Yoga Life (September 2023)-Ammaji 80 Bumper Issue

Om Ganapathaye ! FIFTY FOUR YEARS IN THE PROPAGATION OF CLASSICAL RISHICULTURE ASHTANGA YOGA It is September and this is always a month of INTERNATIONAL celebrations for us. This bumper issue of Yoga Life has MONTHLY many extra pages to carry lovely montages of timeless images capturing beautiful moments from the most Vol.54 No. 09, SEPTEMBER 2023 marvelous life of our beloved Param Pujya Ammaji, Guru Matha Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani. CONTENTS Recently Ananda had a wonderful conversation MATRU DEVO BHAVA : MOTHER IS GOD - 02 with her when he asked: \"Do you have a message for us - 07 today?” \"Be good,\" Ammaji said. \"How to be good?\" he HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATTI! - 09 asked in turn and \"Be strong!\" replied she immediately. - 12 He continued, \"How to be strong?\" She answered sagely 108 VERSES IN PRAISE OF AMMAJI \"JUST BE !\" GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! This issue is filled with loving tributes to the GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Mother Eagle of Modern Yoga from her countless Yoga Eaglets who have flown to different parts of the word Swamiji, her Guru-husband and prepared the spreading this priceless, life transforming teachings. Gitananda Yoga Team to continue to share Yoga, the Great Masters of Yoga, Natyam and Culture express their journey of the Self- towards the Self- through the Self. Her heartfelt tributes to our beloved Ammaji who continues Magnum Opus “History of Yoga” trilogy will forever be to make a positive impact on the planet by guiding all a guiding light for those interested in truly understanding online and in person activities of the Rishiculture the seeds of the living Yoga Tradition in its Ashtanga (Gitananda) Yoga Parampara. wholesomeness. We are all truly blessed to be living on this planet We welcome everyone to gather in person and at the same time of Pujya Ammaji, the Living Siddha of online to celebrate her 80th birthday with 15 magnificent Pondicherry. She has with loving grace, over the past six events lined up from 8 to 17 September including the decades skillfully guided so many on their path towards Special Homa on 13th September. This is an opportunity liberation. She has “walked the talk” and been the most for us to express our heartfelt gratitude and love to her, inspiring Role Model for so many spiritual seekers the One who has “Given Us Everything”. May we all be worldwide. worthy of her benevolent grace and may we make her proud of each and every one of our lives in Yoga She has with dedication and determination taken forward the phenomenal work of Param Pujya The official publication of Yoga Jivana Satsangha (International); Vishwa Yoga Samaj (Worldwide Yoga Congress); Sri Kambaliswamy Madam (Samadhi Site); SPARC (The Society for the Preservation of Ancient Rishi Culture); ICYER (International Centre for Yoga Education and Research) at Ananda Ashram, Tamil Nadu. Published from Ananda Ashram City Centre at Yoganjali Natyalayam, 25, II Cross, lyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605 013, India. Editor and Publisher : Ammaji Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Editor: (I/C) Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani. Phone: +91-0413-2241561. E-mail: [email protected]; Website: www.rishiculture.in Printers : Sarguru Printographs, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Subscription Rate: Indian Rs. 500/year; International 50 Euros/ year. Note: All subscribers will be sent e-copies of Yoga Life every month from January 2021 onwards and hence are requested to register their preferred e-mail at [email protected] to ensure uninterrupted receipt of the journal.

MATRU DEVO BHAVA : MOTHER IS GOD Yogacharya Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI Ashram Acharya and Director ICYER at Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry. Editor's note: This is an abridged transcript of Dr Ananda's sharing in his “Scintillating Saturdays” #61 for Ammaji's 78th birthday. Yogashakti Yogacharini Jnanasundari has done an extraordinary Seva of transcribing and abridging this 21 page talk and in her own words, “I offer a few extracts to give you a flavour of the talk, but of course this cannot give you the true depth of Dr. Sir's Bhava, or the many fascinating stories he shared that day”. We hope our readers will enjoy this contemporary version of Matru Bhakti, or devotion to one's Divine Mother. Our scriptures give us the understanding of how we can perceive different people in our lives as manifestations of the Divine, and it always starts with “Matru Devo Bhava (mother is the personification of the Divine); Pitru Devo Bhava (father is the personification of the Divine); Acharya Devo Bhava (teacher, guru - the one who enables us to grow in spirit - is the manifestation of the Divine)”. There is no being that is not a manifestation of the Divine, yet the closest relationship is the one that every living being has with its mother. … And in recent times I have been able to see the Divine in her, realise she is not only my mother, not only my guru, she is also God to me. This is why I often tell her “I have loved you as a son, I have loved you as a student and now I love you as a devotee.” She has not just been a mother to me; she has been a mother to countless seekers on this planet. And right from the time in Sri Kambaliswamy Madam when all the children would come on Sundays and have a Yoga class, dance class, music class, learn swimming, climbing trees and have a nice meal – right from that time everyone has called her Amma. And later on as a mark of respect we added ji to it. She has been a true mother to so many, nurturing so many… … Ammaji was born in Madison, South Dakota, the eldest in a family of 12 and her mother recently left the body at the age of 100 in 2021. It is well apparent that dynamic women are part of the Tomscha family history. She went to university, was a cub reporter and got her linguistic and journalism skills, started travelling the world. She was searching something in her early 20s, came to Greece and found a Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 02

EDITORIAL small handbook about Yoga, and it drew her to India. She says: “as I put my foot down on Indian soil I felt I had come home”. Swamiji used to often tease Amma, saying “your eyesight is so bad that when you were being born you got off at a stop on the other end of the planet. You were supposed to be born in Pondicherry”. She said “I was born American and now I'm an Indian citizen, but it's not that I don't love America, I do but I love India more”. Coming to India, travelling in India, finally making her way down to Pondicherry where she meets up with Swamiji. What a beautiful union of the Divine Father and the Divine Mother in my perspective, and this was thanks to our dear Yogiraj Rajudev, who had met Ammaji having coffee some place in Pondicherry, and she said “I'm looking for some Yoga”, and he said “well, there's this Swami and he's starting a course soon”... After meeting Swamiji, as they came down the stairs Ammaji turned to Rajudev and said “that's the man with whom I'm going to spend the rest of my life”. At the end of the training Swamiji would have this huge basket and students could put their Guru Dakshina in that basket. Everybody was putting flowers, fruits and other things and Ammaji goes and sits inside the basket and she says “I offer my life to you forever”. And Swamiji said okay! And what a team! A coming together of amazing universal energies, and to be born to them I have witnessed it first-hand. The amazing dynamism of Swamiji, which was connected to the universe - he was a universal dynamo, that was the type of energy he had, and you needed an equivalent energy to put up and catch up with him all the time, to stay up to date with him, because for Swamiji life was absolute intensity. Everything was important; it was a life of purpose, a life of pure Samyama (Dharana-Dhyana- Samadhi), where the focus was on every moment in its entirety. You needed an equivalent energy to keep up with it; not only keep up with it but to enable it to flourish and bring out these teachings. If today's Swamiji's teachings have been codified the absolute credit goes to Ammaji because she codified these teachings into a way that today we can understand and utilize - otherwise they would have been in a scattered form. Swamiji was a creative genius; the teachings would just sprout and then the next day you said “what did you teach?” and he would say “I don't know”. So she had to codify it. Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 03

EDITORIAL He would dictate these amazing teachings; she would type them up fast and furious on the typewriter, catching all these universal teachings as they came through Swamiji. He was a vehicle for the Akashic record, the Akash Rai, the Dharma Rai, and the teachings that flew through him from that Prajna Loka would just flow. He didn't keep reference manuals around him; it would just flow through him and as it flowed she had to keep up with him and type. Just as the Mahabharata when it was flowing through Veda Vyasa, Lord Ganesha was required to write it down. Just as Lord Ganesha was subscribed to Veda Vyasa I feel Ammaji was subscribed to Swamiji, bringing these teachings into that solidified codified manner that today we can all access. Teachings have been preserved because of her single- woman effort. And while typing she would be instructing the cook on what to cook that day; the gardener would be getting instructions on what was needed; the manager was being told what to purchase; all of this going on and in between you have me, the little Ananda coming up and saying ”Mommy I'm feeling hungry now; Mommy can I go and climb a tree”… and then the villagers need this and the students need that and a student has jumped off the roof - what to do? All this going on, managing - human resource manager par excellence while typing out all these universal teachings, being a Rishipatni of equal standing and capability as the Rishi himself , being worthy of being the Rishipatni. She is now indeed a Rishika or feminine Rishi incarnate. … Once Swamiji had his accident and broke his back and was in the hospital and for months on end when he was in the full body bedcast, Ammaji had to start teaching all the classes, because till then Swamiji was doing it. Suddenly she had to teach the morning Hatha Yoga, the mid-morning Pranayama, the afternoon classes, the evening classes. (Swamiji used to give a few of the Satsanghas lying down in his full body bedcast.) She had to do the banking which Swamiji was doing earlier, running of the ashram in a more predominant manner - she rose to the occasion completely. Then as if this wasn't enough, the Pondicherry government illegally decided to take over Sri Kambaliswamy Madam -Ananda Ashram; they come in one Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 04

