Dear Sisters Jayanti, Rosemary et al,

"Feisty" is the right word you chose to use, Sister Jayanti!

It totally slipped my mind, that Miss Josephine MacLeod was a strong-willed
American woman, accustomed to speaking her mind freely.

So, Swamiji was doing her a big favor, to put her in her place right away;
before she got herself into trouble with those who were perhaps less
understanding than him.

To the average Hindu in 19th Century India, an outspoken, full-blown American
woman such as that; would be his worst nightmare; having been accustomed
from birth, to docile subservience from the females in his life.

When we look at it from that angle, the 'harshness' becomes magically transformed
into an urgent and helpful reminder to "Joe"; to modify her behavior in accordance
with her strange surroundings. Very much like an adult will emphatically warn children
not to play too close to the railway tracks.

Today is the first day of Spring. Something nice to think about.

Om Shanthi Om
=============

These are Josephine's own words as concerns her perception and relationship with Swamiji:

[In an undated letter written from the Belur Math guest house, after Swamiji's passing, she thus describes the impress of his life on hers:]

...The thing that held me in Swamiji was his unlimitedness. I never could touch the bottom — or top — or sides. The amazing size of him!...Oh, such natures make one so free. It's the reaction on oneself that matters, really, isn't it? What one gets out of it.

You ask if I am utterly secure in my grasp on the ultimate. Yes, utterly. It seems to be part and parcel of me. It is the Truth I saw in Swamiji that has set me free! One's faults seem so insignificant, why remember them when one has the ocean of Truth to be our play-ground? It was to set me free that Swamiji came, that was as much a part of his mission as it was to give Renunciation to Nivedita or unity to Mrs. S—. But it is Renunciation that is India's great spiritual gift, and so the workers in and for India (Nivedita) used to say. "I only hear one word ringing through my ears day and night. Remember Renunciation." Hence her hold and grip on India and the coming generations. I haven't any Renunciation, but I've freedom. Freedom to see and help India to grow — that's my job and how I love it. To see this group of fiery idealists burning new paths and outlets from this jungle called Life ....

I feel that Swamiji is a Rock for us to stand upon. That was his function in my life, not worship, nor glory, but a steadiness under one's feet for experiments! At last I'm free. It's so curious to feel free, not needed any more in the West, but all my characteristics — in India.

...With two new upper chambers of the guest house I am living in great luxury and space, quiet on this great river. I never dreamed of such luxury anywhere! The luxury of space — no furniture to lake care of, no rugs, pictures, dishes — only a tea set. That impingement of things is gone! Things to do, to take care of, all melted into thin air. Yet I'm not alone! (That I couldn't bear.) One doesn't have lo leave the body to find Heaven.

I see — and why all this? That's the wonder.

"They are fooling us with little brains, but this time they won't find me napping. I've found a thing or two beyond brains, and that is love" as Swamiji wrote to Mrs. Leggett, bless them both.

(Vedanta and the West, November-December 1962)

Josephine

At the present in my book (on the life of Tantine) I am travelling with Swami and Nivedita at Kshir Bhavani in Kashmir. Here is a photo of Swamiji during the time period of that visit as shown with pandits at Ksheer Bhawani.



Ksheer Bhawani

Location: North Carolina

Dear Sister Rosemary et al,

Ah yes, the Vale of Kashmir, one of the loveliest spots on earth...and they are
fighting over it, like dogs over a bone. Such is human nature....

A lovely quote from "Tantine".....here are some more:

REMINISCENCES OF
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

JOSEPHINE MACLEOD

ON the twenty-ninth of January 1895, I went with my sister in 54 West 33rd Street, New York, and heard the Swami Vivekananda in his sitting room where were assembled fifteen or twenty ladies and two or three gentlemen. The room was crowded. All the arm-chairs were taken; so I sat on the floor in the front row. Swami stood in the corner. He said something, the particular words of which I do not remember, but instantly to me that was truth, and the second sentence he spoke was truth, and the third sentence was truth. And I listened to him for seven years and whatever he uttered was to me truth. From that moment life had a different import. It was as if he made yon realm; that you were in eternity. It never altered. It never grew. It was like the sun that you will never forget once you have seen.

I heard him all that winter, three days a week, mornings at eleven o'clock. I never spoke to him, but as we were so regular in coming, two front seats were always kept for us in this sitting room of the Swamiji. One day he turned and said. "Are you sisters?" "Yes", we answered. Then he said, "Do you come very far?" We said, "No. not very far — about thirty miles up the Hudson." "So far? That is wonderful." Those were the first words I ever spoke to him.

I always felt that after Vivekananda, Mrs. Roethlisberger was the most spiritual person I ever met. It was she who took us to him. Swamiji had a great place for her also. One day she and I went to the Swami and said. "Swami, will you tell us how to meditate?" He said. "Meditate on the word 'OM' for a week and come again and tell me." So after a week we went back and Mrs. Roethlisberger said,"I see a light." He said, "Good, keep on," "O no, it is more like a glow at the heart." And he said to me, "Good, keep on." That is all he ever taught me. But we had been meditating before we ever met him, and we knew the Gita by heart, I think that prepared us for recognition of this tremendous life force which he was. His power lay, perhaps, in the courage he gave others. He did not ever seem to be conscious of himself at all. It was the other man who interested him. "When the book of life begins to open, then the fun begins," he would say. He used to make us realize there was nothing secular in life; it was all holy. "Always remember, you are incidentally an American, and a woman, but always a child of God. Tell yourself day and night who you are. Never forget it." That is what he used to tell us. His presence, you see, was dynamic. You cannot pass that power on unless you have it, just as you cannot give money away unless you have it. You may imagine it, but you cannot do it.

We never spoke to him, had nothing much to do with him; but during that spring we were dining one night with Mr. Francis. H. Leggett, who later became my brother-in-law. "Yes, we can dine with you but we cannot spend the evening with you," we had told him. "Very well," he answered, "just dine with me." When dinner was over, he said, "Where are you going this evening?" We told him we were going to a lecture; and he asked. "Mayn't I come?" We said. "Yes." He came, he listened; and when it was over, he went up to Swamiji, shook hands with him and said. "Swami, when will you dine with me?" And it was he who introduced us to Swami socially.

