Over the last several posts, I have been following what initially looked like a fairly simple question:

Is there a connection between Bhakti Bliss and the Rainbow Family?

There is.

But after following the people rather than simply the names of the organizations, the story became considerably larger.

What emerged was not evidence of one secret organization running everything.

Instead, what emerged was an interconnected Ottawa-Gatineau alternative-spirituality, wellness, music and festival network whose participants appear repeatedly at Bhakti events, Rainbow Family gatherings, ecstatic dances, yoga festivals, wellness events, GAIAFEST, Raven’s Knoll and, at least in some cases, KN¿WHERE.

That distinction matters.

This isn’t a conspiracy chart.

It is a social-network chart.

And those are two very different things.

Let’s Go Back to the Beginning

The first piece of the puzzle is the Rainbow Family of Living Light.

The Rainbow Family is an intentionally decentralized countercultural community associated with Rainbow Gatherings. There is no conventional membership system, president or central organization.

Ontario has its own Rainbow Family community.

While looking through publicly indexed Ontario Rainbow Family material, one name appeared repeatedly:

Eric Mandala.

Eric does not merely use the word “Rainbow” in the name of his musical project.

Public Ontario Rainbow Family discussions place him directly within that community. One discussion about possible Ontario gathering sites specifically names Eric Mandala, while another gathering discussion posted by Eric refers participants to either JF or Zu Zen regarding communal supplies and says Zu would inventory those supplies.

So Eric’s connection with Ontario Rainbow culture is not simply an inference based upon the name of his band.

Then Eric appeared somewhere else.

Bhakti Bliss.

Eric Mandala and Bhakti Bliss

Eric has appeared repeatedly in the Bhakti Bliss community.

He performed at Bhakti Bliss in previous years and returned to Raven’s Knoll for the August 7–9, 2026 festival. Bhakti Bliss publicly promoted his 2026 appearance directly.

At first, that left us with a fairly simple connection:

Ontario Rainbow Family
↓
Eric Mandala
↓
Bhakti Bliss

That could easily have been nothing more than a musician belonging to several communities.

Then we started looking at the other people.

Zu Zen Changes the Picture

Zu Zen appears both in Eric Mandala’s musical community and in Ontario Rainbow Family gathering activity.

The Ontario Rainbow Family material dealing with communal equipment specifically names Eric Mandala and Zu Zen and gives Zu a practical role involving the inventory of gathering supplies.

That meant Eric was no longer necessarily the only bridge.

And once we started following the wider group of musicians and facilitators around Eric, another festival repeatedly appeared.

GAIAFEST.

GAIAFEST May Be the Missing Middle Layer

This may be one of the most useful discoveries in the entire investigation.

GAIAFEST brought together numerous people who subsequently appear elsewhere in this network.

Public GAIAFEST material identifies Eric Mandala as a repeat participant and shows Rebecca White Raven and JS McPherson within the festival’s programming.

Other archived GAIAFEST material places Nick Gallarza and Andrew Sass within the GAIAFEST environment as well.

That is significant because these connections existed independently of KN¿WHERE being held at Raven’s Knoll.

In other words, Raven’s Knoll did not create this social network.

The network already existed.

That changes the question considerably.

Now Go Back Further: Bhakti in the Woods

Bhakti Bliss itself also has a history.

Before Bhakti Bliss there was Bhakti in the Woods.

Public biographical material concerning Rebecca White Raven states that she helped organize Bhakti in the Woods and that, after that festival ended its approximately ten-year run, Rebecca initiated Bhakti Bliss.

That gives us direct continuity:

Bhakti in the Woods
↓
Rebecca White Raven
↓
Bhakti Bliss

Rebecca continues to be deeply involved.

The current Bhakti Bliss committee material identifies:

Rebecca — Lead
Bob — Finance Coordinator
Courtney — Program Coordinator
Andrew — Ticket Coordinator

And that mysterious “Andrew” sent us down another rabbit hole.

Andrew Appears to Be Andrew Sass

The committee graphic itself unfortunately identifies its Ticket Coordinator only as “Andrew.”

However, there are strong reasons to conclude that this is Andrew Sass.

Andrew Sass is not a casual visitor to Bhakti Bliss.

He has appeared repeatedly as a yoga instructor, musician and workshop facilitator. Bhakti Bliss describes him as a significant support within its community.

At Bhakti Bliss 2023 he led a Song Writing Circle.

He also participated in the December 2025 twelve-hour Bhakti Bliss chant-a-thon fundraiser specifically raising money for the 2026 festival.

Current Bhakti Bliss material again promotes Andrew Sass as returning to the festival’s kirtan programming.

Taken together with the committee indexing, I consider the identification of the committee’s “Andrew” as Andrew Sass to be high confidence.

But because the actual committee graphic does not print his surname, I would still describe it that way rather than pretending the image says something it doesn’t.

That’s an important research habit:

Strong evidence isn’t the same thing as absolute evidence.

