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Temple of the People
Version: July 9, 2004
Use "printer-friendly" screens
Temple of the People
Version: July 9, 2004
Welcome to my personal perspective on the Temple of the People!
For me, the Temple and its town, Halcyon, California, combine to amount to a magical place. With a dear friend, I took a weekend trip of adventure to the central California coast during Independence Day weekend, 1987 (for international viewers, Independence Day in America is, at least nominally, July 4). We hunted about and poked around, and were driving up Halcyon Road (the first time in our lives for either of us), when lo! on the left, a miniature vision of Heaven. White and shining in the midsummer sun, rising behind a partial veil of trees, standing like a beacon of spiritual reassurance, we happened to catch our first glance of the Temple.
So what was this? Well, there was no sign of activity just at that moment, but this was Saturday, and the sign out front told us that there would be a service at 10:30 the following morning. So we went to the motel on the hill and stayed the night, enjoying the Pismo Beach fireworks from its parapet as a most splendid viewpoint, and next morning we discovered what it was: a not-overlarge band of the students of life, living together (well, most of them) in this peaceful little sylvan town and studying life together. At first glance it looked remarkably like a church service, but careful listening soon dispelled that idea! No, here were people who were anxious to know, not merely speculate; to develop and be responsible, to plumb the mysteries, not be told that they cannot do this.
Personally, I was most impressed by the mere 15-minute service that followed at noon. (I later found out that the noon service is held every day at -- well, at noon.) This was much less "active" than the Sunday morning service I had just seen, but its depths are something I am still trying to plumb to this day, notwithstanding that, until PSP cropped up in my life, I took my turns GIVING the service!
So one thing led to another after our return home (that was Reno for me, at the time). The Temple's books were obtained; my 20-odd years of metaphysical inquiry served me well in promptly seeing the incredible depth and breadth of the guidance and understandings offered there; I joined about six to eight months later; inquired about possible residency in the town, and was flabbergasted to be invited immediately for this purpose, made possible also by a curious working out of my employment affairs at the time. So here I am!
Who are the beings that maintain and come to this place? What is their "thing"? Most of the Web-able answers appear on the Temple's own web site. You can go there to take a look at this branch of the Theosophical movement in several ways. I supplement that effort with my talks page and the pictures that appear below -- a collection I hope to expand from time to time.
Here are a few pictures of Halcyon to give you a bit more of a visual window into our little community:
The field across from the Temple, looking toward the Temple office and library, taken with my old film camera in 1997. Re-scanned from the negative 5-13-2003.
The field across from the Temple, looking toward the Temple office and library. This one is updated in 6-2002 with my shiny new digital camera.
An OPTICALLY-zoomed blow-up of the one above. This one is brand new, also taken 6-2002 with my digital camera. Of particular note is the dramatic view this very clear day afforded of California Highway 1 winding up the slope about a mile (1.6 km) beyond, heading south toward Guadalupe, 23 km down the road.
The William Quan Judge Library and the Temple's offices, taken 1997. Re-scanned from the negative 5-13-2003.
The Halcyon Store and Post Office: the de-facto daily community center. A 1997 shot, re-scanned from the negative 5-13-2003.
An updated shot, taken at 7:40 a.m. on a Monday morning in July, 2002.
A back street in Halcyon in 1997, not far from my home then and now. Re-scanned from the negative 5-13-2003.
The same back street -- a different view, updated in June 2002.
An intersecting back street in Halcyon, taken in 2002.
Interior of the Temple, 2002.
Interior of the Temple, 2002: another view from closer to the main door.
The Temple (full-size 1997 version of the 2002 picture at the top). Re-scanned from the negative 5-13-2003.
The Temple (June, 2002 update of the preceding).
The Temple -- a taller view (June, 2002).
Stay tuned for further developments in this presentation!