Alexandra David-Neel is known as the author of several popular books about esoteric subjects, the best known of which is “Magic and Mystery in Tibet”(1931). However, there is not much that is generally known about the personality of this admirable woman.

The piligrim from Paris

She was born in 1868 in Paris. The little girl started showing musical abilities very early in life. As she grew up, she became quickly famous as a singer, and shone on the stage of Paris Opera. Then she made a fortunate marriage. But when she turned 43, David-Neel’s life drastically changed - she was diagnosed with throat cancer. The physicians gave her a terminal prognosis.

In the hope of gaining, if not physical, then at least spiritual healing, the lady decided to dedicate her life to Buddhism. Leaving her family, the stage, and her friends, she departed on her mystical travels in then East. Alexandra was accompanied by Yongden, a young Tibetan boy who later became her adoptive son.

To avoid dangers of travel and to be able to move around the country without obstacles, they both were disguised as nalhor-pa, itinerant beggar-pilgrims. But even that did not guarantee safety from wandering bandits and from the police. On top of that, the British government declared a search for David-Neel, trying to get her out of Tibet.

She successfully completed her journey to Lhasa, full of hardships, on foot, with a pack over her shoulder. There, as the first Western woman, she was admitted by the Dalai-lama.

In Tashilhumpo, a monastery-university near Shigatse, Alexandra studied Tibetan culture and language. The abbot of the monastery, Panchen-Lama, became her mentor. After finishing her studies, David-Neel received the Tibetan equivalent of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the study of Buddhism. Beside that, she was also presented with the honored robe of a lama, which was an extreme rarity for somebody from the West, and especially for a woman.

Tibetan miracles

In her book “Magic and Mystery in Tibet”, David-Neel describes many astonishing phenomena, associated with magical and spiritual practices of the Tibetans.

So, in the chapter “How to be warm without fire in the snow”, Alexandra tells about tumo, a special way of breathing which, when practiced, generates internal heat, and the practitioner will not freeze even in very low temperatures. With this practice, the monks can sit on snowy mountaintops clad only in a single light cotton garment; they can thaw ice and turn the icy water into steam and they dry wet blankets this way. The snow around them can be seen to thaw in front of your eyes… some especially advanced hermits even completely renounce clothing and spend their whole lives in the mountains totally naked.

David-Neel herself also learned tumo with the help of her lama-mentor. “He simply ordered me to go to a certain deserted place, take a bath in the icy stream, and then, without drying myself or getting dresses, to stay there like that the whole night in meditation, without moving. It was early winter, the altitude there was about 3000 meters. I was filled with unbelievable pride, because I did not even catch a cold.”

In her book, David-Neel also writes that Tibetan magicians can construct a “tulpa”, a non-material double of themselves. This is one episode that she personally witnessed: “At that time I was camping near Punag ritod in Kham. One afternoon I was with my cook in a hut which we used as kitchen. The boy asked for some provisions. I answered: “Come with me to my tent, you can take what you need out of the boxes.”

We walked out and when nearing my tent, we both saw the hermit lama seated on a folding chair next to my camp table. This did not surprise us because the lama often came to talk with me. The cook only said “Rinpoche is here, I must go and make tea for him at once, I will take the provisions later on.”

I replied: “All right. Make tea and bring it to us.”

The man turned back and I continued to walk straight toward the lama, looking at him all the time while he remained motionless. When I was only a few steps from the tent, a flimsy veil of mist seemed to open before it, like a curtain that is slowly pulled aside. And suddenly I did not see the lama anymore. He had vanished.

A little later the cook came, bringing tea. He was surprised to see me alone. As I did not like to frighten him I said: “Rinpoche only wanted to give me a message. He had no time to stay for tea.”

I related the vision to the lama, but he only laughed without answering my questions. Yet, upon another occasion, he repeated the phenomenon.” (from A. David-Neel, Magic and Mystery in Tibet, Penguin Books Inc., 1971).

Dust scattered over Ganges

Alexandra David-Neel spent about 12 years in Tibet. Tibetan lamas taught her tantric rituals, and she was able to develop her talent for magic as well. For example, after her adoptive son Yongden died, she learned to contact him by uttering a spell, upon which a lotus flower would appear in the palm of her hand.

David-Neel was not just accepted in the highest caste of Tibetan red Hat mystic sect; in the West she was admitted to the ranks of scholars of world-wide renown. She was awarded the Gold Medal of the Belgian Royal Society, and with the title of Commander of the Honorary legion.

Alexandra took the point of view of a researcher towards the unusual phenomena that she was fortunate to witness.

“Psychic research may be guided by the same spirit as any scientific study. The discoveries which can be made in that field have nothing supernatural, nothing which may justify the superstitious beliefs and ramblings in which some have indulged regarding the matter. On the contrary, such research may help to elucidate the mechanism of so-called miracles, and once explained, the miracle is no more a miracle.” (A. David-Neel, Magic and Mystery in Tibet, 1971).

And what about her deadly disease? It disappeared without trace! David-Neel lived a long life of 101 years  -  in full physical and mental health. She spent her last years at her estate in South of France, which she named Samten-Dzong -  Monastery of reflection. According to her last will, the ashes of this amazing woman were scattered over the holy river Ganges.

In the words of the Dalai-lama XIV, Alexandra David-Neel was  “the first person who introduced Tibet to the Westerners”, and who “communicated the genuine aroma of Tibet exactly as she felt it”.