Santa Barbara Temple

Quietly nestled against a scenic mountain range, the Vedanta center in Santa Barbara overlooks the Pacific ocean. A convent of nuns oversees the maintenance of the 45-acre property, manages the bookstore and facilitates public activities at the temple. Activities include daily worship, meditation and vesper services, Sunday spiritual talks, scripture classes, and pujas (special worship services). The Society celebrates Durga Puja every year in the Santa Barbara temple. The activities of the temple will be shared digitally until further notice. Please check our upcoming events page for further information.

Dedicated in 1956, the temple has received several awards for its design, and is a special point of interest for architects from around the world. The bookstore is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 am–5 pm, and Sunday from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm.

REACHING US:

You can reach the bookstore following these directions:

From the 101: Take the Sheffield or Olivemill exits to reach the temple and the bookstore at the Vedanta Temple. You may want to check the best route before your visit.

Contact Information

Hours:

M – SUN 6:30 am – 7:00 pm.

Sunday Talks are at 11:00 am, readings are at 5:00 pm Wednesday and Saturday. Worship is at 6:30 am and Vespers Service is at 6:00 pm daily.

We are streaming classes and talks on Zoom and YouTube.

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Bookstore:

TH – SAT 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

SUN 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

925 Ladera Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93108
Phone: (805) 969-5697
Email: sbbooks@vedanta.org or gifts@vedanta.org

The Bookstore at the Vedanta Temple is located next to the temple. It is well-stocked with religious classics and hard-to-find books on the major religions of the world. The store also carries incense, religious statues, music, and imported gifts.

Visit the Bookstore website at www.vedantabookstore.com

Calendar of Events

February 2025

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
2
  • Sunday Talk: The Question of Food
3
4
5
  • Swami Saradananda
6
7
8
  • Karma Yoga Day
  • Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
9
  • Sunday Talk: To Wisdom, With Love
10
11
12
  • Swami Saradananda
13
14
15
16
  • Sunday Talk: Embracing Change
17
18
19
  • Swami Saradananda
20
21
22
  • The Bhagavad Gita with Swami Sarvadevananda
23
  • Sunday Talk: Shiva-Shankara
24
25
26
  • Shiva Ratri
27
28

Talks given in Santa Barbara

Facebook Posts

This Weekend: “Embracing Change” with Pravrajika Krishnaprana. The talk will be in-person as well as streaming on Zoom and on YouTube. The YouTube stream is accessible here: www.youtube.com/live/vD-dmzIpNBk?si=Gp0nXnPRTmoxuomG ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
This Weekend: “To Wisdom, With Love” with Swami Mahayogananda. The talk will be in-person as well as streaming on Zoom and on YouTube. The YouTube link is accessible here: www.youtube.com/live/PIgv__lZt5I?si=4f0VVQ6QEGZO7W22 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
This Weekend: “The Question of Food” with Swami Vedarupananda. The talk will be in-person as well as streaming on Zoom and on YouTube. The YouTube link is accessible here: www.youtube.com/live/h9RvplPrfNY?si=Vpd5aXNitebEhma3 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
This Weekend: “Yoga for Psychological Transformation” with Swami Sarvadevananda. The talk will be in-person as well as streaming, on Zoom and on YouTube. The YouTube stream is accessible here: www.youtube.com/live/To7hO4iVfWo?si=W0zwBHobzk-S8zT9 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
This Weekend: “Why Swami Vivekananda Matters” with Pravrajika Vrajaprana. The talk will be in-person as well as streaming, on Zoom and on YouTube. The YouTube stream is accessible here: www.youtube.com/live/95iQEeHkfsw?si=PsyltGXiBneubi4M ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook