In this month’s issue, we learn more about this year’s temple and explore the new and growing partnership between Temple Guardians, and the Temple Crew.

(click on the title or this link to open the newsletter)

In this issue of The Guardian’s Post, we:

1. Announce an important change to the existing Leadership team
2. Invite you to volunteer for an exciting new role on the TG leadership team, and
3. Shine our Volunteer Spotlight on the founder of the Temple Guardian’s, Termeh, who will give us her reflections on the evolution of the organization.
Enjoy!

(click on the title or this link to open the newsletter)

Happy New Year Guardians! (Is it not too late to say that?)

 

And a new year means a new burn is on the horizon! Although the holiday hangover means that we don’t yet have a fully packed newsletter for you today, we’re hard at work to create a new and improved newsletter and hope to share that with you soon.

 

In the meantime, we wanted to make sure that you were aware of some important dates and announcements:

 

Important Dates

 

January 24 – Pre-Sale Ticket Registration Opens

January 31 – Pre-Sale Ticket Sale Opens

 

February 14 –  Low Income Ticket Application Opens

 

March 21 – Main Sale Registration Opens

March 28 – Main Sale Starts

 

For more information on tickets/registration go to: https://tickets.burningman.org/

 

EVENT DATES: August 26 – Sept 3, 2018

THEME: I,Robot.

You can read more about this year’s theme here: https://journal.burningman.org/2017/10/philosophical-center/the-theme/i-robot/

The man burns in 227 days!

 

Announcements

 

GALAXIA: The 2018 Temple is Unveiled!

Burning Man Arts is thrilled to announce the selection the 2018 Temple: GALAXIA by Arthur Mamou-Mani!

 

Inspired by Gaia in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, GALAXIA celebrates the hope in the unknown; it is the ultimate network, the fabric of the universe connecting living beings into one entity.

 

In that same spirit of connecting people, please stay tuned for our next issue of the Temple Guardian Newsletter when we reveal more about the new and promising partnership between Temple Guardians and the Temple Build Crew!

 

Please consider making a gift to the Temple today. Visiting their fundraising site to make a tax-deductible donation: https://connect.clickandpledge.com/Organization/burningmanproject/campaign/temple2018

 

Thank you!

If you have any suggestions on how to improve this or other  Guardian communications, please reach out to the Temple Guardian Communications team at templeguardians@burningman.org.  

Hello Guardian!

 

“So what are those blue streaks in The Temple wood?”

You might hear this question a lot on the playa this year. And the answer might fascinate you.

 

Over 100 Million pine trees are dead or dying in California alone. The immediate cause is the Blue Stain fungus, spread by pine bark beetles. The underlying cause is climate change and human interruption of forest fire cycles and climate change.  PG&E has been asked to clear these dead trees from its power easements to reduce fire hazard. The Temple Crew has worked with a lumber mill in Richmond to transform approximately 100 of these Ponderosa Pine timbers into the lumber used to build the Temple.

The blue coloration in the wood is the direct result of the blue stain fungus (Grosmannia clavigera ), which interferes with the tree’s nutrient flow.  The fungus is carried by pine bark beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae, amongst others).  Climate change has allowed the pine bark beetle to expand its range while drought has weakened the trees’ defenses against the beetle.

One can see these “blue stains” on wood throughout The Temple:

Important Dates and Announcements

 

TEMPLE GUARDIAN TRAINING LOCATION is at 5:30 and Esplanade next to Earth Guardians.  This will be the location for all trainings.

 

CHECK-IN and CHECK-OUT LOCATION will be at the Temple Guardian Outpost halfway between the Man and the Temple along the 12:00 promenade.  This year we will have our own separate outpost building and shade as part of the Outpost Zero complex – our outpost will be the small building closest to the temple.  We regret to say that while there was a promise to move the outpost closer to the temple, when we arrived on playa we discovered that it’s actually not moved!  We are already working to ensure this is corrected for next year.  The location, for those of you who are map oriented, is here.

