MOF

In the old days of my advertising career, shooting commercials for Revlon, we used a term for shooting without sound, MOS, for mit out sound. A little mixure of languages.
And so it is that I borrow the idea for photoless posts. I haven't been carrying my digital camera around much so far this summer. My bag has felt heavy enough, too heavy in fact and I daily try to lighten my load, physically and psychically.
Last Friday I went to see Amma at the Manhattan Center. She is called "the hugging saint of India", a great humanitarian and guru. Though I wasn't able to receive her darshan in the form of a hug, I was able to do seva (service) in the morning, helping to prepare food, and later handing Amma prasad as she hugged devotees who had not previously had a hug from her. There are some pics on her website. You can also visit the New York site.
I was blessed to receive her divine hug a few years ago at a yoga studio on 5th Avenue, where less than 50 people were gathered. I didn't realize how fortunate I was until much later when I learned that thousands often stand in line to receive her darshan. She is in my heart now, and I often go there when in need of a mother's hug. It is not something easily conveyed in words, but Amma hugs you as if you were her child, and she the mother of all mothers, The Divine Mother. Which she is in fact considered to be. It is a transforming experience, especially if you've not had quite that kind of experience with your own mother. For me, it was probably more closely akin to the kind of love I received from my grandmother. All encompassing. All accepting.
I happen to be in the midst of reading Holy Madness by Georg Feuerstein, which is about the practice of crazy wise teachers, teaching and enlightenment. Amma is not mentioned, I imagine because she is not particulary controversial, and has been recognized by the UN, among others for her extensive humanitarian efforts. But there were a few little mentions of Neem Karoli Baba, and it's really a fascinating look at the idea of guru and devotee.
I come to all of this through my chanting experiences, which continue to grow and put me in touch with new friends, like Gwen who is helping me clean up my yard and my house, and Tania who teaches yoga at Om in New York.
Meanwhile I am really making an effort to go to yoga classes at Shri during the week as a way to escape work at lunch time on regular basis. And I am moving from terror to glee when faced with the challenge of hand stands. It hasn't taken that long, really. And every time I am helped up into that inversion position, I am able to breathe a little easier with less fear and a little more core strength. In the meantime I am working at home on my headstands which are progressing nicely as well.
Yoga is a beautiful accompaniment to my karate practice, which am particularly loving during this summer heat and humidity. It reminds me that we can in fact do what we might consider impossible. All we have to do is try, and surprise ourselves with the outcome.