Rainbow Family of Living Light Peace Pole
Scroll down to view videos of the Peace PoleThis blog is about the Rainbow Family of Living Light Peace Pole. To understand who the Rainbow family is and what the Peace Pole is, takes knowing something about the various prophecies related to them, and an understanding of the “Ascension Process” now occurring upon the Earth.
The Rainbow Family of Living Light began in 1972 to facilitate an annual silent prayer for Global Peace every 4th of July. This free event happens in the U.S. national forests, usually a few miles from the ‘parking lot’ and attracts around 20,000 people from all over the world and from many diverse backgrounds and religions to participate in it.
I attended the first Rainbow Gathering in Colorado in 1972; and of the 35 annual gatherings that followed; I was at 15 of them. I will share here some of what I witnessed that led up to the Peace Pole becoming a part of the Rainbow gathering prayer for peace.
First of all, a series of events evolved for the Rainbow Gatherings that seemed to bring it in line with the prophecies. Originally called the “Gathering of the Tribes”, the first Rainbow Gathering claimed to be the gathering of the “144,000” mentioned in “Revelations” as “New Jerusalem”; as well as the gathering of the “Rainbow people of Peace” prophesied by the Hopi. The initial 1972 gathering in Colorado had 45,000 participants, who all walked the 8-mile trail up to Strawberry Lake.
In 1972, the Rainbow reached consensus about using an “open-to-all” council process to make decisions. I witnessed in 1976, at the first Montana gathering, the U.S. Forest Service accept, acknowledge, and participate with the Rainbow Council. That council agreed by consensus that no one person can speak for the Rainbow Family Council unless specifically appointed by the council to do so.
This happened because of a matter involving a piece of sacred Indian land that one brother was talking to the local Indians about using for the prayer on the 4th of July. Because he erroneously said he represented the Rainbow Council, and was pressuring the Indians to agree when they did not want to; the Indians asked the Forest Service to intervene.
The result was three-fold: the Forest Service officially accepted the Rainbow Council as the gathering decision-making body, they actually participated in and were in consensus with the council, and the Rainbow Family agreed to never allow any other “spokespersons” but those specifically selected by the council as ”liaison” for specific reasons, with no authority to go beyond their clearly defined tasks.
It is important to note that no other “tribe” has ever been able to get the government to recognize their “real” council, and always has had to accept the “tribal council” forced on them by the B.I.A.
The following year, at the first Arizona Rainbow Gathering, The Rainbow Gathering was blessed with 2 visionary happenings. The first Rainbow tipi circle was formed, with all the tipis facing the center instead of the East. Second, the most important acknowledgement ever, from Hopi elder, Grandfather David Monongye.
He came riding into camp on horse-back, an 85 year old traditional Hopi, who had already gone to the United Nations and the Geneva World Court, as well as the United States’ Congress and Senate; publicly sharing the ancient and secret prophecies of the Hopi, and how that all related to the coal mining on Black Mesa in Hopi-land.
Grandfather David spent several days with the camp, and there was one huge circle where he spent several hours carefully explaining to us all, what the Hopi prophecies revealed about these times, and how the “Rainbow Family” had a part to play in them. He specifically acknowledged that the Rainbow Family was indeed involved in the prophesy, and why.
He said, “The prophecy tells of the Rainbow people of peace, composed of all spiritual beliefs, and they will be called people of peace with a name similar to ‘Hopi’ (which means “people of peace” in Hopi)—and there is no accident that ‘Hopi’ and ‘Hippie’ sound alike.”
The next year, in Oregon, the gathering had 22 tipis in one huge circle, and also accomplished having one huge prayer circle, rather than many smaller ones throughout the camp as had happened previously. Papa-san Eastman was sent by Spirit to pray with us, and he did an all-day medicine pipe ceremony for us, blessing 7 family pipes, which 600 people participated in.
At that gathering, a few people noticed the unusual, carved pole that a Japanese monk set up in the middle of the tipi circle. He had done his own Buddhist Nam Reng Kyo ceremony, not noticing the special participants around him.
