Saturday July 28 7:30 pm
What a glorious afternoon in Santiago. Warm, it feels like high 70’s, slightest of breeze, a perfect day to hang out with a few thousand of your friends. I took a lunch break about 1:30, and there were already several hundred in line outdoors for evening darshan.
When I left the hall at 4:30, the outdoor line was several thousand. By the start of atma puja, there was a line of cars trying to get into the parking lot, a line of people outside, and the hall filled, and people being seated in the nearly 100 foot deep area behind/alongside the stage. It felt like a lot of power being radiated as She went through the puja blessing the water. I am writing this during the Spanish translation of Her talk
The other thing that struck me as I came into the hall was heat – I had to remove a couple of layers (I’ve been wearing several undershirts, a sweater, and a sweatshirt at night in the hall. The table I sit at to help out is against a huge metal door, like a garage door, that has been letting in an arctic-feeling breeze). The people seem very sweet in general, and not aggressive about lines, etc. There have been a couple of computer thefts, but these are small dark spots amongst a beautiful experience. They have just opened one of the garage-type doors in the far rear of the hall, letting in cool air. It reminds me of the San Ramon ashram hall with its open upper windows to let out the mass of human heat. Unlike San Ramon, the people here all have winter coats etc.
9:00 Chaos. Loads of people milling around, asking for tokens, others saying they are sick and where can they get in line. The passageway in front of our table is full of people
Amma looks gorgeous in a deep blue with purple tinge sari.
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