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第八十七章 Therese Neumann
第八十七章 Therese Neumann，The Catholic Stigmatist
“Return to india。I have waited for you patiently for ffteen years。Soon I shall swim out of the body and on to the Shining Abode。Yogananda，come！”
Sri Yukteswars voice sounded startlingly in my inner ear as I sat in meditation at my Mt。Washington headquarters。
Now it is 1935；I have spent fifteen years in spreading my gurus teachings in America。
That afternoon I recounted my experience to a visiting disciple。
This disciple and a number of others generously insisted on making a donation for my travels。The fnancial problem thus solved，I made arrangements to sail，via Europe，for India。
“I shall be back，”I told my students。“Never shall I forget America。”
I sailed from New York on June，1935 in the Europa。Two students accompanied me：my secretary，Mr。C。Richard Wright，and an elderly lady from Cincinnati，Miss Ettie Bletch。
Like any other group of inquisitive tourists，we walked around the huge and ancient city of London。The following day I was invited to address a large meeting in Caxton Hall，at which I was introduced to the London audience by Sir Francis Younghusband。We soon crossed the English Channel to the continent，for I wanted to make a special pilgrimage to Bavaria。This would be my only chance，I felt，to visit the great Catholic mystic，Therese Neumann of Konnersreuth。
Years earlier I had read an amazing account of Therese。Information given in the article was as follows：
（1）Therese，born in 189，had been injured in an accident at the age of twenty；she became blind and paralyzed。
（2）She miraculously regained her sight in 1923 through prayers to St。Teresa，“The Little Flower。”Later Therese Neumanns limbs were instantaneously healed。
（3）From 1923 onward，Therese has abstained completely from food and drink，except for the daily swallowing of one small consecrated wafer。
（4）The stigmata，or sacred wounds of Christ，appeared in 1926 on Thereses head，breast，hands，and feet。On Friday of every week thereafter，she has passed through the Passion of Christ，suffering in her own body all his historic agonies。
（5）Knowing ordinarily only the simple German of her village，during her Friday trances Therese utters phrases which scholars have identified as ancient Aramaic。At appropriate times in her vision，she speaks Hebrew or Greek。
（6）By ecclesiastical permission，Therese has several times been under close scientifc observation。Dr。Fritz Gerlick，editor of a Protestant German newspaper，went to Konnersreuth to“expose the Catholic fraud，”but ended up by reverently writing her biography。
I rejoiced as our little party entered，on July 16th，the quaint village of Konnersreuth。An English-speaking man halted beside us，politely offering his aid。
“I dont know for certain where Therese is，”he said，“but she often visits at the home of Professor Wurz，a seminary master of Eichstatt，eighty miles from here。”
The following morning our party motored to the quiet village of Eichstatt，narrowlylined with cobblestoned streets。Dr。Wurz greeted us cordially at his home；“Yes，Therese is here。”He sent her word of the visitors。
Deeply touched at these words，I followed Dr。Wurz upstairs to the sitting room。Therese entered immediately，radiating an aura of peace and joy。She wore a black gown and spotless white head dress。Although her age was thirty-seven at this time，she seemed much younger，possessing indeed a childlike freshness and charm。Healthy，well-formed，rosy-cheeked，and cheerful，this is the saint that does not eat！
Therese greeted me with a very gentle handshaking。
Dr。Wurz kindly offered to serve as interpreter。
“Dont you eat anything？”I wanted to hear the answer from her own lips。
“No，except a consecrated rice-four wafer，once every morning at six oclock。”“How large is the wafer？”
“It is paper-thin，the size of a small coin。”She added，“I take it for sacramental reasons；if it is unconsecrated，I am unable to swallow it。”
“Certainly you could not have lived on that，for twelve whole years？”
“I live by Gods light。”
“Your sacred life is a daily demonstration of the truth uttered by Christ：‘Man shall not live by bread alone，but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God。’”
Again she showed joy at my explanation。“It is indeed so。One of the reasons I am here on earth today is to prove that man can live by Gods invisible light，and not by food only。”
