 6 April 2008 — Melbourne, Australia On the first night of Amma’s programmes in Melbourne, Di Kerr, an elder from Australia’s Wunrundjeri Aborigini Tribe, welcomed Amma. “Amma, you are an inspiration to a lot of people, and if we all took one page of your book of life, we can be better people, and being better people, we can have a better world. May my creator surround you and keep you safe. I offer my hand with friendship and I offer my hand as a symbol of reconciliation, so that we can all walk together in peace and harmony. On behalf of my elders, I wish to welcome you from the tops of the trees to the roots in the ground.”  Reverend Helen Summers, the founder, director and minister of the Interfaith Centre of Melbourne, also welcomed Amma. After giving a heart-felt summary of Amma’s charitable activities, she invited Amma to speak at the next Parliament of World’s Religions, which will be held in Melbourne in 2009.
7 April 2008 During the Melbourne Retreat, as the first morning program drew to an end, Amma announced that she would like to dance with all her children. After the last person received their hug, Amma stood up, and asked everyone to move back and form a large circle around her. She held a pair of kaimani [hand bells] and asked the devotees for song requests. Many called out “‘Mata Rani’! Dance to ‘Mata Rani’!” Laughing, Amma nodded her head and began to sing, “Mata Rani ne kripa barsayi…” As she began to dance, she passed the kaimani to someone else and then raised her hands into the air and called out, “Mata Rani ki!”  In between lines, Amma playfully told the devotee “Make faces! Make eyes!” She then demonstrated, glancing playfully from side to side, arching her eyebrows and making loving eye contact with those around her. She then added a new element to the song, creating a break between a few words and then crying out, “Hoyi!” The devotees would sing “Mata Rani,” and Amma would respond “Hoyi!” before continuing the verse.
As the song finished, everyone stood in contented silence around Amma. Amma held her eyes closed, absorbed in stillness for a few moments. Then, in the midst of the silence, Amma slowly started to sing out “Narayana Narayana Jaya Govinda Hare…” The harmonium immediately picked up the tune, and soon the devotees raised their voices again to join her. In this second dance, Amma kept her eyes closed the entire time, rocking back and forth in bliss. As she finished, she sat down and asked everyone to meditate for a few moments, feeling themselves filled with divine bliss. After a few minutes, Amma stood up and quietly exited the hall. In order to reach her room, Amma had to walk outside, next to an open meadow. As she walked, Amma maintained complete silence, and gazed at the sky and grass in front of her. Just before she reached her room, Amma’s eyes caught sight of a huge flock of birds suddenly bursting into flight across the open sky. Seeing this, Amma joyfully cried out, “Oh!” and stretched her arms towards them. She then imitated their flight by waving the palms of her hands. Smiling, Amma she then turned and entered her room, leaving those around her touched by this quiet third dance with nature. Click here for photos |