This was a question that a newcomer to the ashram had for Amma when he went for darshan. His name was Karthik and he had come to San Ramon all the way from Australia just to see Amma. His twin brother Kaushal, who had seen Amma a few years ago had been asking him to come and see Amma and get her blessings. Coming to the ashram was a wonderful experience for Karthik. Everywhere he went, he saw peace and harmony. Everywhere he saw selfless service performed with a smile. Everything was going great....Until he had a conversation with one of his brother's friends.

This friend was a young man who had made up his mind to live the celibate life of an ashram resident at Amritapuri in India, dedicating his life to service. He was telling them how much he enjoyed the path that he had chosen and how wonderful living in the ashram was. As the conversation deepened, Karthik, the man from Australia, grew more and more worried. What if his twin brother also decided not to marry? What if he chose to live the life of a brahmachari (a celibate life) and renounced worldly life? Would he lose his brother?

Needless to say, the peace he had felt before, slipped away.

Soon he broached the topic with his brother and picked a fight with him. The two were still quite upset with each other when they went to darshan together that evening. As the two were getting their darshan, the Australian twin asked Amma this question about how to control the negative thoughts rising in his mind.

Amma smiled at his question and answered, "The mind is like an ocean. You cannot control it. Just leave it and don't worry about it."

"The lotus plant takes root in the filth of the pond and the lovely blooms are in fact, born from that dirt. Likewise the beauty of the Self too, has to rise from the mind. In course of time, it rises and blooms far above the negativities and filth of the mind. And so don't worry, it is not a problem."

Hearing this conversation, someone in the crowd mentioned how the friends had been fighting that day. Immediately, Karthik told Amma that he was worried that Kaushal would join the ashram and become a brahmachari.

"Don't worry," Amma said. "Your bother is like a baby now- naive and innocent. He needs love. That is why he is here. In a couple of years he will become more mature- then Amma herself will find a nice girl for him. He says he wants to be a brahmachari now. But he will change his mind soon. He needs the life of a grihastashrami- a householder."

Then turning to the ashram resident who had unwittingly initiated this issue, and who 'coincidentally' happened to be sitting next to her at that very moment, Amma said, "Kamalanatha, you are the cause of all this. Everyone has their own path to follow. Make sure you do not talk people into choosing the path that you chose."

"Anyway," she laughed, her eyes twinkling mischevously now, "if more people like you joined the ashram, the place will be be like a lunatic asylum soon!"

Everyone laughed. But the twins and Kamalanathan were surprised and moved at Amma's insight, because it was clear that noone had mentioned their earlier conversation to Amma!

This is why it is said that to be in Amma's presence is to be in the presence of a cosmic guidance. It is the experience of most people around Amma that they are constantly moved by how things seem to fall in place, how coincidences simply happen around them and how guidance flows into their lives.

- R. Menon.

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