Table Quiz in Aid of Amma Ireland: let your friends know!

A table quiz is being hosted next Wednesday at Goatstown Cross in Dublin in aid of Amma Ireland, so we're passing the word along.
Why not make up a team with some friends and try your luck: it'll be great fun as well as raising money for a good cause, and we've heard there'll be great prizes on the night!
So the details are:

• Wednesday 24th November 2010
• 8pm sharp
• at The Goat Pub, Goatstown Cross, Dublin 14
• 10 euro per ticket - 5 people per table

For all info and to get your tickets, contact Grace: 0872214958 or kripa@iolfree.ie
We hope you can be there!

Satsang in Cork this evening Thurs Nov 18 @ 7.45pm, Anglesey St, red door between fab Flowers and Lennox's, buzz third bell from the bottom.

Urgent! Vote For AMMA Ireland Videos

AMMA Ireland has submitted a video to the Better Together competition and there is a chance of winning a €3000 prize. Our videos have now been published and are visible to the public here:

Amma - Embracing the World
http://www.bettertogether.ie/content/amma-embracing-world-0

Green Friends Ireland and Cork Simon Community Garden Project
http://www.bettertogether.ie/content/cork-simon-community-green-friends-pres
ents-three-hours-gardens

It is now up to you to vote for our video as often as possible (note: you can only vote for a video once a day from one computer.). Please take the time to vote and share the video with all your contacts. You can also use the various 'Share' options below your video to promote it to your Facebook page etc.

Voting Ends Tomorrow 5pm

The Irish Catholic, September 30th.

We've just seen that the Irish Catholic included information about Amma's visit in their editorial on September 30th. It's a bit late to publish it here but if you'd like to see it, follow this link:
http://www.irishcatholic.ie/site/content/hugging-saint-visit-dublin

RTE Radio with Pat Kenny - AMMA Dublin Visit

http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2010/pc/pod-v-18101008m01stodaywithpatkenny.mp3

Amma In Dublin

Amma in the News

See article in Monday's Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1018/1224281343182.html

Watch Amma on tg4!

Dee Brennan spoke about spirituality and her connection with Amma on tg4 last night. It's in Irish, English subtitles. Dee's filmed at home in Cluin na dTor, the amazing Donegal garden centre she and husband Seamus have created over many years, and there's lovely footage of Amma - beautiful! It's on tg4 player for a few weeks so have a look: http://beo.tg4.ie/main.aspx?level&content=282816849921&search=meon+na+mban

Meon ma mban, 8.30pm anocht ar tg4

Dee Brennan ag caint faoi cúrsai spirodálta agus creideamh, go h-áirithe faoi Amma.

Meon na nBan

Meon na mBan on tg4 @ 8.30pm this evening: Irish women talk about what spirituality means in our lives today. Dee Brennen shares her experience with Amma & spirituality.

Donate As Many Cans As You Can!

That's full food cans! Amma is in Dublin on World Food Day
Oct 16th & we've joined with Crosscare Food Bank and artist Patrick
O’Reilly to build a sculpture of donated food cans at Amma's event. All
cans will be distributed to people in need afterwards, through Crosscare. Many
thanks to artist Patrick O'Reilly for his participation. Check out our website for more: http://www.ammaireland.org/world-food-day.htm

'It's like being soaked in love'

That's the title of an article on today's Irish Times: 5 people talk about their experience of meeting Amma and the experience of her hug (darshan).
Check it out: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2010/1012/1224280863639.html

Carpooling with tripmi.ie

Join a carpool at tripmi.ie to reach Amma's Dublin event Oct 16 & 17. See www.tripmi.ie/Amma_in_Ireland_2010. Tripmi.ie is an inspiring non-profit project - see www.tripmi.ie/about for lots of interesting background and outlook. Carpooling makes great ecological sense, and it's cheaper too!