EDITORIAL day in the middle of August and paste a government order saying “Government property”. Imagine! You have spent your life building up this institution, you have brought great fame and name to Puducherry, thousands of people have come to this sacred space and some officer signs a government order and pastes it. They come up and Swamiji is in the bedroom, and they say “you are trespassing on government property; we arrest you”. Ammaji had gone to town on her scooter - she was the first woman to ride a scooter in Pondicherry and everybody knows her as the woman in a sari on a scooter. You talk about feminism today; think about it 50 years ago, a woman riding a scooter in Pondicherry with a Sari! She has been and continues to be an inspiration to countless young women who say “I want to be like her”. So she comes back, the gates are locked and the policeman says “this is government property, you cannot enter”. No notice, nothing, totally illegal, against every version of human rights. People talk about human rights: they were trampled on that day. Anybody would have said “I give up, go back to the U.S.A, leave this country that treats us so badly”. No! She and Swamiji fought the good battle, and more than Swamiji it was Ammaji: she would go to Chennai, meet the lawyers, sit hours with them drafting our cases, go to Delhi to the Supreme Court lawyers, draft the cases - she is the only one who knew the in and out of everything - at the same time continuing to teach, to share, first in Rainbow Nagar where we stayed in a rented house, then as ICYER developed, coming here and continuing it and the battle. … Every challenge that came she has faced it and grown stronger and wiser, sharing with so many, such an astonishing level of teaching - the clarity of Ammaji's teachings is unparalleled. And her greatest contribution for which she will always be remembered is her History of Yoga Volumes One and Two. I tell you nobody has documented it that way, because either people have gone to this extreme or that extreme - especially the modern Yoga scholars, God bless them, who are out to break down Yoga in the reductionist perspective. We are not here to break Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 05

EDITORIAL down Yoga, or destroy Yoga; we are here to love and share Yoga in an unconditional manner, within its context. And her History of Yoga traces the seeds of Yoga (people have got stuck with the roots of Yoga) - the seeds of Yoga that start when life started. Yoga is as ancient as life. Because the moment life began duality started to come in, and the moment duality came in the technique, the technology of going back to that unitiveness, that oneness, had to begin and that is why the teachings of Yoga, the principles of Yoga, are as ancient as life itself. People want to put it a couple of thousand years ago in a reductionist attitude! Her history of Yoga puts it in its context. What is the context of Yoga? What is the context in which Yoga manifests its wholesomeness? Yoga, the complete, wholesome manifestation of Yoga - that is what she has brought together, with the ups and the downs, with the ins and outs, and that is why for me her codification of Swamiji's teachings, her putting together of the history of Yoga, her documentation of the Rishi and the Rakshasas as a fictional story based on the whole Sri Kambaliswamy Madam sad affair that still continues; we still try to find a way out of it. And yet she never broke down. Anybody who's known her, anybody who's been with her, will understand her strength and not only her strength – her love that was unconditional for each and every one of her children. All her children - all her spiritual children, that is why she is truly the mother; that's why Matru Devo Bhava. “I hope these extracts will make you want to watch the whole episode. There is so much to choose from, it is impossible to summarise the whole. Jai Jai Ammaji! Matru Devo Bhava!” - Yogashakti Yogacharini Jnanasundari, Gitananda Yoga, France. The full episode can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/Q2c84vLDk70 Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 06

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATTI! DHIVYA PRIYA BHAVANANI Deputy Director YOGNAT, Pondicherry, India A true Yogacharini, The one who brings out the true essence of Shakti, Of course, you're a great Kalaimamani. Each eon has many, many birthdays, yet your birthday stands out! Each millennium has many, many birthdays, yet your birthday stands out! Each century has many, many birthdays, yet your birthday stands out! Each decade has many, many birthdays, yet your birthday stands out! Each year has many, many birthdays, yet your birthday stands out! Each month has many, many birthdays, yet your birthday stands out! Each week has many, many birthdays, yet your birthday stands out! Each day has many, many birthdays, yet your birthday stands out! WHY? You're a true LIVING SIDDHA, who has never questioned herself to 'Why should I do', 'Who should I give', 'Why should I give'! You just gave, gave and gave! Probably I should put it as 'you shared, are sharing and will keep sharing! A true example for all of us and a blessing for all of us! May you keep glowing as you have always been! Love you lots and loads. Need your blessings always! The world has been blessed with your existence. May we all be always worthy of your blessings, teachings and love! TRUST is the fruit of a relationship in which you know that you are loved! Trust involves a whole set of transcendental states of integrity, honesty, confidence, love, care and so on. Trust isn't something that we have in every single soul. It's Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 07

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATTI! something valuable that can't be maintained in just anybody! The person who comes to my mind first in regard to TRUST is YOU and only YOU. In addition, you happen to be my grandmother (a bonus special thing). I am blessed to be your grand-daughter and to be part of the Bhavanani family! Whatever I am today and in the days to come, it's only, only and only because of you. You have, are and will always be my first & best! Love you Patti (Dhadhi) Ammajiku Arogara, Aragarogara Ammaji, Ammaji, Beloved Ammaji; Ammaji, Ammaji, most loving Ammaji; Ammaji, Ammaji, most divine Ammaji. We all love you Ammaji; We love you Ammaji. May you always bless us, May you always bless us, We don't mind even if you kiss us also.! – Hahaha (Ammaji) Beloved Ammaji, Ammaji, Ammaji, Loving, Loving Ammaji, Divine, Divine Ammaji, Most loving Ammaji. Loving Divine Ammaji, Loving Divine Ammaji. We all love you Ammaji; We love you Ammaji. Ammaji, Ammaji, we all love you. Do you love us, Ammaji, Do you love us? – All the time (Ammaji) You love us all the time, that is your greatness! We love you, Ammaji… Bestest, Bestest Ammaji Best of Best, Ammaji. (Ammaji, Ammaji….. fully) Ammajiku Arogara, Aragarogara Jai Jai Jai Ammaji. AUM! Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 08

108 VERSES IN PRAISE OF AMMAJI Yogacharini Natyamamani Smt DEVASENA BHAVANANI General Secretary Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER, Pondicherry. ¼BVïVßÄVöM ¼BVï\\è ¼BVïE¼«V[\\è Amçk ïçé\\V\\è Amçk ÄÂ] 1. {D p\\] *ªVH ¼>s ÃkªVM zò\\V>V ¶D\\V÷Âz ØÛF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 2. {D ö´ÃÝM ö´ïV ¼ÃVu¤ {D 3. {D zò\\V>V ¶D\\V÷Âz ØÛF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 4. {D ö´ ëDëV ¼ÃVu¤ {D 5. {D EÝ>ì kDÄV ka ¼ÃVu¤ {D 6. {D ö´ z\\V« (AÝ«) ÛªÌ >V¼B ¼ÃVu¤ {D 7. {D ¼BVï \\Çö´ ÿ>VªÍ> þö ÃVìBV (\\Vðs-\\çªs¥\\D\\V) ¼ÃVu¤ {D 8. {D ·Â«Vë ÃkªVMl[ \\ò\\ïÓ\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 9. {D ÜéVk] ¶Dç\\BVö[ (\\®\\ïÓ\\D\\V) \\Vâ| ØÃõb\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 10. {D ¦V¦ì gªÍ>Vs[ ¶òç\\ >V¥\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 11. {D ]ËB©¸öBVsuz J>Vâ½BD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 12. {D gªÍ>«Vë-Âz ÃVâ½BD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 13. {D ¨[çª ¨_éV ïçéï¹KD ¼>ìßE ¶ç¦Bß ØÄF> Ø>FkD ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D clÔâ|D clì ¨¿Ýmï¹[ köçÄl_ cDç\\ kðºzþ¼ÅVD >V¼B 14. {D ¶þéÝ]_ ¶¼åïö[ ¶Dç\\¥\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 15. {D ¶[A^eºï¹[ ¶D\\V÷¥\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 16. {D ¶[¸[ k½¼k ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 17. {D¶öB ïVöB Ø\\mkVþKD ¶çªÝç>¥D ¶[¼Å Wçżku®D guÅ_ c^ákáD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 18. {D ¶B_ åVâ½KD c[ Aïµ ¶ºzD, ÖºzD ¨ºzD\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 19. {D ¶þéÝ]_ ¶¼åï \\Vðk, \\VðsBìïçá còkVÂþªVBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 20. {D ¶õ¦Ý]_ ïõ½«V ïVöçï¥\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 21. {D ¶çªkç«¥D gÓD ¶«E ¼ÃVu¤ {D 22. {D ¶_é_ ÀÂzD ¶Dç\\ ¼ÃVu¤ {D 23. {D ¶k«kì \\ªD ¶¤kVF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 24. {D gªÍ> gE«\\Ý][ gM¼k¼« ¼ÃVu¤ {D 25. {D ¼BVïVÞÄo åVâ½BVéBÝ][ g>V«¼\\ ¼ÃVu¤ {D 26. {D n.E.¼BV.Ö.gì. l[ ¶ü]kV«¼\\ ¼ÃVu¤ {D 27. {D ¶çªkòÂzD ¶[ªD ¶¹Ý> ¶[ª¯«èBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 28. {D gªÍ> ¶çé ¶çªkòÂzD c[M¦D\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 29. {D gðkD ¶aÂzD ¶D¼\\ ¼ÃVu¤ {D 30. {D gªÍ>Ý][ ükÔ¸M¼B ¼ÃVu¤ {D 31. {D Ö[ÃÝ][ Öò©¸¦¼\\ ¼ÃVu¤ {D 32. {D Ö[ÃD ¨_¼éVòÂzD c[M¦Ý]éD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 33. {D Ö[ª_ Ö_éV ¨_çé ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 09

