Rainbow Gathering in the Pyrenees
South France, August 2021

The Rainbow gathering is the most beautiful thing on this planet according to my experiences so far in this lifetime. I get emotional when I think of it. It is home. It is family. Everyone there is called brother or sister. It ispired me also for my tshirts in the category Rainbow love.

Here you can learn more about the rainbow gathering and how it works.

On the way to the rainbow

It started all when a friend from Netherlands called me in July 2021 and asked me if he can visit me. I said no sorry, I will have an appointment on this certain date. He said ok, and some other thing, I will go to a rainbow gathering in two weeks. Without thinking even a second, I said: Ok, I will come.

I heared about rainbow gatherings before. It sounded always so special that I was thinking, this is only for special people, not for me. The exact location is secret until it starts. And it is mostly far up from civilisation somewher in the nature. And what happens there is almost to good to be true. Everyone is welcome, doesnt matter which age, color or religion. That is why it is called rainbow. People there are very different and there is no discrimination. Doctors, Architects, beggars, disabled people (I saw one, but it is not easy for them to reach there), rich people, poor people, old people or babies.

My rainbow experience

But now more about my experience. I had no backpack, no tent for camping, no equipment, nothing. The only thing I had was a very big tent and also a big sleeping bag. I was thinking if I should go with a big suitcase and bring the tent extra. For this few days of the gathering it is maybe an option. Then it came to my mind, no, this is ridiculous. So I started  my computer and bought everything that I need for camping in nature in the internet. First I had to find out what I all need for camping of course.

It was last minute. The things arrived just a few days before we started. I never actually camped in nature. I slept in a tent 2 times before in our garden. As I have sleeping problems, I can’t even sleep good in a tent. But when the call of the rainbow came to me, there was no question asked.

My journey to the rainbow gathering

I booked a flixbus from Karlsruhe to Carcasonne in south France. My friend was already there, he was travelling in France. My bus was overnight and we met there early in the morning. After meeting in his AirBnB, we started hichhiking towards the pyrenees. We bought some bread, oil and fruits in Carcasonne, this was our breakfast. It was still a few hundred kilometers to go. I was thinking that hopefully we arrive there before it gets dark. Also we found out that it can be quite cold as far we got higher up, as we saw a flea market on the way, we bought two pullovers.

We jumped and danced on the street. We were like on drugs because we were on the way to the rainbow gathering. The hichhiking went pretty fast. Until we reached the pyrenees we were never waiting long to get picked up. The first stop where we had to wait longer was already in a mountain village up in the pyrenees. Almost no cars crossed there and if there were cars, they did not stop for us.

But we were lucky. After a while a car stoped. And guess what they told us where they will go. To the rainbow gathering 🙂

Coming home to the rainbow

It was like crazy. I was nervous how it will be there and my adrenaline level was very high. And every story they told us in the car about the rainbow gathering pushed it higher. Wow, I have a big smile on my face now when I think of this situation. It took maybe half an hour more on small roads up the pyrenees to the last mountain village. From there we took a road into the forest and drove on this rough road for 30 minutes more. Then finally we arrived. I did not believe my eyes when I saw 100’s of cars parked along the road. It was like crazy. We had difficulties to find a spot for our car, because everywher was full of cars.

We found a spot and started to hike. This was not the end. We had to hike 30 minutes up the mountain to reach to the gathering. Actually the gathering was everywhere. Next to the street were also parked campers where people gathered and had some food and drinks. On the beginning of the very rough road up the mountain was the welcome center. Every rainbow gathering has a welcome center. It is to welcome all new people and tell them about how the gathering works in case they don’t know. The welcome center was in a little house for hikers to sleep over when they hike in the pyrenees. Close to the welcome center was a rainbow flag with the words “rainbow pais”. What means rainbow country in spanish.

Rough road

After hugging many people who welcomed us warm with the words “welcome home”, we continued our way up the hill. A small car tried to drive up the very rough road, I have no idea why, but it came only around 100 meters. Then many people on the way had to come to push this car back down. The road was really rough. Only one 4 wheel drive Pickup made it up everyday to bring food. Even when the police tried to come up with a 4 wheel drive later in the event, they did not make it. I have actually no idea what they wanted with a car on the rainbow gathering.

We hiked and hiked. Some people who left the gathering already came down the way. A rainbow gathering is absolutely free. Normally it takes one month, but everyone can come and leave whenever they want. Many people hugged us and welcomed us home. It did not feel to arrive on a gathering but to come back home.

The main meadow of the rainbow gathering and the holy fire

After a long hike the dark forest got brighter and we reached to the main meadow of the rainbow gathering. There was also the holy fire. It was almost not real. There were 100’s of people. Dancing, singing, playing, cooking, drinking, talking… Everybody did what he or she wanted. Naked, with clothes or with a costume. Nobody cared about the outer appearance. And we arrived there before food what does not mean on lunchtime. Every rainbow gathering has a temporary kitchen. And food is ready whenever its ready, just on rainbow time. It can be 5 pm (even nobody had a watch) or it can be after midnight (what also happened once)

This is how it looked like. In the middle of the picture behind the circle, you can see where the rough road goes into the forest. There is also a white and brown tent, which was the medecine tent. Everyone could go there with any disease or wound. People with medicine background were there to help.

In the center of the image is the food circle. Evertime when the kitchen made some food with the help of many volunteers, we gathered. In a rainbow gathering it is like that: around 2-3 hours before the food is ready, the kitchen people are shouting loud: “food circle”. This is repeated by every person that hears it. So that everyone on that big area knows it. 1-2 hours before food is another call “food circle”. Half an hour before the food is ready comes the call: “food circle now”. If you are hungry, you know, soon you have to start to move to the main fire.

