Another homegrown L.A. religion is the Church of Religious Science, part of the group of movements known as New Thought. Ernest Holmes (1887-1960) moved to Venice, California, in 1912 from the East coast where he had been a student of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder...
The independent spirits of Californians were more open than most to the metaphysical and inward-focused religions immigrating from the East, both the East Coast of the U.S. and the Eastern Hemisphere. Traditional religions still spoke to the majority of Angelenos, yet a growing number felt...
When I heard there was a portal for souls passing through to the other world north of Santa Barbara, I had to go. The Western Gate (Humquaq) is a sacred place for the Chumash – a gateway where the dead enter the heavens on their...
In a land of constant seismic activity, where the constant threat of The Big One has kept Angelenos on their toes for more than two centuries, L.A. has been the home of earthquakes of another kind: religious birthings, divine energy outpourings, and spiritual realizations. While to...
Today it’s a bit tacky, run-down, run-of-the-mill apartment building in the Hollywood Hills, Beachwood Canyon to be exact. But in its heyday, the Krotona Apartments were a hotbed of occult activity hosting a temple, a metaphysical library, a vegetarian cafeteria, a theater, a “magnetically charged”...
Another place sacred to the Tongva is Puvunga, believed to be the “place of emergence” where the world began. It is the birthplace of the prophet, Chingishmish, who taught the people how to feed themselves. Puvunga is also the site of burial grounds and a...
A location that was sacred to the Chumash and radiates considerable shakti is the Shalawa Meadow in Santa Barbara. Shalawa (also called Hammond’s Meadow) was an ancient burial site and ceremonial place. This whole coastal region is and has been extremely significant to Native Americans...
Of course, all land was sacred to the indigenous people. These places in particular were revered, often because they were burial sites, places of power, or portals to other dimensions. L.A. County: Kuruvugna Springs Only open the first Saturdays of the month. Check their Facebook page to see...
The tantric perspective is that all is spiritual; all is divine. The light cannot exist without the dark; they are two sides of the same coin. No Guide to Spiritual L.A. would be complete without a visit to the dark side, a place where many...
In addition to traditional religious holidays, Spiritual L.A. celebrates the following. For exact dates, check Facebook or other Events Calendars: Spring Annual Chumash Day Powwow at Malibu Bluff Park, 2 days, free to all Blessing of the Animals – the Saturday before Easter Sunday on Olvera Street The Sunrise...