Sustenance and Safety (Part 3 of 5 of "Creating Peace")

One of the foundations of creating peace is making sure people are prepared, in the right mindset, and able to do the hard work that creating peace entails. Sustenance and Safety are the building blocks of peace.


Sustenance takes care of our bodily needs. We can't think well when our blood sugar is crashing or when we are dehydrated. Adequate food and water is a must for all in order to be able to even discuss peace (stay tuned for part 4 of Creating Peace).

One of the most important actions a person can take at a gathering is making sure everyone is eating and drinking plenty of water. This year we will be in the Idaho and that generally means dryer gatherings.  One gallon a day of water that has been boiled for 20 minutes or filtered with a 0.2 micron or smaller filter is a must.

When people haven't eaten or are dehydrated they act out. When they are in these conditions for too long, they get sick.  When you combine these issues with over-indulgences, we have a recipe for problems that can impact the entire gathering.

Prevent the problems by making sure you and the people in your vicinity are eating and staying hydrated. Be on the look out for people who look like they aren't getting food and/or water and help them before they start breaking the peace. 

Now for the tough topic: safety.

Safety is a bit harder to come by because what constitutes a feeling of safety is a very subjective and emotional feeling.  To explain what I mean, we'll talk about the estuary by my house.  The salt marsh and estuary have been channelized to prevent flooding and on either bank is a trail. The east side is a paved path that hooks up with bike paths to the north and south. The west side is a dirt road with trees providing shade on a warm day as shown in the image.

The Estuary

People in my neighborhood have very different perspectives on the estuary. Some people view it as a haven for criminals and are afraid to go down there especially after dark. Other people loving taking their kids down to watch the Great Blue Herons and Osprey trying to rustle up a meal.

Now you would think there is some logic as to who feels safe at our estuary and who is scared, but so far I haven't observed any patterns.  I see people with small kids down there watching the sunset and in the early morning many seniors walk their dogs. Then I meet other people in their thirties and forties who are scared to go down without a large group of people because once upon a time someone had a bike stolen (maybe 10 or 15 years ago).

In addition to the herons and hawks at the estuary, one finds the differentially housed: people who live in tents or throw down a sleeping bag under a bush for the night.  Some people are scared of people with different lifestyles then their own, others exchange pleasantries with everyone. Some people who live in non-portable houses are scared of the differentially housed. Others make friends.

Every time I speak at a community meeting, some people go off the deep end on how dangerous the estuary is and others talk about how it's an asset to the community.  I know that I can't change people's opinions about which is which. Plus trying to address how people feel is tough. Your feelings are neither right nor wrong, they just are.

Low crime rates do not make people feel safe. Community makes us feel safe.

So having said all this, how do we help everyone feel safe at the gathering?

One way we can do this is to treat others the way they would like to be treated -- not the way you would like to be treated.  Try finding gentler voices. Look out for each other in peaceful ways and make sure the people in your vicinity seem comfortable. We all have different levels of tolerance, sensitivity, and fear. Honor that.

If someone looks uncomfortable, they probably are. Introduce yourself. Smile at someone you do not know.  We all feel more comfortable when we are around friends. Share your gathering wisdom. Pay more attention to body language. Learn to pick up vibes from the people around you. If you sense that someone is afraid of a situation, help them to feel comfortable by either staying with them, removing yourselves from the situation, or talking to the other person about their fears in a supportive way.  Just because the situation is comfortable for you, doesn't mean it's comfortable for everyone.

Honor our differences and our need to be treated accordingly. Help each other on this journey.

Please pay special attention to law enforcement officers. A scared cop is a dangerous cop (remember Wyoming 2008?). Turn down the volume on negative energy by oming instead of cussing when you do not like a situation.

Think about how you would like others to act around your three year-old child and your ninety year-old grandmother and act accordingly.

Outreach to Members of the Nimiipuu/Nez Perce Tribe

Outreach to Members of the Nimiipuu/Nez Perce Tribe

Regarding the 2020 Idaho Rainbow Gathering

WHO: Two male tribal members of the grassroots group “Nimiipuu: Protecting the Environment (NPTE)”

Rainbows present: Miriam, Feather, Crystal, Apollo (Crystal’s 12 yr old son), Scott, I-Joe and Don Joseph

WHERE: One World Cafe, Moscow, Idaho (The NPTE office is in Moscow.)