Most of those onlookers were from a very visionary, multi-national, gypsy “Living Theater” troupe, who traveled around the world in buses giving multi-media theater performances. Their name at that time was “The Illuminated Elephants”
I was ignorant of who these people were, but I did notice the ceremony happening. It was small and I did not think of it much, as “Nam Reng Kyo” did not appeal to me. But little did I know how all this would greatly affect many others and me.
So, the next year at the first Arizona Rainbow Gathering, I was a main gatekeeper, greeting folks with a “Welcome Home”, a smile, and an orientation rap. Part of that job included watching out for government cameras and biased media, trying to hone in on the energy of the Rainbow. That was how I came to be aware of the 3 different groups who were at the gathering with the state-of-the-art video cameras of that time, 3/4“ U-matics.
I will not go into all the detail here, but each of those groups had to get past the Rainbow Council, which adamantly did not want those video cameras going around unsupervised, filming whatever they wanted for their own purposes. This took several days of Rainbow Council to decide and agree to terms before any recording was allowed. This resulted in the forming of “The Rainbow Tell-A-Vision Council” authorized by the Rainbow Council to regulate and control media at Rainbow gatherings.
To make a long story short, the agreement was broken by one of the groups, resulting in the confiscation of those videotapes by the council. Three months after the gathering, I spearheaded the implementation of editing the material along with Garrick Beck of Rainbow Farm, and Alberto Ruiz of the Illuminated Elephants. The result was that 8 of us spent a week putting together what became the first video of a Rainbow Gathering to be edited by the Rainbow Tell-A-Vision Council.
Of the key players involved here, I will mention that Garrick’s father was Julian Beck, creator of Living Theater; and Alberto was the son of the first archaeologist in Mexico to discover the “jaguar bones” in a pyramid in Mexico, which bones held the only surviving, recorded account of the “Mayan Calendar Prophecies”. I had met Reverend Yamato at the gathering that year and found out that he had come from Japan to specifically seek the Hopi and the Rainbow as part of the Buddhist prophecies,
It was because of Reverend Yamato’s prayer pole that the Illuminated Elephants approached him in Arizona and asked to help make a “Rainbow” ceremony involving the pole. When he consented to participate, they ceremonially and with theater and dance, approached several main Rainbow Family groups and invited them to participate.
What resulted was the first Rainbow Family prayer ceremony with the Peace Pole, involving also a pageant. A few years later the Peace Pole was also placed at the center of the 4th of July prayer circle and was a regular part of that prayer for peace for 25 gatherings afterwards, as well as part of “The Peace Pole Pageant” usually held on the 6th.
What you will see here in the first video, is the footage from the Arizona Gathering edit that shows the first Rainbow Family ceremony with the Peace Pole. It starts in “Bus Village” with a sacred pipe blessing and then proceeds to parade throughout the 2-mile long camp, gathering participants.
At the center of the main circle, Yamato gives his prayer blessing of the pole. What follows is a series of presentations from several groups including: Flowering Tree Family, Wilderness Family, Love Family, Hog Farm, Rainbow Farm, and Fantuzzi.
It is important to note that the ceremony ends with a spontaneous “Alleluia” chorus that went on for almost an hour. What you see is a short edit of many of the presentations, with all other footage from that gathering edited out.
I will also mention that in the Illuminated Elephants piece, the girl dancing in the center is holding a braid made from a lock of hair from each member of the Illuminated Elephants, which had several different nationalities represented among them. She finishes their offering by tying that braid of hair to the pole.
Other than that, you will have to read between the lines. The faces you see are famous in the Rainbow Family, and they could be seen at major communities and events throughout the history of the Alternative Culture. Many of them now grandparents, still attend the gatherings when they can. But what all these people, the Rainbow Gathering, and the Peace Pole have in common is a prayer for Global Peace that has continued unbroken since 1972.
What you will see in the 2nd video is the ceremony of unique importance, which passes the caretaking position for the Peace Pole--to a woman for the first time. Carol Ann of the Casbah, often called the “Queen of the Hippies” or “Queen of the Gypsies”. Bari (pronounced Bar-ee), who carried the pole for over 2 years, leads the ceremonial walk out of the gathering, and shares allot of information about the Peace Pole and how it works. We also see at the end of the trail, Phillipe blessing all who carry the pole. He was one of the caretakers of the pole, perhaps for the longest time of all.