 

THE WHITE PROCESSION The morning of Thursday August 31

Join fellow participants from 5-9am as we walk from our camps onto the playa to meet at the Temple at Sunrise. Dress to delight in White. Bring acoustic instruments, wind chimes, incense, or just a smile and watch the sun rise. No amplified sound please, as this is sacred Temple time. Thanks so much for allowing us this one morning of acoustic sound only.

 

THE DANCE OF THE DEAD: The Evening of Thursday August 31

On Thursday night of the Burn we are doing a procession from the Temple to the Pyramid based on Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Attendees will have the chance to be made up like a Mexican “Catrina” skull as is tradition here and join the festivities. The procession will be called Dance with the Dead, and will be supported by a united collective of Mexican based Burner projects including; The Mayan Warrior, The Axolotl – Earth Guardian, Maxa Camp and Xochipilli among others.We would like to personally invite all Temple Guardians,Workers and Volunteers to please join us!  

More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/pyramidofthedead

 

TEMPLE BURN TRAINING 1PM on Friday September 1

All volunteers signed up for Burn shifts must attend this mandatory training. Meet at the Temple Guardians camp at Center Camp- 5:30 & Esplanade

There is always a need for guardians on every shift on Temple Burn Sunday – new and veterans are most welcome! We invite you to sign up for a shift on Babalooey: https://www.babalooey.com/dept/19  

 

TEMPLE CLOSURE & BURN SCHEDULE Sunday September 3rd

9AM Temple Closure

3:30PM – Meet at Outpost

4PM- Burn Perimeter Operations Begin

8PM – Temple Burn Begins

 

If you find yourself unable to come to Burning Man this year, please take your name off  of the schedule or let us know so we can do it for you – help us make this space available to Guardians seeking the opportunity to serve!

 

Guardian Spotlight

NAME: Kirsten Bonanza

PLAYA NAME: Bonanza

YEARS AT BURNING MAN: 4

YEARS AS A TEMPLE GUARDIAN/VOICE: 4

CAMP: Duane’s Whirld

WHAT IS A FAVORITE TEMPLE MEMORY OF YOURS?

It is hard to pin down one, honestly.  I feel like every moment at the Temple for me brings its own unique magic.  I guess I would say that one of my favorites was also one of my most challenging.  It was a Thursday afternoon just before sunset last year.  The winds had kept us in whiteout much of the time, but as the sun began its descent the skies cleared.  As the colors began to trace the sky there was a flurry of action including 2 unmarked drones that needed to get called in, and 4 or 5 weddings simultaneously.  It was chaotic.  Emotions rise high even without the added events of that evening and all of us there got to face what it looks like to hold the space unobtrusively while at the same time managing issues as they arose.  There were moments where I thought to myself, Is this really happening?  But then I got to find within myself a well of calmness and presence, deeper than I imagined.

 

The temple burns in 13 days!

As such, this will be the Newsletter until after the 2017 event. We hope you have a wonderful burn and look forward to seeing you at Black Rock City!

 

The Temple Guardians

 

If you have any suggestions on how to improve this or other  Guardian communications, please reach out to the Temple Guardian Communications team at templeguardians@burningman.org. 

Hello Fellow Guardian,

The Temple burns in 26 days!

The Temple is no ordinary place and Burning Man is no ordinary event. Since the earliest days, the ethos and culture of our community has lived and thrived according to the 10 Principles.  As participants, we seek to emulate much of these ideals not only on the playa but in the default world as well.  And as Temple Guardians, we seek to infuse all our words and actions with the spirit embodied in them.

At the recent Voice Town Hall, we officially unveiled The 10 Principles, A Temple Guardian Practice, as a tool that we hope will help guide you as a Guardian both on or off your shift. We would like to share with you that document here, too:

THE TEN PRINCIPLES:

