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Voyages Et Aventures de L'Esprit (Collections Spiritualites)
219pages. 18x11x1cm. Poche. Très Bon Etat
219 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
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About the author
Alexandra David-Néel
129 books251 followersAlexandra David-Néel was an explorer, anarchist, spiritualist, Buddhist and writer. She is most known for her visit to the forbidden (to foreigners) city of Lhasa, capital of Tibet (1924). She was born in Paris, France and died in Digne, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. She wrote more than 30 books, about Eastern religion, philosophy, and her travels. Her well-documented teachings influenced the beat writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, and philosopher Alan Watts.
Her real name was Louise Eugenie Alexandrine Marie David. During her childhood she had a strong desire for freedom and spirituality. At the age of 18, she had already visited England, Switzerland and Spain on her own, and she was studying in Madame Blavatsky's Theosophical Society.
In 1890 and 1891, she traveled through India, returning only when running out of money. In Tunis she met the railroad engineer Philippe Néel, whom she married in 1904.
In 1911 Alexandra traveled for the second time to India, to further her study of Buddhism. She was invited to the royal monastery of Sikkim, where she met Maharaj Kumar (crown prince) Sidkeon Tulku. She became Sidkeong's "confidante and spiritual sister" (according to Ruth Middleton), perhaps his lover (Foster & Foster). She also met the thirteenth Dalai Lama twice in 1912, and had the opportunity to ask him many questions about Buddhism—a feat unprecedented for a European woman at that time.
In the period 1914-1916 she lived in a cave in Sikkim, near the Tibetan border, learning spirituality, together with the Tibetan monk Aphur Yongden, who became her lifelong traveling companion, and whom she would adopt later. From there they trespassed into Tibetan territory, meeting the Panchen Lama in Shigatse (August 1916). When the British authorities learned about this—Sikkim was then a British protectorate—Alexandra and Yongden had to leave the country, and, unable to return to Europe in the middle of World War I, they traveled to Japan.
There Alexandra met Ekai Kawaguchi, who had visited Lhasa in 1901 disguised as a Chinese doctor, and this inspired her to visit Lhasa disguised as pilgrims. After traversing China from east to west, they reached Lhasa in 1924, and spent 2 months there.
In 1928 Alexandra separated from Philippe. Later they would reconcile, and Philippe kept supporting her till his death in 1941. Alexandra settled in Digne, and during the next 10 years she wrote books.
In 1937, Yongden and Alexandra went to China, traveling there during the second World War, returning to France only in 1946. She was then 78 years old.
In 1955 Yongden died. Alexandra continued to study and write till her death at age 100.
Her real name was Louise Eugenie Alexandrine Marie David. During her childhood she had a strong desire for freedom and spirituality. At the age of 18, she had already visited England, Switzerland and Spain on her own, and she was studying in Madame Blavatsky's Theosophical Society.
In 1890 and 1891, she traveled through India, returning only when running out of money. In Tunis she met the railroad engineer Philippe Néel, whom she married in 1904.
In 1911 Alexandra traveled for the second time to India, to further her study of Buddhism. She was invited to the royal monastery of Sikkim, where she met Maharaj Kumar (crown prince) Sidkeon Tulku. She became Sidkeong's "confidante and spiritual sister" (according to Ruth Middleton), perhaps his lover (Foster & Foster). She also met the thirteenth Dalai Lama twice in 1912, and had the opportunity to ask him many questions about Buddhism—a feat unprecedented for a European woman at that time.
In the period 1914-1916 she lived in a cave in Sikkim, near the Tibetan border, learning spirituality, together with the Tibetan monk Aphur Yongden, who became her lifelong traveling companion, and whom she would adopt later. From there they trespassed into Tibetan territory, meeting the Panchen Lama in Shigatse (August 1916). When the British authorities learned about this—Sikkim was then a British protectorate—Alexandra and Yongden had to leave the country, and, unable to return to Europe in the middle of World War I, they traveled to Japan.
There Alexandra met Ekai Kawaguchi, who had visited Lhasa in 1901 disguised as a Chinese doctor, and this inspired her to visit Lhasa disguised as pilgrims. After traversing China from east to west, they reached Lhasa in 1924, and spent 2 months there.
In 1928 Alexandra separated from Philippe. Later they would reconcile, and Philippe kept supporting her till his death in 1941. Alexandra settled in Digne, and during the next 10 years she wrote books.
In 1937, Yongden and Alexandra went to China, traveling there during the second World War, returning to France only in 1946. She was then 78 years old.
