Conference Calls Alternating Nights

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

As part of many gathering participants response to COVID-19, there have been conference calls taking place alternating nights at 6 PM West Coast Time / 9 PM East Coast Time.

Discussions include to gather or not to gather, how to hold spring council, and other things as well.

If you want to be join, the next one takes place on May 6th and then every other night from there.

Dial 425-436-6350  access code 377587#.   This is a toll call if your dialing from a phone that charges by the minute.

************ Begin Notes from call on May 4th *************************

This is what some of the people said on the call – 5/4/20------Not all words were written down, so there may be some incomplete thoughts…..Oh, well.  And the speakers shall remain anonymous, but I felt it was important for the world to read what is discussed.  Written by Sibling.

I care/I want the best for all

Acknowledge all front line workers – DR, Nurses, Emergency

Pray for peace on the fourth

Read Karin Z. book- it is good

Please hold yourselves together, please do not fight on this call.

Say your piece and let others talk.

Share food, feed all the people locally.  Get out and help locally.

Cases are doubling in Haiti now.  Concerned. Impoverished peoples.

Step out of yourself, it is not about what “I want.”

Hurricane season is coming, and getting more intense. 16 predicted named storms.

All of you, world peace and healing – let us find it on this call.

Solidarity for all – we are family.  We can have opposition but we can find a foundation.

REMINDER TO MUTE YOUR PHONES.

Shanti Sena Skill Share Info – Info Later…

I love you all. We are being productive!  I am not going, thanks for not going! 

RB is important in hard times. There are people who need our help. RB is designed to adapt.

Neighborhood gatherings this summer, RB is not where you go, you take it with you.

There is no good place to go right now. 

“I feel people are being told that they can’t gather.  I am confused. With someone thinking that they have the right to take this away.  What about the people that NEED family.  I thought RB was trying to save those ppl.”

Spreading disease to local communities takes the choice from others.

We do not have the right to tell others, we are individuals but, I am not going there to serve family because I do not think it is safe. I can’t personally agree to go.

It is hard to look at the bigger picture, it is how we will affect others. We could infect a whole community and cripple the healthcare system in a rural community.  Do we have a right to negatively affect the whole community?  Do we want to be perceived as people who look out for others wellbeing?  Take more time to look at the bigger impact.

I love every one of you and appreciate hearing your voices.

Any ideas of what to tell people on the road that may not have a place to go.

It is good to be controversial (differing opinions).  Those who scout concur that something different has to be different this year.  Travelling KIDS need a spot and should be talked about.

Everything that happens will be small – but there need to be nothing in the name of Rainbow.

We do need something for the travelling kids.  If no scouting people show up, nor kitchens what will it look like.

Hi, I am deaf, I have a small idea about being positive.  By taking turns on the fourth of July we can do it on the computer and do it through technology. Have everyone say HI.

I believe the virus is man-made, I believe in herbal meds…we can show big pharm we are not afraid and herbal medicine does work.

ADULTS PAUSED ___ The kids got to connect --- for a few mins ----HI, Hey!!  We LOVE YOU! 

Really stressed.  Happy to hear voices. Heart wrenching this year. 

Connecting with others, that is what it is all about, no matter where you are.

In favor of that the family decides, if this becomes the new norm, and there are lots of new virus, is this the end of rainbow?

Michigan is leveling off – I like the idea of thinking of what we can do for each other on the fourth – zoom things, conferencing on the fourth.  Weekly events are being set up now.

Weekly solidarity and mutual support check-in with local family.  Working well.  Gift exchange before the 4^th – open on the fourth. 

Something should be done for the Kids who have no place to go.  The problem is that we can’t gather, maybe we can step the effort up to find places for people to go. 

I do not think there is anyone telling people what to do – we historically have made decisions on the land, but we have no healthy ways to do this. 

Tired of people thinking that people do not have the intellectual ability to gather. 

Concerns:  spreading virus across the country on the way to gathering.  What will happen if we spread virus and the communities have to shut down.

Supply chain in Idaho is seriously disrupted.  Idaho Public Health: Business owners reports that sanitation supplies are hard to find in Idaho.  Scouting, and Spring Council will be disrupted – it is unlikely they will have any mass gatherings in July. 