The Swami came to Ridgely Manor, Mr. Leggett's place in the Catskill Mountains, and spent some days there. At the time some of the students said. "But Swamiji, you can't go. The classes are going on." Swami turned with great dignity and answered. "Are they my classes? Yes, I will go." And he did. While he was there, he met my sister's children who were then twelve and fourteen years old. But when we came down to New York and the classes began again, he did not seem to remember them, and they, very much surprised, said. "Swami doesn't remember us." We said to them. "Wait until the class is over." While he was lecturing, he was always completely absorbed in what he was talking about. When he was through speaking, he came up and said, "Well children, how nice to see you again," showing he did remember them. They were very happy.

Perhaps it was during this period, when he was our guest in New York City, one day he came home very quiet and subdued, He did not speak for hours, and finally we said to him, "Swami! What did you do today?" And he said, "I have seen a thing today that only America can show. I was in the street car. Helen Gould sat on one side and a negro washerwoman, with her washing on her lap, on the other. No place but America can show that."

In June of that year Swami went up to Camp Percy, Christine Lake. N. H., to be the guest of Mr. Leggett at his fishing camp. We also went. There my sister's engagement to Mr. Leggett was announced, and Swami was invited to go abroad and be the witness at the wedding. While he was at the Camp, Swami would go out under those beautiful white birch trees and meditate for hours. Without telling us anything about it he made two beautiful birch bark books, written in Sanskrit and English, which he gave to my sister and me.

Then when my sister and I went to Paris to buy her trousseau, Swami went to Thousand Island Park and for six weeks gave those wonderful talks called Inspired Talks, which to me are the most beautiful words that were written, because they were given to a group of intimate disciples. They were disciples, whereas I was never anything but a friend. But that quality that he gave them! Nothing I think revealed his heart as those days did.

He came over to Paris with Mr. Leggett in August. There, my sister and I stayed at the Holland House, and the Swami and Mr. Leggett stayed at a different hotel; but we saw them every day. At that time Mr. Leggett had a courier who always called Swami 'Mon Prince!' And Swami said to him. "But I am not a prince. I am a Hindu monk." The courier answered, "You may call yourself that, but I am used to dealing with Princes, and I know one when I see one." His dignity impressed everyone. Yet, when someone once said to him, "You are so dignified, Swami", he replied, "It isn't me, it's my walk."

On the ninth of September Mr. and Mrs. Leggett were married, and the next day Swami left for London to be the guest of Mr. E. T. Sturdy, who had already met some of the Ramakrishna monks in India and who was a Sanskrit scholar. After Swami had been there some time he wrote. "Come over and get up classes." But by the time we went over he was already lecturing. He lectured very eloquently at Princes' Hall, and the next day the papers were full of the news that a great Indian yogi had come to London. He was very honoured there. Until the fifteenth of December we stayed in London. Then Swami again came to America to continue his work here. In April of the following year he went back to London when he established classes and began a real definite work. That was in 1896. He worked there all summer until July when he went to Switzerland with the Seviers.

Swamiji's knowledge was prodigious. Once when my niece, Alberta Sturges, later Lady Sandwich, was with him in Rome, showing him the sights, she was amazed at his knowledge of where the great monuments were. And when she went to St. Peter's with him, she was still more amazed to see him so reverential to the symbols of the Roman Church — to all the jewels, all the beautiful draperies, put upon the saints. She said, "Swami, you don't believe in a Personal God; why do you honour this so much?" He answered, "But Alberta, if you do believe in a Personal God, surely you give it your best."

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Dear Sister Jayanti,

Thank you for sharing what you have shared.I would just like to share something on, 'but THROUGH him or her,' that you have written. It is so very much true, and it is something very very valuable and something I am still learning almost everyday. This learning process is making one more and more free each time one pays attention. I have shared a lot of things in this forum. For me to cultivate inner humility seemed to me to be the thing I needed most for my growth. Out of too much spiritual ambition, I carried it to somewhat extreme limits. I feel my intention was sincere, but my understanding faulty. It was after long long years that by Bhuteshananda Ji's grace (Holy Mother and Thakur for me as he is my Guru)came the slow slow understanding, 'but THROUGH him or her,'. It is verily Sri Ramakrishna's Gift. As I said it is setting me free and more free upon each practice. And as the Lord says, No one is righteous, no, not even one. Wow! And the Gita similarly. It is He and He alone. He alone. In this context I would like to quote below an email exchange I had with a friend recently. The background is like this. When talk of my marriage was going on, I sent an email to Revered Atmasthananda Ji, President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission worldwide. I received a reply email conveying his blessings, prayers and affection. After my marriage on the 11th of February, 2011, I sent him a heart-felt email to which the short, almost 'business-like' reply disappointed me. So I wrote to a friend,
Dear ,

Is the message below in reply to my message still below genuine? I mean is it from Revered Maharaj himself or from the circle around him. You had seen the message that was sent before marriage. The second line especially in this reply and the whole content...I don't know. Anyhow, I have conveyed and Sri Ramakrishna must have received.

Warm regards,

Ankur

The friend replied,

Dear Ankur,

What is more important is :

"Anyhow, I have conveyed and Sri Ramakrishna must have received."

Sri Ramakrishna is no ordinary saint. He is very observant on the movements of His devotees. So, connect to Him directly.

We need to pay more emphasis on this and keep track of His unseen hands. That, alone, is true empowerment. Rest will be, and have always been, full of doubts and dithering.

Love,
D'da

Thank you once again, Sister Jayanti for your sharing and to Sister Rosemary and Tom Ji for the quotes. I loved going through them. THank you.

With regards,

Ankur

Location: New Delhi, India

Dear Brother & Sister Devotees,

It is so nice to get the conversation going.

Ankur, the reply from D'da was exactly my own assesment about your situation. He said it well.

" Sri Ramakrishna is no ordinary saint. He is very observant on the movements of His devotees. So, connect to Him directly.

We need to pay more emphasis on this and keep track of His unseen hands. That, alone, is true empowerment. Rest will be, and have always been, full of doubts and dithering."

The words below are what swam before my eyes when I picked up my book for reading last night. This passage directly relates to our conversation here. It is so easy for us to project our own opinions and thoughts onto what we perceive as a "harshness" or words in Swamiji's relationship with Tantine. In my opinion, there was no rancour, no malice, and no lack of love. This is from a letter written by Nivedita to Tantine and is disclosing some conversation between Nivedita and Swamiji as pertains to Josephine MacLeod.