In 1955 Yongden died. Alexandra continued to study and write till her death at age 100.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 3, 2019
Ce n’est pas le premier livre d’Alexandra David-Neel, femme hors du commun, que je lis. Et celui-ci est aussi intéressant que les autres !
Que ce soit celui-ci ou un autre, lisez Alexandra David-Neel qui nous donne la meilleure devise qui soit dans la vie :
« Va comme ton cœur te mène et selon le regard de tes yeux. »
Alexandra est aventurière, ethnologue, théologienne, anarchiste, féministe, marcheuse infatigable, écrivain ? C’est une femme d’une profonde intelligence qui vous apportera forcément quelque chose. En voici quelques preuves :
« Le mal est un principe actif : l’homme ressent très vivement la souffrance. Tandis que le bonheur est plutôt un état équivalent à l’absence de souffrance. Il faut un organisme extrêmement affiné pour être capable d’être heureux autrement qu’en ne souffrant pas. Les peuples ne possédaient pas autrefois, et n’ont pas encore atteint aujourd’hui, cette délicatesse de sensation. »
Alexandra David-Neel a lu. Beaucoup lu. Entre autres, le penseur chinois Yang-tchou, dont elle retient ceci :
« Nul n’éprouva avec plus d’intensité que lui l’horreur de la contrainte, des mœurs factices, des codes imposant aux individus une attitude en contradiction flagrante avec les injonctions impératives de la nature en eux.
Pas de commandement ! Vis ta vie ! Vis ton instinct ! Laisse ton organisme s’épanouir et évoluer selon la loi intime de ses éléments constitutifs. Sois toi-même !
La paisible assurance avec laquelle il écarte les principes les plus enracinés, jette bas les devoirs les plus indiscutés, a troublé ses traducteurs chrétiens.
Yang Steou nous inspire cette résolution audacieuse ― et plus ardue qu’on ne pense ― de vivre par nous et pour nous, toute la vie que nous pourrons embrasser dans notre étreinte, retenir dans notre cœur et dans notre esprit, une telle leçon de virile et intelligente énergie sera plus que jamais, sans doute, utile et bienfaisante. »
Si tout cela ne vous a pas encore convaincu de lire Alexandra David-Neel, c’est que je n’ai pas encore mentionné l’intéressant passage sur les femmes tibétaines…
Que ce soit celui-ci ou un autre, lisez Alexandra David-Neel qui nous donne la meilleure devise qui soit dans la vie :
« Va comme ton cœur te mène et selon le regard de tes yeux. »
Alexandra est aventurière, ethnologue, théologienne, anarchiste, féministe, marcheuse infatigable, écrivain ? C’est une femme d’une profonde intelligence qui vous apportera forcément quelque chose. En voici quelques preuves :
« Le mal est un principe actif : l’homme ressent très vivement la souffrance. Tandis que le bonheur est plutôt un état équivalent à l’absence de souffrance. Il faut un organisme extrêmement affiné pour être capable d’être heureux autrement qu’en ne souffrant pas. Les peuples ne possédaient pas autrefois, et n’ont pas encore atteint aujourd’hui, cette délicatesse de sensation. »
Alexandra David-Neel a lu. Beaucoup lu. Entre autres, le penseur chinois Yang-tchou, dont elle retient ceci :
« Nul n’éprouva avec plus d’intensité que lui l’horreur de la contrainte, des mœurs factices, des codes imposant aux individus une attitude en contradiction flagrante avec les injonctions impératives de la nature en eux.
Pas de commandement ! Vis ta vie ! Vis ton instinct ! Laisse ton organisme s’épanouir et évoluer selon la loi intime de ses éléments constitutifs. Sois toi-même !
La paisible assurance avec laquelle il écarte les principes les plus enracinés, jette bas les devoirs les plus indiscutés, a troublé ses traducteurs chrétiens.
Yang Steou nous inspire cette résolution audacieuse ― et plus ardue qu’on ne pense ― de vivre par nous et pour nous, toute la vie que nous pourrons embrasser dans notre étreinte, retenir dans notre cœur et dans notre esprit, une telle leçon de virile et intelligente énergie sera plus que jamais, sans doute, utile et bienfaisante. »
Si tout cela ne vous a pas encore convaincu de lire Alexandra David-Neel, c’est que je n’ai pas encore mentionné l’intéressant passage sur les femmes tibétaines…
Displaying 1 of 1 review