Photo credit: Gary Draluck
The Temple rises apart from Black Rock City, an oasis of calm out in the deep playa that stands resolute, able to bear what participants bring and to be what we need at the moment we call on it.
Behind the Temple stands a group that has quietly watched over those structures each year since 2002. The main duty of the Temple Guardians is to protect the Temple and those who visit it. We abide with love for the Temple and everything that it represents.
Temple Guardian shifts run 4 hours each, 24 hours a day.
During your shift, there are a number of duties you may be asked to perform. Guardians keep watch for injuries and unsafe conditions, including fire, climbing, vehicle traffic, and problems with the structure. We do not make rules, nor are we enforcers; we watch quietly and act skillfully when necessary to protect the safety and sacred space of the Temple.
Most of all we provide the Temple with grounding and love. From our humble beginnings, we have always followed a philosophy that calls for using small pushes from a great distance. Sometimes your look, your soft words, or even just your presence is all that is required to hold the sacred space of the Temple. When we do interact with participants, we do so with love and respect. We carry in our hearts the sacred space of the Temple with us into every interaction, using our connection with the grounded, serene space to guide and shape our interactions with participants.
On Sunday, we help maintain the safety perimeter with the Black Rock Rangers and Temple crew for the Temple burn.
If the Temple has a special place in your heart, join us and help hold the space so that others might experience the wonder that brings us back.
To join our team, please fill out the Burning Man Volunteer Questionnaire and mark down “Temple Guardians” as your department of interest.
For more information about the Temple Guardians team, contact us at templeguardians@burningman.org.