Quotes from Mata Amritanandamayi

When doing archana (daily prayers) as a group, one person should chant the mantra and the others should repeat it. Mantras should be chanted slowly, clearly and with devotion.

Group chanting and prayer is very powerful. It can bring important changes.

Look upon others as being part of yourself.

Married life, if lived with the proper love and understanding, helps awaken the feminine within a man, and the masculine within a woman.

Finding fault in others, just for the sake of finding fault, we will pollute our own minds.

Have the conviction that God is your only real relative and friend.

When we raise one hand to say "bye-bye" we are gesturing that we are going apart from each other, whereas when we join our palms and bow our head, our hearts become closer.

Any pleasure gained by means other than mental control weakens the body.

If you see deficiencies in others, your duty is to forgive instead of pointing at it.

If the desires are not controlled now, later they will control you.

We should learn to love everyone equally, because in essence we are all one, one Atman, one soul.

The relation between husband and wife should turn into a love of the heart untouched by desire.

Couples should abstain from sexual relations at least 2 or 3 days a week. Gradually try to reach a stage of celibacy most days.

When love overflows and is expressed through every word and deed, we call it compassion. That is the goal of religion.

The indicator of true knowledge is the ability to differentiate what uplifts us from what pulls us down.

Intellectual prowess has its limitations. Thus, do not limit the scope of your learning to the realm of the intellect.

Most people are concerned only with what they can get from the world, but it is what we are able to give to others that determines the quality of our life

Those that have an attitude of service towards others are the beauty of society.

Make a firm decision: 'Whatever happens, I will be happy. I will be strong. God is always with me.'

Happiness depends on how you accept, understand and surrender to situations.

Our attitude should be: Whatever happens I will remain strong, courageous and happy.

Whether we laugh or cry, the days are going to pass by. So why not choose to laugh?

Transcending the cycle of death and rebirth is the real purpose of this life in human form.

Surrender and living in the present are one and the same.