Heaven Is Within

Approaching Wayfarers Chapel

For Good Friday, I decided that I wasn't in the mood for meditations upon the bodily sufferings of Jesus, as is the focus of a traditional Catholic "Stations of the Cross" service. I wanted to think on transcendence. So I took  a trip down to the Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes. It's a beautiful location, situated overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Designed by Lloyd Wright, son of the famous Frank Lloyd Wright, the building is an architectural masterpiece. The Chapel is affiliated with the Swedenborgian church and is designed in harmony with its beliefs. For instance, the harmonization of the Spirit with Nature is represented by the contextual design of material and form, such that the boundary between the Chapel's Sacred Space and the surrounding Natural Space is effectively eliminated. Here are a couple photos to illustrate:

A view of Wayfarers Chapel from the outside

A view of Wayfarers Chapel from the inside.

Another interesting element of Swedenborgian theology is the view of the Trinity, in with the traditional concept of distinct "Persons" is rejected in favor of distinct "Aspects." This is best represented by the Triangular form. So, there are plenty of triangles and implied triangles to be seen. Here are a couple photos:

Trinity represented by a triangular fountain

Implied triangles of the entry lead to the expressed triangle of the alter.

Finally, the location on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific allows for wonderful pointers to the Infinite. Creating structures that draw the eye either up into the sky or out across the ocean, the Infinite is easily contemplated here. For example:

A view from the entry steps

Looking up at the Bell Tower

Anyways, I was very happy that I spent Good Friday at such a fine place of contemplation. My photos don't do justice to the full extent of the location's beauty. So, if you are in the Los Angeles region, I highly recommend a visit to the Chapel. Here's a vid of the interior:

Here's a link to the Wayfarers Chapel website.

Here's Lloyd Wright's Wikipedia page.

And here's the Wikipedia page for Emanuel Swedenborg.

Enjoy!!!