The Rainbow Gathering

I am anticipating July more than I have in a long time. I mean, I have been excited about it because of the roadtrip, but now I think we have come to a common agreement to go to the Rainbow Gathering. What is that, you ask? Well, I can sum it up as best as I can from what I have read and re-read.

The Rainbow Gathering is a huge modern hippie fest, dating back to the 1970s. It's a beautiful experience, from what I have gathered. Once at this festival, which lasts from July 1-7 in a different National park each year, you meet up to 20,000 people from all different backgrounds and trades. Some are nomads, others are college kids like me who just want to explore, some are family, others have come from generations of Rainbow people. It's a beautiful, heart touching experience.

At this gathering, there is basically a mini town of tents and buses set up. They have everything from child care to medicinal tents. There are no leaders and no authority and everyone looks out for everyone else.

I think I'm going to make a lot of jewelry, or some shirts or something to trade for things at Rainbow. Because it's non-profit, the exchange or services or goods for money is not allowed. So, people trade services and goods for other services and goods. I think that by bringing say, lots of chocolate or other candies and also trading beautiful pieces of art, I can definitely do some good at this place. It's just a totally out of body kind of thing.

To just be one with this group of people, which is a huge point at Rainbow. I'm pretty sure that it's calling my name. I'm a sucker for anything related to hippies and the 1960s culture. It's just amazing how this kind of thing can bring together so many different people for one common goal: world peace and nature and harmony.

Rainbow just seems like an intense, spiritual, amazing experience. People put it down as this nasty hippie fest, but I mean, look at the incredible things to gain from it. You meet so many incredible people and you can learn crafts and dance and sing and love and be one with the whole throbbing heartbeat of the earth and all its people.

I need to be there. Washington, here I come. I want to be in touch with my inner flower child.