WHEN: Tuesday, 28 Jan. 2020 @ 5:30pm

WHO: “Nez Perce Circle of Elders”-present: eight female elders and one male elder; One member of Nimiipuu PTE, who was present at the previous meeting, and the director of the Nez Perce Cultural Resources Program (CRP) arrived during our presentation.

Rainbows present: Miriam, I-Joe and Don Joseph

WHERE: Tribal Language Building, Lapwai, Idaho

WHEN: 7 Feb. 2020 at the monthly, First-Friday 9:30am-2:00pm meeting (2020 Idaho Rainbow Gathering was on their agenda at 11 am)

Concensus # 5 of the 2019 Harvest Council held in Oct. near Bosie, Id. was read at each meeting. That consensus reads “We encourage individuals and future councils related to upcoming gatherings to continue to develop and maintain positive relations and open communications with indigenous peoples in the areas we may gather.”

Some subjects covered at both meetings included:

-who are Rainbow gatherers and their numbers at past gatherings

-the objectives of the Gathering, centering on the July 4^th /Interdependence Day Silent Prayer for World Peace

-our council and site selection processes

-the physical needs and the layout of a gathering village

-Shanti-Sena/Peace Keeper objectives

-mitigation of impacts: including plant, animal, water, soil, archeology, and local communities

-cleanup and site restoration processes  

-past interactions with the Nez Perce Tribe in 1982 and 2017

Pictures taken in 2015 and 2018 from the same vantage points of specific views within the Black Hills gathering location showing a place before and after restoration were shared at each meeting. Reports and other photos from past gatherings were also shared. Questions were answered and some comments were addressed.

A request was made by the Rainbows to each group for future input concerning use of potential sites within the traditional/ceded territory of the Nimiipuu people.

Some questions, comments and concerns expressed at the first meeting by NPTE members where:

“What happens there?”

-impact to salmon during their spawning season in the Snake River Basin- one member said “no where near our rivers” but gathering on a creek depends upon its use by salmon.

-Cultural appropriation- a suggestion was made for “cultural sensitivity classes [workshops]”

-impacts to indigenous First Foods (traditional plant and animal foods and medicines), example- “trampling or picking blue camas flowers”

-no formal organization is a strength, but also your biggest weakness, as in   control of negative behavior

Nimiipuu PTE members said they would provide input on sites within their traditional territory when specific, potential sites were made available to them. They said they may be able to visit sites during the scouting process or before Spring Council. We informed them that the date and place of Scout Rendezvous would be announced on 1 May and Spring Council would begin on 13 June. Viable, potential sites should be available about a week before Spring Council.

Some questions, comments and concerns expressed at the second meeting by the Circle of Elders were:

-“meeting peacefully is good, but what is your mission?”

          -“if near a sacred area… clean up your mess”    

-“with no leaders, you are better organized than I first thought”

-“have to know who to contact and who to blame [said with laughter]”

- where do gatherers use the “bathroom”? and “I heard of some nudity”

-“glad you’re documented” (after photos were shown)

-the program director of CRP said “no way to go around the cultural resource personnel and the tribal executive committee”

The Circle of Elders said they would provide input on sites within their traditional territory when specific, potential sites were made available to them. The chairwoman selected the male elder present at the meeting to be their contact with scouts and Rainbow gatherers. The dates of the Scout Rendezvous announcement and the Spring Council were provided.

A gift of South Dakota sage was presented to each group. Muffins were brought to the Circle of Elders to enjoy with their coffee. The elders said that we were welcome to attend a future meeting to further discuss Rainbow-related issues. We told the CPR director that we would ask for a meeting with his program personnel. Our personal contact info was shared with both groups.

Love (Part 2 of 5 of "Creating Peace")

The rainbow family is full of love. We shout "we love you" to the sky, to other gathers, to the earth upon which we gently walk.  I have many friends whose children were conceived at the gathering.  We shower love as best we can on people who are unhappy about our presence in their neighborhood. We love all our siblings (brothers, sisters and transgenders), even the ones we do not like all that much.  We love the person who didn't pick up their dog shit, but we want to talk to them about it as well.

We even have a somewhat sarcastic phrase "loven you" to indicate our concern without being too mushy. With all these types of love floating around, how does love contribute to creating peace? Does the manner in which we love matter or does it matter more how we express our love?

