Swami Atmananda Puri will be in New Zealand from August 29 to September 12
Venkat Raman
Auckland, August 28, 2023
Meditation, Yoga, Spiritual Discourses, Satsang and ‘Divinity Defined’ will all be a part of a spiritual journey that will be initiated by one of the prominent disciples of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (aka The Hugging Mother and Healer of Pain) during his 15-day visit to New Zealand, commencing on Tuesday, August 27, 2023.
Swami Atmananda Puri, earlier known as Brahmachari Shraddhamrita Chaitanya, will participate in several events in Wellington and Auckland, organised by Amma New Zealand, an organisation devoted to emulating the humanitarian efforts of The Mother and promoting several charitable causes. The events will be hosted in association with the Indian High Commission and the Hindu Council of New Zealand.
Discourses, Dharma Fest and more
Wellington-based Amma New Zealand President Dr Siva Kumar said that as well as conducting meditation and spiritual courses, Atmananda Puri will participate in the DharmaFest 2023 organised by the Hindu Youth New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday, 9 September 2023.
The DharmaFest, the second in an annual series, will be held from 10 am to 4 pm at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre, located at 145, New North Road, Eden Terrace, Auckland.
DharmaFest is a family-friendly event, at which people will visit stalls to understand ancient diverse cultures, arts, crafts, yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. Amma New Zealand is a part of this event with the New Zealand Buddhist Council, New Zealand Central Sikh Association, Hindu Council of New Zealand, BAPS Swaminarayan, Art of Living Foundation, Chinmaya Mission, Sri Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre New Zealand, Yoga in Daily Life and other organisations,” he said.
Dr Siva said that Swami Atmananda Puri has been conducting meditation retreats and spiritual discourses in Singapore, Malaysia, Europe, Mauritius, Australia and New Zealand to guide individuals toward finding greater peace in their everyday lives.
“He is also a Global Teacher of the IAM Technique. His easy manner and instructive talks help put Amma’s teachings into action and he specialises in guided meditations which further deepen our spiritual practice. He has a unique ability to merge a subtle understanding of profound spiritual texts while bringing the flavour of Amma’s teachings on these topics,” he said.
About Mata Amritanandmayi Devi
Everyone may not accept her as a Deity to worship, but to millions of people around the world, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is ‘Amma’ or Mother, whose love, care, affection, and compassion transcend religions, faiths, and ethnicities.
People afflicted by physical ailments, disabilities, mental depression, and a host of other problems would be at huge gatherings in villages, towns, and cities, hoping that Amma would set her eyes upon them. Invariably she would do so and with a single smile and embrace, cure them of their afflictions.
More than the proverbial Midas touch, her compassion heals people. It is little wonder that their initial awe and admiration make them a follower and soon they begin to consider her as a Supreme Being, worthy of worship.
With her charming smile and humility, ‘Amma’ has endeared herself to millions of people around the world, starting from her native ‘Parayakadavu,’ a village in the Quilon district in the South Indian state of Kerala, where she was born on September 27, 1953, and named ‘Sudhamani.’
Even as a child, she displayed distinct compassion towards the poor, the needy and the downtrodden and wanted to do her best to alleviate their pain and suffering.
She was also known for her famous hug that cured people of stress, illnesses and suffering and was affectionately called, ‘The Hugging Mother.’
Amma’s following is said to be growing in New Zealand and each year her Birthday celebrations witness an increasing number of people dedicated to spreading her concept of social service and community care. Amma New Zealand has been actively spreading her teachings to the communities in the country.
About Swami Atmananda Puri
Swami Atmananda Puri is a monastic disciple of Amma.
A graduate of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, he relinquished his career in the software industry to serve Amma. He is among the disciples of Amma involved in coordinating scientific research and social welfare projects at Amrita University, established in her name with campuses in Amritapuri, Cochin, Coimbatore, Bangalore and Mysore.
He first met her in 1989 and has been living at her Ashram in Kerala since 1993. He was ordained formally as a monk in 1997.
Brahmacharis undergo classes on scriptural texts like the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavatam, Ramayana and other scriptures. The subtle spiritual truths hidden in these texts are brought to light in these classes. The Brahmacharis are also taught to chant Vedic and Tantric mantras traditionally. They are also taught ritual worship and practice yoga and meditation daily as part of their spiritual routine. Amma initiated Swami Atmananda Puri into Sannyasa Deeksha on 13 March 2020. The new names of the Swamis are suffixed with Anand (bliss) and Puri (the Sannyasa order).
About Amma New Zealand
Amma New Zealand is a community organisation established in August 2007 to promote Amma’s message of peace, love, and compassion in New Zealand. Inspired by the concept of “Embracing the World” (www.embracingtheworld.org/), an international network of regional humanitarian initiatives, it organises humanitarian, spiritual, cultural, and environmental projects across different cities in New Zealand.
Amma New Zealand regularly donates groceries and warm clothes to the Auckland City Mission, the Wellington Night Shelter, and the Downtown Community Ministry, and participates in socio-economic activities such as Environment Day, Tree Plantation, Blood Donation, Distribution of food in crises following natural disasters.
Through the Mother’s Kitchen initiative, the Organisation feeds homeless people with cooked meals in Auckland and Wellington.
Website: https://amma.org
