AMMA The Hugging Saint U.S. Tour – a Love Story

On June 22, 1997, I went to see Amma, the hugging saint from India. Years earlier, Deepak Chopra had told me, “Amma is the real thing. If you ever have a chance to get a hug from her, do it.” I signed up for a weekend retreat, knowing I would receive at least two hugs.

On the first evening, I patiently waited in line, excited and a little nervous. I had a plan but wasn’t sure if it would work. I’d heard that Amma might whisper or chant into your ear during a hug but that she didn’t speak English. When my turn came, I whispered in her ear, “Dear Amma, please heal my heart of anything stopping me from finding my soulmate.” She laughed and squeezed me tighter. I knew she had understood my prayer.

That night, I had a vivid dream. Seven women in purple sang to me, “Arielle is the woman that comes after Beth.” When I woke up, I was convinced it was a sign – my soulmate was out there, but he was currently with someone named Beth.

The next evening, I had another chance for a hug from Amma. Again, I whispered in her ear to heal my heart of anything blocking me from my soulmate. She laughed and squeezed me tight.

Three weeks later, I went on an unexpected business trip to Portland, Oregon, to supervise a TV shoot for a client, Nick . On the flight, I was unusually nervous, initially attributing it to a detox diet. When I landed, I met Brian, Nick’s partner, who was picking me up. Upon seeing him, I thought, “I wonder who Beth is?” This was followed by, “He’s not your type, and you are a little crazy today.”

At Nick’s house, I sat next to Brian during the interview. I felt an overwhelming urge to massage his shoulders, so intense I had to sit on my hands. Then, I heard a voice say, “He’s the One. This is how it happens. This is who you are going to spend your life with.”

Convinced I was losing my mind, I tried to focus. After the interview, Brian asked if he looked familiar to me. I said yes, and he replied, “Because I’ve been dreaming about you.” Stunned, I walked away for fresh air. I heard Nick suggest taking me to dinner, inviting Elizabeth to join us. The voice returned, saying, “Don’t worry. They are just like brother and sister.”

At dinner, Elizabeth arrived with a friend. As the evening went on, it was time for me to catch my flight. Brian drove me to the airport, and during the drive, we shared my to-go dinner and an unexpected conversation. I mentioned not wanting children, and Brian revealed that this was why he and Elizabeth had broken up. Then, I mentioned looking for a tantra partner, to which Brian reacted with surprise, having dreamt of me in the tantric “yab yum” position the night before.

At the airport, I hugged Brian goodbye and called my Vedic astrologer, Marc Boney, giving him Brian’s birth info. By the time I got home, Marc had left a message predicting we would marry, calling it the clearest indication of a fated relationship he had ever seen.

Brian and I got engaged three weeks later. He moved to La Jolla to live with me within two months. Exactly one year after I asked Amma to help me find my soulmate, she married us in a Hindu ceremony. This was followed by a legal wedding in Santa Barbara, officiated by Kenny Loggins, who also sang at our wedding.

If you want to experience unconditional love from a living saint, Amma, here is her U.S. tour schedule!

Blessings,

Arielle