In English we are limited as we have one word for love. The ancient Greeks had four separate words for love:

• storge - kinship or familiarity
• philia - friendship
• eros - romantic and or sexual feelings
• agape - self-emptying or divine love

Spanish has many words for love:

• encantar - indicating strong like
• gustar mucho - indicating strong like
• querer - to love romantically, to want
• afición - enthusiasm
• amado - sweetheart 
• amor - pure love, romantic love
• caridad - charity

Love is also an emotion. A very strong and powerful emotion.  How many of you have made decisions based on amar, agape, caridad, eros, and storage? I'm guessing everyone.

For the romantics among us, love is what creates beautiful art, amazing music, and sleepless nights.

For the biologists among us, love is a biological function like hunger or thirst that creates attachments between people, thereby insuring their survival in a dangerous and hostile world.

For the psychologists among us, love is not only a feeling, but a series of actions. 

Unconditional love is a common theme of most of the major belief systems and is one of the often unspoken foundations of participating in the phenomenon commonly called the Rainbow Gathering.

So what does all this have to do with creating a culture of peace?

Well besides being a slogan from the 1960s, using love as a way to create connections strengthens our interpersonal relationships. If we love someone with whom we disagree, we are highly motivated to find a solution that meets the needs of everyone.  If we have no personal attachment to other living beings, then we can more easily ignore their perspective and we often do not care about their  happiness.

Yet loving each of our siblings all the time is challenging. Some of our siblings act out, behave poorly, don't clean up after themselves, steal, fight, or are just downright mean. What then?

Then we muster our agape and our caridad and try to make that connection. We try to befriend our siblings. By finding a connection, we are creating a relationship. It may be storage it may be afición, but if we can love another person in the worst situation, then maybe we can use that relationship to work towards peace.


But to be clear, loving someone does not mean you accept all their actions.


True love is being able to love your siblings while calling them on their bullshit (in a loving manner). 

True love is being able to communicate in a loving way why specific actions are hurting you, the planet, or other living creatures.

True love is a meditative practice we undertake as we deal with the frustrations, interruptions, disappointments and annoyances that fill our lives.

 Let your mantra for this year's gathering be I love all my siblings and this beautiful planet we call home.

Love is the path towards peace.

On Individuality and Community

The gathering functions as a temporary community where we practice creating the world the way we want it to exist. Not only are we creating a temporary community, but we are also creating hundreds of communities within a community.


The gathering itself is a temporary community with not exactly rules, but guidelines on how to gather and create the peace we want to see on this planet. In gathering speak--these guidelines are called the “Raps.” I strongly recommend you read the raps, which you can find here  as well as the Mini Manual of Gathering Consciousness. Or read Paul's a rainbow guide.

At the gathering, we have hundreds of individual camps (some small, some large) that might have their own special community standards. For example, Serenity Ridge is a camp for people in recovery so they request no smoking of any kind and no-mind altering substances of any kind (including caffeine). Tea Time is up and noisy all night long, while Kid Village tries to maintain quiet during the night, but come sunrise the kids are up and rambunctious. Some camps create drum free zones while other camps celebrate drumming and drum culture (sometimes 24/7). If you like quiet at 2 AM, camping at Dundun Village will lead to unhappiness and potential conflicts. Depending on the gathering, our sites can encompass one to two square miles so there’s plenty of room to spread out.

When we come to the gathering, each of us comes as an individual with our own personality, life style, hopes, and dreams. The beauty of the gathering is that you are free to be who you truly are and express your beautiful unique being in costume, face paint, sleeping habitats, musical tastes, etc. We have individuals that come home and promote teeth brushing, veganism, free hugs, and naked peace signs --to name just a few of my beloved characters. The variations on this theme are endless and the amazing diversity of opinions and unique expressions of these opinions is what makes the gathering amazing, wonderfully insane, and creatively vibrant.

We are an opinionated family with many strong willed personalities. We welcome every peaceful person with a belly button to come home (and offer exemptions to those who are missing belly buttons due to freak accidents). We welcome republicans, occupiers, democrats, libertarians, greens, hippies, punks, beats, tea partiers, christians, jews, muslims, hindus, burners, pagans, voodoo priestesses, rednecks, cowgirls/boys, peace workers, middle-of-the-roaders, poor/rich/middle class, doctors, lawyer and indian chiefs. We even welcome wanna be-ers.

As you can imagine, a delicate balance exists between all these diverse individuals and creating temporary community. As a long time gatherer (or one of the earlies) once told me, we work on the basis of “peaceful respect.” Peaceful respect means that we offer respect to every belly at our gathering including cops, lawyers and dirty kids. We don’t always have to agree with each other, but when we disagree, using respectful modes of communication helps us work towards peace.

