Sai Baba's secret rubbing of oil on young mens' genitals

It is now a wholly undisputed fact, even among many leading devotees (admitted, for example, in an e-mail to me by the European Central Coordinator of the Sathya Sai Organization, Thorbjørn Meyer, and on Danish TV news by the VIP Sai devotee businessman Jørgen Trygved) that Sathya Sai Baba takes down the pants of young men and boys in private interviews) behind a closed door or sometimes only a drawn curtain) and handles their genitals intimately, rubbing on oil. The BBC made a documentary 'The Secret Swami' in the preparation of which they state they interviewed numerous persons who had been subjected to this (see short Tanya Datta transcript with video clip here). They also interviewed the famous India journalist and author Kushwant Singh (see here)

Sometimes also he uses so-called 'holy ash'. Many report that he also rubs their organ vigorously so as to (try to) cause an erection, also sometimes kissing them voluptuously on and in the mouth. That any such things took place at all was long covered up by a number of top leaders in the Sathya Sai Organization! In civilized countries, including India, the touching of genitals under such circumstances is an illegal, punishable action unless carried out by a doctor on prior consent of the patient. In no reported incident has Sathya Sai Baba has not asked for consent nor has he ever explained what he is doing or why. At most he has said things like 'it is a good chance' or 'it is healing'. The Danish Sathya Sai Organization leader, Thorbjørn Meyer, has called this act an "age old Indian oiling ceremony", without being able to produce even a fragment of documentation for this from Indian scripture or reliable historical sources.

No Sathya Sai Baba official has deigned to explain why a number of victims of these unlawful interventions have been subjected to this several (and in some cases many) times, and have never been asked if they wish for it or what it may or may not signify. Another Danish 'Sathya Sai Baba VIP', Professor Peter Pruzan, opined on Danish TV on the strength of his own ideas or hearsay(?), that the so-called 'anointing' is intended to reduce the sexual energies of young men. These "spiritual leaders" have not explained how this oil has ever reduced a testosterone level, or how they came by such personal information about the many boys involved through many years! Nor can they say why women have been wholly excluded from these supposedly stupendous blessings from the 'living Avatar'. Annica Karkeinnen and her helpers at saionline.com defends Sai Baba for the genital oiling they admit occurs.

Because devotees accept everything that Sathya Sai Baba says - that he is God Incarnate in the fullest possible form who can therefore do no wrong - a number of known devotees have actually defended his reported sexual abuses and see no wrong in them. For example, Ram Das Awle condones and explains the perverse sexual abuse of young male (which he himself admits takes place).

The oil used for this is said to be very fragrant - some smell of eucalyptus and other scents - and Sai Baba is said to 'materialize' it by waving his hands in his well-known 'abracadabra' way. However, a secret informant has explained that he always has a sponge soaked in oil in a dish which is concealed in the inner interview room. That is how the oil suddenly appears on his hand - one grasp of the sponge and 'abracadabra'

How do followers rationalize the facts? Those who remain believers in Sathya Sai Baba as a 'Master' have some revealing thoughts. They speak of what they have heard about him on the negative side as 'rumours'. They concentrate only on their own marvellous experiences and claim they feel bliss, love and benefit from its healing. They all know they are sorely tested, but they hang onto the idea that it is for their own good and is ordained by the 'Master', when actually it is all their own minds or psyches which bring about everything they experience. They are duped by the idea Sai baba promotes, that human minds fight against knowing the truth (which is for them the indoctrinated ideas they have from him), while - ironically - they are fighting the factual truth, that Sathya Sai Baba is a great abuser of faith and people! They cannot afford to investigate seriously for many reasons, investment of prestige and the risk of losing the only friends they in most cases have left (other devotees). They have often material investments - in property in Puttaparthi or the ashram too, and some are more or less trapped there because they impoverished themselves in donating to the cult (which misuses and embezzles the money as much as it does any good with it). They cannot bring themselves to believe those who testify to sexual abuse, claiming it is all imagination, invented tales etc. They like to believe it is all some kind of healing or esoteric teaching.

