The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-21
WOMEN IN MONK ROBES
ALL BELIEVERS IN THE SWAMI
RELIGION
THE SAME HABIT
They Take Upon Themselves the Vow
of Service to All Living
Beings

There Is no ground too sacred for the
American woman to tread, no holy of
holies too awe-inspiring for her to pene-
trate; as witness the first of her race,
and only the second woman west of the
orient was the other day in Chicago or
dained a Swami, which, according to
the tenets of the Hindoo religion, con-
stitutes her a god. Mrs. l.. v. Conner
who was, the Swami Shraddananda that
Is, was indicted into this philosophy and
initiated into the order by Swami Abb
hayananda, the first woman, and, in
deed, the first person Of the western
world to be thus exalted.
Swami Abhayananda is a keenly INTEL
lectual French woman, who had for
many years been student of philoso-
ply whenthe famous Vivekananda came
to this country to represent the Hindoo
faith at the worlds congress of religions.
She lost no time in placing herself under
his tutelage, and later became priestess
Of the orientat cult, which is by the way,
the Oldest order Of monks in the world,
and of Hindoo origin. In order to become
member of this body, one is supposed
to have passed through some extraord-
mary spiritual experiences, and by study
and meditation to have arrived at that
high state of acknowledgment where all
desires for wealth, power and fame van
ish, and all ideas of separateness or at
tachment to personalities are merged
into the infinite. One then voluntarily
relinquishes family and name, takes upon
himself or herself the VOWS of celibacy.
confluence, poverty, non-resistance and
service to all beings of the universe.
Swami Abhayananda came to America
when young woman-though she still
speaks English with an accent-and lived
for many years in New York, where she
was initiated into her mystic faith. For
some time she taught in New York, but
she went to Chicago two or three years
ago, where she continues to be at the
head of the order in this country. She
has quite large following in the west
ern city.
One cannot look at this nobly proper
toned French woman, with her fine,
strong, expressive face and distinctive
personality, and not be conviced of her
power; nor come to comprehend the SIM
plicity of her life and environment with
out feeling that in espousing poverty and
service she has in reality eliminated from
life half of it's wearisome details. Her
iron-gray hair, for instance. framing her
face with its full pompadour, need never
give her an instant's uneasiness as to
how she shall wear 1t, nor consume any
time in its arrangement; while her cos
tune gives that delightful freedom from
the mutability and exactions of fashions
that go with the adoption of any simple
uniform, besides which 1t Is very pretty,
and-if one may Judge from the two this
side of the orient who have donned it
universally becoming.
The robe Is always of ochre hue, signi-
flying the publication by fire. 1t Is made
In something the form of scant prin-
cess, open all the way down, but held in
place by buttons. and reaching to within
two or three inches of the floor "a con-
venient walking length and quite effect
i've with tan shoes). If buttoned to the
right, 1t signifies that one Is Brahman;
otherwise, it may indicate some other
branch of religion. In this country, of
course, one must use such materials as
are at hand, and soft cashmeres seem
the most suitable. Hindoo beads, also
of ochre, are worn on occasions and add
a certain air Of mysticism to the costume
One might conclude that the robe as a
whole was intended to stand for comfort,
but instead 1t symbolizes universal love.
1t Is fitted loosely to the figure, and Is
girded with a silken sash. wound twice
around the waist, to signify twice born
One end of the sash Is made into bag,
signifying forestry; this was originally
for the convenience of the founders Of
the order, who dwelt in forests and used
it as the receptacle for their scanty fare.
In those days, however, the sash was
probably not made of silk, and certainly
in these days the monks, male or female,
do not take to the woods, but live in
comfortable homes, and are evidently
sufficiently well fed.
My curiosity is piqued as to the ways
and means in which one who has taken
the vows of poverty manages that part
of the program, since in this practical
age food and shelter are, unfortunately,
not secured without money and without
price. found that the Swami breaches,