108 VERSES IN PRAISE OF AMMAJI 34. {D Ö_çé ¨[ü> Ö_éV>káD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 35. {D Ö_éV>kìÂz ¨_éVD ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 36. {D Ö[¼Å ¨[® ØÄB_Aök]_ k^ákáD\\V 37. {D ~k]_ ~| cªÂþ_çéBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 38. {D ~[Å AÝ]«ÐD ÃVÂþB\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 39. {D cõç\\ còk\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 40. {D c\\Âz ÖçðBVªkì céþ_ BVòD Ö_çéBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 41. {D c^eÝ]_ Î[¤çðÍ>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 42. {D »òÂz© ¼Ãò c[ªVéD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 43. {D ¨_¼éVòÂzD ¨_éVD ÖékÄ\\VF ØïV|Ý>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 44. {D ¨¹¼BVòÂz ¨¹BkáD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 45. {D ¨|Ý>ïVöBD ¨mkVþKD ¨¹]_ x½Ý>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 46. {D ¨ºzD c[ Aïµ WçéÝ>>D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 47. {D °çwÂzwÍç>ïÓÂz ïçéÝ ]Åç\\çB káìÝ>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 48. {D °ï ¼ÃVï\\VF ¨_¼éVìÂzD cðk¹Ý>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 49. {D °çwï¹[ ØÄ_kD ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 50. {D nÍØ>Vaçé© AöÍ>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 51. {D ÎËØkVòkö[ clì ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 52. {D {DïV«D cðìÍ> c^e\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 53. {D {e­>\\VF ¶ç\\Í>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 54. {D àØï[® ﹩ÃVBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D clì Ø\\F ¨¿Ýmï¹[ ï>Dà \\Vçé ¶è ØÄFB ¶¼åï ¼ïV½ å\\üïV«ºïÓ¦[ cD >V^ Ä«ðç¦þ¼ÅVD ¶D\\V 55. {D ïVÂzD ïõï¼á ¼ÃVu¤ {D 56. {D ïõ§ì ïõï¹[ ïV©¼Ã ¼ÃVu¤ {D 57. {D ïVéÝç>¥ðìÍ>k¼e ¼ÃVu¤ {D 58. {D \\ª ]¦D ¶¹©ÃVF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 59. {D x[¼ªVìï¹[ kaØå¤BVF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 60. {D céïD ¼ÃVu®D k_Kª«VïÝ ]ïµÍ>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 61. {D ïçéQìï^ ¼ÃVu®D ïsQ«Vï ïò>©Ãâ¦VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 62. {D ïsç>ï^ ¨¿mD Aék«Vï¡D ïò>©Ãâ¦VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 63. {D EÝ]ï^ ØÄF¥D EÝ>«Vïß ØÄB_ ÃVâ¦VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 64 {D sÝç>ï^ ïu¸ÂzD sÝ>ï«Vï¡D Øk¹©Ãâ¦VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 65. {D ¼>ÄD ¼ÃVu®D z½\\ïáVï kVµþÅVBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 66. {D ¼>ÄÝ]uzÝ Ø>Võ¦Vu¤B Ø>V[ç\\ cªÂïD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 67. {D ÃÂ>ìï¹[ ÃVkD ¼ÃVÂzkVF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 68. {D ÃVsBç\\ ïV©ÃVF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 69. {D ëkÄÝç> ØïV|©ÃVF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 70. {D ïéºzÃkç«Â ïâ½Â ïVÂzD ïVöçïBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 71. {D c®mçðBVF ÖòÍ>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 72. {D clì >Í> cÝ>tBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 10

108 VERSES IN PRAISE OF AMMAJI 73. {D c[窼B kõôþ|¼kV\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 74. {D ïVéØ\\_éVD c[ ïVé½léD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 75. {D ï¦Í> sçª yìÝ>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 76. {D ï¹>òD ïõïeD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 77. {D T«\\òÓD \\mç« *ªVH¼>s¼B ¼ÃVu¤ {D 78. {D T«y«Ý]_ ëV«\\ÄVo¥\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 79. {D TìBD ØïVõ¦ T«Vºïçª ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 80. {D çk«VÂBD ØïVõ¦ çk«\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 81. {D ¼>BV> >ºïD ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 82. {D \\VE_éV \\è ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 83. {D \\VE_ Tçð¥D ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 84. {D ØÃVo¡^á ØÃV[ÐD ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 85. {D ÷DØÃV[Ð\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 86. {D g]ÄÂ] ¶Dç\\¼B ¼ÃVu¤ {D 87. {D ö´ ïéVßÄV«Ý][ ïeÞEB¼\\ ¼ÃVu¤ {D 88. {D ¼BVï k«éV® Ãç¦Ý>VF ¼ÃVu¤ {D 89. {D ¼BVï Amçk ÄÂ] ¼ÃVu¤ {D 90. {D Amçk EÝ>ìïÓ^ Îòkò\\VªVBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 91. {D EÝ>VÍ>D EÍç>¥^ ØïVõ¦VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 92. {D EÍ>çªß Eu¸¥\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 93. {D EÍç>¥^ z½ØïV^kVBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 94. {D E[ªÞEÅVìï¹[ ØÄ_éD ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 95. {D EÂØïª \\ª]_ Ö¦D ¸½©ÃVBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 96. {D EÅÍ> kVµ¡Â ïV⽪VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 97. {D EÅ©AÅß ØÄF¥D ØÄDç\\¥\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 98. {D E¤mD >e«V \\ªD Ãç¦Ý>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 99. {D EÅÍ> gEöçB¥D ÀBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 100. {D E®kìïÓÂz æòç¦ ØïV|Ým ØÄDç\\BVÂþªVBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 101 {D E®ç\\ c[M¦Ý]_ ïõ¦]_çéBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 102. {D ØÄ©¼Ã|ï¹^ c[ Aïµ Ã]¥\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 103. {D ØÄÍ>t¿Âz© Aïµ ¼ÄìÝ>VBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 104. {D ïkçé >[çª ïõè_ í¦ ïVâ¦V>ke\\D\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 105. {D ïõbÂz ïõðVF ïV©ÃkeD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 106. {D ïõè[ \\èBVF gªVBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 107. {D ïVÍ>ìk ~ì©A c[M¦Ý]éD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D 108. {D ïõèBD ïõ¦ ØÃõ\\èBD\\V ¼ÃVu¤ {D ¶D\\V÷Âz ØÛF, ükVt÷Âz ØÛF. ¶D\\V÷Âz ¶¼«Vï«V, ükVt÷Âz ¶«Ç«¼«Vï«V 108 zò ¼ÃVu¤, zò ïVèÂçïBVï zòs[ ÃV>V«sÍ>ºïÓÂzÝ >Vµç\\¥¦[... ¼>k¼ÄªV ÃkªVM. Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 11

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Birthday tributes from around the world Namaskaaram! 80th Birthday greetings from The Dhananjayans, ardent admirers of your dedicated divine work. You have been continuing the human service activities of your Yogi husband Gitananda Giriji and you are indeed a blessed mother to have a son in Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani. Your yeoman service to humanity through Yoga and arts is laudable and pray to the Almighty to give you all strength and cheer and steadfast mind to bear the physical shortfalls. Wish you Aayuraarogyasowkhyam. Happy Birthday, hope to see you soon. Shanta also turns 80 on 12th August. Need your blessings. Naatyaachaarya V.P.Dhananjayan Padmabhushan Awardee, Founder and President of the 55-year-old Bharatakalanjali A premier art and cultural institution in Adyar, Chennai. Dear Ammaji, On the occasion of your 80th Birthday, I would like to express my heartfelt wishes filled with gratitude and love. Your journey has reached a significant milestone, highlighting the importance of this day. I deeply appreciate the dedication you have shown in nurturing the Parampara. Your commitment and efforts have positively impacted numerous lives. On this special day, I join others in wishing you a very happy birthday, dear Ammaji. With love, Dr H.R. Nagendra Padmashree Awardee Chancellor, SVYASA University, Bengaluru Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 12

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Respected Param Pujya Amma Ji, Sadar Pranam. On this momentous occasion of your 80thBirthday, I am hereby sending you the warmest and most heartfelt wishes. May the Almighty shower you with abundant blessings and grant you the strength to continue spreading your love and wisdom to the world. You are an embodiment of compassion, and wisdom, and your presence in our lives has been nothing short of a Divine Blessing. Your unwavering faith in the Almighty and your dedication to the path of Yoga and arts has touched the lives of countless souls. You have carried on the legacy of unconditional human service activities of your husband Yogi Gitananda Giriji. You are indeed a blessed mother to have a son in Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani who is your reflection and is continuing this yeoman service. On this extraordinary day, we offer our heartfelt prayers for your continued health, happiness, and well-being. May each day of the coming year be filled with joy, contentment, and fulfillment. With best regards, Yours sincerely, Dr. W. Selvamurthy President of Amity Science, Technology and Innovation Foundation and Director General for Amity Directorate of Science and Innovation. Most Respected Amma ji Pranam Pranam Pranam! It has always been such a joy to be in your company and feel that overflowing love, compassion, care and blessings. Being with you, in your presence, I always felt a sense of protection from a mother towards a child, which gave me confidence to take those steps, which otherwise would be difficult. On behalf of the Kaivalyadhama family we wish you a very happy birthday and pray to the divinity within you. Pranams Subodh Tiwari, CEO Kaivalyadhama and Secretary General, Indian Yoga Association Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 13

