Vision Council Consensi

Hi all,

This is the information I have on the consensi that Vision Council on the land in Georgia reached where Day 1 would have been July 7th, 2018.

Much love to all.

(Day 5)

"We, individuals circled in Vision Counsel on the land in the Chattahoochee Forest in Southern Appalachia at the 47th Annual Rainbow Family of Living Light Gathering of the Tribes, in 2018, have lovingly reached consensus on the following:"

(Day 5)

#2: "The Rainbow Family has no official representation, in person, online, or in any legal sense. Know your sources."

(Day 6)

#1: "We offer our truth and heart that we believe peace and love grows, heals, and is a transcendent good, and we as Rainbow Family are grateful, encouraging and faithful to this truth of peace and love."

(Day 6)

#3: "Remaining united is an important part of maintaining the integrity of our family. Furthermore, standing behind the decisions of Spring Counsel is a crucial way of carrying out that intent, just as Spring Counsel respects Vision Counsel."

(Day 6)

"Love Letter #4:

To the World Rainbow Family Vision Counsel Cherished Family,

Your correspondence was faithfully delivered and received with pleasure. There is growing excitement at the idea of a meeting of Families in 2022. Some of us wish greatly to visit you in 2019 where we hope to more deeply discuss this possibility.

With sincere regard and love,

Rainbow Family of Living Light Vision Counsel, July 2018"

(Day 6)

#5: "Water is life."

(Day 7)

#6: "We invite all individuals to continue circling at our Harvest Counsel, which will be November 22-25, 2018, in or near the consensed region."

(Day 7)

#7: "We practice peace. We reaffirm our aspiration to respect consent and to be gentle in all of our interactions."

(Day 7)

#8: "We invite all who gather around the world to share in a silent meditation and prayer for peace from dawn till noon on July 4, 2022."

(Day 10)

#9: "We encourage individuals to help cocreate the 48th Annual Rainbow Family of Living Light Gathering of the Tribes from July 1-7, 2019, and to join us in a silent meditation and prayer for peace from dawn till noon on July 4, 2019, somewhere in the Western Lake Superior region from the Nicolet Forest through the Chippewa Forest, including all National Forests between." [This includes all National Forests in Wisconsin and Minnesota]

[Note on Love Letter #4: Last year's Vision Counsel reached consensus on "We invite the world to a silent meditation for world peace on July 4th, 2022."

Individuals brought that message to the World Gathering Vision Counsel in Taiwan in 2018. The Taiwan Gathering, having sent a pair of messages back and forth between two potential World Gathering sites, penned their third letter and sent it to Vision Counsel in the USA. It reads,

"Love Letter #3:

Dearest Rainbow Family,

We have heard your invitation to join us in 2022, and we like it. We look forward to discussing it more at the next Vision Counsel. This letter is the consensus of the World Rainbow Family Vision Counsel."

Love Letter #4 is a response to this message, and will be carried to the 2019 World Rainbow Family Vision Counsel in Colombia.]

Update from the site July 10

Report from the site. Despite the wording of the Forest Service closure order, the USFS is not interfering with folks on the land doing cleanup. Road 28-1 is now open.

De-Escalation

Every gathering I attended teaches me a new lesson. This summer's gathering in Georgia taught me about the importance of de-escalation even though I did not attend.

Now I'm not saying that de-escalation solves all problems and prevents violence. It is a tool in dealing with other humans on this amazing planet.

Remember we cannot control what other people do, we cannot always control wildfires, floods, or earthquakes, but we can work on our selves and manage our reactions to events external to our individual human body.  So how do we de-escalate a stressful situation and reduce the potential for human violence?

Keeping in mind that every situation is different and every human is different, the first step is to feel what is going on. Feeling includes reading body language, trying to understand words, tone of voice, etc.   Trying to understand as best you can what triggered the situation before you involve yourself is always important although sometimes life doesn't allow you this luxury.