CDC protocols for serving food: PPE, face masks. Only one person allowed in for take out. It will be impossible to do main circle with these public health standards.

The gathering to me is about all age groups- kids, elders and all of us.  This year, we cannot all be there,  there are many reasons. 

We think about the other – the WE.

Going to Idaho could create a vector.  It could destroy our ability to ever gather again.

The legal battle – many of you have never dealt with the legal issues. Huge legal implications for years ahead, and insurmountable fines.

If I have to step back from gathering, I am willing. It is not about ME, it is about the OTHERS.

There are young people dying, we need more data.  We do not know anything about this virus right now.

This is the year to pause and focus – plug in locally.

WE have no plan.  There is no secret anything.  Nobody is trying to force anyone to do (or not do) anything.  People talk on the phone every 48 hours, open to all.

Here we are, this is a real situation.

Is our infrastructure able to handle this?

Risk assessment – we do not have the ability to deal with the virus. 

WE are in this together.  Extreme for pro and no – we are on the same team.

I wonder if we do not have a gathering, what are the other proposals? Counter proposals? I am getting a funny feeling sometime within the next 12 -18 months, and ppl may not be done with quarantine.  I want you to understand something, there is going to be a gathering. Whatever we do – gather on the internet, gather in our own towns.  If there are people thinking that there will not be a gathering, we are not all going to agree.

We need to know that there is going to be a gathering, and how can we stop that entirely.

How many people will show up, and what do we do about that?

Who is going to spring council?  Who is going to wear a mask? Who is going to block?

What happens when people show up to seed camp?  Are you all going to tell us what to do.

I do not know what the answer is, but I do think that 200-300 people show up. I am considering going to spring council, to see what it looks like.

I am uncomfortable with these phone calls.

Shelter-in-place early, SIP extended to July 6 in Oregon.  Driving in CA is limited to five miles.

I understand people do not have a place. 

Our right to gather is precious, but it is not the time to fight for it now. In a few months, we may need to be in the streets fighting for our rights – the pandemic is real and not traveling and staying put is necessary.

Nobody is trying to control anyone here. 

9,000 healthcare workers have died in the US.  What makes you feel we can take care of people in the woods.

Check your sources. 

Not as much to be afraid of, more scary things:  digital money, Trump will coopt, oh, my I could not keep up with all this speaker said – he is scared of other things.

We advise family to follow CDC guidelines.  Additional public statements: stand with solidarity with spring council on the land. We stand in solidarity with those who chose not to go to gathering.

Vaccinations: could be good, but they all had junk in them. I have a latex allergy and because of that, I am exempt from vaccinations.

More people on call tonight.  It has been good to have more people on call.

We are seeing extreme measures taken by our government. Our government does not always care about us.  Gallup is seeing extremes.  Whether it is for safety or not, we should never accept it.

We need to learn from our history, and it is upsetting.  There are lots of people that want to gather, there are lots of people that do not want to.

We have some issue, resentments – we have people scouting right now.

 We can create a one kitchen gathering, I have a big pot, and a grate. Those of us who want to gather, we need to get together, organize --- and have a gathering.

If you do not want to gather. Do not block those that want to.

There are people who are scouting.  We are looking for a scouting rendezvous date –

We are understaffed. We need to increase sanitary process. We need to mitigate the risk.

Make a consensus about scouting rendezvous.  I propose May 8.  Conference call for rendezvous. 

Future gatherings:  We need to plan for future gatherings. We need to understand the health and safety standards needed to overcome COVID – issues: shitters, main circle serving, etc.  I am not putting the effort into it because I can’t do it. I am not obligated to come during this dangerous time. 

I like when people speak from their hearts. I hear good ideas.  I’m in agreement with the folks that are choosing not to gather.  In my region, our discussions are about postponing because of the reality of what we are doing.  I have gathered in all types of regionals, and it is a privilege and an exertion of our rights. Not gathering in the large group is not really a big deal when it makes sense.  I hear the reasons why people want to gather, there are people going to be in Idaho, I hear people talk about gathering but I have not heard logistics. 

I will not be gathering and I do not think people gathering in Idaho should be using the name Rainbow.

