Bodhi Call
West Hollywood’s Bodhi Tree Bookstore has been selling spiritual enlightenment, by way of books, incense and all manner of religious ephemera, since 1970. On a Saturday afternoon, it’s abuzz with customers looking to make their weekend, and perhaps their lives, a little more meaningful. We spoke to four shoppers.
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Renee Gontarski, owner, graphics company, West Hollywood
Buying: Noam Chomsky’s CD “Free Market Fantasies.”
What were you in your past life? Someone told me I was a monkey.
Color of your aura? White with a yellow edge or pink with a yellow edge.
Favorite incense scent? Summer Rain, my niece’s name.
Most spiritual spot in L.A.? Griffith Park.
What’s a bodhi tree? I’m not sure.
Is a bookstore a good place to find a date? I would say good. It’s better than a bar.
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Billy Dee Williams, actor, Los Angeles
Buying: “Eat Right for Your Type,” by Peter J. D’Adamo.
What were you in your past life? I have no idea.
Color of your aura? I have no idea.
Is L.A. a spiritual place? California has an interesting history as far as esoteric concerns.
Most spiritual spot in L.A.? My home.
What’s a bodhi tree? I don’t know.
Favorite kind of tree? I love trees. Nature in general is very important for survival and exploring inner and outer qualities.
Is a bookstore a good place to find a date? That’s a long story. This is a good place if you want to meet genuine people. You always have to be cautious.
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David Olodort, first-grader, Pacific Palisades
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Buying: Handy Hindus elephant finger puppet.
What were you in your past life? A gorilla.
Color of your aura? What?
Favorite incense scent? I never heard of them [incense].
Is L.A. a spiritual place? Yes.
Most spiritual spot in L.A.? (David doesn’t answer, but his father suggests it’s up on the bluffs in Pacific Palisades, looking down on the ocean.)
What’s a bodhi tree? I don’t know.
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Losong Chodron, painter / private meditation instructor, La Mirada
Buying: “The Third Theory: Creation According to the Ancient Wisdom,” by Burt Wilson.
What were you in your past life? According to a lama I spoke to, I spent two lifetimes meditating as a nun.
Color of your aura? Light lavender. Someone of a good standing told me this, with a touch of yellow and white.
Favorite incense scent? Sandalwood.
Is L.A. a spiritual place? Yes. I think L.A. is the heart center of the United States.
Most spiritual spot in L.A.? I like to go to the beach. I like to meditate on the sand. It’s like the lips of the earth meeting the water.
What’s a bodhi tree? A kind of ficus tree. Buddha sat under this tree for eight years.
Is a bookstore a good place to find a date? A great place. Let’s hope so.