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Sri Daya Mata -Mother of Compassion-
[1]
(see Faye Wright) (born January 31, 1914) is the
current president and Sanghamata
(Mother of the Society) of the Self-Realization Fellowship
(SRF Inc.[2]) Los
Angeles and the Yogoda Satsanga (YSS Inc.) Society in
India.[3]
Faye Wright was born in Salt Lake City,
Utah, to a prominent family of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon
Church). Her ancestors are said to have been among the original Mormon
pioneers[4] to the
Salt Lake
Valley. Her grandfather, Abraham Reister Wright, was an
architect of the LDS Church's Salt Lake Temple.[5] She has
been listed as one of Utah's most famous daughters by the
government of Utah.[6]
Daya Mata first met Paramahansa Yogananda in 1931,
and joined Yogananda's ashram
that year. After Yogananda's death, and the passing of his
successor Rajarsi Janakananda, Daya Mata
became the third president of YSS/SRF in 1955.[7].
Daya Mata's brother Richard Wright served as Yogananda's
personal secretary for many years.[8],
appearing in his Autobiography of a Yogi. Her
mother was also an SRF member. Daya Mata (Faye Wright), Ananda Mata
(Virginia Wright, Daya Mata's sister), Mrinalini Mata
(Merna Loy Brown) and Tara Mata (Laurie Pratt, Yoganananda's
editor[9]) are
all former LDS Church members, who became SRF monastics, serving on
the SRF Board of Directors.[10]
Daya has written three books: Only Love': Living the
Spiritual Life in a Changing World[11],
Finding the Joy Within You: Personal Counsel for God Centered
Living,[12]
and Enter the Quiet Heart: Creating a Loving Relationship with
God.[13]
Sri Daya Mata has been President of Self-Realization Fellowship
since 1955. One of the first women to lead a world-wide religious
organization and monastic order, her tenure in such a position is
only exceeded by the Dalai
Lama.
Quote
|
“ |
The best way, by which
we can truly appreciate what the great ones like my blessed Gurudev
and Ananda Mayee Ma and other holy ones have to give us, is to
become like them. I finished by saying that the only mission of
such holy beings is to rouse in us the desire to find the Beloved
within ourselves. |
” |
Sri Daya Mata [14]
|
“ |
The true strength of
Self-Realization Fellowship — its ability to grow and adapt and
serve in the new millennium — lies in the effort of each of us to
live in the spirit of Guruji. And of course, for me that means one
thing — the immortal words he spoke to me just before his passing:
'When I am gone, only love can take my place. Be so drunk with the
love of God night and day that you won’t know anything but God; and
give that love to all.' |
” |
Sri Daya Mata [15]
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