Magic and Mystery in Tibet | Alexandra David-Neel

Magic and Mystery in Tibet: 32 Illustrations | Madame Alexandra David-Neel

What supernatural rituals and hidden spiritual arts did a Western explorer witness in forbidden Tibet? Madame David-Neel investigates the mysteries.

About the Book:

For centuries Tibet has been known as the last home of mystery, the hidden, sealed land, where ancient mysteries still survive that have perished in the rest of the Orient.

Many men have written about Tibet and its secret lore, but few have actually penetrated it to learn its ancient wisdom.

Among those few was Madame Alexandra David-Neel, a French orientalist.

A practicing Buddhist, a profound historian of religion, and linguist, she actually lived in Tibet for more than 14 years. She had the great honor of being received by the Dalai Lama; she studied philosophical Buddhism and Tibetan Tantra at the great centers; she meditated in lonely caves and on wind-swept winter mountains with yogi hermits; and she even witnessed forbidden corpse-magic in the forests.

Her experiences have been unique.

Magic and Mystery in Tibet tells the story of her experiences in Tibet, among lamas and magicians. It is neither a travel book nor an autobiography but a study of psychic discovery, a description of the occult and mystical theories and psychic training practices of Tibet.

She tells of great sages and sorcerers that she met; of the system of monastic education; the great teachers and their disciples; Tibetan folklore about their spiritual athletes; reincarnation and memory from previous lives; elaborate magical rites to obtain siddhis; the horrible necromantic magic of the pre-Buddhist Bonpa shamas; mental visualization exercises to create disembodied thought forms (tulpas); visions; phenomena of physical yoga, control of the body heat mechanism; breathing exercises; sending “messages on the wind”; and much similar material.

An unusual aspect of Madame David-Neel’s book is that she herself experienced many of the phenomena she describes, yet she describes them with precision and in a matter-of-fact manner, permitting the reader to draw his own conclusions about validity, interpretation in terms of psychology, and value.

Particularly interesting for the modern experiencer are her detailed instructions for tumo (the yoga of heat control) and creation of thought projections.

Frequently Asked Questions About Magic and Mystery in Tibet:

• Q: Is this book an imaginative travel fiction or an autobiographical diary?
  A: Neither. While written by an explorer, the text is formally categorized as an objective study of psychic discovery and occult training. Rather than tracking simple geographic travel timelines, it documents the mystical theories, psychological disciplines, and esoteric rituals of early 20th-century Tibet.
• Q: What unique authority did Madame Alexandra David-Neel bring to this hidden subject?
  A: The author was a groundbreaking French-Belgian scholar, practicing Buddhist, and elite linguist who famously became the first European woman to explore the forbidden city of Lhasa. Because she spent years living in Himalayan caves and translating monastic texts, she gained unprecedented access to secret spiritual subcultures completely closed to Westerners.
• Q: What specific supernatural phenomena and feats are investigated inside?
  A: The book provides firsthand accounts of astonishing mental and physical feats. This includes tumo breathing (generating intense internal body heat to survive freezing temperatures naked), lung-gom-pa long-distance running, telepathic communication, levitation, and the intentional creation of tulpas (disembodied thought-forms created via meditation).
• Q: Does the author approach these mystical encounters with blind belief or skepticism?
  A: She maintains a remarkably disciplined, matter-of-fact, and rational approach. Punctuated by a dry wit, David-Neel documents the ceremonies and phenomena with precise, clinical observation, allowing the consumer to form their own conclusions regarding psychological interpretation or scientific validity.
• Q: Does this edition include the visual components mentioned on the cover?
  A: Yes. This specific unabridged Dover edition features 32 authentic black-and-white photographs captured directly by the author during her perilous travels. These illustrations provide rare, invaluable visual proof of the lamas, hermits, sacred monasteries, and historical landscapes discussed throughout her research.

About the Author:

Alexandra David-Neel: French Explorer

Alexandra David-Néel was a French explorer, spiritualist, Buddhist, anarchist, opera singer, and writer. She is most known for her 1924 visit to Lhasa, Tibet, when it was forbidden to foreigners.

Bibliographic Data:

• Full Title: Magic and Mystery in Tibet ( Also: Magic and Mystery in Tibet: 32 Illustrations)
• Author(s): Madame Alexandra David-Neel
• Publisher & Imprint: Dover Publications (Dover Mystic Classics Series)
• Publication Date: June 1, 1971
• Binding Format: Trade Paperback
• Condition: Pre-Owned / Very Good
• Edition: Reprint (Reprinted from the classic unabridged 1932 edition)
• Print Length: 368 Pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 9780486226828
• ISBN-10: 0486226824
• Library of Congress (LCCN): 75-156828
• Primary Genre (BISAC): RELIGION / Eastern
• Sub-Genres (BISAC): BODY, MIND & SPIRIT / Occultism; TRAVEL / Asia / Central; PHILOSOPHY / Eastern
• Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches
• Weight: 13.6 oz (approx. 0.85 lbs)

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