They are comfortable enough with themselves as disciples, which counts most for them - their own spiritual salvation and hopes of bliss and liberation,. Not least therefore do they ignore those many once-respected ex-devotees - who some of them no doubt once knew: upright persons who - despite their own deepest wishes - were honest enough to look at the facts and sooner or later discovered Sai Baba's true nature. To believe that it makes no difference whether a person is moral or immoral, to accept that a person who goes against dharma can be a Master, is to be living in a hall of mental mirrors, because truth, goodness, right action and non-abuse are certainly necessary to any worthwhile moral teacher or guide through life.

I have met many people who have deluded themselves into thinking they are self-realised (and I used to joke about it too, but they never realized was pulling their legs to see how self-deluded they were). It is the done thing among many Sai cultists to give at least the impression that one is happy and even experiences 'divine love and bliss'. I have got to know many through the decades who assert such things, but not seldom on closer acquaintance they turned out to be privately depressed, even suicidal!

The reigning doctrine among remaining followers who have learned about Sathya Sai Baba's recognised 'genital oilings' - instances of which are evidently countless - is that it is a kind of healing. What it heals is not stated... but it is assumed that it is the turmoil of having a sexual urge. Can those who were subjected to it have been healed of something - for some believe this themselves, without going into any reasonable detail as to what this consisted in. including some who think and think it 'healed' them? (Post factum, one is faced with the choice: 'healing' or 'abuse'... it is easy enough to see how much easier and less embarrassing the former explanation is to choose). It is well-known that all young men have problems because of testosterone and shortage of sexual opportunities or fulfillment - the 'raging hormones' when suppressed can famously cause sexual thoughts of all otherwise unwelcome kinds, so that guilt and frustration combined cause great mental unbalance in the pre-marital years of 'Sturm und Drang'. By seeing Sathya Sai Baba as God Incarnate, or at least as having some 'divine qualities' (which is a general condition of getting as far as a private interview) the internal pressure this creates is to want to regard the oiling as beneficial by the one involved (though with some notable exceptions). Some believe they must have been cured of their sexual problems, which would itself be a great relief to many young men. It gets harder when Sai baba repeats this 'ceremony' time and again in successive interviews. Why? How much healing can one need - or take on? Believing one is well is always more conducive to the subjective feeling of health (or healing) - unless or until a serious condition cause a physical crisis, where belief is a hindrance to getting the proper treatment or operation.

Like the actual defender of sex abusers, Gerald Moreno, many hang anxiously onto the idea that the purpose of these oilings is not grooming for possible sex, though they cannot explain it (as Gerald Moreno could not). That oiling in the pubic - or on the membrum virile and/or the perineum - is not a part of any Hindu scripture or tradition, but this fact is ignored totally.

The genital oiling carried out by Sathya Sai Baba, as described by numerous ex-followers and admitted by various of his leaders and so-called 'VIP' devotees are said by the defenders of this sexual molestation to be what is called "raising the kundalini" or serpent power... which is supposed to give one cosmic consciousness etc. There is a large literature about this, it is no longer even a cottage industry but quite big business to try to train people to achieve this. Of course, there is zero scientific evidence to support the idea of the kundalini, the chakras or anything related to any of this religious doctrine. One may note how Sathya Sai Baba answered Dr. John Hislop on this issue. He goes halfway to destroying the (lucrative) mythology around the subject, though he also holds that there is such a spiritual power that can rise through the spinal column etc. That is a very controversial matter, yet more so is the ways in which Sathya Sai Baba is held to awaken it... through oiling of the genitals (and more).

Dr. John Hislop questioned Sai Baba on the kundalini and got a negative reply

An authority on Hindu mysticism, Timothy Conway Ph.D., had the following to say on this matter:-
"Regarding this "kundalini raising" matter, there is NOTHING in the literature I've ever seen from the Hindu, Buddhist or Taoist tantric traditions or Hindu shaktipat guru traditions - and I have read widely and extensively in this literature - about "raising the kundalini" by sexually molesting male youth. It is a bald lie that Sri Ramakrishna initiated Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda) or anyone else in this manner. The accounts all state quite clearly that he would touch the disciples on the chest or head. He wasn't taking them off in private to massage or suck the penis or have male youth do the same to him. I have an extensive library of many rare Buddhist, Taoist and Hindu works (in addition to a huge collection of works from western mystical traditions) and I've NEVER read anything that would suggest that what SSathya Sai Baba is doing to male youth has been done by ANY other spiritual master in any tradition. Again, I wrote my M.A. thesis on the cross-cultural phenomenon of shaktipat or "energy empowerment" and I've never seen any document that alleged that the "kundalini" or vital force or subtle energy could or should be awakened in this manner. The question exposing the faulty logic here is that, if the kundalini could be raised in this manner, why isn't SSathya Sai Baba providing the same service for less attractive young men, or older men, or any females? Barry, please feel free to send this posting to anyone on your list who is either sympathetic or critical of Sathya Sai Baba. It's time for the truth to be told about this matter of the kundalini and SSathya Sai Baba.
Best wishes to all, Dr. Timothy Conway. Santa Barbara, CA USA." (website http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/)

