Vedanta Hindu Temple (in Santa Barbara, CA)
After taking our time getting to know Santa Barbara, CA, we mapped out some interesting experiences that we thought we’d enjoy. Then we headed to the Vedanta Hindu Temple.
Curving our way up to and past Montecito, around oak and eucalyptus trees, we made our way to a destination we knew nothing about. But it sounded peaceful. And it had a bookstore.
After missing the entrance to the Vedanta Temple (possibly because I enjoyed weaving a bit higher in the mountains), we looped around and headed back down, and there it was.
The temple’s entrance blended beautifully into the natural landscape. The temple’s tended grounds had the sweetest energy.
Since I knew nothing of the Vedanta Hindu Temple at that moment, its beliefs, or its work, I didn’t feel comfortable walking into their temple service (even though notices said we could).
Instead, I meandered around the temple’s exterior, through the peaceful grounds, and then made my way to the bookstore. I could not have been happier.
The first thing I noticed in this cozy space was that it seemed nearly every belief on earth was represented in this bookstore. That felt inclusive and beautiful to me.
I say this as someone who is not formally religious in any way.
However, I was exposed to multiple faiths in childhood, so I respect it when one finds positives about well-intentioned faiths, and then healthfully utilizes the positives.
The Vedanta Temple bookstore sold meaningful books and items (jewelry, meditation tools, music, poetry, statues—plus a gorgeous selection of children’s books) that related to…
Buddhism
Christianity
First Nations Indigenous Spirituality
Hinduism/Vedanta
Islam
Judaism
scientific insight
And those bookshelves inspired me to seek more understanding about that Vedanta Temple, which led me to an article by A.L. Bardach, which might have been the best takeaway of all.
