Temple HQ signage
Temple Oasis: A Short History
What is now Temple Oasis was founded in 2009 by Crispy Dave, Craigster, Grey Wolf, Dhamma Seeker, and others dedicated to Temple Service. From the beginning, the camp was built around a simple but powerful motto: "Nothing but Love."
For many years, the Temple Guardian theme camp served as the heart of Temple Guardian training and a home for the many volunteers who kept the Temple safe and neutral. In that era, Temple Guardians didn't have reliable radios, making it vital to have many committed guardians in one place to maintain coverage.
Today, the modern Temple Oasis builds on that tradition by creating a safe and nurturing space where those who love the Temple can share their experiences, support one another, and nurture the next generation of Temple Guardian leaders.
And sometimes, the residents of Temple Oasis are still asked for extraordinary service to the Temple. The amazing souls of Temple Oasis continue to answer those pleas with humility, kindness, and incredible strength—just as they always have.
Who We Are
Temple Oasis is a volunteer support camp created for Temple Guardians who want to serve with care, balance, and community.
Who We’re For
Temple Guardians (both new and returning)
Other volunteers in Temple-adjacent service (e.g. Rangers, Temple Builders, EMS)
Burners who value responsibility and joy
Folks who want a grounded camp culture, a quiet space amidst the lights and sounds of the playa
How We’re Different
Support-first design
Shared responsibility
Rest is part of service
Culture matters
Click here to discover more about being a Temple Guardian
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Temple Oasis was created out of a simple recognition:
holding space at the Temple asks much of you, and that cost deserves care.Serving as a Temple Guardian asks for steadiness, presence, and emotional resilience, often over long hours and in intense conditions. While that service can be deeply meaningful, it can also be physically and emotionally demanding. Temple Oasis exists to ensure that those who give so much of themselves at the Temple have a place to rest, reflect, and be supported in return.
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We believe service is a sustained practice rather than isolated acts, and that meaningful service does not require the restraint of a fiery joy.
At Temple Oasis, we hold that care, responsibility, and reverence can coexist with laughter, connection, and moments of lightness. Supporting those who serve the Temple means creating space not only for rest and reflection, but also for human warmth and shared enjoyment.
We think about service as something that must be supported over time, not powered through at all costs. Sustainability, not endurance, is the goal.
For us, that means rest is not a reward for service, it’s part of the work. Spirited levity is welcome where it supports, rather than distracts from, care. Silence and stillness are honored, alongside conversation and connection. Care for caretakers is essential infrastructure, not an afterthought.
We value presence over performance, and steadiness over intensity. When people are supported physically, emotionally, and socially, they are better able to show up with clarity, compassion, and reliability in the roles they’ve committed to.
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Temple Oasis is intentionally small and deliberately grounded. The culture we tend and grow over time is one of civic responsibility, mutual respect, and care that extends to everyone in camp.
We protect:
A calm, low-drama environment
Clear communication and accountability
Respect for quiet, rest, and shared spaces
The understanding that everyone contributes to the health of the camp
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Temple Oasis is run by real people who return to this work year after year because it matters to us.
We’ve been tired, we’ve been moved, we’ve needed places to sit down, breathe, and be understood without explanation. We want to share high spirits and quiet solace with those who know our experiences.
This camp exists because we know firsthand how important that kind of support can be, and how rare it sometimes is.
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We host Temple Oasis because service at the Temple is something people return to, year after year, carrying new experiences alongside old ones.
This camp exists to make that return possible. To offer a place where the weight of service can be set down, shared, and integrated, alongside people you’ve already connected with, and people who you’ll grow close to over time.
Temple Oasis is built to support the long arc of service so people can continue showing up with presence, integrity, and heart.
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Temple Oasis is a designated work support camp and is run separately from Temple Guardian HQ, the department staff camp.
That distinction matters.
Operating separately allows us to be clear about our purpose, our culture, and our boundaries. It helps avoid blurred expectations and ensures that our role remains focused on support rather than operations. We exist alongside the Temple Guardians volunteer program to complement it, not to represent it or speak on its behalf.