Sathya Sai Organization

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The Sathya Sai Organization is the organisation founded by Sathya Sai Baba. Its chairperson is Michael Goldstein. The local Sathya Sai groups that are present in most countries in the world are hierarchically part of the Sathya Sai Organisation.

1 Regulations
2 Demographics
3 External links
4 See also

[edit] Regulations

The charter of the Sai Organization says that every member should undertake sadhana (spiritual discipline) as an integral part of daily life and abide by the following nine-points code of conduct [1]:

1. Daily meditation and prayer.

2. Devotional singing/prayer with family members once per week.

3. Participation in the educational programmes conducted by the Organization for children.

4. Attendance at least once per month at group devotional programmes conducted by the Organization.

5. Participation in community service and other programmes of the Organization.

6. Regular study of Sai literature.

7. Putting into practice the principles of “ceiling on desires”, utilising any savings thereby generated for the service of mankind.

8. Speaking softly and lovingly with everyone with whom one comes into contact.

9. Avoiding speaking ill of others, especially in their absence.

[edit] Demographics

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According to the Sathya Sai Organization, there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 130 countries world-wide. ^[1] The number of adherents is estimated between 6 million and 100 million, predominantly people of Indian ethnic origin. ^[2]In Nordic countries and the Netherlands, numbers fell after 2000 due to negative publicity about him, as also published in an article in Dutch newspaper Trouw ^[3] Simon Weightmann who worked as of 1997 at the department for the study of religions at the University of London wrote that SSB is one of the most popular gurus, both in India and in the Hindu diaspora and that as a consequence of his inclusivist stance he has a large following among the urban middle class. ^[4]Professor Harold Coward who worked as of 1997 as a professor for the centre of religious studies at the University of Victoria wrote that SSB, together with several other modern Indian gurus, has attracted more occidental than South Asian Canadians. ^[5]