Sri Daya Mata —Mother of Compassion—[1] who was born Faye Wright, was the president and sanghamata (mother of the society) of Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF)[2] of Los Angeles, California, and the Yogoda Satsanga (YSS) Society of India.[3][4](January 31, 1914 – November 30, 2010)
Faye Wright was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to a prominent family of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church).[5] Her ancestors were among the original Mormon pioneers[5][6] to the Salt Lake Valley. Her grandfather, Abraham Reister Wright, was an architect of the LDS Church's Salt Lake Tabernacle.[7][8] She has been listed as a "Famous Utahn" by the Utah Office of Tourism.[9]
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.[10]
Daya Mata's brother Richard Wright served as Yogananda's personal secretary for many years,[11] 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.[12]
Daya Mata authored three volumes: Only Love': Living the Spiritual Life in a Changing World,[13] Finding the Joy Within You: Personal Counsel for God Centered Living,[14] and Enter the Quiet Heart: Creating a Loving Relationship with God.[15]
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.[16]
She died on the evening of November 30, 2010, in Los Angeles.
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