A TEMPLE GUARDIAN PRACTICE

1. RADICAL INCLUSION. As Temple Guardians, we welcome all to the Temple. No prerequisites exist for individuals to participate in the experience of the Temple.                         
2. GIFTING. Our gift to the Temple is grounding, serenity, and love. Our gift to Temple participants is a safe and sacred space, a catalyst wherein they can experience profound movement through personal challenges towards a deeper inner peace. An essential part of our gift is to keep the sacred space free from any individual guardian’s personal material or opinion, regardless of its intrinsic value.                                    
3. DECOMMODIFICATION. We seek to create an environment unmediated by transactions, therefore we do not expect anything from others in exchange for our service. Service is its own reward.                                                                                                           
4. RADICAL SELF-RELIANCE.  Temple Guardians proactively rely on our own inner resources to ensure that we are on-time, fully prepared and present for our shifts. We arrive physically, emotionally, and mentally prepared to fulfil all our duties & responsibilities and ready to manage our own needs. We do not assume others will assist us; we do not rely on others to take care of us during our shifts.                    
5. RADICAL SELF-EXPRESSION. Our most radical expression is powerful but subtle: we make small pushes from a great distance. Our expression is consciously and distinctively unique from that of our fellow participants. We do not seek attention and we do not seek to provoke a reaction. We carry in our hearts the sacred space of the Temple.                                                                                                                                                   
6. COMMUNAL EFFORT. While we may practice our art in silent solitude while on shift, we do so together as a community of Temple Guardians. We communicate with other guardians and are available to them. We work together to address problems. We courageously stand for peace and harmony, directly resolving any conflicts without gossip, judgement, or complaint and without inciting division. We understand that unresolved conflict distracts from and pollutes the sacred space. We cooperate and collaborate with one another so that, together and as one, we can hold the sacred space of the Temple.                                                                                                               
7. CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. Temple Guardians are committed to holding the sacred space of the temple and being aware of any risks to safety. We effectively communicate with and cooperate with our close counterparts, the Rangers, in a partnership that creates invisible solutions that do not draw attention or distract Temple participants from their experience.                                                                                         
8. LEAVE NO TRACE. Temple Guardians respect the sacred space and leave no sign of our own personal presence. We are in the background and invisible when not needed. We do not add our own material, impose our own ego, or assert our own self on the sacred space or on those participants who are in it. We stay focused on keeping the sacred space clear and unpolluted, open and available to all.                                                
9. PARTICIPATION. We participate by invisibly creating the space in which miracles can happen and being witness to those miracles. We do not seek to participate as a character in other people’s experiences. We are committed to allowing all to deeply and personally participate in the Temple experience and allowing them to take actions that open hearts and unleash transformative change. We realize and appreciate that it is people’s participation that makes this beautiful edifice become a Temple.                                                                                                                                                           
10. IMMEDIACY. Temple Guardians are present and calm. We recognize and respect the space participants need to process and feel that which they have come to the Temple to experience. By bringing the powerful presence of an open invitation to each and every participant who shares this profound space, we silently witness the miracles that unfold and transform people’s lives within the Temple.

Thank you for your service.

-The Temple Guardian Leadership Team

The Official Newsletter of the Temple Guardians Newsletter Vol 1 Issue 2

Hello Guardians!

The temple burns in 35 days!

Here are the latest happenings in our community!

Important Dates and Announcements

OMG Sale: Wednesday August 2nd at Noon
The last batch of official tickets sold by Burning Man go on sale tomorrow at noon. As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, you must have pre-registered for this sale last week. Remember to set an alarm and don’t miss out!

T-Shirts and Hoodies Available for Sale!

T-shirts and Hoodies are available for just a few more days, order now so that you don’t miss the shipping deadline to get yours before playa!  https://store.templeguardians.net/

Scheduling Update: Help us fill some shifts!

Thanks everyone for signing up for shifts.  While we’re doing well overall, there are a few shifts that need to be filled by veteran guardians before we can consider opening up more spaces in popular times.  Please help us be able to make this call by signing up for one or more of the following tough to fill slots:

Sunday 8/27 11:00pm – 3:00am (3 veterans needed)

Saturday 9/2 7:00pm – 11:00pm (1 veteran needed)

Saturday 9/2  11:00pm – 3:00am (3 veterans needed)

Sunday 9/3 3:00am – 7:00am (2 veteran needed)

There is always a need for guardians on every shift on Temple Burn Sunday – new and veterans are most welcome!

If you find yourself unable to come to Burning Man this year, please take your name off  of the schedule or let us know so we can do it for you – help us make this space available to Guardians seeking the opportunity to serve!

