Starting a tent in the Oasis
A simple guide for those who feel called to create a tent in the Second Renaissance - this is a living post and will be updated as we iterate and receive feedback
The Oasis is an online space and organizing infrastructure for those who want to take action in alignment with the Second Renaissance. Like an island of water and growth in a desert landscape, The Oasis is a gathering point, a growing settlement, and a staging ground for pilgrims and caravans from all across the land :r
What is a Tent?
Tents are lightweight, open structures. They can hold projects, research, sensing, co-creation, storytelling, prototyping, or practices of being.
Tents support the spirit of the Second Renaissance to bring about wise action aligned with integrity, transformation, artistry, collective intelligence, and systems change.
How to Start a Tent
You donât need permission to start a tent, but we do encourage you to reflect upon some initiating questions and then define some simple structural elements to helps others find you and know how to engage. Hereâs how to begin:
1. Clarify the Purpose
Every Tent begins with an idea or impulse. Ask yourself:
- What is this tent here to explore, make, sense, or shift?
- Is it primarily a space for building, researching, connecting, listening, creating or something else?
- What energy does it want to bring into the broader field?
- Why do you sense this is important?
2. Define the Rhythm & Activities
What happens when the tent is âopenâ?
- Are you hosting regular calls, workshops, coworking, jam sessions, or async threads?
- Is it weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, seasonal?
Start light - itâs okay to find your rhythm over time.
3. Invite Participation
Consider:
- Can people simply show up, or is prep needed?
- How might others contribute â presenting, curating, coordinating?
- Are there async ways to engage (docs, forum posts, chats, boards, etc.)?
4. Clarify the Commitment
Help others self-select:
- Is this a casual, drop-in vibe?
- Or are you stewarding a more consistent crew?
- Are there roles, responsibilities, or invitations for deeper involvement?
Weekly Oasis Call
We encourage the tents to plug into the weekly Oasis call (currently on Tuesdays 6pm CEST for 90 minutes).
Format of the Oasis Call:
- First half: Being (relational practice, shared presence)
- Second half: Building (breakouts for active Tent spaces)
If your tent is active that week, it can host a breakout. You donât need to join every week, but showing up periodically helps your tent stay visible and connected to the wider community.
Share about your tent
Once your tent has some shape, create a first forum post in the Oasis Tents category (the admins can set up your tent with a subcategory) using this template.
Please include these elements:
Title Your Post: About the [Tent Name] Oasis Tent
- Tent Name
- Led/Initated by
- Tent Schedule (format of: âWeeklyâ, âEvery other weekâ, or âNth week of each monthâ etc)
- Tent Purpose
- Tent Activities and Ways to Participate
- Commitment Level
This post will become your tentâs homebase on the forum â a living document and invitation for others to find you.
Youâre welcome to include more information than the above and/or to create a post on the wiki as well. Content from the forum posts will also be updated and appear on secondrenaissance.net/oasis as part of the broader tent directory.
Youâre welcome to reply here with questions, and feedback.
Example first post: About the GiveWiser Oasis Tent
â The Curators Team