Josephine MacLeod, Miss (1858 – 1949)—Wealthy American lady of high society, the closest of all his American devotees and perhaps the greatest benefactress of the Order. Called herself “Friend of Swami Vivekananda”. Born at her paternal home in Illinois on 26.12.1858, daughter of John David MacLeod. Elder sister Mrs. Betty Sturges (later Leggett) also close friend and admirer of Swamiji. They first saw and heard him at the New York Vedanta Society on 29.1.1895 and Josephine, or Joe, considered that to be the time of her “real” birth, counting her age from that day. Recognized his words to be “truth” and said, “I listened to him for seven years and whatever he uttered was to me truth” (Reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda, 2004, p. 228). Through Francis Leggett, soon a devoted admirer and Betty’s fiancé, the sisters came to know Swamiji well and he was their guest in New York. Was called “Joe” by him, “Yum” by sister Nivedita and Holy Mother named the two sisters “Jaya and Vijaya”. Called “Tantine” (Aunt) in the Order. Swamiji attended the wedding of Francis Leggett and Betty in Paris in August 1895. Swamiji wrote to her from London in September 1895 to arrange classes for him. Joe and Betty engaged J. J. Goodwin to take down the lectures of Swamiji. He spent happy and restful days with them at the Leggetts’ country estate Ridgely Manor. She travelled with him in America organizing lectures.
First visited Calcutta with Mrs. Bull and Swami Saradananda (14.2.1898). Lived in a house close to Belur Math with Mrs. Bull and Sister Nivedita. Met Holy Mother who received them warmly. After three months stay at Calcutta and Belur travelled with Swamiji and others in Northern India and Kashmir for about six months. Before leaving gave 800 dollars to Swamiji, the money being used to buy a press for publication of the journal Udbodhan.
On Swamiji’s second visit to America gave all-out support to him. Swamiji joined her and the Leggetts at the Paris Exposition (August 1900). On 24.10.1900 she travelled with him and others visiting Egypt and Southern Europe. Helped him to return to India from Egypt. In 1901 on her way to Japan with Okakura Kakuzu visited Calcutta (6.1.1902) and stayed at Belur. Visited Varanasi and Bodh Gaya with Swamiji (January 1902). In April 1902, when she met Swamiji, gave him 200 dollars, promising 50 dollars every month to meet his expenses. Swamiji had said to her, “I shall never see forty.” Returned to India (1916) and left with Mrs. Sevier after about 2 years. Visited India and Belur Math, where she loved to stay, several times. Helped build the first floor of the Guest House. The Mission being charged with seditious activities (1916) by the British Government, Joe met Lord Carmichael with Swami Saradananda and the aims and objectives of the Mission having been explained, the charges were withdrawn (The Life of Josephine MacLeod, pp. 151-52). Intervened to prevent the establishment of a railway yard beside Belur Math by meeting the Viceroy (Ibid., pp. 183-84). A few young monks having been imprisoned on charges of espionage, Joe secured their release by visiting the British Governor (Ibid., p. 183). Had beautiful crystal statuettes of Swamiji fashioned by Lalique (famous jeweller in Paris) which she presented to her friends and important acquaintances. Gifted some cows to Belur Math (Ibid., p. 175). Took Jules Bois to Belur Math to meet Swamiji on 17.2.1901 (Ibid., p. 116).
Upon Swamiji’s demise, after an initial period of mourning, dedicated her life to ensuring that his work and interests did not suffer for want of care. Maintained close touch with Belur Math, assisted Sister Nivedita, Christine and Mrs. Sevier. In January was in India for the first Monks’ Conference of the Math and the Mission (1.4.1926 to 8.4.1926). Spent the summer at Almora. Spent 1926 and most of 1927 in India and was back in January 1936 for the birth-centenary celebrations of the Master and left India for the last time on 13.3.1939, being unable to travel during World War II. Arrived at the Hollywood Vedanta Centre one day, old and ailing, and announced “I have come here to die.” Died on 11.10.1949.
W hen Vivekananda first met Josephine MacLeod in New York she was an attractive, vivacious young woman, invariably dressed in the latest Paris fashion. She was five years older than Vivekananda. Outwardly she was fashionable and not at all domesticated and inwardly she had a mind that was ever ready to grasp the universal and the spiritual aspect of situations. “Readiness is all, she used to say, according to her ‘itinerant credo’; ‘to stay in one place became a sign of limitation. She was prepared mentally and materially to go anywhere anytime. In a money-bag, which she hung around her neck, she carried a thousand dollars or more in rupees, sterling, lire and drachmas, enough cash to take her to Europe, India or America — ‘You never know’, she would say. “The world belongs to the Lord, she wrote and to her, Vivekananda was the Lord. He was the centre of her world and she travelled around it many times as though she were circumambulating the deity of her worship. Inasmuch as she made the whole world her own she made it Vivekananda’s. For that, she said, was her mission: ‘to make lovers for Swamiji’. She reflected: ‘Being an ordinary woman (and in that lies my strength) I know how little reading and writing have played in my life. But loving, doing, serving, and talking are the natural ways of expression to me.’ Joe, as Vivekananda affectionately called her, knew her own limitations but she had undaunted faith in Vivekananda’s unlimitedness. She once wrote to her niece, Alberta, from the Belur Math:
“The thing that held me in Swamiji was his unlimitedness. I never could touch the bottom -or top-or sides. The amazing size of him…. You ask if I am utterly secure in my grasp on the ultimate. Yes, utterly. It seems to be part and parcel of me. It is the Truth I saw in Swamiji that has set me free; one’s faults seem so insignificant, why remember them when one has the ocean of Truth to be our playground? It was to set me free that Swamiji came.”
In her playground, Joe was free to play her role as Vivekananda’s apostle of love, his promoter in the elite cultured circles into which she easily entered through her inimitable style, her family influence and her wealth. She brought to him the leading thinkers and writers of her world, the world of her time – which was quite a long time.
—–
Nikos Kazantazakis learnt that after her meditation, if she ever made a strong resolution to do something she thought needed to be done, she would suddenly spend money exorbitantly. But in her daily life, in matters of money she was frugal and never spent her money on useless things. (In fact, while in the Belur Math, she never turned on the light in her room at night but used an oil lamp instead). Once she said to someone in New York: “Do you know why I take buses and not taxis? It is because I want to be able to give something to others.”
—–
“I learn all I know from people,” Joe once said. After telling Nikos many things about Vivekananda, and what he had taught her, she took out and unfolded a yellowed letter that she always carried it was Vivekananda’s most beautiful letter to her which he had written from Alameda in April, 1900. “When Joe had read this heart-breaking farewell letter,” wrote Nikos, she asked him, “Do you ever pray? Do you pray when you are very happy or deeply depressed?” “No. I never pray,” replied Nikos. “What do you do then?” “I write,” said Nikos. “That way I find relief.” “I never pray,” said Joe. “When I feel over-burdened, I go out for a walk — not to the town, to the city. And I study the faces of people in the street. Or else I do what I consider to be a good deed. Or I read this letter. That is how I get rid of anguish.” (Source: Western Women in the Footsteps of Swami Vivekananda)