Alternative things – visit private property, enhance skills, and use time to skill share and network.  If there are people who need a place to go,  come to the calls, the groups – there are places – people with property and there are places that need help. 

If you have needs, join the calls and find a place to go. 

I want you to be safe.  There are alternatives and you can find what you need. 

Shanti Sena – Interesting and productive.  https://shantisenaskillshare.blogspot.com

Thursday, May 7 – 9 PM (515) 604-9765  access code 146128#

I believe that they are understating the vector situation with COVID.  Interior air space may be a problem.

In the future, this raises the stakes on the Operating Plan. When a gathering happens, it will have to be ready, and it could create a vulnerable position from a First Amendment and public health standpoint.

We will learn from smaller gatherings.

This is the chance to learn something new.

Babylon has one was of doing things, we have always adapted as an alternative society.  We need to figure out how to do this.  I believe we have that ability.  I push the idea for everyone to step up, organize locally. 

We need to learn how to live a little apart from each other.

If we do it in a safe manner, who are we jeopardizing?  Is this real?  Can a society live together, in harmony, in nature? 

People out there are not following social distancing.

Educate the people on how we are going to control the gathering.  At welcome home.

Idaho is a bad mistake, it is the perfect chance for the Feds and state to rough us up, pull out the big stick and give us a black eye. 

We have to have an Operating Plan. 

We still do not have toilet paper.

Idaho Quarantine Requirements – everyone should make their own informed decisions.  Idaho – 14 day Quarantine in Idaho. Any symptoms no entry.  Localities have the right to enact stricter measures.  USFS restrictions. Supply disruptions. Town Meetings we have a history of bad town meetings. Report development.  Heightened response by locals. 

Our water system is at risk. An asymptomic person working the water line.

Would I bet my life on the system being safe? No

We have to face the fact that there are state orders may limit us.

I would not tell anyone how to think, but what I would hope for is that people would make informed decisions.

Can we gather safely?

I think everyone has valid points. Every bit of it is true.  The reality is that people will be gathering.  I do not know what will happen on the annual side, but what will the cops do. They are not going to be happy. 

I wish you much luck to all of you gathering in Idaho.

We do not have a clue what the cops will do.

Hoping and praying, I encourage people to gather local and gather small.

I hope we taught enough to have those people gather safely.

We do not need to cause wounds between people.  Folks have been warned why not to gather, we won’t be gathering. But don’t let it cause wounds between us.

Let us be in solidarity, let folks do what they will do.  Wish them well, and peace.

Our community just opened up today. 

I want to address family that wants to gather.  We know being on the road is hard. We want to help.

Anyone going to Seed Camp, be prepared for cold as hell.  And be prepared to bring your own food and enough water. Idaho last time, there was 1 foot of snow.

I love you all.

We all have the right to peaceable assemble however there are limits.  For instance, Supreme Court – if I shout fire in theater, as a joke, I can be held responsible for injuries.  I do not have the right to assemble when it cause harm to others.  Our actions have consequences.

Presented scenario for travel to gathering and getting contaminated along the way. 

Thinking about leaders, there are no leaders in rainbow, but – I do not think that is accurate. There are people that are looked to for their skills and experience. 

Everyone is a role model at rainbow.  Everyone else is looking at you, and they are deciding how to be and how not to be.  The groups acceptance of behavior makes it acceptable.

I would love to go, but I am not going. I wonder why people would want to go, and why would we think we are more clever or responsible than the like the – Olympics or the Jugallos – like we are different, like we could do better at keeping people safe.  I just don’t get it. 

Could you pick one of your friends to die.  It feels so irresponsible.

This is the 26 th call.

There are 33 people on this call!

Check-ins are the most responsible part of the call.  These calls are cool.

I want look forward to the gathering in 2021.

Largest logistics for mobilization is not happening. 

There are lots of things that are not happening, and are not being put into place.  Essential stuff like places to buy water lines, places to drop ship food, public health departments are not being contacted, County Sheriff is not being contacted, and more – logistics are not happening because the people who do these things are using science, logic and compassion – and stand in solidarity to postpone the gathering.

Scouting – rendezvous – if you haven’t got your boots on the ground, you do not have much to add – it is not usually for those who have not scouted. 

You gotta be a part of it to be a part of it.  (scouting)

Reaching out to local jurisdiction is key to scouting, and that is not happening because small groups cannot gather.

We are human, and Babylon –

High altitude --- it will be cold.

We feel it is too early to decide about anything.

Just because some kitchens aren’t coming, does not mean it is not a rainbow gathering.

To say people are not gathering, and to try to stop them, do not buy into the fear. Lots of people travel not because they are drug addicts nor drunks, they are free.

Focus on all the things that are beautiful and wonderful.

Can we use the same number on other nights.

Commentary on emotions:  Differentiate between fear and conscience ------fear and responsibility. Many people are coming from conscience and responsibility.

I stand in solidarity with family, I will watch and see – what happens is what happens.

I stand in solidarity with my family – whether that is small gatherings or zoom forums.

Concerned for those who do not have somewhere to go.

What can we do? How can we stay deeply in contact with them?

Loving you and hope you all are staying healthy.

Talking about alternatives to gatherings – completely different from gatherings.  Going camping that would take some heavy planning and responsible.  Micro gatherings. 

How can we safely camp with our friends.

This thing we call rainbow is decades old. We took the good and built on it.  We are not trying to tell people what to do. 

It is not ok to go in and hijack someone’s idea (referring to the originals who started Rainbow)– when you have people who come over and over every year with the goal serve the community, and hijack the idea. And maybe fuck it up and leave a mess which may ruin the reputation.

Go have your own good idea. It is like Edison stealing Teslas’ thing.

This is all of ours, and if not all of us can’t go then, fuck it nobody should go.  We need to remain inclusive .  We try to accommodate elders, children and if it is not safe for all then we should not do it.

The solidarity is a good way for people not to argue and call names.  The travelling through states is a concern.  Travelling is the most dangerous element.

We have to learn how to change our habits, and a year from now, we will know better how to deal with it. 

We do not know how to do it right, and we do not want to bring it into Idaho.  I just do not want to bring it to a vulnerable state.

Love you!

Thank You!

Von Swat to Vou! – good evening everybody!

Shout outs to a few brothers and sisters who have served our community

I heard bridge building and people listening to each other.

I am hearing a voice from someone who I have reached out to and encouraged to participate on this call, I am not hear a compromise. I am not hearing anything that is good for the community

I am not hearing any support for the idea of an Idaho gathering. I am only hearing one voice.

This is a free call. 

30 years of rainbow, I have grown up here and I have learned from people – I listen to you—I learn from you – I learned that they are not absolute, you need to think for yourself.

I have seem people try to launch themselves off the shoulders of those who have come

I have heard a lone voice. If you see something that has power and direction, like praying for peace, attempting to launch yourself off of the shoulders who have worked, strained, and sacrificed – it is a failed philosophy  and that person will not last.

I do not think this person will …

Hey family  -- in response, to the word hijacking – hijacking the ideas – that would be horrible to do that.

I am not opposed to people coming to council and blocking the gathering. I am fine with any outcome, my goal is to go through process and go to council. 

How are people going to scout and go to Spring Council when it is necessary to quarantine for 14 days?  How will people do this without breaking the law?

Absolutely insane to insist people go to Spring Council to block a gathering.  Anyone going to Idaho may need to break the law to get there.

Who is hijacking? 

The one outspoken person wants us to believe it is a hoax, they want us to go to put our lives at risk and our family at risk, and they want us to put the local community at risk. 

The issue of fear – I am a chicken little, I was screaming about lockdown. I know about pandemics, as the data shows – it could be a world changing event. It will destroy our healthcare system. We do not have dead in the street. We do not know what is going to happen in a day, or a week.  In Idaho, all developed stuff is closed. However, let us think of that maybe, the Leos will not have the budget. 

Spring council – feet on the ground is what matters.  You can stop operating on a fear based mindset. 

The call is not about making decisions.  The conference call is not about reaching consensus.

The solidarity statement is not about telling others what to do.  The solidarity statement went out because folks needed to know that something may happen, and that there were people that were talking about not going because they did not feel it would be safe.

The juggalos had postponed, and so many other events but without a warning shot (solidarity statement) folks were hearing nothing.

I want to avoid having our name ruined. I apologize for doing what I have done.

I live in Idaho, I will follow consensus.  I am passionate and want to see…

I do not like the personal attacks.

I am not trying to push my agendas.  I apologize for using the word hijack on the internet.

We are a family of difference. We all come together for the prayer.  I love you all.

I appreciate you all.

It is my turn!  Yeah!

I have a huge ego, thanks for feeding my ego.

To gather, or not to gather, that is the question

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die—to sleep,
~~ William Shakespeare

Read the rest of Hamlet's soliloquy here.



While maintaining social distancing protocols. many conversations are taking place regarding Shakespeare age old question and sharing a wide range of opinions. These conversations are happening via phone calls, emails, and social media.  These conversations started at least six weeks ago, maybe longer, things are become a blur for me.

The situation is fast changing and scientists, doctors, and number crunchers are trying to gain the type of broad-based understanding on COVID-19 that they have on the varieties of flu that kill many people each year. Now I may not be a doctor or a scientist, but I am a number cruncher of sorts (or at least I play one at work).

Actually, I manage data and database systems for a paycheck.  What that means is that when I have problems with a database system, I gather evidence, try to find patterns, look for scraps of clues.  I come up with a hypothesis based on my root cause analysis.

By KellyLawless - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

 As you can see from the handy, dandy flow chart, there can be multiple symptoms that lead to potential root causes, but are actually not the root cause. When you think you've found the root cause, then you need to test it out to validate your results. More often than not, you failed at finding the root cause. As you eliminate potential root causes and continue to analyze symptoms, you usually find the cause, at least in the world of computers.

But there are situations that I call Blue Sock Tuesday.  This means the bug in your system  only occurs on a Tuesday if the person experiencing the problem is wearing a blue sock.  Wearing a blue sock on Friday, won't make the issue happen. Wearing red, green, or white socks on a Tuesday won't make the issue happen.

Humans and COVID-19 are much more complex organisms than my database servers and databases. It takes time to do the analysis, correlate findings with other doctors and scientists and even come up with a possible course of action. This is an insidious disease that is causing strokes in young people, pneumonia in older people, and a host other issues that I'm sure you can read about at many news sources and hear first hand from your friends who work in hospitals.

With autonomy comes responsibility and maybe now is the time to start thinking about your responsibility to the gathering, the people who come home for the first-time or for the 20th time, and for the local communities.


Maybe now is the time to come up with a backup plan in case it's not sane to hold a gathering in July.  A camp out with your immediate family, a gathering in a local park for the morning of July 4th, a day of service to those less fortunate?  We are a creative people and can make our special day in a variety of fashions.

As Shakespeare wrote in the early 1600s, these questions are part of the human condition and there are no easy answers. But the time has come for contemplation and deep heartfelt thinking of what the best steps are to move forward. I wish us all luck as we work through these challenging issues.

  . 

Music as Magical Peacekeeping Tool

The Earth Is Our Mother

For family who are more musically included, we have a long tradition of chants and songs not for performance, but for participation. Many of these songs are call and response or chant type songs. We use these songs to create community, help people be more peaceful and create the energy we wish to see in this world.

If you do not already know some of the rainbow songs, there are on-line websites that have the information.  If you play an instrument or even if you do not, try to learn these songs.  Then when you are at a gathering, I'm sure you will find a moment that is calling out for family singing and you will be prepared.

Thanks to family who have taken the time to make this information freely available.
 
Bliss Fire Website
Welcome Home Website

Singing is one of the best tactics to improve the vibration of the gathering. I've even seen people sing to break up hostile situations, calm the anxious, and create community among random strangers. Be the magic!

A Story from the Wyoming Gathering 2008

At the Wyoming gathering in 2009, we had a number interactions with the local sheriff and his ex-wife as they searched for their missing young-adult son, Garrett.

The sheriff believed he might be at the gathering because his truck was found a few miles past the turn off to gathering parking with a bullet hole in it.

At some point, his mother started coming to the gathering. She and I would hike around the gathering together, I would introduce her to people and take her to different camps where she would show photos of Garrett to people.   Every day at least a half a dozen people would say they had seen him, at breakfast this morning, at the drum circle last night, or at various kitchens.  This gave Garrett's mother so much hope that Garrett was just trying to hide out from his parents and his friends.

When people said they had seen him, she would ask them to encourage him to call his family or friends and let someone know that he was OK. 

If memory serves me right, we did this for three days before the search was called off.   The Sheriff had organized a search of the woods from where the truck was found going away from the gathering. Unfortunately, they found Garrett, who had died of suicide.  Based on the corners time of death, Garrett had been dead for some time and certainly for days before all the "sightings" occurred.

Mistaken identities happen, but I was heartbroken for a mother who was praying that her son had just run off to join the Rainbow Gathering, but unfortunately, that was not the case. I wish we could have run into him earlier. Maybe the outcome would have been different.

Kitchens of Rainbow Blog

One of my friends has a great blog called Kitchens of Rainbow.

Screen shot of Kitchens of Rainbow Blog

Here's an excerpt from a great post on The Belly Buttons of Rainbow.

The purpose of the Kitchens of Rainbow was originally to help very disparate sections of Rainbow get to know a little more about each other, to give voice to the heartsongs of folks rarely asked. Even at Rainbow it can be easy to gravitate only towards the people you vibe with and see those who aren’t like you as “other.” It’s also remarkably easy to assume by looking at someone that we know something about their values, their beliefs, and what’s important to them. And while this may be especially true of the divide between “shanti rainbows” and “dirty kids,” it happens with other demographics as well.

Shanti Sena Basics

Some would say the phrase “Shanti Sena” means “peace army” from Sanskrit and has its roots in Gandhi’s concept of non-violent volunteer based peace keepers. While in gathering lore, some would translate the phrase as peace scene.  No matter the logical translation you wish to put on it, I translate it as being part of a family and looking out for my family in peaceful ways.

In the years of the strife between gatherers and the United States Forest Service Law Enforcement Officers (USFS LEOs), the phrase came to spell trouble for the LEOs and by 2008/2009 many gatherers actually thought the cops were the Shanti Sena (so not true). Because of the many misconceptions floating around, I thought I would take the time to rap about my perspective on keeping the peace at a gathering.

As many of my friends point out, “Shanti Sena” is a verb not a noun. In other words, no one “is” Shanti Sena, but many people “do” Shanti Sena. Most functions at the gathering are verb rather than noun based.

In a culture where individual liberty and communal needs often clash, countless opportunities arise to “do” Shanti Sena and keep the peace.

Before we worry about keeping the peace, we need to define “peace.”  For different people, “peace” takes on different connotations. For some, acting peacefully precludes any acts of physical violence, but yelling is considered peaceful. For others, cussing is not peaceful. For every one hundred gatherers, there are probably ninety different perspectives on what “peace” means. When we gather, I believe that 99.999% of gatherers have every intention of creating peace. We’ll get back to the 0.001% later.  So how then do we create and increase the peace at the gathering and take those skills into the world at large?

In my perspective, the single most important aspect to “doing” Shanti Sena is to be observant. Sure there are big movies that happen and lots of gray haired folks get involved with radios, but most of the time when a big movie happens, the root cause was a failure of each and every one of us to pay attention to the hurt, suffering, pain and/or stress building up around us.  (As an aside, not everyone with a radio has a clue.)

Reality check!  Going to a gathering, especially for the first time, can be very stressful. It’s a crash course in a brand new culture. Access to food and filtered drinking water can be hard to find. Being unprepared for the conditions can leave people cold and wet or sitting up by a fire all night to stay warm instead of sleeping. Many people who take medications for chronic conditions often seem to space out on taking their meds, leaving their health further compromised. Dehydration, low blood sugar, and lack of sleep are just a few of the stressors gatherers experience -- add to that doing activities or substances that are new to you. When one small thing goes wrong, people who are stressed out can explode.

Being observant means noticing that some belly is having a hard time or a bad day. Allowing each of us to be our own unique self means not telling other people what to do. Telling people to eat or drink can backfire. So what’s a kind loving sibling to do?

