Many Oregonians, hearing the term 'Guru', immediately think of the Rajneeshes and their Bhagwan. But Hideo Hashimoto, a Methodist minister and a former professor of religious studies at Lewis and Clark College, says that view is too narrow and ought to be redefined,--"Swami Aseshananda has an entirely different approach to reality and life. He's the genuine article.''¹⁷

In 1973 the Buddha Shrine was built and dedicated in the yard of the Portland Centre. In the same year a 'School of Inter-Religious Understanding' was started with lectures and classes at 7:30 p.m., but later on it was discontinued.

Some outdoor meditation-shrines were built in different areas of the Retreat property to be used for public worship: Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother Shrines in 1974, the Buddha, Christian and Swami Vivekananda Shrines in 1975, the Islamic Shrine in 1976, and the American Indian Shrine in 1977.

Todd Thomas, a devout member of the Vedanta Society, gives a moving account of how Sri Ramakrishna helped him find his spiritual teacher and eventually made him an instrument in acquiring the present property of the Society:

"I was doing some studying," Todd Thomas narrates, "and in my study the name of 'Guru' came into the picture. Then I realized that I needed a teacher. One day when I was in a quiet time, something prompted me to look into the phone book, and I looked under 'Swamis' and there was Swami Aseshananda's name. I called the Vedanta Society and found they had services. On Sunday I came to the Society and heard Swami Aseshananda give his talk. And that was it. He was my Guru at that point. I knew it. Subsequently, in 1960 during the Durga Puja I was initiated by Swami Aseshananda.

"One day Swami Aseshananda mentioned in a group meeting that Portland State University was supposed to take over our property, so we should find out some suitable place for the Society. And, surprisingly, he mentioned Mt. Tabor. That kept ringing in my mind all the time. About September, 1965, we made a trip to Hollywood Vedanta Society. At Santa Barbara we had dinner with Swami Prabhavananda. During the course of the dinner Swami Prabhavananda referred to our searching for a new site. He turned towards me and said something to the effect that Swami Aseshananda needs help. 'Will you help him?' It was a shock to me--that he came at me so strong! I dropped my head and turned within. Pretty soon he said, 'Well, you say something.' 'Well, I'm thinking, Swami. We have been looking and don't know what we should do,' and finally I said, 'Yes, I will.'

"From that point on I spent every available spare time looking for property all over the city of Portland, any piece of property of 20 thousand square feet or more, because that was our requirement so that we could have off-street parking and all that. One morning after meditation in the small shrine of my apartment I was at a loss as to where I should look next! I prayed to Sri Ramakrishna, 'O Lord, I looked everywhere, but I don't know where to go now'; and in the twinkling of an eye the vision of this property came into my mind very clear. I knew where it was, what it exactly was. It was Sunday morning. After the Service I came up to this property and walked into the Centre; and I can't express the feeling that I felt. The sky was clear. It was nice warm day. It was a kind of heavenly feeling that I had about the property, and I thought, 'This is it.'

"Later on, Swami Aseshananda and the members of the Board went to the property. Within five weeks plans were drawn and approved by the Planning Commission. Subsequently we purchased the present property of approximately one acre in Mt. Tabor District on January 8, 1968."

Adjacent to the building there is a beautiful garden with apple, cherry, plum and pear trees. A variegated array of camellia and rhododendron shrubs, a profusion of crimson azaleas, delightful roses, luxuriant marigold, and charming seasonal flowers such as daffodil, tulip, zinnia, aster, daisies, lilies, poppies, gladiola, chrysanthemum and many others grown in the flower garden, are a feast to the eye in the spring, summer and autumn.