“Can you teach others how to live without food？”
She appeared a trife shocked。“I cannot do that；God does not wish it。”
As my gaze fell on her strong，graceful hands，Therese showed me a little，square，freshly healed wound on each of her palms。
The saint told me something of her weekly trances。“As a helpless onlooker，I observe the whole Passion of Christ。”Each week，from Thursday midnight until Friday afternoon at one oclock，her wounds open and bleed；she loses ten pounds of her ordinary 121-pound weight。Suffering intensely in her sympathetic love，Therese yet looks forward joyously to these weekly visions of her Lord。
The professor added some interesting physiological details：“Because Therese takes no food，her stomach has shrunk。She has no excretions，but her perspiration glands function；her skin is always soft and frm。”
At the time of parting，I expressed to Therese my desire to be present at her trance。
“Yes，please come to Konnersreuth next Friday，”she said graciously。“The bishopwill give you a permit。I am very happy you sought me out in Eichstatt。”
From a conversation the next day with two of Thereses brothers，very kind and amiable，we learned that the saint sleeps only one or two hours at night。Many seekers have been cured through her of serious diseases。
Her brother Ferdinand，about twenty-three，explained that Therese has the power，through prayer，of working out on her own body the ailments of others。The saints abstinence from food dates from a time when she prayed that the throat disease of a young man of her parish，then preparing to enter holy orders，be transferred to her own throat。
On Thursday afternoon our party drove to the home of the bishop，who looked at my fowing locks with some surprise。He readily wrote out the necessary permit。There was no fee；the rule made by the Church is simply to protect Therese from the onrush of casual tourists，who in previous years had focked on Fridays by the thousands。
We arrived Friday morning about nine-thirty in Konnersreuth。There was a line of about twenty visitors，armed with their permits。
Before I went upstairs to her room，I put myself into a yogic trance state in order to be one with her in telepathic and televisic rapport。I entered her chamber，flled with visitors；she was lying in a white robe on the bed。With Mr。Wright following closely behind me，I halted just inside the threshold，awestruck at a strange and most frightful spectacle。
Blood fowed thinly and continuously in an inch-wide stream from Therese‘s lower eyelids。Her gaze was focused upward on the spiritual eye within the central forehead。The cloth wrapped around her head was drenched in blood from the stigmata wounds of the crown of thorns。The white garment was redly splotched over her heart from the wound in her side at the spot where Christ’s body，long ages ago，had suffered the fnal indignity of the soldiers spear-thrust。
Thereses hands were extended in a gesture maternal，pleading；her face wore an expression both tortured and divine。Murmuring words in a foreign tongue，she spoke with slightly quivering lips to persons visible before her inner sight。
As I was in attunement with her，I began to see the scenes of her vision。She was watching Jesus as he carried the cross amidst the jeering multitude。Suddenly she lifted her head in consternation：the Lord had fallen under the cruel weight。The vision disappeared。In the exhaustion of fervid pity，Therese sank heavily against her pillow。Again I fxed my eyes on Thereses face，deathly pale under the rivulets of blood，but＆nbsp；now calm，radiating purity and holiness。
Remembering the patiently waiting line of pilgrims，Mr。Wright and I silently bade farewell to Therese and left her sacred presence。
The following day our little group motored south。We enjoyed every minute of a tour through Germany，Holland，France，and the Swiss Alps。In Italy we made a special trip to Assisi to honor the apostle of humility，St。Francis。The European tour ended in Greece，where we viewed the Athenian temples，and saw the prison in which the gentle Socrates
had drunk his death potion。
We took ship over the sunny Mediterranean，disembarking at Palestine。
Our little party visited the Birth Manger，Josephs carpenter shop，the tomb of Lazarus，the house of Martha and Mary，the hall of the Last Supper。
On to Egypt，with its modern Cairo and ancient pyramids。Then a boat down the narrow Red Sea，over the vasty Arabian Sea；lo，India！