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Our dear Meenakshi Devi, On the joyous occasion of your 80th Birthday, my wife, Meenakshi, and I, warmly greet you, our old friend and an esteemed teacher, mentor and luminous figure in Yoga. As we celebrate this auspicious day, we reflect on your incredible journey from a young American girl of the 1960s to now embodying the essence of India's rich heritage as a Yogarishni at the highest level. More than forty years ago, I spent transformative months with Swamiji, you, and the then-young Ananda. Later, my wife and I filmed 'Mudra' at the Ananda Ashram community. Your life's story is an inspirational testament to resilience, determination, and dedication. You valiantly kept alive the grand legacy of your late husband, Yogarishi Swami Gitananda, and the lineage of numerous masters. As a disciple, wife, mother, grandmother, writer, teacher, and administrator, you have demonstrated the boundless potential of human endeavor and the transformative power of yoga and the human spirit. Your personal contributions to the world of Yoga are unparalleled. As an accomplished author, you penned two seminal books on Yoga and numerous articles in the thriving Yoga Life Journal you founded decades ago. Your profound insights and teachings have inspired and transformed the lives of so many, guiding them towards self-discovery and inner awakening. Drawing on diverse disciplines of Indian Art and Culture, from music to dance and painting, you exemplify the fusion of ancient wisdom and modern understanding, creating a holistic approach to well-being. We wish you good health, happiness, and fulfillment on this special day. May the light of knowledge you have kindled shine brightly and guide future generations. I am deeply grateful to have been touched by the wisdom and affection of the Bhavanani clan, not the least of which is Ananda. We celebrate all of you. With respect and warm regards, Rajeev Mehrotra Hon. Trustee and Secretary, The Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, New Delhi Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 14

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI भैयाबालयोगीजी, पतंजलियोगपीठपरिवारपजू ्यमाताजीकेपावन \"जनम् दिवसपरहृदयसअे भिनदं नऔरप्रणामपर् ेषितकरताहै Dr Jaideep Arya, Yogasana Bharat and Patanjali Yoga Peeth Namaste, Dearest Ammaji: Happy 80th Birthday to you! We wish you a birthday as beautiful and inspiring as the great, and special person you are: Your wisdom, patience, kindness, and dedication have touched so many lives in countless ways globally. Thank you for all you do, dear Ammaji! We are sending you lots of love, good wishes, and good energy! May Swami Gitananda's teaching continue to grow in generations to come! Happy, Happy Birthday! Yogiraj Rajudev and Doris (USA) Ammaji has lived every day of her life in fullness, day after day, facing hard challenges and experiencing immense joys in the light of a great spirit, a husband and Guru, Pujya Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj. Ammaji has made every step of her life a constant climb toward the Divine Light, until she herself has become, today, the light and soul of this big spiritual family. She is an admirable symbol of those women who, just like Rishipatnis of ancient times, are able to unite their emancipation with the value of service, their intelligence with spiritual life and dedication to the wellbeing of many people. Punya-Karma of this great soul is an extraordinary son, today an excellent Guru, and splendid grandchildren who will keep on making her light shine in the future. Our wish is that Ammaji's love and wisdom will guide us now and always. Happy Birthday Ammaji, with all our heart. Paramahamsa Yogashri Svami Yogananda Giri and all the spiritual family of Mata Gitananda Ashram, Savona, Italy Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 15

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Happy Birthday dear Amma Ji, I have never met you but have met your son, Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani and loving grand-daughter Dhivya. And so, we became acquainted with your strength, beauty and legacy, and I can only imagine the life and journey you must have led to reach the lofty heights at this staggering age with grace and beauty. If your son and granddaughter are so amazing, it must surely be because their parents and grandparents bequeath their essence and ideals into their hearts and minds. Dr Ananda's and Dhivya's love and deep reverence for you gives wings to the greatest ideal of India- that of loving and respecting one's parents which our Pujya Daaji our guide often refers to. May you live long, wishing you all the very best on this day, Pranams, Ekta Bouderlique, Heartfulness Institute, Kanha Shantivanam, India. Imagine that you had a poet from America who decided to become a journalist. Imagine that you sent that journalist to reside inside of one of the world's oldest civilizations (perhaps the oldest), following the tenets of a traditional South Indian Gurukula, and thriving with those tenets. Imagine what insights could be found in her writings – imagine the courses she could offer, guiding others through the jeweled treasury of this remarkable distillation of the human spirit. Would it surprise you if after more than forty years you could not distinguish her from other Indian women on the street? With the same mannerisms, gait, social grace, and internal rhythms, the only way you could tell who she was would be by the way she rides her motorcycle. With love and gratitude, FYeowgaQchuaersytaioKnsenALdidbreersmseadnb, PyrDofre.sSsoirr dEumreinrigtutsh,eUPnrivanerasyitaymoaf Ocoruegrosen., USA If Yoga is a way of life, then Amma is Yoga. Thank you for taking me under your wings and showing me the way. With deep gratitude, Jennifer Dany Aube, Canada Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 16

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest and Divine Amma Ji Respected Param Pujya Amma Ji, For your special day and your 80th Birthday I am wishing you a very happy and blessed celebration. All the best! During your whole life in Yoga, you have changed the life of innumerous students, people, human beings, including mine. Once you told the students of a six- month course, 'you are all sharp and unpolished stones, I am putting all of you in a box and shaking it well. That's the six months here in the Ashram.' I am sending you my best thoughts and my huge gratitude for have shaking me 2003, 2005-2006 And for giving me a new name. Love and best greetings, Yogacharini Prema Uta Stier, Chairperson, Gitananda Yoga Society of Germany Dear Ammaji, On this momentous occasion of your 80th birthday, I am filled with immense gratitude and joy as I reflect on the impact you have had on my life. Your presence has been a great catalyst on my journey of self-healing and yogic lifestyle. Your wisdom, knowledge, and unwavering support have allowed me to discover the true potential within myself. Through your teachings, I have learned the art of self-healing, both physically and spiritually, and the power of cosmic energies to find inner peace and balance amidst life's challenges. Your passions for sharing your knowledge and the care with which you have nurtured each of your students have made a lasting impression on me. I am trying my best to take this Guru Shishya Parampara of unconditional love forward with my students. Thank you Ammaji, for being an extraordinary teacher and an inspiration. Your presence in my life has been a blessing, and I am forever grateful for the transformative experiences I have had under your guidance. With love, Yogacharya Sumit Upreti, New Delhi Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 17

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest charming, stunning, gorgeous, kind Ammaji, Wishing you blessings upon blessings and millions of extra wishes. Thanks for making so many lives better by working your magic. Wishing you sweet harmony on the official day for Cake & Ice-cream. Have a YAY day! Toast to many many many trips around the sun. Joy to you, Rose /Roshni Dear Ammaji, We had the pleasure of meeting you during the journey when we accompanied our beloved Master Yogi Raj Aruna Nath Giri to Pondicherry in January 2017 and during the Puja in honor of Maha Rishi Dot. Swami Gitananda Giri on January 1st, 2018. Your meeting and embrace will always remain in our memories. Although we did not have the pleasure and honor of knowing you in person, the stories of Yogi Raj Aruna about you and Swamiji have always filled our hearts. We send you our sincerest and affectionate wishes for your eightieth birthday. May the Masters protect and bless you for many more years so that your teachings and those of Swamiji, which have reached us through the dedication and love of Yogi Raj Aruna, may continue to guide us in our evolution, helping us elevate our consciousness. With immense respect and love, Tanti Auguri. Dino and Tanja from Palermo - Sicily. Happy Birthday to my dearest Ammaji Meenakshi Devi who brought harmony, beauty and art to life in yoga. We are grateful for your continued presence among us. Lots of light and love on your path. Loredana - Palermo - Sicily Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 18

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dear Ammaji, Sending you very special 80th Birthday wishes. I have so many happy memories of our meetings and feel as if I have always known you. Thank you for all the extraordinary amount of work you have crammed into this lifetime ensuring the Parampara thrives. We all love you and I miss you though I feel your presence, this driving force that pushes us to be the best we can be. You have left a lasting impression on us. Jenny, NSW, Australia. Dear Ammaji, The only way I could see you speak was through videos and conferences. The sense of humanity you convey in your speeches is amazing; your clarity of tongue and mind, rare to find; your endeavor for your students, remarkable. Thank you for being present in this Parampara, thank you for sowing more seeds of wisdom on this land. Best wishes for your 80th Birthday. Respectfully, Diego from Italy Happy Birthday Amma, Amma told us in Satsangha [one evening] 28 years ago that we have 18 senses. I wailed that I had trouble controlling five senses - now Amma tells us there are 18 senses. Now 28 years later one can withdraw the senses using Abhyasa to move through Vairagya from the unreal to the real. Thanks to Amma for informing us of these higher senses in Yoga terms as well as giving us the tools and instructing us in the Jnana Kriyas to control the Chitta- vritti of the subconscious mind; which is still a work in progress. Yogacharya Muralidharan Giri, Gitananda Yoga Association Inc, Australia Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 19

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Param Pujya Ammaji Deerga Ayush Ammaji We love you Ammaji Keep Blessing us Ammaji Waruni Bibile, Sri Lanka Dear Respected Ammaji, Wishing you many many glorious returns of the day! I have never personally met you, but I feel as if I have known you for long and really well. Thanks to Dr Anandaji who I was blessed to meet and learn from. May you stay healthy and happy always and be eternally blessed. Have a magical 80th Birthday! With love and respect, Manjiri Prabhu, Pune. Happy Birthday! Thank you for your service. Thank you for being you! Much gratitude and smiles from across the miles Namaste, Adi Lakshmi/ Jennifer Laing, MD Sherman, TX USA Pujya Ammaji, What a blessing to have come across such a divine person like you and to be able to study under the guidance of my dear Guru Dr Ananda. I look forward to meeting you soon. Have a blessed 80th Birthday. May the almighty shower his choicest blessings on you. Much love & respect, Mary Cecil, Kolkata Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 20

