LOTUS – Light of Truth Universal Shrine
(The pictures you have would be better placed throughout the text, and perhaps going more in-depth on some of the practices and rituals [and housing] that take place there would broaden the understanding of the commune outside of yoga and self-care. —Ishah)
LOTUS was constructed in 1982 under the leadership of Sri Swami Satchidananda, a prominent spiritual leader and Hindu monk. Sri Swami originally purchased the land in 1979 as a retreat center to host the spiritual community coined “Satchidananda Ashram—Yogaville,” and located on 750 acres on the James River in Virginia. The goal of the community is the help people from all religions and backgrounds realize their oneness through acts such as communal meditation, prayer, yoga, and other practices of self and group care. The shrine highlights the belief Sri Swami that all religions ultimately lead to the same God. As an interesting note, Sri Swami funded the LOTUS project largely with money he made by selling a property that was gifted to him by Carol King (famous singer/songwriter) and is rumored to have been a spiritual advisor to several celebrities
From above, the LOTUS looks like a “yantra,” or a physical symbol that one can envision in a deep state of meditation. Construction took four years to complete, in part due to the technical geometry of the structure. It measures exactly 108 feet wide, and the inside of the shrine stands exactly half as tall at 54 feet; the width of its interior is exactly one-fourth of 108, a number which represents the individual, god, and infinity (1,0,8, respectively).
The shrine also resembles the shape of a lotus flower, which is special because it includes all five elements– a tribute to the geography of the LOTUS center. The location was intentionally chosen because the five elements are purportedly strong here: it is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, situated on the James River, experiences a variety of different weather throughout the seasons, and has fresh air and positive ether.
virtual tour: https://www.google.com/maps/@37.6704343,-78.6962056,0a,40.7y,344.64h,101.12t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sAF1QipO5nwGHAk_27vQxf0NlLL19Ifu0tQ73J8vYq52l!2e10?source=apiv3
