Ceiling on Desires?
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Around 1990, Sai Baba made a great fuss about a programme he (or someone else) named "Ceiling on Desires". It was heralded as the programme that would more or less save the world and humanity from ruin. It consisted in a call to reduce four kinds of desire, those connected to the use of 1) money 2) time 3) energy and 4) food (not necessarily in any set order). (See Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. 22, p. 4 & Summer Showers at Brindavan 1990, p.29.

This sounded excellent to all devotees who were already of such opinions and not least the eco-minded among them. There is nothing particularly new in the idea, but that it was being promoted by a spiritual figure gave hope. However, at the same time the influx of donations was changing the scene. Prices rose near the ashrams, not least basic food prices, causing the poor to suffer greatly. They were not compensated in any way other than by trying to get as much out of foreign visitors as they could - borrow, beg or steal. Sai Baba had always warned that soliciting donations was wrong and they were unnecessary, but actually they were sought most eagerly in underhand ways by the ashrams and also not least elliptically (but all the more effectively) by Sai Baba himself towards businessmen and others in private interviews. This developed the money culture around Sathya Sai baba, reflected in the increasing opulence of his buildings, his vehicles and showpiece birthdays and other festivals. There came a point when anyone not entirely 'brain-washed' about the money situation realised that it has gone too far and Sathya Sai Baba was like any other luxuriating guru in his private paradise... while extreme penury continued to exist outside the guarded ashram walls and never deserving a mention or any real concerted action by the well-to-do Indians and visitors (which middle class predominate at his ashrams just as at most other Westerner-attracting in India).

The Sai Org. took up and promulgated the 'Ceiling on Desires' programme. Sai Baba detailed the US-naturalised Phyllis Krystal to hold workshops on this Ceiling on Desires. Oddly, Phyllis Krystal - Sa Baba blind followershe was never a member of the Sathya Sai Organization due, one suspects, to her being a woman who would be ignored in the male-dominated and Indian-style authoritarian outfit. It was curious to observe that, when she visited Copenhagen to hold some talks on 'Ceiling on Desires', she stayed at the capital's very most luxurious and expensive hotel! It was probably quite natural to her - as a millionairess - that only the best would do. It may be seen in the context of how Sai-VIPs are treated in Sai Baba's ashrams, their having special seats for darshans and all other arrangements and special accommodation of varying degrees according their relative importance. When real VIPs from the wider world of India visit, they are treated with complete subservience and the best of everything the ashram has. There is a special block of fully equipped flats or suites like a hotel reserved for the use of the specially invited or chosen bigshot. Then there is also the VIP palace, a truly luxurious looking building reserved, apparently, for the VeryVIPs. Why does Sai Baba, who proclaims "there is only one caste, the caste of humanity", give so much special treatment to VIPs of different standing? It seems that the 'Ceiling on Desires' has different heights according to the status of the devotee in worldly society. Some are more equal than others, indeed, and Sathya Sai Baba affirms this social doctrine, backing it up with his variant of the necessaity and natural usefulness of the Indian caste (varna) system.

The 'bait and the hook' in 'Ceiling on Desires'

The great boon from practicing 'Ceiling on Desires', according to all reports, is all that is sacrificed gains extra spiritual merit for oneself! This kind of sacrifice is literally filling up one's 'savings account' (good karma) in the after-world, according to Sai Baba! Is this really a great boon, or a great con? Well, if you're not an investigator like me, you'll have to wait until after you're dead and hope to find out then (but you may not)! It is implicitly understood by many, that any financial proceeds of sacrifice can be made out to the Sai Central Trust!

Others who have preached the 'Ceiling on Desires' programme include many of the so-called Central Coordinating leaders of the Sathya Sai Organization. They all visit India at least once a year (when they have to attend the June/July 'Guru Purnima' celebration) and many visit up to even several times a year. In addition, many of these men (only the fewest women among them) jet around regularly from country to country to hold talks (with never more than a few fresh points to mention, at best). The amount of money thus spent on airline fares and all the other costs of such travels mount up to huge figures.

For example, Mr. T. Meyer announced on Danish TV in March 2002 that he had then visited Sai Baba 29 times (since then probably 5 times more at the very least). He has also been to numerous countries to attend Sai workshops etc. The sum he has spent on airline tickets to India alone - wherever it may come from - must therefore amount to at the very least more than the equivalent of at least $US 40,000.- at today's tourist prices, and this is before all the other travel, accommodation and daily expenses are added. Charles Penn recorded that had visited about 30 times before he died, and much the same goes for a long list of Sai Baba's favourites. Then there is a long list who still hope fervently to get one or more interviews and so on and travel in huge groups from certain countries like Italy, Japan, Argentina, and the USA. I knew a large number of lower office-bearers who visited very often, not to mention hundreds of regulars from all over the world who visit yearly. All this huge waste of money taking "spiritual holidays" in India by thousands of devotees each month is hardly a good use of money and time, so it belies any claims that foreign devotees in general really practice 'Ceiling on Desires' to any worthwhile degree. It is rationalized by thinking it is to 'see God'... but even Sai Baba says one cannot find God by searching around the globe or travelling to any given foreign place. Nonetheless he invites foreign devotees in as large number as possible to his birthdays and is ever telling people to come back to 'get their batteries recharged' or to 'get retired' (i.e. by which he means 'get a new set of tyres')

No wonder Sai Baba was for a long time India 's major single foreign currency earner, before the nation's economy was opened up to foreign investments and aid under the Narasimha Rao government. One may wonder why Sai Baba no longer refers to the admittedly high-minded 'Ceiling on Desires'. One can but observe that it has gone out of the window, both in theory and practice. All talk of feeding the poor and doing service to the suffering and needy has to all appearances been replaced by such luxury plans as the indoor stadium for sports like basketball and tennis, encouraging people to fly into Puttaparthi by air (to keep the airport and service going, no doubt)