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The first time I enter the concert hall I am greeted by an explosion of sensory input, Indian music fills the room, hundreds of people are milling about and there is a small marketplace at the back of the hall with devotees selling a wide variety of spiritual products to eager buyers. All the activity reminds me of the fabulous chaos of india and for a moment I forget I am actually at the manhattan Center in the middle of nyc. Everyone is gathered for one purpose, to have a chance to be in the in the presence of what many consider a living saint.

I find myself once again visiting the hugging saint Amritanandamayi, Ammachi or Amma as she is also called. Being familiar with the environment I feel at home but I am curious as to what my friend Bill, who I brought for the first time and who is not familiar with anything similar to this, will experience.

The evening starts with a simple program. Amma speaks of the virtues of unconditional love and generosity, leads a group with the chanting of bhajans or devotional songs and guides us for a short meditation. The hall is surprisingly quiet considering it is a full house, but it is not to last for long. Once the program ends, darshan is announced. The sanskrit word darshan means, to see and it is most commonly used as having the vision of the divine. In this case darshan includes the practice of patience, a lot of it, since most people will wait for several hours to embrace Amma. I am told that around 3000 people will get a hug that night since there are a limited number of tickets distributed. The following night is a special night called Devi bhava where no one is turned down, and more than 4000 people are expected to attend. A small crowd compared to darshans in india where gatherings of over 25,000 are not uncommon.

I wonder how it is possible for a human being to greet so many people. I walk towards the front of the hall to watch. There is a lot of activity around Amma and it is hard to see, but I occasionally get glimpses of her smiling and hugging each person that comes forward. She seems full of energy and greets every individual with utmost attention and care, with a wide smile. There are no rests, no restroom breaks, for many hours on end. Where does her energy come from? I wonder.

Mata Amritanandamayi was born in South india on 1953 with the name Sudhamani. Biographers describe her early life as challenging but stress Sudhamanis remarkable ability to remain at ease, joyful and generous no matter what the situation was. Since her teens she would enter trance like states for hours at a time. As a young woman she would spend sleepless nights after a full days work to chant and meditate. In time villagers began to take notice that there was something special in the young woman and her popularity began to spread. Within a few years, Amritanandamayi went from servant of her own modest family in South india to one of the most recognized and prominent saints of india today.

While waiting for darshan, videos on the big screens recount some of the philanthropic work Ammachi has established. The scope of her charitable work is impressive. Some of the projects, mostly in india, include three hospitals, orphanages, a hospice, a University, and GreenFriendsan organization to protect the environment.

Along with other contemporary women saints in india, Ammachi has led a revolution in equality. Being a woman is still not easy in conservative india and the spiritual leader drew criticism in the beginning by embracing everyone who came to her, including men of all ages. Amma was the first to consecrate female priests in india, and her teachings stress the equality of all human beings. In her address to the United Nations in 2002 she said: Which eye is more important, the left or the right? Both are equally important. It is the same with the status of men and women in society Men and women have to support one another. Only in this way can we maintain the harmony of the world

It is 3 a.m. We have been waiting for over seven hours and it is finally our turn to meet Amma for a hug. I am filled with anticipation and cant believe my friend Bill patiently waited for so long. What will he experience I wonder? After getting his embrace ahead of me, his face looks flushed and a little disoriented though beaming with a smile. As I approach, my mind is racing: Should I say something? How long should the embrace last? Then she hugs me firmly, I feel my face on her chest and my hands around her waist. My mind is still racing. Embarrassed, I ask myself: Is this appropriate? When is a good moment to pull back? And suddenly as Amma rocks me with brisk but gentle movements and whispers to my ear, MA, MA, MA, my mind stops. I feel at peace as I am being enveloped by. nothingness, It is like holding a vast vessel of emptiness but paradoxically it is completely alive, loving and vibrant.

As I sit down, feeling little euphoric and energized, Bill narrates his experience, which is uncannily similar to what I felt. And over time I sense the meeting touched my friend and myself deeply, and was a catalyst to some clear and wonderful transformation. The mystical wisdom reminds us how we are all interconnected and like a pebble hitting a pond, every action one takes ripples out and affects everyone around us. It is estimated that Amma has hugged over 12 million people all over the world; thinking of this I am humbled and awed, and I feel such respect for her, her people and everyone else who through their being and actions are making this world a divine place to be.

Vidura Barrios www.innersplendor.com

Vidura Barrios is the president and founder of Inner Splendor Media, music label that produces high quality content for yoga, meditation and relaxation. Releases by inner splendor include Chanting Om, Tibetan Singing Bowl and Classical Indian flute by the popular series music for Deep Meditation. Vidura has contributed to various publications including Fit yoga, Latina and NY times magazines. To learn more about Inner Splendor please visit http://www.innersplendor.com and http://www.apsari.com