The power of a hug

The power of a hug
Jul 2, 2007
By Molly Rossiter
The Gazette
http://gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070702/NEWS/70702018
molly.rossiter@gazettecommunications.com
CORALVILLE - Theresa Murphy struggled to keep her emotions intact after receiving a personal blessing - in the form of a hug - from India's hugging saint, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, or “Amma,” this morning.


Hug power:
A crowd gathers to hug Amma during the first day of a public event at the Marriott in Coralville today. Amma is known as a humanitarian and for traveling the world and blessing people by embracing them with a compassionate hug.


“It's almost indescribable,” the 36-year-old Omaha, Neb., woman said of her first encounter with Amma. ``It's overwhelming, it's light. It's the embodiment of love.''

Organizers estimated nearly 1,000 people were at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Convention Center to see Amma, a world-renowned humanitarian and recipient of the 2002 Ghandi-King Award for Non-Violence.

“This is really the smallest crowd that we've seen so far,'' said Randy Rutenbeck, a member of Amma's tour team.

Amma's Coralville stop includes a spiritual talk at 7:30 p.m. tonight, meditation and individual blessings at 10 a.m. Tuesday and a Devi Bhava service at 7 p.m. Tuesday, all at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.

After 20 minutes of meditation this morning, Amma, seated in front of a stage, received those who came for miles to see her. Each of those waiting for an individual blessing dropped to their knees and waited their turn. She greeted each person with a broad smile and outreached arms, and enveloped them in a hug while chanting blessings in their ear.

“There's just something about her, it's just phenomenal,'' said Betty Dahmer, who drove from St. Louis to be hugged by Amma.