Environmental Legacy of Pope Francis

Shocking news to learn that Pope Francis passed away this morning, the day after Easter, at age 88. In 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, became the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere, and the first to take the name of Saint Francis of Assisi.

My son attended Holy Family Catholic School in 2015 when Pope Francis published the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ of the Holy Father Francis on Care for our Common Home. I recall ten years ago finding a newspaper article describing his letter and placing it near our home alter to contemplate. Pope Francis described the importance of caring for all life on Earth, efforts made by his predecessors as Bishop of Rome, his namesake St. Francis and faith in Jesus. He cited many reasons for our economic-environmental-social crisis including consumerism and offered many ideas to help us veer away from the current path of degradation and suffering to promote human rights and the welfare of all beings living on Mother Earth.

It took me some time this morning to slow down in my rush of busyness to read this beautifully-written letter. Pope Francis did not deny climate change, rather he embraced the scientific consensus stating, “Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods.”

Pope Francis wrote an introduction including four paragraphs below along with excerpts from several chapters (I’ve added bold text to some key points):

“Now, faced as we are with global environmental deterioration, I wish to address every person living on this planet. The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change. The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home. Here I want to recognize, encourage and thank all those striving in countless ways to guarantee the protection of the home which we share. Particular appreciation is owed to those who tirelessly seek to resolve the tragic effects of environmental degradation on the lives of the world’s poorest. Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded.

I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all. The worldwide ecological movement has already made considerable progress and led to the establishment of numerous organizations committed to raising awareness of these challenges. Regrettably, many efforts to seek concrete solutions to the environmental crisis have proved ineffective, not only because of powerful opposition but also because of a more general lack of interest. Obstructionist attitudes, even on the part of believers, can range from denial of the problem to indifference, nonchalant resignation or blind confidence in technical solutions. We require a new and universal solidarity. As the bishops of Southern Africa have stated: “Everyone’s talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’s creation”. […] All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.

It is my hope that this Encyclical Letter, which is now added to the body of the Church’s social teaching, can help us to acknowledge the appeal, immensity and urgency of the challenge we face. I will begin by briefly reviewing several aspects of the present ecological crisis, with the aim of drawing on the results of the best scientific research available today, letting them touch us deeply and provide a concrete foundation for the ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows. I will then consider some principles drawn from the Judaeo-Christian tradition which can render our commitment to the environment more coherent. I will then attempt to get to the roots of the present situation, so as to consider not only its symptoms but also its deepest causes. This will help to provide an approach to ecology which respects our unique place as human beings in this world and our relationship to our surroundings. In light of this reflection, I will advance some broader proposals for dialogue and action which would involve each of us as individuals, and also affect international policy. Finally, convinced as I am that change is impossible without motivation and a process of education, I will offer some inspired guidelines for human development to be found in the treasure of Christian spiritual experience.

Although each chapter will have its own subject and specific approach, it will also take up and re-examine important questions previously dealt with. This is particularly the case with a number of themes which will reappear as the Encyclical unfolds. As examples, I will point to the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet, the conviction that everything in the world is connected, the critique of new paradigms and forms of power derived from technology, the call to seek other ways of understanding the economy and progress, the value proper to each creature, the human meaning of ecology, the need for forthright and honest debate, the serious responsibility of international and local policy, the throwaway culture and the proposal of a new lifestyle. These questions will not be dealt with once and for all, but reframed and enriched again and again.

(Paragraph 82) Yet it would also be mistaken to view other living beings as mere objects subjected to arbitrary human domination. When nature is viewed solely as a source of profit and gain, this has serious consequences for society. This vision of “might is right” has engendered immense inequality, injustice and acts of violence against the majority of humanity, since resources end up in the hands of the first comer or the most powerful: the winner takes all. Completely at odds with this model are the ideals of harmony, justice, fraternity and peace as proposed by Jesus. As he said of the powers of his own age: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (Mt 20:25-26).

(Paragraph 117) Neglecting to monitor the harm done to nature and the environmental impact of our decisions is only the most striking sign of a disregard for the message contained in the structures of nature itself. When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself; everything is connected.

(Paragraph 160) What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up? This question not only concerns the environment in isolation; the issue cannot be approached piecemeal. When we ask ourselves what kind of world we want to leave behind, we think in the first place of its general direction, its meaning and its values. Unless we struggle with these deeper issues, I do not believe that our concern for ecology will produce significant results. But if these issues are courageously faced, we are led inexorably to ask other pointed questions: What is the purpose of our life in this world? Why are we here? What is the goal of our work and all our efforts? What need does the earth have of us? It is no longer enough, then, simply to state that we should be concerned for future generations. We need to see that what is at stake is our own dignity. Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is, first and foremost, up to us. The issue is one which dramatically affects us, for it has to do with the ultimate meaning of our earthly sojourn.

(Paragraph 180) There are no uniform recipes, because each country or region has its own problems and limitations. It is also true that political realism may call for transitional measures and technologies, so long as these are accompanied by the gradual framing and acceptance of binding commitments. At the same time, on the national and local levels, much still needs to be done, such as promoting ways of conserving energy. These would include favouring forms of industrial production with maximum energy efficiency and diminished use of raw materials, removing from the market products which are less energy efficient or more polluting, improving transport systems, and encouraging the construction and repair of buildings aimed at reducing their energy consumption and levels of pollution. Political activity on the local level could also be directed to modifying consumption, developing an economy of waste disposal and recycling, protecting certain species and planning a diversified agriculture and the rotation of crops. Agriculture in poorer regions can be improved through investment in rural infrastructures, a better organization of local or national markets, systems of irrigation, and the development of techniques of sustainable agriculture. New forms of cooperation and community organization can be encouraged in order to defend the interests of small producers and preserve local ecosystems from destruction. Truly, much can be done!