"Dear Friends: There shall never be a time that will alter my love, devotion, and affection for you--no matter which side of this controversy you are on, whether you are devotee or former devotee. Most of us came together with a common belief that Sai was the poorna avatar. But all that we did together, spoke together, sang together was Sanathana Dharma--the message was and IS divine. The only thing that has changed is the belief ABOUT the messenger. Some of us have defected from Sai and the organization, but I, personally, will never defect from you. All of you are the best people I know. Dr. Timothy Conway has shared this short message with us, but he has written volumes which have been posted on various web sites. Many of you know that I teach a course on Comparative Religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, & Islam) and that Timothy has been the source of inspiration and edification that I am now emulating. Neither he, nor I, nor anyone else I know of has EVER purported that what Sai is doing can remotely be attributed to kundalini raising. That is so far from Sanathana Dharma that it falls into the category of a joke. And do you think that the sexual abuse re the pedophile priests of the Roman Catholic Church is coincidental to what is being reported about Sai throughout planet Earth? I would call it synchronous. It comes at a time when many people in authority that we look up to can have a dark side, whether they be spiritual, religious, political or otherwise. Much damage has been done by these people, and it is up to all of us to see that no more crimes are committed. No matter what side you are on in this controversy, YOUR dharma is on the line and is inescapable. The ball is in your court to determine what is true and what is false. And despite what spin doctors like Bongiovanni spit out, you must determine for yourself, without prejudice, what is really happening here and now. Regardless of how it all turns out, you will remain my friends and cohorts in bettering this beautiful Earth. Dave Lyons."

Barry Pittard, a long-term former follower of Sathya Sai and and former teacher at his Brindavan College for Boys in the 1970s, wrote an open letter to his former students and other devotees requesting responses for an offer of help to victims. He protects his sources identities and confidentiality meticulously, also for obvious reasons such as threats (already experienced from some 'Sai devotees' against victims who have spoken out about being abused sexually by Sathya Sai). Pittard received a letter from one of Sathya Sai Baba's alleging victims', and here is an (anonymous) excerpt about kundalini raising:

" Dear Barry, ...poking out from the dark.. Interesting though in the light of what happened in my case...was I to rise Sathya Sai Baba's Kundalini since he asked me "to work" his Muladhara? So who is who?!?!?"

Barry Pittard shares the following response to a rumour spread by Sai devotees claiming legitimacy for these 'oiling ceremonies'. "I know the people of the Kundalini Foundation in the U.K and I know where they received this information. It came from Shri Siddheswar Baba, who was also my Kundalini Guru in Northern India. What my Guru described and what these Kundalini Foundation people are writing about is not the same. I was there when he said it. I also talked to a young man who had his K.... adjusted by those means described. This man remained fully clothed and it was not sexual whatsoever. I feel very saddened that the words of my Guru are twisted to proof that it is ok what Sathya Sai Baba does with the boys."
The Sathya Sai Baba follower of decades, Glen Meloy, who sacrificed much time and energy to serious investigation of the sex abuse allegations and recounted his awakening in a letter:-

I want you to know that I do appreciate your willingness to follow-up and investigate these alleged kundalini raising claims by contacting Timothy Conway and others. It's been on my mind ever since I first heard of the practice from then dear friends of mine, a Mother and Father of one of the California boys in Hal Honig's group in 1993 who had his genitals oiled during the same time period when the murders were being committed at the ashram. Many red flags were popping up when I heard their story, but they were interpreting it as a blessing because they felt their young son was sexually hyperactive and that it seemed to tone him down a bit. Since they were accepting it as a blessing and as a healing, I decided not to research it further, but the thought lingered in my mind for quite some time as I wondered to myself why Sathya Sai Baba would have to heal in such a manner. The thought of discussing it further really never entered my mind because this was the first time I had heard of it and I thought maybe it was just a special blessing from God that had been bestowed upon my friend's son. The very fact that he had been chosen to be in Hal Honig's group was, to me, in itself, a special blessing for the boy and his parents. That was in 1993....