Then We Found Nick Gallarza

This is where the Bhakti and KN¿WHERE worlds begin making a documented personnel connection.

Nick Gallarza publicly announced his participation in KN¿WHERE and appears in indexed promotional material associated with the Raven’s Knoll festival.

KN¿WHERE itself describes the June 5–7, 2026 Raven’s Knoll festival as an overnight event combining music, art and wellness. During the day, participants could attend wellness workshops and art and production classes before the bass-music stages operated at night.

Then Nick turns up again.

This time at Bhakti Bliss 2026.

Bhakti Bliss promoted Nick Gallarza as the facilitator of a workshop called Enlightenment Through Communication.

So this particular connection is no longer theoretical:

KN¿WHERE
↓
Nick Gallarza
↓
Bhakti Bliss

That is a genuine shared-personnel connection between the two festival environments.

It does not establish that the festivals have the same organizers.

But it does establish that the communities are not completely isolated from one another.

And Nick Already Knew This Community

This is where GAIAFEST becomes important again.

Nick Gallarza and Andrew Sass appear within the same broader GAIAFEST network that also contains Eric Mandala, Rebecca White Raven and JS McPherson.

Therefore, the connection is not simply:

Nick attended KN¿WHERE and later happened to attend Bhakti Bliss.

Instead, Nick appears within an already-existing alternative festival and wellness network containing several people connected with Bhakti Bliss.

This pushes the timeline backward.

The cross-pollination predates KN¿WHERE’s arrival at Raven’s Knoll.

The Network Now Looks Something Like This

Ontario Rainbow Family
↓
Eric Mandala / Zu Zen
↓
Rainbow Tribe / ecstatic dance / alternative music community
↓
GAIAFEST and Ottawa-Gatineau wellness-festival community
↙︎　　　　　　　　　　　　↘︎
Rebecca White Raven　Andrew Sass / Nick Gallarza / JS McPherson / others
↓　　　　　　　　　　　　　↓
Bhakti in the Woods　　shared festival community
↓　　　　　　　　　　　　　↓
Bhakti Bliss ←──────────→ KN¿WHERE personnel overlap
↓　　　　　　　　　　　　　↓
Raven’s Knoll ←────────→ Raven’s Knoll

That diagram isn’t meant to say that everybody belongs to the Rainbow Family.

They don’t necessarily.

Nor does it say that everybody organizes every event.

They clearly don’t.

It demonstrates that these communities have multiple social bridges.

Rainbow Tribe Does Not Equal Rainbow Family

This point needs repeating because it would be very easy to get sloppy here.

Eric Mandala & The Rainbow Tribe is a musical project.

The Rainbow Family of Living Light is the decentralized countercultural community associated with Rainbow Gatherings.

Eric’s participation in both creates a connection.

Zu Zen’s documented participation in Ontario Rainbow gathering logistics creates another connection.

But someone appearing on a Rainbow Tribe recording does not automatically make that individual a member of the Rainbow Family.

Nor does performing with Eric establish Rainbow Family membership.

Association tells us where to look.

It doesn’t automatically tell us what we will find.

Bhakti Bliss Is Also Its Own Organization

This needs to remain clear as well.

Bhakti Bliss publicly describes itself as a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote unity and holistic well-being through Bhakti Yoga. Its festival includes yoga, workshops, music, kirtan and community activities.

I have found no credible evidence that the Rainbow Family owns Bhakti Bliss.

I have found no credible evidence that the Rainbow Family controls Bhakti Bliss.

And I have found no credible evidence that Bhakti Bliss should simply be called a Rainbow Gathering under another name.

What we have found is significant social-network overlap.

That’s a very different conclusion.

KN¿WHERE Is Also Its Own Organization

The same principle applies to KN¿WHERE.

KN¿WHERE describes itself as the evolution of DNR’s Toronto KN¿WHERE events and as an arts, music and wellness festival centred primarily around bass music. Its 2026 camping edition took place at Raven’s Knoll from June 5–7.

I have found no evidence establishing that KN¿WHERE is a Rainbow Family event.

I have found no evidence that Eric Mandala or the Ontario Rainbow Family operates DNR.

And I have found no evidence that Bhakti Bliss operates KN¿WHERE.

What we now know is that at least some of the people appearing in these festival ecosystems overlap.

Nick Gallarza is the clearest documented example so far.

And Raven’s Knoll Becomes the Convergence Point

This is where Raven’s Knoll becomes fascinating.

KN¿WHERE describes Raven’s Knoll as its 2026 venue.

Bhakti Bliss also takes place there.

But Raven’s Knoll historically developed within Ontario Pagan festival culture.

So on the same property we now have communities associated with:

Paganism.

Heathenry.

Bhakti Yoga.

Kirtan.

Ecstatic dance.

Sound healing.

Wellness culture.

Electronic dance music.

Camping festival culture.