(Paragraph 190) The principle of the maximization of profits, frequently isolated from other considerations, reflects a misunderstanding of the very concept of the economy. As long as production is increased, little concern is given to whether it is at the cost of future resources or the health of the environment; as long as the clearing of a forest increases production, no one calculates the losses entailed in the desertification of the land, the harm done to biodiversity or the increased pollution. In a word, businesses profit by calculating and paying only a fraction of the costs involved. Yet only when “the economic and social costs of using up shared environmental resources are recognized with transparency and fully borne by those who incur them, not by other peoples or future generations”,[138] can those actions be considered ethical. An instrumental way of reasoning, which provides a purely static analysis of realities in the service of present needs, is at work whether resources are allocated by the market or by state central planning.

(Paragraph 202) Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change. We lack an awareness of our common origin, of our mutual belonging, and of a future to be shared with everyone. This basic awareness would enable the development of new convictions, attitudes and forms of life. A great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge stands before us, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal.

(Paragraph 203) Since the market tends to promote extreme consumerism in an effort to sell its products, people can easily get caught up in a whirlwind of needless buying and spending. Compulsive consumerism is one example of how the techno-economic paradigm affects individuals. Romano Guardini had already foreseen this: “The gadgets and technics forced upon him by the patterns of machine production and of abstract planning mass man accepts quite simply; they are the forms of life itself. To either a greater or lesser degree mass man is convinced that his conformity is both reasonable and just”.[144] This paradigm leads people to believe that they are free as long as they have the supposed freedom to consume. But those really free are the minority who wield economic and financial power. Amid this confusion, postmodern humanity has not yet achieved a new self-awareness capable of offering guidance and direction, and this lack of identity is a source of anxiety. We have too many means and only a few insubstantial ends.

(Paragraph 204) The current global situation engenders a feeling of instability and uncertainty, which in turn becomes “a seedbed for collective selfishness”.[145] When people become self-centred and self-enclosed, their greed increases. The emptier a person’s heart is, the more he or she needs things to buy, own and consume. It becomes almost impossible to accept the limits imposed by reality. In this horizon, a genuine sense of the common good also disappears. As these attitudes become more widespread, social norms are respected only to the extent that they do not clash with personal needs. So our concern cannot be limited merely to the threat of extreme weather events, but must also extend to the catastrophic consequences of social unrest. Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it, can only lead to violence and mutual destruction.

(Paragraph 206) A change in lifestyle could bring healthy pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic and social power. This is what consumer movements accomplish by boycotting certain products. They prove successful in changing the way businesses operate, forcing them to consider their environmental footprint and their patterns of production. When social pressure affects their earnings, businesses clearly have to find ways to produce differently. This shows us the great need for a sense of social responsibility on the part of consumers. “Purchasing is always a moral – and not simply economic – act”.[146] Today, in a word, “the issue of environmental degradation challenges us to examine our lifestyle”.[147]

Pope Francis presented a total of 246 paragraphs with suggestions for environmental education, religion and concluded with two prayers:

A prayer for our earth

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

A Christian prayer in union with creation

Father, we praise you with all your creatures.
They came forth from your all-powerful hand;
they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love.
Praise be to you!

Son of God, Jesus,
through you all things were made.
You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother,
you became part of this earth,
and you gazed upon this world with human eyes.
Today you are alive in every creature
in your risen glory.
Praise be to you!

Holy Spirit, by your light
you guide this world towards the Father’s love
and accompany creation as it groans in travail.
You also dwell in our hearts
and you inspire us to do what is good.
Praise be to you!

Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love,
teach us to contemplate you
in the beauty of the universe,
for all things speak of you.
Awaken our praise and thankfulness
for every being that you have made.
Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined
to everything that is.

God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love
for all the creatures of this earth,
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money
that they may avoid the sin of indifference,
that they may love the common good, advance the weak,
and care for this world in which we live.
The poor and the earth are crying out.
O Lord, seize us with your power and light,
help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom
of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you!
Amen.

Given in Rome at Saint Peter’s on 24 May, the Solemnity of Pentecost, in the year 2015, the third of my Pontificate.”

(Source: Official Website)

AMMA: "Nature Is Showing Us Who's Boss"

I captured this cover photo last Sunday morning on my bike ride along Las Colonias Park in Grand Junction. The rays of light shining through dark clouds reminded me to remain hopeful to see and feel the warmth of the sun penetrating obstacles including many challenges we face. Learning and listening to others who have overcome many hardships can serve as guides for us to follow.

Mata Amritanandamayi is known throughout the world as Amma, or Mother, for her selfless love and compassion toward all beings. Her entire life has been dedicated to alleviating the pain of the poor, and those suffering physically and emotionally. Here is a recent article where she discusses how the coronavirus pandemic is showing us that humans cannot control Nature and we need more awareness, love and compassion to serve rather continue taking from Nature.

“Children, in business, when the workers stop, the company incurs losses and eventually shuts down. However, if Nature stops working, the world itself shuts down. At least from now on, after experiencing the intense suffering of this pandemic, man should set aside his egoism, stop harming Nature Mother and recognize that she is the ultimate master. We have to develop the attitude that we are nothing but Nature’s servants. We should practice humility, servitude and respect and beg her to forgive all of our crimes against her. Because, with the coronavirus pandemic, she has finally showed us that she will no longer constantly forbear, suffer and forgive all the indignities we heap upon her.

“With coronavirus, Nature has finally showed us that she will no longer constantly forbear, suffer and forgive all the indignities we heap upon her.” — Amma

The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the home in which we sleep, the sun that gives us energy — we are indebted to Nature for all of these. Our life on this earth is possible only because of the combined effort of all its creatures. The rivers, trees, bees, butterflies and worms all play their part. If they did not exist, we would not exist. There would be no life. If we were to visualize Nature as one tree, then all the creatures would be its roots, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. The tree becomes whole only as a totality of its various parts. If one part is destroyed, the rest will also soon perish. Without Nature, humankind would not exist.

