The Art of Community

FiveThe Temple Principle

We all want a place where our community gathers and we can do things that we long for in our everyday lives. A temple is simply a place where people with shared values enact their community’s rituals. Members know that it’s where they’ll find their community. Members who are far away may long to visit. In some ways, the temple represents the community’s strength and legitimacy. It’s a “sacred space,” a place set aside for a particular use. A designated permanent temple is nice, but not necessary: any space can be made a temple simply by members gathering there and enacting rituals. In fact, a clear field is certainly a temple for some sporting communities.

No matter where I travel, no matter in what city, there’s always ...