Now fast forward to December 1999 when I heard directly from Bob Bozzani similar stories of how either his son or son-in-law had his genitals oiled and he had the gall to tell me that all the stories on the Internet were "Old hat" and that he was wondering when the subject would surface again. When he used the term "old hat", It again sent off red flags in my mind, but as he went on to explain that the procedure made his relative or sibling a better Father and a better huSathya Sai Babaand, I realized that Bob was treating it as a blessing and a healing so I again dropped the whole subject and didn't pursue it further. The reason for having this conversation with Bozzani was because I had received a letter from an American Mother who was at the ashram in Puttaparti, India and she requested that I go on the internet and verify the negative stories that were starting to circulate on the web from people like David Bailey etc. etc. At the time, her request seemed rather strange because I thought she was in the presence of the Lord and had settled in for a long extended stay with her son and huSathya Sai Babaand at Puttaparti. I briefly wondered why she would even challenge her own faith by making such a request of me. Since I had never in 26 years ever doubted or questioned the Divinity of Sai Baba, I felt these alleged stories had to be evil attacking goodness and that I should have nothing to do with them; and I politely declined her request to search on the Internet.

The months went by and then all of a sudden, the first of a series of bombshells arrived in letter form on April 7, 2000 from India........ Again, it came from the same Mother in India, but this time I learned for the first time the real reason for her earlier request. In a very distraught and anguished tone, she told me, that outside of her son and two daughters, I was the only other person in the entire world that was now being told that her son had been sexually molested (She used the word raped) by Sri Sathya Sai Baba on two separate occasions in September 1999. And to make sure she had my full attention, she included an exact copy of her son's very personal handwritten journal accounting of the entire sordid experiences on those two fateful days. My whole world was immediately shaken from top to bottom and an immense feeling of the worst kind of betrayal filled my body, mind and soul. It was then and still is now described as the biggest disappointment of my entire life. 26 years of uncompromising devotion was now instantly down the drain of what could only be termed as a "river of sorrows" that penetrated my entire being. My life had instantly changed from being a devout believer and worshipper to crying out a barrage of questions that had never been asked during the previous 26 years. After I cleansed my immediate environment of all the photographic evidence of his presence, I finally went on the Internet and discovered to my horror that a deluge of stories were starting to circulate about the molestations that had been occurring for many years Now I knew what Bozzani meant when he said "old hat"...

Obviously he and a select few had known about these events for many years, but they never told the membership at large. That was only the beginning of what we now know to be a carefully orchestrated conspiracy by the top Sai Organization Officials to cover up the truth. These self righteous "Rogues" have taken upon themselves the power to decide whether or not devotees or newcomers had a right to know about these sexual allegations. In so doing they have deprived every parent and every relative or friend of these innocent boys and young men the right to make an adult decision concerning their safety and well-being. As most of you know, I soon confronted Bob Bozzani again when the same Mother asked me to contact him after he had received the identical package of information she had first sent to me. It was at that time that I formally announced to Bob that I was no longer a believer in Sai Baba nor a member of the Sai Organization. After telling me he was sorry to hear of my decision to leave the organization, he tried to explain that the trouble with devotees was they had a tendency to bring God down to the human level and that it was just not possible to do that. He told me the famous line that was to be repeated over and over again by other officers, such as Michael Goldstein, that Baba was "Pure" and that it was not possible to understand the ways of God. My answer (at least 4 times in our conversation) was...that the God in my heart does NOT molest little children. Bob never once denied the molestation charges nor tried to refute the accounting of the events by the 15 year old molestation victim I then decided to be one of the active Global coordinators who were pledged to expose and stop these human rights abuses......... The Mother had originally hoped that Bozzani, after reading her letter and her son's journal notes, would call an emergency meeting of the Southern California Region and the entire Sai Organization.... I had warned her that was highly unlikely. Naturally she was very disappointed, but she then organized a campaign with volunteer helpers to send out their story to all devotees.