~ ~ Peace is the path on which we are traveling ~ ~

Some people at the gathering focus almost exclusively on their individual rights to do whatever the FX^& they want. Other people focus strictly on community. In my mind, the beauty of the gathering is the heartfelt attempt to find a modern way to live in community while still celebrating our individuality. Hundreds of years ago (and in some place on this planet today), the community mores ruled with an iron fist and if you didn’t fit it, you were kicked out, persecuted or worse.

In my lifetime, I have witnessed the pendulum swing to the side of individuality over community (at least in the USA). The gathering can be seen as an attempt to find a balance between the two all the while holding them both in tension with each other.


IMHO, the gathering works bests when we respect both the needs of the community and the needs of the individuals who make up this community (including every person and creature in the area in which we gather). Gathering works best when we talk softly, sit in a circle, and speak from our hearts. Gathering works best when we all realize that creating community means something different to each individual. Gathering works best when we let our individual trip support the community and the community supports our individual trip. Gathering works best when we approach it with an open heart and each of us try to be the most peaceful, loving, helpful individuals we are capable. Gathering is a journey of the soul and a practice of the heart. I invite the world to join this journey.

Respect (Part 1 of 5 of "Creating Peace")

The gathering of the tribes is dedicated to creating peace on earth and the positive evolution of the planet. Sometimes peace seems so hard to attain, it can be helpful to focus on strategies that create opportunities for peace.  Today's concept is "Respect."

From the beginning, the gathering included concepts of respect. The invite to the first gathering in 1972 started off:

We, who are brothers & sisters, children of God, families of life on earth, friends of nature & of all people, children of humankind calling ourselves Rainbow Family Tribe, humbly invite:
All races, peoples, tribes, communes, men, women, children, individuals -- out of love.
All nations & national leaders -- out of respect
All religions & religious leaders -- out of faith

 If I were authoring the invite today, I would modify it to:
All races, peoples, tribes, communes, men, women, children, individuals -- out of respect and love.

So how then does respect contribute to creating peace?

Peace needs nurturing and dialog to plant its roots and grow.  Peace needs food and water.  If we do not respect the needs of peace and honor those needs, we are doomed to failure.  So how then do we go about creating respect at our gatherings?

When we gather, we are a community with a diversity of backgrounds, religious beliefs, political affiliations, interests, hopes and dreams. Honor that diversity in each of us -- our differences are what make us capable and interesting. Our connections are what make us strong.


The following ideas are commonly shared ideas, I didn't invent them, but I find it helpful to be reminded of them.


Respect is one of the core values in our attempts to create an egalitarian culture. By approaching my family with respect I am laying the roots for a relationship. By treating people the way they wish to be treated, I can connect with others. If I offer respect to another person, that person is more likely to offer respect to me and to others. People who are treated with respect, learn how to treat others with respect.

We are all part of this big, wonderful planet called earth and hence we are all connected. Rather than trying to severe these connections, let's strengthen them. In 1994 at the Wyoming annual gathering, a forest fire occurred at the edge of the gathering up on a ridge. We formed a human bucket line from the creek at the bottom of the meadow to the ridge. None of us could have individually carried enough water up that hill quickly enough to put out that fire. But standing shoulder to shoulder and passing buckets hand to hand, we connected water and fire and extinguished the flames.


Separate issues from people in a respectful manner. When someone is engaging in non-respectful behavior, respect the person enough to explain why the behavior is creating an issue that needs to be addressed.  And always focus on the behavior that is the issue.

Acknowledge the emotions behind the inappropriate behavior and ask the person if they could refrain from the behavior and share their feelings with us instead. We all do this with our children when we refrain from saying "you're bad" and instead say "you made a poor choice"  or "please use your words to tell your brother why you are upset instead of hitting him."  Why can't we use this same method with adults?  Especially those of us who are children in the bodies of adults.

As the early gatherers (or earlies as they are more commonly known) wrote a long time ago "we are all of us children" as we are just now learning how to live with each other.  Be patient. Some of us learn more quickly and some of us learn less quickly. We all started from different places so we all have different journeys ahead of us. Let's be fellow travelers on this uncharted sea.

Everyone has an opinion and their opinion is no better nor worse than my opinion or your opinion. When we create space for people to freely share their thoughts without fear or judgement, we are creating a space where we respect each other.

