In 2016 public
Satsang
held in the divine presence in California,
here is what Swami said
about COD
:
"‘Ceiling on Desires’ is very important, especially for people who live in this kind of society, where materialism has an upper-hand over spirituality. You must learn to reduce your desires. I was recently in Boston and a boy who studies there came to Me. He is originally from Dubai, the son of a businessman. I asked him, “What did you do on your birthday? You threw a party and spent a lot of money. All that money went in your mouth and out again, but nothing was retained. Had you used the same money to help a child in need, it would have stayed with the child throughout his life.”
All of you should think like that. Before doing anything, ask Me, “Swami, is
it worth spending on this, or can I live without it?” If I respond, “Live without it,” then use that money for something better. Always think like that. You should all get together and put it into practice. Think what you can do consistently – every day – not just when I come here, when you all wake up, rush to Me and, in desperation, try to do something and then sleep on it all year until I come again.
I am with you all the time. Keep that in mind in the way you eat, sleep,
dress, rest – everything you do, every day. Similarly, every day, you must do seva. Every day, you must make some sort of sacrifice, until it becomes second nature; that is the way you must proceed. To start the whole programme, every person must accept responsibility, first for individual change, then for the contribution to the group and finally the contribution to society, in some way or another. This practical sequence should happen."