About Us

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“How can you meet the world crisis that is coming? The best way is to adopt plain living and high thinking… Man has to go back to the land; it will come to pass eventually.”
— Paramahansa Yogananda, World Crisis (SRF)

We are living in a time of profound uncertainty and global transformation. In the face of these challenges, Lotus Chapel Colony (LCC) is a living response to Paramahansa Yogananda’s timeless guidance—a return to simplicity, self-reliance, and spiritual community rooted in God.

At LCC, we seek to embody the principles of plain living and high thinking: growing our own food, dwelling in harmony with nature, and dedicating each day to communion with the Divine. We are guided by the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda.

Whether you come for a personal retreat, community service, or deeper spiritual practice, this land welcomes you as a sacred space for inner renewal.

🌿 Our Land & Community

 

Nestled high atop Spyrock Ridge in Northern Mendocino County, California, Lotus Chapel Colony rests on 52 acres of pristine forest and meadowland, at elevations ranging from 3,440 to 3,700 feet. The land is home to Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine, oak, madrone, and manzanita, with panoramic views stretching to the Pacific Ocean.

Here, you may encounter deer, jackrabbits, blue jays, quail, and other forest birds. The air is fresh, the breezes ocean-cooled, and silence prevails.

As you enter the land, you’ll be greeted by the Trail of the Gurus, where we are envisioning to build a mandir for each Guru. You´ll also find our fist outdoor meditation area which we call The Nest. The 2 story main building is simple and welcoming, with shared living space, a large meditation chapel, a communal kitchen, laundry, Wi-Fi, and a mix of private and dorm-style sleeping quarters.

Above the main building is the Camping Area, with multiple tent sites, and a Kirtan Stage currently under construction—envisioned for outdoor music, satsang, and spiritual gatherings.

We open seasonally from May through November, welcoming guests, volunteers, and residents who seek to reconnect with the rhythms of spirit and nature.

Vision & Mission

“…Little-group models of ideal civilizations must be started in every community… with much meditation and much chivalry shown.”
— Paramahansa Yogananda, 1932

🌻 Vision

To develop a World Brotherhood Colony—a sanctuary where spiritual, social, physical, and material life are harmonized in God’s presence.

We envision:

  • A large permanent chapel for group meditation and worship

  • Affordable housing for residents and retreatants

  • Organic gardens, orchards, and sustainable food systems

  • Renewable energy and independent water systems

  • Hiking trails and sacred outdoor meditation spaces

  • A spiritual community rooted in service, simplicity, and divine friendship

🌱 Mission

  • To embody Master’s teaching of plain living and high thinking

  • To offer affordable dwellings for devotees

  • To foster an environment steeped in God’s presence, in silence and in joyful activity

  • To help restore the sacred relationship between humanity and nature, where Spirit and Nature dance together

🙏 Want to read Yogananda’s full message on preparing for world changes?

➤ Read it in our Blog (Link)

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Current Board Members

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Michael Somers’ spiritual journey has been deeply shaped by the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. His connection to the path began early—his mother met Yogananda as a young girl during visits to Mt. Washington, where family friends would bring fresh-baked bread to Yogananada.

Michael first encountered Autobiography of a Yogi while studying at Southwestern Law School and soon began attending services at the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) Pasadena Temple. His love for gardening—nurtured in his youth at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia—naturally led him to serve in the Garden Department at Mt. Washington after applying to become a monastic. From 1980 to 1981, he lived as a postulant under the guidance of Brother Premamoy, a deeply formative period in his spiritual development.

In 2010, Michael became an active member of the SRF San Francisco Meditation Group, where he served on the Managing Council and as Group Coordinator. 

As President of Lotus Chapel Colony, Michael brings decades of spiritual dedication, a profound love for nature, and a deep commitment to Yogananda’s vision of World Brotherhood Colonies—places where spiritual, social, and material life are harmoniously integrated in God.

During the winter months, when Lotus Chapel Colony is closed, Michael volunteers at the Self-Realization Fellowship Mother Center and Glendale Temple, offering his service in the Garden Department.

 

 

 

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Mashida found the path of SRF in the beginning of 2018 after a year of spiritual seeking through different paths. He began his discipleship through an inquisitive visit to Hidden Valley Ashram in February of 2018. It was there at HVA that Mashida began to grow as a devotee taking Kriya Initiation in May of 2019. During Mashida’s two year stay at Hidden Valley Ashram he served in the Farm and Garden Dept. as the vegetable gardener and in his second year he became supervisor of the department.

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