HUGGING IS HEALING

I am really loving doing this journal project, it is so much more than a class project to me, and I think that many other classmates feel the same way.... it's a way of truly expressing personal thoughts and experiences about culture and beyond. I've learnt so much for listening and speaking with other students and have come to many realizations about our differences and also our universals.

Yesterday I joined 7 of my classmates in giving out and receiving so many great FREE HUGS! It's actually something that I have always wanted to do. I'm a huge hugger and I have been restricted from being so "touchy feely" many times in my own life. In my old job working for a Diplomatic Mission I was unable to reach out and hug someone and whilst working with sexually abused children I was forbidden to hug them BUT I actually broke the rules and did hug them when they really needed a hug. Hugging, that need for human contact is one of the many things that is culturally universal.

About 3 years ago, I took a bus to Toronto to receive Darshan from AMMA (also known as the hugging saint).  She has hugged hundreds of thousands of people all around the world and her hug is said to be healing. I don't know how she does it to be honest, she travels the world and the lines of people waiting for her are insane. She hugged from 8am to 2am when I was in Toronto, but time slipped by in a weird way that day- as if there was no time.

I travelled alone, took the bus for 7 hrs, slept at a friends apartment then took another bus for 2 hrs, then I waited in line for about 6 hrs to receive my hug and it was SOOOO WORTH IT!!! I'd do it again in a second. I had no idea how I would get home but I didn't care, it was so powerful. When Amma first appeared, I experienced something completely unexpected: I instantly dropped to my knees and tears uncontrollably busted out of my eyes and I wept tears of joy. Her energy filled up the room, it was the energy of UNIVERSAL LOVE.

Her sacred hug is something that I cannot explain. She held me tight and whispered something in my ear that I did not understand but I felt so much pain and trauma lifted from me. After the hug I sat at her knees and looked up at her for about 20 minutes as she continued to hug people, I felt weak in the knees and also a sublime comfort that is difficult to express in words. This is an experience that I would recommend to all of those with an open heart and mind.

Jai guru AMMA, JAI AMMAJI!

AMMA- the hugging saint:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShPiwUmuceA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ2LbniPkJU