“Return to india。I have waited for you patiently for ffteen years。Soon I shall swim out of the body and on to the Shining Abode。Yogananda，come！”
Sri Yukteswars voice sounded startlingly in my inner ear as I sat in meditation at my Mt。Washington headquarters。
Now it is 1935；I have spent fifteen years in spreading my gurus teachings in America。
That afternoon I recounted my experience to a visiting disciple。
This disciple and a number of others generously insisted on making a donation for my travels。The fnancial problem thus solved，I made arrangements to sail，via Europe，for India。
“I shall be back，”I told my students。“Never shall I forget America。”
I sailed from New York on June，1935 in the Europa。Two students accompanied me：my secretary，Mr。C。Richard Wright，and an elderly lady from Cincinnati，Miss Ettie Bletch。
Like any other group of inquisitive tourists，we walked around the huge and ancient city of London。The following day I was invited to address a large meeting in Caxton Hall，at which I was introduced to the London audience by Sir Francis Younghusband。We soon crossed the English Channel to the continent，for I wanted to make a special pilgrimage to Bavaria。This would be my only chance，I felt，to visit the great Catholic mystic，Therese Neumann of Konnersreuth。
Years earlier I had read an amazing account of Therese。Information given in the article was as follows：
（1）Therese，born in 189，had been injured in an accident at the age of twenty；she became blind and paralyzed。
（2）She miraculously regained her sight in 1923 through prayers to St。Teresa，“The Little Flower。”Later Therese Neumanns limbs were instantaneously healed。
（3）From 1923 onward，Therese has abstained completely from food and drink，except for the daily swallowing of one small consecrated wafer。
（4）The stigmata，or sacred wounds of Christ，appeared in 1926 on Thereses head，breast，hands，and feet。On Friday of every week thereafter，she has passed through the Passion of Christ，suffering in her own body all his historic agonies。
（5）Knowing ordinarily only the simple German of her village，during her Friday trances Therese utters phrases which scholars have identified as ancient Aramaic。At appropriate times in her vision，she speaks Hebrew or Greek。
（6）By ecclesiastical permission，Therese has several times been under close scientifc observation。Dr。Fritz Gerlick，editor of a Protestant German newspaper，went to Konnersreuth to“expose the Catholic fraud，”but ended up by reverently writing her biography。
I rejoiced as our little party entered，on July 16th，the quaint village of Konnersreuth。An English-speaking man halted beside us，politely offering his aid。
“I dont know for certain where Therese is，”he said，“but she often visits at the home of Professor Wurz，a seminary master of Eichstatt，eighty miles from here。”
The following morning our party motored to the quiet village of Eichstatt，narrowlylined with cobblestoned streets。Dr。Wurz greeted us cordially at his home；“Yes，Therese is here。”He sent her word of the visitors。
Deeply touched at these words，I followed Dr。Wurz upstairs to the sitting room。Therese entered immediately，radiating an aura of peace and joy。She wore a black gown and spotless white head dress。Although her age was thirty-seven at this time，she seemed much younger，possessing indeed a childlike freshness and charm。Healthy，well-formed，rosy-cheeked，and cheerful，this is the saint that does not eat！
Therese greeted me with a very gentle handshaking。
Dr。Wurz kindly offered to serve as interpreter。
“Dont you eat anything？”I wanted to hear the answer from her own lips。
“No，except a consecrated rice-four wafer，once every morning at six oclock。”“How large is the wafer？”
“It is paper-thin，the size of a small coin。”She added，“I take it for sacramental reasons；if it is unconsecrated，I am unable to swallow it。”
“Certainly you could not have lived on that，for twelve whole years？”
“I live by Gods light。”
“Your sacred life is a daily demonstration of the truth uttered by Christ：‘Man shall not live by bread alone，but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God。’”
Again she showed joy at my explanation。“It is indeed so。One of the reasons I am here on earth today is to prove that man can live by Gods invisible light，and not by food only。”
“Can you teach others how to live without food？”
