In Amritapuri, the ashram of Mata Amritanandamayi,
pace of the day has changed since COVID-enforced lockdown in March. No visitors
are allowed in the sprawling ashram premises, and the familiar sight of
5000-plus devotees queueing up for her ‘darshan’ is missing.

On Sunday, which marks her 67th birthday,
the scene would have been totally different in a pre-Corona time. Visitors’
number would cross a lakh, Amma, as she is fondly called, would have met,
hugged and comforted all of them as the darshan from 9 am continued through the
day and night to the next morning without her taking a break.

This year, her millions of devotees across the globe
would spend the day in prayers and meditation, joining a ‘satsang’ from the
safety of their homes from 6 am to 1 pm to create positivity and evoke
goodness, helping the whole world to heal.

“Learn to be more loving and compassionate,” says Mata
Amritanandamayi whose love and hugs still reach her ‘children’ in distant lands
through emails, letters and a webcast on Saturdays. She is actively involved in
the running of the ashram and all the institutions under its umbrella, spends
the day meeting people concerned and holding discussions. And she has set aside
the night to reply to mails, sleeping only in the dawn for two hours before
starting her prayers and meditation. 

What energises and drives her as the whole world seeks
her love, blessings, and the magic of her hugs?

“It is the pure energy of unconditional love,” she
says. “When you uphold and pursue that as your life’s mission, there is no
tiredness because you are now in complete harmony with the universe.”

Excerpts from the
interview.

1) The world is going
through a tough phase fighting the COVID pandemic. People have to deal with a
lot of stress, financial difficulties, fear of the diseases, alienation from
friends… In such a situation, how do we stay positive without falling into
depression?

Amma: In general, there
are only two types of problems in life—those which can be resolved and that
which cannot. Is there any point in worrying and getting depressed about
something that has a solution? No. And what about the latter—a problem that
cannot be resolved? Is there any logic in worrying about it? Not at all. COVID
belongs to the first category. There is a solution for it. We just need to
abide by the guidelines and restrictions. This period will come to an end; we
don’t know when. Until then, obey the restrictions and do what you have to.

There are other
situations that, no matter how hard we try, cannot be fixed. Then, we are left
with no choice but to accept. For example, an adult trying to grow another half
foot is not going to succeed, even if he hangs upside down and takes various
vitamins. In such unchangeable circumstances, the only solution is to accept
and be happy with what we have. Of course, some situations, such as failing in
an interview, we need not accept. We can appear and reappear for other interviews
until we get a job. Therefore, the important thing is to always understand what
type of situation we are facing and then to respond accordingly.

COVID is not
the end of the world. In fact, this pandemic is like a mirror in which we can
see things about ourselves and our actions that need to be corrected. We should
look into this mirror and make those corrections. Learn to be more loving and compassionate.
Learn to be respectful to others, to Nature and, above all, to the Supreme Power
that governs the universe.

2) The world definitely has changed over the years. Lifestyle
and people’s beliefs have changed. How do you look at the way the world has
transformed? In these 67 years, have these changes affected your belief in
people, life and God?

Amma: Since everything exists in time and time is cyclic in
nature, change is inevitable. Nothing can be done about it. My path is to
accept the change and see the oneness in everything. And that is what I do.

3) Tell us a way to be happy. What should people do to
be happy and stay happy?

Amma: Don’t we regularly take decisions in
our everyday life, both big ones and small ones? Why can’t we also take a
similar decision to always remain happy? The only difference is that the
decision to be happy is internal. Just as we have the ability to adjust and
adapt to external circumstances, we also have the capacity to adjust our inner
world and gain control over our constantly fluctuating thoughts and emotions as
well. We all have this power; it is only a question of determination.

4) What is the power of a hug? What is the magic of your
hugging that helps people heal?

Amma: A physical hug that isn’t imbued with
the energy of love will not have much power. However, a hug infused with the
power of pure love can work wonders. Love alone is the true transformative
power.

Ninety per cent of the problems people face in this world are due to
lack of love. We are born to experience true love. Nevertheless, the majority
live and die without ever having even glimpsed it. Love and life are not two; they
are one. Without love, there is no life. The totality of love is the totality
of life and vice versa.

In every person, there is an innocent child crying for love. That
innocence is the source of our potential. Amma’s embrace is not just physical.
It is a real meeting of hearts, wherein an awakening, and inner flow is
created.

5) How do you work so tirelessly, dedicating
everything for a single purpose? For others, you are the inspiration, what is
the energy that drives you?

Amma: It is the pure energy of
unconditional love. Amma thinks of about what she can give, not about what she
can take. My path is the path of selflessness and acceptance. When you uphold
and pursue that as your life’s mission, there is no tiredness because you are
now in complete harmony with the universe.