Sekhmet Goddess Temple outside Vegas (M. Mueller)

I am in Provo, Utah for a special Mormon Studies summer seminar at Brigham Young University. More on that another time. Driving to Salt Lake City from Berkeley, I decided to take a longer route (via las Vegas instead of Reno) so that I could visit the 

Sekhmet Temple of Goddess Spirituality in Indian Springs, NV. The Goddess Temple is currently stewarded by a priestess named Candace, who has been there for five years.

I had wanted to post about this Temple on the CoG blog, but, at first I thought….but it isn’t about interfaith! A conversation with Candace in the Temple changed this. Candace conveyed to me that she has begun calling the Goddess Temple an interfaith temple instead of a “Pagan temple,” because, in Candace’s words, “She’s in every religion!” For Candace, this Goddess Temple is an interfaith temple. Sekhmet is the central deity honored at the temple, but there are corners dedicated to different manifestations of Goddess, including the Virgin of Guadalupe (or Our Lady of Guadalupe). The Guesthouse is also a house of the Goddess. There are themed rooms in the Guesthouse: the Maiden Room, Mother Room, Womb Room, and Crone Room. Individuals or groups can stay in the Guesthouse, by calling Priestess Candance in advance to reserve. The Temple does not charge for use of the Guesthouse—people may make donations of cash or needed items (which the Temple records here), or volunteer labor while they are there.

I liked being able to choose any of the rooms to sleep in. This would be negotiated between guests (and Candace as necessary) if there are multiple groups at once. I did not take any photos while I was there. It occurred to me that I had not asked Candace if photos were allowed. It could have been that they were, but I realized that I wanted my friends to come see the Temple for themselves and that a photograph would not do the Temple or the Guesthouse justice.