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Life, 1913-02-13 · page 16 of 44

Life — February 13, 1913 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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Life — February 13, 1913 — page 16: Life, 1913-02-13

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes the early 20th-century American fascination with occultism and pseudo-spiritual gurus. "Swami Baa Baa" appears to be a fictional charlatan selling dubious "vibratory" and mystical services to credulous wealthy Americans. The cartoon's targets include: 1. **Gullible wealthy clients** seeking supernatural solutions to mundane problems (controlling wives, improving love lives) 2. **Fraudulent spiritual practitioners** exploiting occult terminology ("kama rupa," "astral body," "pranic currents") to justify expensive services 3. **The commercialization of mysticism** — the Swami charges "$15 to $100" for crystal balls and consultations despite claiming to serve "the whole race" The letters mock how followers rationalize contradictions (promised pleasure but now feel aloofness; promised control but need to "switch personalities"). The satire's humor relies on absurdist logic — the notion that one's wife has six distinct personalities one can manipulate through occult means — revealing the ridiculousness underlying such claims.

📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

go bog bal chil oa Swami Baa Baa Forever! Several Letters Rece. = immense vibratory in- terest which is taken by thou- sands of people all over this country in the new doctrines of Swami Baa Baa (the greatest yogi in the world) shows that the American people are by no means deticient in occult power. It will be a long time, however, before Swami Baa Baa's great doctrine is thoroughly understood. We have received thousands of letters from gen- ‘tlemen in various parts of the United States, the burden of which is: “Can I control my wife by and what is means of vibration: the proper method? Is it neces- sary for her to know anything about it Several millionaires have come to us confidentially and offered large sums of money if the Swami can be euployed exclusively by them in their own households. The Swami's gifts, however, are for the benefit of the whole race, and he is above all money offers—excepting, of course, the usual advance fee of fifty dollars to one hundred dollars, according to the urgency of the case. A gentleman writes us as fol- lows: “You have deceived me. I was very much attracted to Swami Baa Baa on account of the statement made that I could reach the higher tattvic vibrations; in fact, that I could resolve myself into the silence and indulge in all of the higher ecstacy, while at the same time increasing my capacity for smoking and drinking, and having a good time physically. But what has happened? Since learning how to concen- trate my mind and thus project my astral body, also my subliminal self, and rearranging the primal colors of my auric envelope—alas! all desire for having a good time has left me. All I care to do tved Shor Only Reveal a Stage now is to go into the silence, and yet you promised both. Our friend will be all right in a few days. He doesn’t understand that at present he is under the influence of the lunar current, which is strongest at this time of the year; also that the higher pranic currents have produced an ethereal vacuum, by which all those who have become supremely conscious of their kama rupa, experience an aloofness from the chromatic lower tones, The only safe representative is the astral body. This is entirely separate, as we have stated, from the auric en- velope; but by means of these two, by making a calculation, which can only be done by the crystal ball which we provide (price fifteen dollars to the trade), you may learn the number of personalities over which you have con- trol. It is possible to learn the coming personality in advance and to be able to switch from one to the other, This is very convenient, especially with your wife, with whom you may not be on the best of terms. In other words, you are not only able to tell beforehand what your wife’s personality may be at any given hour of the day, but you can also ar- range that your own personality will be what you choose at that time. The immense possibilities of this wonder- ful condition can only be imagined Here is a letter just received: “Att Suptime ano Far-Reacu- Inc Swamt Baa Baa: Feeble words fail to tell you of the wonderful succession of ecsta- cies which I have experienced, ow- ing to your treatment. I am in love with a charming and beautiful girl. She has six distinct personalities, while I have only four; but each one of my per- sonalities is in love with all of hers, and by changing the com- bination every day we experience heights and depths of love which ing IIis Wonderful Power—Also a Few Minor Criticisms, Which In Psychic Developmen!—Possibilities of Love Revealed it would not be possible for any mortal to conceive. Yours with deep gratitude, Here is another letter not so favor- able: “Dear Sr I have been married for eight years, and after receiving vibra- tory treatment and acquiring the art of going into the silence and projecting my astral body and sub- liminal consciousness, I discovered that my wife is developing, practi- cally speaking, a new personality ry day. Some of these person- alities are not so bad, but the others are something fierce. I have gazed into a crystal ball for half an hour a day during the last week, but there is something apparently the matter with the pranic currents, not to speak of my chromatic scale. I see noth- ing but dark red and muddy gray. Is it not possible to lift me up on a higher plane so that when I meet my wife I do not feel as if I were trying to drive an cight- horse team around a Roman arena? It is telling on me, Swami. . Yours, These letters only show the won- derful varied scale of the human atman. Each one of us is master of the universe, and it only needs the touch of a divinely gifted personality like the Swami to bring it out. Remem- ber, however, that your development may sometimes be slow, owing to cer- tain alien vibrations that even the Swami with all his vision has not been able to segregate. Have patience. We should be glad to take anybody on the instalment plan at a slight in- crease over the original price. Money is no object. It is only taken as a guaranty that the applicant really has faith. Life’s Vibration Parlors. comicbooks.com