Pay attention to the people around you. Notice if they seem to be struggling, are confused or look disoriented. Offer to share your water or an energy bar you might have on you (always good to bring lots of these). Introduce yourself and make a friend. Usually people are more willing to share their troubles with a friend, than someone just trying to fix a problem. Share a song or a joke if the vibe feels right. Sometimes people are in their own head space and don’t want to interact. That’s OK.  You can still stay near them (but not too near) just in case they need help. If it’s two am, please don’t walk away from someone. If someone wants to wander the woods all night, grab a couple of friends and trail after them just in case they need your assistance.

If someone doesn’t have a safe place to sleep, try to hook them up with a camp that can help. If they have small children, Kid Village is a great place. But there are lots of other kind loving camps at the gathering that have the space to squeeze another body into a crowded tent or provide emotional support. If you yourself are new to the gathering (blessings to you for helping others), you can stop by INFO and ask for some advise.

If you find a lost kid, you and a couple of friends should escort the child to Kid Village. Make sure to take the child up to the kitchen and announce very loudly that you have a lost child. DO NOT JUST DROP THE CHILD OFF AT KID VILLAGE. 

If someone is having a health crisis and is willing, take her/him to CALM. Most of the larger kitchens/camps like Fat Kids, Montana Mud, Loven Ovens, and Kid Village (to name just a few) have medical people as well. If the person isn’t willing to move, find someone with a radio and medical people will come to your location. If that doesn’t work, send a runner to INFO or CALM with as much information as you have about the situation. By taking care of people’s critical needs before people reach the point of explosion, we create the peace we want to see in the world.

Other times we have conflicts that arise from differing lifestyles. For example in 2002, the gathering site was small and we ended up with Tea Time and Yoga Space next to each other. Talk about a mismatch in energies. Tea Time likes to stay up all night, serve tea and make raucous noise at 3 AM. The Yoga folks are more into silent mediation and mellow energy. Two distinct energies colliding is a classic gathering issue. If we want each camp to be free to express their own vision of peace and love, what to do?  When space permits, it’s always best to camp in an area that meets your vision of what comprises peace and love. So don’t be expecting to sleep in silence until noon every day if you’re camped in Kid Village as kids wake up early.  But ….

As to the 0.001%, when the situation gets a bit crazy, yell “Shanti Sena” and other people will come and assist. With a circle of people, we can try to get a council going where the parties’ involved and random calm and centered gatherers can sit down and listen to each other.  Keep in mind that sometimes people’s emotions are volatile and getting a council going is difficult at best. Then what?

SITTING down on the sidelines and oming tends to help ground energies. If nothing else, it makes misbehaving people feel a bit silly and often times that breaks up the situation. This doesn’t mean the root cause of the problem is solved, but at least it buys some time and space to work on the issues. I’ve experienced a beautiful voice singing an appropriate song calm everyone down as well. Peaceful, mellow music helps everyone feel better.

Sometimes problems don’t seem resolved at the time. That’s OK. Rainbow magic takes time to work. I’ve sat in circles with people who were full of anger. At some point the primary people stomped out of the circle and didn’t return.  Then a day or two or three later, I ran into those same people again, very happy and peaceful. Rainbow magic doesn’t always have a logical cause and effect.  Sometimes, just hanging out with someone for six hours prevents someone from getting lost in the woods (yes it really happens and if it’s cold out can be a cause of death), drowning in a lake (yes this has happened multiple times at gatherings) or wandering up to the road and getting arrested (you know this happens). Plus you’ve just made a new friend. The more we get to know each other, the more we create community. The more we actively work on creating community, the more we increase the peace.

If you are not able to help when the universe calls you, please, please, please, make sure someone else helps. Ask others for assistance, guide the person to one of the larger kitchens, go to INFO or CALM and let them know what’s going on. Be the change you want to see in the world.

Many years, we have Shanti Sena councils or workshops at the gathering where people who have “practiced” more Shanti Sena share the lessons they’ve learned with those who have “practice” less or no Shanti Sena. As with everything gathering related, we are all of us teachers and all of us students. In the spirit of sharing other ideas on what Shanti Sena is and does, here are some other voices on the subject.


From Welcome Home with links to multiple Shanti Sena Raps by well respected family (must read).
From Niman - a scholarly look

Rap 121
My Rap from 2008

Ask not what the gathering can do for you; ask what you can do for the gathering.

We are our brothers and sisters keepers.

Peace and the Planet (Part 5 of 5 of "Creating Peace")

In order to live in a peaceful world, we need to treat our planet, Gaia, with the respect, love, and attention to her sustenance with which we treat our children. Climate change is the result of mistreating our amazing planet. Climate change is about changing weather patterns that make it hard for people to find drinking water for their children, that create flooding of homes and agriculture land, and that wither our crops under relentless sun.

When people are hungry or thirsty, violence can easily erupt over food and water. Not just in Dafur but everywhere including the gathering.  How then do we show with our actions that we are actively working to protect Gaia from climatic changes that threaten world (and local) peace?

Reduce the number of campfires. Burning carbon increases global warming. Plus if you see the cloud of wood smoke in main meadow at a gathering, you'll realize that reducing the number of campfires will improve the health of every gathering participant. Click here to learn more about the negative impacts of campfires on human and planetary health.

Reduce/reuse/recycle - adopt a zero waste lifestyle. Only buy products that you will consume or that will last you for a long time. For example, buy rice in bulk with reusable containers instead of throw away plastic packaging. Buy reusable forks and knives for a gathering not single use plastics. Packaging and throw away junk contributes to climate change. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that by cutting the amount of waste we generate back to 1990 levels, we could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 11.6 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE), the basic unit of measure for greenhouse gases. To learn more about how what you buy creates climate change, click here.

Plus the less stuff you bring to a gathering, the less stuff YOU need to haul out when you leave. You would be amazed at the amount of camping gear that gets left behind at a gathering.  Re-use that tent or find a loving home for it if you do not want it anymore. Don't leave it behind for the cleanup crew.  YOU are the clean up crew. The less we buy and bring to the gathering, the less clean up we have to do. Buy food in bulk, bring gear to keep you warm and dry and forgot about the rest. Recycling of aluminum cans takes energy which contributes to climate change.  Use reusable stainless steel containers for your beverages and stop giving your money to the multi-national conglomerates like Pepsi and Coca Cola who don't care about the seventh generation and are wrecking your health and the health of the planet.

Put your money where your mouth is. Walk your talk.  We can change this world by spending our money in ways that create the change we want to see in this world. Shop at your local co-ops. Buy locally grown produce. We can make a difference, one person, one family, one clan at a time. Let us follow the wisdom of our Lakota siblings and heal this beautiful planet that gives us so much.

We are the people we have been waiting for to create a future for the next generation. How are you going to step up and create the change for which Gaia is praying?

Together we can change our future

Read the rest of the series here.

Mini Manual and Where Do I Poop

The Mini Manual has been around for decades and has seen some updates from time to time, but it contains all the basic info. This is a great document to make copies of to bring to the gathering. Everyone needs this information and accessing the Internet at a gathering is a tough thing to do.

Find the Mini Manual 2014 edition online.

There have been a few versions of booklets that help gathering participants understand the logistics of the gathering.

Where Do I Poop? is the latest?   Find the full PDF online, print out copies, and distribute when you get to the gathering.

On Failure

I post a lot about Shanti Sena, taking care of each other, and how to create a positive and safe gathering for everyone.

As most people know, I walk my talk, but does that mean there are always happy endings?

NOPE!

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

Sometimes I fail at resolving conflicts, dealing with issues, or helping people.  Sometimes it's on me. I'm just not the right person with the proper skills that are needed for a given situation. Sometimes, the people involved rub me the wrong way and I can't give me best. Sometimes, I've tried and tried, but no matter what I do, everyone is mad at my efforts.

Sometimes I make mistakes and mess things up. 

That's OK.  I am a human being with my own challenges and issues. And I'm part of a wonderful family with lots of different bellies who maybe can succeed where I have failed. Or together we can succeed where none of us individually could. In the end it doesn't really matter who addresses the issue, just that we as a family get it done in a peaceful loving manner.

One of the golden rules about dealing with Shanti Sena issues is to take a step back if you are unprepared, not in a proper frame of mind, or feel yourself unable of being calm, kind, and loving.