Self-Realization Fellowship Blog

We are delighted to announce that the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine meditation gardens will again be open to the public starting August 27, for the first time since a devastating wildfire shut down the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles in January of this year. At first we will be opening the outdoor areas surrounding the lake, with its lush pathways and beautiful meditation nooks; other areas of the Lake Shrine, including the Windmill Chapel, Houseboat, and hilltop Temple, will open at other times over the coming months, due to ongoing remediation work across the 10-acre spiritual sanctuary.

“We are deeply grateful to be able to welcome back visitors to this sanctuary of peace and tranquility,” says Brother Satyananda, minister-in-charge at the Lake Shrine. “As a safe and quiet place full of nature’s beauty, it is our hope that the Lake Shrine can offer comfort and healing during this time of recovery.

“We share our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this reopening possible — firefighters, staff, volunteers, and members and friends of the SRF Lake Shrine from Los Angeles and around the world.”

As many of you know, most areas of the Lake Shrine were spared from the utter devastation that the fire caused in the surrounding community. None of the legacy structures dating from Paramahansa Yogananda’s time were burned; only a public restroom and some other buildings further away from the Lake suffered serious damage. (Unfortunately one of the buildings that housed some of the Lake Shrine monks was completely destroyed. You can read more on our blog.)

The survival of the main areas of the Lake Shrine was not only because of the heroic efforts of first responders, but due to some fortuitous events, and the courageous actions of the Asad family — SRF members whose fire-safety credentials meant they were allowed to enter the Pacific Palisades during the fire.

Ongoing Rehabilitation Work and a Gradual Reopening

While all of the legacy areas around the lake itself survived the fire, as well as most of the other structures at the Lake Shrine, the interiors of all the buildings had significant smoke damage from the thick fumes carried by the hurricane-force winds that accompanied the massive fire. Therefore, the buildings and their furnishings are being restored and cleaned — and carpets, draperies, upholstery, etc. replaced where necessary — before we reopen to the public. This work began months ago and will continue throughout the remainder of the year. Work on the Retreat, the main monks’ ashram, and the Temple is expected to be complete in the first months of 2026, and we are hoping to have a full reopening of all Lake Shrine facilities in the spring. (In the months since the fire, members of the Lake Shrine Temple congregation — many of whom tragically lost homes and property during the catastrophe — have been gathering online for meditations and other programs with the SRF monastics who serve them, or attending one of the other Los Angeles-area SRF temples.)

The Visitor Center and restrooms will be ready for the August reopening, and other lake-level buildings will reopen as work is completed between now and the end of October. This includes the iconic Dutch Windmill Chapel, which will open at the beginning of November. (All reopening dates and plans are contingent on a few factors which might change the timeline slightly.) 

Because the outdoor areas were partially damaged by the wildfire (including massive amounts of airborne ashes), we have worked for many months on getting the meditation gardens ready to welcome visitors.

We thank you for your patience and support as we navigate the complexities necessary for a full reopening. As you can well understand, the health and safety of visitors, staff, volunteers, and resident monastics continue to be a priority during this process.

75 Years as a World-Renowned Shrine to Harmony and World Peace

Self-Realization Fellowship founder Paramahansa Yogananda established the SRF Lake Shrine in August 1950 as a means of furthering the cause of world peace and spiritual fellowship.

In the 75 years since then, the Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens and Temple have welcomed visitors from all over the world — receiving more than 100,000 guests in 2024 alone!

Paramahansaji envisioned the lakeside gardens as an open-air shrine to all faiths. A prominent feature of the Lake Shrine is the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial, residing in a “temple without walls” behind a striking archway crowned by golden lotuses. The Lake Shrine also features a “Court of Religions,” an idea of Paramahansa Yogananda’s which includes monuments to each of the five principal religions of the world: Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. In this way, he wanted to show that his teachings welcome everyone, and that they recognize the underlying harmony of all religions and faiths.

August 20, 2025, marks the 75th anniversary of this beloved spiritual sanctuary. Because of the fire and this year’s focus on reopening, celebrations originally planned for the 75th anniversary have been postponed until next year. For this special anniversary event in 2026, we will be inviting the Pacific Palisades community, SRF members and friends, and honoring some special guests. Information about how you can participate — in person or online — will be announced as plans are finalized in the coming months.

During a livestreamed update on the Lake Shrine when the fires in Los Angeles were still active, SRF President Brother Chidananda was already anticipating what the Lake Shrine could offer when reopened:

“We look forward to welcoming visitors from the local community — and, of course, from around the world — to come and recharge their spirits in the calmness, serenity, beauty, and harmony of the Lake Shrine.

“This is the form of service that our Guru’s organization has uniquely specialized in, and what we freely offer….providing a sanctuary of inner peace, reflection, and renewal, particularly in times like this, so that people can find within themselves the healing — the emotional, psychological, and above all, spiritual resources — to regain their balance during these incredibly challenging times.”

As we draw nearer to the time when the SRF Lake Shrine can resume its very special role as a beacon of these inspiring ideals, we thank you for the outpouring of love, support, prayers, and well wishes you shared with us from across the world this year. And we can’t wait to welcome you back to the Lake Shrine!
 

Planning a Visit?  

Visiting the SRF Lake Shrine meditation gardens is free, and all are welcome. To plan your visit:

• Please use the online reservation system at lakeshrine.org.
• The meditation gardens will be open Wednesdays to Sundays starting August 27.

Your Assistance Is Welcome

We deeply appreciate and welcome your support — in all its many forms — of Lake Shrine during this time of rebuilding and remediation. We are grateful for your prayers, your service, and your material contributions. Your generosity will assist all our efforts to preserve this unique sanctuary for generations to come. Donations can be made when you visit, or online. (Complete plans for replacing the buildings that were destroyed, including those that housed some of the Lake Shrine monks, are still in process, and we will share more about this when information is available.) Thank you.