Driving tour of LA's unusual spiritual past: Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

"City of the Seekers: L.A.'S Unique Spiritual Legacy" is a self-driving tour produced by the Los Angeles Conservancy, and takes place Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

A truly unique event! Discover five historic sites related to spiritual organizations that took root in Los Angeles in the early part of the twentieth century.

Los Angeles is home to a number of religious sites and organizations, many of which are deeply woven into the city’s history. “City of the Seekers” will celebrate this unique identity and the architecture that embodies it.

This special one-time-only tour offers a rare chance to explore historic religious sites not typically open to the general public. Here's a preview of tour locations; check back for updates.

Self-Realization Fellowship Mother Center
in the former Mount Washington Hotel (1909)

The Self-Realization Fellowship Mother Center is located in the former Mount Washington Hotel, on the crest of Mount Washington. The Self-Realization Fellowship has used the Mission Revival-inspired building as its headquarters since 1925. For nearly thirty years, Paramahansa Yogananda, founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship and widely considered the father of Yoga in the west, led daily prayer and meditation sessions in the gardens surrounding the hotel and held lectures, seminars, and writing sessions in the main building. The site still serves as the Fellowship's international headquarters.

There are also several related events that day, including an art exhibit of religious album covers, a talk by Erik Davis, author of The Visionary State: A Journey Through California’s Spiritual Landscape, and an "evening full of rare, unusual, and never-before-seen short films and video that explore the magical, mystical side of our city," hosted by Davis and Process Media's Jodi Wille.

City of the Seekers: L.A.'S Unique Spiritual Legacy

[#1 posted by technogeek , March 13, 2009 3:13 PM]

Given that it is La Ciudad de Nuesto Sen~ora la Regina de Los Angeles...

[#2 posted by wolfiesma , March 13, 2009 5:00 PM]

Next time I'm in LA I'm totally going there.

[#3 posted by Roy Trumbull , March 13, 2009 8:47 PM]

Sister Aimee was a little more down to earth. She'd lock the doors, name the figure, and wouldn't let folks out until she collected it. "I don't want to hear the clatter of them coins breakin up the nice clean rustle of them dollar bills."

[#4 posted by adamnvillani , March 13, 2009 9:29 PM]

Technogeek --- actually the original name was El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de la Porciúncula. The official name now is just City of Los Angeles.

[#5 posted by Antonio Lopez , March 14, 2009 2:38 AM]

When I was a kid I used to go to the Self-Realization Fellowship Mother Center for Halloween. They converted it into an amazing fantasy world with fairy queens, witches and Hollywood monsters. I don't know if they still do it, but it was very magical and scary fun (they had the werewolf chained at the front gate where he'd growl like a dog).