She appeared a trife shocked。“I cannot do that；God does not wish it。”
As my gaze fell on her strong，graceful hands，Therese showed me a little，square，freshly healed wound on each of her palms。
The saint told me something of her weekly trances。“As a helpless onlooker，I observe the whole Passion of Christ。”Each week，from Thursday midnight until Friday afternoon at one oclock，her wounds open and bleed；she loses ten pounds of her ordinary 121-pound weight。Suffering intensely in her sympathetic love，Therese yet looks forward joyously to these weekly visions of her Lord。
The professor added some interesting physiological details：“Because Therese takes no food，her stomach has shrunk。She has no excretions，but her perspiration glands function；her skin is always soft and frm。”
At the time of parting，I expressed to Therese my desire to be present at her trance。
“Yes，please come to Konnersreuth next Friday，”she said graciously。“The bishopwill give you a permit。I am very happy you sought me out in Eichstatt。”
From a conversation the next day with two of Thereses brothers，very kind and amiable，we learned that the saint sleeps only one or two hours at night。Many seekers have been cured through her of serious diseases。
Her brother Ferdinand，about twenty-three，explained that Therese has the power，through prayer，of working out on her own body the ailments of others。The saints abstinence from food dates from a time when she prayed that the throat disease of a young man of her parish，then preparing to enter holy orders，be transferred to her own throat。
On Thursday afternoon our party drove to the home of the bishop，who looked at my fowing locks with some surprise。He readily wrote out the necessary permit。There was no fee；the rule made by the Church is simply to protect Therese from the onrush of casual tourists，who in previous years had focked on Fridays by the thousands。
We arrived Friday morning about nine-thirty in Konnersreuth。There was a line of about twenty visitors，armed with their permits。
Before I went upstairs to her room，I put myself into a yogic trance state in order to be one with her in telepathic and televisic rapport。I entered her chamber，flled with visitors；she was lying in a white robe on the bed。With Mr。Wright following closely behind me，I halted just inside the threshold，awestruck at a strange and most frightful spectacle。
Blood fowed thinly and continuously in an inch-wide stream from Therese‘s lower eyelids。Her gaze was focused upward on the spiritual eye within the central forehead。The cloth wrapped around her head was drenched in blood from the stigmata wounds of the crown of thorns。The white garment was redly splotched over her heart from the wound in her side at the spot where Christ’s body，long ages ago，had suffered the fnal indignity of the soldiers spear-thrust。
Thereses hands were extended in a gesture maternal，pleading；her face wore an expression both tortured and divine。Murmuring words in a foreign tongue，she spoke with slightly quivering lips to persons visible before her inner sight。
As I was in attunement with her，I began to see the scenes of her vision。She was watching Jesus as he carried the cross amidst the jeering multitude。Suddenly she lifted her head in consternation：the Lord had fallen under the cruel weight。The vision disappeared。In the exhaustion of fervid pity，Therese sank heavily against her pillow。Again I fxed my eyes on Thereses face，deathly pale under the rivulets of blood，but＆nbsp；now calm，radiating purity and holiness。
Remembering the patiently waiting line of pilgrims，Mr。Wright and I silently bade farewell to Therese and left her sacred presence。
The following day our little group motored south。We enjoyed every minute of a tour through Germany，Holland，France，and the Swiss Alps。In Italy we made a special trip to Assisi to honor the apostle of humility，St。Francis。The European tour ended in Greece，where we viewed the Athenian temples，and saw the prison in which the gentle Socrates
had drunk his death potion。
We took ship over the sunny Mediterranean，disembarking at Palestine。
Our little party visited the Birth Manger，Josephs carpenter shop，the tomb of Lazarus，the house of Martha and Mary，the hall of the Last Supper。
On to Egypt，with its modern Cairo and ancient pyramids。Then a boat down the narrow Red Sea，over the vasty Arabian Sea；lo，India！
