Founder of LOTUS:
Light of Truth Universal Shrine, or LOTUS, is located in Buckingham, VA. Construction on the lotus-shaped shrine began in 1982, and it opened for use in 1986. It is a non-profit organization that offers programs and training sessions for members of all faiths interested in learning about yoga and meditation in the pursuit of a fulfilling life. The shrine was founded by the world-renowned Sri Swami Satchidananda. He became an ordained monk in 1949 in India. He is largely known for his participation in the interfaith movement. His motto, “Truth is One, Paths are Many,” is integral to the teachings at LOTUS. In addition to founding LOTUS, he is also the founder of Integral Yoga International, which has grown very popular with individuals of all backgrounds due to its interfaith foundation. In the United States, Sri Swami Satchidananda is well known as “the Woodstock Guru” because he opened the music festival with a prayer promoting interfaith peace, love, and community in front of over 400,000 people. Since then, American interest in Eastern religions like Buddhism has only grown, and Sri Swami Satchidananda’s interfaith doctrine has allowed for an easier transition for Americans who wish to participate in his meditation-focused interfaith practice. Although LOTUS is officially recognized as an interfaith organization, its roots can be traced back to Buddhist teachings of compassion, prayer, and meditation. Sri Swami Satchidananda’s global influence is not to be understated. He has a large following in both the east and the west regarding his yoga practice. He has written several books on integral yoga and the importance of mindfulness and meditation to the fulfillment and happiness on both the individual and the communal level. There is also a biography detailing his life and spiritual journey called Apostle of Peace.
“Truth is One, Paths are Many”
– Sri Swami Satchidananda
The all faiths yantra:
This is a physical representation of the religious practice at LOTUS. It is said that this image came to Sri Swami Satchidananda during one of his deep meditation sessions, and it has become a visual representation of religious and meditative practices at LOTUS. The building itself is modeled to look and feel like a three-dimensional version of the yantra. Much like mandalas used in buddhist meditation practice, the yantra is a meditative tool used to enhance visualization.
Construction of the Shrine:
The shrine’s construction began in 1982, along with the construction of the shrine itself, Sri Swami Satchidananda included a manmade lake in the construction plan. One of Satchidananda’s students and an architect, Jim Jagadish McCabe, contributed greatly to the planning and construction of the shrine. Every aspect of the construction revolved around the building’s function as a universal shrine and multi-use religious space. Both the building and the location reinforce the shrine’s connection to the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and ether. While the shrine was being constructed in the U.S., work for the shrine was also being done in India. Artisans from several workshops worked on creating statues, various design details, and even the central altar for the shrine. Finally, on March 3, 1986, construction on the lotus shrine was completed. The shrine’s shape is modeled after that of a lotus flower or a yantra design, which also holds great significance in Buddhist meditative practices. The architecture was so striking that even architect Robert Venturi, one of the authors of Learning From Las Vegas, commented on its unique design. He comments frequently on how the design of the building makes it an inherently religious space, which is reinforced by the use of color, shape, and light throughout the shrine. Much like the chakras of the body, the construction of the shrine was built to imitate the flow of energy through the body.
Dedication ceremony:
The dedication of the shrine took place a few months later, and around 3,000 people attended the ceremony, which speaks to the popularity of Sri Swami Satchidananda in the United States after his iconic appearance at Woodstock, as well as a rise in interest for meditative and yogic practices. There was a grand procession that included world religious leaders. The procession was then followed by an all-faiths service, and the dedication day closed with a fireworks show to celebrate the successful ceremony.
Finances:
Yogaville, and by extension Light of Truth Universal Shrine, are categorized as non-profit organizations. They rely on the generosity of those who choose to donate money and those who participate in yoga and training programs at the shrine.
Current leadership:
Yogaville’s Light of Truth Universal Shrine currently consists of a “spiritual life board” that oversees the functioning of the shrine as a religious space to ensure its programs run smoothly. LOTUS also has a board of trustees, which oversees more administrative and legal activities for the shrine, as well as a “leadership team” that works in conjunction with the board of trustees. These three teams ensure the day-to-day operations of the shrine run successfully and develop long-term goals for the organization.
Programs and training:
Visitation hours to the shrine are currently shortened due to its ongoing restoration. Their hours of operation are as follows:
Friday: 2:00 – 4:00 PM,
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
They are open every day from 12:00 – 12:30 for noon meditation
Visitation costs begin at $54.00 for a basic day pass and increase depending on the kind of training or retreat you are interested in. They offer a variety of retreats, including silent retreats, personal retreats, and group retreats. They have an upcoming New Year’s silent retreat with a cost of $980. This includes 3 vegetarian meals per day, 2 yoga classes, and 3 group meditations per day for the duration of the stay. Some of the more costly programs are the 200-hour yoga teacher training, which has a price tag of $4,950, and the meditation teacher training, which costs $3,650. Financial aid applications can be submitted for any of their retreats or programs to help make these classes more affordable. Numerous programs run throughout the year, all with meditative or yogic practice at their core.
Connection to broader community:
Because the founder of the Light of Truth Universal Shrine was so famous before he even began construction on the shrine, the site gained automatic and global traction with 3,000 individuals in attendance at the opening ceremony in 1986. To stay connected to a broader audience they have multiple social media platforms including facebook, instagram, twitter, and even a youtube account. Yogaville also recently started an etsy shop with merch relating to the shrine and Sri Swami Satchidananda. Yogaville also created a program to aid those who are in prison by making yoga available to them while incarcerated by sending books and corresponding with inmates regarding spiritual advice. This program honors Sri Swami Satchidananda’s wish to help those who are in prison achieve peace of mind through meditation and yoga. Yogaville also created YES which stands for Yogaville environmental solutions. This program was launched in 2015 to support sustainable energy management in the wider Virginia community. They have been very active in the community since their founding in 2015, their involvement ranges from protecting Virginia resident from commercial gold mining to protesting the Atlantic coast pipeline.
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