Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, who is revered all over the world as the ‘hugging saint’ is on a spiritual tour of America organizing satsangs and teaching the spiritual way. Already covered the western cities, currently she is in Washington, D.C (July 25-29). She continues the tour to Boston July 31-August 2), New York (August 5-7) and Chicago August 9-11.)

Since a face to face interview was not possible, polular Malayalam news portal e-malayalee and English portal Indialife sent her a few questions and she replied by email.

Q) Welcome back. I think Amma is visiting the US for the first time after Covid? Is it correct?

Amma: Yes, until this year it was difficult to go to the foreign countries because of the pandemic. But during the past five years, the Ashram in India has maintained its regular schedule and Amma’s daily programs of satsang, bhajan and meditation were shared with devotees all over the world through the Internet.

Q) The world has changed much in the last few years with wars in Ukraine, Gaza etc, in addition to Covid Pandemic. What is the message of Amma to face these challenges?

Amma: There is no new message. Humankind needs to learn to view each other through the lens of oneness, accepting each other’s differences and treating one another with respect and compassion. Until we do this—until we make space for others in our heart—the world will continue to suffer. Even the pandemic was, in many ways, a warning from Mother Nature that we have alienated ourselves from her and have been overstepping in our exploitation of her resources.

We can no longer afford to view ourselves as isolated islands, we are all connected like the links of a chain. If four people hold the corners of a net and one of them shakes his corner, the vibration will be felt throughout. This shows us that all of our actions, whether done individually or as a group, have an impact that is felt throughout the world. If we want the world to become a better place, then we have to stop waiting for others to change, and be the first to change. If we do that, we will see transformation beginning to happen around us. If we refuse to, we will only continue to see more conflict and disasters.

In essence, we can no longer merely talk about improving ourselves and the world. It’s urgent that all such talk is translated into action. This is the primary message.

Q) How did Covid affect the charity work of Amma?

Amma: Even though Amma didn’t travel much over the past five years, the Ashram’s charitable humanitarian programs have never waned. They have only grown. During the pandemic, the Ashram made more than 250,000 “Pandemic Kits” full of grains and other dry goods, which we stitched up in sacks made from old saris, etc, and distributed to those in need. The Ashram also set up a 24-hour call-center for people suffering from mental-health issues generated or worsened by the lockdowns, connecting people with professional counselors. In total, we provided ₹85 crore (more than $10 million US) in financial aid for people affected by the pandemic.

The Ashram also opened a new 2,600-bed AmritaHospital in Faridabad in August of 2022, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shree Narenda Modi. The Prime Minister also asked Amma to serve as the chair for the Civil20, a committee under the G20, which was led by India in 2023. Devotees around the world conducted surveys and organized meetings with heads of NGOs and civil society’s in order to present the best possible policy recommendations to the Prime Minister at the G20 Summit last September.

Q) It seems the society worldwide is moving away from spirituality for a materialistic ideology. How can we keep and practice our spiritual and traditional values?

Amma: If we think the world is going to return to the way it was hundreds of years before, we are kidding ourselves. But let us at least not let go of the traditions and values we still have. Parents have to spend time with their children, teaching them universal values such as patience, humility, compassion, the value of selfless service, kindheartedness, faith in God. But more than teaching our children such things, we have to demonstrate those values in the way we live our lives. We all have to strive to become role-models because whoever we are someone, somewhere is looking up to us as a role-model. Basically, humanity should strive to find a balance between their spiritual and material existence, at least to some extent.

Q) It is unbelievable that Amma is 70! What are the visions of Amma for the future?

Amma: Amma plans but doesn’t live in the future. Amma’s way is to respond to situations when there is a call. Life is a bubble that can burst any moment. This moment alone exists. So, let us befriend this moment. When we do that, we automatically make the future our friend as well. This present moment—that is where action exists, that is where happiness exists, that is where grace exists.

We can no longer afford to view ourselves as isolated islands: Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Interview)