The
How to put on a Gathering, and keep it happy and healthy
WELCOME HOME!
The Rainbow Family of Living Light
welcomes you
to our
Family Gathering
.
Each year, The Family holds the Gathering of the Tribes, a
totally free, non-commercial sharing of our lives and sacred hearts in
the Cathedral of Nature.
There is no authoritarian hierarchy here. We have a tribal
anarchy where we take care of each other, because we recognize that we
are all One. The Gathering works because each of us takes the
responsibility for doing what needs to be done, and for teaching others.
Part of that responsibility is a pledge we keep to each other:
- We pledge to walk lightly on the earth
- We pledge to respect and care for each other and for all living
things.
- We pledge to drop all forms of violence in our dealings with each
other.
- We pledge to deal with each other up front and with open hearts.
Much goes into coordinating a Gathering, and much has been learned by
us collectively about how to make the Gathering happy and healthy.
This Mini-Manual continues to evolve, gathering our wisdom into one
place for new and old gatherers alike.
Our Name
Any gathering that bears the name "Rainbow" is a completely free,
non commercial event. All supplies are donated, or paid for with
money donated to the Magic Hat. There is no admission fee. No money is
exchanged within the Gathering. This frees us from legal and licensing
entanglements, and guarantees us our Constitutional right to gather on
public land.
Our Gatherings are also open to all peaceful people. There are
no invitations or memberships. No one is turned away, except for
breaking the pledge of non-violence. If you have a belly button, you
can be a Rainbow. The Rainbow is made up of all colors.
Scouting
Experienced scouts teach new ones as they inspect many potential
sites discovered from topographical maps and aerial photos, and
following leads from local people in the chosen area. They coordinate
thru the regional focalizers, and by attending Scouting Council in
April.
A Gathering site should have:
- Good water - deep springs or well protected surface water -
enough to fill the drinking, cooking, and washing needs of hundreds or
thousands of people. They should be at a distance from the main camp, to
prevent contamination.
- Open meadows - for councils, workshops, pageants, and
frisbees. Keep meadows clear of individual camps.
- Firewood - Lots of dead wood lying on the ground, for
kitchens and friendship circles.
- Parking space - large enough for several hundred cars and
vans, within reasonable walking and shuttle distance - but separate from
the Gathering proper. For the young children, elderly, and handicapped,
the walk in should not be too long and strenuous. For optimum peace and
safety, allow only supply and emergency vehicles into the Gathering.
- Only one road - or as few as possible. You will want one road
for ambulances and heavy supplies, but you don't want easy access for
car stereos, beer coolers, and a rowdy party scene. Conversely, don't
set the site at the end of a dead end road. Don't set a trap for
yourselves. Place it on a thru road so there is both a front and a
back gate.
No one site will have all these in equal abundance - for instance,
good springs are often on a steep mountainside far from a broad flat
place good for parking. Look for a balance for all these needs.
When the site has been chosen, the Howdy Folks goes out to local
focalizers in the mail, and on computer networks. This is the "official"
notice of the site.
It contains verbal instructions for getting there, as well as a map.
It also has phone numbers for getting information while on the way. The
focalizers make copies, and send them out to their mailing lists. They
also may distribute them at local Rainbow and New Age events, food
co-ops, and other places where enlightened people congregate.
- At least a week before a Gathering is to start, a dedicated group of
people arrives early to:
- inform the local Forest Service about our impending arrival,
- find and develop water sources,
- set up the first kitchen and dig the first latrines,
- locate and mark out the parking lot,
- lay out trails and remove obstructions,
- locate Main Circle and dig the firepit, and
- set up Welcome Home.
This is a time when you can work intensely with a few other people
and form some deep friendships.
From this seed grows the flower of our
Gathering.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress
of grievances.
- The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States of America.
Our Family is committed to preserving the priceless heritage of our
national forests. In this spirit we cooperate with the rangers of the
USDA Forest Service in doing the job they were hired for: protecting
this land.
The local forest rangers are notified of a Gathering's coming
no later than the first few hours of seed camp. We honor their requests
in special ecological concerns. Rangers have given Family members
valuable tips about sites and water, and provided us seeds for reseeding
and trees for us to plant. We treat them as people who share our
concerns.
We do not sign permits or agreements with the government. Our
non-hierarchical structure gives nobody the authority to sign such a
thing, and we are exercising our rights, guaranteed in the Constitution,
to assemble peaceably. This right was upheld by a Federal Court in
Texas in 1988.
