On January 10, 2026, Amma's devotees gathered at MA Center LA in Redondo Beach for a serene New Year's retreat led by Swami Dayamritananda Puri. The theme — New Beginnings, Inner Silence — set the tone for a day of renewal, reflection and reconnection with the Divine.
The morning began gently with stretches and a silent walking meditation to Redondo Beach. As the sun rose over the ocean, participants joined Swamiji in a heartfelt Manasa Puja, then chanted the 1,000 names of the Divine Mother, the Lalita Sahasranama, filling the air with sacred vibration. Swamiji offered an uplifting discourse on Amma's "12 Pointers for the New Year," inviting everyone to write down one negative tendency they wished to transform — intentions then reverently offered at Amma's feet, symbolizing the surrender of old patterns and the embrace of new beginnings.
The afternoon filled with music and devotion through a bhajan class, and a highlight of the retreat was Swamiji's engaging interview with longtime devotee Richard Perl on weaving spirituality into every aspect of life. The day closed with a warm Q&A, high-energy bhajans, and a shared dinner prasad — a day steeped in divine presence and renewal.
