Mata Amritanandamayi Devi
On May 31, spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, also known as “Amma,” will begin her North American tour at Bellevue’s Hyatt Regency. Millions have received Amma’s “darshan,” a spiritual blessing that involves a long, motherly embrace. Amma’s fame as a spiritual leader started at a young age; she began meditating and composing devotional songs at the age of five.
Amma has devoted her life to service, donating more than $50 million to victims of Peru and Haiti’s earthquakes, Northern India’s floods, and Southern India’s tsunami. This year, Amma consoled victims of the Japanese tsunami. She donated $1 million for the education of the children orphaned by the disaster.
Amma launched a nationwide campaign to clean India’s public places and highways. Her efforts inspired local community members to form the group GreenFriends Pacific Northwest Litter Project. Recently, members of GreenFriends picked up litter from Hing Hay Park and surrounding streets in the International District. As part of Kick Butts Day and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, GFLP picked up and disposed of more than 8,000 cigarette butts from streets and parks in the local Seattle area. (end)
For more information, visit www.amma.org.