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Namaste, beloved Ammaji, Thank you for always pushing us to be our authentic selves, even when that means meeting our most vulnerable human aspects of character. On this blessed occasion of your birthday, we celebrate your life on earth and planes beyond. May we always be held by your loving embrace as we continue walking on this Yoga path of life. Tanti auguri! Happy Birthday! Yogacharini Sangeeta, Gitananda Nada Yoga, Italy Penblwydd Hapus iti Ammaji<3 Well, if Swamiji was the Lion of Pondicherry then you surely should be the Lioness of Pondicherry. You have been strong, brave and powerful throughout your life yet maintained your gentle loving and caring feminine side with a tremendous sense of play. As with a lioness everything you have done has been for your Guru; the lion always comes first. You have brought so many cubs into this world by nurturing them, teaching them to stand on their own feet, protecting them and sending them out into the world to create their own life with good honest values. You then sit back and watch us play and learn with a sense of pride but without ego - more of a job well done. To us you most definitely are our 'Queen of the Jungle'. Love you so much Ammaji, Yogacharini Kalavathi, Om Studio, UK Dearest Ammaji, Although I have never had the fortune to meet you in person, I see and feel from afar your deep devotion as a student, wife, mother, grandmother and Guru. Behind every great man stands a great woman and on your 80th birthday let us all celebrate your personal immense and positive contribution to the lives of so many. With love and respect from Switzerland, Madeleine Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 21

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Divine Dearest Ammaji Namasté, We wish You the Happiest Birthday you ever have had till this year in your life. I never have known or met a Master Teacher with thousands and thousands of relationships like you, and surely there is no possibility on earth to meet another one in my life. Thank you for the experiences, teachings, your guidance in spirituality through the last 35 years and also now while writing. Yours in Yoga Yoga Shakti Latha and Simo, Gitananda Yoga, Berlin Padabhivandanam to respected Ammaji, I heard from the elders that some souls are born just to guide and uplift others who are directionless and confused. You are such a soul who was born to guide me. How can I thank you for providing me with an atmosphere through Ananda Acharya and the entire Gitananda family where I can receive knowledge along with love to correct myself? I wish you a very healthy and blissful life ahead. Seeking your blessings, Anantha Lakshmi N, India Dearest Ammaji, Even though we are miles away, yet your words have provided me both love and strength as a mother provides her child. I'm very grateful for your presence and guidance through your wise words and graceful presence. I wish you health, happiness and so much joy. Thank you for being an inspiration to us all. All I can say is: love you so much Ammaji. Happiest Birthday to you. Warmest regards, Mitchelle Matharu Namaste and Happy Birthday, Ammaji! God bless you. My admiration, respect and infinite gratitude for being a shining light in the path of all of us. With great affection, Laura Tolbaños, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain) Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 22

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Happy Birthday Ammaji, Today we celebrate guiding light, wisdom shines so pure and bright, Ammaji, our beloved Guru, On this special day, we honor you. With grace and strength, you lead the way, Teaching us the art of Yoga every day. Your gentle words resonate deep within, inspiring us to find peace and begin. Your presence fills our hearts with cheer, as you guide us on a path so clear, through the practice of Asanas and breath, you show us the power of love and depth. In our lives, you've brought healing and calm, showing us that Yoga is more than a psalm. Ammaji, your teachings transcend the years, filling our souls with love and no fears. You've touched countless lives with care, guiding us through moments of despair, your selfless devotion and unwavering goals, inspire us to reach the depths of our souls. On this special day, we send our love, Ammaji, our divine blessing from above. May your birthday be filled with joy and cheer, as you continue to spread love far and near. Happy birthday, dear Ammaji. Dr Sumita Mukherjee, Pune. Dearest Ammaji. There is a song that starts with the words: 'It only takes a spark to get a fire going. And soon everyone around it will warm up in its glowing.' Ammaji, you have been that spark, and I wish you could see all the beautiful fires across the world that you have ignited. With your passion for Yoga, your commitment to life, your dedication to Swamiji and your love for us fellow travelers on the journey of life itself, I want to express my gratitude for your spark that ignited my fire and then the glow thereof within South Africa. I honour you, salute you, thank you and love you. May you enjoy the blessings that enfold and embrace you on this special day—happy 80thBirthday. Yogacharini Marietjie Venter Anjali School of Yoga, South Africa Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 23

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Namaste Ammaji My Pranams and gratitude! Happy 80th birthday wishes Ammaji. Your strength and wisdom guided many of us. Wishing Ammaji wellness and happiness always on this special occasion. Thank you and with your blessings, Dr B Rajalakshmi, Pondicherry Namaskaram to the living Siddha of Pondicherry - Srimati Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani Ji, Ammaji - The light of the Divine Mother! Wishing you all the very best on your 80th Birthday Ammaji! Ammaji you are the most cherished person in our hearts. We love you and bow down our heads to your beautiful lotus feet which is a blessing who stayed firm for the beautiful journey, once you had begun in the Motherland Bharat. The land stands for its diversity, multicultural connections and fulfilling your Dharma as a light for so many on the path of Yoga through the rich Rishiculture Traditional Ashtanga Yoga teachings and practices. Your life's work of love and dedication towards the arts, classical dance and music has set the benchmark for many learners to learn Yoga, music, dance and practice these magnificent Yoga teachings. You are wholesome Ammaji! You are Yoga! You are Life! We are so blessed to be the part of Yoga Step by Step led under your guidance which has unfolded so many things in different spheres of life. Since I met you, not a single day has passed that I have not bowed down to your feet. Saying Namaste and thanking you and Swamiji in my heart makes me happy and Santosham. You are a very beautiful divine blessing. Wishing you all the goodness from Om Saraswatiye Namaha. You move with a meaning and purpose Ammaji, may your journey of Yoga, life of light, kindness, guidance, truthfulness bein a continuum movement. Have a blissful and so blessed day Ammaji! Parnaam! Gurleen Sarai , Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 24

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest Divine Ammaji, Best wishes for your 80th Birthday! You are a guiding light and inspiration to all. I feel extremely blessed to have met you and received your wisdom and guidance through your Satsangs, and your books, letters, and articles. Eternally and gratefully Yours, Selwyn Williams Lotus Yoga Centre, Paraparaumu NZ Dear Ammaji, There are no words, really, to express my gratitude to you. I am so grateful that you have come into my life, shared the teachings of Yoga from the Gitananda lineage, and given permission to Dr Ananda and Dhivya Priya to continue this lineage. You are a gift and have devoted your life to sharing Yoga with those of us who are thirsty. We celebrate your 80th birthday with so much appreciation of the sacrifices you have made, and the work you have done over all these years. And thank you for giving your blessing for Dr Ananda to come to Canada and share teachings with our SOYA group in 2018. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Yogacharini Mugs McConnell Dear Ammaji, Here you are approaching the end of the final nine cycle of the third Ashrama and it is with great respect and reverence that I write. At 81, I can remember Janaki Devi earnestly questioning me to pass a very important message to Dr Anandaji; “what do I do now as I have reached the end of the Vanaprashta Ashrama”. The reply from Dr Ananda was to “put your feet up and prepare for your next life”. I hope you really enjoy your 80th Birthday celebrations and I hope you are served the finest cake and tea as you put your feet up and enjoy the Leela surrounding you. A leela that you have played such an important role in for such a long time. God Bless you Ammaji! Tony O'Dea (UK) Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 25

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Namaste dearest Ammaji, Your 80th Birthday gives me the opportunity to thank you for all the wonderful Yoga teachings. I feel tremendously fortunate to have found Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga in this lifetime. Together with Dr. Swami Gitananda, you have devoted your whole life to Yoga. You embody Yoga and its teachings in every moment. Your respect and obedience to your Guru, Tradition and Dharma is absolute and I am continuously inspired and encouraged to live my life in the best way I can. May the power of everlasting goodness be always with you. Happy 80th Birthday. With love and gratitude, Hwamin Fettes, Australia Namaskar Divine Ammaji, I am grateful for the day I was blessed to connect with you! I am thankful for all your generosity of time and energy you have put into me and my family. I will never forget how you opened up my mind in some way or another every day I spent at the Ashram with you. Your heart is as big as the ocean, and I have swum around this Divine love from such a true Yogini as you! I feel your love from thousands of miles away. I will always be connected to you in spirit and pray to always meet you and be with you in our various incarnations! I love you Ammaji you are a great shining star in my life that will never fade. I will always be your devoted loving Chela. Yogacharini Deepika (Wales) Dearest Ammaji, Although we have not met, I am the beneficiary of your dedication and commitment to Yoga over the 80 years of your current life. I thank you most sincerely. A blessed 80th birthday to you and may your party be the best party ever! You have made a difference for a better world. Love to you, Yoga Sadhaki Valananda, St Albert, Alberta, Canada Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 26

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dear Ammaji, Namaste, Wishing you Joy and Happiness and wonderful Surprises for your 80th Birthday. You are now more than 50 years in India, the sacred land of Bharata. Already 30 years I am connected to you and the Ashram. How much India and Swamiji changed your life and how much you and Swamiji changed the life of thousands of children (young and old), including mine. You are a great soul and often you said things I did not understand at the time. But some time later I came across situations where I could remember your words. Your words and your teaching resonate in my teaching and my whole life. Thank you, dearest Ammaji, for all your caring and sharing. I bow to your feet. With a heartily hug and big smile, Yogacharini Sri Devi, Switzerland Dear Ammaji, This is from an email I got from you on September 29th, 2020: 'So, every moment we evolve - or devolve - but keep to this idea! 99 times down, 100 times up! Back to you and me and our interaction. Much love to you, and gratitude for your participation in our life.' It is amazing how warm your words have always kept me. I love you. Thank you for your participation in my life. Happy birthday. Eridani of the Ananda Ashram Dear Yoga Ma Ammaji, Happiest Birthday wishes to you!!!!!!!!. Gratitude for the Almighty to give you this physical form in this mortal world to help, lift and bless innumerable seekers on the path of Yoga. Gratitude and Pranaams to bless us by giving birth to Dr. Sir who is continuously striving to bring out the true philosophy of Yoga to the world. Keep blessing us. Lots of gratitude and ShashtaangaNamaskaar on your lotus feet. Regards, Maitreyee Sharma, Kolkata, India. Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 27

