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Immortality and Reincarnation: Wisdom from the Forbidden Journey
Famed traveler and mystic Alexandra David-Neel, the first Western woman to see the forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet, examines Eastern concepts of the afterlife in this classic study.
The question of what occurs to the individual personality after death is fundamental to the human experience. In Immortality and Reincarnation Alexandra David-Neel, the first Western woman to see the forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet, examines Taoist, Tibetan, and Hindu concepts concerning life after death. Contrary to Western belief, which sees the human being as composed of a mortal body and an immortal soul, many Easterners believe in the immortality of both the body and the soul. Alexandra David-Neel gained firsthand knowledge of these beliefs and the practices they engendered in the course of her travels at the beginning of this century. In Immortality and Reincarnation she ties them together for a unique look at reincarnation and eternal life in a region untouched by the modern world.
The question of what occurs to the individual personality after death is fundamental to the human experience. In Immortality and Reincarnation Alexandra David-Neel, the first Western woman to see the forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet, examines Taoist, Tibetan, and Hindu concepts concerning life after death. Contrary to Western belief, which sees the human being as composed of a mortal body and an immortal soul, many Easterners believe in the immortality of both the body and the soul. Alexandra David-Neel gained firsthand knowledge of these beliefs and the practices they engendered in the course of her travels at the beginning of this century. In Immortality and Reincarnation she ties them together for a unique look at reincarnation and eternal life in a region untouched by the modern world.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
21 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra David-Néel
129 books247 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 26, 2013
I was reminded of this book today in relation to George Santayana, a Spanish (American influence as he lived there) philospher and man of letters.
I have the highest regard for Alexandra David-Néel. She was one of those intrepid explorers who went to Tibet in the 1920s (disguised as a man - what an exciting adventure for her) in order to enter the forbidden city of Lhasa, something that was quite unheard of at the time.
Through her books, I became very interested in Buddhism and so when I lived in Provence, France for a year in the nineties, I decided to make a "pilgrimage" to Digne-les-Bains where David-Néel had founded a museum with a rather splendid library and I also knew that there was a resident Buddhist. I was on one of my missions and wondered at the time whether I would succeed in finding this monk.
For some obscure reason monks fascinate me, ever since I managed to find a monastery in Padua in Italy. I had seen the open door, wandered in and there must have been about fifty men eating at these large refectory tables.
Unfortunately I was not successful in my endeavours at Digne-les-Bains but I did manage to get hold of this book; unfortunately it was in French. I struggled through it at the time with a dictionary and I swore that when, if ever, my French improved I would reread it. I never did reread it but searching my French bookshelves I found it about half an hour ago and it really is a treasure. For those of you, who want to find your "self" and the reason for life, do read it. The book covers myths, immortalitity and will confirm any thoughts that you might have on this afterlife.
A gem to have and a gem to hold and treasure. So I will continue to be the custodian of this delightful book written by a remarkable woman.
I have the highest regard for Alexandra David-Néel. She was one of those intrepid explorers who went to Tibet in the 1920s (disguised as a man - what an exciting adventure for her) in order to enter the forbidden city of Lhasa, something that was quite unheard of at the time.
Through her books, I became very interested in Buddhism and so when I lived in Provence, France for a year in the nineties, I decided to make a "pilgrimage" to Digne-les-Bains where David-Néel had founded a museum with a rather splendid library and I also knew that there was a resident Buddhist. I was on one of my missions and wondered at the time whether I would succeed in finding this monk.
For some obscure reason monks fascinate me, ever since I managed to find a monastery in Padua in Italy. I had seen the open door, wandered in and there must have been about fifty men eating at these large refectory tables.
Unfortunately I was not successful in my endeavours at Digne-les-Bains but I did manage to get hold of this book; unfortunately it was in French. I struggled through it at the time with a dictionary and I swore that when, if ever, my French improved I would reread it. I never did reread it but searching my French bookshelves I found it about half an hour ago and it really is a treasure. For those of you, who want to find your "self" and the reason for life, do read it. The book covers myths, immortalitity and will confirm any thoughts that you might have on this afterlife.
A gem to have and a gem to hold and treasure. So I will continue to be the custodian of this delightful book written by a remarkable woman.
April 2, 2025
Having not grown up in a culture where reincarnation is accepted as fact, I found the ways of thinking about life and death in China, Tibet, and India quite fascinating. I especially found the section on the Buddhist Bardo transition interesting. My next read, though, has got to be the autobiography of this Western woman author studying religions in Asia in the early 1900s.
May 27, 2022
Lynne King mistakenly wrote, in her Goodreads review in 2013, that Alexandra David Neel journeyed to Lhasa disguised as a man. Not so. If Lynne had read "My Journey to Lhasa" the excellent book that Alexandra David Neel wrote about this journey, she would have known that the disguise was as an elderly Tibetan woman, mother of Aphur Yongden, who was actually a lama, and was traveling with her as a lama.
April 18, 2024
Tre saggi interessanti sulla dottrina dell’immortalità come insegnata nel taoismo, buddhismo tibetano e induismo. Sintetici, ma ben strutturati.
June 16, 2021
...
¡Oh alma, vuelve. En la región septentrional, no debes quedarte!
El hielo amontonado forma montañas, la nieve que vuela cubre mil leguas.
¡Vuelve, vuelve, no debes quedarte allí!
...
“La historia está llena de viajeras famosas. Pero tal vez una de las más intrépidas sea Alexandra David-Néel. Su gran logro fue convertirse en la primera mujer occidental que accedió a la ciudad de Lhasa, la capital del Tíbet, un lugar que a principios del siglo XX estaba prohibido a los extranjeros.”
¡Oh alma, vuelve. En la región septentrional, no debes quedarte!
El hielo amontonado forma montañas, la nieve que vuela cubre mil leguas.
¡Vuelve, vuelve, no debes quedarte allí!
...
“La historia está llena de viajeras famosas. Pero tal vez una de las más intrépidas sea Alexandra David-Néel. Su gran logro fue convertirse en la primera mujer occidental que accedió a la ciudad de Lhasa, la capital del Tíbet, un lugar que a principios del siglo XX estaba prohibido a los extranjeros.”
August 7, 2010
In un testo scorrevole e di facile lettura, Alexandra David-Neel riesce a dare un'idea sulle ipotesi e le credenze relative alla morte e all'aldilà, sui rituali, sul culto dei morti. Mi è stato utilissimo come mtesto introduttivo sulle religioni orientali
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews