Life, 1913-05-08 · page 14 of 48
Life — May 8, 1913 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Swami Baa Baa, an Indian spiritual figure who had apparently gained popularity in America, particularly among women seeking self-improvement. The cartoon ridicules the "cosmic consciousness" movement he promoted. The left cartoon shows a smug figure labeled "This is worth ANY price!" — mocking how people eagerly paid for dubious spiritual instruction. The text describes Swami Baa Baa's promises to cure societal ills through yogic practices and female empowerment, while the response letters reveal the absurdity: one woman confused his teachings, another experienced only vague mystical feelings. The satire targets both the charlatan guru exploiting Americans' spiritual hunger and wealthy women chasing trendy occultism while neglecting practical concerns. The "$500,000,000 a year" saved claim exemplifies the exaggerated promises Life mocks throughout.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
922 Our New Era SH a) tel cal oi Now on Its Way Swami Baa Baa’s Message to the American Peopl——Woman Question Settled Forever—Our Enthusiastic Neighbors HE startling news that J. through the marvelous dis- Lea Dy ss ZZ covery made by Swami Baa Baa all women hereafter 8 can become absorbed in the higher tattvic vibrations of the inimi- table Karma at a moderate cost, has now been flashed around the world. The importance of this discovery and its effect upon the American peo- ple cannot be overestimated. Let us consider for a moment what this means. Swami Baa Baa, the greatest yogi in existence to-day, and specially im- ported from India by Lire, is at the head of our vibration parlors. He has demonstrated over and over again that you can become ruler of the universe, master of your own soul, and one with the cosmic consciousness by tak- ing the six weeks’ course. Thousands of people have now entered into the sev- enth plane and are able to separate their double per- sonalities from their sub- liminal selves and to bring all good things within their reach. This is nothing, however, to what will soon be done with our women. The following programme is absolute and guaranteed. Any lady, no matter of what age, can enter into the joy of cosmic consciousness in a short time with the following results: All restlessness immediately re- moved. All desire for clothes reduced to Anatanahte a minimum. Suffrage ten- dencies dispelled. No more hys- terics. Higher tattvic joys realized. What this means is almost incalcula- ble. Circles are being formed all over the country, and husbands every- where are earnestly requested to co-operate with us in our grand scheme for the restoration of American women. It means that when your wife has gotten to the point where she is beginning to get restless and wants to join a woman's club or create a schism in the church—all you have to do is to turn her over to the Swami, and every longing is imme- diately satisfied, and unutterable calm- ness prevails. Here is a letter just received. “ Biessep Swami: I didn’t realize what your pro- gramme was until I put it into effect in my own household. Now I see quite clearly. I am the head of a family of several daughters, and my wife, as she expresses it, is in the vanguard of civilization, which means that there is no form of agitation—political, so- cial, economic or religious —that she is not engaged in, After reading one of your circulars, I persuad- ed her to go into the silence, and now all is changed. This, however, is only personal. I realize that what has happened to my wife may happen to every woman in this country. Think of the saving! In the first place, there will be no more woman's clubs, no more suffrage meetings, no more French milliners and dressmakers. I cal- culate that $500,000,000 a year will be saved by eliminating these three things. Yours for the millennium, calms perme Our friend has indicated the grand possibilities. What we are now looking for are honest and steady-going yogis to es- tablish branch offices in all parts of the United States. Have you psychic power? Do you see double? Can you separate your auric envelope from your cosmic consciousness? Remem- ber that it is not necessary to be an expert. We have a training school for yogis in our department, and the Swami will be able to put you through a qualified course in two or three weeks. You will then be sent to one of our branch stations, where you will treat the ladies of the neighborhood. All persons who have psychic power are therefore invited to communicate with us at once. No expense for sta- tionery or correspondence, as all com- munications are received through vi- brations direct with the Swami. Last week I was president of a woman's club, ran one church, was getting up a local circus and a suffrage campaign, and my hus- band had just applied for admis- sion into a sanitarium when your message came. At first I was inclined to scoff, but suddenly I felt the harmonic silences creep over me and I be- came one with the higher Brahma. Yours, We have just received word from the Prime Minister of England offer- ing Swami Baa Baa an immense salary if he will go over there at once and reduce the woman suffrage movement But he’s adamant. “As long as the American people are willing to stand by me I will never leave this hospitable shore,” he de- clares. In the meantime, all ladies who feel hysterical or restless, and all husbands who are afflicted with such wives, are invited to communicate with us imme- diately. Not necessary to write. Fix your eye on anything that glitters and think of the Swami. In fifteen minutes you will feel an unutterable calm steal- ing over you. This is the first stage of the lower tattvic plane. After that, the world is yours. Life's Vibration Parlors. comicbooks.com