Nivedita herself is expressing some surprise...

p. 71

"Nivedita wrote to Joe on June 25, 1899:

.."Then (Vivekananda) he spoke of "the strength in that little body", of the love--and of the power to suffer. The last astonished me--and he said that he had made you shed torrents of tears many a time by the outrageous things he had said to you. Had I not yet found out that where he loved most he scolded most? But I hope and pray dear Yum that this last touch in your manifold perfections is only the King's (Vivekananda's) loving imagination. I don't like to think of your shedding "torrents of tears"

Vivekananda did make Joe shed tears and it was not his style to apologize or beg pardon after a fit of anger: he ususally made it up by being extra kind and affectionate."

Tantine, The Life of Josephine MacLeod, Friend of Swami Vivekananda, p. 71

Location: North Carolina

Dear Ankur Ji,

I just noticed your posting in early March, which mentioned that you
were married on the 9th of February, 2011. Please accept my heartfelt
best wishes for a long, happy and spiritual marriage.

Your posting about your Guru; and Revered Atmasthananda Ji's cursory
reply to your email; was very interesting. At least you got an answer,
which is something....

Dear Sister Rosemary,

You wrote: "Vivekananda did make Joe shed tears and it was not his style
to apologize or beg pardon after a fit of anger: he usually made it up by
being extra kind and affectionate."

Why do you say that it was not Swamiji's 'style' to apologise or beg pardon
after a fit of anger?

Here are some instances of his apologizing for his harshness:

MY DEAR MRS. BULL,

I am very sorry I use harsh language to my boys, but they also
know I love them more than anybody else on earth. .

From the same letter:

I am sorry, especially now, that I have done more injury
to my friends than there have been blessings on them.

-also-

I am sorry I have been the cause of pain to you, to you above all, who love
me so much, who have been so, so kind.

There are three "sorries" in the above letter to Mrs. Bull.


Then there is the letter to To Shri Haridas Viharidas Desai:

I am so sorry that I could have caused pain to such a noble heart as yours with
my rash and strong words.

Methinks that Swamiji always felt sorry for his sometimes brash utterances. He was,
above all, a decent, kind and warm-hearted human being.

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Dear Tom,

Those words were not my words, but the words of Pravrajika Prabuddhaprana. Again, it was not me that said that Swamiji never apologized.

Perhaps Pravrajika was saying that Swamiji never apologized to Josephine, I can't really attest to anything about Swamiji. I'm just quoting.

Yours,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Sorry, Rosemary, my mistake.

It does seem strange however, that Swamiji would
offer profuse apologies to Mrs. Bull and others,
for his harsh words; whereas Miss MacLeod was left
to shed tears without any expressed consolation.

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Again, it takes both selflessness and awareness to apologize.

What loving parent does not feel some sorrow in scolding a child, but does one always apologize? No. To do so would render both scolding and apology meaningless. But there are always times when the parent will show affection and even apologize, especially when it is seen that the scolding did not have the right effect.

Swamiji also observed that we learn more through the blows of life than from the comforts. I have found this to be true. Even from grade school I remember questions I missed, not those I got right.

Ankur...... You have a wise friend.

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

This has been a most interesting discussion!

Recently, I felt a need to call down my brother, Joe's, conversation at the dinner table re: Mother Teresa. He was displaying ignorance in that he portrayed Mother Teresa as evil and that she was doomed to "hell" because she had said at the end of her life, and after all her work-- she had not found God. (I can't verify that statement and am not interested enough in that particular statement to run it down on the Internet.)

I admire, have always admired Mother Teresa. I also love my brother very much. Still, I could not sit by and allow him to run her down and say whether or not she was going to hell when he is not God and cannot make himself into God and say what is going to happen to any soul after death. My whole family was sitting around the table during this discussion and no one was calling him down on this issue. Right or wrong I took it on myself to say what I needed to say about the life of someone that I admired and I had to say it very harshly. It hurt my brother's feelings very much and he even talked about "leaving and never coming back." Well, we made it through the miserable meal and he didn't leave. I have often felt badly that I hurt his feelings, but he was hurting MY feelings and it had to be stopped. Since that time, I have thought of apologizing but there was nothing that I said to him that wasn't the truth and I can't and won't take it back. I am sorry that it had to be said, but there it is, in black and white. Since that time, I have made sure that I give him an extra hug and acknowledgment so that he knows that behind the harshness of speaking up, that there is always love for him. That is also the truth.

I think we both feel bad that it happened.

Yours in Mother's Grace,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

PS, What I wanted to say to my brother, Joe, was ..."and what have YOU done to relieve misery in this world?" but I didn't go that far. It's ironic to me that that is exactly what Swamiji said to Josephine Macleod when she made a derisive comment about the Vaishnava markings on the forehead of his brother sadhu.

Location: North Carolina

Actually, now that I've thought it completely through, I think that is exactly the same thing that I said to my own brother!!!!

Location: North Carolina

What a beautiful statement by Mother Teresa... Is it not something a true seeker of God would say?

As for you and your brother's discourse, we are each called upon to decide whether and when to speak up. As a political activist I must often speak out or else how is there any possibility of change. in this it is important to keep in mind always that speaking out does not cause change, it only maybe opens the way. As Mother said, how is the divine to accomplish anything except through our actions. I try to stand for what seems to be right, leaving the final assessment and outcome to God.

When it comes to individuals, especially those close to us, this "clarity" fades. It fades partly because .... as you said, Sister Rosemary ... WE are hurt. We are either surprised that someone we love and respect would say "such a thing" or upset by the thing itself, or both. I can tell you that it is not easy, but eventually we want to have the same ability to step back and assess.....

in your brother's case, as strange/shocking as his statement was did it affect Mother Teresa? Has his statement any truth? For that matter, does our faith in Mother Teresa's place in heaven make it so? Not really. What faith should do, through time and spiritual experience/growth is give us the strength to rest peacefully in our convictions so that we are unbothered by what others believe.

Most struggles between people, groups, etc, come from a place of uncertainty. Alas, this is the human condition and we need not beat ourselves up for this tendency. As spiritual aspirants we can practice separating our reactions from our immediate re-actions to give us the space and time to determine the best response. Taking the example like your brother's statement, we might ask ourselves, "Will anything I say change what that person has said or believes? If I think that it might, how may I say it best?" in some instances we may feel we can speak up, in others we may decide silence is the best choice.

A born-again Christian friend told me she could no longer see me and condemned me to hell for being a Vedantist and "abandoning Christ". Did it hurt, yes? My response was: "if God wishes to send me to hell then he knows I go willingly, for he knows I do whatever he wants of me. But I doubt that you or any other person has the authority to condemn me to hell. Only God." i've often smiled, recalling this answer. She had been frightened by her minister about spending time with me. It took great courage for her to come tell me good-bye. This was the best I could come up with, respecting her beliefs while interjecting my own.

