The list of people beginning a variety of Spiritual Traditions there at that time is quite impressive. Starting with Manly Palmer Hall who eventually designed his own Tarot Deck (Knapp-Hall Tarot), and founded the Philosophical Research Society Society in Los Angeles to countless other original upstarts is astounding for just one city to contain.

Mind you, Hollywood had its’ beginnings there also at this time as the Film Capital of the World. Manly Palmer Hall even made a respected movie himself in the 1930’s entitled “When Were You Born”, with noted Hollywood actress, Anna May Wong. I have always wondered just how much Hollywood figured in to this equation?

In addition to Manly Palmer Hall, we can list, Paul Foster Case (supposedly the last person connected with the Golden Dawn Society) who started the Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A), and of course it is still there today, and now has groups all around the world working with his Tarot cards, and other aspects of their teaching.

Aimee Semple McPherson started the Foursquare Gospel Church, building the magnificent Angeles Temple in 1923. She is credited with the founding of this Church, and also being the first minister to have a Radio Station attached to the Church, and becoming the first Minister to preach Christianity over the air waves. There have been many movies based on her life, most notably Elmer Gantry with Jean Simmons and Burt Lancaster. The last one to my knowledge was Faye Dunaway playing Sister Aimee, with Bette Davis playing her mother.

Then there was Vivekananda founding the first Hindu Temple in the US (The Vendante Society) in Hollywood. Many today say there is not a Hindu Temple with as much powerful energy in India, as the Temple that continues to sit in Hollywood today (now sadly next to the Hollywood Freeway), having been built in 1933.

Next comes along Paramahansa Yogananda with his own California hybrid blend of Hinduism and Christianity, who was there at the same time starting up the Self-Realization Fellowship on Sunset Boulevard which is also still there, with Fellowships now all over the world, even India. He also built the World Peace Gardens on Sunset Boulevard which is the resting place of Mathatma Gandhi getting the center stage with the ashes entombed in a stone elephant with a large Lotus blossom in front of a beautiful lake, with statues of Religious leaders in and around the gardens, which had one been a set for silent movies. It was built in 1947. Now who would ever dream Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were entombed in Los Angeles?

Ernest Holmes was also on the lecture circuit in Los Angeles and later he started the Church of Religious Science, which now has Churches all over the world and a beautiful modern Sanctuary built by noted Los Angeles architect Paul Williams, who also designed a building you have all seen, the “Theme Building” at LAX. Ernest Holmes also was there lecturing at the same time as these other people coming to Los Angeles in the teens, about the same time as Manly Palmer Hall.

Pentecostalism also got its’ start in Downtown Los Angeles right about this turn of the Century period. It has certainly flourished with conversions from the Mainline Christian faiths to this very emotionally based form of Christianity, which is the largest growing branch of Christianity today in this country if not the world. Even our current contenders in the Presidential Office can note that Barack Obama and Sarah Palin come from Pentecostal backgrounds. Remember Rev. Wright!! It used to be that most all Presidents and Vice-Presidents were Episcopalian (Anglican, Church of England)!

Mary Baker Eddy (although from Boston) saw a tremendous rise in Christian Scientist membership in Los Angeles also during that time period with beautiful Churches that still are in the City.

There are many other lesser known groups in Los Angles in addition to the mainstream Churches, Temples. Synagogues and so forth, but I think you get the point.

My, Los Angeles must have been an amazing “City of the Angels” during that early time in its’ history from 1900 until 1930 and beyond!

His Library at the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles, had at the time the largest collection of metaphysical books, statues, and other items of any such Library in the world. After his death, I understand most of this very valuable collection was sold at auction. The Research Society and Library are still there and active, but just how much of the collection exists from what was originally there before the auction is unknown to me.

In his later years, he had to be helped out onto the stage. He sat in a huge throne like chair, and very effectively in his folksy speaking manner gave his predictions for the up and coming year. That particular Sunday talk was always well attended. He would quickly end the talk rather abruptly and without notice, and all of a sudden make the statement, “Well, that’s all folks!”. Just like Porky Pig or Donald Duck would end each of the early cartoons. The talk was over and he was helped up from his Throne like chair to the area behind the stage.

The Philosophical Research Society which he founded and headed for 60 years in Los Angeles was for most of that time one of the most respected institutions in the City of Los Angeles. The foyer in front of the auditorium has a wall with framed Proclamation after Proclamation honoring Manly P. Hall for his accomplishments in the field of Philosophical Research and his contributions to the City of Los Angeles. His list of published books is quite impressive.

Manly P. Hall actually made a movie in the 1930’s which starred the noted actress Anna May Wong and many other noted character actors in Hollywood at the time. A very young Mr. Hall begins narrating the movie entitled “When Were You Born”, and sits at a desk explaining each of the signs of the Zodiac and their characteristics. The plot then begins with Anna May Wong as an Astrologer trying to solve a murder. Each of the suspects has one of the different Zodiacal signs, and each is investigated until the murdered is discovered. Manly P. Hall wrote the screenplay for this motion picture and was responsible for it being made in very good Hollywood fashion of the time. The film has been shown on American Movie Classics and Turner Classic Movies in the past. It is quite well done. If you ever get the chance, do see it.

I think self-acceptance is the key to being able to accept flaws in others, including teachers, and this comes with age and experience of making mistakes, of being wrong. People who are genuinely humble, honest about their own limitations and flaws have somehow opened me up at times, given me the liberty and permission to acknowledge and understand my own.

My best teachers have been the common but extraordinary people one meets in daily life, often those who may share a journey of some kind, whether spiritual or not.

Like Ferol Humphrey, I also enjoy your blog. Thanks for keeping it up!