Sunol Water Temple

Today I found myself drawn to the outdoors, I wanted to be as far away as I could be. So I started driving. I forget what my original destination was, but I'm sure not getting there had a lot to do with me getting lost. So I pulled out my handy new cel phone, and typed in "Temple" . Up popped the Water Temple. Something I had only seen from afar when I was a teenager cutting class to go skinny dipping in the Niles Creek. (Ah yes! that's where I was going today, Niles !) anyway, I ask my phone for directions and I'm on my way. I arrive and find I am the only person there. As soon as I get out of the car, There is Buzzard about 20 feet over my head. All I can do is look at the beautiful and large bird scoping me out.

First off, there is water in the middle of the temple, so you can't really walk in that part, and from what I could tell it is really deep, like a *huge* well. It is clear, but really dark and a bit ominous when you look into it. If you look up from the Inside you will see a beautiful painting of 6 women on the ceiling. At first I just absorbed all the goodness, the fresh air, the birds chirping and the water flowing. Soon I was weeping, my tears falling into this giant and deep well. I thought of how important water is, how Sacred it is to the Planet and to every living thing on it. It is sad that water has been poisoned and polluted so much. Once I could not cry anymore and I began singing. The sound echoing inside the Temple is breathtaking. I could envision women standing all around at each pillar singing into the well, creating and renewing all of the pleasures in life. I stopped and listened to the water flowing, in meditation. It is very calming to find yourself in this kind of space, surrounded by wildlife and the sound of water when you are trying to be still.

The Temple itself was designed by Willis Polk for the water district, but it was modeled after the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, Italy. So I can't help but associate this Water Temple with Vesta; I can see that bringing fresh clean water into the homes of most of the bay area can relate to Goddess Vesta and even a hot pot of soup needs some clean water in it. I also see a few more Goddesses in this place, since it is not the Original Temple of Vesta, but it is A Beautiful Water Temple.