Spellbinding Truth! October 30, 2013 By Jovan Jones
“... Her book corroborates so much. I KNEW the people she names. I talked to them. I watched them. I saw her (Gail, at the time, Swamini Amma) on her little bridge holding mini-meetings; I saw Swamiji (Balu) watching from afar with an odd look on his face. I saw, countless times, Amma hit this person or that. Many times, I watched Amma move only to see Swamini Amma flinch - I knew about the slaps, the hits, but not the severity, not the kicks and hair-pulling...but I SAW the terror in Swamini Amma's eyes, I saw the exhaustion, the being overwhelmed and consumed ...”
A brave act...pranams to Gail November 18, 2013 By James Duffy
“... I've seen Amma's violence first hand and it isn't pretty. One example, I saw Amma take a brahmacharin by the throat and slam him against a wall ...”
An Act of Courage November 10, 2013 By LuckyStar974
“... What about all the gold and cash that flows through the ashram? Are they recorded anywhere? What about the many businesses, including gas stations, that the ashram has but never reports in devotee PR? ...”
Let the Sun Shine In January 22, 2014 By Lalita
“... I heard from people who had gone to India years ago that some of Ammachi's relatives were building big palatial houses on the other side of the river and did not believe that her family's fishing business could have taken off to that extent. I would go into the question line and find that Ammachi did not know what was on my mind as we were told she did and would not understand the background information relating to my question, so would not answer it in a meaningful way ...”
a very convincing account of a genuine spiritual seeker February 12, 2014 By Claudia Weeraperuma
“... But with Amma it is becoming worse with every year that passes. Not only do the crowds become bigger, but Amma encourages all the fuss around her, blaring hymns in honour of her non stop, videos that show her various achievements and medals and rewards. What vanity! No decent person would allow such crudeness, not to speak of a spiritual person ...”
Five Stars for her bravery March 3, 2014 By Jessica
“... I expected too much from gurus and from their organizations, but it was my expectations that drove me away because I wanted integrity, honesty, and kindness from the gurus. I didn't get that. Was that really too much to expect? Like Gail I found irate gurus who were kind in public but hostile towards devotees in private ...”
Thank you Gail March 23, 2014 By Michael Dayon
“... Over the last 20 years, we had heard about certain dynamics in Ammachi's ashram that had given us much cause for concern, and each year we also felt a growing concern for Gayatri because she always looked increasingly unhealthy, and so utterly miserable. However, having witnessed first hand, back in the seventies, the kinds of ego struggle dynamics that make living in almost any ashram challenging, I had chosen to ignore most of what I had heard ...”
“... My husband and I were with Ammachi from 1987 to 1993, hosted her once in our home, and held the Seattle Ammachi gatherings in our clinic during that time. We left abruptly after learning directly from Kusuma, one of her closest disciples, that Ammachi had used orphanage money to pay for a Mercedes, then lied to the American board of the organization about it. Knowing that Ammachi suffered from diabetes, and having traveled with her on an uncomfortably jam-packed bus of devotees through Southern India, we had no problem with her traveling in comfort. What haunted us was her having lied about it. It so troubled us that we confronted Amma in a private meeting at the next possible opportunity, and we were convinced that she lied about it to us as well ...”
Here we are May 26, 2014 By GUIGNETTE Jean-Paul
“... In August 1991 Amma went to Moscow, USSR, for the first time. That was during the "coup d'état" against Gorbachev. The tour was a total fiasco (like the "coup d'état" !). Only forty people came to see Amma. And on top of that, no money came in. Amma became the prey of some Russian predator and had to spent more money than expected. Yet, back in Vallikavu few months later, Paï Swami wrote in an ashram publication that Amma's visit to USSR had been a great success and that FORTY THOUSAND people came for a big hug ! When she read that, an Aussie brahmacharini (guess who ?) went to Paï Swami and asked "why do you tell such lies ? I went to Moscow too and there were only forty people !" In order to justify himself Paï swami told her : "indian people NEED to hear that". End of the story ! ...”
I bought Kindle... June 6, 2016 By Gem Michalstone
“... I also have a long-time friend who witnessed (while cowering behind a temple pillar) Amma and her father kicking and beating a woman while she was on the floor. My friend didn't believe it was wrong, but she sure knew enough to hide and not show herself as a witness! ...“
Here we are May 26, 2014 By GUIGNETTE Jean-Paul
“... In August 1991 Amma went to Moscow, USSR, for the first time. That was during the "coup d'état" against Gorbachev. The tour was a total fiasco (like the "coup d'état" !). Only forty people came to see Amma. And on top of that, no money came in. Amma became the prey of some Russian predator and had to spent more money than expected. Yet, back in Vallikavu few months later, Paï Swami wrote in an ashram publication that Amma's visit to USSR had been a great success and that FORTY THOUSAND people came for a big hug ! When she read that, an Aussie brahmacharini (guess who ?) went to Paï Swami and asked "why do you tell such lies ? I went to Moscow too and there were only forty people !" In order to justify himself Paï swami told her : "indian people NEED to hear that". End of the story ! ...”
I bought Kindle... June 6, 2016 By Gem Michalstone
“... I also have a long-time friend who witnessed (while cowering behind a temple pillar) Amma and her father kicking and beating a woman while she was on the floor. My friend didn't believe it was wrong, but she sure knew enough to hide and not show herself as a witness! ...“