July 19

A Little Heaven On the Earth

Question: At Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville, which is based on your teachings, there is a temple called the Light Of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS). What is your vision for the temple and the ashram?

Sri Gurudev: My vision of LOTUS and Yogaville is a village filled with people who follow the yogic principles. Everything that is conducive to the Yoga philosophy and lifestyle will be seen there. That’s my vision. In plain, simple language, my vision is for Yogaville to be a little heaven on earth.

Every village should have a temple; first you build the temple, and then you live around it. So the LOTUS is a part of Yogaville. We are putting God in the center, and building everything else around God. LOTUS is religious Yoga. Yogaville is practical Yoga. The purpose of the LOTUS is to bring the religions together. The purpose of Yogaville is to bring people together. That’s why the LOTUS is part of Yogaville.

In Yogaville we can live as a good community of yogis according to the yogic principles. The outside world may not know much about it, until and unless they come and see what is happening. But the LOTUS will draw outside attention also. It’s something unique and it will create an interest in us and our work. Here we are putting all the world religions under one roof. In that respect, it is unique. It should be the pride of Yogaville. Our goal is to make a beautiful Yogaville community and to prove to the world that as yogis we can live healthily, happily. We can live with all ease and with all peace, and be of good use.