51. Sathya Sai Baba announced the closure of the Guha Ashram, but in fact it continues to exist today
There is no need now to retell the content of the book that Maheshwarananda wrote. Some of you are already familiar with this wonderful book. For those of you who have not read it yet, I highly recommend reading it. Maheshwarananda recounted many wonderful events in the life of Sathya Sai Baba’s Himalayan ashram. I do not think this book will leave anyone indifferent.
We often talked with Maheshwarananda about various aspects of Kriya Yoga meditation and mantra practice, and I also asked questions about Guha Ashram with great interest. Maheshwarananda was quite open and gave detailed answers. I am very grateful to fate for meeting this unique person.
At some point, Sathya Sai Baba officially announced that he had closed the Guha Ashram. This news literally shocked me. In fact, the reason for Sathya Sai Baba’s statement was very simple. The book about Guha Ashram came out in the late ‘80s and instantly became very popular. After reading this book, people reacted differently, some were simply delighted with the stories set forth in the book, but there were also those who wanted to go to the Himalayas at all costs and find the secret ashram.
I know several cases where Indians, Americans, Germans, as well as a couple of Russian guys went in search of Guha Ashram. Attempts to find the Guha Ashram began to happen more and more often, as people read the book and immediately went to the Himalayas. Obviously, without the blessing of Sathya Sai Baba, it was absolutely impossible to find the ashram. It is not difficult to organize a trip to the Himalayas. It’s an open area. All you need is to get in a car, and you can visit all the holy cities located in the upper reaches of the Himalayan mountains.
Sometimes people went alone, sometimes two or three. The groups were always very small. People found Mount Narayana Parvata easily on the map, but they walked long and hard through the mountains and naturally could not find the ashram. Such places of power have very serious energy protection from intruders. You can pass at a distance of several meters from the entrance to the sacred cave, and simply not notice it. You can also walk past a group of yogis who are practicing meditation or mantras, and you will get the impression there is no one around.
The energy protection of the Guha Ashram is very strong, and there is an impact on the consciousness of a person, in that one who is not spiritually ready will look and not see. Even being very close to the entrance to the cave, a person coming without the special blessing of Sathya Sai Baba would see only the slope and the mountain; it will seem to him there is no cave at all, although, in fact, the entrance to the sacred cave will be right in front of him. That is why it is impossible to go and find the Guha Ashram simply by ordinary effort.
Some attempts were on the verge of dangerous outcomes, but fortunately no one died. I know of one case where a man went looking for Guha Ashram and got lost in the mountains, fortunately he was found by passing tourists. Some broke their legs or arms and had to turn back. As attempts to find the Guha Ashram began to increase, Sathya Sai Baba announced that he had closed the ashram.
I must say that such an official statement really had a very serious effect, and several groups decided not to go. About this time, I wanted to discuss this matter with Maheshwarananda. He said that it was the only correct decision to officially announce the closure of the Guha Ashram in order to stop the flow of grief seekers.
In fact, the ashram, of course, was not closed; it continues to exist even now, just in order to remove the hype around it, it was announced that it was closed.