The Hindu "Hugging Saint," Amma

documentary on Amma [another official page?] about.com page on her; wikipedia

(Hrm, the Rick A. Ross Institute [specializing in cult awareness] has a page on her as well.)

I first heard about her about a year ago on Soompi, someone had posted a news article about her. Here's a recent USA Today article. No doubt Fr. Seraphim Rose would have some choice words to say about her.

Teachings
Amma's life is her message. In other words, Amma does not teach anything that she herself does not practice. Living from moment to moment in a constant state of supreme happiness, Amma warmly embraces thousands of people day after day, wiping their tears, giving them her divine guidance and offering solace to all who come to her. Amma recommends the path of selfless-service through the example of her own life.

Nothing wrong with a "path of selfless-service."

Amma says, "The beauty and charm of selfless love and service should not die away from the face of the earth. The world should know that a life of dedication is possible, that a life inspired by love and service to humanity is possible.

Sounds ok.

Meditation and studying the scriptures are like two sides of a coin. The engraving on that coin is selfless service, and that is what gives it its real value. Our compassion and acts of selflessness take us to the deeper truths. Through selfless action we can eradicate the ego that conceals the Self. Detached, selfless action leads to liberation. Such action is not just work; it is karma yoga."

Studying which scriptures? (Hindu, no doubt.) But, what is the ultimate purpose of meditation and study? To get to the Transcendent Other? Or to find the Self? Looks like this is not a version of monotheistic Hinduism, but, as one suspects, some version of monistic Hinduism.

Amma always points out that the purpose of one's life is to realize who we really are. She says, "By realizing our own Self we become full, with nothing more to gain in life. Life becomes perfect."

No God as ultimate end here.

To attain this goal, Amma says that no particular path or spiritual practice can be recommended for all. "Just as a doctor gives different dosages or even different medications to patients with the same ailment according to their constitution, so does a Spiritual Master prescribe different methods to different people to reach the same goal. Spirituality is the practical science of life. Apart from taking us to the ultimate goal of Self-realization it also teaches us the nature of the world, and how to understand life and live fully in the best way possible."

However, Amma says that the path of devotion and selfless-service is the safest and most conducive path for many people.

Not much different from Buddhism--so what does she say about reincarnation?

However:

Meditation

Amma says true meditation is a state of the mind, an experience. Those who pray to God and meditate on Him sincerely will not feel a shortage of anything that is essential. That is God's resolve. It is Amma's own experience. Constant thought directed to God is meditation, like the flow of a river. Meditation is good even for small children. Their intelligence will become clear, memory will increase and they will learn well.

So there is a "God" after all. But is God different from the Self?

God's Perfect Hiding Place

"Children, have you heard this story? God decided to create the world. His purpose was to give Himself a place to live. So as soon as He had created this beautiful earth full of trees and plants, animals and birds, mountains and valleys, God began to dwell here. Everything was perfect and God was leading a blissful life. Years rolled by until one day God made a mistake. He created human beings. From that day on, there was trouble. Night and day, the human beings complained to God. No matter what God was doing, whether He was eating or sleeping, they would come knocking on His door.

"The never-ending complaints drove Him crazy. God soon lost His peace of mind. No sooner was one problem solved than another one arose. The first man's solution became the second man's problem. One person wanted rain. But when God granted rain, another person would complain, 'God, how can you do this to me? My whole house is leaking. My crops are ruined.' Everything became a problem. No matter what God did, people complained.

"Eventually God asked His advisors to suggest a way out. One suggestion was that God should go to the Himalayas. But God said, 'No, no. People would soon come there.' 'What about the moon?' asked another of God's advisors. 'Soon man would also make his way there,' God replied. 'You, my good friends, cannot see the future,' continued God. 'But I can. No matter where I go, man will come to know about it. He will follow me and I will again be in trouble.'

"This statement was meant with silence. After some time an aged advisor stepped forward and whispered in God's ear. God's face brightened. 'Wonderful!' he exclaimed. The old man had suggested the perfect hiding place for God. 'Go and hide deep within man,' the wise man had advised. 'Yes. It is perfect,' was God's reply. 'Man would never think to look for Me inside himself. There is no chance that he will find Me there.'"

"Children,God is deep within us. He dwells there as innocence, as pure and innocent love. But the mind and its egoistic feelings veil this innocence. But it is always there. It has only been forgotten. You have to go deep within. You have to rediscover and remember."

Sounds like God is just a symbol of the "divine" that is winthin us, trapped and waiting to be revealed. This sounds like a typical Hindu teaching, as far as I know. (Is there only one real Self?)

Apparently she has a syncretistic approach to other religions, another feature of contemporary Hinduism.

Also on Apple:
trailer for Little Children--so a married man with a child has an affair with a (single) mother who also has a child... and the wife finds out... and there is drama. Is this really worth 2 hours of one's life? Unless it makes the rather simple point--don't destroy your family by having an affair. Even then, people should just call Dr. Laura instead if they need that point made to them.
Couldn't Kate Winslet find a better movie to do?