“Sharing Love, Happiness and Harmony living immersed in a nature paradise far from civilisation and the modern world”
This phrase is the best attempt I found to express the lovely feeling I experienced as soon as I joined the big family gathering in May at the first World Rainbow gathering in Indonesia.
What is a Rainbow gathering?
Wikipedia defines it as: “Rainbow Gatherings are temporary loosely knit communities of people who congregate annually in remote forests around the world for one or more weeks at a time to enact a shared ideology of peace, harmony, freedom, and respect.”
Peace
Harmony
Freedom
Respect
These are definitely feelings I experienced together with
Love!
Undiscriminated Love for nature, people, Life.
Smiles!
A lot of happy and powerful smiles all around me!
Sparkling curious eyes that only dreamers have!
Brothers and sisters living their own dream bravely, taking risks to just follow their feelings and heart, setting aside the logics and targets taught by capitalism and consumerism.
No money!
In the Rainbow there is no money involved involved except for the voluntary donations made after dinner through the magic hat collection when some brothers and sister goes around to collect donations while playing music and singing together. The collection goes for food expenses and to give support to few selected local initiatives.
Volunteering
All the daily community activities from cooking and serving food, to collecting wood or improvement works are done on volunteering basis.
Creativity and art
are shared and expressed in many ways and super-interesting and creative workshops are also organised spontaneously everyday by whoever feels like sharing something with the rest of the family.
From Yoga morning wake up session with the shining Yogananda (http://onelove.yoga), to music healing meditation, cocoa production teachings to basic sailing lesson.
Even an amazing fire juggling show!
Powerful Energy
The energy is so powerful and positive that the whole Rainbow is even invited at a local wedding and food is given to everyone (300+ people) for free. A spontaneous show is initiated with music, singers and dancers with the best pleasure of the bride and groom.
At the center of all the beautiful and harmonious mother earth.
The best moment of the day at the Rainbow gathering.
I really really loved the “circling together” around the fire before each breakfast/lunch and dinner, holding each other hands and sharing energy while singing and dancing together. Passing a kiss around the circle from the people on your side to the one on the other side. Shouting out your own emotions and thankfulness for life.
In the end a powerful coral unite “Ohm” coming from deep inside to close the circle and start eating delicious vegan food.
Saying “Hi” to anyone new arriving or meeting in the Rainbow with a warm Hug! Giving and magically receiving an hug each time you feel like.
Being free to express your feeling and personality without being judged, but only supported and helped… this is Love!
The vibrations still cross my whole body when I recall these days in the Rainbow gathering.
Be open, share and give unconditionally: in the end we all desire to be Happy!
Despite all the efforts and good intentions, garbage is still an issue also here.
Plastic and other not natural products are limited here, both for distance from shops that require everyone to bring along every purchase, and I believe for the disposition of many people here to look for a more sustainable way of living. More in harmony with nature and with natural products.
Very limited is indeed the quantity of garbage produced after 3 weeks with over 400 people at the peak. Nevertheless some exceptions exists and some plastic items could be found on the beach and a bit around the camp site. Difficult to say if they all come from the sea or some have also been “lost” by the Rainbow people.. An interesting project to improve is being developed meanwhile, but meanwhile a complete solution to garbage is missing also here.
The Best is that some brothers and sisters will stay longer beyond the end of the moon’s and gathering end to do a complete clean up of the whole area:
Many Thanks to you brothers and sisters!
I will always remember my first Rainbow gathering happening by luck in the last week of my travels and I feel will not be the last Rainbow for me 😉