Opening up the question to continue on today’s Oasis call discussion.
In today’s call we explored the question ‘What makes an effective tent?’
(OR How do I relate to effectiveness in my life? - and how do I apply that principle?)
In our breakout rooms we covered different principles, those that were named and shared in the chat included:
Reflecting on the Oasis call, I’m struck by the tent as a powerful metaphor, not just for gathering, but for how we gather. Like an Oasis along the Silk Road of knowledge, it isn’t a place to live permanently, but a temporary sanctuary a pause for rest, reconnection, and the exchange of what we carry. It offers rhythm, safety, and a sense of belonging, but it isn’t meant to be fixed or owned.
A tent functioning as a container for shared presence. Its strength lies in its predictability (a steady rhythm, clear purpose, lightly held norms), psychological safety (where we’re welcome to show up fully), intention and momentum (energy builds when the space has direction), and adaptability (it grows, shifts, even dissolves when the time is right). It breathes with those who enter.
And maybe that’s the deeper lesson: that effective spaces aren’t about control, but about care. What we hold doesn’t need to be held tightly. It just needs to be held well, together, for as long as it serves.