"Build Us a Temple"

[Elani Temperance]

Dear fellow Caudronites,

I realize we don't know each other long or well, and that is why this has taken so long to write. I need your help. Last week, I was Called to perform ritual for Hekate / Hecate. I've been Called to do this before, usually in Her capacity as a messenger of the Gods. It always means something life changing is about to happen. This time She delivered to me, in no unclear terms, one short message; "build Us a Temple".

I've been walking around with this idea for at least a month. Subtle hints had been dropped but I had not expected this. Still, these are my Gods and I will obey Their command. With honor. Still, I am terrified. I'm 26 years old and this is a major undertaking. I have a network here, in the Netherlands, I will slowly inform and I will set this in motion but I need a little... courage. And advice or help.

I come to you because I respect your judgment and, honestly, because hard polytheism isn't a very common stance on Deity in the Pagan community. Yet, I do not doubt this piece of UPG. I am not far enough into the process to give you much details but I will share what I can.



I'd like to have one large hall dedicated to the Wiccan God and Goddess because they are most popular here and a large, semi-neutral, indoor space is handy for larger festivals (especially in winter). There should be separate halls dedicated to the Celtic, Hermetic, Greek/Roman, Norse and perhaps some other pantheons at people's request (within reason). I want a large, open, library and a separate study hall as well as one or two lecture rooms which can also double as workshop rooms. There must be a kitchen, toilets and bathrooms as well as a dorm. I also want a meditation room.

I hope to build/buy in the woods so we can make one or two circles there for the Druid and Shaman folk as well as an open field for the festivals. A large vegetable and herb garden is a must. If I can in any way incorporate it, I would really like to build a labyrinth and space for all four of the elements for meditative purposes.

I have felt for years that the Pagan community needs a Temple. To get closer, to reunite. A home base for worship, knowledge, and social and religious activism (activism in the best sense of the word). It this a very positive outlook? Yes, sure, but why can't a Temple be a bridge?

At any rate, overwhelmed by my experience, I told Wickerman what happened, on Sunday and he took my experience to his wife. They have offered advice, support and very, very kindly even volunteered to donate mosaics for the floors of the halls. I have seen the work Wickerman's wife does with mosaics and it is fit for Gods, for sure.

Now, I expect nothing from you. I would appreciate advice from anyone who has ever tried an undertaking like this. Advice on how to get started, pitfalls to avoid. What should I take into account for halls of the pantheon you revere? How would your Gods best be honored? Anything is welcome. If you have any questions for me then feel free to ask. I am an open book and heck, it would be good training for the sponsors and events I will have to start organizing to get this off of the ground.

I want to build this Temple, be it a case of UPG or not. I promised it to the Gods I believe in and I will keep that promise. It will take a good few years, but it will happen. I would like your help getting there, in any way you can.

So in advance, I thank you for your words.

[Tana]

Erm.. good luck?

Questions that come to my mind at once are:
Do you have the resources to start such a project?
And wouldn't it be sufficient to have a kind of community center with a temple part instead of a separate area for all kinds of believes? (You know that there are a ton out there and you can't possibly serve them all.)

[Elani Temperance]

Erm.. good luck?

Questions that come to my mind at once are:
Do you have the resources to start such a project?
And wouldn't it be sufficient to have a kind of community center with a temple part instead of a separate area for all kinds of believes? (You know that there are a ton out there and you can't possibly serve them all.)

I have no funds what so ever so I will be doing a lot of asking the coming years. I have some payment plans in mind to keep the Temple running but there needs to be a Temple first, of course

I thought about a community center with a temple part but... it exists and it's not what we need, I feel, and what is asked of me. What I want to create is a temple, a place for worship. Everything else should be secondary.

And creating spaces for believes is a failing battle, I agree, but I feel it should be possible to give space to the (major) pantheons (if there is need for them in the community, of course).

And thank you for the best wishes, Tana

[PlaceboArtist]

Just a brain-fart on my part, but something that came into my mind was a main central (circular? though that would be hard to build. maybe octagonal) room, which could be multi-purpose. Then coming off that were eight smaller rooms, each dedicated to a pantheon. Nose would be in the northern room, Kemetic in the south, Vedic in the east for example.

