My Nonprofit Reviews
teja
Review for Mata Amritanandamayi Math, Kerala, , India
"Amma", "The Hugging Saint" "Mata Amritanandamayi Devi" "Mother" ... whatever your name for Her, She is a force to be respected, revered, and followed. Her humanitarian work is breathtaking as it is. From building homes to tsunami victims, erecting orphanages in Kenya and Haiti, providing jobs for women in India who have lost everything - reaching out to the destitute Indian farming families, offering swimming lessons to children who survived the Asian tsunami but had developed an arresting fear of water -- the lengths to which this woman will go to help humankind is staggering.
And then, on top of all of that, She takes that moment - that precious, personal moment - with anyone, absolutely anyone, who will come to Her, and gives them a loving embrace. She is constantly giving Her Darshan, or "Blessing" to the hundreds of thousands that flock to Her. And to those who cannot come to Her ashram in India, she goes to them, traveling around the world 8 or 9 months out of the year. Going to Africa, France, Germany, England and other EU countries, Japan, all over India, and the USA and Canada. Her programs last 3 to 5 days in any given city, and the primary time is devoted to Her Darshan.
She will sit in the same seat for hours and hours, never once getting up, never once complaining, never once leaving for Her own comfort. On a typical Devi Bhava evening She will sit for over 12 hours giving Darshan, and she has been known to sit for even longer than that. She has embraced over 26 MILLION people in Her lifetime.
In Los Angeles, by Her instruction, we hold weekly feedings for the homeless and once a month hold a larger event at the Women's Center in downtown LA. We pursue environmental efforts and hold classes on how to grow your own food, use sustainable energy and products, and maintain a conscious way of life for the environment and the world around you. We hold weekly Satsangs where we are able to share in community, music and devotion to God. Everything that Amma does and instructs others to do is based in the purest intention of: LOVE.
I give thanks daily for the opportunity to be a part of this organization.
Aum Amma.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
see above
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
change nothing.
Review for Mata Amritanandamayi Math, Kerala, , India
The work that this organization does is staggering and inspiring. I first grew aware of Mata Amritanandamayi Math when attending a local tour of Mata Amritanandamayi Ma herself; I was there only for her blessing but while waiting for it I noticed all the many booths in the hall dedicated to humanitarian efforts around the world. There were local food drives and weekly soup drives at homeless shelters all around Los Angeles. There were sock drives to donate socks to needy children in India. There were innumerable outreach programs to help the impoverished people in India receive schooling, housing, continued education into universities, etc. The list continued. In addition there was a table dedicated to environmental awareness and recycled objects overflowed the booth; wallets, shoulder bags, even sandals, made from woven plastic bags! Right next to that booth stood a table with plants and environmentally friendly soaps, pens, pencils, paper, laundry detergent. All these tables and more surrounded me. And I thought, "Amma takes every one of these efforts all around the world. She raises people's awareness in hundreds of cities, each city drawing in anywhere from 4,000-7,000 people per tour...she is slowly reaching the whole world with her messages of human, environmental, and emotional awareness! Now THIS is someone special." I believe that the Mata Amritanandamayi Math is one of the single most inspiring and influential non-profits in the world.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
...My everyday awareness of the environment, humanitarian struggles both in India and in my own city, and my own personal relationship to living a peaceful and productive life.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About once a year
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
