LOS ANGELES — Author and psychotherapist Catherine Auman leads spiritual tours around Los Angeles that feature sites like the Lady of the Lake statue in Echo Park.
“I just think this spot so typifies Los Angeles spirituality because you have this queen of the Angels against the downtown skyline," said Auman
Her travel book, Guide to Spiritual L.A. — The Irreverent, the Awake, and the True, is full of stories on L.A. spirituality.
While to most of the world, L.A. represents all that is superficial, Auman says deep at its core, Los Angeles is the world center of spiritual awakening.
“We have all of these spiritual sects, and cults, and religions have started here and have spread out throughout the world and it’s still continuing to unfold," said Auman.
Religions have even been started at sites in Los Angeles, including one in Echo Park.
The Bonnie Brae House is home to the roots of one sect of Christianity. There's a chapter about it called, “Whole Lotta Shakin” in the Auman's guide.
“This is a fantastic treasure in Los Angeles. This little nondescript house is actually the place that Pentecostalism started," said Auman.
In 1906, Black preacher William J. Seymour came out to L.A. and was preaching at this home. The story goes that one night, a man started speaking in tongues with the Holy Spirit pouring out of him.
The energy was so intense that on this street over the next couple of days, there were thousands of people rejoicing in the Holy Spirit.
“My favorite part of this story is that they were dancing and singing so much that the porch fell off the house. They had to relocate to a bigger area on Azuza Street so it’s actually referred to as the Azuza Street Revival," said Auman.
Pentecostalism is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. Contrary to popular belief, it didn't start in the Deep South, but rather on the streets of L.A.
Another destination, the Hollywood Vedanta Temple, is located in a quiet residential neighborhood behind the noisy 101.
“It’s just this spiritual gem right next to the freeway, it just seems so L.A. to me," said Auman.
Vedanta is an ancient Hindu religion that's main teaching is the oneness of all.
This onion-domed temple was built in 1938 and caught the attention of famous writers like Aldous Huxley.
Auman says the first time she went inside, the spiritual energy was extremely powerful.
“I went into meditation and when I looked at the time, two-and-a-half hours had passed," said Auman.
While in-person services are suspended due to COVID-19, doors are normally open to the public.
When it comes to this temple as part of L.A.’s spiritual fabric, Auman says it’s got it all.
“You have the Hollywood crowd because Aldous Huxley also wrote screenplays for Hollywood and then you have this deep serious spiritual search all here together at the Vedanta Temple," said Auman.
While the pandemic has forced us to stay home, Auman's guide is a safe way to learn and discover the spiritual treasures of our city and Southern California.