Irish Times article

Have a look at the article in today's Irish Times: 'A need to hug and need to be hugged: a powerful non-verbal message of closeness': http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2010/1005/1224280398799.html
In the paper version, it's in the Health Supplement, on page 7.
It's a thoughtful, reflective article written by clinical psychologist Marie Murray, director of psychology at UCD, and includes some reflections on Amma's darshan

AYUDH Celebrates UN International Peace Day

AYUDH, the Youth wing of Amma's organisation, is celebrating UN International Peace Day this year. It's on Tuesday 21st September. We're asking everyone to observe the minute's silence for peace at 12 noon local time.
Ayudh International is taking part in various programmes & projects leading up to Peace Day.
In Ireland, our Ayudh group have just held a dove cookie bake with an international webcast and are joining in the 'pinwheels for peace' project.
On Tuesday - Peace Day - young people at school in Donegal will participate in the minute's silence & the pinwheels project. Our Ayudh group will also visit a care home for the elderly (bringing the dove cookies from our bake-in!), to spend time with the elderly people there, listening to their experiences & thoughts on peace and sharing our own.
For updates, photos and more info see www.ayudh.eu/2010/year-of-youth and follow the Ayudh International facebook link there.
Have a look at www.pinwheelsforpeace.org too :)

Remember, set a reminder on your mobile: 12 noon Tuesday 21st September 2010 - one minute's silence for Peace!

AMMA Visits Dublin

Finally the long wait is over!! AMMA's visit to Dublin on

October 16th and 17th is confirmed.

ADMISSION FREE

Family, Children, Friends, Physically Challenged All are Welcome!

Venue:

National Show Centre, Cloghran Roundabout (Near Dublin Airport), Near Coachman's Inn Pub.
R132 Swords Road, Dublin.

Location Map:

Click here to view directions.

Dates and times:

Saturday October 16th
- from 9am - till late afternoon
- from 6pm - till late night

FREE Darshan Tokens to meet AMMA will be available at 9am for Morning Programme and at 6.30pm for the Evening Programme. Door Opens at 8.30am.

Sunday October 17th

- from 9am - till late afternoon;
- from 6pm - till late night

FREE Darshan Tokens to meet AMMA will be available at 9am for Morning Programme and at 5pm for the Evening Programme.

Door Opens at 8.30am.

Accommodation

Click here for details.

CarPooling:

www.tripmi.ie/Amma_in_Ireland_2010

For more details please visit www.ammaireland.org

Br. Shubamrita Dublin Talk

National Satsang Ireland: 28th of August

The idea of a National Satsang, where everyone can come together to sing, meditate and share Amma’s wisdom and love, has been around for some time. The upcoming volunteer’s meeting is a wonderful opportunity to make this a reality.

The National Satsang will start at 6pm on the Saturday 28th of August in Townley Hall (near Drogheda), followed by a shared light meal at 8pm.Everyone is warmly invited.

Date: from 27th to 29th of August

Location: Townley Hall (near Drogheda) View Map

Contact Toni onammatourireland.t@gmail.com or Shalila on ammatourireland.s@gmail.com for questions and information.

Amma Volunteers Meeting: 27th–29th August

A meeting for all volunteers who would like to help during Amma’s visit.

Date: from 27th to 29th of August

Location: Townley Hall (near Drogheda) View Map

Contact: Toni on ammatourireland.t@gmail.com
or Shalila on ammatourireland.s@gmail.com

Volunteering during Amma’s programme is a wonderful opportunity to share in the spirit of giving and to add a new dimension to the experience of Amma’s visit. After her long absence, we feel that the event will be very special this year and the crowds will certainly be big, not least since it falls on a weekend (the dates so far are set for the 16th and 17th of October, though this still awaits final confirmation).

We have arranged a weekend for everyone who would like to volunteer (even if it’s for a few hours). It will take place in Townley Hall near Drogheda, the 27th - 29th of August. You will get to know other volunteers, find out which areas would suit you best and where help is needed most. Apart from the meetings, there will be videos of Amma, spiritual practices and nature walks to nourish your spirit and add a sense of relaxation and time out.

