Meditation Gardens at the Self-Realization Fellowship Center
Encinitas is a beach town just north of San Diego. One of the best places to visit is the free Meditation Gardens at the Self-Realization Fellowship. Located on the cliffs above the beach, this is one of the most scenic areas in coastal San Diego County.
WEBSITE: http://www.encinitastemple.org/
You cannot miss the Self-Realization Fellowship as you drive along the coastal 101. It is located right along the road between downtown Encinitas and the Cardiff-by-the -Sea community. Its famed golden lotus towers were designed by Swami Paramahansa Yogananda in the 1940s.
The Self-Realization Fellowship Center is a religious center with a temple, retreat and a book/gift shop. The prime attraction for most visitors is the free Meditation Gardens. The Meditation Gardens are open six days a week, Tue through Saturday 9 to 5 and Sunday 11 to 5.
The garden area is great for walking around. In addition to plants, there are multiple koi ponds and scenic views along the coastline. Multiple benches and secluded nooks provide for meditation opportunities.
The Self-Realization Fellowship Center was built by Paramahansa Yogananda. Yogananda was a famous guru/monk from India who moved to the U.S. in 1920. In his day he was somewhat of a celebrity, and his fame continued after his death in 1952.
The Self-Realization Fellowship is headquarted in Los Angeles with over 500 temples around the world. The Encinitas location is one of the originals, designed by Yogananda himself. Yogananda moved to Encinitas in 1936. Along the cliffs you can see the marker where the original temple was built in 1937. Cliff erosion required this original location to be demolished in the 1940s.
Indian musician Ravi Shankar lived a short distance from the Self-Realization Fellowship Center and was in regular attendance. When Beatles guitarist George Harrison was in San Diego he would often stay at the retreat. Elvis Presley was another musician attracted to the Self-Realization Fellowship (up in Los Angeles)
Paramahansa Yogananda’s book, The Autobiography of a Yogi continues to be a strong seller today. Legend has it that it was the only book Apple founder Steve Jobs had on his iPad. A 2014 documentary, Awake the Life of Yogananda received several awards.
You don’t need to know any of this background to enjoy the Meditation Gardens at the Self-Realization Fellowship Center. This is just a nice place to visit when you are in the area. There is plenty of parking along the street.
The Meditation Gardens at the Self-Realization Fellowship Center are small and do not take long to visit. However, they make a great stop when you are in the area. This is one of San Diego’s best beach front neighborhoods.
The beach below the Self-Realization Fellowship is named Swami’s Beach. This is a popular surfing spot. Across the street is Swami’s Café which now has several locations around San Diego.
Downtown Encinitas runs several blocks just to the north of the center. There are all kinds of shops and places to eat. A mile to the south is the Cardiff-by-the-Sea area. This is home to great family beach spots, and ocean front dining along restaurant row. Seaside Market in Cardiff is a great stop for a picnic lunch.
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