The Cave, The Campfire and The Watering Hole

Where formation happens

David Thornburg, who has been described as the “premier futurist in educational technology”, identifies in his book From the Campfire to the Holodeck: Creating Engaging and Powerful 21st Century Learning Environments, three archetypal learning spaces: the campfire, the cave, and the watering hole. Each space has a distinct function in human learning that
corresponds directly to being a disciple and a learner. We believe that these spaces offer us primal insight that will help us reclaim healthy rhythms of leadership in the ordinary spaces of life in today’s world.

1. The cave is the private space where we as individuals can think, reflect, and transform learning from external knowledge into internal belief. This space reminds us that personal, spiritual, and emotional health comes from having a healthy balance of retreat and engagement. The cave, in other words, is where we create sacred space to be alone with God and develop the art of
spiritual reflection.

2. The campfire is the space where people gather to learn from an expert. In the days of old, wise elders passed down insights through storytelling, and in so doing, replicated culture for the next generation. This space reminds us of the importance of being and having coaches and mentors in our lives. We all need a Gandalf, someone who can speak into our lives. This is where having a spiritual director or a coach is so important for leadership development.

3. The watering hole is the informal space where peers can share information and discoveries, acting as both learner and teacher simultaneously. This shared space can serve as an incubator for ideas and can promote a sense of shared culture. We believe that the waterhole is where creating a coaching culture becomes a reality.

Imagine if you as a leader embodied the healthy rhythms of being formed in the cave, the campfire and the watering hole in your daily life.

Imagine if you led out of a place of health and vitality instead of out burnout, fear, or scarcity.

Imagine if you took time to care for your own emotional and spiritual health and lead others in how to live out these healthy rhythms as well.

Imagine if churches, non-profits, and businesses were places of emotional and spiritual health and healing, living not for their own interests but for the sake of the world.

This story is an excerpt from the Book Healthy Rhythms for Leaders: Cultivating Soul Care in Uncertain Times.