The reference to Swamiji and Jo also makes me smile. Jo had the ability to serve humanity .... and spent much of the rest of her life doing so. ;)

Dear Rosemary,

Here is a quote from Mother Teresa (nearing the end of her days on earth):

"Where is my faith? Even deep down ... there is nothing but emptiness and darkness ...
If there be God—please forgive me. When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven, there
is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt
my very soul ... How painful is this unknown pain—I have no Faith. Repulsed, empty, no
faith, no love, no zeal, ... What do I labor for? If there be no God, there can be no
soul. If there be no soul then, Jesus, You also are not true."

Having been brought up as a Roman Catholic, those doubts are very familiar.

The story of Jesus' doubt and anguish at Gethsemane has long been thought one of the
more provocative passages in the gospels. This passage launches the “passion” of Jesus:
the period of his suffering up to and including the crucifixion.

So, Mother Teresa was in good company.

Dear Sister Jayanti, you wrote: "A born-again Christian friend told me she could no longer
see me and condemned me to hell for being a Vedantist and "abandoning Christ""

Of course, it would probably be a waste of time to try and explain to the person in question,
that embracing the Truths of Vedanta, does not mean "abandoning Christ" or Christianity.

This is the way I look at it:

Ramakrishna Vedanta has helped me to understand better my Christianity. It has elaborated
and clarified certain vital concepts, such as, "The Kingdom of God is within you"...

Luke 17:20-21

20 Now when he was questioned by the Pharisees, as to when the kingdom of God would
come, he answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with outward signs
to be observed.

21 Nor will they say, 'Look here!' or, 'Look over there!' For behold, the kingdom of
God is within you and around you."

Mother Teresa wrote, "When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul."

If the Saint would have studied Vedanta, she would not be raising her thoughts
to 'Heaven', looking for proof of God's existence...she would be looking into
the faces of those poor souls in Calcutta, who depended upon her for support.

After all, Swami Vivekananda said: "You have read - 'Look upon your mother as God;
look upon your father as God.' But I say. The poor, the illiterate, the ignorant, the
afflicted - let these be your God. Know that the service to these alone is the highest religion."

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Dear Tom,

Thank you for finding that quote. One wonders how Mother Teresa got to this point of emptiness. I once took the day off to go hear her speak up in Charlotte, NC. I heard her say to women to not have an abortion but to "bring your babies to me!" How many people would make that offer with such dispassion?

I woke up late and must get going. I would like to say that a part of my understanding of what my brother was saying on that particular day at the dinner table was couched in hidden agenda. He was making his dogma clear and he was also slamming the Catholic religion.

Anyway, gotta run. It has helped to talk this out here.

Yours always in Mother's Grace,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Dear Brother Tom,

As it happens, this particular friend and I had had wonderful talks about God, Jesus, and the Bible -- and I missed her for this very reason. In line with what you said, I had told her lots about Vedanta, this is why her 'teacher' told her she must not see me. She insisted that i must "throw away my Bibles" because I did "not believe Jesus was the only way to God."

i simply said "No, I will not throw away my Bible. I believe that Jesus is an incarnation of God. But I will not lie to you. If anything we have talked about over these months was meaningful, you need to know my understanding comes through Vedanta .'

Dear Jayanti,

That does seem to be the point. Some people seem to think that their way is the only way. That is the way it is here in the South. You must subscribe to the prescribed program or you are considered to be pariah.....

...even somewhat in my own family.

My mother, bless her heart, does not take sides. I really respect her for that!!!!!

It sounds like you were also very hurt by your friend. I am sorry.

Yours,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

No hurt by this friend. She was a young helper I had. It was an interesting encounter in that she was genuinely concerned for my soul and her safty. If anything, I felt sad that her gullibility had been won by the evangelicals. She had a sincere spirit and I had been both enjoying her child-like faith and trying to expand her understanding.

As much as I distrust the motives of many fundamentalist leaders/evangelists, their followers are often sincere, sheep-like, innocent, naive. Ever since college, I had been aware of a fragility in their faith. Long before reading Sri Ramakrishna's teaching that we should not disturb the faith of others I had kind of adopted this principle. When Campus Crusaders would ask to pray for me 'because Jesus wants you to walk" i would try to explain that I believed God loved me as I am and my disability was part of his plan. If God ever wants me to walk he will make it possible

When this didn't work -- which it seldom did -- I would politely but firmly refuse their prayers. This way I kept my faith while not disturbing theirs. I would only accept prayers that were not based on "making me walk" or some other material outcome. It was better to let them think ill of me than to allow prayers that would fail. Time would teach them the true meaning of God and prayer.

So I have lots of practice at being condemned to hell

You are a good soul, Jayanti. I wish we could meet someday!!

I came across this tonight in the book on Tantine. Actually, I have encountered many things concerning Swamiji's "harshness" towards Joe in the last few paragraphs which takes place during Swamiji's sojourn in California. It may not be necessary to record them all here.

But back to the passage that I meant to tell you about.

"A group of bigoted people tried to bait Swami (at his lecture on January 18 at the Shakespeare Club), when he asked them to suggest a topic: 'We would like to know the result of your philosophy. Has your philosophy and religion lifted your women above our women?"....

...The Swami went on to lecture about Indian women. However, from members of a church group among the audience that had missionaries in India, came accusations of Indian mothers throwing their babies to crocodiles, child marriages, sati and so on. There was such a heated row that the Swami and his friends finally had to leave the hall, with sharp accusations hurled after them."

p. 93, Tantine, Pravrajika Prabuddhaprana

Swami doesn't seem to make such a big deal of this.

In a letter to Joe on April 18, Swami makes an interesting statement....

"The battles are lost and won." p. 96, Tantine.

Good night for now. You are a blessing here, Jayanti!

Yours ever,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Thank you, Sister Jayanti. Your wisdom, shared here at the Courtyard, is very much appreciated by me.

I, too, have lost friends over my interest in Vedanta and the religions of the East. It is fear that makes the people who say they love us and espouse to be our "friends" to speak to us as they do. It is unfortunate, but how else can it be than that we should be allowed to have the freedom to be ourselves?

