ASHRAM: The Spiritual Community of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda

Documentary on one of the last services given at the Sai Anantam Ashram, a unique place mixing indian devotion and afro-american culture. In 1983, Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda founded The Sai Anantam Ashram, in Agoura Hills, California. The Ashram became a sanctuary and refuge for many, and a multi-ethnic and multi generational community developed. One of the high points of this very special and loving environment took shape on Sundays when Alice would lead the community in a spiritual ceremony that featured devotional music. Until late in 2017, the ceremonies took place every Sunday at 1pm, and, as it has always been, everyone was welcome. In the spring of 2017, film-makers Vincent Moon and Priscilla Telmon were invited to make a contemporaneous portrait, of this very welcoming and beautiful spiritual community, which included speaking with some of the community's elders, as well as Alice's sister, singer Marilyn McLeod. The Sai Anantam Ashram’s temporal location ceased at the end of 2017, and sadly all of its buildings were destroyed in the California wildfires of November, 2018. However, the spirit and essence of the Ashram continues, and the work of Swamini Alice Coltrane Turiysangitananda still keeps spreading.