Peter, If the stories on her Website are accurate, her confusion doesn't surprise me. I found her descent into madness chronicled on her site completely riveting. Of course I understand that others may see the divine hand at work instead of a mental illness. Funny to think how she would have been treated in this culture with her symptoms. She may have sustained neurological damage early on if this story is true from her site:
"A daughter earlier born to Mokhshadasundari died prematurely. With that tragedy in mind Mokhshada [Grandma (Didima) to the devotees] took the newborn MA before a Tulsi sapling installed in the house in the morning and rolled the infant over and over on the ground. The ritual was repeated every day for eighteen months. When MA grew up, she did it all by herself'- an infant god frolicking in front of her other self, symbolised by the Tulsi." But with this experience she would be off to a facility for sure: "1926 Thus passed the days at Shahbag. She would start a job, say, the offering of the cooked food to the deity and would stop midway becoming as still as a stone. This might happen during the household work or cooking, regardless of the heat from the blazing oven scorching her body. She would lie prostrate for hours unmindful of the rows of ants biting into her flesh. She would walk around at night through bushes and boughs unafraid of snakes or reptiles. Yet, her face would glow with a smile, her body with radiance." The site is full of this kind of story interpreted through the rosy glasses of her divine nature. Her experiences remind me of the three people I knew personally at MIU who became afflicted with Schizophrenia. (The college age group is particularly vulnerable to this disease isn't it?) One was taken over by "divine rapture" and refused to leave his room for days. Fortunately for him he was taken for treatment instead of being worshiped. Under the grip of this illness my friends took on an appearance of divine ecstasy or extreme pain and their eyes gleamed with intensity It was completely unnerving to be in their presence, but with the right mindset and belief system I can see how people could respond differently. Would Ma have been better off on some psych drug? That is a tough one isn't it? One friend whose progress I tracked through the years was constantly going off his meds because the sensations of the illness were so compelling for him. It is tough to give up divine rapture for functionality in daily life. The fact that he was tormented by his illness was also clear. There was no reasonable position that would allow him to just stay off the drugs. What a shitty dilemma life handed him and his poor family. Interpreting Ma's inability to even feed herself at times as "divine forgetfulness" is kind of a charming alternative to seeing her condition clinically. Or maybe autism was at play? Since I am giving a medical diagnosis on the basis of stories, what that hell, I might as well throw that one in also! Who knows. Instead of wandering the streets as she might have ended up here, she had a rich full life with people catering to her every whim. This is a fascinating life viewed from any perspective isn't it? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Peter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > When SSRS was about 12 years old MMY brought him to > see Anandamayi Ma. SSRS says that she kept on refering > to him in the female tense and he didn't know why. > > --- curtisdeltablues <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > Good find. Did you check out the videos? > > http://www.anandamayi.org/mmedia/avi/8d.htm > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" > > <sparaig@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "nablus108" > > <nablus108@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" > > <sparaig@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, > > "nablus108" <nablus108@> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > That being said the woman saint that > > Maharishi brought with > > > > him > > > > > > to > > > > > > my > > > > > > > > TTC glowed like a light bulb. A sight I > > will never forget > > > > and > > > > > > have not > > > > > > > > seen since. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Where was that? MMY asked Matananda Mai to > > go to Europe with > > > > him > > > > > > once, but she > > > > > > > declined. > > > > > > > > > > > > If you are referring to Ananda Mayima it was > > the other way > > > > around. > > > > > > She > > > > > > did not want to part with Maharishi so she > > wanted to come with > > > > him > > > > > > to > > > > > > Switzerland, but seeing the huge following > > of her disciples, who > > > > > > could > > > > > > not part with her, he suggested that it was > > better she stayed in > > > > > > India. > > > > > > I've talked to people who saw them together, > > just sitting > > > > quietly on > > > > > > the floor holding hands, it was an amazing > > sight. > > > > > > When she left the body in 1982 Maharishi > > said; "Now I'm really > > > > > > alone." > > > > > > > > > > > > According to Benjamin Creme, Ananda Mayima > > was an Avatar. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Her official biography says it differently: > > MMY asked and she > > > > declined. > > > > There are dozens of biograpies on her, which > > one do you reffer to ? > > > > I heard this from a fellow probably still on > > Purusha, he was there. > > > > > > > > It does not make sense that Maharishi would > > invite an indian saint > > > > to Europe knowing that hundreds of her disciples > > automatically would > > > > follow. Some of these disciples refused to leave > > her and travelled > > > > along with her all over India. She was very well > > known in India, > > > > having thousands of disciples and started > > ashrams all over the > > > > country. If you happen to go to Vrindavan you > > could drop by her > > > > ashram there, very strong athmosphere though in > > need of renovation. > > > > > > > > > > There's a website that is allegedly her "fficial" > > website. Has the > > timeline of her life. It > > > mentions MMY. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > > --------------------~--> > > See what's inside the new Yahoo! Groups email. > > > http://us.click.yahoo.com/2pRQfA/bOaOAA/yQLSAA/UlWolB/TM > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> > > > > > > To subscribe, send a message to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Or go to: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ > > and click 'Join This Group!' > > Yahoo! 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