In my situation, I have become a sort of "closet" Hindu. My family is not even fully aware of my feelings and my interest in the teachings of Vedanta. I must keep it hidden or else be thrown out of the family. That is probably why I snapped that day. Every Sunday I have to hear a chronic haranguing about sin, repentance and deathbed salvation. According to them, good works mean nothing to God. I get so tired of it.

Thanks for listening, and thanks for replying.

Yours always in Mother's Grace,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Dear Rosemary,

RE: "... One wonders how Mother Teresa got to this point of emptiness."

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta answers the question herself with these quotes:

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is
the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence;
see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence
to be able to touch souls." (Comment: There's not too much 'silence' in the slums
of Kolkata)

RE: "I heard her say to women to not have an abortion but to "bring your babies to me!"..."

Very noble and generous offer, no doubt...but also rather rhetorical in it's obvious
impracticality. Her suggestion implies that the women go full term; pay the medical costs
for delivery...and then, after a few months; buy air tickets, for both baby and mother,
to the ultimate destination of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. In the
real world, those things are just not gonna happen.

Dear Sister Jayanti,

So, it seems that your friend was simply following the instructions of her teacher.

My belief is that when 'teachers' impose those kind of restrictions on their students;
they are simply revealing their own lack of confidence in the 'soundness' of their own
beliefs; or, it could also be fear of the possibility of losing the student's financial
support.

It has been pounded into our Christian heads from an early age, that the only route
to Heaven is through Lord Jesus. It's very very difficult to shake that off...and
for that reason, we must be always understanding of others who express those fears;
however unreasonable they may appear to us. In my opinion, it is simply fear of the
unknown.

Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna arrived on the scene; housed in the most incongruous of
places..... The Kali temple at Dakshineswar, with the frightful representation of
MahaKali Herself. That, in itself, holds enough terrors for the average Christian,
to keep them away from Vedanta for another hundred years...as sad as that may be.

RE: "So I have lots of practice at being condemned to hell"

It's a darn good thing that you don't believe in the existence of the place. :)

Again, all those prayers for you to 'walk', are part and parcel of the limiting
aspects of interpreting the Bible in the purely physical sense.

For instance, there are countless Christians who actually believe that Christ
'physically' multiplied the loaves and fishes, through His magical supernatural
powers.

However, we both know that the real 'miracle' of the loaves and fishes, was the
exhibition of selfless love, manifested through the new-found generosity of the
multitude; who graciously shared with the less-fortunate, the dried fish and bread,
which were hidden in the folds of their copious garments, wrapped in aromatic leaves.

Jesus convinced them to do that....and 'that' was the miracle. The object, is to
cut through the gross outer layers of these events, in order to understand what
actually happened.

Om Shanti Om
============

Thank you Sister Jayanti, Tom Ji, and Sister Rosemary for continuing this discussion which I have enjoyed following. I use the term ‘enjoy’ for what I read was of interest to me, though matters of deep and sad feelings being stirred were also discussed.

First of all, Tom Ji, thank you for your good wishes for my married life. I would like to add here that Swami Atmasthananda Ji led me to my Guru and has always been kind to me and has always replied to my many letters to him. So I know the type of reply he makes, they satisfy one. However, the communication I was referring to seemed not to ensue from him directly, hence the email to my friend.

Dear Sister Jayanti, yes, Sri Ramakrishna has given me a wise friend indeed. Someone who does again and again recall to my mind the Holy Trio (Ramakrishna, Sarada, Vivekananda) as well as Swami Bhuteshananda Ji, while keeping himself almost strictly in the background. Also, as Sister Rosemary rightly remarks, you are a blessing indeed to visitors to the Mother’s Courtyard. Thank you. What you wrote about Sister Rosemary talking back to her brother reminds me of the Sanskrit saying, ‘Satyam bruyat, priyam bruyat, Na bruyat satyam apriyam’, meaning speak the truth, speak what is pleasant, do not speak an unpleasant truth. That is practiced by many here. For words hurt more than blows, and since we have not the power to effect positive change by our words, not speaking an unpleasant truth seems the best course to follow. I have spent much energy in trying to ‘convince’ others, but to no lasting or even short-term effect. True conviction stems not from faith alone but from realization. And till we have realization, our conviction does not carry force.

Dear Sister Rosemary, even as I was writing the above came the thought, what is the use of this expressing. But then something is out from your heart and a mental exercise of recalling goodness, and reconfirming ‘convictions’ does take place. Then with regard to the question of harshness and the beloved daughter of Holy Mother, ‘Tantine’ or Josephine McLeod, let me share my belief in this regard. Great souls like Swami Ji have the hostile ego extinguished in them, and their character is totally selfless, something which one who has not reached that state cannot even imagine. It is futile to try to understand the actions and speech of God or His saints through the lens of our as yet imperfect understanding. It is said that Jesus once apologized to a women saint of His after putting her through some tribulation by telling her that, ‘this is the way I treat my friends.’ The saint was quick enough to reply to the Lord, ‘That is why you have so few friends!’ There is nothing but love in God, and nothing but love left in His saints. To even hear of their lives, to look at their pictures or to contemplate on their hearts makes one pure. I speak from experience. The above being so, what an immense blessing to receive a berating from such a one as Swami Ji. Tantine was a great soul and she could understand the blessings she received, and the greater the role a soul has to play, the greater his chastisement, a chastisement of love, with love, for love. If one can contemplate on this alone, one will attain to salvation, beautitude, or the Lord’s Holy Feet as one sees it. Sister Jayanti has had one such experience from the Swami. In the Swami’s case he was not aware, his striving to be pure soul was used as a conduit for Mother’s Grace to flow to Sister Jayanti. But the greatest of men are those who are great and know that they are great. Such was Swami Vivekananda. He was fully aware. Not for nothing did he say on the day of his passing away, ‘Only another Vivekananda will know what this Vivekananda has done.’

With lot of regards and pranam to all of you,

Ankur

Location: New Delhi, India

Dear Ankur ji,

It is so nice to see you back in Mother's Courtyard.

I always get a lot of inspiration from your well-
thought out postings; and your excellent understanding
of the principles of Vedanta.

Please don't stay away so long next time!

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Dear Ankur, et al,

This is indeed an interesting discussion. Ankur, I agree with Tom ji, and I express my own sentiment that your remarks show great thought and understanding and that they give me inspiration.


It is interesting to note (before moving on) that Swamiji himself makes comment about his own "methods".

He says this by letter to Joe and it is written by Swamiji from California, dated April 18.

