the ammachi

The Hugging Saint was in NYC this weekend and I went down for my annual hug.

It's my fourth year, and each trip is a unique experience...

I must confess that I'm a healthy sceptic, but there's no doubt this woman has a prescence that's undeniable. I felt it most today when she and her retinue (posse?) entered the builiding. The place went silent, and there was the jingle of bells, a bit of chanting from her crew, the air suddenly washed over me and and I felt a comfort that made me totally relaxed, as if i was home on a sunday with the paper and fire going...

I have a friend who travels in her inner circle and that's created an interesting window into her operation. Her outreach grows more powerful each year and her ability to help the poor and needy is impressive - how she hugs thousands a day I still don't understand -- she hardly sleeps, she doesn't eat much either --

there's defintely something powerful about her -- what it is, I still don't know, but it's worth seeing for yourself -- she'll be in NY over this weekend and then up to Boston. There's a link on this site to hers ...

I'll write more about my experience this week on my web site...