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Letters to the Zoning Administrator Concerning SRF's Request to Create a Private Mausoleum on Mt. Washington Note: Opinions expressed in letters are those of individuals, and not of any organization Dear Mr. Brown, It has recently come to my attention that Self-Realization Fellowship has the desire and intention of moving the body of Paramhansa Yogananda to their headquarters on Mt. Washington. As a disciple of this great Indian master, I would like to voice my opposition to such a move. I, along with several friends, have taken personal pilgrimages about fifteen times over the past several years to what I consider a very sacred place—Forest Lawn Cemetery. Eastern tradition promotes pilgrimage to holy places, and where a guru’s body lies is about the most holy place there for his/her disciples. SRF claims to have hundreds of thousands of members who are followers of Yogananda. Whether that number is real or not, the number will surely grow significantly in the years to come. Yoga is becoming increasingly popular in the US right now. Yogananda was one of the first—and because of his book The Autobiography of a Yogi—the most popular of the great Indian masters to bring the teachings of Yoga to the west. His books and teachings will only become more widespread as Yoga becomes more "mainstream". I don’t believe that SRF is or will be capable of handling the increased demand of followers desiring to take pilgrimages to the sacred site of Yogananda’s body. My friends and I are afraid that in our attempt to make pilgrimage trips each year, our visits would be curtailed or restricted. Allowing SRF to control and restrict the access to such a universally revered master seems unjust. I am in favor of the idea of a universal shrine or mausoleum that will plan for the increase of Yogananda’s followers over the years, and will allow all disciples equal access. Thank you for your consideration in this very important matter. Sincerely, Note: Opinions expressed in letters are those of individuals, and not of any organization |
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