Meta: A 10-acre interfaith sanctuary and retreat center in Los Angeles, built around a spring-fed lake and dedicated to Paramahansa Yogananda’s vision of universal spirituality.
We step off Sunset Boulevard and the sound of traffic dies. A gravel path bends through eucalyptus trees. To the left, a lake shimmers, green and still, its surface broken only by the glide of white swans. To the right, a tiny white temple cupola rises above the foliage. This is the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine, a 10-acre spiritual retreat and interfaith sanctuary dedicated to the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship. It is open to all, regardless of belief, and it asks nothing of you except silence.
How the Lake Shrine Came to Be
Paramahansa Yogananda came to America in 1920, a young Indian monk invited to speak at the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston. By 1925 he had established the international headquarters of the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) in Los Angeles. The land that would become the Lake Shrine was, at the time, a natural spring-fed pond used by Hollywood studios as a filming location. Local residents called it “the Lake of Memory.” Yogananda saw something else.
In 1949 he purchased the property. The dedication ceremony took place on August 20, 1950. Yogananda himself presided, alongside guests including Indian independence leader S. Satyamurti and the actress Greer Garson, who had become a devotee. The shrine was not built as a monastery but as a “garden of peace” where people of all faiths could meditate. That same year Yogananda installed a small shrine containing a portion of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, sent by the Indian government at Yogananda’s request. The Gandhi World Peace Memorial, a black marble sarcophagus set on a platform overlooking the lake, became the spiritual anchor of the grounds.
What the Lake Shrine Means
The lake itself is no ornamental feature. It is the axis of the whole site. In yogic symbolism, still water mirrors the calm mind, the state of sattva (purity) from which meditation can arise. The swans, white and silent, reinforce that imagery: in Hindu and Buddhist tradition, the hamsa (swan) distinguishes the real from the illusionary, sipping only the milk of truth from a mixture of milk and water.
The shrine also houses the Court of Religions, a circular colonnade with five altars representing Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism. A bronze plaque reads: “Truth is one, sages speak of it differently.” This is no wattery ecumenism. Yogananda’s point was not that all religions are the same, but that each is a valid path to the same unitive experience. The altars are installed with sacred objects: a cross, a candle, a copy of the Bible, a statue of the Buddha, a Koran, a Torah scroll, and a flame. We found ourselves spending the most time at the Buddhist altar, not because it matters, but because the incense there was still burning.
Practices and Traditions at the Lake Shrine
The Lake Shrine is not a temple where formal rites are performed for visitors. It is a private retreat for contemplation and self-guided meditation. That distinction matters. You do not come here for a ceremony. You come for the space.
What actually happens:
- Sunday services are held in the large temple building, the Church of All Religions, with readings from Yogananda’s Whispers from Eternity and periods of silent meditation. These are open to the public.
- Meditation groups meet on weekday evenings. The schedule is posted at the entrance.
- Self-guided walking tours: visitors walk the grounds in near silence, following a circular path around the lake that passes the Gandhi memorial, the Court of Religions, the lotus pond, and the tiny “cave of St. Francis” (a small grotto with a statue of Francis of Assisi).
- The Mahasamadhi celebration, observed on March 7 each year, marks the date of Yogananda’s conscious departure from the body in 1952. Devotees gather at the lake for all-night vigils and chanting.
- The SRF monastic community maintains the grounds. Monks in ochre robes appear only occasionally, usually tending plants. They do not address visitors unles addressed first.
The lake itself cannot be touched. No swimming, no boating, no feeding the fish. The swans are allowed their distance. There is a small bookstore at the entrance, and a tiny chapel built of marble and glass where you can sit for as long as you want. We spent an hour there. No one interrupted us.
How the Lake Shrine Compares to Other SRF Sites
Self-Realization Fellowship has several centers in the Los Angeles area. The Encinitas hermitage (also known as the “Self-Realization Fellowship Hermitage and Meditation Gardens”) sits on a bluf overlooking the Pacific. It has no lake but has a stunning coastal garden and the tomb of Yogananda. The Hollywood temple (on Sunset Boulevard) is a large church holding regular services. The SRF international headquarters on Mount Washington in Los Angeles is a sprawling campus with a magnificent Samadhi temple.
The Lake Shrine is different. It is the only SRF site centered on a natural body of water, and the only one with the explicit interfaith dimension of the Court of Religions. Yogananda intended it as a “miniature United Nations of religion.” It works because the site is small enough that the different altars do not compete. You can walk from the Hindu shrine at the lake’s edge to the Jewish altar in a minute.
Common Misconceptions About the Lake Shrine
“It’s a Hindu temple.” Not exactly. The architecture draws on Indian styles (the temple building has a dome and spire inspired by the Lotus Temple in New Delhi), but the site is explicitly interfaith. Yogananda taught Kriy Yoga, a universal spiritual science rooted in Vedanta but open to all. The Lake Shrine’s altars stand as proof.
“You need to be an SRF member to visit.” No. The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset. There is no admission fee. Donations are welcome but not solicited.
“The lake is for ritual bathing.” Never. The lake is a shrine, not a baptismal pool. Signs ask you not to even put your hands in the water.
“It’s a tourist attraction.” The crowds are small, and visitors are expected to maintain silence. Few do, but the monks trust that the atmosphere eventually teaches you.
FAQ
Is there an admission fee? No. The Lake Shrine is free to all visitors, though donations are accepted at the bookstore and the entrance gate.
Can I hold a wedding or ceremony there? Only SRF members with a long association with the shrine may request a simple blessing at the Court of Religions. Private ceremonies are generally not allowed.
What is the best time to visit? Early morning, just after sunrise. The gates open at 6 am. The lake is at its calmest, and the swans are most active. By 10 am the school groups arrive.
Is photography allowed? Yes, for personal use. No professional shoots or tripods without prior permission. The monks will ask you to stop if you are too loud or too slow.
The Lake and the Life Beyond the Path
The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine is not the kind of site you visit once and check of a list. It is the kind you return to, because the combination of water, silence, and interfaith symbols works on a level that does not demand understanding. You sit at the Court of Religions and the five altars look at you with the same stillness. You walk past the Gandhi sarcophagus and the marble is warm. You reach the lake and the swans have not moved.
We leave the Lake Shrine with something quieter than awe. A confirmation that silence speaks. For more sacred sites with a similar quiet, see our guide to California’s spiritual landscapes. For the symbolism of the lotus that appears throughout the shrine’s architecture, visit the lotus glossary entry. And if interfaith spaces interest you, explore the sacred sites hub for a full collection of shrines that aim to unify.