Remember that forest rangers are law enforcement officials, and have
the power to arrest you if they see you breaking any law, be it about
wildlife or what's in your hand.
This is the Cathedral of Nature that we gather in, and we keep it
that way. We disturb the environment as little as we can.
Riverbanks and wetlands are vulnerable ecosystems. Plants of older
phyla - like mosses and ferns - are especially fragile. Cactus is more
vulnerable than you might think. We might be walking thru animal's
hunting grounds. Stay on the forest floor and the dry meadow.
Remember that insects are also wildlife. Give an anthill its space,
and before you throw wood into a fire, look to see if it's home to some
bugs. Never use insecticides. Thiamine, B-complex vitamins,
citronella, and raw garlic can help keep biting critters away.
Use things where they lie. The more you move, the more you will have
to put back. Hang tarps from trees, make structural members out of
branches - rather than cutting and setting posts. Never cut a living
tree, or break things off. Use only dead wood found lying on the
ground. Stripping bark hurts birch and aspen trees.
Pick one place for the swimming hole, and don't go into a stream
anywhere else. Leave beaver ponds alone.
Don't go near any place baby animals are kept. The way animals defend
their young is beastly.
Make a few trails and stay on them. Don't crush underfoot a whole
area. They should go over ground that will stay high and dry after a
rain. Form a trail just by trampling, and a circle area by tushwhacking
(everybody sitting down), rather than by cutting plants down.
Don't litter. Birds can pick up filter tips and choke. Broken
glass is a danger to all creatures' feet. Pick up trash left behind by
those who are not yet Rainbows.
The earth is our mother
We must take care of her
Our water sources are our lifeblood, and must be protected from the
very first day that people are on the site.
The best drinking water comes from springs. Streams or ponds with a
good constant flow can also beused. Any water for drinking is marked
off with strings or ribbons, and no campsites or latrines are within 100
feet of them. People stay away from them unless involved in obtaining
water.
Never pour liquid wastes into a water source, or on the ground
nearby. Use a grey water pit, dug at least 100 feet away.
Never use soap in a water source. Soaps will pollute the
water. Take a bucket at least 100 feet from open water to wash. Even
bio-degradable soap like Dr. Bonner's can kill fish and micro-organisms.
Never dip your own canteen or cup into a water source -
use a common hose or dipper instead.
Never drink water unless you know that it has been scientifically
tested, adequately filtered, or boiled. Even the purest looking water
can contain micro-organisms that can cause severe intestinal illness. To
be absolutely safe, boil your water for at least 1 minute.
12. Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou
shalt go forth abroad:
13. And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be,
when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt
turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:
14. For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to
deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall
thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away
from thee.
- Deuteronomy 23
If you gotta go, go to a latrine. Never take a dump on
top of the ground and walk off and leave it. The first fly who sees it
will go tell all the others in the nearest kitchen.
Deep narrow trenches at least 3 feet deep are best. Keep the
excavated soil in a neat pile for fill-in later. Cut out sod, and
preserve it for replacement over the filled hole.
Lime - or ashes from a wood fire - is kept in a can nearby, and is
sprinkled on top of your leavings, to reduce odor . Dirt is then
shoveled back in on top gradually, to keep your waste covered
completely. The pit is filled in all the way when the contents come up
to within 18 inches of the surrounding ground level, and a new pit is
dug nearby.
Hand washing facilities with chlorinated water are provided nearby.
Large coffee cans or other rainproof covers are provided for toilet
paper. Signs are placed on the trails nearest by, and colored tape marks
the path to a latrine.
Improper latrines are a potential link between us and a very sick
camp. If you dig a shitter, cover it up in a fly-tight manner, using
plywood, boards, or logs covered with soil - to fill the air (fly) holes
between the cover and the earth. The covers are washed daily.
Latrines are at least 100 feet from open water, and never uphill from
a spring.
Don't make the fly connection:
shit > flies > food > YOU
You haven't been to a Gathering
until you've dug a shitter
We don't mix all our garbage and trash together, and make the local
landfill landfull. We separate our refuse, recycle whatever we can, and
dispose of the rest in a nature-friendly way. At every kitchen - and at
well travelled sites around the Gathering - there are recycling
stations, each with seven containers - for:
The Three R's:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Neighborhoods make the Gathering more fun with the people they
introduce you to, and impact the ecology less. All camp needs - such as
latrines, water, child watching, or security - can be focalized around a
neighborhood fire.
