Spiritual leader Amma is here to hug
Mata Amritanandamayi, the spiritual leader and humanitarian known as Amma, will hug more than 15,000 during her three-day visit to New York City this week.
She’s been stationed at the Manhattan Center on W. 34th St. since Tuesday morning and will be there until late Thursday night, holding “darshan” (the Sanskrit word that means a visit with a saint or sage) for all who wish to attend.
Wednesday afternoon, that audience included French filmmakers Jules and Gedeon Naudet. Most New Yorkers know these brothers for their documentary film from the 9/11 attacks. They were documenting an FDNY rookie and ended up in the middle of the devastation in Lower Manhattan.
The two spent a week in an ashram with Amma for their second film, “In God’s Name,” which followed 12 religious leaders and aired on CBS. We met them just after their hug.
“It’s fantastic. It gives a great sense of calm and peace,” said Jules.
Amma will turn 55 this year and has been traveling and embracing the world one person at a time for the past 35 years. Often called "The Hugging Saint," she is said to have physically hugged 27 million people so far.
She hugs to send a message of love and to relieve suffering. There were several hundred people present Tuesday afternoon, some moved to tears after the hug.
Jackie Coleman, 22, left Amma's side with tears in her eyes. It was her first visit, she said.
“I can’t quite put it into words yet. It was amazing,” she said
Others have made a ritual of attending Amma's sessions. Deirdre, 58, of Manhattan was there for the fifth time Friday and said in the past she came for strength before a hospital visit.
“It reinforced my serenity and courage to go into surgery,” she said.
Amma will keep on hugging Wednesday until 7:30 p.m. and on Thursday from 10 a.m. until late in the evening.
