6 – 7 October 2000, Helsinki,
We were a total of 40 devotees receiving Amma at the airport. When She arrived, She gave us a long beautiful darshan. Although all the travelling group was tired after 48 hours of travel, Amma was fresh like a rose – as always. We felt Amma’s visit this year stronger than ever. We had prepared Mother’s room with ‘Navaratri’ in mind. The right flowers with right colours were put near Her bed. There were flowers all over the house.
Mother met the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, Mrs. Riitta Uosukainen, on the day of the first program. The meeting was intimate although there were journalists and photographs present. Amma said, amongst other things, how much a person who holds a high position and has an understanding heart can influence and help others. Uosukainen was clearly impressed by how Amma is awakening goodness in the heart of people. Upon leaving, Uosukainen said that she had to give up all her prejudices before ‘such a person who is so expansive and has such a power of love’.
The hall, began to fill from early in the morning. A total of 4000 people attended the first day’s program. In spite of that, Amma gave long darshans to everybody, and was very gentle and cherished the devotees in all kinds of ways all the time. Amma was enormously sweet during the Devi Bhava darshan. Many were amazed when She spoke to them in Finnish or called them by their name. The hall was decorated beautifully with three huge mandapas (of Shiva, Kali and Shri Krishna). Combined with the windows they gave an impression of a temple with pillars. There were lotus flowers, made of plastic, paper, wood, etc. all over.
The coverage of Amma’s programs by the media was a real breakthrough. More than 10 newspapers wrote about the visit. Also TV 1 (the main TV channel in the country) talked about the event in the news. ‘Apu’ and ‘Anna’, two weekly magazines, wrote good articles. There was also a very good article in the evening newspaper ‘Iltasanomat’ about Riitta Uosukainen’s meeting Amma.
Amma continued to shower Her Finnish children with love, until Her departure time at the airport. She gave long darshans and prasad. Everyone was so much intoxicated by Her presence and energy, that many stayed at the airport for a long time after She had left. Some stayed there for more than an hour.
Here are some excerpts from Amma’s conversation with Mrs. Riitta Uosukainen, Spokesperson of the Finnish Parliament
“If you have patience, then you’ll also have love. Patience leads to love. If you forcefully open the petals of a bud, you won’t be able to enjoy its beauty and fragrance. Only when it blossoms by following its natural course, will the beauty and fragrance of a flower unfold. Today people live to work rather than work for a living.
They have forgotten their true goal in life. Subsequently they have forgotten their dharma. There is no communication between hearts, there is no sharing. Having lost contact with other’s hearts, we become totally isolated. But in truth we are not isolated islands, we are links that form one chain.”
“The heart does not talk, it is the intellect that does all the talking. All dealings are at the intellectual level. We have become like machines; our very lives have become mechanical. Life has lost its naturalness – like a garland of plastic flowers. There is no heart in life anymore. Only when hearts come together does true life blossom. Amma doesn’t say that the approach of the intellect is not necessary; it is also necessary. But the intellect is like a pair of scissors – it can only cut. Whilst the heart is like a needle and thread – it mends, it brings together. Both the scissors and the needle are required; with the scissors you cut, with the needle you stitch – This is how you can make a garland or clothes….”
“Changing the world is like trying to straighten a dog’s tail. However much you may try, you won’t succeed. But although the tail won’t straighten, if you keep trying every day, at least you will put on some muscle. Similarly, even though it is difficult to make a change, our effort to do so in itself brings positive results. It will help us change. Without waiting for others to change, if we change ourselves first, that will make a difference. Instead of worrying about results, focus on doing our best in what we are engaged in.”