We carry the memory of a time when we recognized this truth and lived in tune with Nature, loving and serving her. In those days, simple villagers, who could not read or write, would maintain a pond and a small shrine on their property. They protected even migratory birds and took care not to harm a single creature. But as our selfishness and greed increased, our bond with Nature deteriorated. Forest-dwellers may have hunted, but they only took what was necessary to survive. Just as a cow eats only enough to satisfy its hunger, as a bird drinks just enough to quench its thirst, they hunted to fulfill the day’s need — not to amass and hoard. But today, people kill elephants for ivory , hunt animals for their fur and chop down entire forests to make money.

In my childhood, when a tree was about to be cut down, it was like a wedding being solemnized. Before cutting it down, they would first worship the tree and pray for forgiveness: “I am doing this because I have no other means to survive. Please, forgive me.” Trees were never viewed as inert. We used to protect species from extinction; now we drive them to it. We have to understand that in destroying Nature, we are destroying ourselves — that each tree we cut down is like a coffin we are making for ourselves. May it never come to be that humankind has to perish in order for the planet to survive. In fact, it is the selfish things man has done to Nature that come back to us in the form of such epidemics such as the coronavirus.

We put so much effort into educating our children to become engineers and doctors, etc, because we want to secure a happy future for them. But without clean air, soil and water, they won’t be able to survive at all — much less be happy. Thus, if we want to protect our children’s future, we should protect the life-giving air, earth and water.

“It is as if Mother Nature has stage 3 cancer. Our care alone will determine how long she can be sustained. If we are united in our efforts, we can walk back at least 10% of the way. But we also need the factor of grace.” — Amma

In truth, we have already gone too far astray to return in this lifetime. Regardless, let us try. Let us walk back as much as possible. By “walking back,” Amma doesn’t mean you have to give up all the comforts of the modern-day world and live like a monk — merely, that the current generation must imbibe spiritual values and instill them in its children. Currently, it is as if Mother Nature has stage 3 cancer. Our care alone will determine how long she can be sustained. Our efforts can keep away pandemics, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and global warming to a great extent. If we are united in our efforts, we can walk back at least 10% of the way. But we also need the factor of grace. For that, we need effort, humility and to treat Nature with respectful and prayerful attitude.

Amma is not trying to scare people or make them afraid, but usually the truth is not very sweet. Moving forward, we must be very alert and cautious. We should give spiritual thoughts and selfless actions the same importance we currently give ones aimed at material ends. That is the need of the age. This is Nature’s message to us. Let us stand united as one and work together with love, compassion and patience. Let us pray intensely, with a melting heart.

Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma) is a world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader. Amma is the head of Embracing the World, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing food, clothing and shelter for the poor and needy as well as many projects aimed at protecting the environment.”

From Darkness to Light with Courage

Storm Clouds! Such incredible suffering, deceit and Darkness – where is the relief, the Silver Lining, bright Light and emerging Rainbow?

On this Memorial Day 2020, over 5.5 million people worldwide have contracted the coronavirus Covid-19 and about 345,000 people have died. While the animal to human virus began in China and quickly spread around Asia to Europe, those countries have been more proactive in quickly responding and reducing the spread than in the Americas. Wearing masks and contact tracing are leading factors for stopping the spread.

The United States leads the way in cases and deaths by about four times compared to other countries which has nothing to do with numbers of people being tested, as the President claims to hide reality and spread more darkness. We’ve learned from Columbia University that if the Administration took action just one week sooner, then possibly 36,000 Americans would still be living. About 100,000 people have died in the U.S. in just a few short months during an unprecedented lockdown and now the virus is spreading like wildfire in Brazil with over 22,000 dead. There is incredible suffering by individuals, families who cannot visit or mourn for their loved ones, health-care professionals, and close to eight billion of us are all being affected.

This pandemic might be the first time that humanity has ever been on the same level – all because of an invisible, microscopic enemy. The virus is an equal opportunity human invader as no one is immune. Rich and poor, all countries, races, religions, political affiliation, sexes, and ages. There are many disparities within groups as some races are being impacted more than other groups. We don’t yet know why some groups are more impacted than others but it appears the virus does not discriminate. Initially, people thought Covid-19 only affected the elderly but later we found out that children are been affected in multiple, complex ways.

Ammachi says we need to have courage to fight the coronavirus. From a disciple’s book Color of the Rainbow, Compassionate Leadership, Amma is quoted, “Life seems to be unfair only when perceived with our external eyes. Observe it from within and we realize that life is always fair, because life is the totality, the cosmos. People can be unfair, but the cosmos ought to be fair, since it is equally available to everyone, but we should always remain well-rooted in out own deep convictions about the values of life.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “No matter how difficult the situation may be, we should employ science and human ingenuity with determination and courage to overcome the problems that confront us. Faced with threats to our health and well-being, it is natural to feel anxiety and fear. Nevertheless, I take great solace in the following wise advice to examine the problems before us: ‘If there is something to be done—do it, without any need to worry; if there’s nothing to be done, worrying about it further will not help.”

Pope Francis insists that “an emergency like Covid-19 is overcome in the first place by the antibodies of solidarity.” This lesson “breaks all the fatalism in which we have immersed ourselves and allows us to return to be the architects and protagonists of a common history,” he says, and it enables us “to respond together to the many evils that are affecting so many of our brothers and sisters across the globe.”

Have courage to speak the truth as you know it, share compassion and courage with others, pray for everyone to come together to seek Nature’s balance and we can make our world habitable for all life.

Uplifting TV

Last night, we finished watching the NBC five season TV series “Highway to Heaven.” It’s a highly recommended family show focusing more on spirituality than religion. I had previously seen many individual episodes but I’m now a bigger fan after evening watching from start to finish over the past two months. The last episode finished in 1989 and is currently available for streaming including on Netflix which provides the tagline: “Under God's direction, angel Jonathan and ex-cop Mark help troubled souls overcome adversity and embrace honesty, kindness and forgiveness.”

