Alexandra David-Néel (1868-1969) was an eccentric character who refused to stay still. She defied strict Victorian expectations to lead a truly unbelievable life of adventure, and wrote over 30 books about her experiences.
Alexandra David-Néel (1868-1969) was an eccentric character who refused to stay still. She defied strict Victorian expectations to lead a truly unbelievable life of adventure, and wrote over 30 books about her experiences.
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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan. And this is Womanica.
This month, we're highlighting women who've led dynamic lives. Ones that have shifted, evolved and bloomed, often later in life.
Today’s eccentric character refused to stay still. She defied strict Victorian expectations to lead a truly unbelievable life of adventure. Please welcome Alexandra David-Néel.
Alexandra was born in a suburb of Paris on October 24, 1868. She was an only child, the daughter of a protestant and a catholic.
Growing up, Alexandra read the work of French adventure novelist Jules Verne, dreaming of the adventures she’d someday have – and that dream would absolutely come true.
The first half of Alexandra’s life was just as much a whirlwind as the last, but the accomplishments that solidified her celebrity status wouldn’t happen for decades.
At five years old, she ran away from home. When she was a teenager, her family went to Belgium for a vacation. But Alexandra decided to go her own way and walk into the Netherlands. There, she arranged travel to England so she could meet an English occult writer she greatly admired, Elisabeth Morgan. Elisabeth would become a mentor in Alexandra’s life, and later bequeathed her an inheritance when she died.
Each time Alexandra strayed from home, she eventually would find her way back. Yet her heart never stopped yearning for adventure. She became interested in theosophy, an alternative spiritual belief. She read the work of Kierkegaard, Plato, and the stoic philosopher Epictetus. She also studied Buddhist teachings.
Over the course of her teen years and young adulthood, Alexandra hiked through the Alps, studied music in England and France, spent her inheritance from Elisabeth on travel to India and Sri Lanka. She studied yoga and Sanskrit, and wrote two books. She sang opera in Vietnam, Greece, and Tunisia.
In 1900, Alexandra’s opera singing caught the attention of the wealthy railroad engineer Philippe Néel. The couple got married in 1904. Alexandra tried to live the respectable life expected of Victorian women, but the strain of pretending to be something she wasn’t started taking a toll on her health. She still longed for travel, and to learn about Buddhism from its source.
So, in 1911, when Alexandra was 42 years old, she dropped the charade, left her husband behind, and set off for India. She wouldn’t return for 14 years – and thus began the journey that Alexandra truly became known for.
Alexandra traveled through India, moving from one Buddhist monastery to the next. After a year, she met the Dalai Lama and began studying the Tibetan language at his suggestion.
Over the course of her travels, Alexandra met a teenaged monk named Aphur Yongden. They felt a spiritual connection immediately, and Alexandra adopted Aphur as her son. Together, they ventured into the Himalayas. For more than two years, they lived in a cave more than 13,000 feet up a slope on the edge of Tibet.
Though it was illegal to cross the border into Tibet, Alexandra set her sights on visiting a particularly forbidden spot: The city of Lhasa, “the place of the gods.” There lay Potala Palace, the winter home of the Dalai Lama.
In the duo’s first attempt to enter Tibet in 1917, they were discovered and expelled. Since World War I was in full swing, they didn’t want to return to Europe yet. They abandoned Tibet for the time being and continued on to Japan and Korea.
After Korea, Alexandra and Aphur went to the Kumbum Monastery in China. For two years, they lived among the monks and translated Tibetan holy books. Yet Alexandra still wanted to see the city of Lhasa.
While Alexandra was in Japan, she had met a monk who disguised himself as a Chinese doctor so he could sneak into Lhasa. His story inspired Alexandra to enact a plan. She covered her skin in soot and wore yak-hair pigtails to disguise herself.
In this disguise, she and Aphur set out for Tibet again, despite being banished during earlier attempts. They crossed the Gobi Desert, then braved uncharted jungles and winding mountain paths. Every step of the way they were at risk from wild animals and inclement weather. But soon they closed in on the lush valley that housed Lhasa and the Potala Palace. In 1924, they entered Lhasa at long last.
There, Alexandra saw some incredible feats of human spirituality. She later wrote of telepathic messages sent between masters and pupils, people who ran for days in a state of meditation, or rituals meant to guide the dead down the right spiritual paths. She got the opportunity to tour the palace, and she even snuck some photographs.
However, after two months, Alexandra and Aphur were discovered. They escaped the city before they could be arrested, and made the arduous journey back to Europe. At one point they were in such dire straits, they had to boil the leather from their shoes to have something to eat.
In 1925, Alexandra and Aphur arrived in France. Two years later, Alexandra published her first book about her experience, titled My Journey to Lhasa.
Alexandra wasn’t done traveling yet. In 1937, she went back to China, Japan, and India. When her husband Philippe died three years later, she arranged passage home to manage his affairs. When she made it home to France in 1946, she – reluctantly – settled down for good.
Alexandra’s travels made her a celebrity. Over the next 40 years, she would write more than 30 books about her excursions. And her home became a waypoint for young pilgrims and travelers.
In 1955, Alexandra’s adoptive son Aphur passed away, plunging Alexandra into a deep depression. She became even more reclusive and bad-tempered. At age 100, she even started planning yet another trip to Germany, then Russia, then New York.
However, her housekeeper convinced her to abandon the idea, insisting there was no way she’d be able to endure it.
Alexandra passed away on September 8, 1969. She was nearly 101 years old.
Though Alexandra has been accused many times of faking her many outlandish tales – even while she was alive – her story and determination to follow her own path have inspired countless others after her. In total, she traveled more than 18,000 miles.
All month, we’re highlighting dynamos. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram @womanicapodcast.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
As always, we’re taking a break for the weekend. Talk to you Monday!