When you arrive, look around and find a concentration of tents to set
up your own near. Kitchens are some of the places neighborhoods form
around, as well as special areas like C.A.L.M. or Kid Village. People
from a certain state or city often camp together. Contact the people in
them, get to know them.
Lone campsites are easy targets for thieves, and are surprises for
people walking thru the woods in the dark. Neighborhoods provide the
only security for when you are not in your camp.
Love your neighbor
It takes rain to make a rainbow, and rainy days are part of every
Gathering. These are times when people gather close together under tarps
and have intimate conversations and good times.
Don't build anything without thinking about how water will run off
it. Keep your stuff together in places where they will stay high and
dry. When you set up your camp - look for low spots and gullies on the
ground, and imagine where the streams will form when it is raining.
Don't put your tent across one of these places. If you're in a desert
area, don't set up camp in a dry riverbed prone to flash floods.
Don't blaze trails in ravines that will become muddy quagmires under
thousands of feet when it rains - keep trails on rises.That little brook
you're stepping over now can become a turbulent river in a thunderstorm.
Put fire pits on rises or sloping ground, and provide a drainage gap.
Cover tents with tarps, and tie their ends close to the ground so the
wind doesn't make sailplanes out of them. Keep kitchen supplies under
cover. Cover bulletin boards with clear plastic.
Remember: water runs downhill.
On any site fire is a danger. There may be fallen and dead timber,
and dry grass in meadows. Don't throw matches or cigarette butts
on the ground.
When you build a fire, be responsible. Have a shovel and a
bucket of water near your fire at all times. Use only community fires.
Share your hearth with your neighbors, and don't build personal fires
nearby. Use only dead and dry wood found on the ground, for fuel.. Never
throw plastics or synthetic materials into a fire. This creates toxic
fumes.
Select a safe location. Watch for overhanging snags of
deadwood. Keep your fire low - sparks fly far, even live trees
can catch fire. If you must have a large fire, build it in a meadow, at
least 20 feet from the treeline.
Beware of root fires. Line the inside and bottom of your
firepit with rocks. Scrape the ground free of loose duff, leaves, and
grass for at least a foot around your pit.
Watch your fire at all times. The wind can rise or shift
direction quickly. Stray sparks can bring disaster. Embers can flame up
again in a wind. Don't leave your camp behind until your fire is
completely out and cold.
No fireworks, please!!
A Fire Watch crew walks the camp to make sure all fires are properly
tended, and that buckets of water are nearby. We all help them out by
being watchful ourselves.
Smokey says,
"Only you can prevent forest fires"
We welcome experiments in non-polluting and low energy technology.
Hand tools and alternative energy devices - such as solar or wind - are
appropriate to a Gathering. Electric generators, chain saws, and
gasoline powered tools are not. Bicycles and horses may enter a
Gathering. Motorcycles and automobiles (other than emergency and supply)
may not.
Main Circle is an open meadow, large enough for as many people as you
expect to come. (At a National Gathering, this may be more than ten
thousand.) It is the center of our Gathering - where the evening dinner
circle and council are held, along with theatrical events like the 5th
of July Pageant and the Silent Meditation on the 4th. In the center is
a pit large enough to safely contain a large bonfire, open on all sides
so people can dance all the way around it.
The Main Circle meadow is as free of trees as you can find, and on
gradually sloping ground, with no low areas that will fill with standing
water when it rains. The firepit is on a slight rise, for drainage and
the fire's visibility. Personal campsites are not set up in the Main
Circle meadow, or any other meadow. They may get trampled when
people are backing up, opening a circle to include more.
Main Circle can get loud at times, as well as completely silent.
Co-ordination with Kid Village and C.A.L.M. about your three places'
relative locations is a good idea.
We are a circle, within a circle
with no
beginning, and never ending
The whirlwind will not last the morning out;
The cloudburst ends before the day is done.
What is it that behaves like this?
The earth and sky!
And if it be that these cut short their speech,
How much more yet should man.
- Tao Te Ching 23
We gather in a circle to govern ourselves at Main Council, where we
find out about ongoing activities, tell each other our heartsongs, and
take care of other notions. It is held every evening in Main Meadow, and
announced by the blowing of the conch shell
We pass a feather (or other sacred object) around the circle, letting
each person speak in turn while holding it, without interruption.
Talking, listening, and sharing our deepest feelings is how we find new
perspectives on each other, and new ways to solve problems.