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest Ammaji, Meenakshi Devi, Your life shines out in dedication to the truths and benefits of Yoga, as a practitioner, guide and Amma. We are blessed to have you with us all these years, quietly executing Swamiji's teachings, nurturing students and Ashram. Along with the wisdom of Medicine and Music, Dr Anandaji sails forth, both of you an encouraging example to us all. May you delight in 80 years of accomplishment and enjoy the years to come. With love, respect and gratitude, Janaki Dearest Ammaji, Blessings upon Blessing shower over you at this time. Not long until you can go into the forest for the life of a Rishi now! You have used your time here to polish diamonds and we shine because of you. You will always be my Yoga Mother, I will always be your grateful eaglet. Thank you for welcoming us all into this Yoga family. With love, Yogacharini Niraimathi, Australia Dear Ammaji, I pay tribute to your many years of spreading goodness and wisdom through Yoga. Satyam, Sivam, Sundaram. Phillip of Australia Divine Extraordinary Ammaji, Your presence, insight, loyalty and dedication to Swamiji and his teachings has been a shining inspiration to me and thousands of students and others. I love your kindness, wisdom and insight which flows beautifully from your inner being. I feel incredibly blessed to have been divinely guided to you and to be accepted by you, as a student and part of your amazing family. I wish you a wonderful 80th birthday with everyone you love around you. I will be there in spirit. Yogashakti Margo Mathaji Hutchison, Australia Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 28

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Wishing you a very Happy Birthday Dearest Ammaji, We are blessed to be your children and your students. We remember all the stories you told us, they help us to understand life better and work towards becoming better versions of ourselves. You have always been loving, caring and giving, inspiring us to be the same. We thank you with all our heart and soul for your unconditional love and guidance. Our favorite mantra that you taught us is 'I can, I will, and I am able.' We love you very much. With lots of love and gratitude Your students, Priya, Alex and Arjun Dear Ammaji, I haven't met you, but I experienced your values and greatness through Anandaji. I love you, respect and pray for you daily. 'I can. I will. I am able', learnt from my dearest Ammaji. Anonymous Pranams to Param Pujya beloved Ammaji, My loving beloved Amma. You have changed the course of my life with your 'One word' and 'One look' – You made me understand what I have been looking (searching) for all along. Love you Amma and am ever grateful for Your graceful presence in my life- as an inspiration, as a strong influence. Ammaji – You have often told me, 'There is light at the end of every dark tunnel. Only thing is – do not stop…just keep walking /moving.' You have been that guiding as well as driving force – the 'Shakti' enabling me to walk the path – pushing me ahead many times to 'move on', come what may! Praying the Almighty to shower you with His choicest Blessings now and ever. It's a Hap Hap Happy Birthday – We wish you to BE, one hundred and three. Loads of love, respects and gratitude Dr Meena Ramanathan, Pondicherry, India Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 29

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Divine Guru Maa Ammaji, I still remember the day I came to meet you in 2006 and fell in love with your first sight as my Sadguru. Since then, you have been my guide, mentor, guiding light on this yogic path. I was searching for Yoga and been in so many ashrams, traditions and only after being under your guidance did I realize that 'Yoga is Yoga.' You showed me how to connect all these puzzles of many paths of yoga like Jnana, Tantra, Mantra, Hatha, Karma, Bhakti, etc. I feel blessed to have met with you in this life and ever grateful that you accepted me as your student for 6-month residential sadhana. I know you are truly blessed with yoga, wisdom and Siddhis and wish that divine fulfill all your wishes you desire for Ammaji. Here is a little poem my heart sings for you Ammaji: Om Swarupa, Shiva Swarupa Ammaji Yoga Swarupa Siddha Swarupa Ammaji Jnana Swarupa Atma Swarupa Ammaji Prema Swarupa Ammaji Ammaji Ammaji Love, Gratitude and Abundance Yogachariya Jnandev Giri, Gurukula UK & Portugal Happiest of Birthdays Dearest Ammaji, May this 80th birthday be filled with warmth, love and celebration. Sending you birthday blessings filled with love from California. My heart is filled with gratitude to you and Anandaji for welcoming us into the Ashram. The wisdom you shared in our brief interactions continues to inspire me. Wishing you the most wonderful 80th birthday and may your pure light shine brightly as the north star. Much love, Yoga Chemmal Dr Lori Rubenstein Fazzio, California, USA Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 30

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest Ammaji, Namaste. May your 80th birthday bring you the most enlightened and uplifting year of your most incredible life! Anyone who has been in close contact with you should feel a deep sense of gratitude first and foremost. You have been a guiding light, sometimes emanating a soft glow, sometimes with an intensity that reminds us of how unique you are… but regardless of the form you chose to take at that moment, caring and evolutionary principles are always the foundational origins of your thoughts, words, and actions. You have been a true Guru to so many, and I am so fortunate to be one of those humans-in-development that have recognised it. May you continue to be in that place, centered in your-Self, and in being so, continue to help others center them- Selves. I love you beyond words, Yogacharya Srikant Georges, Ottawa, Canada Namaste Ammaji, You have always been our source of inspiration. Your presence in our lives has been truly invaluable, and we are deeply grateful for all the wisdom you've provided. You have always had faith in us and believed we will be able to achieve great things in life. The truth is, your faith and belief became our driving force. We will always cherish the beautiful moments we shared with you and many more to come. Wishing you a very Happy 80th Birthday. With loads of love, respect and gratitude, Yogathilakam Shanmugam and Lalitha Shanmugam, Puducherry, India. Happy Birthday dear Ammaji! With gratitude and love for all you have given, are giving… From your small-little Jnânasundarî Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 31

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI पर् णामअमम् जी, आपकोअवतरणदिवसकीअनंतशभु कामनाएँ । भारतीयसंस्कृति ,कलाऔरयोगकेप्रचारपर् सारमंेआपकायोगदानअदव् ितीयहै । इसअनमोलयोगदानकले िएहमसभीहमशे ाआपकऔे रस्वामीजीकेऋणीरहगंे े । आपकेयोगदाननने जानके ितनेलोगोंकोनयीराहकीओरपर् ेरितकियाहै। हमसभीआपकेसदाआभारीरहगें े । Wish You a Very Happy Wonderful 80th Birthday Dear Ammaji . नीलाचल (Nilachal) Dear Amma, Almost 13 years back on the exact date, you had gifted me a journal, on the first page of which there was a beautiful letter written. Today I am writing back to that letter. Amma, I have been doing my best to live life the way you had taught me, a life of Yoga, trying to become aware of how unaware I am. Trying to not be that yellow chicken you spoke about in our May intensive, trying to use my human brain majority of times. When I told you I wanted to become a Gynecologist, you said I should try delivering mothers normally because cesarean sections are on the rise these days and that is exactly what I am doing now. It is pure joy to be around young mothers and deliver their babies and assist the Universe in giving these women what they have been praying for. I am always grateful, for the mother and the Guru you have been for me and many others like me. Sending you a warm hug all the way from Kolkata. Love you Ma, Dr Lothikha.S.S. Dearest Ammaji, We wish you all the best for your life on your special birthday! To meet you and having your inspiration and guidance through your words, your amazing books and your radiating being made our life so imbued. We thank you deeply for going in front of us on the way through the times. Love and Light, Madeleine and Thomas, Berlin Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 32

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest Ammaji, It's amazing that your arrival to this beautiful world we live in and the meeting of the two hearts Swamiji and YOU together brought a tremendous thrust to the lineage which is so rare and precious. On top of it, Dr Ananda is with us. If not for you Ammaji, we would have not heard these gems of wisdom that Swamiji uttered as you penned the golden words to paper and brought us volumes of teachings unheard to simple earthlings like us. It's truly amazing to see the depths of these teachings unravel so many mysteries of external and internal Yoga. You're such a gift to mankind. I am so happy that I came to meet YOU and Dr. Ananda . Words cannot simply express my sincere gratitude. Wishing YOU a Very Happy Birthday and many more Super Years with all your lovely eaglets around you to enjoy and rejoice in Peace and Harmony. Sadu,Sadu,Sadu Metta Gitan Rajapakse, Sri Lanka and Germany Namaste Dearest Ammaji, Pranams to You. Have been with you for many of your birthday celebrations. But this is very special. Tapas like Divine Beeshmachariya had. Being with you is always a big blessing for me and my family. Your presence itself makes ordinary things extraordinary, extraordinary to great. I owe you everything I enabled in this lifetime. Thank you for giving us Dr.Sir, Deva Miss, Dhi&Thambu. Life is more manageable, Understandable & Comprehensible with all you. May Swamiji and My Lord Hanuman give you immense strength and power to guide us forever& ever. Happy 80th Birthday to Dear Ammaji, Lioness of Yoga & Puducherry. Pranams & Love You Ammaji Let the Shakthi in you give us immense Shakthi Your Chelas Dr. R. Balaji, Dr. Shamili Shanker, Ms. Reshma Shanker Puducherry, India Grand Chelas: B. S Balavishakan, B. S Rudhresh Puducherry, India Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 33

