Aimee Semple McPherson (October 9, 1890- September 27, 1944) ’s charisma was legendary, her theatrical sense: genius. Arriving in LA in 1918 with $100, an old beat-up car, and 2 children, by 1925 she had built an international empire worth more than a million
One of the rock stars of LA spirituality was the great sorcerer himself, Carlos Castaneda, (born in Peru on December 25, 1925, died in Westwood on April 27, 1998) who brought the use of psychedelic drugs for personal and spiritual growth to the attention of the mainstream. His 12 books still sell well today and to date have sold more than 28 million copies, which catapulted
It would be easy to make fun of the Aetherius Society if one were so inclined. This international spiritual organization is “dedicated to spreading and acting upon the teachings of advanced extra terrestrials.” Its motto is “Co-operating with Gods from Space.”
But are you so inclined to mock
Most everyone knows The Doors as one of the, if not the, quintessential LA bands. Perhaps only rock aficionados know that The Doors took their name from Aldous Huxley’s book The Doors of Perception, a chronicle of his experiences exploring mescaline. This British-born author, most widely known for Brave New World, a sci-fi novel in which the world’s inhabitants lie around hypnotized
You could go just for the food and the people watching. The restaurant is full of attractive vegetarian foodies savoring the inexpensive, all-you-can-eat, fresh, tasty colorful food, that just-by-the-way is prasad (has been blessed).
Or, you could go just for the boutique upstairs, full of magical, spiritual treasures: saris and kurtas, jewelry, statues of gods and goddesses, ayurvedic products, malas, and books. Prices are reasonable making it quite difficult leave with finding some new
In the Oscar-winning Best Picture, Annie Hall, Woody Allen famously orders, "… the alfalfa sprouts and a plate of mashed yeast." His commentary on LA cuisine was voiced at The Source, one of the country’s first health food restaurants and a 70s fixture on the Sunset Strip.
The Source was a gathering place for Hollywood hipsters such as John Lennon, Frank Zappa, Julie Christie and countless others, reporting to gross up to $10K a day at its peak. The staff took part in group meditations before and after their shifts and lived communally as the Source Family in a Hollywood Hills mansion called The Mother House.
Posing in his Speedo, his chiseled dancer’s body the very epitome of a Greek Adonis, Michel was a charismatic teacher who transmitted “The Knowing” to a group of 150-200 followers in weekly sessions in West Hollywood in the mid- to late 80s. At the height of the yuppie era, a cult flourished around him, living together 24/7 and calling themselves The Buddhafield. The cult members were decidedly not
The type of people attracted to LA has always been of a different breed. It began with some of the first white people to hit California: the hundreds of thousands of ambitious young men dreaming to make it rich in the Gold Rush. They left behind in the East and Midwest families, traditions, stability, and values prescribed by
You’ve probably heard of Hot Yoga, maybe even taken a class or two. Not every yogi knows, however, that the originator of the set of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises done in a room heated to 104 degrees is Bikram Choudhury, currently under investigation for six rape charges. Bikram was previously found guilty of sexual