One of the most transformative times of my life occurred this June, on the last night of my time with Amma… it was Devi Bhava night, the night when Amma dresses as the Divine Mother and many devotees stay up all night chanting, praying, and watching Amma give darshan (hugs and blessings) into the morning hours. I have stayed up all night many times for Devi Bhava, but this June I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it, since I was feeling so exhausted… but I kept praying that I would be able to do it, and my prayers were answered twenty-fold! Not only was I able to stay up all night, but in the morning I still had plenty of energy!

The evening began with a special puja (ritual worship) in which Amma blessed the water, which was then distributed to everyone present. Amma also gave a talk, in which she said the following:

“We blame fate for unexpected things, but fate is like a seed that grows into actions. Fate, in the form of a seed, becomes the thoughts that arise in the mind as repeated desires, and then those desires become actions. We can change our fate with awareness. Fate’s power only extends to the thoughts that arise in the mind as repeated desires. The seeds of our vasanas (negative tendencies) cannot grow in the Light of Awareness. When we understand the nature of worldly objects, then we lose our attraction to them. When we develop discernment, then we can destroy the negativities as they arise. We should have complete control over our minds. Strict daily routines help develop purity of actions. Constant practice awakens Awareness…. We will see the results of our practices after some time.”

Swami-ji (one of Amma’s revered teachers) then led a beautiful meditation for peace. He said that just as a flower opens up to the sun, our heart opens up to the Universe… then he said that Amma asks us all to pray for World Peace – to pray for those in Japan and other places with natural disasters… Amma says that Nature is agitated and only Divine Grace can help us… Amma asks us to pray for the Entire Creation, even our enemies… Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu ~ May all beings everywhere be happy.

As I said above, it was incredibly easy for me to stay up that whole night. So much Love filled my being and it was as if I floated through the whole night on a Bliss Cloud! Then, as the first light appeared in the sky, I took the above photo of the hills… but somehow the flash made it look as if it was still dark… and lots of little orb beings showed up in the photo!

Then, as I was leaving Amma’s Field (around 10:00am), my primary vasana (negative tendency) suddenly flared up quite strongly, and I could see it more clearly than ever before: I could see that it isn’t me – it is like a kink in my system, like an entity or structure that is separate from me. I got very angry at the vasana and in a flash of Kali-like fire, I took a no-drama vow. The details of this vow are a secret until after I complete the six months, and then I will share about it, so stay tuned here on the Teja Blog! (To read the background story of my primary vasana, please order my spiritual memoir, The Rita Lila: A Western Yogini’s Journey to Bliss)

May all beings commit to doing spiritual practices that help them to develop mind control and purity of actions. May we all live in Harmony together on this sacred planet earth. 

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of orbs over Amma’s hills taken by Teja Shankara. The Rita Lila book cover designed by Gaelyn Larrick.