Major themes in the series involved 1) the healing beauty of nature, like in the final two episodes of Season 1 called “Thoroughbreds” with 24-year old Helen Hunt, 2) overcoming and accepting illnesses, disabilities, ageism (youth and elderly), parenting, education, victims of war, death and dying and 3) environmental causes such as in season 2 episode 9 called “Birds of a Feather.” Spoiler alert: Jonathan wears a bird costume and dies trying to protect kids and parents working at a factory that’s polluting the environment.

Watching the final show last night, I wondered if the provocative episode caused the series to get cancelled as they really pushed some huge corporate and political buttons extremely relevant then and today! In “Merry Christmas from Grandpa,” Jonathan warns a tycoon building a nuclear power plant how an accident could destroy his grandchildren and a farmer using to many chemicals polluting drinking water including fertilizers and Malathion (the Latin word for bad or evil is Mal and the pesticide is widely used in agriculture, residential landscaping, public recreation areas, including killing mosquitoes). Going up against the nuclear and chemical industries for the final episode was not enough so the angel also appears in the White House at the bed of President George Bush (a look-alike actor) and the First Lady that his future children to great, great, great grandchildren will disappear if he does not take a stand to protect the environment! Looking back on the life of George Bush, as I did in a blog in December 2018, he was relatively a great environmentalist especially compared to many current disgraceful world leaders.

Well this last episode did not get the show cancelled but apparently it was a combination of lower ratings and the actor Victor French, who played Mark, sadly died at age 54 of lung cancer from smoking.

Universal Compassion

With Covid-19 spreading around the globe uniting us to urgently find a cure, there are many examples of universal compassion and grace occurring. We cannot discount the suffering and loss of life, adversity and personal disruptions to our way of living caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As we isolate and emerge to a new world, rather than furthering the destruction of nature and ourselves, we can look for ways to serve selflessly with compassion. We must work for Nature as Nature does not work for us.

Two days ago I learned about a new YouTube show with three episodes so far called SGN for “Some Good News” featuring John Krasinski from The Office fame. We especially enjoyed seeing the homecoming of a girl with cancer, Broadway Hamilton cast via Zoom, and Fenway Park tribute to health care workers!

We are amazed and appreciative of all the people who are finding ways to make a difference by helping others and becoming more aware of our dependency on the environment. With less burning of fossil fuels we are seeing air pollution levels decreasing and animals are returning to areas visited by fewer people in many places as nature is working to restore some balance. Finding compassion for all species in the universe is what is most needed. Luckily, there is a book written in 1989 on this topic (that I read soon after it became available) from Blue Mountain Center of Meditation written by Ekneth Easwaran called The Compassionate Universe: The Power of Individuals to Heal the Environment. According to Blue Mountain:

Easwaran describes his search for a way of life that combines inner fulfillment, respect for nature, and effective participation in the world. Then he presents the fruit of that search: a comprehensive program of trusteeship. This is environmentalism as a great adventure, filled with the challenges and rewards of inner growth. “As trustees,” he writes, “we discover that each of us is a unique and essential member of a compassionate universe.”

For more insights, check out this review by Spirituality and Practice.com

Also we are finding great inspiration by AMMA, whom I met in 1992, joining many recent webinars by disciples. The Stanford University Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) in 2014 provided a great interview of AMMA by Dr. James Doty, a neurosurgery professor and founder of CCARE. Stay tuned for more!

Post script on April 21, 2020

I feel very inspired by interview with Amma and Dr. Doty. I contacted Dr. Doty and he was not aware of a transcript so I have taken the liberty to record the interview which is provided here. I still highly recommend listening to the actual interview with total time of one hour and twelve minutes. I apologize in advance for any errors or editing in my recording of this interview.

Conversations on Compassion with Dr. James Doty and Amma

Stanford University, California June 2, 2014

Presented by The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE)

School of Medicine, Stanford University

Dr. James Doty: How is everyone? This is really an extraordinary experience. As many of you know, I’m the Founder and Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). In addition to research into the neural elements of what compassion is and how it manifests itself physiologically, one of the other aspects of our mission and a very selfish one for me is that I get to invite people who I think are fascinating people and who by their actions exemplify the highest ideals at our core which is compassion. And every time one of these individuals speaks, I believe that so many people are affected because while we can talk about all the science in the world until it manifests itself as compassion and action it has little meaning what so ever. So today it is my honor to be here with Amma and her translator:

Dr. Priya Nair: I am Priya and I am actually a doctor and I have had the fortune of traveling with Amma since I was quite young. So, I have the honor today to be with Amma along with her other senior disciples so I will translate for Amma and hope that I can do it justice.

Dr. Doty: So many people are interested in your background, you were telling me now that you are thirty years old (Laughter)?

Amma with translations by Dr. Priya Nair: Amma just had her 60th birthday, it’s the age of the body.

Dr. Doty: But perhaps as I say as I interview people everyone has a backstory or background which manifests itself at times as an adult, maybe you can tell us about growing up and how this Love of people began?

Amma (5:30 min): So Amma says she remembers when she was around seven or eight years old, she lived in a small fishing village in the southernmost part of India. She used to go every day around the small village and the houses very near each other were all made with palm leaves; so basically she would go to around 60 houses in a day to collect vegetable peels, a tapioca root peel for the cattle that they had at their house so when she would go to all these different houses she would see that most of them around 90% of them are fishermen; They would go out to sea they would come back with whatever they caught that is what they would have that day. So some of the houses she noticed that in a day they had enough food on their table they were happy, they had excess in the village sense, and in other houses even though they worked equally hard their fathers or the main earning member of the family just could not bring enough back to feed their own children and there was so much suffering in some houses and right next to them other families would be okay. When she saw this kind of disparity in the same tiny village where she was from she was almost angry at nature. Why should there be this kind of difference and sometimes this anger, this sadness/sorrow for them was so extreme she wanted to die painfully as though to take on all that suffering. One day when she was suffering with that sorrow suddenly there was a call from within when she asked the question why are they suffering and why is there so much suffering? A call came that it was a result of their past actions. And then she thought if a person falls into a ditch, it’s my responsibility to help them out and if these people are meant to suffer due to their previous actions, isn’t my duty to help them? So that feeling of compassion overwhelms her and that led to what she is doing now.

