“O Spirit, I worship Thee as beauty and intelligence in the temple of Nature. I worship Thee as power in the temple of activity, and as peace in the temple of silence.”
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Self-Realization Fellowship International Headquarters has directed that all ashram centers and temples temporarily close. For Lake Shrine, this includes the temple, the meditation gardens, and the retreat. The closure goes into effect immediately and will remain in effect until current health challenges abate.
Enjoy these online resources for meditation and inspiration offered by Self-Realization Fellowship:
The Self-Realization Fellowship Online Meditation Center: https://srfonlinemeditation.org/
Weekly Online Inspirational Services: https://yogananda.org/weekly-and-special-services
A Beginner’s Meditation: https://yogananda.org/a-beginners-meditation
Self-Realization Fellowship Blog: https://yogananda.org/blog
Self-Realization World Convocation: https://yogananda.org/srf-world-convocation-overview
Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons for Home Study: https://yogananda.org/lessons
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Come and Enjoy the Peace of Lake Shrine! Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine is a Temple, a Shrine, and a Meditation Garden offering people from around the world a quiet oasis for meditation, prayer, and receiving the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. All are welcome.
New to meditation? A beginners' meditation covering the basics of meditation as taught by Paramahansa Yogananda is held on Wednesdays from 12:00pm-12:30pm in the Windmill Chapel, Lake Level. Join us for 30 minutes of peace and joy!
Prior to your visit, please read our visitor guidelines: https://lakeshrine.org/visit/visitor-guidelines/
For Current Events, Weather Conditions, and Daily Advisories, please visit our Lake Shrine Today webpage. Our page also has traffic advisories, so please check ahead of your visit for weather and traffic conditions.
https://lakeshrine.org/visit/lake-shrine-today/
Hours of Operation
The Lake Shrine Meditation Garden is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4:30pm and on Sundays from Noon-4:30pm. Our Temple is open on Sundays 9am-4:30pm and during scheduled events, services and meditations. The grounds are closed on Mondays.
Parking Information
Meditation Gardens Parking Lot 17190 Sunset Blvd. Pacific Palisades, California 90272 (1/4 mile East of the beach)
Temple Parking Lot Lake Shrine Temple 17080 Sunset Blvd. Pacific Palisades, California 90272 (another 1/4 mile past the Garden entrance)
About Self-Realization Fellowship
Lake Shrine is part of Self-Realization Fellowship founded by Paramahansa Yogananda. Dedicated in 1950, he envisioned a spiritual environment where people from all over the world could come and experience peace of heart and mind. Today, Lake Shrine offers a lakeside Meditation Garden with shrines and waterfalls, a hilltop Temple with weekly inspirational services and meditations, a retreat for silent renewal, and an ashram for monks of Self-Realization Fellowship. All are welcome to come and experience inner and outer peace, and to discover Raja Yoga (Royal Yoga) through the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda.
To learn about the early history of Lake Shrine and the Gandhi World Peace Memorial, please visit our website: https://lakeshrine.org/about/history/
Connect With Us
For more information on SRF Lake Shrine, please visit our website: https://lakeshrine.org/
Please follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srf_lakeshrine/
Share our Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/srflakeshrineofficial/
Inspirational Lecture Services & Group Meditations:
Sunday 9am & 11am - Lecture Service in the Temple Sanctuary
The Sunday 'Lecture Service' is an hour long service that includes meditation and an inspirational talk on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. Parking is available at the lake level and upper temple parking lots.
Sunday 2pm - Guided Meditation in the Windmill Chapel
A 30-minute guided meditation that offers a unique experience of stillness and peace is held every Sunday. Parking is available at the lake level and upper temple parking lots.
Sunday 6:30pm - 9:30pm - Meditation in the Temple Sanctuary
This group meditation occurs every Sunday evening and is preceeded by practice of the Energization Exercises' taught by Paramahansa Yogananda. Longer periods of silent meditation are interspersed with devotional chanting and kirtan (Indian musical accompaniment). Please park in the upper temple parking lot.
Wednesday 12 noon - Beginners’ Meditation in the Windmill Chapel
A 30-minute beginners' meditation covering the basics of meditation as taught by Paramahansa Yogananda is held every Wednesday. Please park in the lake level parking lot.
Thursday 8pm - Inspirational Service in the Temple Sanctuary
The Thursday evening 'Inspirational Service and Prayer Circle' is an hour long service that includes meditation, an inspirational talk on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and a Prayer Circle during which the healing techniques of Paramahansa Yogananda are practiced. The third Thursday evening of every month is a 'Satsanga' Service (question and answer). Please park in the upper temple parking lot.