When many people are present, an inner circle is formed (often with
one person at each of the four directions), and a person leaves the
circle after speaking, opening a space for another wishing to join and
speak.
The exact nature of council process is determined at the beginning of
the meeting. It is best conducted with a minimum of chairmanship, but
someone can be entrusted, if necessary, to: keep the subject of the
discussion from wandering. remind long-winded speakers of their
responsibility to others who want to speak, and keep discussions from
turning into emotional arguments.
Consensus is how we govern ourselves. This means coming to solutions
acceptable to everyone, not just a majority.
If we have problems, we bring them up at our circles and discuss
them. During the discussion someone usually brings out an issue and asks
for consensus. If no one radically objects, then consensus is reached.
(This is sometimes called consensus by silence, i.e. nobody speaks after
consensus is asked for.) Otherwise a person may block consensus by
expressing her or his concerns and the discussion continues. Through
this process we attempt to solve our problems.
Consensus gives every person a chance to be heard and have their
input weighed equally. The smallest minority has a chance to change the
collective mind if their vision is keener. It is possible that Spirit
has given them a message that is presently beyond the perception of the
rest of the council.
If people exercise this power to go against the majority, they must
have listened to the collective wisdom in good conscience. A block
should not to used to place an individual's will above the group's.
Working this out can be very long and exhausting to the participants.
- Consensus works in an environment of trust, where everyone suffers
or gains alike from the decision. Everyone must
- listen,
- participate,
- get informed,
- be rational,
- and be part of the process from the beginning.
Focalizers do what their name implies - they take the diverse energy
among us and bring it onto a certain point. They show us directions to
move, and impart to us their knowledge. They get people working
together.
They are not like leaders in Babylon. They are not placed over us;
nor elected for terms. They are followed because the people trust them,
feel they have wisdom, find their own feelings expressed thru them, and
expect success from following them. Their election continues on thru
every day. A focalizer is simply not followed anymore if the people lose
their confidence.
Anybody who has knowledge to share can be a focalizer. If you
see something that isn't being done, take the initiative to start others
to join with you. But don't volunteer for everything. When a thing needs
doing, make an effort to pass the task along. Someone out there is
waiting to be useful, maybe even unaware of a talent he or she has.
Giving away all the right tasks may leave you exhausted - but it will
save you from burning out.
Respecting consensus is important for the focalizer. Even at the
price of inefficiency, frustration, and endless discussion - let the
people decide. They'll get better at it with practice.
Legal Liaison is a dedicated group of people with knowledge of law,
who advocate the Family in legal questions of concern to us, such as
National Forest regulations, and drug, search and seizure, and
homelessness laws. They testify at legislative hearings, organize letter
writing and phone campaigns, and keep a watch on the workings of our
government. Help from experienced lawyers and organizers is always
appreciated.
the peace keepers
We call our security system Shanti Sena. This means "peace army"
in Sanskrit. If problems erupt, calling "Shanti Sena!" loudly will
bring assistance.
We repond with non-violent methods only to conflict. Talking
is tried before physical restraint. This talking is with compassion and
respect. If physical intervention can't be avoided, it is done gently
without inflicting injury.
There is a crew of people experienced in non-violent, peaceful
intervention who devote most of their time to Shanti Sena, but
everybody is a peacekeeper at a Gathering. We are secure because
we all watch out for each other. If we don't stay aware of what is going
on with people around us, and don't offer aid, trouble can erupt into
violence and injury. Often a group can prevail where a single person
can't. Offer your help in easing conflict.
- We lighten the burden on Shanti Sena by:
- watching out for our own valuables,
- camping in groups with others, and
- watching the camps of our neighbors when they are away.
We are all Shanti Sena
the Center for Alternative Living
Medicine
C.A.L.M is our healing arts center. If you are injured or ill, come
here, especially if you are getting something contagious. The people
here can also provide health information and preventative aids such as
condoms. Natural, alternative medicine is encouraged here. Treatment
that gets to the root of dis-ease is sought, not just temporary
remedies.
C.A.L.M. always need donations of medical supplies, antibiotics,
herbs, tinctures, and homeopathic remedies. It needs doctors, nurses,
EMT's, and therapists of all kinds - to volunteer on a continuous and
on-call basis. Healers and workshop leaders can also plug in here.
Information is the communication center. Anyone with anything
noteworthy to share should come here so they can pass the word. All
councils and focalizers should report here daily with their needs, so
they can be connected with the rest of the Gathering. With enough info
from all of us, the Info crew can answer questions intelligently.
Lost and Found and Rumor Control are here. Printed handouts are
available on a table, and maps, rider boards, and bulletin boards are
nearby.
The Volunteer Here board is near Information. People wanting to help
out can find places to plug in here, and groups needing assistance can
make their needs known..
The Rainbow Guide is a non-commercial directory of our Family,
compiled and published every year by volunteers with your contributions.
The Guide helps the family to connect with each other thruout the year.
The Guide crew usually bases its operations at Information. Cards are
available to be filled out by those who want to be included. Every
Gathering, no matter how small, can compile lists (with addresses, etc.)
and relay them to the makers of the Guide.
All Ways Free is a totally open forum for the diversity of ideas that
make up the Rainbow. It is the Family newspaper that takes essays,
stories, letters, poems, and art.
It is produced by volunteers, and supported by personal donations,
regional fundraisings, and the Magic Hat. It is distributed at the
National Gathering each year, and can also be obtained by writing to the
AWF Council, which meets in a different region each year. (Get the
current address from Information, or from the Rainbow Guide.)
Most of our day to day business is focused by the Co-Operations
Council, which meets several times a day. Workers and people with
special knowledge are found, tools and supplies are located, those who
have are connected with those who have not.
Banking and Supply coordinate thru this council. A written log of
events is kept.
Every area of service needs to check in with Co-Operations daily. All
plans for new camps and construction should be communicated to here, so
that conflicts over land use and campsites can be avoided.
The Magic Hat goes round and round. Its magic lies in the miracles
that sharing can bring. The Gathering is free, but the Hat gives
everyone the chance to help with our collective need for cash. Money
received is used to buy food, medical supplies, gasoline, and general
necessities. By giving generously, each of us helps with our financial
needs.
Money in the Magic Hat is cared for by a Banking Council of at least
3 persons. They keep written records of the amounts collected and whom
it is given to - open to anyone who wishes to see them.
The Magic Hat appears at group meals, and sometimes is carried thru
camp by wandering minstrels. Beware of personal hats being called
"The Magic Hat". It is better to give all that you intend to give
early in the Gathering, than space your contributions over several days.
Donations of food and materials are pooled by all kitchens in Supply,
and redistributed from there. This allows money-saving bulk purchases
and helps cut down waste. Contributions from individuals are brought
here. This is a major operation, requiring energy from many people.
43. Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing
that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that
ye should be defiled thereby.
44. For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify
yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile
yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the
earth.
- Leviticus 11
Food is obtained from Supply, paid for with contributions to the
Magic Hat, and prepared by the helping hands of hundreds of volunteer
choppers, slicers, peelers, fire tenders, stirrers, and chefs.
Serving styles and times are up to the individual kitchen councils
and focalizers - some serve all day, some have specified meal times,
some send all their food to Main Circle. Some offer only specialized
fare like popcorn or coffee.
Food sent to Main Circle is competely vegetarian. Some kitchens may
choose to serve meat at their own locations, but meat is hard to
preserve in the woods, and may adversely affect those used to only
vegetarian fare.
Kitchens must be kept CLEAN. There is no faster way to spread
disease than to serve contaminated food. Enclose kitchens with railings,
and place hand washing stations at entrances.
Volunteers in kitchens wash their hands before working with
food. They don't work with a communicable disease. They use only clean
knives and chopping boards. Work surfaces are washed with bleach water
before and after use.
Everybody brings their own bowl, cup, and spoon to a
Gathering, and washes them thoroughly after each use. Food is served by
servers with designated tools. People do not serve themselves with
their own utensils.
Supplies are not stored on the ground, but up on pallets, shelves, or
logs. They are covered with a tent or tarp, for protection from the sun
and rain. They aren't placed near anthills. Pets are kept out of
kitchens, as they get into food and knock things over.
- Every kitchen has a dishwashing station with four containers
(usually standard 5 gallon buckets):
- one for scraping into;
- one with hot soapy water, for washing;
- one with clear water, for rinsing; and
- one with water containing 1 or 2 capfuls of chlorine bleach or
vinegar - for disinfecting.
The water is watched and changed regularly. Pots and pans should not
sit around dirty for hours, attracting the insect life.
Compost (garbage) pits are dug nearby for vegetable wastes. They are
filled in gradually, like latrines. When the contents come up to within
a foot of the surrounding ground level, they are filled in completely. A
mound of dirt is left on top, to level out by itself as the garbage
underneath decomposes and settles. Waste water goes into grey water
pits. It is not just poured out on top of the ground.