Dr. Doty: When she felt that deep compassion for those who were suffering did that in some way release her to give love to everyone? (8 min)

So Amma is saying that somebody would come and cry to Amma and whatever their problem they were facing they came crying and they came one after the next after the next and that’s how she started embracing everyone.

Dr. Doty: Would you say this opportunity is available to everyone of us?

Amma: It’s definitely available to everyone.

Dr. Doty: What happens I think though is people see suffering and they feel overwhelmed that they can’t do anything. But I say we can help, each one of us has within our power to make one person’s life every day a better life.

Amma with translations by Dr. Priya Nair: Amma says the main issue is believing we are limited and as long as we believe we are limited then we can’t achieve these kinds of actions or goals. She compares it to a battery -- a battery is limited after its charge is gone its run out so if we think we are a battery then we have a limited amount of time that we can be useful; but if we realize we are not a battery and we are connected to the Supreme Power, that Supreme Energy, then its limitless and our possibilities are infinite. So, she says we need to develop the Self-Confidence. She gives the example of a filter - our mind is full of negativities and we need the filter of Self-Confidence to filter away these negativities so we can realize no, I am capable of anything and everything. She says that Self-Confidence is like a booster rocket that helps us break out of Earth’s gravity field and so that with Self-Confidence we can achieve anything within our reach (11:30 min.)

Dr. Doty: When you were a youngster were your parents happy with your self-confidence?

Actually, Amma’s Mother and Father were sad about it. They were very upset. Especially in the village areas in India at that time there were lots of rules and restrictions for women. The fact that Amma did something like embraced everyone was far out of those restrictions. Woman were not allowed to run, they weren’t allowed to laugh out loud, they shouldn’t talk loud enough for the walls to hear, that was the rule.

Dr. Doty: I agree with that (jokingly).

No man would ever be allowed to wash dishes. They wouldn’t wash their own clothes as the woman has to wash their own clothes, you cannot stand in front of a man with a broom, as soon as a man walks in the woman has to stand up, especially if the women are taller. Even if it’s a younger brother, just because he is taller, she has to stand up for him. (14:00 min)

Dr. Doty: You know I am joking but the reality it is the woman throughout most of the world is the one that keeps the family together and in many cases is the caregiver and the provider; it’s wonderful though that we are seeing a change where people especially woman can change roles and obviously she (Amma) is an example of that. So you were telling us that as a child you felt these feelings that resulted in you having confidence to continue and I think often times many of us growing up actually are influenced by our parents to do certain actions but for some people they regret that instead of having the freedom to be really who they are or what they want to be. Do you find now when you travel in India especially that things changed dramatically for woman or is it still a struggle for woman to find a place in society?

Amma says she sees a lot of changes. There’s change in both men and woman. But the problem is that in some places there have been more changes in woman and the men have not started that change as yet or have not changed as much so the men suffer a little bit more for that. The men suffer more because the men have not changed as much. Men suffer more because they haven’t changed along with the women. Men have been very conditioned. They have been brought up in this environment; just like woman have been conditioned. It’s like if you try to force open a flower -- the bud won’t become a blossom into a flower. So that if men are being forced to change that causes some disharmony or causes some sorrow for the men. So that’s why Amma says women should try to be a little forgiving and patient. Because it may take some time for men to change.

Dr. Doty: What do you woman think about that? (jokingly asking the audience)

Amma says the fact that woman have created both women and men -- they have to find patience and forgiveness.

Dr. Doty: So as you got older and you were having devotees who were seeking out your wisdom did your parents change their view or did they not understand?

Their attitude has completely changed. Definitely. Initially, it was a fear for them because Amma would see suffering or something that was wrong and she would not think it was something a man should do or a woman should do. She would just go to help that person. And that would obviously cause fear for her parents. For Amma, compassion is the most important factor in life. Amma says compassion is the first step, so if can take that step courageously without fear then everything will follow spontaneously. When we have compassion then all of the decisions we make and actions and results that follow will have a special beauty, spontaneity and a power to it. Man’s calculations or human’s calculations can always be wrong but decisions taken from compassion or actions that are compassionate can never be wrong. Because compassion is a law of nature. And it’s because of this power of compassion that it’s the most important factor. When we give up the individual mind the thought that I am as an individual doing an individual action and we tune our minds to the Universal Mind that’s what’s happening in compassion. Then we cannot do anything wrong because it’s actually not us, it’s the Universal Power. So, its compassion that gives us that ability to tune into that Universal Energy and that’s the power of compassion. Both the beginning of life as well as the end everything is based in compassion. When Love attains perfection, that’s when the flower of compassion blossoms. (21 min)

Dr. Doty: Yes, one of the challenges though that we see throughout the world is that there is a tendency to want to be part of a tribe or a group but as soon as that happens it separates you; do you have any thoughts how individuals overcome that and embrace all of humanity as one with Love?

Amma with translations by Dr. Priya Nair: So Amma says there are many kinds of powers in the world. There’s military power, power of written word, intellectual power, so if you look at all these powers and go through history it has kind of been tried and failed. The greatest power, greater than all of them, is the power of Love and this power Amma believes if we use this power, we can actually make the entire world into one flower to bring that kind of Unity to the world. So, it’s through Love she believes that is the key. We’ve tried and failed to bring peace with all the other kinds of powers. Amma says through spirituality, through spiritual understanding, we can actually bring this Love. Not religion, per say, but it’s the essence of religion that spirituality can bring Love into all of our lives and bring Unity.