Listen. We show our respect to others by listening to what they have to say. We not only listen with our ears, but our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our hands.  When people feel heard, they feel respected. When they feel respected, they are more likely to respect others.

Respect is an important starting point for creating peace.

Teaching Our Strengths

In my humble opinion, the gathering is good at many things, but what we are best at is creating communities made up of diverse people.  One of my fondest memories is of the Utah gathering in 2003. Just across the dirt road from INFO and CALM was a small meadow that held three small camps sharing one bliss pit:  Krishna Camp, Jesus Camp, and a punk/anarchist camp.

Evenings when I stopped by the bliss pit, people were discussing and sharing ideas, perspectives, and yes sometimes arguing a bit.  Communication and community were being created. When we gather in rural towns, many gatherers connect with many of the locals in sometimes strange but usually positive ways. Many locals plug into the gathering and give deeply despite disagreeing with some of our behaviors.

On the surface, I feel this is what our entire country needs to do. Have those conversations around a bliss pit or coffee table, online, or via the phone. Talk about what we can agree on. Encourage those who do not want a dictator-in-chief to unite and stand up for quality education for our children, health care for those in need, social justice for all, aggressively address climate change, care for our seniors and special needs family, love and protect our water, air, trees, small creatures, owls, bears, wolves, moose, bees, etc. etc.  We can do this if we realize that "we" are the change that is needed.

Take the time to listen to people, especially people who perhaps are socially more conservative than you are and see where you might make a personal connection.

Some people want a return to a more faith based world, but many of us have beliefs that are less than traditional and equally important but are coming from a faith in something, be it Gaia, Buddha, Krishna, or Ifa. So let's share our beliefs.

Many of us are full of love for the world.  Let us take this blissed out, hippy love into the small towns and cities, and infect everyone.  Let's build relationships with those we do not know and find areas of commonality. Let's hug and love everyone. We do it at the gathering and it works magic. Let's take this to every street in the USA and show the world how we create peace through love, compassion, and amazing food.

Blast from the Past (a video)

Thanksgiving Council (TC) Notes

Hello all, these are notes that were shared with me about what took place at thanksgiving council (TC).


***************Begin forwarded notes******************************

Giving  Thanks  Council  was  Swell



Rainbow Family Gathering began and CONTINUES through the efforts of individuals.  This continues to evolve primarily thru the use of councils.

Although, care should be taken to avoid changes that adversely affect our family.  It would be a shame to in adversely drive a successful and long standing Family Assembly into extinction.

The 2019 Thanksgiving discussed, at length, the changes that have taken place in the past as well as changes that continue at this time.

These councils have worked in the past and should be able to continue to serve the family in the future.  Changes come thru Tribal Council held in Main Circle.
Main (aka Tribal) Council meets daily in Main Meadow; use to be after Work Council, otherwise at NOON daily.


We direct the following to Tribal Council/counsel

“BANKING” IS realy THE MAgIC HAT!

Its Magic Hat crews’, (“banking council”) responsibility and mission to collect $ money in order for the Gathering people, to have enough $$ for operating costs.
Instead of collecting Resources for the People participating (Actively Assembling) they have become    the “Dominant Society bankers”; Cutting off CALM Funds because they did NOT Feed Main Circle! wtf?

We, tgc, would like to point out That It Is Not for ‘bank’ to DECIDE where or how HAT $ is Spent or not spent!

TGC / Giving Thanks Council: Requests Tribal Counsel to address the issue of changing the date of TGC and changes in general, of anything that effects the whole, the reputation, our ability to retain the peacefulness, health, safety, spirituality, and the safty&joy of the Children.

Are We and the Gathering becoming, simply, a mirror image of the dominant society?

Sent inn
In order to change Processes Beneficially you have to understand and be familiar with the intricacies   of that which you desire to change.

The issue could very well be; are the changes to be made a fixer upper or a Re-Invention of this Particular Wheel?

There are plenty of places that could use fixes, that is change but, we need to keep in mind, changes should be ImprovementS.

We have wagons in need of fixes or changes as their wheels are broken. But, if the idea or intent is to Re-Create the wheel?  Well, those Fixers need to go and create their wheel elsewhere!


Thanksgiving Council 2019 in consideration of 2020 Rainbow Family Gathering.

We have a legal notice we wish to post to the public but, decided to send it to an attorney.

It will be posted when it is returned.

In the alternative:  We’ve asked an attorney to draft a notice of rights.

It will  be  posted as soon  as can  be.

The use of the term “Rainbow Family Gathering” should not, in this instant, be construed to mean anything other than; Folks coming together in the style of a “Rainbow Gathering”.-_-=?       

Do you know that mimicry is the highest form of flattery?

"We are an assembly of equal individuals-No body of individuals should have to form or structure themselves in a prescribed or dictated manner in order to exercise, collectively, rights held individually, be they god given natural rights or rights reserved in, and memorialized by the Constitution of the United States-"

No one can speak for or sign for an assembly of equal individuals
Everybody can speak for one, though!

Stephen

On Decision Making (Guest Post)

Today's guest post comes from Garrick Beck on how important decisions are made.

************Being Guest Post***************************

I have been following at a distance the many discussions about Thanksgiving Council and Harvest Council, listening to the numerous points of view.

To my thinking, there are lots of sound reasons to shift to an earlier date, and also to shift what that Council calls itself: more temperate weather; more potential regional scouting opportunities; conflicts with people’s traditional Thanksgiving family dinners and get togethers; and conflicts with the peculiarities of the name and its association with displacement and devastation of Indigenous Peoples.

All of those reasons make good sense for change.

At the same time, our Council is rooted in traditions that carry forward the decisions of the past into the future.

We don’t have any officials. We don’t have any written laws. We don’t have any hierarchy of power. What do we have? Who are we? We have processes that we voluntarily abide by. These processes taken together become a creed, a Way of Being, a way we relate among ourselves.

For example, in a long past Council there was a decision to change the dates of the Gathering from July 1st– 4th to July 1st – 7th. This change had a lot of very good reasons behind it that I don’t need to go into here. But a number of voices spoke up and said it wasn’t right, or fair, or good, or something-like-that to make a big change without consulting the rest of the Family. So runners went out to all the camps and kitchens that evening and announced that the idea of changing the dates was going to be brought up at tomorrow’s Council. And so it was. And everybody felt included, because everybody was included.

Same here. If the visions of change want to include everybody then there has to be a process that actually includes everybody.

That’s been our tradition and our process. If council wants to decide something that affects everybody long term, then find a way (and there are various ways) to bring everyone (or as many people as reasonably possible) into the decision-making process.

The differing Councils need to come together and listen to each other, co-ordinate with each other, work together, work things out in a way that is as all-inclusive as possible. That’s the way to make change that will last. Because continuity over time is what gives us our strength and our survival as a Tribe and as a People.

If this isn’t clear, or too vague, think about this:

Suppose you want our Council to get more citrus fruit for the camp. Great, consense on that and send that message to the kitchen council and the magic hat. But now suppose that you want our Council to consense to get only citrus fruit and no other type of food. Well that involves everyone for an ongoing period of time – and not just that council for that day. So, either you act like imperial dictators and decide that for everyone, Or you send runners, messengers to all the camps and kitchens that you can, and tell them that this idea is going to be brought up in Council tomorrow and they should be there if they have an opinion. That’s fair and inclusive of our Family Tribe.

Same goes for changing major Council dates, and other larger issues that have ongoing effect. Make sure to get everyone you can involved. Otherwise we become a bunch of mini-deciders hiding from the light of the People’s eyes and ideas.

Let’s not go thataway. Let’s be sure to be as all-inclusive as we possible can. Otherwise small cliques take the control and we lose our vast and true powers of communication and openness.

There are several ways to resolve this confusion over the two fall Councils. It’s not a question of old vs. new. It’s not a question of right vs. wrong. It’s a question of continuity, of continuing the arc of the Rainbow from one generation into the next in an unbroken succession.

It’s a matter really of respecting our processes. Ways that have worked now for five decades – that’s three or four generations depending on how you count ‘em.

Consider especially the processes that we have evolved and how these processes have kept us together through all kinds of attacks and challenges. Can we change what we do, and how we do things? Certainly. But the process of how we change does matter. If it’s a decision that affects all of us, and brings us together to be decided, then it’s a keeper and everyone will value and respect it.

I don’t have to suggest any of the various ways to resolve this, (there are many ways to do this) but communication and recognizing that many voices are clearer than a few voices is a good start.

Garrick

Thanksgiving Council (TC) Directions

This is information I received for posting on my blog. Feel free to share with individuals who you know personally, but as you can fee the focalizers have asked this not be posted on Facebook.