Last of all, I will mention that I am not the only person who has witnessed the power of this Peace Pole. I personally saw miracles and prophecies come true before my eyes, while praying with this pole. I entered into Samadhi-bliss several times with it, and I never saw a more powerful focusing prayer tool in my 60 years of life on Earth, so far.
This Peace Pole has been walked across the country on peace walks, including the Indian’s Longest Walk. Hundreds of thousands of people prayed with it, perhaps millions. But if you have any doubt as to its power, just ask any of those who have sat in the “vortex” center of the circle on the 4th of July at a Rainbow Gathering—they will all tell you the wildest, visionary tales of amazing things they felt, saw, and heard.
In fact, they may even write in this blog some of those stories, or share here their links to the video or pictures related to this Pole. I personally will do all I can to add the stories I learn about, especially the chronological events of the Peace Pole since 1979. I believe it is an icon worthy of such mention, honor, and respect; especially during this time of Earth and Humanity’s Ascension Process—many of the first Light workers on the Planet, here to serve this Ascension, prayed around this pole for peace. May their prayers, and all the prayers of every saint and martyr of peace, now manifest around the planet with the Violet Flame of Love, which is now Ascending in all our hearts, to heal all wounds of war and suffering, forever!
O Mitakayase
Love in Light n peace,
Neriah/Roger Lothamer
RippleTV
July 6th Peace Pole Video
This second video entry to the Peace Pole Blog was recorded at the Colorado Rainbow Gathering July 6th, 2006. This follows Bari and Carol Ann on the spontaneous ceremony of transferring the caretaking of the Peace Pole to her.
There is some great information here on how the pole scientifically works, and about the history of various parts of the pole’s inscriptions. Subtle and humorous wordplay makes this a fascinating insight into the visionary minds of those who revere this symbol of focused prayer.
The pole, 2 days before this recording, was involved with the prayer for peace on the 4th of July. It was not at the exact center, but placed to the left of the Eastern Gate to the inner circle of the prayer. 30,000 people prayed around it that day and joined hands in a huge circle.
The Peace Pole is now sent out to the world, having a mission of peace even more relevant in the face of the world situation. Any and all banners and totems of peace should freely guide our focus ever onward to the most noble aspects of the human experience.
This pole is a blessed focusing tool that amplifies the unified spiritual energy of all who are present. It brings an awesome reverence for the kinship of all Life, and s deep respect for our interconnectedness with all aspects of life.
Nothing outside of our Self is here. Everything is actually one within each of us. We all know now that we know. This is the moment of vast transformations and peace. As we face the whirlwinds of change, and look to who we are, we see each other and the whole circle—all holding on to the hem of life and those dear to us. Peace now is our constant companion, for there is no more fear. We have met our Self.
As people gather around a center, they face the center and see the whole circle as well. This centered circumspect point of view brings peace. With our 3rd eye and heart chakra working together, we are able now to hold this light of peace on the Earth. So be it.
O Mitakayase
All our relations
Namaste
Neriah Lothamer
Ripple TV
Click here to view this video nowJuly 22 & 30th Peace Pole video in Oregon
This 3rd entry is from the last 2 weeks of July 2006 in Oregon. It shows 2 diverse groups appreciating the Peace pole. While the pole was up, many folks connected in networking more peace in the world. Ideas were creatively passed around about implementing "peace-full" alternatives for local communities as well as our nation.
I have again left these videos speak for themselves, but the plan is to do a documentary from them with voice-overs explaining many of the activities around the pole.
Carol Ann is hoping to create a huge prayer ceremony around the Peace Pole at The Power To The Peaceful Concert in San Francisco this September. Help by volunteers, and money from supporters and sponsors could make this happen in a very effective way. Please donate what you can by clicking on the "donate" button below, or support this Peace Pole blog by joining up with a monthly $5 subscription to our podcasts and get all the new videos as soon as they are put up on this blog.
Thank you for joining us on the Peace Pole adventure.
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posted by Neriah Lothamer @ 10:33 AM
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