The cost will be 85 € for the weekend which includes rent of the venue, accommodation and delicious vegetarian meals. If you only stay one night this will be reduced to 55€. For people who can only come for a day the cost will be 30 €.

Being aware of the difficult economic situation, we tried to get a reduction for those affected by it. We are happy to let you know that the food will be sponsored for those who find it hard to pay the full amount. This would reduce the cost for the weekend to 60€, for one night to 30€, and for a day to 20€.

Please mark the dates in your diary and tell us if you are coming, so we can send you directions and arrange a bed and food for you. Also let us know in case you would like to avail of the reduced price.

Br. Shubamrita's programme in Cork

It was wonderful to welcome Br. Shubamrita to Cork again after so long. He led the group in meditation and then spoke about 'equanimity: the key to happiness' in his own engaging, heartfelt, yet practical and humorous way. After a tea-break, he sang some lovely bhajans including the very moving 'Jai Radha Madhava'.
The group - about 150 people, though it was a wet Monday night - responded with warmth and joy. Many of the group had never met Amma and yet have volunteered to help us with Amma's Dublin programme in October.
Thanks to all the team who helped organise this uplifting event, and to all who helped on the day! We're all very grateful to Br Shubamrita for his visit to Cork, and we hope to welcome him here again soon :)

Amma Ireland @ ‘Health and Harmony’ fair, Dún Laoghaire

AMMA Ireland will have a stand at the Health & Harmony – Global Therapies Fair at the Festival of World Cultures Dún Laoghaire this Sat 24th July and Sun 25th July in the County Hall offices upstairs. We will have Indian Head Massage, reflexology, Shoulder and neck massage. Come along and experience a therapy while supporting AMMA's visit to Ireland and her many charitable projects.

Margaret Whelan Maguire will give a talk on Take Charge of your life on Sun at 12 Noon in the County Council offices upstairs. All are welcome. Please check out www.Festivalofworldcultures.com to see the full range of events.

Spiritual Talk by AMMA's Disciple Br.Shubamrita

Br.Shubamrita Chaitanya is one of Amma's closest disciples and her personal Translator during AMMA's Ireland visits.A gifted singer and musician, he is also the author of many of the beautiful songs Amma sings.

Spiritual Talk: Key to Happiness - In Dublin (July 18th) & Cork (July 19th)

The programme is open to the public, free of charge and children are most welcome.

Dublin
Date: Sun. 18th July Time: 5.30pm - 8.00pm

Venue: St Brigid’s Parish Centre, St Brigid’s Church Rd. Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
Transport: Dublin Bus: 46A, 84,145, St John of God’s stop. Luas: Leopardstown stop, 10 min walk Parking: Ample free parking at venue.
Contact: Liz 087 945 0912 or Yvonne 087 267 8661 or email help@ammaireland.org

View Map

Followed by Fundraising Indian Meal 8.30pm

Cork

Date: Mon. 19th July Time: 7.30pm
Doors open at 7.00 pm
Venue: The Gresham Metropole Hotel, MacCurtain Street, Cork
Contact: help@ammaireland.org or contact Brendan: 086 825 6110

View Map

Green Friends - Ireland Blog

GreenFriends is a worldwide organisation, whose aim is the preservation of nature. GreenFriends Ireland has been active for a number of years, and have a few interesting projects up and running ( Bee-keeping / Tree planting / Plastic recycling ). We have active groups in the Dublin and Cork areas , and are always open to new ideas and new faces.

You can now follow Green Friends Ireland at http://greenfriendsireland.wordpress.com/

You are most welcome join the fun and contact GreenFriends@ammaireland.org

Amma Woodland - Tending to the Trees

On May 29th, GreenFriends spent the day at the beautiful site of Amma's Woodland near Corrofin in Co. Clare, tending to the saplings recently planted, and which are thriving and looking wonderful!
GreenFriends cleared the land in December, then planted hundreds of bare-rooted, native Irish broadlleaves in four varieties in February: ash, oak, birch, alder, with the fifth (willow) soon to follow, using cuttings from a magnificent established willow at the woodland.
The task now is to keep the tender young saplings from being starved of light and nutrition under great swathes of fern and bramble. On May 29th, we tended to each individual sapling, treading with great caution so as not to trample any hidden ones. We 'liberated' each sapling from the encroaching brambles and bracken, flattening down the surrounding growth and opening up the area immediately around the sapling to the air and light. GreenFriends groups will do this regularly during the growing season until the trees are big enough to survive alone. It's amazing to see how sturdy and vigorous (and beautiful) the little plants are already!
We shared a delicious vegetarian lunch, had some great laughs and precious moments together in Nature, working, learning, relaxing deeply into the peace and beauty of the place. John as always opened his woodlands, his home and his kind heart to all, sharing some of his immense understanding of nature and knowledge of trees with us.
We've been imagining Amma Ireland retreat weekends at this lovely place, camping out, meditating and walking in Nature, tending to the trees, singing bhajans ... so stay tuned, more soon :)
To join in, enjoy Nature, have fun: greenfriends@ammaireland.org
For an Amma Woodland voucher (plant a tree for a friend; it's a great gift!): www.ammaireland.org/gf-amma-woodland.html

Amma Ireland Annual General Meeting - Invitation

Everyone regularly involved in Amma Ireland activities is cordially invited to attend our AGM, to be held near Maynooth, Co. Kildare on June 19th, 11.30am to 1.30pm.

For directions, or to let us know you'll be coming, contact help@ammaireland.org or 0864031156.

Looking forward to seeing you there :)

with all good wishes,
Amma Ireland Secretary

AYUDH Youth Exchange

Ferme du Plessis, France

July 24th - August 1st 2010

This year two different camps will run concurrently at the French centre. One will be entitled Embracing Life and contain workshops and talks designed to motivate young people into living naturally in order to create a bright & sustainable future. Participants will choose from a variety of workshops each corresponding to a pillar of Ayudh’s objectives: Community Service, Artistic development, Revitalisation & Ecology. Br. Shubamrita & Bri. Dipamrita will provide their great insight on these topics in a lively & inspirational manner.

60 participants between 15 and 30 years of age from 9 European countries (Austria, Ireland, Italy, France, Germany, Holland, Spain, Sweden and UK) will take part in “Embracing Life”.

The EU will refund 70 % of the travel costs and certify the participation with the EU-YouthPass.

The other, Experience Week, contains hands-on, practical, ecological projects that will be designed and presented by professionals in those particular areas. Vital skills to preserve our earth will be modelled & practiced, along with increasing our relationship with nature and the environment. Projects include restoring a traditional dovecote, seed saving & building a sustainable astronomy observatory. This exchange is for youth between 18 and 32 years of age.

Both exchanges promise to be inspiring, motivating & encouraging. The French venue provides many examples of ecological projects that are sure to participants. Some events include a visit to the famous Chartres cathedral, a party, bonfire, sports & lots of fun.

Apply now @: www.ayudh.eu

For more information contact: info.ireland@ayudh.eu

First NW Satsang Retreat Day

Seven members of the NW satsang group met on Sunday 17th May for a day of retreat. Amma recommends that each person should take time out from his/her normal schedule at least once a month to spend a day focussing on spirituality. The group gathered at 7am to do archana, including the moving ‘Ayi Giri Nandini’, which some members enjoyed hearing for the first time. This was followed by yoga & pranayama exercises.

We then shared a healthy and nutritious breakfast. Nine to twelve o’clock saw everyone participate in a range of seva activities, including cleaning, washing floors, organising items & cooking lunch, with beautiful bhajans playing all the time. At twelve o’clock everyone gathered again to repeat the mantra ‘Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu’. This was followed by the Ma-Om meditation. Next came a nourishing lunch and a while to chill out and enjoy each other’s company.

