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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: Please
deny the pending request by Self-Realization Fellowship(SRF) that
would enable them to build a mausoleum on Mt. Washington as a
resting place for the body of Paramhansa Yogananda. In August of 2000 I was one of five people from the San Francisco
Bay Area that made a pilgrimage to the Southern California sites
associated with Yogananda. Forest Lawn in Glendale was our first
stop followed by Mount Washington and several other SRF sites in the
Los Angeles area and concluding at the Hermitage in Encinitas. That
trip was an unforgettable for several reasons. Most importantly, the blessings we experienced were significant
beyond measure. My faith and spiritual practices were dramatically
strengthened by this pilgrimage, and I look forward to the next one
this summer. Pilgrimage is an integral part of my life and my
spiritual practice as a Kriyaban and disciple of Yogananda. Based on my experience with SRF representatives during that trip, I have grave concerns (no pun intended) about allowing them to literally be the gatekeepers to the body of Yogananda. We were not welcomed at any of the sites we visited. We were questioned at length about our affiliation and had to satisfy them that we had completed “The Lessons” before we were allowed to tour the grounds of Mount Washington. We did not reveal that we are part of Ananda for fear of being denied the tour. We were refused access to Master’s upstairs rooms at Mother Center, and denied access to the chapel at the Lake Shrine because they were renting it out for a private function. Futhermore, one of us uses a wheelchair and there were no
accommodations made at any of the sites to facilitate her entry
although the four of us were allowed to carry her in her wheelchair
to reach the major sites. At the Hollywood temple she was led down a
corridor to the “Handicapped seating” that included a five inch
drop to a lower level. SRF’s favors exclusiveness over
accessibility. SRF has already demonstrated to me that they restrict access to
these sacred sites and I have no doubt that the same selective
admission policies would continue if they are allowed to move
Master’s body to the Mount Washington location. Now I realize that for you this is about zoning vs. religious
freedom, so I will appeal to you from that perspective. If the SRF
project is approved, even if there is no increase in the traffic to
visit Mother Center once it is completed, the construction of the
project all by itself is enough to upset the balance of the Mt.
Washington neighborhood for years. Vote no! Sincerely, Stephanie O’Leary, MS, OTR, CAE |
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OWNS YOGANANDA'S BODY? |