Every Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:00 in the evening, several devotees of the guru Ammachi—or more formally, Mata Amritanandamayi—gather for satsang in an apartment of Central Park West.  The satsang consists of reciting mantras and meditating in dedication to and concentration on “the Hugging Saint.”  Ammachi is regarded by her disciples as having a unique desire to bestow absolute love upon all people.  She is involved in various humanitarian activities, and is recognized for the extensive amount of time she allots for direct contact with her followers.  Ammachi has multiple spiritual centers around the world.  Her first ashram was established in 1981 in Amritapuri, Kerala.