History

Red Lotus Society was founded in 2006 by comparative religion and philosophy scholar, Michael Owens, with both a simple idea and a grand vision.

The simple idea – to provide lessons and instruction in both faith and non-faith based meditation techniques. The grand vision – to develop the infrastructure for a nationwide walking pilgrimage for peace.

On January 1st, 2007, we opened the doors to our first urban meditation center in downtown San Diego. The center explored many modalities of meditation, and offered an environment to study, practice, and build community.

As 2007 came to a close, we received the unique opportunity to move into a 95 year-old historic landmark, also located in downtown San Diego. Exhaustive research revealed the building to originally be called the Ideal Hotel. From 1914 into the 1960′s it had been a pool hall, locker club and hotel, operated by a man named, Joe Robison, and in a section of town then known as Harlem of the West.

Through an odd series of coincidences and questionable luck, the owner of the abandoned two-story hotel, donated a generous lease to RLS with the condition that we bring it in-line with the city’s coding restrictions.

On the brink of condemnation, the Ideal Hotel had been vacant for 7 years and required major renovations. Led by Michael, with a handful of dedicated volunteers and the financial support of our community, we collectively restored this cultural treasure. After 12 months of intense labor, the Ideal Hotel was open to the public again – promoting peace through meditation in the heart of downtown San Diego.

We opened the Ideal Studio in 2008, our Residency in 2009, and currently working to complete the last part of the Ideal Hotel Restoration, the Ideal Tea Room.

The Ideal Hotel, as a project of Red Lotus Society, is our first, only, most southwest urban multicultural peace practice center – an environment that embodies our mission and values, and is the starting point for the Red Lotus Society Peace Project.

When complete, the project will connect eight urban centers to a centrally located peace park and meditation garden. Peace pilgrims will be supported along the routes, encouraging discourse on peace, dharma and meditation, and creating a dynamic mandala for peace across the United States.