Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

https://vedanta.org/trabuco-canyon-monastery/. Winding back roads in Trabuco Canyon, CA, lead to a spacious parking lot with an interesting hint of what was to be a special time of peace and solitude. The monastery was consecrated on September 7, 1949, by Swami Prabhavananda, as the Ramakrishna Monastery. It is located on a 40-acre property in the rolling hills of Trabuco Canyon, California. It bears the name of the great Indian mystic, Sri Ramakrishna, founder of the Ramakrishna Order of India.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

The monastery was originally developed in 1942 during WWII by Gerald Heard, a disciple of Swami Prabhavananda of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, an American branch of the Ramakrishna Order of India.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Morning shadows created some interesting challenges when there were two of us taking pictures. It required much awareness of how our shadows may impact the other's image!

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Established as Trabuco College, the monastery was originally meant to be a religious, non-sectarian, co-ed monastery unaffiliated with any particular religious organization. Aldous Huxley, a close friend of Heard, spent 6 weeks there working on his book The Perennial Philosophy.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

The well-kept grounds had many flowers and succulents around the private residents. Those residents were roped off to give the monks living at the monastery some privacy.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

I found this small garden to be very peaceful and conducive to quiet contemplation.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Here is a wider-angle view of the small courtyard.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

This is the view from the courtyard (in the previous image) as we looked through the arched window at the left. I believe that the road shown is 241 Toll Road.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Here is a closer zoom showing the housing development and the toll road. We can't get away from the California haze!

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

A small belfry is framed by trees and a beautiful California sky.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Penny demonstrates how incredibly important it is to get just the right perspective when composing a shot. I was impressed with how long she held this position until she got everything "just right."

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Vedanta was the first religion celebrated (from the clockwise direction we took) on the Spirit Trail.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

A view of the reservoir kept peeking into view throughout our walk.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Judaism was our next stop on the 1-mile loop of the Spirit Trail.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Buddhism was a bit further down the trail. I found it interesting to note how people honored the different religious sites.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Second to our last stop on the Spirit Trail was Christianity.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

I couldn't help but notice the house on top of the hill surrounding the monastery. What a view they must have!

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

The morning light gave this cactus a special glow.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

The small sign suggested that this was a favorite meditation spot for Ramakrishna. It definitely was a peaceful spot along the trail.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

Our last stop along the Spirit Trail was Islam.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

I wonder what the story is for this piece of equipment. How much of the monastery was shaped and formed by it? It doesn't look as though it will be helping out any more.

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

An abandoned harrow caught my eye. Can this still be in use?

Ramakrishna Monastery 2022-11-05

When we started out in the morning, we were about the only car in the parking lot. I had to laugh as we returned to the lot on our way home. Four EVs in a row! Seems appropriate for a monastery, right?