Question: how much space are you able to get hold of?

[Elani Temperance]

Just a brain-fart on my part, but something that came into my mind was a main central (circular? though that would be hard to build. maybe octagonal) room, which could be multi-purpose. Then coming off that were eight smaller rooms, each dedicated to a pantheon. Nose would be in the northern room, Kemetic in the south, Vedic in the east for example.

Question: how much space are you able to get hold of?

I have faith that I will be able to get a hold of as much space as I desire. The Gods want this created so They will most likely make sure the spot fits them. Think large, though.

Thank you for your thoughts on the direction which the rooms should come. I hadn't thought that far ahead yet. The basic idea closely resembles what I had in mind and I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for your 'brain fart'

[HeartShadow]

Depending on what's meant by Temple, that could also mean making a true religious-only space in your house - it would have to be land you /own/ instead of /rent/, I'd think, but I don't see why you couldn't create an offering to the gods in a part of your house and still live in the rest of it.

I mean, a full-on huge Temple thing for everyone sounds great, but .. well, it makes MY Work look easy!

[Elani Temperance]

Depending on what's meant by Temple, that could also mean making a true religious-only space in your house - it would have to be land you /own/ instead of /rent/, I'd think, but I don't see why you couldn't create an offering to the gods in a part of your house and still live in the rest of it.

I mean, a full-on huge Temple thing for everyone sounds great, but .. well, it makes MY Work look easy!

I will reply to the comments later on, when I'm not on my mobile, but I realize I forgot to mention a vital point. This temple will be public, with lots of outreach programs and a place for any circle or solitary to come to and worship in their own way.

[Elani Temperance]

I will reply to the comments later on, when I'm not on my mobile, but I realize I forgot to mention a vital point. This temple will be public, with lots of outreach programs and a place for any circle or solitary to come to and worship in their own way.

First off, I want to thank everyone for their input and I will reply to each one individually in a minute. I should first explain a bit about the Dutch pagan community as I understand it and why I want to look beyond it.

I will not (or at least I will not strive to) build a local Temple. There is no way something like that can be financially stable here with the scattered Pagan crowd that hangs around here. I want to create a space where people can stay over night, for weeks at a time, if they so desire, to study, practice and be with their faith in relative quiet. This will not be a community center; this will be more like a monastery.

It will be a place where you can walk in to pray to your Deities for a couple of minutes; be it for a workshop (not hosted by me); be it for the day to pray, work, eat and study; or be it for a longer time to come into your own. I will not aim this Temple at merely the Dutch crowd but also to Belgian, German and English Pagans. Is this a major undertaking? Yes, but I (nearly) have a degree in marketing, business communication and PR (courtesy to Hekate's / Hecate's previous intervention) and I know how to network. When I apply myself to this, I know I can reach my target audience. How they will react is out of my hands, however.

I greatly value every word written on this thread and I thank you for the constructive criticism. With every question, the ideas get clearer.

[Elani Temperance]

Depending on what's meant by Temple, that could also mean making a true religious-only space in your house - it would have to be land you /own/ instead of /rent/, I'd think, but I don't see why you couldn't create an offering to the gods in a part of your house and still live in the rest of it.

I mean, a full-on huge Temple thing for everyone sounds great, but .. well, it makes MY Work look easy!

Thank you for your thoughts Heart-Shadow

I have a small temple in my home, set up for worship. This is, however, not what I was instructed to create. This is a huge undertaking and although I don't know what your Work is, it's blown everything I have been ever asked to do by anyone out of the water.

[Wickerman]

Dear fellow Caudronites,


I want to build this Temple, be it a case of UPG or not. I promised it to the Gods I believe in and I will keep that promise. It will take a good few years, but it will happen. I would like your help getting there, in any way you can.

So in advance, I thank you for your words.

She has my support, the Gods dragged me here kicking and screaming. If they want it, then they will provide a means to the end. The chain of weird coincidence that lead me to this forum are, to me, undeniable evidence that this needs to be done.