Temple Building Progresses

We have had three successful work parties since the last blog post in November, 2012. As a result, the structural portion of building the Temple of Life is nearly complete. We have built the walls, cut in the windows, sheathed it all in plywood and, last weekend, we framed and sheathed the roof deck on top of the central tower. All of this done by cheerful volunteers in less than optimal weather.

At the December work party we built and sheathed all of the walls at the first level. The weather was cold but not windy. We also built the framing of the upper walls and cut the upper windows out of the plywood sheathing. We didn't put the walls up, though. This would take several people so we decided to wait for the January work party for that.

In January we had quite a crew of young strong guys which was just perfect for lifting the pre-framed upper walls up on top of the existing walls. We got them nailed in place and got the sheathing on. All of this was done during a steady drizzle. We were soaked by the time we got it done. But, we got it done! At this point it was starting to look like a temple.

Last weekend, we built the roof deck on top of the central tower. A small and dedicated group of volunteers braved the weather to get this done. On Saturday we framed the upper deck in cold and wind and on Sunday, we put the plywood on the deck while it was even colder and windier. But that's just the way winter is out here. We did what we had planned and stayed in good spirits throughout the process.

The next step, which we will undertake at the March work party, is to frame the gable roofs over each of the four bays that surround the central tower. This work party will be held March 9-10 so come on up and bring your hammers, screw guns, and work gloves.

Coming up on the weekend of April 20-21 is a mosaic and assemblage art workshop which will be held in Prescott. You can learn how to do mosaic while creating a piece that will go on the Temple of Life. There will be no charge for this other than requesting a donation to offset the costs of buying cement board, thin-set and grout. Bring your own mosaic materials - broken dishes, pieces of colored glass, cool stones, and other small but durable items that you will include in your mosaic.

Soon we will begin encrusting the temple with found-object art. If you haven't already started, save can lids, bottle caps, broken dishes, colored glass, even translucent colored plastic, and any other durable junk items that we can incorporate into the art on the temple.

There are great plans developing for the many surfaces and spaces within and without the temple. Join in the fun this spring and summer when we get going on the art part of the process.

Temple Walls are Up

Mark, Josh and Vanya grab wall section to add to the temple

After a bit of a disaster a week ago, we got some walls up at the Temple of Life. In October a group of us put up the central tower of the temple. It was the framing only. Everyone was excited to see the temple off the ground and we were all thrilled with ourselves. On Friday, November 9th, a huge wind came up in the area and blew all of our new walls right off of the floor and onto the ground. Needless to say, we were not happy. A lot of work got wrecked.

This past weekend we went up to assess the wreckage and start the rebuild. Most of the lumber was just fine, fortunately. We also learned some things. First, that the power of the wind is quite humbling! Second, that we have to do a much better job of building this structure. I spent some time online reviewing literature about how to build houses in hurricane areas. I also had an email discussion with a friend who knows a lot about framing buildings. Thus armed with information and lots more nails, a few of us dug in and built new walls.

The view to the west through the framed walls

Instead of building the tower first and then adding the wing framing, like we did in October, we built all the lower level walls and got some sheathing on the corners. It turns out that sheathing is one of the main things that holds a building together in high winds. I also spent a lot of time adding more steel straps and anchors to attach the walls to the floor framing and the floor framing to the concrete piers that make up the foundation of the temple.

We hammered until our arms were so tired we could barely hit the nails and got most of the sheathing on by Sunday afternoon. Success! And the temple structure will be even stronger than it would have been had the big wind disaster not happened. Thanks to Vanya, Mark, Kismet, and Josh for coming to Gateway Ranch last weekend to help rebuild the temple walls.

This is how far we got last weekend.

The next work party will be in early December and we will finish the sheathing on the lower walls, build the upper walls and sheath them, and maybe be able to put the roof deck framing on top of the tower. It will be either the first or second weekend of December. If you want to help, and one of the weekends is better for you than the other, let me know.

The Temple Construction Begins!

On Thursday afternoon Kismet, Mark, and I wandered all over their 80 acres looking for the best location to build the temple. We each had our own ideas of what would make a good site but we all were open to the spirit of the land telling us where it wanted a temple to be.

We ended up in a location that none of us had considered before we started our wandering. It seems to be the perfect spot with a great view of the San Francisco Peaks to the west, the Hopi mesas to the north, the painted desert to the east, and Merriam Crater to the south.

Friday morning Mark came out and the two of us did a little ground-breaking ceremony. Mark said a Navajo blessing from the Four Directions and it was perfect. Together we dug the first shovelful of dirt and the project was underway. The weather was perfect, clear with a light breeze. An auspicious beginning.

The digging of the holes for the foundation turned out to be not that hard. The biggest problem being that the loose cinders that goes for dirt up here kept falling back into the holes. We hit caliche about 16 to 18 inches down which was perfect. Caliche is a hard clay that makes for a solid base for the foundation. It was good to find that the temple would be sitting on more than just loose cinders.
Saturday evening several of us (Royce, Harry, Quiote, Ninjah, Sunny, Mark, and Chita stood on the temple floor framing and watched the sun set directly on top of the San Francisco Peaks while the full moon rose over the Painted Desert. Beautiful!

By Sunday afternoon we had all but four of the foundation holes dug and we had the rough framing mostly done for the floor.Thanks to all who helped with the process! That would be mainly Harry, Quiote, Ninjah, Gordon, Steve, Mark and myself digging, lifting, hammering, laughing and doing the dance of temple building. Thanks also to Sunny for cooking us breakfast on Sunday morning. What a treat! And especially big thanks to Kismet and Mark who own Gateway Ranch and are funding the basic materials for the temple.

This weekend the work continues in the midst of a big party called Soul'd Out. We hope to finish the foundation, get the sub-floor screwed down and start the wall framing. There will be many more potential volunteers working so I am thinking we will get the walls mostly done before the end of the weekend.
Thanks to Sunny and Chita for taking the above photos. I was just too busy working to think about getting my camera out.

Introduction to the Temple of Life Project

Beginning on September 28th, 2012 I and volunteers will break ground on a Temple of Life which will be constructed at Gateway Ranch near Flagstaff, Arizona.

This will be a Temple of no particular religion, denomination, or belief. It will be built for the purpose of inspiring all who enter it to think lofty thoughts, feel a connection with all life, and connect with spirit, their own highest self, and the best that is within them.

The Temple will be a collaborative art project. It will be decorated with found objects, recyclables, and re-purposed materials. Everyone is welcome to participate by making pieces for the Temple.

The weekend of September 29th we will be building the foundation. If all goes well that weekend, we will start the framing of the structure the following weekend, Oct.6,7,. This second weekend will also be an event called Soul'd Out at Gateway Ranch. You are invited to come to Gateway and help either or both weekends.
The construction of the Temple of Life will be a dance. We will all participate and contribute together to make this an inspiring and uplifting experience for all of us and for all who visit it.

More details will be posted as things develop.
Join us in building a temple!