If the flies start to have their own gathering
around your compost pit,
then it's time to cover some of it up.
Kitchens constantly need firewood and water. Many make a habit of
bringing a piece of wood whenever they visit a kitchen. Others, upon
seeing an empty water container, will fetch water without being asked.
- When you volunteer for Front Gate, you get to see it all come in.
The parking lot crew greets the world with hugs and info. They maintain
an organized and secure parking area., and make an around the clock
commitment that involves:
- greeting new arrivals and giving out information,
- traffic control,
- security,
- auto repair,
- maintaining a kitchen and fire circle, and
- an active Shanti Sena.
The crew also seeks out vehicles for possible use as shuttles.
Alcohol abuse needs special attention in this area.
Front Gate and Welcome Home are frequently the most understaffed
areas of a gathering. Help here is especially appreciated.
Bus Village is for those who come in campers or live-in busses or
vans -many of our family are nomads, either part time or year-round. It
has its own mini-gathering, with kitchens, councils, work crews, and
Shanti Sena. It is a place where electric entertainment is allowed and
appreciated.
Bus Village people are well situated to help with Front Gate and
Welcome Home responsibilities.
Shuttles are large rugged busses or flatbed trucks, that can provide
almost continuous service that is safe and reliable. Drivers need relief
regularly. Riders should help with gas and repair expenses.
Welcome Home is set up where a person coming from the front gate
begins to enter the populated area, at the end of the shuttle ride and
where most of the hike in has been completed. It provides a place for
people to rest from their journey in.
New arrivals are offered tea, coffee, or water. They are give printed
copies of Raps 107 and 701, reminded of how the Gathering works with
volunteers, and informed of conditions peculiar to the current
Gathering. The Raps and a map of the Gathering are on a sign nearby.
The Joke Toll Booth sometimes appears on a main traffic artery in the
Gathering. All who approach it are required to tell one joke before they
may pass. The jokes collected go to help the merrimentally disadvantaged
find gainful enjoyment in our community.
Kid Village is a place for children to find other children. It has a
special kitchen for them, as well as for nursing moms and pregnant
women. It has shade, playthings, and people who like to play with kids.
Here you can meet other parents and their little people. You can find
people to leave your offspring with for a few hours.
The people here always need help with the kitchen, firewood, and
water. Musicians, storytellers, and game leaders are always welcome.
Kid Village should be somewhere the sound from Main Circle at night
is dampened - on the other side of a hill is best.
Keep track of your children. Know where they are and when they
should meet you, or be back to your camp.
If you entrust their care to someone else, be sure you know that
person to the point of having spent some time with them.
When you leave your children at Kid Village, inform others of your
going and return, and leave word where you can be found, if possible.
Older children should all know how to find their home camp. They
should also be shown safe areas, like Kid Village, Information, or
kitchens. They should know your full name and how to describe you
verbally. For younger children who can't talk well, pin pieces of paper
on their backs - with their name, your name, and directions to your
camp.
If your child gets lost, don't wait too long to act. If
they're not in the immediate area, inform Child Search at Information or
Kid Village. We need to be told quickly to do the best job, especially
if it is close to nightfall.
Better safe than sorry.
Many of our Family work in various crafts and bring their best work
to Trading Circle to show off, or trade for other pieces that catch
their eye. The mutual exchange of gifts is encouraged, money changing in
the temple is not. Only barter is done here, a thing exchanged directly
for another thing, or for a service performed. No money changes
hands here. Using money jeopardizes our right to use public land.
Traders like to set up near the main trail, for visibility and the
festival atmosphere of many people passing - but you should take care
not to obstruct traffic when you set out your own wares. A wide shady
spot slightly off the trail is the best place for Trading Circle.
Workshops can be given by anyone on any subject. Large meadows are
designated for workshops, and identified as such.
A Workshop Board is at Information, and workshop offerings with times
and places are on it. Additional information about workshops is nearby.
Workshop focalizers maintain and update all of these, and provide
special materials for their own workshops.
- Some popular workshop subjects are:
- Sister Circle - Women gather in a secluded and safe place -
to talk about their special problems, give each other support, perform
rituals, and celebrate their womanhood together.
- Brother Circle - The same thing, for the men.
- Brother-Sister Circle - Sisters speak, brothers listen.