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Divine Ammaji, Sending you this Birthday message with my heart full of gratitude. You have been the center of my Yoga world for so many years. I feel your guidance still from a distance, but in reality, there is no distance at all. I feel you close in spirit. I find myself reading your articles with your wise words we received from you throughout all the years. These words keep on nourishing our brain and heart. Collected together this wisdom would give a compendium- AMMAJi's wise words “as they are so many in number, always deep, refreshing, beautiful and admonishing not to get lost in this crazy world. Thank you, dearest Divine Teacher, for your presence at all times, your guidance, your energy and loving care. I love you dearly. With gratitude, love and joy having met you and being your student as well as part of this beautiful Guru Parampara of Swami Gitananda. Yogacharini Vijaya, Gitananda Yoga, Berlin Dear Ammaji, Fifty-four years ago we met, very briefly, at Ananda Ashram. You were on the way in to join Swamiji, and I was on the way out, to spread what I had learnt into a distant corner of the world. I was partly successful in spreading my vision and teachings; you were spectacularly successful in spreading your vision and teachings to your child and grandchildren, locally and worldwide into the Universe. The only possible gift I can imagine must come through Ananda chanting AUM. Namaste, Yogacharini Zigi (Australia) Dear Ammaji, I wish you a Happy Birthday! Sending you salty sweet thoughts from the South West coast of France. Yogacharini Sowmya Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 34

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest Divine Ammaji! Great love to you on your 80th Birthday! Cherished by all whose lives you touched with grace and kindness. This world is made ever more beautiful by your example of skill in action. In this Yoga which you have made a wonderful life is the brightest of lights illuminating the path of liberation for all souls. With tremendous gratitude to that grace you imparted in me, with the highest wisdom packaged so simply. 'Life is Good!' I bow and salute your blessed divine soul in this and every moment. Happy Birthday dear Ammaji! I love you dearly. Yogasadhaka Raghavan (Tyler Vaughan) of Canada Dear Divine Pujya Ammaji, 80 Years Old! Wow! You made it! Congratulations Amma! Wishing you a beautifully Happy and Blissful Birthday! Thank you for being such a perfect example of a Yogacharini, and as a Human! You have conquered so much within yourself and lovingly, eagerly, helped each of us with similar care and concern. You taught me to not let the small things bother me (especially those little mosquitoes). Your generosity with me, your patience, belief, and love has had a profound transformative effect! May the highest of thoughts always be shared with us and may your light shine forever as it has in my life! With love and respect, Yogacharya Gowrishankarananda, Canada Dear Divine Ammaji, happy happy 80th Birthday! You are such a guiding light on the yoga path for so many - a true spiritual leader who has given so much. Wishing you, your family and the whole worldwide Gitananda family much joy and heartfelt love on such an auspicious occasion! With love and respect, Lisa Elliott, Team 52, UK Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 35

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest Ammaji, I have not been graced with the opportunity of being in your physical presence just yet, but your unconditional love, wisdom, light and nurturing spirit spans continents. Your teachings and guidance are a breath of soothing, fresh air in this difficult physical existence. You have shared that virtues are eternal and that a life built on a firm foundation of Yama & Niyama gives structure and permanence to all that we do. In my own Sadhana and life experience, I know this to be true. Thank you for being a precious beam of light and life support. I cannot in my mind fathom the effect of your presence and teachings on the lives of so many souls. You have created the most profound ripple effect in the sea of our humanity. Happy happy and joyous birthday celebrations to you. I look forward to meeting you at the end of September. With love, Kim Wohlen from USA Beautiful and serene Pujya Ammaji, Those wonderful sparkling eyes you have, express your great generosity in spreading love and wisdom to the world. Your divine smile has been a great source of inspiration for many. Your touch- your motherly touch- keeps us grounded and opens our heart to realms of unconditional love. Wishing you to Be Happy, always! With love, Koulia Christofi, Cyprus Dear Ammaji To know you is to witness Skill in Action, a Yogini of immense energy, love and Wisdom. You have been my guide, teacher and best friend for decades. I am truly blessed to have a part in your world, to sit at your feet as we journey on in this Yoga Life. Ammaji, a Very Happy 80th Birthday my love (and profound interest) as always. Yoga Shakti Cathy, UK Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 36

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dear Ammaji, Little did you know that I found your teachings approximately 13 years ago now, via your beautifully generous, online offerings. The balance you strike between immense power, intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, courage, and strength, alongside love, compassion, care, and maternally, protective energy (i.e., Shakti) was felt, even through the few YouTube videos I often watched on repeat to inspire and uplift me. Your presence and willing, steady embodiment of these incredible Yogic concepts and principles, is nothing less than amazing. I deeply appreciate your honest ability to convey how to live appropriately in this world of constant change and sometimes, pain, and one of my favourite phrases/affirmations of yours will always be “Rhythm, regularity, repetition”, as well as, 'Remember to remember.' Thank you so much for your dedication and example. It has and will continue to make a profound difference. Wishing you the most wonderful, peaceful, joyous birthday. With love and gratitude and in Yoga, Kamala Happy Birthday Dearest Ammaji Thank you for all that you are. You have and are showing us the way of life every day. Thank you for your love, guidance and generosity. Thank you for teaching us acceptance and to work towards becoming the best version of ourselves. Amongst the many seeds you sowed, your 3Rs concept of 'Repeat, Rhythm & Regularity' is rooted strongly within us and gives us the strength to keep moving forward and be present in the moment. Though miles apart we feel your love, guidance, support and divinity. Thank you for accepting us into this Parampara with so much love. We bow at your feet and thank you from the bottom of our heart for all the blessings dear Ammaji and pray to be born as your children and students in all our lifetimes to come. With lots of love, gratitude and devotion, Vidhya & Mougoundane Batmaradjy Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 37

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dear Ammaji, Although I haven't met you in person, I got to know you through your writing. When I enrolled for the Step-by-step correspondence course towards the end of 2014, I 'met' you through the letters you wrote to us course participants. The messages in there that were for me personally made me feel that you understood me and knew exactly what I needed to hear. It was an occasion to receive those letters: coming home from the post office, I would make tea and sit down to read them, in my mind imagining that we are having tea together! I cherish those letters. To think that your hands handled those pieces of paper, received your signature and then traveled from India all the way to the southern tip of Africa into my hands, that makes it so special in a world where 'snail mail' is becoming a thing of the past. From the time I did the Correspondence course onwards, I got to know you through your writings in the Yoga Life. Dr Ananda told us that you were the one who typed every word of the Step-by-step course. So, it is thanks to you that Swamiji's teachings are available to us in that and in so many books. Then there is the History of Yoga trilogy – one day I will have my own set! To me, your writings are many things: they convey such wisdom and profound insight. They inspire, admonish, guide and make one think. Through your words I am inspired to be the best version of myself. Just by reading your words, I am inspired to write. Dear Ammaji – thank you for the huge body of work that you have given us! Thank you for your love, dedication and devotion. May you have a very special 80th birthday, surrounded by the love of the world Gitananda Yoga family near and far. With lots of love and gratitude. Alet Ferreira-Brazelle, Cape Town, South Africa Pranam Ammaji, Wishing you a very happy 80th Birthday. On this special day, I pray for your good health, happiness and long life, Guruma. I really wish to meet you. May your blessings continue to guide us always. With lots of love and gratitude, Asha, Himanshu and Shatakshi Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 38

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Namaste and Vanakam dearest Pujya Ammaji We wish you many many happy returns of the day, Ammaji! May we always be worthy of your love and blessings! Your name 'Meenakshi' means Goddess Parvati or the one with beautiful eyes! Even though we haven't seen you in person, whenever we look at you, virtually we see the truth through your expressions, actions and your words. As you say, 'Create a beauty that has never been created before!' We thank you and Swamiji, the divine duo, for creating this magical kingdom Yoganjali Natyalayam, which is helping us grow and glow, by allowing us to mindfully progress towards being the best version of ourselves. Attending these online YOGNAT sessions since November 2020, our perspective towards life has changed. We now see… - Yoga, beyond physical Asanas to Ashtanga Yoga - Dance, beyond meaningless Bollywood moves to graceful Bharatanatyam and - Music, beyond harsh loud songs to melodious Carnatic rhythms! We hope to meet you really soon and take your blessings in person by touching your divine feet! Much love and respect to you always! With reverence, Avni and Niyati Ramrakshani (YOGNATians) Always putting others first Mother, friend, teacher, wife Most compassionate and most wise A beacon shining in our lives Jnana, karma, and bhakti yogi Inspiring us all with her light Dr Alan Davis, UK Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 39

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Amma - My Guru – My Guiding light My Namaskarams to you Amma on this milestone birthday. My only prayer for you is that you live to be 100 so that you can continue to be a Guiding Light and a blessing for so many Sadhakas like myself. The day you accepted me into the ashram – as part of Team 51 – you changed my life! I do not know how to express my gratitude. I was going through my first submission during my course and this is what I had written – 'My first message to my children when I was in the ashram was – 'it's like being at home'. I know I have a long way to go and I am able to go just that little more into myself every day. It's a long journey; but slowly and steadily I am working towards making Yoga a way of life. And I thank the Universe for guiding me to this amazing place. And I feel I have found my Guru here!' And every word of this applies today too – I have a long way to go – I am continuous work in progress, the ashram is home. Amma you have taught me so much (through words, actions and deeds) – by your selflessness – such a role model to have in life! The multiple hats you donned – whether it was your trips into Pondy to get the daily supplies, working on articles and printing of Yoga Life, spending time and teaching Dhivya and Anandraj, keeping track of all the activities in the ashram, knowing each and every of her students – encouraging, scolding, correcting, loving – the list is endless. Have I completely transformed? No. Do I make mistakes? Yes But Ammaji's wisdom has helped me through it all – 'Fall 99 times but make sure you get up the 100th time.' Love and Gratitude Yogasadhaki Tejaswi, Mumbai Heartfelt wishes to Ammaji for her 80th birthday. I will be joining in spirit and looking forward to when photos will be shared. Much Love. Ranjana, South Africa Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 40