Today’s Top Three

The Top Three Places You Should Know as a Temple Guardian

• Temple Training Area (Temple Guardians @ Center Camp 5:30 & Esplanade). The spot  is where all our volunteers, new and veteran, will be trained on how to be an awesome Guardian. All Guardians are required to attend a training shift. If you haven’t already done so, please sign up on out scheduling tool Babalooey: https://www.babalooey.com/dept/19

• Temple Guardian Outpost (At Outpost Zero, off the 9:00 side  of the promenade about 600’ before the  Temple ) . This is where you’ll be checking in and out for each of your shifts. Limited support resources also include some water replenishment supplies, etc.
• Nearest ESD Location (at Outpost Zero). The medical support tent that is closest to the Temple is a resource for emergency situations. Please note: Minor cuts and scrapes? Please take care of these through your own first aid supplies or go to your Voice to get access to the first aid kit that we keep in the Guardians Outpost.

Do you know what to do if someone gets hurt or sick?

Read through the new Black Rock City first aid booklet  https://burningman.org/wp-content/uploads/BRC-First-Aid-Booklet.pdf and what you need in your playa first aid kit: https://burningman.org/event/preparation/health-safety/first-aid-kit/

Guardian Spotlight

NAME: Leslie Foster

PLAYA NAME: Ghost

YEARS AT BURNING MAN: 6

YEARS AS A TEMPLE GUARDIAN/VOICE: 5

CAMP: Gigsville

WHAT IS A FAVORITE TEMPLE MEMORY OF YOURS?

During my second year as a Guardian, I was on shift around 2 am Sunday morning. The space was packed as people poured into the Temple for the last time. I’ve often experienced a range of emotions in the space, all mixing together in that special way I’ve only witnessed in the Temple, but that night was different. The overwhelming emotions were heaviness and grief. Someone started to sob loudly and it was as if something broke open. People across the Temple began to cry. And then the most incredible thing happened; Burners reached out to each other and began comforting their neighbors, holding space for whatever they were feeling. In that moment, the power of the Temple seemed to shine out. Everyone in the Temple was transformed into a Guardian and took that role willingly. I spent the rest of the time knowing that I wasn’t on shift with just a handful of other Guardians, I was there with hundreds.

 

If you have any suggestions on how to improve this or other  Guardian communications, please reach out to the Temple Guardian Communications team at templeguardians@burningman.org.  

Greetings Temple Guardian team member!

 Welcome to the first issue of The Guardian Watch, our new community newsletter. We hope you will find this to be an informative and helpful guide to preparing for and getting the most out of your Temple Guardian experience and our Temple Guardian community!

 The Temple burns in 40 days and there is much to do in that time!

 Important Dates and Announcements

 Temple Voices Needed!

If you have served as a Guardian in past burns and are ready for more responsibility, we encourage you to consider becoming a Temple Voice. As the shift leader, the Temple Voice holds the space for the other Guardians on duty, manages resources, handles emergency communications, and carries a radio to call for additional support if needed. There are still some Temple Voice shifts are still available this year To learn more about being a Temple Voice, please click here:

 To get added to the Voice group, email templeguardians@burningman.org

 Pre-event Guardians Needed!

We still have a few Work Access Passes (formerly known as Early Arrival) for returning Temple Guardians who are available to volunteer a few pre-event shifts. If you have flexible travel plans, please email templeguardians@burningman.org and we will do our best to match your availability to the shifts that are still open. Thank you!

 Sunday Closure Volunteers Welcome!

The Temple closes to the public on early Sunday morning to allow the crew to make preparations for the burn that evening. Temple Guardians establish a closure perimeter and compassionately escort the last remaining participants out of the Temple. After the Temple is closed to the general public, Temple Guardians will assist the Temple crew by protecting participants from dangers associated with the burn prep. Some Guardians designated as Offering Carriers will be allowed to carry last minute offerings to their final resting place in the Temple, safety permitting. Would you be interested in serving as a Guardian in either of these roles? We invite you to sign up for a Sunday Closure shift on Babalooey: https://www.babalooey.com/dept/19

 T-Shirts and Hoodies!

