A following in the foothills

A following in the foothills
12:01 a.m. PT Jul 28, 2007

"I feel I have found my path in life and my purpose in life. My close friends see the change in me. It feels like coming home." - Elyse Warner, devotee of Indian holy woman Amma

famous Indian religious figures have followers in Nevada County

BY SOUMITRO SEN

Staff Writer

When Elyse Warner first heard of the spiritual teacher known as Amma in 2000, she wasn't into visiting such people.

But a few weeks later, Warner stood in line to get her first audience with the 53-year-old Hindu holy woman in the Amma's ashram in San Ramon, Calif. Seven years later, Warner recalls how she wept without knowing why.

"It was the most powerful experience I've felt," Warner, 54, said. "It felt like the presence of a divinity."

The transformative power of eastern religions has drawn a significant following in western Nevada County, where one devotee attributes the spirituality of area residents to the gold lacing the ground.

Saintly people of 20th century India, in particular, draw many devotees from the region and around the world, including Amma, Sathya Sai Baba, Anandamayi Ma, Swami Yogananda and Swami Sivananda.


Devotees feel change in their lives

Amma means "mother," the name fondly given by devotees to Mata Amritanandamayi. Today, Warner is an ardent follower, and hosts gatherings of local devotees at her home once a month.

"I believe Amma is an avatar - divinity in a human body," Warner said. "When I am around her, I experience moments of real peace and joy that I can't say I've felt very much before."

"I feel like a different person," Warner said. "I feel I have found my path in life and my purpose in life. My close friends see the change in me. It feels like coming home."

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TheUnion.com