Settle down on the rainbow gathering

My friend and I went into the forest to search for a nice spot for our tent. We found one next to some people from Lithuania. It was like like a village inside the forest. Everywhere tents, little fire places, hammocks, paths and other things. Outside the forest was also a kids area with a seperate kids kitchen. And there were many beautiful hearted people.

Shit pit

Another big topic in the middle of nature up in the pyrenees is where so many people can shit and pee. Toilets on the rainbow gathering are called shit pits. This are several long holes in the ground. They are on several places far from the tents and also far from the main area. Signs on the trees show the way. You put one foot left and one foot right, put your naked ass down and just let go. When a shitpit is full, some volunteers go and dig a new one. Normally you should not use toilet paper. I tried it with leaves several times. But to use toilet paper and burn it after usage is also ok.

Where I belong

In the rainbow gathering I had the first time the feeling that I really belong. That this is how the world could be. Just sisters and brothers, one big family (the rainbow people call themselves “rainbow family”). This gathering is grounded on anarchy, everyone is responsible for everything, but also everyone can enjoy everything. There is no leader. The rainbow family of a certain county where it takes place is responsible to organize that it can take place. But never one person makes a decision. Everything will be decided in consent.

I realized that very clearly on my first evening at the rainbow gathering. During food circle many differerent activities are called out. Amongst other things they called out that the vision council will meet in one of the tipis. The oldes members of the family came together to decide where the next big European Gathering will happen. And everyone was able to join this vision circle. I love this fact as I am very curious.

So I joined the vision circle. People from different countries argued why the next European rainbow gathering should be in their country. The olders told their opinion. We sat in a circle and everyone had the chance to speak. Me too. But I kept quiet because I have no opinion about the location of the next European rainbow gathering. I was happy that I had just arrived at this one here in the pyrenees.

Rules

Actually the rainbow gathering has no fixed rules. There are guidlines that should be followed. And as everyone is responsible, people will speak to you if they see that you don’t follow the guidlines. But you will not get a penalty for doing something not the rainbow way. Only for one thing. Using physical or psychological violence against other people. Then you will be asked to leave the gathering.

Very important is the mandate to not use your mobile phone in public. If you do so, there will be definetly a brother or a sister confronting you. Alcohol and drugs are also a thing that is not wanted. I did not use them. But I heard that some people do so in private.

We are circling

One of the things that I like most about the rainbow gathering is the rite that before eating we make a circle around the main fire. We hold hands and sing rainbow songs for around 30 minutes -1 hour. Rainbow songs are beautiful. And they are like mantras. That everyone can keep the text in mind, it is often repeating.

And in this circle kisses or other things go around. Means that someone starts to kiss his neigbour on the cheek or on the hand and he or she continues the kiss to the next one and so on. Sometimes people are creative and start something else than kissing. I experienced one time that one person picked up a little branch with her toes. She continued it to her neigbour. He took the branch with his toes and continued it. In this way the little branch went all around the circle.

Sometimes if the space is too small and there are too many people, there will be a second circle. Or even 3 like on this picture. This picture is not from the pyrenees, I just want to show you how it looks if there are too many people for one circle.

Workshops

What I also like very much are the workshops. Everone is able to offer a workshop about everything. And it can happen that many people want to join the workshop of nobody is interested. Here I list some of the workshops I remember: Hypnosis, Massage, Contact Improvisation, Voice Training, Polyamory, Eye Gazing, Play Fight, Chakra Healing, Yoga…  Usually during the food circle people will announce their workshops. It is also absolutely free how people announce their workshop. Most common is that people write it on a carton board and show it to everyone or go around and announce it verbaly. To speak up in the big circle and announce it is not so well-seen. Because not everone is interested in listening to the announcement.

I did two workshops in the rainbow gathering. About tantra and tantra massage. It was great. Around 40 people came to each workshop, but I was not nervous infront to speak of them as they are my brothers and sisters. One older guy even helped me to get the tipi, as someone else wanted to use it. Also some people came up to me and told me that they liked it. One woman even kissed my hand to show me her gratefuleness and appreciation.

Our little camp

We spent also a lot of time in our little camp. That means in the forest, were our tents were. We had an own little fire there and cooked our own food. Especially pancakes or tea. And we had a roof, so we could sit there when it was raining. In the forest there were many such little camps. One of the guys had a car, so one day we drove to some hot springs nearby. It was nice to lay in the hot water after many cold days in the mountains. When the sun was shining, it was quite warm, but as soon as the sun went down, it got much colder.

People

On a rainbow gathering it is easy to meet wonderful people. You can meet them everywhere, especially in the workshops it is posible to get to know them better. I met many beautiful people and had many interesting conversations. One I want to share here because I am proud of it. I talked with one woman about her dog and that the dog is horny and she can not leave her for a longer time alone in the camper. So I convinced her to write a sign and search for a male dog.

I want to finish this article with you. If you have been in the pyrenees too, if this article inspired you to go on a rainbow too, or if you have any questions – please leave a comment! And if you are researching now about the rainbow gathering in youtube, be careful, not every video shows the beautiful spirit of the rainbow.

New: One principle of the Rainbow Gathering is to leave the gathering site better than you found it. Here is a photo of the Rainbow Meadow that was taken about 2 years after the Gathering.

The Rainbow Gathering is known for the special rainbow songs that are sung around the campfire and before the food circle. I would like to add three of my favorite Rainbow songs here so you can get a little taste.