Dr. Doty: I understand that. Did you want to ask me a question? (23:30 min)

Amma is giving an example when there are a hundred or thousand pots filled with water, the sun reflected in all those pots is the same. So, it is the same way even if there are many individuals. It’s the same consciousness, the same supreme God-consciousness that is present within everyone. If we can see that God-consciousness that in itself will bring Unity. There’s actually no difference between the Creator and Creation. There are many kinds of jewelry but the gold in both is the same. When we can realize or develop a deeper understanding of the fact that we are all One there are no differences. Unity is the only outcome. She says everything is important and everything has its place. Everything is important so whether the engine of a plane is damaged or a vital screw is missing, the plane can’t take off. Everything is important in its place -- that is the understanding that we need to develop.

Dr. Doty: You emphasize from your devotee’s service to others and this seems to be a very important part of many spiritual practices and maybe you can tell us why this is so important for individuals to give service to others?

Amma gives the example of a worm. The worm eats, it sleeps, it procreates, and then it finally dies. We have an elevated birth, a human birth, and are we actually doing anything different than the worm? Are we just like the worm – we eat, we sleep, we make a living and then we die? Amma is saying it is in sharing that we can maintain the balance and harmony of nature. There are three kinds of people: the first kind of person what they get they eat; the second kind of person takes what they eat and also tries to take the other persons food to eat as well. And the third kind of person, whatever they get they eat a part of it and the other half or other part they give to whomever is around them. So Amma is saying we need to elevate from that type of person who keeps everything for themselves to rise to the level to keep only what we need and give to those around us.

So Amma remembers an incident in her childhood. There was only one small school near Amma’s house and children used to walk from three kilometers around. Children would come from three km from the north and three km from the south and that was the only school in the area. When Amma was in fourth grade they had two classes. Each class would have around 60 students so out of these students a few of them lived near enough to just run home during the lunch break. But for a few of them their parents would pack a lunch box like we would think all children would have. But there was a large number of students who would have nothing. They were from such poor families they had no lunch box to eat -- they had nothing. So once Amma saw a student, a girl sitting next to her who had absolutely nothing so she gave half of her food to that girl. And seeing Amma do that, another child sitting next to them gave half of her food sitting next to the girl next to her. And a few days later when Amma had come without any food the person sitting next to Amma thought okay I am going to give half of my food to Amma. And what happened over some time is that everybody started giving their food to the next person and even though there were 60 or 120 students in fourth grade nobody actually went hungry and what Amma noticed or what she felt from this incident that happened is that they all got enough food to eat and it was not just the food that was making their stomachs full -- it was the fact that I was able to give and someone else gave to me (30:00 min).

Dr. Doty: You know in the United States especially we are seeing this ever, increasing width between the wealthy and the poor and we don’t see them giving up. Within and probably only 10 miles from here is the largest concentration of wealth and while some give a relatively small proportion of their wealth, some do not give at all. What comments do you have about that or do you see a solution to that? How do you educate these individuals who frankly need nothing from us to open their hearts to share?

So Amma is remembering an incident that happened in one of the college campuses in India. We have five college campuses and in Bangalore in the engineering college a group of students had come to Amma when she was visiting that City and said listen, we don’t want to wear uniforms any more, we just want to wear our regular clothes. So Amma spoke to them and she basically said what is the point of education? The actual reason for education is to inculcate good values into the coming generation. So then Amma posed a question to them she said that there are many students here that come from really poor backgrounds. So, if you all start to wear regular clothes it’s going to create a divide. There are going to be some that can afford to wear the most fancy, most trendy clothes and there are going to be some that will have hardly anything.

So Amma gave the example to them of some children who couldn’t afford good clothes they took to trying to make money a quick way by selling drugs and using drugs in the process. Their whole lives were ruined as a result of that. Other children would go to their families and say we cannot continue studying unless you give us good clothes. And their parents desperate to somehow fit in would even sell their houses, sell all their property, just to put them through school in a decent way. And there was even one boy who tried to steal a gold chain off of a woman and when he closed her mouth and nose to prevent her from screaming she suffocated. And he was taken to jail, he was imprisoned as a result of that. It was all because these are desperate attempts to fit in. They are just trying to make money to fit in with the society so Amma asked these students what do you want to do? If you want me to cancel the uniforms, I will do it. But by doing that are you willing to create a situation where people are so desperate that they turn to crime and other negativities. Then they themselves said no. We’re fine we will wear the uniform. We don’t need anything else.

Amma is saying it’s that kind of equal vision of the universe. That vision of Unity that will change or bring a difference in this divide. The important thing is to understand the difference between what we need, what’s a necessity, and what’s extra or extravagant. Amma gives the example of a watch. If you have a $20 watch you can tell the time or you can have a $20,000 watch and you are still using it to only tell the time. What do we actually need and what are we using to buy that? We need to be able to tell the difference between the two.

Amma says there are three factors we need to succeed at anything in life. We need health, wealth, and knowledge. If you look at health, we need two kinds of health: physical and mental health. Without mental health it doesn’t matter how healthy we are physically we can’t give happiness or solace to anyone around us. If you take the case of wealth, you need material wealth but also need internal wealth, the wealth of spirituality. She says even if you sleep in a golden palace if you don’t have mental peace it doesn’t matter how much external comfort you have, you’re not going to be able to sleep. You can live in an air-conditioned room but unless your mind is air conditioned you won’t find any peace. And the last case is knowledge. Amma says there are two kinds of knowledge. There is an education for living and an education for life. An education for living we study engineering, medicine, what ever we need to study to make money to live and feed our family to be comfortable. Then you have education for life that is spirituality. That teaches us how to maintain peace and happiness in the midst of all kinds of adverse situations that we might have to face in life. That’s the importance of spirituality. She says when we run a business you have to manage so many people. If you have 500 people you are managing 500 minds. But in order to manage these 500 minds we must first be able to manage our own mind. Only then can we manage everyone else’s minds.

