Minnesota / Wisconsin Gathering 2019

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 Georgia this summer, vision council on the land reached consensus that the 2019 gathering will take place in Minnesota or Wisconsin. 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 Harvest / Fall Counsel / 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 gath...

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...

Updated June 11, 9:45 pm California Time Usually when someone gets on my email list, this is the first information I send them. So to you out here in blogsphere, here's that same information. From the invite to the very first Rainbow Gathering in 1972: 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 All politicians -- out of charity to join with us in gathering together for the purpose of expressing our sincere desire that there shall be peace on earth, harmony among all people. This gathering to take place beginning July 1, 1972, near Aspen, Colorado - or between Aspen the Hopi Navajo lands - on 3000 ac...

This is an amazing performance my friends have written and produced. If you go to the gathering, you'll be able to see it live, but in the meantime, here's a recording of it from 2011.