Temple Guardians shirts and hoodies are now on sale, you can find them here: https://store.templeguardians.net/

 The OMG Sale Starts Soon!

Still need a ticket to Burning Man? The final batch of tickets will be released for sale on Wednesday August 2nd at Noon PST. In order to be eligible to purchase one of the nearly 2,000 remaining event tickets, you must first register for the sale between Noon PST Wednesday July 26th and Friday July 28th. Go to your Burner profile in order to register for and purchase tickets! More information about the sale can be found here: https://ticketsupport.burningman.org/customer/en/portal/articles/1391809-how-do-i-register-for-the-omg-sale-

 

Today’s Top Ten

 The Top Ten Ways to Be Prepared for Your Shift

• Be sober and rested. You are our eyes and ears on the ground. We count on you to be awake and alert, mentally and physically able to hold the space and ensure your safety and the safety of all participants.

• Wear proper clothing. Daytime volunteers should wear lightweight clothing that breathes and should consider wearing a hat or other covering that offers protection from the sun. Nighttime volunteers should bring extra layers to stay warm. All volunteers, as representatives of the Temple, should wear their bandana and wear reasonably modest attire.

• Wear proper shoes. Make sure you will be able to comfortably stand and walk for long periods of time.

• Be ready for the given light conditions. Daytime volunteers should bring sunscreen and apply it often. Nighttime volunteers should make sure they have enough light to see and be seen- bring lights, extra batteries, and make sure your clothing is properly lighted, particularly when traveling to and from the Temple. Also, consider how the light and temperature conditions will have changed by the end of your shift when making your preparations!

• Bring snacks and extra water. While we will have limited water for volunteers at the outpost, you should be ready and radically self-reliant to be able to safely spend at least 5 hours in harsh desert conditions away from your camp.

• Go Potty Before You Start. Of course you are always welcome to heed nature’s call as needed (just let your Voice know first!) but please try to maximize your time serving as Guardian by hitting the porta-potty before your shift commences. Portas are available at the outpost before check-in.

• Arrive 15 minutes early. Early arrival at the outpost will allow you time to check-in, meet your Temple Voices, and familiarize yourself with any unusual situations at the Temple.

• Know your team before you need them. Acquaint yourself with your Voice, Rangers that are working at the Temple, and the other Guardians on your shift so that you can identify them quickly and work seamlessly with them should an emergency arise.

• Consider and Take a Breath.  Guardians are always calm and restrained.  Be sure you are prepared to respond to all circumstances without excessive emotion or anger and that sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all.
• Act Skillfully – Intruding into someone’s space at the Temple is a break in your invisibility as a Guardian. When you have taken the time to fully understand a situation and action is necessary, move, speak, and act in a way that is designed to cause the least interruption of the space and the participants in it.  Remember that small pushes from a great distance is the heart of our work.

Guardian Spotlight

 

NAME:  Steve Cabrera

PLAYA NAME:   Cherub (aka Angel)

YEARS AT BURNING MAN: 11
YEARS AS A TEMPLE GUARDIAN/VOICE:  7

CAMP:  Do More Now 7:30 & C

WHAT IS A FAVORITE TEMPLE MEMORY OF YOURS?  I was working before the Temple was finished, when we protect the space for the Temple builders by keeping curious participants from entering the site.  A participant cycled up to the perimeter and asked me what the building was.  He was a virgin burner and knew nothing about a Temple and was just riding around checking out the playa for the very first time, fresh from the gate.  I briefly explained what the Temple is and why we have a Temple.  He then found himself talking to me about his life.  Painful and intimate stories came up for him and he regularly stopped to say, “I don’t know why I am talking about this, I don’t even know you, but it feels important for me to say.”  A lot of pain was revealed to him mainly from difficult situations with his parents, much of which he had buried within himself for years.  Both of us in tears, we were present to the power of the Temple even before it was open.

More information about all things Temple Guardians at: http://templeguardians.burningman.org

If you have any suggestions on how to improve this or other  Guardian communications, please reach out to the Temple Guardian Communications team at templeguardians@burningman.org.