We practiced some bhajans after this and then watched She’s Got the Whole World in Her Hands, it’s so lovely! After that was time for bhajans and arati. We then got a visit from baby Jayden who enjoyed the drums and harmonium! We left feeling lighter, happier and ready to face another week! We’re aiming to do this once a month to rejuvenate ourselves.

Amrita Bala Kendra in Donegal

A children’s group has been meeting weekly since January in County Donegal. Each week, a small number of children meet to find and create a quiet space in their hearts. The children have so far focused on different ideas such as developing an attitude of reverence for nature, quietening the mind and the repetition of ancient mantras. The group has discussed the topic of peace and how we can cultivate peace in our lives. Short guided meditations help the children to focus their attention, as do meaningful dances created by the children themselves. The satsang group’s musical instruments have provided much fun and the children/s bhajan singing is filled with innocent devotion.

For more information on Amrita Bala Kendra in Donegal please contact Simone at satsang@ammaireland.org

Report: Spring Fundraising Holistic Weekend Donegal

The Spring Equinox saw a successful holistic-weekend fundraiser in county Donegal. Many therapists generously gave of their time to treat and revitalize all who came. The weather was fantastic and simply added to the great atmosphere. A well attended satsang on Saturday night further brightened up the spirit, preparing the volunteers for another wonderful day of seva .

Many thanks to Cecilia who travelled from Galway and Liz and Ger who came all the way from Dublin.

Tree Planting in Donegal

Twelve enthusiastic, earnest (Ayudhian & Otherwise) tree planters met up on a beautiful January Saturday morning, in the hills of Clonmany, Co Donegal. One hundred and twenty saplings had been gathered for the event. Amma advises that everyone plant 18 saplings a year, we've got ten each so far, so we'll have to get another morning in before March!

The ground we planted is very wet, so advice was sought on the trees that would thrive best in these kinds of conditions. So we had Alder, Birch, Rowan, Willow and Scots Pine. We wanted to plant trees that would provide a home for all sorts of wildlife and provide food for birds. Willow is the second best for wildlife it seems, and the birds just love the rowan pomes. We also had fast growing Scots Pine to provide some sort of shelter to give the other trees a little chance to catch up (it can get very windy in these parts sometimes!)

A great morning's fun was had outside in the fresh air. Everyone had time to connect with the earth and look around at the beautiful hills we know so well, ever changing in the snowy morning light.

So, with Amma's grace, these trees will grow strong and tall. We'll keep an eye on them.

Thanks to Gemma, Gregory, Aidan, Mike, Ronan, Mary, Bernie, Peter, Simone, Emma, David, Declan
Good job team!

Have a look at the photos.

Contact: greenfriends.irl@gmail.com to participate and have fun.

Haiti Relief Efforts - Sponsored Walk Jan 31st

Jan 31st: Sponsored Walk from Dun Laoghaire to Bray

To fundraise for Haiti relief efforts, volunteers are most welcome to participate in Sponsored Walk from Dun laoghaire to Bray on Jan 31st. Sponsor Cards are available from Gerladine @ gerbrogan@hotmail.com or 01-4933733 or 087-6440366

Join us to help for the cause.

Map of Walking Route here at, MultiMap.com

Details at http://www.ammaireland.org/haiti-fundraiser10.html

Satsang in Maynooth Co.Kildare

THE KILDARE SATSANG WILL BE HELD AT 2.30 PM ON SATURDAY, THE 30th OF JAN AT:
LIFFEY HOUSE
KILMACREDOCK UPPER
MAYNOOTH, CO. KILDARE
YOU ARE VERY WELCOME TO ATTEND.

Contact VJ @ 087 2491588, 01 6245050 FOR DIRECTIONS.