If you do not know what the historic purpose of Thanksgiving Council (TC) has been and some of the back story on this year's TC, read more here.

***************BEGIN FORWARDED INFORMATION ***************

TC Directions Rainbow Family Gathering winter fiscal year council Thursday Nov. 28th – this is our process Period.

NOT TO BE POSTED ON Facebook PERIOD.

Folks are asked not to arrive at/on site B4 Tuesday November 26th.  Thank you for your consideration.

The TC will be at  Blanchard Idaho.

Directions:

1. From Interstate 90, east or westbound, take exit #7. (This is between Post Falls and  Coeur d’Alene ID)
2. At the exit, take Idaho 41 north, toward Rathdrum ID.
3. Continue on Hwy 41 for approx 26 mi and arrive at Blanchard.
4. At about milepost 26.5, take a left onto Blanchard/Elk Rd (at the gas station/minimart).
5. In 2.2 miles, take a left on to Deer Trail Rd.  Watch for signs! To B placed 112519.

Notes:

1. About 7-8 miles north of the freeway, in the town of Rathdrum, hwy 41 does a little zigzag.  At the traffic light near McDonalds and the High School, hwy 41 takes a left over the RR tracks, then a right at the next light.  This is an easy turn to miss.
2. Rathdrum and the next town, Spirit Lake, both have active police so watch yourspeed especially in flashing school zones.
3. Spokane WA is the nearest commercial airport, it’s about 1 1/2 hour drive.

Thanksgiving Council

Updated 11/12/19 5:30 PM Pacific Time

The information below is what I typically post before the council that takes places over the four-day holiday weekend beginning with the 4th Thursday of the month of November aka Thanksgiving Day.

In recent years there has been a push to rename it due to the historical associations with this holiday and the genocide of the indigenous people of the lands that subsequently became the United States of America.

During vision council on the land in Wisconsin, which started on July 7, 2019, the council decided to push up the dates to October and rename it "Harvest Counsel" and you can see on this blog the information I posted on this circle.

According to my sources, at Harvest Counsel, people discussed having a Thanksgiving Council and some gatherers are moving ahead with planning a second council with a focus on unity.

If you want to fly or head towards the general area, head for Spokane, Washington. The council normally starts with a potluck or feast day, which this year would take place on November 28. Then the 29-30 would be the main counciling days with perhaps some counciling on Sunday, December 1st if those in attendance want to do so.

Directions will be announced on the Northwest Tribes Light Line 503-727-2498 a few days ahead of time.

If you want to plug into scouting, this is a great time and place to hook up with other people who have similar interests.

Ignore all rumors of cancellation or organization.

Love and Light!

Thanksgiving Council 101

The annual gathering of the tribes, which takes place over the 4th of July, has a cyclical process. While various regions in the USA often host a get together over the four day Thanksgiving holiday weekend, this blog deals with the annual gathering. In Wisconsin this summer, vision council on the land reached consensus that the 2020 gathering will take place in a national forest in Idaho. See the full consensus here.

But then what?

Because the Rainbow Gathering has no leaders, no board of directors, no staff and no one in charge of anything, we depend on people working together to do all the preparation for the gathering in the north east. So over the years a process has come together to make sure that planning is open to everyone who wants to be involved.

The year starts off with  Thanks giving Council / T-Council or Circle, over the four day Thanksgiving holiday weekend of the same name. This is a time for people interested in plugging in, talking about visions for the gathering, discussing scouting, strategies about legal issues, etc. to get together. (see we don't even agree on the name). 

The council generally takes place in the state or region where we will be gathering although sometimes it happens in other areas not to far from the consensed upon areas. It's usually a camp, cook, council, share heart songs kinda of thing. Often but not always, the people at the council pick the dates for the Scout Rendezvous and Spring Council. Some times a PO box is established for snail mail and a banking council is formed to deal with any donations.

As with all things Rainbow, no experience is necessary, just a willingness to participate. Keep in mind this is not a gathering, it's a working council and the way this council unfolds sets the tone for the gathering.

I'm hoping that there will be a real mix of generations at this year's council. We need older people, we need younger people, we need more experienced gatherers and we need less experienced gatherers to come together to create a vision for a peaceful, healing and fun gathering in 2020. Be the change you want to see in this world.

