Sri Daya Mata
Encyclopedia
Sri Daya Mata born Faye Wright, (January 31, 1914 November 30, 2010) was the president and sanghamata (mother of the society) of the Self-Realization Fellowship
(SRF) of Los Angeles, California, and the Yogoda Satsanga
(YSS) Society of India for over 55 years.
Wright was born in Salt Lake City, Utah
, to a prominent family of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Her ancestors were among the original Mormon pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley
. Her grandfather, Abraham Reister Wright, was an architect of the LDS Church's Salt Lake Tabernacle
. She has been listed as a "Famous Utahn" by the Utah Office of Tourism.
Daya Mata first met Paramhansa 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.
Daya Mata's brother Richard Wright served as Yogananda's personal secretary for many years, appearing in his Autobiography of a Yogi
. Her mother was also an SRF member. Daya Mata (Faye Wright) and Ananda Mata (Virginia Wright, Daya Mata's sister) served on the SRF Board of Directors.
Daya Mata authored three volumes: Only Love': Living the Spiritual Life in a Changing World, Finding the Joy Within You: Personal Counsel for God Centered Living, and Enter the Quiet Heart: Creating a Loving Relationship with God.
At the time of her 2010 death, Sri Daya Mata had been president of Self-Realization Fellowship since 1955. She had been living with her sister in a Sierra Madre
house purchased in 1966 and commuting to SRF headquarters in Mount Washington. She was one of the first women to lead a worldwide religious organization and monastic order.
She died on the evening of November 30, 2010, in Los Angeles.
Sri Daya Mata
Self-Realization Fellowship
Self-Realization Fellowship / Yogoda Satsanga Society of India is a worldwide spiritual organization founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1920 and based in Mount Washington in Los Angeles, California....
(SRF) of Los Angeles, California, and the Yogoda Satsanga
Yogoda Satsanga
Yogoda Satsanga Society of India is a non-profit religious organisation founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1917. Its headquarters, Yogoda Satsanga Math, is situated Kolkata, with a branch math at Ranchi, Jharkhand and many branch centres. In addition to meditation centres throughout India, there...
(YSS) Society of India for over 55 years.
Wright was born in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, to a prominent family of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Her ancestors were among the original Mormon pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
. Her grandfather, Abraham Reister Wright, was an architect of the LDS Church's Salt Lake Tabernacle
Salt Lake Tabernacle
The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah along with the Salt Lake Assembly Hall and Salt Lake Temple.-History:...
. She has been listed as a "Famous Utahn" by the Utah Office of Tourism.
Daya Mata first met Paramhansa Yogananda in 1931, and joined Yogananda's ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
that year. After Yogananda's death, and the passing of his successor Rajarsi Janakananda
Rajarsi Janakananda
Rajarsi Janakananda, born James Jesse Lynn was the leading disciple of the yogi Paramhansa Yogananda and a prominent businessman in the Kansas City, Missouri area...
, Daya Mata became the third president of YSS/SRF in 1955.
Daya Mata's brother Richard Wright served as Yogananda's personal secretary for many years, appearing in his Autobiography of a Yogi
Autobiography of a Yogi
In 1946, Paramahansa Yogananda , published his life story, Autobiography of a Yogi, which introduced many westerners to meditation and yoga...
. Her mother was also an SRF member. Daya Mata (Faye Wright) and Ananda Mata (Virginia Wright, Daya Mata's sister) served on the SRF Board of Directors.
Daya Mata authored three volumes: Only Love': Living the Spiritual Life in a Changing World, Finding the Joy Within You: Personal Counsel for God Centered Living, and Enter the Quiet Heart: Creating a Loving Relationship with God.
At the time of her 2010 death, Sri Daya Mata had been president of Self-Realization Fellowship since 1955. She had been living with her sister in a Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre, California
The city of Sierra Madre is a municipality in Los Angeles County, California whose population was 10,917 at the 2010 census, up from 10,580 at the time of the 2000 census. The city is located in the Foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains below the southern edge of the Angeles National Forest. ...
house purchased in 1966 and commuting to SRF headquarters in Mount Washington. She was one of the first women to lead a worldwide religious organization and monastic order.
She died on the evening of November 30, 2010, in Los Angeles.
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Sri Daya MataSri Daya Mata
External links
- Self-Realization Fellowship website
- Kriya Yoga
- Personal Glimpse into A Nun's Daily Life
- Sri Daya Mata credentials by Sri Anandamayi Ma, an Indian Saint
- Non partisan Kriya Yoga Lineage
- Yogananda.es (spiritual community honoring Yogananda: forums, chat, etc.).