Self-Realization Fellowship Blog

As the Pacific Palisades community and surrounding areas have continued their recovery from January’s devastating wildfire, we were grateful to be able to reopen Paramahansa Yogananda’s beloved Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens to visitors on August 27.

Since the founding of the SRF Lake Shrine by Paramahansaji in 1950, it has been a spiritual sanctuary where people from all over the world can come and experience true peace in heart, mind, and soul.  

Now more than ever, it is our hope that the recently reopened Meditation Gardens can provide tranquility and quiet contemplation for the local community and all who wish to feel the blessings of this special place. 

As most of you know, our Pacific Palisades neighbors were severely impacted by the wildfire, and many lost everything. Our hearts remain with all those who were affected and are working to rebuild their lives.  

Concerning the timeframe for reopening additional facets of Lake Shrine: As we reported in August, due to extensive smoke and ash damage to other structures — including the Windmill Chapel, Houseboat, and hilltop Temple and Retreat — much remediation work continues across the 10-acre spiritual sanctuary. Those other areas will open at other times over the coming months. We are deeply grateful for the support we have received thus far. The fire remediation and recovery work will take place in progressive stages and your support is needed and welcome.
 

SRF Purchases Property Adjacent to the Lake Shrine to Further Paramahansaji’s Legacy

We have good news that we are happy to share with you, concerning a very rare opportunity that recently arose at the Lake Shrine. As we reported in previous updates, the large commercially-owned apartment complex at 17250 Sunset Boulevard, right next to the Lake Shrine entrance, was among the many structures in the community that perished in the Palisades fire. When the owners of this property decided to sell, the prudent stewardship by past SRF/YSS presidents of generous donations from SRF members over many years allowed us to act quickly in purchasing the one-acre property.

As you will see in the images below, the newly acquired property where the apartment building was located is an extraordinary addition to the site, given its location in relation to other buildings and areas of Lake Shrine. Our purchase has fortunately prevented any potential commercial development so close to Lake Shrine; and the acquisition of this new parcel also makes possible the contiguity of the overall property. We are very grateful that all areas are now connected.  

In the coming months we will be undertaking a thorough planning project to determine the best use of this property and integrate it with the rest of the Lake Shrine. We look forward to sharing more updates with you as this process unfolds.
 

The Lake Shrine Reopening News Roundup

We are grateful for the media coverage that is helping to get the word out that the Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens are again open to the public.

KTLA 5’s Courtney Friel, who covered the story of the SRF Lake Shrine during the Palisades fire in January, recently stopped by the Lake Shrine to speak with Brother Satyananda (Lake Shrine’s minister-in-charge) about the reopening of the Meditation Gardens. She shared the story of the survival of the legacy structures on the property and reminded viewers about the opportunity for renewal that awaits them at this sanctuary of peace in the heart of bustling Los Angeles.  

“We look forward to seeing smiles,” Brother Satyananda said, “[visitors] walking around the Lake and people finding the peace they deserve.”  

LAist’s Kevin Tidmarsh and Julia Paskin also featured the reopening, publishing their report on LAist.com and on the radio (89.3 FM) after visiting the Lake Shrine and speaking with Brother Satyananda. (You can listen to the radio feature they produced via the play button at the start of the article.) They showcased the beauty of the Meditation Gardens with an array of eye-catching photographs and shared some of the significance and history of the Lake Shrine as a sanctuary for spiritual seekers.

Time Out’s “Things to Do” Los Angeles editor Gillian Glover shared news of the Meditation Gardens reopening, calling the Lake Shrine “the beacon of hope we all need right now.”

“To be honest, I felt inspired and renewed just being on the property,” says Ms. Glover in the article. “I’m always in search of peace and quiet, which can be hard to find in a big city, and visiting the Lake Shrine gives you the perfect excuse to just sit still and quiet your mind.”  

We appreciate The Palisadian-Post and Palisades News for sharing the news of the reopening with those in the recovering Palisades community, and our thanks also go to Good Day LA (Fox11 Los Angeles) and Yo! Venice, for letting their viewers and readers know they are welcome and invited to visit Lake Shrine again.
 

Your Financial 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. 

Visiting the SRF Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens is free, and all are welcome. To plan your visit, please use the online reservation system on the SRF Lake Shrine website.