"I am so sorry Mr. Leggett resigned the presidentship. Well, I keep quiet for fear of making further trouble. You know my methods are extremely harsh, and once roused I may rattle Abhedananda too much for his peace of mind...You understand why I do not want to meddle with Abhedananda. Who am I to meddle with any, Joe? I have long given up my place as a leader--I have no right to raise my voice. Since the beginning of this year I have not dictated anything in India. You know that. Many thanks for what you and Mrs. Bull have been to me in the past. All blessings follow you ever!" p. 96, Tantine, Pravrajika Prabuddhaprana

This is also interesting from p. 94

"Mrs. Hansbrough later remarked about Joe: 'She set asider her superior airs when she was with us....And she never made the mistake of putting on airs with Swamiji. He often told her "where to get off" when she had a tendency to be too high-toned. But the only time I heard him speak sharply to her was before a class in the ballroom of the Green Hote. She was expressing an opinion as to what should be done aout some phases of his work, and he suddenly turned on her. "Keep quiet about what should be done."

No doubt, Joe was scold-proof by now. For so long, she had been nearest the Swami in situations of stress. Whatever he might say to her could not destroy her ecstatic mood, nor Betty's, from their constant association with him. Vivekananda once wrote to her: 'I can't even in imagination, pay the immense debt of gratitude I owe you. Wherever you are you never forget my welfar: and there, you are the only one who bears my burdens, all my brutal outbursts.' p. 94, Tantine

Heading to Amazon to order the Frances Leggett book.

Yours ever,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Dear Rosemary et al,

It seems that Swamiji saved much of his 'harshness' especially for "Tantine".....

....Which goes to prove again the old saying, "The wheel that squeaks gets the grease".

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Dear Tom, et al,

It is not my impression AT ALL that Swamiji picked on Josephine and I'm not sure if that is what you meant by "squeaking". My impression from my reading is that Swamiji loved her, that he was correcting her, and that there was a certain spiritual collaboration going on between them.

I've ordered my book, "Late and Soon" by Frances Leggett. It seems to be good primary resource material pertaining to Swamiji's time in America.

Also, I've been worried about my comment previously about making the quotes "before moving on". I don't want anyone to think that I meant I was tired of this conversation, I am not!! My intention was to put the "harshness" quotes in the proper spot.

Also, another interesting aside concerning the Leggett children as concerns Hollister Leggett...

p. 77, Tantine

"I don't want to be a monk: I want to marry and have children.' 'All right my boy,' the Swami replied, 'remember only that you choose the harder path.' Later in life, when Hollister was asked by his son, Paul, what he thought about life,liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and about God and the life after death, he said, 'Well, I never thought about it all but I know there is a God, because Swamiji told me so."


Back to work again....

Yours in Mother's Grace,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Brother Ankur, Yes, thank you for your beautiful post; and the quote by Swamiji.

Brother Tom, seems like you are still "defending" Swamiji against "ordinary ego-driven unkindness" while we are thinking him incapable of this. :)

Rosemary, you were able to order Late and Soon? It was out of print. It is written by the daughter of Francis Leggett and Betty MacLeod, Jo's sister. Though primarily from her life perspective, It does contain much about Swamiji and those who knew him. France was about 5 when Swamiji passed on. (I have a signed copy from her son. Perhaps I shall read it again.)

Dear Jayanti,

Yes, I was able to order it, though it was not that easy to find on Amazon. (As I said before, I am somewhat like Nancy Drew, and I have my methods).

It cost me $17.74 including shipping. I decided against the $93.00 collectible hardback version.

I am looking forward to receiving and reading Frances "version" of Swamiji. Even according to Joe, all versions are not the same.

Yours, as ever,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Dear Sister Jayanti, Rosemary et al,

Of course, Swamiji was not 'ego-driven'; and his 'unkindness' could only be perceived,
by thinking persons; as an attempt to ensure that aspirants stray not from the Vedantic
path. :)

All glory to Swamiji!

'Man's ego itself is MAYA. It is the veil that shuts the light. Verily, with the death of " I " all trouble ceases. If by the grace of lord a man once gains the knowledge that he is not the doer, then he assuredly becomes freed in this very life and transcends all fear.'

Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsadeva

Om Shanthi Om

Dear Tom, et al,

I think it to be a very sweet commentary on their relationship, that in California, Swamiji allowed himself to be "torment"ed by a certain Mrs. Melton in whom Joe had great faith in as a "magnetic healer".

p. 86, Tantine

"These torments, Joe also submitted herself to, but was far more stoic about them than the Swami who wrote a letter to Mrs. Bull on December 22, 1899, in which he said his health had gone down recently, since his "'physician' had rubbed his body very hard so that several inches of skin had worn off and that he was still suffering from pain caused by manipulation."

On p. 88 we hear more about Swami's view of Mrs. Melton:

"The Swami wrote in a letter to Mrs. Bull dated December 27: 'Joe thinks she is pulling me up splendidly. On her has been worked a miracle, she claims. Whether it is magnetic healing, California ozone, or the end of the present spell of bad Karma, I am improving. It is a great thing to be able to walk three miles, even after a heavy dinner.'....

...'I bless Mrs. Melton, the magnetic healer, daily & only hope those I love--& hate?--may have the benefit of her power. But the Swami wrote to Mrs. Bull in March, 'With all Joe's enthusiasm, I have not yet found any real benefit from the magnetic healer, except a few red patches on my chest from scratching!"

The fee for the treatment was $3.00 per sitting, which was quite a lot in those days. But the Swami submitted himself to it for along time because he did not want to hurt Joe's feelings--after all, she was spending her last penny (or her sister's) on the hope that he would be cured. In April he informed her that he had given up hope of becoming well--though Magnetic Melton assured him that she would certainly cure him completely. After all, she said there was nothing wrong with him but indigestion." p 88, Tantine, Pravrajika Prabuddhaprana

Mrs. Melton is later sent for to join the Leggett party in Paris. Swamiji writes a very funny letter to Betty Leggett (who had to leave the Paris parlor parties in order to look for healing waters to heal the sore under her knee) which involves the tortures of Mrs. Melton. I will try to share some of that tomorrow.

The Leggetts certainly had a seemingly unending supply of money at their disposal.

Yours,
Rosemary

PS.

There was a nice sunset glow streaming on the Palace yesterday, and I had great fun taking photos...

Location: North Carolina

Dear Rosemary et al.

Poor Swamiji! Having his body rubbed so hard, so that several inches of
skin had worn off. Truly, there is no end to our troubles; when we place
ourselves into the hands of well-meaning but incompetent healers.

