Alexandra David-Néel
Alexandra David-Néel (Louise Eugénie Alexandrine Marie David) was born on October 24th, 1868. Alexandra passed away September 8th, 1969 at 100 years old. Alexandra David-Néel was born in Saint-Mandé, France.
Alexandra David-Neel was best known as a Belgian French writer, explorer, opera singer, Buddhist, and spiritualist. When she was still very young, her family moved to Belgium where they lived until she was six.
As a courageous and intelligent child she loved exploring and never lost that wanderlust as an adult. As a 17-year-old, she traveled to Switzerland and then to Lake Maggiore in Italy. Alexandra also rode her bike to Spain and to London where she became enmeshed with the Madame Blavatsky-founded
Theosophical Society.
In 1890, she got an inheritance from her grandmother which made it possible for her to travel to India. When she ran out of money she became a singer working with a traveling opera company. It was while she was performing in Algeria that she met Phillippe Neel, the man that she would then marry.
By 1911, Alexandra gained much notoriety in France giving lectures on Eastern religions. When she got a grant from the Ministry of Education in France, she went back to India to study Sanskrit. It was on this trip that she met the Dalai Lama with whom she had dialogue on spiritual enlightenment.
In addition to translating sacred Tibetan texts, Alexandra David-Neel has also published more than 30 titles on spiritualism, philosophy, and Eastern religion. She used the money she made from her books to buy a house in France where she lived until she was 100.
In 1927, Alexandra David-Neel published
My Journey to Lhasa, which chronicles her 1923 expedition to Lhasa, Tibet.
It was a journey that came with all manner of danger but she used her fluency in Tibetan culture and language and a disguise to travel all over Tibet with its rough climate and terrain. With Yongden as her companion, she endured the danger of the military, border control, and frequent disease outbreaks to achieve her goal.
In 1929, David-Neel published
Magic and Mystery in Tibet in which she tells of her experiences among the magicians and lamas of Tibet. It is not an autobiography nor a travelogue, but rather a description of the psychic training practices, mystical theories, and the occult in Tibet.
Next, she published
Initiations and Initiates in Tibet in 1930. This is a book that discusses the sources and nature of Tibetan mysticism and offers a wealth of information on the teaching and initiation rites of the Lamas.
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Alexandra David-Néel: F.A.Q
When was Alexandra David-Néel Born?
Alexandra David-Néel was born on October 24th, 1868.
When did Alexandra David-Néel die?
Alexandra David-Néel died on September 8th, 1969 at 100 years old.
Where was Alexandra David-Néel Born?
Alexandra David-Néel was born in Saint-Mandé, France.
What was the first book Alexandra David-Néel wrote?
The first book written by Alexandra David-Néel was My Journey to Lhasa, published in 1927.
What was the most recent book Alexandra David-Néel wrote?
Her most recently released work was The Secret Oral Teachings in Tibetan Buddhist Sects on January 1st, 1964.
How many books has Alexandra David-Néel written?
Alexandra David-Néel has written 6 books. All of her books are Non-Fiction Books.