The last point that Amma made is regarding poverty. One kind is we don’t have enough money, clothes, food, shelter and the second kind of poverty is the poverty of love and compassion. So Amma says if we can fix this poverty of love and compassion, naturally those who have will give to those who don’t have. The point is to bring this compassion in and by bringing in spirituality we bring a balance between health, wealth and knowledge. This divide, this lack of compassion when we lose this balance is the cause of terrorism. Amma said we recently had a child in southern California that shot 17 people who were injured. These acts of terrorism or acts of hatred are all the result of this loss of balance. (41:00  min)

Dr. Doty: Do some people need a Guru or help and others seem to perhaps already be attuned? And then it seems there are people who keep going from place to place trying to find something but they never seem to find it. Do you have any advice for those people, not that there is anyone in this room?

Amma says the basic thing is we need to awaken ourselves. Whether you rely on a Master or not we have to awaken ourselves. Amma gives the example of a lab attendant. It doesn’t matter how many years he works as a lab attendant he himself cannot become the scientist. For that you need a specific education and certain number of years of experience. Amma is saying it doesn’t matter how long we live near a Master, we need to awaken ourselves and that is a process that happens within ourselves. She gives the example of an egg. If somebody tries to force open the egg it just breaks. It can’t hatch. It has to open from within; it has to be a process that spontaneously happens. We have to open from within whether we depend on a Master or not. And it’s when the egg opens from within that begins creation -- that’s when the new life happens. If you look at in from a practical sense on the other hand a seed needs the proper environment to sprout. The Master helps to give that environment so the seed can sprout on its own. That is the practical aspect of having a Master. Amma says when we are a child, we learn to tie our shoelaces not on our own, our Mother teaches us how to tie the shoelaces, wear clothes, read and write. We learn every single thing from somebody who knows. Even let’s say our TV breaks down we have to call somebody to repair it. If something is wrong with our internet connection someone needs to come. So just like we need someone to help us with our day to day lives, TV or internet or such things, the Guru or Master helps to fix the internal connections in our mind.

Dr. Doty: It’s appropriate for Silicon Valley!

On the other hand, Amma is not saying you need a Guru or don’t need a Guru that is still up to the individual. It depends, different people will be different. Experience is the greatest teacher. If we can learn from experience it’s individual’s preference. The fact is that God exists or the Guru exists within each of us. The Master is within each of us so we can tune into That. The more practical side is when we are trying to learn meditation, we usually need someone to guide us to say what are the steps and how do you dive deep from within. Amma gives the example of when we learn to drive; if we don’t learn from a teacher, they will drive too fast and get into some accident so it is the teacher who gives them the rules of the road. Amma also talks about medicine when we are given medicine by a doctor who says you can only drink two spoons of the tonic or medicine. If you drink the whole bottle in one gulp it can become toxic. If you take too little it can be a problem so you need somebody to guide you at least in the beginning. That’s the practical side of it to give you a guideline. Some people when they try themselves with meditation, they go 60 hours and don’t have the exact concept that it should be started gradually and they might face some difficulties.

Amma says there are some people who have tried to practice yoga from what they read in a book. And she has seen people who do it slightly differently and people have come bleeding from the ears so you need some kind of guideline on how to start.

Dr. Doty: I have to check my ears (laughter)

Amma has seen so many people come to her explaining the difficulties they have experienced.

Dr. Doty: For those who are here, are there any insights that you might share that might allow individuals to open their hearts easier and to see how compassion translates into Love and makes their life whole or better? (50:00 min)

Amma says that compassion is a decision that we make just like happiness is a decision we make. We decide every day I am going to do something good for someone at least someone around me. That decision is up to us. We have to make that decision. Amma says if our finger pokes our eye, we don’t get angry with our finger, we caress our finger and our eye because we see them both as part of us. That attitude that everything is part of us and I am part of everything else that will help us to make a stronger decision that I will help others. So Amma says where the vibration of compassion results in empathy from within it overflows as compassion as good deeds to everyone around us. The greatest form of love is the way we love ourselves. If we can love others the way we love ourselves then compassion comes spontaneously.

Amma says when we make a mistake, we don’t punish ourselves. We always try to justify our mistakes. We some how feel less guilty when we make a mistake. When we see others as ourselves, we don’t see their mistakes as wrong either and that helps us feel compassion towards them. Amma says we should all try to become role models because whether we realize it or not someone else, somewhere is looking up to us for inspiration. When we meet, it should not be just a physical meeting but a meeting of hearts. And that is what will really help people open up.

Amma gives an example of something practical that has happened to her. There are a lot of problems in nature, lot’s of disharmony and agitation in nature. Amma noticed there were a lot of bees dying because of pesticides and cell phones were another reason given but bees were dying. So when Amma mentioned this to devotees it spread on the internet and many devotees starting growing bees or having bee farms. They would bring the honey to her during darshan. It was just a small thing but it affected so many people. She mentioned in one of her talks that humanity had destroyed over 40% of nature. It’s a huge amount. People on their own started organic gardening and planting trees. Once a week, school children would go out and plant trees so it’s a small thing but each step helps to awaken that compassion. It’s a chain reaction, it goes from one person to the next and finally it becomes a huge difference to make a huge impact. Amma says often times compassion starts with a small action. It does not need to be a huge thing. Even when you turn around and smile at somebody you just look at them with a little compassion that will create a huge wave. You say a single kind word to someone that can affect them and they say a kind word to the next person and it goes on the chain of compassion.