Mrs. Melton's story reminds me of a one-legged former garment presser that
I met some 25 years ago. He told me the tale of how he had complained to his
wife of a pain in his leg...and she proceeded to vigorously rub and manipulate
the affected limb; and then soaked it in a very hot bath of Boric acid and water.

Unfortunately, the leg became infected, with a form of flesh-eating disease,
necessitating amputation. If only he would have suffered the pain, without
complaining...he would probably still have his leg!

Perhaps Swamiji thought the same thing, after "Tantine" arranged for
his 'treatment'. The next time she inquired about his health, he would
swiftly reply with, "Never felt better".

Yes, the Leggetts certainly seemed to be well-heeled.

Very nice photo of the sunset glow streaming on the Palace...

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Dear Tom,

That is so funny. I'll have to remember not to complain about anything!!

Tonight I have been reading through some of the letters of Swamiji (while trying to find this letter below, re: Mrs. Melton in Paris). I am feeling some contradiction in Swamiji, perhaps it isn't contradiction so much, but it is the only word that I can think of to cover my feeling.

It seems to me that people wear him out. Sometimes, he says he just wishes he were somewhere deep in the Himalayas, and once he told his devotees that he wanted to make money so that he could maintain a cabin in the Himlayas. That was while he was still in America. It seems to me that he got tired or something. I'm not really sure, nevertheless, if he is like me, then people would wear him out, and perhaps I am just projecting!!!


To Mrs. Francis Leggett

6 PLACE DES ETATS UNIS, PARIS,
3rd Sept., 1900.
DEAR MOTHER,
We had a congress of cranks here in this house.
The representatives came from various countries, from India in the south, to Scotland in the north, with England and America buttressing the sides.
We were having great difficulty in electing the president, for though Dr. James (Professor William James) was there, he was more mindful of the blisters raised on him by Mrs. Melton (probably a magnetic healer) than solution of world problems.
I proposed Joe (Josephine MacLeod), but she refused on the ground of non-arrival of her new gown — and went to a corner to watch the scene, from a coign of vantage.
Mrs. (Ole) Bull was ready, but Margot (Sister Nivedita) objected to this meeting being reduced to a comparative philosophy class.
When we were thus in a fix — up sprung a short, square, almost round figure from the corner, and without any ceremony declared that all difficulties will be solved, not only of electing a president but of life itself, if we all took to worshipping the Sun God and Moon God. He delivered his speech in five minutes; but it took his disciple, who was present, fully three quarters of an hour to translate. In the meanwhile, the master began to draw the rugs in your parlour up in a heap, with the intention, as he said, of giving us an ocular demonstration of the power of "Fire God", then and there.
At this juncture Joe interposed and insisted that she did not want a fire sacrifice in her parlour; whereupon the Indian saint looked daggers at Joe, entirely disgusted at the behaviour of one he confidently believed to be a perfect convert to fire worship.
Then Dr. James snatched a minute from nursing his blisters and declared that he would have something very interesting to speak upon Fire God and his brethren, if he were not entirely occupied with the evolution of Meltonian blisters. Moreover his great Master, Herbert Spencer, not having investigated the subject before him, he would stick to golden silence.
"Chutney is the thing", said a voice near the door. We all looked back and saw Margot. "It is Chutney," she said, "Chutney and Kali, that will remove all difficulties of Life, and make it easy for us to swallow all evils, and relish what is good." But she stopped all of a sudden and vehemently asserted that she was not going to speak any further, as she has been obstructed by a certain male animal in the audience in her speech. She was sure one man in the audience had his head turned towards the window and was not paying the attention proper to a lady, and though as to herself she believed in the equality of the sexes, yet she wanted to know the reason of that disgusting man's want of due respect for women. Then one and all declared that they had been giving her the most undivided attention, and all above the equal right, her due, but to no purpose. Margot would have nothing to do with that horrible crowd and sat down.
Then Mrs. Bull of Boston took the floor and began to explain how all the difficulties of the world were from not understanding the true relation between the sexes. She said, "The only panacea was a right understanding of the proper persons, and then to find liberty in love and freedom in liberty and motherhood, brotherhood, fatherhood, Godhood, love in freedom and freedom in love, in the right holding up of the true ideal in sex."
To this the Scotch delegate vehemently objected and said that as the hunter chased the goatherd, the goatherd the shepherd, the shepherd the peasant, and the peasant drove the fisher into the sea, now we wanted to fish out of the deep the fisher and let him fall upon the peasant, the peasant upon the shepherd, and so on; and the web of life will be completed and we will be all happy. He was not allowed to continue his driving businesss long. In a second everyone was on his feet, and we could only hear a confusion of voices — "Sun God and Moon God", "Chutney and Kali," "Freedom holdings up right understanding, sex, motherhood", "Never, the fisherman must go back to the shore", etc. Whereupon Joe declared that she was yearning to be the hunter for the time and chase them all out of the house if they did not stop their nonsense.
Then was peace and calm restored, and I hasten to write you about it.

Yours affly.,

VIVEKANANDA


Tonight's scene on the bank of the Trent River (facing West, as Swamiji standing in my dream of him)

Location: North Carolina

Dear Rosemary,

As we know, Swamiji was suffering from Asthma, diabetes and other physical
ailments, and that could have explained his frequent bouts of fatigue.

Insulin was not discovered before his death i.e., in 1902

Here are the symptoms of Diabetes:

*Frequent urination
*Excessive thirst
*Extreme hunger
*Unusual weight loss
*Increased fatigue
*Irritability
*Blurry vision

I read that letter to Mrs. Francis Leggett, and noticed that Professor William
James also had blisters, due to Mrs. Melton's kindly ministrations.

Interesting to also note that "Joe" refused the presidency on the ground of non-arrival
of her new gown...

Then we have Nivedita: "Chutney and Kali, that will remove all difficulties of Life,
and make it easy for us to swallow all evils, and relish what is good."

What a meeting that must have been!

Another lovely photo of the bank of the Trent River...

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Dear Tom,

Yes, it is the sense that I am getting that he was physically "going down". This is part of what I am trying to put together and some of what he said and what others around him also said is a small source of complexity for synthesizing my assessment and my perceptions surrounding his life.

