Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine

The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine lies a few blocks walk from the Pacific Ocean, on Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades, California. It was founded by Paramahansa Yogananda, on August 20, 1950. The ten acre site with gardens and natural spring-fed lake is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including swans, ducks, koi, and lotus flowers. After the death of George Harrison, his family and friends gathered at the windmill chapel for a private funeral.

Features

The grounds include the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial, where a portion of Gandhi's ashes is enshrined, a small museum with exhibits on Paramahansa Yogananda's work, a Dutch windmill converted into a chapel and a gift shop with arts and crafts from India. Also featured on the grounds is a Court of Religions featuring the symbols of the five principal religions of the world: a cross for Christianity, a Star of David for Judaism, a Wheel of Law for Buddhism, a crescent moon & star for Islam, and the Aum symbol for Hinduism.

Lake and Swans

Yogananda (Paramahansa means "supreme "or" highest swan") encouraged swans to live at the Lake Shrine. Their large nests can be seen in this locale.

Gandhi Shrine

The Lake shrine is home for the picturesque Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial, the "wall-less temple" erected in honor of Mahatma Gandhi, architect of India's freedom through nonviolent means. The focal point of the memorial is a thousand-year-old stone sarcophagus from China, in which a portion of Gandhi's ashes are encased in a brass and silver coffer. The sarcophagus is flanked by two statues of Guan Yin.

The ashes had been sent to Yogananda by an old friend, Dr. V.M. Nawle, a publisher and journalist from Pune, India, who knew of the deep spiritual bond between Yogananda and Gandhi. Following the dedication of the memorial, Dr. Nawle wrote: "Regarding Gandhi ashes, I may say that they are scattered and thrown in almost all the important rivers and seas, and nothing is given outside India except the remains which I have sent to you after a great ordeal .... You are the only one in the whole world who received Gandhi ashes outside India."

Waterfalls

Two waterfalls feed into the Lake Shrine, one that falls approximately convert|25|ft|m, and another series-waterfall, that falls approximately convert|10|ft|m.

Address

17190 Sunset Boulevard
Pacific Palisades, California
90272-3099
Telephone: [phone]

Hours of operation

Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Mondays and holidays closed

External links

* [http://www.lakeshrine.org/ Website of the Lake Shrine]
* [http://www.yogananda-srf.org/temples/lakeshrine/ Self-Realization Fellowship's information on the Lake Shrine]