TEMPLO SANTA MUERTE — Local services in Los Angeles

While in LA on completely unrelated business, one member of our adventuring party decided he was in need of a visit to a clinic.

We Googled “marijuana near me", hopped off the freeway and followed Google Maps' directions to what would almost certainly be a seedy, decrepit green building.

Having arrived near our destination and while parking on a side street I “beached" our car on a high curb and beat-up the fender, so that was nice.

As we were walking to the clinic we found ourselves walking past a store front which was heavily, garishly and awesomely adorned with skulls and skeletons. Some of us recognized Santa Muerte right away.

Santa Muerte is kind of, sort of like the Mexican version of a mix between Kali of Destruction and Creation and Charon of the River Styx. She is a beloved Saint and she is very important in the lives of her many followers the world over.

We had stumbled upon an entire church for Santa Muerte! There was a gate which was just a bit ajar. This gate led into the actual Church.

Seeing nobody around who looked like priests or priestesses of the Mexican Saint of Death, we decided to go inside and seek one out to ask them if we can pay our respects.

As we began to carefully pull the gate aside, we realized that this was almost definitely the loudest gate on the planet.

The clanging and metal-on-stone screeching summoned the friar we had been seeking. He came running out of the doorway next to the gate which we had failed to notice up until now. The guy was dressed like any other 30-ish LA Mexican guy, no robes or anything, but he introduced himself as a priest or caretaker or something, (I forget) and asked us to stop.

We stopped. He told us the Temple is closed. He invited us into the other doorway which it turned out was a gift shop of sorts.

So many skulls. Skeletons. Awesomeness.

The whole place had such a deep feeling of serenity and hope. That feeling and the way in which the Temple and the shop were decorated was so beautiful.

We asked when services are and he told us. He also said services are in Spanish only. We snapped a few pics, thanked him and continued on our way.

We didn’t get to go inside the Temple, just peek, but I look forward to attending services.

After I brush-up...

I was visiting the area from Seattle and asked my friend I was staying with if he would take me somewhere I could find more information about Santa Muerte first hand. He immediately brought me to this location. I was not sure how I would be received as I am not of Mexican descent. However, I felt such comfort when I entered the building. The man working there didn't judge me and made me feel so welcome. He was very thorough in helping me understand the differences in items and helped me choose the figures I connected with the most. He answered every question I asked and I felt like he understood I wasn't just some tourist looking for a fancy trinket.

Then unexpectedly, he gifted me a book to help teach me and told me if I have any questions to feel free to contact them. That is so above and beyond what I could ever have expected walking in the door.

I am not a religious person and I haven't felt a spiritual connection to anything until I began to learn more about Santa Muerte. I'm not sure where this path will lead me but I am grateful for the people here and I plan to return when I am back...

My first visit was a very special one. Mi abuela (who's one of my sprit guides) led me here. The temple itself is so beautiful, filled with all the love and hope of Santa Muerte's devotees. I felt a little overwhelmed in one part of it, where I believe I was connecting with my ancestors. But I was a little taken out of it when the light from the security camera kept going off any time I would move.

Other than that, it was an incredible experience that I'm grateful to have. I see a couple of negative reviews talking about the behavior of the shop attendants. I'm not sure about the guy who was there when I went, but he was kind enough. Not outgoing, but he wasn't rude. I definitely will...