Mata Amritanandamayi Quotes

Let our lives be firmly rooted in Truth. Abstain from lies. In this dark age of materialism, adherence to truth is the greatest austerity. We might have to tell lies now and then to protect somebody or to sustain dharma, but we must be careful not to speak lies for our own selfish purposes.

Children, we may go to the temple, reverently circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum and put our offering in the charity box, but on our way out if we kick the beggar at the door, where is our devotion? Compassion towards the poor is our duty to God. Mother is not saying that we should give money to every beggar that sits in front of a temple, but do not despise them. Pray for them as well. When we hate others, it is our own mind that becomes impure. Equality of vision is God.

Love is our true essence.

Look carefully at what is of value in others and respect that.

After praying, and before eating anything, it is a good custom for everyone to feed one another a small portion of the food. This will help to cultivate mutual love and affection among the family members.

The relation between husband and wife should turn into a love of the heart untouched by desire.

When someone is full of Love and Compassion, he cannot draw a line between two countries, two faiths or two religions.

Children, daily practice of yoga or sun salutations (surya-namaskara) is very good for health and for spiritual practice. Lack of proper exercise is the cause of many of today's diseases. If we can get somewhere in time on foot, always walk instead of taking a vehicle. It is good exercise. Only if we have to go far should we depend on vehicles. Use a bicycle, whenever possible. This will save money, too.

Today, our air, food, water-all are polluted. If we do not stop exploiting nature for our temporary selfish gains, we will destroy the world.

There are thousands ready to die for their religion, but only are few willing to live by its principles. Because of their narrow vision and envy, they have missed the true essence and message of religion which is love and compassion.

Whatever action we are doing, we should be sure to keep the thought of God alive within. Whenever we sit or get up, we should prostrate in that place. It is good to cultivate the habit of considering our pen, books, clothes, vessels, and the tools of our job as imbued with divine presence and use them with care and respect. This will help keep the thought of God alive throughout our body, mind and atmosphere.

You can lead a truly spiritual life while remaining a householder. You will be able to enjoy the bliss of the Self, but your mind has to be on God all the time. Then you can easily attain bliss. A mother bird will be thinking of the young ones in the nest, even when she is out looking for food. Similarly, you have to keep your mind on God, while engaged in all worldly actions. The important thing is to be completely dedicated to God or the Guru. Once you have that dedication, the goal will not be far away.

Have the conviction that God is your only real relative and friend.

Children, we should simplify our life's needs and use the resulting savings for charity.

Happiness comes from the dissolution of the mind, not from external objects. Through meditation we can achieve everything including bliss, health, strength, intelligence and vitality. But it should be practiced properly in solitude and with care.

Pure love is the best medicine for the modern world. This is what is lacking in all societies. The root cause of all problems, from personal problems to global problems is the absence of love. Love is the binding factor, the unifying factor. Love creates the feeling of oneness among people. It unifies a nation and its people. Love creates a sense of unity while hatred causes division. Egotism and hatred cuts people's minds into pieces. Love should rule. There is no problem which love cannot solve.

Don't go empty handed when going to a temple or to see a spiritual master. Offer something as a symbol of surrender, even if it be a mere flower.

There is a pre-existing harmony in everything. The problem is the human being. It may be true that one single Incarnation of God may not he able to bring that peace and harmony in the entire world. It's only because of that harmony that they could create in the world and in people's mind that the world still exists and that there is always a balance. Otherwise, things could be much worse.

Understand this great truth: The happiness that comes from the pleasures of the world is but a minute reflection of the infinite bliss that comes from within your own Self.

Do not use intoxicants of any sort. We who should be serving the world should not ruin our health by smoking and drinking. The money we waste on these things can be used for so many useful things. With the money we smoke away, we can buy an artificial leg for one who has lost a leg, pay for an eye operation for someone with a cataract, or buy a wheelchair for a polio victim. Or, if nothing else, we can buy some spiritual books for the local library.

Children, if we can do archana of the 1000 Names of the Divine Mother daily with devotion, we will grow spiritually. There will never be lack of life's essentials, food and clothing, in a family that chants the 1000 Names with devotion.

A person's destiny can be changed through the power of a saint.

When thoughts are reduced, power of the mind and its subtlety increases, tunes with the Universe. Then you can see the realms beyond the common understanding. When the mind is pure and quiet it becomes one with the universal mind. That mind is like a mirror. The secrets of the Universe will be revealed there.

Develop the ability to stand back as a witness to your thoughts. This will make your mind strong.

The more intellectual you are, the more egoistic you are, and surrendering becomes more difficult.

Only when human beings are able to perceive and acknowledge the Self in each other can there be real peace.

We should try our best to relieve the suffering of others in whatever way we can.

Many people talk a lot about environmental preservation, but true greatness lies in putting these principles into practice and actually doing something about it.

Life is like a garden. Quite naturally, leaves wither and flowers fade. Only if we clear the decay of the past then and there can we really enjoy the beauty of the new leaves and flowers. Likewise, we must clear the murkiness of the past bad experiences from our minds. Life is remembrance in forgetfulness. Forgive what ought to be forgiven; forget what ought to be forgotten. Let us embrace life with renewed vigor. We should be able to face every moment of life with renewed expectation, like a freshly blossomed flower.

When we come to know who we truly are, we will see ourselves in all people.

Pray: O Lord, make my eyes see only the good in everyone.

The impermanent, which is the body, is given too much importance. The permanent, which is the Atman, is completely forgotten. This should change.

Real happiness in life comes from the mental capacity to adapt to any situation.

If we have some pet animals, we should feed them also before taking our food. Perceive God in every living being and feed them with that attitude.

Death is not complete annihilation. It is a pause. It is like pressing the pause button on a tape recorder.

Love is the only medicine that can heal the wounds of the world.

Love sustains everything.

Trying to change the world is like trying to straighten the curly tail of a dog. Try as you might, it will still go hack to its natural curl. Your hands will become stronger from the exercise of trying to straighten the curly tail. Although you max' not he able to change the world, you would have acquired more spiritual strength within - and that alone will make a difference in the world.

Those that have an attitude of service towards others are the beauty of society.

You can only feel love by expressing it.

Whatever you see, hear or experience in the world is ephemeral. Get in touch with the eternal substratum of everything.

While carrying responsibilities, never forget to smile.

In today's world, human beings are dying and human machines are taking birth.

You cannot predict when grace takes place; you can only wait. Relax.

We live in a calculative world and have a calculative mind, and in such a world, ego dominates.

Fill your hearts with love and gratitude. Life gives us what we need and not necessarily what we want. It follows its own wisdom, which is often incomprehensible to our gross minds. We should learn to accept situations in life. This attitude of acceptance is the secret to happiness.

One should see any opportunity to serve as a rare and precious gift...and never waste such an opportunity.

Do not get up immediately at the end of the archana. The beloved deity should be brought from the seat in front of us back into our hearts and re-installed there. Seeing the form of the deity seated in the heart, meditate for a little longer. If it is possible, it is good to sing 2 or 3 kirtans. After taking an injection, a patient is asked to rest for a few minutes to let the medicine spread throughout the body. Similarly, to obtain the full benefit of the mantras, we should keep the mind calm for a while after worship.