I often start with the words I hear caring parents tell their upset children.  "Please use your words to tell me."  Asking the upset person to put into words what they are feeling about the situation and/or you doing the same by using the personal pronoun is one way to de escalate an argument. Saying "I feel uncomfortable when you do xxxx" rather than "You make me feel xxx."  After all, as grownups, we should learn to own our own emotions.

Avoid defensive behavior. Of course, when someone attacks you verbally or physically, our instinctual response is to fight back. But there are other options. 

When dealing with physical attacks, sometimes you can retreat or step aside. Sometimes you can use the least force necessary to buy time to open up a dialog. This means not letting your emotions control the force you use, but letting your calm rational brain do so. No need to try to kill someone. Sometimes, just restraining a person in as gentle of a manner as is humanly possible for a bit can allow everyone to cool off.

When dealing with verbal attacks, responding with phrases such as "If I understand correctly, your concern is that XXXX"  or "I hear the pain and hurt you are experiencing." Acknowledging the pain and struggles of other people and responding emphatically with love and compassion, is one way a crises can sometimes be de-escalated. Asking another human being questions about their situation when done with care can completely change the vibe. After all, anger and sorrow can often be two sides of the same coin.

When someone is upset, it gets hard for them to rationally listen to the words you say, but your tone of voice, your body language, your relaxed body posture and breathing can help others relax. I have had great success with oming and have seen people who were really upset, catch themselves after a few minutes of oming.  Oming helps us to deepen our breath, many people believe the om encompasses all human language, and many consider it to be a sacred sound. When problems arise, calling on the divine is always appropriate. Singing or playing calming gentle music is often a great option.  Trying to get everyone's breathing to s l o w  d o w n, often helps our rational mind jump back into the picture.

When we get upset our primal brain and sympathetic nervous system jump into action creating a flight or flight response. This is a fantastic part of our brain. It allows mothers to lift automobiles off small children, helps people outrun danger, and gives us the mental ability to respond in an emergency situation without fear. But this same "reaction" can cause an already bad situation to slide downhill quickly.  However, if we can acknowledge the fear or anger that is driving someone's fight or flight response, perhaps we can create a loving space that will allow that person to process their emotions, what ever they are. After all, no emotion is wrong or bad. We all feel what we feel. However, how we respond to feelings makes all the difference in the world.

Allow silence. Don't feel you have to talk all the time. Sometimes, just being silent and breathing gives everyone the opportunity to calm down.

Sometimes, being a calm and grounded witness helps other people calm  down. When someone is in a whirlwind of emotions, the grounded energy that others can provide may rub off.

Sometimes, all you can do is leave the situation to protect yourself or because you are being reactive. That's OK to. Much better to walk out on an argument than let it escalate until someone gets hurt.  Its OK to step away from an argument.

March To Demand Release of Rainbow Gatherers from Local Jail on SUNDAY, JULY 8

Updated July 7 at  4:00 p.m. eastern time

Hi all,

This seems to be coming from one of the locals in Dahlonega, Georgia. It's a march taking place on SUNDAY, JULY 8 at 2:30 p.m. in Dahlonega, Georgia.  Please, please, please, gather up all the experienced shanti sena verbers you can find and make sure they show up. I will update this post once I get the details.  I was told this will be a "permitted" march.

**********Begin Forwarded Message******************

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD Y’ALL! A peaceful march is being organized to advocate for the release of Rainbow Family members who are still being detained.

The march will take place Sunday, July 8 @ 2:30 pm. in Dahlonega.