Dr. Doty: You know it is interesting because we see so many people from the East coming to the West and in the West, we have an epidemic of isolation, depression, and loneliness. Yet we look at the East and there is where some of the greatest wisdom and insights comes from. It seems so sad that so many people wish to be like us yet we need to be like them. (58:30 min)

Amma says today if there are three people in the family, they live like three isolated islands. She remembers another example from her childhood – the entire village was a family. They all would not have match boxes to light their stoves in the morning so as soon as they woke up they would try to find the one house that still had a fire going and each person would come and collect their fire and take it back. When Amma would go to get the fire to light her stove her Mother would tell her which ever house you go to make sure you wash their dishes or if they haven’t swept the floor you have to help them clean before you come back. If she wanted to come back fast or not do it she would be punished by her Mother.

Another example is when they would sit down for dinner, she would also keep a portion of their food and she (Amma’s Mother) would tell in the next house the father may have not come back from work and the children may not have gotten anything to eat yet. Before we start eating, let’s go over and give some food to them. So that was the kind of attitude. But today it’s become the opposite -- if we are cleaning our back yard, we are putting our garbage into their back yard.

Amma says the population in India, I think it is about 1.2 billion and here it is around 300 million – I’m not sure. Even there is such a big difference in populations, there are 10 times more psychiatrists in the West.

Dr. Doty: No, (jokingly) there are a 1000 times more psychiatrists!

The number of people in jail because of drugs is much more here. The divorce rate previously in India out of 100,000 people maybe only 5 or 6 people would get divorced. Here is much more. But the sad thing Amma says it that even in India the numbers are slowly increasing. One of the main reasons is due to nuclear families. The concept of a joint, large family is disappearing and everyone is going into isolation.

Dr. Doty: So Amma has repeated all of the scientific research we have now done. (Laughing) We didn’t need to do it, we just needed to talk to Amma. (1 hr 3 min)

The main thing that has to change are the minds of humanity. When the minds don’t find peace they depend on drugs, they become ill, depressed, crime rate increases. It’s the mind that has to change. Its basically a poverty of Love like Amma mentioned before two kinds of poverty, the poverty of love, poverty of compassion – that’s the main thing that has to be changed. Until that poverty is corrected then the other poverty will not change on its own. The suicide rates are high even in India and a lot of that is due to the material poverty.

Dr. Doty: Ours are often suicides of too much wealth. You have everything.

In India, it’s more men that commit suicide. She is not sure what it is here but one of the reasons in India for more male suicides because they don’t express their emotions. They suppress everything within and it builds up and explodes and in that impulse they commit suicide. But women express their emotions. They cry their frustration and that gives them a little bit of relief.

Dr. Doty: I think that is one of the problems in the West so many people hold back their emotions and when you cannot connect you cannot have an authentic relationship. People who know me see me cry so that is how I stay healthy (laughter, applauds). But it’s only on stage.

Amma is saying that crying is a form of relaxation when you take away all the burden or mental strain through crying. Amma is not saying we should all start crying right now. There are people who come to Amma who tell her one of the people they love, their friends or their spouse, has died and because of that they cannot cry. They are sitting in shock like having a stroke with no movement at all. They tell Amma if only they would cry, they would get out the frustration and sorrow would come out. In Amma ‘s point of view crying is not a weakness. Some people feel it is a weakness but Amma says it is a tool to unburden ourselves.

Dr. Doty: Okay then I can cry now. Amma and I were talking earlier and there is the Sanskrit word “Darshan” which means “To See” that can manifest itself in many ways and in her life, it has manifested by connecting with others through hugging. And I will share a story with you that I told Amma which is we had a conference at CCARE summer research institute; we had students and faculty; there was about 60 people. At the end there was a party with the benefactors, students, and teachers and I gave a toast thanking everyone for participating and one of the senior scientists got up and thanked me for my contribution to this event and to the field and she was crying and I hugged her. And then a student stood up and read a poem and again thanked all of us for his being able to attend and I have him a hug and I said I felt like Amma. (laughter) But what happened then a senior scientist said, “I want a hug” and we ended up hugging all 60 people at the conference and half were crying and half were laughing! So, in my own little way, no I’m not a mini-Amma, I’m not saying that ok.

The literal translation of word Amma means Mother and there is an Amma in all of us as well as there is a child within all of us. There is Motherhood within each and every person. (1 hr 10 min)

Closing ceremony – Amma presented Dr. Doty with a hand-carved Ganesha statue from her school and offered Darshan to the audience.

A special treat is to listen to the entire interview and final concluding ceremony for yourself!

5th Grader Memories of the Praying Mantis

I frequently support the local charter school as a substitute teacher for grades 2-12 including the 5th grade. We see Praying Mantis insects around Grand Junction and a 5th grader told me they are weird and fast.

When I was in 5th grade over 50 years ago, I thought the Praying Mantis was a very cool, religious insect. We saw many of these insects in the fields around our school. I recall asking the teacher what do they pray for? She said the females like to eat the males so it depended on which sex was doing the praying!

For more interesting facts about the Praying Mantis, see the ThoughtCo. website.

The Children's Fight for Sustainability: Jesus said The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth

In the United States, two groups, Our Children’s Trust and Earth Guardians, filed a lawsuit against the federal government in 2015 to give youth legal rights to a stable climate and healthy atmosphere. Their lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon states that government actions (filed during the Obama Administration) that are causing climate change violates the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property, as well as protecting public trust resources.

In Europe this week, children in several cities are cutting classes to march and protest for a sustainable future. The BBC reports of 35,000 children marched against climate change in Brussels!

So what did Jesus, over two thousand years ago, mean in the Bible verse Mathew 5:5 by saying “The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth?” My reading of various interpretations is that Jesus encouraged his followers to be strong and humble - recall his actions against the thieves in the temple?

The environmental movement rise in the 1960’s focusing on local issues is transforming into a global fight for not just sustainability, to preserve resources, but for survivability! What would Jesus be saying right now given how destructive forces (eco-thieves) are robbing our children’s futures? This is a call to action for us all to become more informed about what we can do to reduce our impacts on the Earth. Perhaps we need an eco-inheritance tax rather than tax breaks for the ultra rich?