Here I want to run through the history of the satsang I attended and
discuss the transitions that occurred.
This history covers over twelve years.
When I first met the local RS people, satsang was a comfortable, warm
and homelike experience.
It was a small home satsang in Mississippi. It was a 100
mile or so drive to get there, however
it was an all day event. The woman whose house was used generally
made food or snacks.
Although the actual satsang was about one hour long, people came early
and left late. Before
and after the satsang they had an opportunity to socialize and talk
about things of mutual interest.
Satsangies who lived on farms would bring fresh vegetables and sell
them. Other satsangies, who
had access to supplies that are generally used by members such as health
food and vitamins, would
also bring them as a convenience and sell them. The "bank account"
for seva was a cigar box.
All the warm touches you would expect to find in simple, rural America
were there.
The first casualty was bringing vegetables and other stuff to sell. This was prohibited.
Shortely after Gurinder Singh took over, our local secretary discussed
at satsang
a directive attributed to him that all local bank accounts were to
be closed and all
money transferred to a central account which reportedly he would
control.
Next came the dress code. It was made illegal to wear short pants
because that would
be considered "inappropriate dress" if you were at the Dera in India
and so it should be
inappropriate here also. Women must be appropriately covered
up.
(just a side note to show how silly this is: My friend in England
reports that on a recent
trip there Gurinder Singh wore short pants)
The "official speakers" began to show up. They would fly
in from somewhere - a person
you had never seen before - read their prepared satsang
and immediately leave.
I found one of the "official speakers" presentation to be very disturbing
because, for
the first time, it contained what I consider to be threats. Using
quotes from Charan Singh,
the official speaker stated, in so many words, that anyone who was
disobedient would
be punished by being crippled by diseases and would be financially
destroyed and thrown
into poverty. Official speakers are supposed to be directly
appointed by Gurinder Singh.
After that the rules were further strengthened to their present form.
Here they are:
1. You must report to satsang only very shortly before it is
to start.
2. Your dress must conform to the dress code.
3. You are not allowed to speak before the satsang starts.
4. After the satsang, you are allowed to speak ONLY if what you
wish to say
relates to the "subject of the satsang".
5. No food or drink is allowed - not even water.
6. At the end of the satsang you must immediately leave without
talking to anyone.
(the explanation here was that interacting
with another person might "spoil the holy atmosphere")
7. You are prohibited from attempting to meet any other person
who is at the satsang in any
in any normal social way such as discussing
common interests or seeing if you have any
common interests.