I wanted to comment on an aspect of this article, the idea that Amma is an energy vampire. I realize it's none of my business what you believe, but wanted to say that I feel that making statements like this can only damage your credibility as a commentator.

In truth, there are more simple explanations for what you experienced after drinking the water. First, it could have been adulterated with something. This may have been relatively benign, like a scenting agent, but in a concentration that could cause some gastrointestinal discomfort. That could manifest as feeling drained. Another explanation is the food. It may have tasted delicious, but could also be tainted with a source for GI discomfort.

The idea that there are such a thing as "energy vampires" is popular, but you will not find any mention of such beings in the Upanishads or Patanjali. I realize one could interpret the word "asura" to mean vampire, but asuras are generally understood to be certain inherent behavioral patterns and tendencies, rather than actual beings who prey on our being directly.

Indeed, the idea that we are limited beings that can be drained, rather than the very being of the entire Universe, is quite contrary to what Vedanta and the Sages are telling us.

Regarding any powers of Amma, I contend that it is all entirely contained within the purview of the belief in those powers. Amma herself is just some Indian lady who appears to care for others as her children. Whether this is true or not we can't know without actually being her. What we can know is that she is the head and absolute authority of a huge, multinational business that rests entirely on the projection of her persona as God walking the Earth. That's the business model in toto, and it's all she needs, because the infantilism inherent in her market will do the rest: decide she is God and place her on a high pedestal. Any seemingly supernatural phenomena they come to experience in the context of their devotional lives are automatically attributed to Amma, regenerating their devotion (and Amma's revenue stream.)

I'm not denying the fact that people have mystical experiences. But I believe that any experience we come to is entirely the product of our own brain. Even if there is an influence outside our brain, it is the stimulation of the brain by this influence that creates the experience. My point is that the vastness of the human brain (100-billion neurons with many thousands of connections each) makes it entirely probable to be capable of creating all mystical experience, experience that gets pinned on Ammachi rather than being seen as having been internally generated.

Being the object of these projections from her devotees is Amma's business, and that is the source of her success, rather than her having the ability to "feed" off an energy-component of our bodies, IMO.

--jody.