After some of the letters reached many of her California friends, all of us started hearing excuses for these so called kundalini raisings from Sai coordinators such as Berneice Mead who asserted that Sai Baba was out of the goodness of his heart saving all these boys from their overactive hormones and bad karma by oiling their genitals. She even claimed the boy was overprotected by his Mother, but never once denied the actual molestation events. But at almost the same time, her husband Ron Mead was Emailing me and saying that Baba would be extraordinary if he could perform ejaculations at age 74 with a few motions of his pelvis:-

IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT YOU CONSIDER SSathya Sai Baba TO BE AN ORDINARY MAN OR A LITTLE EXTRA ORDINARY IF AT AGE 74 HE COULD HAVE AN EJACULATION WITH THOSE FEW MOTIONS OF THE PELVIS. THE ACT WAS NOT FOR HIS GRATIFICATION. and earlier in that same mail, Ron said that he had actually spoken to some of the males involved going back to 1968 and concluded that sex is a mental process.

Glen I have dealt with the issue you are dealing with for many year numerous times and have searched for clues and "I" have talked to some of the males involved. I did not jump to the same conclusions that you have. My first case goes back as far as 68 and 69. When possible I always ask question but did not always get answers because The boy involved would not or could not relate their thoughts and fantasies prior to the act that would be described as sexual. Remember sex is a mental process. You face the same situation. Those boys did not tell you or anyone else their thoughts or fantasies, related to sex, that repeated themselves perhaps most of their life. Homosexuality is brought on by an Aberration of the mind, (thoughts) in some form related to sex. AND can only be controlled in the same manner. I COULD GO ON AND ON FOR HOURS. I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT IS NOT MY INTENT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING BECAUSE I THINK YOU HAVE YOUR MIND MADE UP. IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT YOU CONSIDER Sathya Sai Baba TO BE AN ORDINARY MAN OR A LITTLE EXTRA ORDINARY IF AT AGE 74 HE COULD HAVE AN EJACULATION WITH THOSE FEW MOTIONS OF THE PELVIS. THE ACT WAS NOT FOR HIS GRATIFICATION. I will just consider this time wasted motion. If I had the time a conversation with you I think it would be interesting just to find out how you are reasoning. R. MEAD

Meloy comments: "The strange logic employed by Bozzani and the Meads is interwoven with excuses for the oilings, but no outright denial that they took place. And somehow they seem justified in their minds because they believe Sathya Sai Baba to be pure and that he is only involved in a healing ritual and does not receive any physical gratification for himself. This reasoning is absurd.... Even if the oiling was the only act performed, one could still legitimately question why if he was really God, does he need to actually touch their genitals? Would not a gesture or a look from the all powerful God of the Universe be enough to effect a healing without touching the individual? Surely, the God of the Universe would not have to engage in oral sex and/or ejaculate in the mouths of his devotees to effect a healing?. Where is the healing in an act which most prudent persons would characterize as pure self gratification? Barry, I want you to know that I am grateful to have Timothy Conway's documented research on the record, but we still need an authentic voice from the hierarchy in the Hindu priesthood in India to speak out on these alleged kundalini raising procedures employed by Sai Baba. I think that the Hindu spiritual leaders owe it to all the faithful followers of Hinduism to set the record straight. It's time for them to come out of the closet and dispel the false notion that shaktipat can only be done by touching the genitals or the muladhara region. It's actually an insult being hurled by Sai Baba to all the Deities such as Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Lord Jesus, Lord Buddha, Moses or any of the names of God. Let's put this kundalini raising claim to rest once and for all, so that the leadership of the Sai Organization cannot hide behind those false assertions. As Timothy so aptly stated...... Barry, you have my permission to distribute this to anyone on your mailing list and to also post it on any web site, both pro and con. Much Love and Light, Glen Meloy"

It is pitiful to see the extent to which devotees are willing to twist their minds unnaturally - and bend their values backward - in vain attempts to account for the indisputable facts - let alone the contested but very weighty allegations. There are many mental hawkers and tinkers who practice systematic, self-reproducing gullibility... a whole membership website/discussion forum is even 'devoted' to fitting some of the unavoidable facts to the Procrustean bed that belief in Sathya Sai Baba demands. The webmaster is known for self-delusory mind-washing - and supporting dirty tricks campaigns too - I have been most reliably informed (I have, of course, never been at all interested in being a member)