lake shrine, temple of serenity, compassion & kindness

Susan Placek, Owner of THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

Heading to my friend's book signing in Venice Beach I decided to pull myself away from the computer a few hours earlier and take a break at the nearby Meditation Center of Lake Shrine,  "nearby" of course in Los Angeles standards that is.

The serene Lake Shrine Meditation Garden and Temple is located in the beautiful Pacific Palisades off Sunset Boulevard featuring a spring-fed lake, nestled in the center of the Garden.

Entering through the upper parking lot one is immediately captivated by the soothing sound of water coming from the court yard fountain, and the bright white Temple with the golden lotus flowers in sharp contrast to the deep blue sky, which visitors have a good chance for here in Southern California at most days of the year.

Knowing the quite interesting history of this place makes a big difference in the whole experience. Being on a schedule  however I decided to focus on the Garden during this visit and walked straight through the double doors to the stairs, leading down to the lake.

The sheer existence of what used to be Lake Santa Ynez can be seen as a co-production between men and Mother Nature. Extensive earth moving activities in the Santa Ynez Canyon, which used to be a silent movie production site of the then-famous Inceville motion-picture studio in the early 1920ies, were followed by water coming from nearby springs, quickly filling the basin, and bringing a halt to plans for future land development.

During the following 10 years the area remained untouched and more than a decade later the land, which meanwhile had turned into a forgotten swamp was purchased by H. Everett McElroy, assistant superin­tendent of construction for 20th Cen­tury Fox studios, and developed according to his vision of a unique private paradise, including the construction of a new residence situated across the McElroy's double-deck Mississippi-style houseboat which had been relocated from Lake Mead, followed by a boat deck with landing and a Dutch Windmill with a fifteen foot water wheel connected to an irrigation system.

And now the story becomes really fascinating.

In the late 1940ies Mr. McElroy sold the property to an oil-company president who's strange re-occurring dreams of his new home becoming a "Church of All Reli­gions", inspired him to write a letter to the Self-Realiza­tion Fellowship Church of All Reli­gions in Hollywood, in which he offered his property for sale.
Deeply moved by his dreams he decided to quickly call instead of waiting for his letter to arrive, and when he did, the founder, Paramahansa Yogananda himself answered his call. Before the man had a chance to introduce himself, he was asked about the property he had for sale, even though his letter had not arrived yet.

After change of ownership made possible through generous benefactors, once again construction began at Lake Santa Ynez. Paramahansa Yoga­nanda himself directed and oversaw the ongoing work and the creation of his spiritual legacy from his new and temporary headquarters, the houseboat.
1,500 people attended the formal opening to the public on August 20, 1950 of what was now Lake Shrine.

All of Mr. McElroy's buildings still exist and are part of today's site and landscaping.

New constructions added under the vegetarian Guru's supervision were the Court of Religions honoring the five principal religions of the world, the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial, home to a portion of Gandhi's ashes, and a Museum which exhibits Paramahansa Yogananda's work.
The white hill-top Temple and Retreat, looking at the lake and the Pacific Ocean was built in 1996, 44 years after Paramahansa Yogananda's passing, fulfilling his last wish for a construction of such a building.

Yogananda also designed the Golden Lotus Archway, or "wall-less temple, topped by golden lotus flowers, the Indian symbol of divine unfoldment and the awakening of the soul to its infinite potential.
The orange-red flowering plant next to the Archway looks like a shrub on fire, and I wonder if this species was purposely chosen to be planted there as a symbol of the eternal flame of life.

Swans, ducks, turtles, fish and many other animals call Lake Shrine home and the park itself with its lush landscaping, rocks, waterfalls, trees, tropical plants, flowers and shrubs is a sanctuary for people looking for a place to unwind, to meditate or simply to enjoy this spiritual place and the stunning scenic beauty.

With the Windmill Chapel currently under construction, to be re-opened again in Fall, and part of the Garden including the Visitor Center and the large statue by the waterfall not accessible at this time, there was only one more place to go to:

The Lake Shrine Gift Shop and Museum offering a variety of inspirational gifts from India, from books to statues, candles, incense, singing bowls, jewelry, clothing and hand made Indian arts and crafts.

The moment I entered the store a colorful scarf begged me to be allowed to come home with me - how could I not practice kindness and compassion at a place like this. I couldn't.

Links:

http://www.lakeshrine.org/

http://www.yogananda-srf.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramahansa_Yogananda

Photography: Susan Placek/CocoonWorx  http://www.cocoonworx.com

Kindness & Compassion Gifts  http://www.welcometoplanetvegan.com/store.html