Harvest Counsel (Notes)

 Here are the notes from the Harvest Counsel that took place October 24-27, 2019 in Idaho. (Note: this council was in lieu of the council normally that used to be called  Fall/Harvest/Thanksgiving Council and which took place over the 4-day Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend).

******************Begin Notes****************************************

We the individuals at Rainbow Harvest Counsel 2019 circling openly at Farmer Brown's in The Snake River Plains, have lovingly reached consensus on the following:

Day 2
#1. We invite and encourage all individuals to circle at Main Counsel, July 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th, this coming summer on the land very near Main Meadow.

#2 Scout rondezvous will be announced by May 1st.
#3 Spring Counsel is set to start on Saturday, June 13th.

Day 3
#4. We feel the need for additional participation in Banking Counsel on the land regarding use of Magic Hat funds.
Five volunteers (individually consenting to being publicly named) will assist in handling Magic Hat funds.
Their names are:
Val
Red Dog
Joy
Linch Pin
Justin
#5. We encourage individuals & future Counsels related to upcoming Gatherings to continue to develop and maintain positive relations and open communication with indigenous peoples in the areas we may gather.
#6. We invite all peaceful beings to a silent meditation for world peace on July 4th, 2022 l, from dawn 'til noon.

Final Conference Call (Planning for Harvest Council Oct 24-27)

Howdy folks! On Sunday October 20 , at 5pm Pacific Time, there will be the final conference call to discuss the location of an October 24-27 Harvest Counsel circle in or near Idaho. This council replaces the council formerly known as Thanksgiving Council in both name and time.

If you, or anyone you know, has a potential space to offer, you are encouraged to participate. All are invited to call in.
Conference call number:
712-770-4598
Access #185117"

Share to all points of light

Harvest Counsel (Formerly known as Thanksgiving Council)

Updated October 21 at 7 pm Pacific Time

In years past, we have held a council over the four day Thanksgiving holiday weekend. This year on the land in Wisconsin, folks decided to have Harvest Counsel, October 24-27.

General Information

Because the Rainbow Gathering has no leaders, no board of directors, no staff and no one in charge of anything, we depend on people working together to do all the preparation for the gathering in the north east. So over the years a process has come together to make sure that planning is open to everyone who wants to be involved.

The year starts off with Harvest / Fall Counsel / Circle. This is a time for people interested in plugging in, talking about visions for the gathering, discussing scouting, strategies about legal issues, etc. to get together. (see we don't even agree on the name). 

The council generally takes place in the state or region where we will be gathering although sometimes it happens in other areas not to far from the consensed upon areas. It's usually a camp, cook, council, share heart songs kinda of thing. Often but not always, the people at the council pick the dates for the Scout Rendezvous and Spring Council. Some times a PO box is established for snail mail and a banking council is formed to deal with any donations.

As with all things Rainbow, no experience is necessary, just a willingness to participate. Keep in mind this is not a gathering, it's a working council and the way this council unfolds sets the tone for the gathering.

I'm hoping that there will be a real mix of generations at this year's Harvest Council. We need older people, we need younger people, we need more experienced gatherers and we need less experienced gatherers to come together to create a vision for a peaceful, healing and fun gathering in 2020. Be the change you want to see in this world.

Hunting season will be in force so be sure to have bright orange on your dogs, kids, and yourself in case any of you leave camp.

Howdy Folks

We invite all who walk in peace, to join together for Harvest Counsel near Boise, Idaho, over Thursday October 24th through Sunday October 27th.

Harvest Counsel is an opportunity to come together to discuss next year's Annual Rainbow Family Gathering of the Tribes July 1st through July 7th 2020 with seed camp in June.
With a collective prayer for peace including silence until noon on July 4th.

We will be discussing Water, Scouting, and Spring Counsel dates, among other things.

Please bring some firewood, food, and a heart song to share,

Harvest Counsel will be located near Boise, Idaho, please call the Northwest Light Line for directions.

Northwest Light Line:

503-727-2498

Ignore all rumors of cancellation or organization.

Love and Light!

Conference Call (Planning for Harvest Council Oct 24-27)

Howdy folks! On Sunday October 13, at 5pm Pacific Time, there will be a conference call to discuss the location of an October 24-27 Harvest Counsel circle in or near Idaho. This council replaces the council formerly known as Thanksgiving Council in both name and time.

If you, or anyone you know, has a potential space to offer, you are encouraged to participate. All are invited to call in.
Conference call number:
712-770-4598
Access #185117"

Share to all points of light