THE RAINBOW FAMILY
OF LOVE & LIVING LIGHT
(A short History)

Message envoyé par Fred focaliseur européen.

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In the USA in the mid '60s there were a lot of people unhappy with the life and the society
they were living in and decided to try an alternative lifestyle.
They came together and lived in communes spread all over USA. These communes had little
contact with each other but the people on them often met each other at the music festivals that
sometimes lasted several days. The most famous of these festivals being Woodstock
They soon realised that each could learn from each other and many were having problems that
others had solved. Some decided to meet somewhere quiet and peaceful, away from the
noise and crowds where they could talk and share experiances. To teach and learn each others
skills and knowledge. These were the first gatherings.

It soon became obvious that coming together like this in the wilderness ment that some basic
rules were needed if they were to stay healthy and survive. Communication was one of the
greatest problems that had to be overcome. Everybody wanted to talk but nobody wanted to
listen. To solve this it was decided to use a system used by the North American plains indians
in their councils, the Talking Circle and the Talking Stick. It worked and is still in use today.

The ash from the campfire was used for cleaning, as soap and for healing wounds so it was
important that only dead wood should be burnt to keep the ash pure. To underline this the fire
was declared holy.

No dogs roaming free on the gathering site. Loose dogs form packs, (packs are dangerous)
they come in the kitchen after food and shit all over, (hygene) and they get in people's tents,
(nuisance).

No drugs of any form, no alcohol, (possible disruption and aggression).

No electrical devices, (noise and outside intrusion). Acoustic and oral music only.

The main kitchen at the gathering would be vegaterian. This was decided for practical and
economic reasons. Meat and meat products were too expensive and because there were
vegetarians there it would need to be prepaired in a separate kitchen.
There would be two meals a day which for ease and equality would be served in an eating
circle.

No soap would be used within 5mtr. of running water to prevent its pollution.

All these basic rules still apply today.

Tomake the communication over gatherings simpler the full moon was chosen as a marker.
They would begin 7 days before full moon when the talking circles and workshops take place
and the last 3 days would be for main council, (where things of importance to the whole group
were decided) and the cleanup of the site took place.

After some years of these meetings taking place it was thought that a name should be given to
the group. A long time went by before a name was found that would symbolize and join all the
different meanings, beliefs and practices of the entire group.
It was "The Rainbow Family of Love and Living Light". Which is the name we still have.
This was in 1972. The family was born.

It was also agreed that the first 7 days of July would be the time of the national gathering
would take place every year and that at 12noon on the 4th July a circle would be formed by
every one present and a 4 minute silence would be held so that each could pray for peace to
their own God in their own way. We still do this and it is not unusual to have 10/15 thousand
people in this circle.

The explanation of the name is that the family consists of all the colours of humanity.
Skin, race, religion, age, politics and sexual persuasions. All are welcome and all are needed.
To deny any colour is to deny the family just as to remove a colour from the rainbow is to
remove the rainbow. In our language rainbow means respect. Respect for each other and our
differences and respect for our environment. Out of respect groes love. You can respect
without love but you cannot love without respect.

After the naming of the family it was agreed that before sitting to eat in the circle we would
stand and join hands to symbolize the unity of the family and silence would be held so the each
could give thanks for the food to be eaten in their own way and to their own Gods. Later the
songs, the Ohm, the clapping and cheering have been added. But it is the holding hands and
the silent prayer that are important to remember.

The Rainbow Family has no religion, no leaders, gurus or others of such ilk.
We are not an organisation or club and we have no membership of fees.
Each is responsible for their own actions and nobody has the right to do anything in the name
of the family. We work by consensus and only by the consensus of the family can we act in
its name.
We are a family of individuals that throught respect for each other becomes a living whole that
can and will grow to cover this planet.

We do not have Rainbow Gatherings, we have Gatherings of the Rainbow Family.
If everybody brings the Rainbow spirit with them, it then becomes a Rainbow Gathering.

The gatherings are paid for out of the donations made to the Magic Hat when it is passed
round after each meal. There is no set sum to contribute, just what you can afford.
The Magic Hat pays not only for the food but all the costs of the gathering and it is managed
by the magic Hat council who are chosen at the gathering.
It is called the Magic Hat because, as if by magic, it always provides enough.

For the collecting and sending of info, both local and international, we have focalizers.
These are those of the family that are prepaired to spend time and their own money on
keeping a world wide network of communication open for the family. They are helpers not
leaders. It is not unknown for a focalizer to sometimes received a small donation from an
individual to help cover their expences.

The RIC is a small group of focalizers working together to make and keep up to date the
focalizer list and the news letter. This work is also mostly funded by the group themselves.

This is a short history of our Rainbow Family and an even shorter explanation of some of our
traditions. No matter how the family grows and changes these are our roots and they do not
change. To know where you are going you must also know where you come from.

If you ask a thousand people in the family "What is Rainbow" ? you will get a thousand
different answers. All are right. Each is an individual with their own vision of the family and
because we are one whole, each part of that whole is in itself a whole.
So each must be right. The binding factor is RESPECT.