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest Ammaji On behalf of my family, I am reaching out to wish you the happiest of birthdays! I hope that your special day is filled with joy, love and the making of cherished memories. I have just finished my morning pranayama and asana practice and as I reflect on the influence that you have had on my life it truly is incredible, and we have never met. Thank you for shining the light of Yoga into my life. Divine blessings Jennifer Kanazawa, Naramata B.C. Canada Dearest Ammaji, Without ever having met you in person, your impact upon my life, has helped me perceive the beautiful imagery of a drop in the ocean creating the most beautiful ripple that extends beyond boundaries of the earth that holds in its hands the water, the sun that absorbs the dissipation of that drop, the stars that shine upon it as that drop has come to rest in the midst of the ocean. In between the stars, sun and earth, the air and space contain the very energy that you have given in your teachings, your grace, your love, your prayers over the years to this lineage, your family and now me! I cannot express my gratitude to you in any other way but to let you know that I understand and completely embrace what it means to be the drop in the ocean, the ripple effect of the energy within this Universe and the blessing you have been to so many in so many ways you may never come to know. Divine Blessings and Love, Terri 'Pernati' McDermott Dearest Ammaji, A very happy 80thBirthday to you! May the divine blessings always be on you and you keep shining the light of your teachings through you, Dr. Sir and your beautiful grandchildren in this world for the generations to come. On this special occasion, I wish foryou health, happiness and joy! Happy Birthday dear Ammaji! Love & Regards Garima Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 41

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Pranams Dear Ammaji, Although we have not yet been with you in-person, our lives have been immensely blessed by your extensive devoted services to preserve and spread the precious authentic Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga of this Parampara. We are very thankful that, by Divine Grace coming through you and your extensive seva, we have access to these precious Gitananda Yoga teachings. The many books, the extensive YSS Lessons, the decades of Yoga Life issues and the inspiration of the young lives nourished through the Yoganjali Natyalayam teachings, are all because of your decades of loving and highly skilled efforts. Plus of course, the great blessing of your & Swamiji's son, Dr. Anandaji. So many of us would not be benefiting from this Living Yoga Tradition, if not for your son. Whenever one of us thanks Dr. Anandaji for his extensive teachings and services, we are also thanking you Ammaji. As we offer thanks at this time of your 80th Birthday, we are greatly inspired by you and your example of a life of selfless service. Thank you dear Ammaji. Om & Prem, Denise Barry and Yogacharya Bharata Bill Francis Barry (USA) My dearest Ammaji, I thank you from the bottom of my heart many times: once for each time you typed every single key of the typewriter in order to share the immense wisdom of our beloved Guru Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj on this very small planet. It was an immense gift for all of us and the most beautiful lesson of 'sharing is caring.' I won't be able to be present for your Birthday, but I hope this Universe will give me the gift to kneel at your feet next year in January. Happy Birthday! Antonio, Rome - Italy Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 42

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI When I first met you Ammaji, our first brief conversation completely shook my world, forcing me to re-evaluate the meaning of my life - and you hardly said anything. I have spent the second half of my life being uncontrollably drawn to India and to your presence. I have spent the last three years, perhaps foolishly, grieving. Through it all, just hearing the sound of your voice, I get transported. Simply being in your presence, something inside me shifts, doors open. Things happen. I cannot quite explain it. You are the most complete, transformative and awe-inspiring being I have ever encountered. I feel like a boiling pot of water, and in your presence, the stove is on high. The heat is not always pleasant, but there's nowhere else I'd rather be. This summer, when I thanked you, Ammaji, for everything you built, the years of sharing and teaching and the energy you poured into us, you replied, “It was nothing.” And so it was. It was also Everything. Deepest Heartfelt Pranams at your Holy Feet. Yogacharya Radu Falcon, Canada Dearest Ammaji, On the wonderful occasion of your 80th Birthday, I wish to express my deep gratitude for you and your chosen path in this lifetime. Your complete dedication and devotion to Swami Gitananda Guru, to Yoga and traditional South Indian dance and music, has transformed the lives of so many sincere seekers and students. It has enabled the profound wisdom of the Parampara to continue through Dr. Ananda and his children, and will continue to positively impact the health, well- being, and spiritual evolution of generations to come. I am grateful for becoming aware of the Parampara in my mid 50's, and for the opportunity to meet you and study at Gitananda Ashram this year. I wish you the peace, contentment, and joy that you so richly deserve. With love and gratitude, Michele Wert, Pennsylvania, USA Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 43

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Most Divine Param Ammaji, Words escape me when I try to convey the feelings and thoughts you evoke, and the importance you have for me… just like 'Yoga is everything'. YOU are everything. YOU are the Yamas and Niyamas I live by, YOU define the Asana/place I have built my life upon, YOU are my Prana, and YOU give me the Vairagya to apply Pratyahara when necessary, the same way you have encouraged the Antaranga Yoga of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi to manifest through me. You said that whatever is good in you is thanks to Swamiji; similarly, whatever is good in me and the power to further strive for Shiva, that eternal Goodness, is thanks to YOU. YOU woke me up and there is no going back. How can one person do so much good, positively and profoundly touch and transform the lives of so many? This summer, I asked you, 'what was the most beautiful part of your day?' 'Everything.' 'OK, but one thing that stands out?' 'Everything.' 'How do you see so much beauty?' 'I look.' On another day, when your physical therapy was canceled (Ammaji really enjoys her session with her PT because she gets to get out of her room and see the ocean), I saw how disappointed you were. I blurted out: 'I'm so sorry Ammaji, I'm really upset!' 'Don't be.' 'Ammaji, how are you SO good?' 'Many years.' You are larger than life, you are Life - Consciousness - Prema - Sat - Chit - Anandam. May I live a life worthy of thanking you for everything you have given me. Yogacharini Aishwariya, Canada Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 44

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Happy 80th Birthday, dearest, revered Ammaji. May you be showered with love, light and many blessings on such an auspicious day. I have not yet met you, but have a deep and heartfelt connection from your wonderful books, reflections and teachings, which I continually go to for guidance and inspiration, as they flow from the Source: the Good, the Beautiful and the True. You are truly a 'Mother Eagle', Matriarch and Protectress of the illustrious Parampara, under whose wings, and loving and searching eye, we all take shelter, until it is our turn to fly. Boundless gratitude for all you have given, these precious teachings were so hard-won and preserved by Swamiji and yourself; and for the gift of your dear son, Dr. Anandaji, who now spreads these teachings far and wide with such abundance. Much love and Pranams, Yogacharya Michael McCann, Ireland. Pranam Divine Shakti Ammaji. You are the most powerful woman I have ever met! Wishing you a very beautiful happy birthday! Wow 80th, amazing! We are truly blessed to have you incarnated on this planet! Your presence helps keep the earth's light shining brightly! Thank you so much for all the effort you have put into keeping the torch of Yoga alive! Your work is truly marvelous, as you embody the essence of Yoga through your teachings and way of life. Moreover, bringing Dr. Ananda into this world is truly commendable! I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have met you in this lifetime. Your profound influence has had a significant impact on my life, and the time spent with you was invaluable. Your teachings will continue to guide me across many lifetimes!!! Thank you so much, Shaktima of Pondicherry!! Happy Birthday!!! Much love! Yogacharya Giriraj, Brazil Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 45

GLORY TO THE DIVINE MOTHER! GLORY TO PUJYA AMMAJI Dearest Ammaji, Meenakshi Devi, A very Happy 80th Birthday to you, great Yogini, great wife, great mother and grandmother, great organizer, great director, great inspirator and much much more! Your living example of strength through many adversaries, nobility, intelligence, laughter, incredible authentic wisdom and obvious unconditional love have given encouragement to thousands of Swamiji and your devotees. I met you when you were 27 at Lawspet Ananda Ashram and even then, you were a bright light. No one could keep up with your enthusiasm and your dedication, your hard work ethics and your ever ready willingness to assist any of the students. Thank you, Dear One, for all the years of service to Swamiji and to all who love him and gained lifetimes of teachings from him. You carried the torch so beautifully and seamlessly handed it to your very skilled son. Thank you and have a spectacular Birthday! Pranams and Love, Yogashakti Zenna Ariel, Canada Swami ji vandanam, vandanam, vandanam Amma ji vandanam, vandanam, vandanam Guru ji vandanam, vandanam, vandanam Ener ji vandanam, vandanam, vandanam Yoga, nada yoga, mantra yoga, mandala yoga With the blessings of Swamiji, Ammaji and Guru ji, I learn Yoga, Nada Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Mandala Yoga and my sincere gratitude to Swamiji, Ammaji and Guruji…… Artchoudane S, Puducherry, India Namaskar Ammaji, May you relish the loving devotion of your global children who are with you in your heart and you within theirs. The Great Mother that you became gave life to the multitudes and thanks to you, the tradition is a living lineage of love. This is your legacy, Mataji. Thankyou for your birth. With love, Yogasadhaki Malini, Australia Vol.54 No. 09, September 2023 www.rishiculture.in 46