel something being pulled out of me. When I arose I felt faint and week as well as some body chills and dizziness. Her Swami explained to me that Amma had taken pneumonia off my body system. I needed to rest awhile, but I was fine. There were many witnesses to these events.

Needless to say, I am very disappointed of the rating you gave to her, only a #2 - and that you could even compare her with others on that list of #2 is appalling. [I have since raised her up to 2 1/2.]

I would like you to recheck her and move her up to your highest rating. You joke about an Avatar and see her as limiting. What do you consider an Avatar to be? Have you one in mind - as skeptic as you are? Did you think they would be without discipline or form in a world that is crying out for some kind of spiritual order? Amma is healing the heart of the world while you are busy debunking that any of these powers exist.

The many great achievements she has done are even more astonishing when one considers that this wise and influential woman has only a fourth grade education. She grew up in a poor fishing village - in poverty - and suffered from extreme gender, religious and color prejudice. Her life is one of the most remarkable stories of our time and I wonder if you or anyone else could actually live it? She tires out every one of us mortals. No one - it seems can keep up with her daily routine or quick mind. Have you ever met Amma or received a hug from her? If not, I suggest you put that on your list of priorities.  She'll be in Dearborne, Michigan between November 13th and 17th. maybe you will have a chance to drop by. If so - I'll be there, with thousands of others. Many who will be seeing her for the first time.

Hope you can put yourself out to be there.

Respectfully submitted,

Dear Sarlo:

I am strongly requesting Ammachi to be graded to no less than a four. Please - I am very sincere about this request. I know about the Guru's and have had direct experience with many. Some you have graded higher are not worth the ash falling from a volcano.

I myself did not believe I could ever bow to a Guru. I was brought up in a strong Christian faith - that notwithstanding - I never knew about such things until I began to study energy medicine. I have had direct experiences with Yogi Bahjan - Guru Mai - Robert Jaffe - that George guy you rate so highly - and several others. Most of them are money hungry - with some talent - and want crowds to do their bidding. No - your site is not a race to the top - I fully realize that - in some sense you have tried to come from honesty and the heart. My concern is Honor. Amma does not need to win any race, as she has already won all of them and more than likely invented them.

Amma is not that way. Firstly - she is non-sectarian - even though she is brought up in a Hindu environment. She wants people on this planet to KNOW and serve GOD - that's it. She is very allowing as well as disciplining. She believes in free choice and only wishes to make our lives better. She never asks for money and her retreats are affordable and there for all. Where else can you stay for $200 - for 3 days with food and lodging included? She never ridicules the maimed and ugly, the poor or downtrodden or the ego maniacs. She loves them all.

I have LEARNED - Sarlo - through abuse, heartache and rejection about Guru's. I love Amma involuntarily. Many times I doubt and many times she brings me back into the fold - gently - with a smile and a hug.

The Power of Love is the only power there is that is lasting and we should all seek that honestly. How surprised we would be if we all could learn the truth about a sacred energy that is available to all of us - for FREE. We just have to learn how to use it.  (It's almost like buying a new VCR.)

I have not asked you why you choose to do this rating. Is it fair - I do not know. But if this is in your heart to do - so be it. I just must explain to you that if there ever were an Avatar - it would be Amamchi. Perhaps several others also - why not?  I do not know. I DO know she is one and that's enough for me.  (True Spiritual work is exhausting and ever vigilant.) It is not the body or the organization that is worshiped, it is what Amma brings to this planet far beyond our imagination.

I pray that someday you will know her through true experience.

With Love of Amma
Always in Her Service,
Elizabeth Joyce

I get where you and others are coming from in terms of reservations about an authoritarian tone, condescension etc.: to use your terminology, these represent a clear problem with her flexibility. OTOH, as anyone who's hung around Ammachi for any length of time knows, her capacity is over the top, not only in quantity (hugs per annum) but quality (sublime heart-opening, playful synchronicity, ass-kicking power). I have yet to have anything but a positive experience around her, and have always been able to integrate it in tangible ways (having more energy, insight and patience, etc.) that give me deeper faith in my own understanding.

In fact, her flexibility, in person, is a lot greater than the for-public-consumption stuff on her website suggests: I've heard some pretty wild stories about her that are worthy of Neem Karoli Baba. Some of these things are finally being published, e.g. in the book "Amma And Me" by Manoharan. My own experience is that her flexibility is not so limited (1) if you interact with her 1-on-1, with sincerity; and (2) if you focus on the inner connection instead of the bhakti circus around her. She really does work differently with different people, sometimes in unconventional ways that don't make it into the PR material. Why this is, I don't know; maybe she wants to set a clean example for her householder devotees, but is willing/able to work with the funky tantric types as well, if only in the background.

Given that, I'd certainly give Ammachi 3.5 stars under your system, hell, even 4 stars, if the definition were modified to allow for an exceptionally high capacity albeit with limited flexibility. Anyway, I'm glad to see you've been open to input and that her rating has slowly been creeping up. 

~ JCB ~