Brothers speak, sisters listen. New perspectives are gained, common
ground is found.
- Heartsong Circle - People speak about the things most
important to them - hopes, fears, dreams, visions - to a loving and
supportive audience.
- Yoga, of all kinds.
- Sufi Dancing - The dances of life, a natural way to get high.
- Plants, herbs, and natural healing and nutrition.
- Healing - Recovery, 12 Step, co-counseling, anything to bring
you back to mental health and wholeness.
Experienced volunteers teach new ones as they lead sweat lodges - for
health and pleasure. Sweating reinvigorates you by flushing built-up
toxins from your body. The closeness and fellowship of the lodge provide
an opportunity for prayer and song.
Sweat lodges are solemn spaces for sacred ceremonies. They are
built with care and respect for the old ways. Some ceremonies are guided
by traditional leaders and observe strict customs. Ask if there are any
special observances. Don't disturb the vibrations with any behavior less
than sacred.
Don't come if you have an infectious disease. Do show up with an
armload of wood.
A Gathering is not a good place for a pet. Dogs fight other dogs, and
kill wildlife and even other pets. All animals get into food, and leave
shit all over the place. The animals themselves are stressed by the
sudden changes in their environment.
Sometimes there is no place to leave your pet, so if you must bring
it, be responsible for your animals. Keep them under constant watch,
keep them away from kitchens, meal circles, councils, and wildlife.
Clean up their droppings.
Feel free to tie up stray dogs in shade with water.
ARF is sometimes set up as a place where pets can find refuge,
medical care, shots, and healing. If your pet is injured or sick, find
out its location from Information.
Always ask permission before taking a picture of any other
person. This includes groups as well as individuals. There are many
reasons some may not want to be photographed - they may be in trouble
with the law, they may be escaping bad situations at home, they may not
want their employers to know they are hanging out with hippies -
whatever the reason they don't want there to be a photographic record of
their being at a Gathering.
Most people - if you ask - will gladly give you permission, and may
even ask for a copy.
It has long been a tradition in our Family to discourage the use of
alcohol at a Gathering . Our children (that's all of us) need a safe and
unthreatening place in which to celebrate. Alcohol energy can easily
threaten. We respect a person's right to drink, but the Rainbow
Gathering is meant to be a peace and prayer sanctuary, not a booze
party.
If you are hypersensitive to drinkers, don't be a nuisance to them
(or to Shanti Sena). Some gatherers are heavy drinkers in Babylon, but
come to the Gathering for a chance to dry out and heal. If you are
panhandled or insulted by a drunk, turn to your friends for help in
dealing with them. Don't try to be a Rainbow cop.
Many of our Family are active in the movement to legalize hemp, and
feel that cannabis products lead to effects much different than
alcohol's, and are more conducive to good feelings between people. We
let our Family to decide for themselves whether or not they want to take
the legal risks.
We actively discourage giving powerful psychedelic drugs like LSD to
people who don't know what they're taking, or who don't have the
experience and mental stability to handle them. Know whom you give
to. Remember also there's no guarantee on what somebody you don't
know gives you on the trail. If in doubt, spit it out. If you
observe an overdose, freakout, or other drug caused problem, contact
CALM immediately.
If you are stopped by the law on the way to a Gathering, do not
consent to searches. Your car is protected the same way a house is
if you live in your car. If you observe harassment by police, stop and
be a witness. If you are harassed, report it to the Co-Operations
Council or to Legal Liaison.
We accept people for what they are, and their bodies for what they
are. We can open our hearts, our souls, and our buttons and zippers at a
Gathering. Many like the feeling of freedom, some don't like to wear a
soggy old swimsuit, many like to be cool on a hot day - whatever the
reason, we are creating again an Eden where you can be naked and without
shame. This doesn't mean you can't wear clothes here, you just don't
have to. Latrines and bathing areas are not segregated by gender here.
Be cautious of sunburn and poison ivy if you go naked. It's a good
idea to at least wear sandals. And don't space out and go into town like
that.
Many in our Family have found deep and satisfying relationships with
other Family members. Few of these sprang into being at their first
Gatherings. The freely given affection, the easy conversation, and the
sudden promise of openness here cause many to start searching for their
one and only, to build up big expectations, and to be disappointed.
Meet people by volunteering and working with them, by making
music and theater with them, by joining them in workshops and spiritual
exercises. You will see them in all their moods, and really get to know
them.
