The Saint Paul globe., 1900-12-16
DEATH OPENED HER EYES
THE DEMISE OF SWAMI .VIVENA-
NANDA MADE MISS xIMMER-
MAN A DUCHESS
THOUGHT HE COULDN'T DIE
She Was 81 Follower of the Cult,
but the Apostle Was Called
Hence, Which Ended
Her Belief.

Tt is. not generally known that Helena
Zimmerman, or properly the Duchess of
Manchester, was on her way to India to
become a life disciple of the Hindoo
philosophy, Raja Yoga, when she met
the duke of Manchester in London. But
desire for knowledge of the mysticism
of the East led almost directly to the
beginning Cf the romance which culm1-
mated in the wealthy American girl Sc
cretly becrlning the wife of the fnan-
cially barren British duke.
Miss Zinnerrlan's trip to Hindoostan
was interrupted by the death of the man
Who had taught her all she knew of
mystic lore, and under whose guidance
she hoped to become an adept-the
Swami Vivekenanda. She had grown
firm in the belief that he could not die.
The teachings of Raia Y0ga are that
there is no necessity for the cessation OF
life in the body: that by right living and
practices the corporeaI being will wear
on until the spirit has attained a certain
perfection, when body ana soul will go
together into the next cycle"Of existence.
ROBBED HER OF FAITH. ----------
The Cincinnati heiress believed all this
and had faith in Viyekeranda There
fore, nnen he lay DOWN and died like
common clay, the shock was great
enough to break all the bonds of faith
which held her to this peculiar religion.
Moreover, it released ner from what her
family considered kind of mental fas-
cinatiGn exercised over her by the
Swami.
New York remembers vivekenanda
well. Several years ago he was the
rage of society; that IS of the female
portion. He gave a series of lectures
upon how to obtain "sOul liberation,' or
how to rea h Omnipotence through ex-
ercise OF mental practices. 1t became
the fad OF rich women to attend these
discourses, to fete the Swami-which
word, by the: way, signifies teacher-to
talk Raja Toga, but seldom to practice
the precepts.
AN EARNEST FOLLOWER.
Helena Zimmerman was an exception
in the latter respect. She went in for
the philosophy earnestly She not only
attended -Nivekenanda's public lectures,
but had long talks with him privately,
and in her daily life practiced faithfully
what these interviews taught her The
first step in attaining Hindoo perfection
is the obsorvance> of certain bodily laws
bathing az stated intervals, rising and
retiring at fiXedts hours, and going
through set physical exercises. The sec
Ond is the following OF. a certain system
of breathing called the practice of pro
nasyonla." This IS all for the purifca-
ton of the body, without which mind
and soul Development cannot come,
All these things did Miss Zimmerman.
Her parents and friends protested. They
viewed With growing alarm the influence
of Vivekenanda over her. But their
pleadings and threats did 70 good. She
declared her hatred of society and an
nounccd her intention of devoting her
life to spir tual search. And as she went
into it with all the determination ard
energy With which she was wont to ride
dangerous Horses on her fathers West
ern ranch she had her-ow way.
RECALLED TO INDIA.
Finally Nivel1enanda. received a ''cau
Of the spirit to return to india. AS a
social rage he had been falling by the
wayside because of the advent Of a piar-
ist with Ioonine locks. i- The future
Duchess of Manchester was one Of the
few who did not desert him. After he
had some, she became restless and
moody. She continued to practice pro
nasyOma." but it now failed to bring the
peace which it was warranted to tur-
niSh.
The Zimmerman family were elated
over the Hindoo's departure, but this
ended when the girl announced her in
tention Of going to India to pursue her
way toward Samadhi It was her lnten-
ton to hurry through London. but she
missed Dover train.
Next morning she read of the prosaic
death Of Vivekenanda. That ended the
pilgrimage.