For instance, I remember that Holy Mother said that he suffered from a malady with his urine (which would be completely in line with diabetes). Still, in my experience with relatives (two first cousins) who suffer with diabetes, and even with the use of insulin, they are constantly battling with necrosis of the feet. One of the cousins had to have a foot removed and I don't recall that Swamiji had any issues with his feet. Last night, I read about him looking at the soles of his feet for signs of circular patterns which would indicate a tendency for a vagabond nature, but all he found were cracks on the bottom of his feet (a vitamin deficiency?) Also, with severe diabetes, he would have had to have some visual issues, which so far, I haven't encountered in any of my reading. Mrs. Melton said that "indigestion" was his only trouble, and somewhere else, I read something about "kidney" troubles. Also, I read recently on the Internet, the assertion that Swamiji died of apoplexy.

Sri Ramakrishna said that Swamiji would have the ability to give his body up at will. During his visit in Kashmir, Swamiji had an experience in a temple of the Divine Mother where he received direct assurance that when he was ready, he would be able to give his body up at will.

In the book about Tantine, I am now embarking on a journey with Tantine, Swamiji, and some contemporary notables of the time. Right now, we are on the Orient Express and we are heading to Egypt and the Holy Land. I must admit to having read ahead in the book and I know already that Swamiji abruptly cuts his trip short and tells the rich and exuberant ladies that he wants to go back to India--he wants to die and he wants to be with his brethren.

While in America, he wants money to maintain a cottage in the Himalayas, and not long after, while traveling to Egypt, he wants to die. There is a point in between where I recall him saying that he has realized that he is never going to get better.

Really, all of this doesn't matter or amount to anything really. Swamiji wanted to die on the 4th of July, and he did so. There is a great message in the date that he chose. Is that message the message of freedom??

Yours,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Dear Rosemary,

Re: "I don't recall that Swamiji had any issues with his feet"

Well, he was a rather young man, and kept his weight under control....plus, he
had scrupulously clean habits. My eldest daughter is an Endocrinologist. She
would know a lot more than me about those things.

Swamiji's wish to give up his body on the Great American Holiday,
is very much in keeping with his opinion about the country, as is illustrated
in these quotes:

"Yesterday Mrs. Johnson, the lady superintendent of the women's prison, was here.
They don't call it prison but reformatory here. It is the grandest thing I have
seen in America. How the inmates are benevolently treated, how they are reformed
and sent back as useful members of society; how grand, how beautiful, you must see
to believe! And, oh, how my heart ached to think of what we think of the poor,
the low, in India. They have no chance, no escape, no way to climb up."

"There is a curiosity in this nation, such as you meet with nowhere else. They want
to know everything, and their women— they are the most advanced in the world. The
average American woman is far more cultivated than the average American man. The men
slave all their life for money, and the women snatch every opportunity to improve
themselves. And they are a very kind-hearted, frank people. Everybody who has a
fad to preach comes here, and I am sorry to say that most of these are not sound.
The Americans have their faults too, and what nation has not? But this is my summing
up: Asia laid the germs of civilization, Europe developed man, and America is
developing the woman and the masses. It is the paradise of the woman and the labourer.
Now contrast the American masses and women with ours, and you get the idea at once.
The Americans are fast becoming liberal. Judge them not by the specimens of
hard-shelled Christians(it is their own phrase) that you see in India. There are those
here too, but their number is decreasing rapidly, and this great nation is progressing
fast towards that spirituality which is the standard boast of the Hindu."

I remember reading somewhere of Swamiji's impressions when he visited Ellis Island
near NYC. He noticed how downcast the immigrants looked when they came off the boat;
and yet, in a few short weeks, they walked with new spring in their step, shoulders
back, and head held high. God Bless America!

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Dear Tom,

I am not a Doctor, and your daughter would know whether or not diabetes could kill you before it got your feet. I just know my two cousins (luckily on opposite sides of the family, and inherited through the opposite parents from my nuclear family)have both got extreme feet trouble, and they are clean and that it started young, and with insulin to boot!!

Also, I had a friend in grade school that had diabetes and his was childhood-onset, and he would go into diabetic comas and stuff. I just don't recall that Swamiji went into comas.

Of course, he did go in to at least two very deep trances that I have read about thus far. One time it was at Camp Percy while he was meditating under a tree, and Joe thought he was dead and ran to get help. It took a few minutes for him to rouse up, but he was unresponsive long enough to alarm Joe.

I went in to a coma once when I was 5 years old. I don't remember it and didn't know about it until I read it in my medical chart. My Mom couldn't wake me up, and she carried me to the hospital where they stuck pins in my feet. Somehow, I eventually came out of it.

Since I have been wrong enough times in my life, I never try to belabor a point and say that I am right anymore. These are just my own discriminative skills which might be proven wrong under any star or any juncture of time.

Still, I think you are right that Swamiji just didn't feel good after or perhaps even during, his second trip to America.


I'm looking forward to receiving my new book on the Leggett family, but this book on Tantine is keeping me mesmerized!!

It's cold here today and the pollen and white tree blossoms are flying around thick enough to look like it's snowing. We're all sneezing and have sinus headaches, too.


Yours,
Rosemary

Location: North Carolina

Dear Rosemary,

Like I mentioned, I don't know much about Diabetes. Firstly, I don't even
know whether Swamiji had 'type 2' Diabetes, or childhood onset.

Then again, I don't think that they knew too much about the disease,
before the discovery of insulin.

Here is a pertinent quote:

"Before the discovery of insulin, diabetes was a feared disease that most
certainly led to death. Doctors knew that sugar worsened the condition of diabetic
patients and that the most effective treatment was to put the patients on very
strict diets where sugar intake was kept to a minimum. At best, this treatment
could buy patients a few extra years, but it never saved them. In some cases,
the harsh diets even caused patients to die of starvation."

More information HERE

You may listen to a radio interview with my daughter, by searching (without quotes)
the following phrase, "Dr. Lipscombe discusses diabetes and women"; on the following page:
www.womenscollegehospital.ca/news/wch-in-the-media.html
and then by clicking on the audio link.

Interesting you note Swamiji's deep trances, possibly being attributed to Diabetic
coma. Anything is possible.

That is an amazing story, about how you went into an unexplained coma at the age
of five. That must have really scared your parents.

Regarding the pollen and white tree blossoms flying around....I don't suffer from
allergies, but I know people who do; and it's a serious problem. My late father
used to have 'hay fever', though.

Om Shanthi Om
=============

Here is an easier way to access the radio interview
with my daughter, entitled: "Dr. Lipscombe Discusses
Diabetes and Women" (as mentioned in the previous posting).

Simply click on the banner below: