I've been seeing this question pop up from time to time. And so I'll take
a crack at answering it. Of course we all know about the neat colors in the
sky after a rain storm. The Bible says that it was given to remind us that we
need never fear the world will be destroyed by flood. It was reported to have
happened once before.
    To me Rainbow represents the culmination of the Spirit that began this
nation. It is potentially the greatest manifestation of Freedom on the Earth.
Of course its what everyone who goes to it makes it. There is never an entry
fee. There are no mandatory costs. It is funded entirely by volunteer
donations. This is one of its strengths. It is also run pretty much solely by
volunteer energy. Theoretically the only way something gets done is because
people pitch in and offer their time, sweat and know how to make it happen.
But there has been occasional guilt and power tripping from time to time.
Hopefully as everyone catches the greater meaning of the Spirit there will be
more cooperation and less coercion. This is an ongoing prayer that somewhat
succeeds and fails through each gathering.
    At every gathering there is a nurturing process for the body, mind, soul,
and spirit of those who attend. To feed thousands out in a National Forest,
elaborate Kitchens have developed through out the years.  The Kitchens as in
many families are the center of the home.  They are the hubs of activity.
There are a myriad number of tasks with every Kitchen. Even in relatively
simple Kitchens like the Donut Factory or Popcorn Palace there is a lot of
work.  Gathering fire wood, Hauling water, Carrying supplies take on vast
complexities in different locations.  Each site lends its own challenges and
learning opportunities. But I say the greatest challenges and unique learning
experiences come from the people. There are so many different people at a
large gathering. And its great. You can walk into almost any kitchen and find
a whole world, givers, a lot of takers, and sharers. Hopefully there is
enough of a balance to cut down on burn out when someone approaches
exhaustion.
    Rainbow camp fires are really unique. You're not on somebodies property.
You live in the area along with thousands of other people. It can be pretty
cool.  The conversations have a depth that is rare elsewhere.
    Then there's the Circle. Every gathering is different. As said before its
what those who come to it make it. But at every National Rainbow Gathering
there is the Main Circle. And its a trip. In some ways its the main trip. Its
what many gatherers come for. At the Circle we become One. We listen to
everybody and we talk to everybody one at a time.  Everyone has their chance
to speak.  This is truly one of the best things about a gathering. Of course
when there are a thousand people sitting in a circle its a lot different then
when there are fifty or twenty. But even with five people sharing a circle
can be a wonderful experience.
    Dinner Circle is often dominated by logistics and antics. There's a lot
of messages being relayed. It can be chaotic.  Trying to organize the feeding
of five thousand people by twenty different kitchens at one time has become
an ongoing art for some of us. It takes on various dimension when most of the
folks believe in anarchy.
    Then there's the passing of the Magic Hat.  People are given an
opportunity to contribute funds to go out and buy supplies and pay for
various workings to brings about a safe Gathering for everyone.  Often the
largest funds don't start to come in till about the first. There's usually a
delay when people start contributing and need to be fed.  There's been many a
lean beginning and fat ending. Thank goodness for people's patience.
    Vision Council is one of the heaviest circles because its the time when
the most people can say what they want in regards to the next years
gathering. It traditionally begins on July 7. It has been known to go on non
stop through the night to the morning and into the next night for several
days. A few years ago we consensed to end the Vision Council at sunset and
begin the next day.  One of the main reasons was so people could see each
others faces.
    Consensus is one of the heaviest words at a gathering. It is the
unwritten contract that we in theory and for a week in practise agree to live
by. If we have problems we bring them up at our circles. Then we discuss
them. During the discussion someone usually brings out an issue and asks for
consensus.  If no one radically objects then consensus is reached. Otherwise
the person who blocks consensus expresses their concern and the discussion
continues.  Through this process we attempt to solve our problems.  We
haven't reached perfection but were still surviving.
    The Drum Circle is probably our number one entertainment. Its main
attraction is that its more fun to do than to watch.  Twenty to a hundred
people beating wildly on makeshift drums around a huge bonfire beats a night
of TV.
    Ya Gatherings are pretty cool. But they are more than just fun.  They're
life and an ongoing attempt to make it better.  A genuinely higher nature can
become active at a gathering.
    Hope this gives some of you insight.  You can find just about every
problem at a gathering that you can find in a city.  But in my experience I
have never found in a city the wondrous, dynamic spirit that I have witnessed
at a Gathering.
    Of course there are a lot of other important aspects to Gatherings.  I'm
not going the name them now. But I'm sure others will be able to say things
about them.

Learning to travel with the emotions of the Heart we'll cross that Rainbow
Bridge.  Ah Ho To All My Relation,  1994     Dan D