Lumpkin County Sheriff Department

E Main St 385, Dahlonega, Georgia 30533

March Route (Click to enlarge)

Map and important regulations will be uploaded soon.
IMPORTANT PICKETING REGULATIONS
1: Picketing may be conducted on the public sidewalk only and cannot be conducted on public roads or streets
2: Picketers cannot be in the medians or within 200 feet of any buildings
3: Picketers shall not disrupt, block, or interfere with any pedestrian/vehicular traffic or access to any buildings
4: Picketing signs or banners cannot exceed three square feet
5: Picketing staffs or poles that a banner is secured to must me made of corrugated material, plastic, or wood (no metal) and can’t exceed 40 inches in length. They must also be less than 3/4 inch in diameter and must be blunt on both ends
6: ABSOLUTELY NO curse words or profanity on signs.
7: Spectators shall not physically interfere with individuals who are picketing
8: Picketers shall not speak fighting words or threat that would provoke a reasonable person to breach the peace
9: Picketers are subject to all applicable local state and federal laws
10: Nothing prohibits a law enforcement officer from issuing a command to disperse in the event of a riot or disorderly conduct.

Local residents are outraged about the treatment of our brothers and sisters. Everything from illegal search and seizure, unauthorized detainment, restriction of access to public property, failure to provide due process, stripping of human and civil rights, and even CAVITY (vaginal) searches on some of our sisters. IT WILL ALL BE EXPOSED! Please send any and all video and photographic evidence to this email address.

Loving you!!!!!

According to the event organizers:

The latest updated report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows over 900 citations and arrests made at the federal level, for minor and questionable offenses.

Lost and Found (people, pets and things)

Every year people, pets and various objects are lost at the gathering or people not at the gathering fear people have been lost.

Lost People

Every year people go to the gathering and their loved ones worry.  Just a reminder, while there seems to be some no cell phone  reception at this year's gathering, I hear it's up on the ridge and not everyone may know about it or want to call.


If you haven't heard from your friends and/or family since they went into the gathering, odds are they are still down in the meadow and can't call you.  Either way, it's generally safer for people to stay inside the gathering, then to run the cop gauntlet to make a phone call.  Even if your loved one promised to call every day, that's a promise they will be unable to keep as that would require them to spend their entire gathering going out to some place with reception and then coming back in again.


Even if there is a place on the top of a nearby mountain where you can get cell reception if you stand on your right foot only with your left arm outstretched and the cell phone positioned exactly on your naval - one 5 minute call will eat up all your charge.  Unless your loved one brought a solar panel to recharge their phone, the calls aren't going to happen for a bit. NOTE:  You may think this situation is made up,but this happens every year. People's phone are dead, lost, or they don't know where the cell service spot it.


Again, on the road where the cars and cops are is the area where problems occur. We strongly recommend that people stay inside the gathering. Going in and out increases a persons risk of a negative experience with law enforcement. Again, people on the land will strongly suggest to your loved one that they stay inside the gathering until it's over.


That being said, if you're going to the gathering, call your Mama or someone else, let them know you are going in and will be out of cell reception until after you leave the gathering.


If something serious happened to your loved one, then they are no longer at the gathering and would be found in a local hospital, jail, or mental health facility. If you check those places and your loved one is not there, then they are probably inside the gathering. To see who is currently in the Lumpkin County Jail, click here. 


Most people usually surface by July 15th as the clean up crew starts shrinking by then, but some people will be on the land until at least the end of July (and on the land means no or haphazard access to telephones).  If after July 10, you still haven't heard, email "m e a t k a r i n z i r k dot c o m" a recent photo and include this information:

    How old is he/she?
    Was this her/his first gathering? 
    Was he/she planning to camp with any camp in particular?
    Did she/he travel to the gathering with friends who have since left the gathering?
    Did she/he have any mental and/or physical health issues? 
    What kind of drugs (if any) does he/she typically use?
    Was there a specific previously agreed on plan for he/she to return home at a certain time or at least check in?

Lost Things

For those people who go to the gathering and lose something, found items are taken to Info or sometimes to the nearest kitchen so don't give up yet.  If you didn't check the lost and found items at INFO, your stuff may be there. Even if you did, many items are discovered during cleanup. At the end of cleanup, all the valuable lost and found items will be taken out of the gathering site. To try to get reconnected with your stuff, at the end of July call  the Atlanta  Lightline @

770-662-6112 (no collect calls). Leave your name, phone # and a brief description of what you lost. Someone will call you back if your or similar items are there. Keep in mind, lost and found at this level is for things like wallets, cameras, expensive gear.  We don't try to reunite people with lost t-shirts, bliss wear, etc.