Friday 7:10pm - 9:30pm - Meditation in the Temple Sanctuary
This group meditation occurs every Friday evening and is preceeded by practice of the 'Energization Exercises' taught by Paramahansa Yogananda. Longer periods of silent meditation are interspersed with devotional chanting. Please note that the Temple doors close 5 minutes after the meditation begins. Please park in the upper temple parking lot.
Saturday 10am - 12pm - Individual Meditation in the Houseboat
The Lake Shrine Houseboat is open for meditation every Saturday morning. Paramahansa Yogananda has spent several hours meditating on the houseboat, vibrations of which can even be felt today. Please park in the lake level parking lot.
Please visit our website calendar for times and locations of all temple and lake-level events and services: https://lakeshrine.org/lake-shrine-temple/calendar/
Lake Shrine Temple Study Group
Wednesday Nights ~ Weekly 7:30pm - 9:00pm
This is a weekly class focusing on contemplative reading, with periods of meditation throughout the evening (including a 30 minute opening meditation). Join us to collectively meditate, read, and more deeply understand the teachings and divine wisdom of Paramahansa Yogananda.
Attend a single meeting, or on a weekly basis; all are welcome to attend in the Sanctuary. Please park in the upper temple parking lot.
Docent Tours
SRF Lake Shrine offers a variety of docent-led tours on Fridays and Sundays. All are warmly invited to attend. Please visit lakeshrine.org for additional information and to check the daily calendar of events for any change in schedule.
Upper Temple docent talk: 2pm every Friday
Please join us at 2pm every Friday for a docent lead talk featuring information about the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and a guided five minute meditation in the Temple sanctuary. The talk begins at the bottom of the stairs leading to the upper Temple and is approximately 45 minutes in length.
Lake Tour: 12:30pm on the First Sunday of every month
Please join us for a docent lead lake tour the first Sunday of every month at 12:30pm (leaving from the upper temple courtyard following the friendship tea). The tour features history of the property and stories of Paramahansa Yogananda’s time at Lake Shrine and is approximately an hour in length.
Saints Tour: 12:30pm third Sunday of the every month
Please join us on the third Sunday of every month at 12:30pm for a docent lead tour featuring stories and inspiration from the lives of the Saints depicted around the lake. The tour is approximately one hour in length.
Families and Youth
Family Room Every Sunday 9:00 am and 11:00 am
Age range: Infants – 3 years old
Lake Shrine Temple offers parents a Family Room where they may enjoy the Sunday service on video while attending to infants and toddlers. Parents new to the Temple may inquire at the Sunday School Reception Table or ask assistance from one of the ushers. A volunteer is usually present to support parents and act as an activity monitor.
Sunday School
Every Sunday 9:00 am
Age range: 6 – 10 years old
Every Sunday 11:00 am
Age range: 3 – 11 years old
New families are welcome. Check in early at the Sunday School Reception Table located in the Courtyard near the entrance to the west wing of the building. It is not necessary to register in advance.
Meditation and virtue are the cornerstones upon which the teachings of Self-Realization Fellowship are based. Children are taught to live in a happy and balanced way, by bringing God into their daily lives through inner calmness, kindness to others, and by developing a personal relationship with God in meditation.
One of Lake Shrine’s goals is to help support efforts to spiritually enrich the quality and experience of family life. Please feel free to visit the Sunday School office to get acquainted, learn about the program, and discover how you can build a spiritual environment for your child in the home.
Teens
Every Sunday 11:00 am only
Age range: 12 -14 years old
The Teen Sunday class gathers on the Courtyard before 11:00 am and meets there or moves to the Lake level.
Sunday sessions are led by an experienced adult volunteer teacher who prepares material from the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and presents it in a way that will engage teens. The classes are interactive and always include meditation. Teens have ample opportunity to make friends and feel connected with each other during class time.
For more information, and to download the Sunday School Program PDF, please visit our Lake Shrine Sunday School and Youth webpage: https://lakeshrine.org/lake-shrine-temple/sunday-school-and-youth/
Young Adults Group
Young adults are an integral part of our congregation, and we encourage them to attend all Temple services and activities. Additionally, we offer unique events throughout the year to suit the needs and interests of those in their 20s and 30s. We design these events to assist in forging spiritual friendships while cultivating a deeper, more personal relationship, with God.
On the first Sunday of each month young adults enjoy Friendship Tea in the Courtyard, then gather for a group activity that begins and ends with a short meditation and covers a wide spectrum of spiritual topics. A leadership team, with input from the group, creates a calendar of fun and devotional activities. Information is available through Temple announcements, email, and by invitation to the Facebook group.
To connect with the Young Adults Group, you may visit our Lake Shrine YA webpage: https://lakeshrine.org/lake-shrine-temple/young-adults/