Be patient and give time for friendships to unfold and grow by
themselves. Don't measure them against your expectations. The Spirit
will show you your soul mates, if you let it. Many people will be put
off by sudden propositioning, and not everyone is in the same state of
wanting that you are.
Remember, if the other person says no, but you do anyway, that is
rape, which is a crime among us as well. Just because someone is
naked doesn't mean you can have a feel. We are all worthy of equal
respect.
We are opening up in sweet surrender
to the luminous love light of the One.
We make our own music here. This is a place where your creativity is
encouraged to come out of the closet. Stereos, boomboxes, and radios can
douse a creative spark. Our musicians perform acoustically or with only
small batteries, without the distraction of canned music in the
background. Bus Village is a place for electric art.
Singers, guitarists, and instrumentalists gather to jam around
community fires and in kitchens. Main Circle at night is the traditional
place for drumming and dancing.
Share your song with us, even if you are not used to performing.
Don't sit by your tent and play for the trees. Listen to the other
players, and make music with them. You'll be amazed at how good we'll
all make you sound.
If you start music, respect the other musicians within earshot who
have already started, especially if you are drumming. Remember that
drums can carry like a rock 'n' roll amp. Don't try to compete with
them, go over and join them instead.
If it's late at night or early after sunrise, be conscious of folks
nearby who may be sleeping.
Musical harmony plays with social harmony
The Hug Patrol covers the Gathering to insure that nobody who needs a
hug goes without one. You might be stopped and asked for a hug anytime,
so you should be prepared to give them your maximum cooperation.
the purpose!...
On the Fourth of July, from sunrise until high noon, the camp is
hushed and people gather in Main Circle to meditate for World
Peace, and the Healing of the Earth.
This is a time of intense energy. The silence is broken with a
resonant OM after the Children's Parade enters the Circle,
shortly before noon.
Please respect the silence by not speaking within
earshot of the Circle.
Prepare for this with four days of celebration. Take time to share
your fears, traumas, dreams, aspirations, and visions - so that the
healing on the Fourth will be complete.
- In addition to the National Gathering from the 1st. to the 7th. of
July, there are many Regional Gatherings thruout the year Find out about
these at Information, in All Ways Free, from your regional focalizer,
and on the Internet at
- alt.gathering. rainbow,
- www.welcomehome.org,
- or in Yahoo under Society and Culture: Alternative
At Vision Council the future of the Family is discussed, and more
specifically, the location is chosen for next year's Gathering. It
usually starts at noon on the last day (hopefully after there's been
informal discussion all week). It continues until consensus is reached
among all the participants.
Clean Up actually begins the moment you arrive - if you don't disturb
the environment to begin with, you don't have to clean it up later. If
you pick up trash all along, there isn't a large amount at the end.
After the last day of the Gathering, the camp is drawn inward from
the perimeters to one central camp, thence to the front gate and the
parking area, then out the gate and down the road.
Campsites, bridges, and kitchens are dismantled and disappeared.
Compost pits and latrines are filled and covered with a dome of dirt, to
allow for settling. Logs, rocks, and branches are scattered. Campsites
are strewn with grass and leaves. Firepits are drowned with water and
covered over with dirt. Paths are broken up, ground packed hard is
broken up with pick and shovel, and bare spots are reseeded. Potential
areas of erosion are shored up. All traces of our presence are
removed. The site is returned to its natural state.
Vehicles leaving the Gathering help by taking at least one bag of
trash with them, to a dumpster at least 100 miles away. Don't impact
the small towns near the Gathering. Recyclables are taken to
appropriate collection points.
In a year's time, you won't be able to tell that a small city of
people lived here for weeks.
In all ways, we walk lightly on the land.
- This version of the Rainbow Mini-Manual combined and reordered
material from:
- the MM's appearance in the '92, '93, and '94 Rainbow Guides,
- the original little book distributed at Nevada in '89,
- the Consensus and Focalizing articles by Stephen Wing in the '93
Guide
- the Rap 107 and Child Safety article in the '94 All Ways Free,
- Raps 107, 701, 151, and 911 - in several versions,
- Swami Mommy's 7 Garbage Chakras,
- the first Mini-Manual at www.welcomehome.org, by Paul Gross, and
- things I've seen and heard over ten years of going to Gatherings.
I apologize to any uncredited authors who see their words.
I added myself several subjects that I thought needed discussion.
The next person will rearrange this, take some away, and then lay
more on top. This is how the Mini-Manual is evolving before your very
eyes.
- Butterfly Bill