Lost Animals

For those people who left without all the animals they brought, please go back to the site and retrieve your pets. I do not care if you have to be back to work or whatever. If you brought an animal, you need to go home with that animal. If you don't, folks on the land will find a home for your pet and it won't be your home. We never leave any pets behind.  Every pet will leave the gathering with a human companion ~ hopefully the one they came with. If you can't go back yourself, try to connect up with a friend in the area to retrieve your pet. Just a reminder, pets on leashes don't get lost as often as those not on a leash. The gathering is a scary experience for animals who aren't used to it. Read the Pup Rap for more info.  If you are a local who feel we drop off pets at the local shelter, we never do that. Other people may be stealing dogs from the gathering and dropping them off, but we don't. All dogs brought to the gathering, leave with people who were at the gathering.

Updates from the gathering July 3

Updated July 3, 4:20 p.m eastern time

This afternoon the Rainbows are in court filing for a restraining order to remove roadblocks and to open the roads that have been closed. Parking is a long walk but there are shuttles. If we win the tro then parking will be easy peasy.

It looks like the judge is going to give us what we asked for i e open Road's stop harassment the feds are trying to figure out how to do that, y'all get back to us. looks like they will have a nice Circle tomorrow.  

Check back for updates


From the Forest Service:

Parking is currently only allowed on the south side of the road. FSR 77 is closed to motorized vehicles, but visitors can walk FSR 77 to access Back Gate (2.7 miles).

NO PARKING PERMITTED ON FSR 58.


PARKING: Parking is available on FSR 42 from Coppermine Gap to Big Stamp Gap. Space is limited. Obey all posted signs. Roadside parking on designated routes should allow adequate access for through traffic. Do not block gates. Illegally parked cars will be towed. 

Updates from the gathering for July 2

As copied from a friend's Facebook Post

Gong Show @ Granola Funk tonight, Dating Game tomorrow. Poetry night at We Home tomorrow night. Parking Lot is out of jail. Primary Triangle was the trianglyist of all this year, entering the second third triangle with 3 points and 270 people. Cop encounter statement forms are at Info and need to be filled out by everyone who had a police encounter (so...everyone). Pizza night at the Ovens tonight. Every Kid's Birthday at Kid Village tomorrow, with cake and piñata from Dirty Kid Village. IT'S HAPPENING!

Updates from the Gathering June 30

Hi all,

Today's post is a smörgåsbord of information.

I'll start with this new version of the map.

Topo Map Showing Main Camps. Click to enlarge

Info from the Forest Service:

Several temporary closures and restrictions are in place in the Nimblewill area of Lumpkin County for public safety. Forest Service Road (FSR) 77 is now closed at the intersection of FSR 77A because of traffic congestion at the Rainbow Family Gathering. Two roads offer parking on one-side only, as posted. These are FSR 28B and FSR 77 (from FSR 28-1 up to FSR 77A). 

Showers and thunderstorms are frequently expected. Know the signs for approaching storms or changing weather conditions. Be aware of your surroundings and conditions. Heavy rains can cause flash flooding and landslides. Trees may fall unexpectedly. Avoid low-lying areas.

Studio Forsyth: Exploring the Rainbow Gathering

Hi all,

Enjoy this video from Studio Forsyth who visited the gathering and made a video. If you're an armchair gatherer this year, watch the video.

Updates from the gathering June 27

Hi all,

Here is random information:

A shuttle is now running to get people from the parking area to the trailhead. When you get home, listen to folks working the road as they will share the latest information available. Please listen to them. Working the road is hard work and it's frustrating when people don't listen, their cars get towed, and then they get mad at folks working the road.

On Monday, June 25 the Federal Judge threw out all the dogs off leash and dusty license plate tickets.




If you are interested in media reports on the gathering, check out Forsyth News.

Updates from the gathering June 26

Good morning beautiful family,

As many of you may know there is an army training base a few miles from the gathering. Apparently, the trainees are engaged in live fire exercises periodically. Just an fyi for our veterans who may be suffering from PTSD.

Basic Map of the gathering -- click on it to enlarge

USFS Update for this morning.

 
For towed vehicles call (706) 864-3633.
Today's estimate of people on site is 1,175.

341 incidents, written warnings, citations and arrests have been issued thus far.

Rainbow Gatherers Hold Town Hall Meeting June 28

Participants from the Rainbow Gathering will be hosting a town hall meeting on Thursday, June 28, at the Dahlonega Parks and Recreation building from 5-9 pm. All individuals from the community are encouraged to attend with questions about the upcoming July 1-7 Rainbow Gathering. All gatherers are encouraged to come and meet the local town's folk.

This facility is also called Lumpkin Park & Rec.

Find the Park & Rec Center at 365 Riley Road, Dahlonega, GA 30533. This is the same venue where the local sheriff had a town hall meeting on June 22. 

We need a diverse cross-section of gatherers to attend. Please go if you are able.

Meeting with USFS Resource Folks on June 25

Hi everyone who is in the area,

There will be a meeting with the USFS Resource folks at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 25. The meeting will take place at CALM.  This is the perfect time to discuss access for handicapped people, how to protect the Hellbender Salamander and to find out what areas to avoid to protect the endangered carnivorous pitcher plant and swamp pink that lives in bogs in the area.

All folks on the land are strongly encourage to attend to find out how we can protect the beautiful area in which we are gathering. Be there, get there early, bring snacks for people as it may be a long meeting, bring drinking water.

Preliminary information on sensitive species in the area is available here.

Please protect our sensitive species

Updated 6/26/1810:42 a.m. eastern time 

Hi all,

This blog post contains information on sensitive species where we are gathering and in the greater area as well.

Hellbender Salamander

To protect the Hellbender, do not move or disturb rocks in streams.

Hellbender Salamander

Please print out this flyer in color if you can and bring to your camp and post.  To learn more, read this article.

Swamp Pink

Swamp pink is a threatened species at both the state and federal level.

Swamp Pink in Bloom

It lives in shady seepage swamps and sphagnum bogs with continually saturated, though not flooded, soils; often occurs with red maple, purple pitcher plant, mountain laurel, rosebay rhododendron, and tag alder.

Learn more here.

Alterations in the hydrology that stem from increased runoff and poor wetland buffering can cause entire populations to die off.

Please print out this flyer in color if you can and bring to your camp and post.

The Forest Service has provides a list of all threatened and endangered species in the State of Georgia. Which species occur where we are gathering is a question to ask the resource folks on the land.  The USFS has also provided a one page document on Forest Health Concerns.

Haley's Photos From the Gathering

Thanks to Haley Gilreath, a local reporter, I am able to share some of the photos she has taken during her coverage of the gathering.   To read her article on the gathering, click here.

Rainbow Spirit - From the Heart of the Fire

Critical Care Camp (CCC) and Handicamp Needs and Support (Guest Post)

Updated on 6/24/18 at 1:45 a.m. Eastern Time
 Karin's Note: Critical Care Camp is for people who need medical supervision as indicated below. Handicamp is for people with mobility issues who do not anticipate needing on-going medical supervision. If you have a handicapped placard, please show it to the parking crew and ask to be directed to Handicamp.  If you have serious medical conditions and would like to be directed to Critical Care Camp, please explain your situation to the parking crew. Too many able bodied people try to use these spaces and we're trying very hard to keep them for those in need.

The situation is in flux and the later your arrive, the hardier it will be to get a space in Handicamp as parking always runs out. Please be patient and plan on arriving early in the day so people can get you where you need to be.

****** Handicamp/CCC update as of 6/24.18 1:45 a.m. *****************

Handicamp/CCC (Critical Care Camp) report. I just talked to WSOTR by phone who is in town at the moment. They are set up about 6 to 8 miles from main circle and the Forest Service is preventing them from using the meadow that is closer that they preferred. There is a drop off point about 1/2 mile from main circle with a fairly level trail to hike in. Doesn't sound wheelchair friendly but there are plenty of sherpas available to help carry folks and their gear in if needed. In addition CALM (medical station) is between the drop off and main circle if folks want to stop and rest. It has been raining once or twice a day for short periods of time and it's muddy. The locals say it always rains some on July 4th.

*************** Copied from Facebook ****************

Critical . Care . Camp /Handycamp Wishlist

This is only our 2nd year and because we are relatively new we are still trying to put it all together. We are the camp that provides support for our family with heavy-duty health-related needs... including dialysis trips in and out, C-PAP and other generator needs, oxygen, etc. This year we will probably be adjacent to HandyCamp and will coordinate with them to meet Family needs.

CREW NEEDS:

kitchen folk 🆘

construction folk🔧

healers ✨👐✨

📢 ShantiSena parking aides

general support folk (fire tenders 🔥 and wood gatherers etc)

massage therapists 🙌 we are bringing one massage table

sherpas- 💪need cart and cart-pushers to get people inside to their camp of preference and
to help bring everybody in on July 4th

jokesters 👾 music makers🎼 heartbreakers
😝

seed camp construction needs- we need seed camp constructors to help put up kitchen, create handwash and dishwash stations
make a built up common and kitchen firepits, dig shitters, create showers, put up tarps . . . . .

we need cart donations or help constructing carrying devices for people on the 4th and for those who want to camp inside

folks with good legal vehicles to make town runs & specifically 2 good “ambulance” type vehicles with keys to be left with our CCC focalizers for emergency evac needs🚨

CCC WISH LIST
just as for most ANY Rainbow kitchen/community camp

shovels, axes, bowsaws, hatchets, lanterns, flashlights

large tarps for shade/rain cover for camp and for prayer circle on the 4th and smaller tarps to cover woodpile and supplies etc

matches, lighters, propane tanks and fuel canisters

waterpipe PVC and fittings to connect with water crew stuff 💦

Medical supplies – we have a decent supply of first aid stuff but we always need as much as possible of the following: medicinal herbs, homeopathic remedies, rescue remedy, antibiotic ointment, calendula, sunblock, aloe plants, hydrogen Peroxide, rubbing alcohol and grain alcohol, bandaids, wrapping gauze, 1st aide tape...

RADIOS (walkie talkie type)

toilet paper, paper towels or clean rags

batteries: C, D, double and triple A

ropes of various lengths and gauges, lashing twine, tent stakes…

heavy duty trash/contractor bags

agricultural lime for shitter vector control plywood sheets to cover shitters

containers for lime and handwash

1 standup tent with screen porch area if possible for medical private interviewing/treatment and smaller tents for supplies

Grates for cooking- can use metal refrigerator shelf grating

cooking supplies such as:

pots, pans, knives 🔪mixing bowls, cooking utensils, eating bowls, eating utensils 🍴 cups

large tupperware type containers with lids for food storage, 5 gallon food grade buckets with lids approximately 15-20

sugar, salt and black pepper- we already are already bringing enough other culinary herbs

Teas, honey, coffee, powdered milk, hot chocolate

bulk foods such as: beans and whole grains, eggs, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, whole garlic bulbs, , oats, cold cereals, peanut butter, jams/preserves, bread, olive oil

biodegradable dishsoap and handsoap

“The great spiritual Teachers who walked the Earthand taught the basics of the truths of the
Whirling Rainbow Prophecy will return and
walk amongst us once more, sharing their power and understanding with all. We will learn how to see and hear in a sacred manner. Men and women will be equals in the way Creator intended them to be; all children will be safe anywhere they want to go. Elders will be respected and valued for their contributions to life. Their wisdom will be sought out. The whole Human race will be called The People and there will be no more war, sickness or hunger forever.”

Navajo-Hopi Prophecy of the Whirling Rainbow

If you are able please help out . . it is incumbent upon Rainbow to care for the people who have been part of the Gatherings since the very beginning and who sacrificed so much to help create the Visions that we all share.

Remember to Breathe

The first week at the gathering site is always full of chaos, rumors and confusion. Things generally work themselves out. Have faith in your family.

In the meantime, enjoy this video from Soaring Eagle that will remind you about why we gather. Thank you Soaring Eagle for making such a beautiful video.

On Showing Up

Lately I've been pondering the importance of showing up if you want your voice to be heard.  I am part of a community group working to save a local and urban creek and we always need more people to plug in.  As I talk to people, they are always willing to complain about the trash along the creek or some such, but when you invite them to a work party, ask them to find volunteers for our periodic cleanups, or invite them to a community workshop on proposed changes for the area, they are no where to be found.

Now different people can plug in in different ways based on their interests and abilities and the commitment required for plugging in could be a few hours a month to a few hours a week.  Saving our creek does not prevent anyone from holding a job, caring for their families, or what ever it is they do with their time.  All of it doesn't even need to be done in person.

All of this brings me to the gathering. What is unique about the gathering is that our decision make process works face to face for the most part.  Sometimes conference calls are arranged to discuss where we can meet face to face.  Other phone calls help people connect with each other when they are out and about and are trying to find a place to meet face to face.  Sense a pattern?

As a long time activist, who shares my birthday, once said "just show up."  If you want to get involved with the world, show up.  Sure the Internet is useful. I use it all the time to make information available to people, to informally connect with others, and to quickly gather information, but it's not that same as being present with people who are committed to making change.

Now the creek work is much more conducive to disembodied things like making formal comments on environmental impact reports and lobbying our elected officials, but much like the gathering, the important work gets done in councils (rainbow speak for meetings), on the land (rainbow speak for at the creek), or in community (rainbow speak for the core group of folks saving the creek).

Every year the Internet (and most especially FaceBook) fills up with ideas, opinions, perspectives, and dictates that are shared and discussed by people on-line --- many of whom don't regularly attend the annual gathering for world peace and the positive evolution of the planet. But what needs to be realized is that if you want to impact how things unfold, then you need to "show up" on the land, participate in formal or informal councils, and be part of the process.

The great thing about gatherings is that we need everyone's perspective from the person who just showed up and asked "what's council?" to the person who's been gathering since the 1970s.  This gathering thing we do is an embodied sort of experience where people gain the full benefit of the many ways humans communicate: words, facial expressions, body positions, auras, and what ever telepathic ways we communicate with each other.

As many of my friends point out, gathering and all the related things done in the name of gathering are verbs, not nouns.  Please join us in verbing.

Musings on getting fed at the gathering

If you've never been to a gathering (or even if you have), getting fed may seem like a mysterious process that sporadically leaves you hungry or amazed at the wonderful food you just ate.  Well it's not really as mysterious as it seems.  So here are the basics.

First off, no one should ever ask you for money or trade for food (excepting small things like candy bars at trade circle).  Everyone eats for free.  We share food with each other in many different ways.

During seed camp, you better come prepared with food to share. Some of the early kitchens may be serving "off the rails" (@ the kitchen counter) but you never know who will be there and how much food they have to share.

Bring whatever you can and share as best as you can with others.  Some of the kitchens may come with food supplies they have purchased, but you never know.

Once the gathering gets going (usually a few days after the Summer Solstice), dinner will be served in the main meadow.  Commonly called "Main Circle" or "Dinner Circle," kitchens bring food to the meadow, we circle up, om, and then are served food from a bucket or cooler.  THANK YOU KITCHENS!  After we eat, many folks hang out to play music, visit with friends or participate in activities like the "Angel Walk."   This is my favorite time of the gathering.  It's when those who wish take the time to hang out with old and new friends.

Many kitchens will continue to serve off the rails but normally do so earlier in the day or later in the evening.  Each kitchen decides for itself when and what to serve so finding a kitchen that is serving "off the rails" is catch as catch can unless you get plugged into a specific kitchen.  One easy way to get plugged in is to approach a kitchen and offer to dig a shitter, chop wood, haul water, or chop veggies for some meal or another. 

As I mentioned earlier, many kitchens come with their own food supply purchased by the core crew.  Other kitchens come with gear but not much else.  No matter how things start out, more food needs to be purchased as the gathering progresses and more wonderful people come home.

Generally a group of people come together to facilitate supplies.  After all, purchasing large quantities in bulk is usually less expensive.  Some kitchens do their own supply runs with either their own funds or funds from a collection can stationed in their kitchen, others participate in large scale supply runs usually involving a lot of food and funds from the "Magic Hat."

The Magic Hat can be found at Dinner Circle and INFO when Dinner Circle is not happening.  Sometimes the Magic Hat goes on a Magic Hat parade around the gathering soliciting funds.  Magic Hat funds are managed by the Banking Council some or most of whom are usually at Dinner Circle.  Folks who become part of this council track income and expenses, count the money and insure the integrity of the process.  Most of the magic hat funds go to buy food that is distributed to the kitchens serving Dinner Circle.   There is a Kitchen Council that meets a few times a week sporadically (usually by INFO) that plans supply runs, meals and works out all these issues.

Basically the process goes like this, you put cash money (no checks, credit cards, food stamps, etc) in the Magic Hat.  Money is collected and counted.  After a few days of this, a supply run is organized.  Once that has happened the supply run goes out, purchases the agreed upon supplies (or as close as possible) and then comes back with the food.  A supply run can take two days or even three.  Once the food comes back, it is distributed to the kitchens - a process that can take another day or two.

After the food is distributed to the kitchens, it gets cooked and served - a process that can take another day or two depending on when the supplies arrive at the kitchen and what else the kitchen is involved in at present. 

Now we come to the most important part, if you have $50 to donate to the Magic Hat, do it the day you arrive at the gathering.  Don't put $5 a day in for ten days.  Every year we have a food shortage for a few days somewhere between June 23 and July 2 because people start arriving in mass after the Summer Solstice and we have a lag between donations coming in and food being served.

Look at it this way, if one hundred people arrive on June 23 and donate $50 dollars each, we will have $5,000 to feed not only these one hundred people but the additional two thousand people who have subsequently arrived on June 28 when the purchased food is served.  If on June 25, two hundred and fifty people arrive and donate $50 dollars each, we will have over ten thousand dollars to feed the 5-10 thousand people on site by June 30.  However, if people donate one or five dollars a day, then by the time we have enough money to feed fifteen thousand people, it's July 5 and most people are leaving.

If you do not have or do not wish to donate cash money, food supplies are always welcomed.  The good news is that the food you bring with you will make it into your belly tomorrow.  While brown rice, beans and quinoa are always welcomed, hardy fruits and veggies are very important as well.  Bring apples and oranges by the caseload. Cabbage, carrots and zucchini transport well and as much as you can bring will be eaten. Onions and garlic are always needed. Leave the fancy lettuce and peaches behind unless you know how to transport them so they don't get ruined and how to store them on site. 


If you bring pasta, try to bring vegan pasta so everyone can partake.  Save the egg noodles for another occasion.  Peanut butter and bread (vegan if you can find it) go a long way to providing healthy fuel and whole wheat flour is always needed for kitchens that bake bread and pizza!  If you decide to go shopping after you've been at the gathering, check in with Kitchen Council to get plugged into any special deals folks may have worked out with local suppliers.  After all, if you can get it for 30% off, then you can buy more food to feed more bellies for the same amount of money.