And through some of the people involved, connections into the broader Rainbow community.

This does not mean Raven’s Knoll created these relationships.

In fact, one of our most important findings is precisely the opposite.

Many of these relationships existed before KN¿WHERE arrived at Raven’s Knoll.

GAIAFEST and the Ottawa-Gatineau alternative-spirituality community demonstrate that.

So What Is Actually Happening?

I think the simplest explanation is also the most interesting.

We are looking at an ecosystem.

Ontario’s Pagan community is relatively small.

The Rainbow community is relatively small.

Ottawa’s kirtan community is relatively small.

The ecstatic-dance community is relatively small.

The transformational and wellness-festival community is relatively small.

The underground rave community is relatively small.

Those communities are not hermetically sealed.

People move.

A musician can play kirtan one weekend and ecstatic dance another.

A yoga instructor can appear at GAIAFEST and Bhakti Bliss.

A photographer, artist or facilitator can participate in a wellness festival and later appear at a rave.

A Rainbow participant can perform at a Pagan festival.

A Pagan campground can host a Bhakti festival and then a bass-music festival.

Over enough time, the networks inevitably begin crossing.

The Language Crosses Too

There is another interesting similarity.

Listen to the recurring vocabulary:

Community.

Connection.

Unity.

Transformation.

Movement.

Wellness.

Nature.

Family.

Healing.

Love.

KN¿WHERE itself describes the Raven’s Knoll event as an immersive experience combining music, art and wellness and speaks about connecting with yourself and the community.

Bhakti Bliss says its mission is to kindle unity and holistic well-being and create a vibrant community through Bhakti Yoga.

Different traditions.

Different music.

Different organizations.

But overlapping cultural vocabulary.

That Doesn’t Mean They Are All the Same Thing

This may be the most important conclusion from the entire exercise.

Shared vocabulary does not prove shared control.

Shared performers do not prove shared ownership.

A shared venue does not prove organizational affiliation.

A person attending a Rainbow Gathering does not make every event they subsequently attend a Rainbow event.

And somebody knowing Eric Mandala does not make that person a member of the Rainbow Family.

We have to resist turning a network into an organization simply because drawing lines between people makes a complicated picture.

What About the Government “Watch List” Question?

We looked at that as well.

The Rainbow Family has certainly attracted government and law-enforcement attention, particularly because large unauthorized Rainbow Gatherings create significant land-management, safety and permit issues.

That is not the same thing as proving that the Rainbow Family is formally designated as a terrorist organization.

We were unable to substantiate the claim that the Rainbow Family itself is formally listed as a terrorist organization in Canada or the United States.

That distinction follows exactly the same research principle:

Monitoring is not designation.

Association is not membership.

Overlap is not control.

What We Can Now Say With Confidence

After following these threads, I think the evidence supports the following conclusions:

1. Bhakti Bliss grew directly out of Bhakti in the Woods.

Rebecca White Raven helped organize Bhakti in the Woods and subsequently initiated Bhakti Bliss when the earlier festival ended.

2. Eric Mandala has genuine connections to both Ontario Rainbow culture and Bhakti Bliss.

His Rainbow connection is independently visible in Ontario Rainbow Family material, and his Bhakti Bliss participation is documented by the festival itself.

3. Eric is not the only bridge.

Zu Zen appears within Ontario Rainbow gathering logistics as well as Eric’s broader community.

4. GAIAFEST demonstrates that much of this alternative-festival network existed independently of Raven’s Knoll.

Eric Mandala, Rebecca White Raven, JS McPherson and others appear within that environment, with Nick Gallarza and Andrew Sass appearing in the wider GAIAFEST network as well.

5. Nick Gallarza creates a documented personnel bridge between KN¿WHERE and Bhakti Bliss.

He appears in KN¿WHERE promotional material and is a 2026 Bhakti Bliss workshop facilitator.

6. Andrew Sass appears to be part of the Bhakti Bliss organizational core, not merely a booked musician.

The committee identifies an “Andrew” as Ticket Coordinator, while Andrew Sass has years of documented Bhakti Bliss participation and fundraising involvement. The identification is strong, although the committee graphic itself does not provide the surname.

7. KN¿WHERE and Bhakti Bliss remain separate organizations.

KN¿WHERE publicly presents itself as an arts, music and wellness festival evolving from DNR’s KN¿WHERE events, while Bhakti Bliss describes itself as its own not-for-profit Bhakti Yoga organization.

8. Raven’s Knoll is the present physical convergence point, but it did not create the underlying network.

The people and relationships can be traced through earlier festivals and community events.

What We Cannot Say

And just as importantly:

We cannot presently say that Bhakti Bliss is operated by the Rainbow Family.

We cannot say that KN¿WHERE is operated by the Rainbow Family.

We cannot say that DNR Productions is a Rainbow organization.

We cannot say that every Rainbow Tribe musician belongs to the Rainbow Family.

We cannot say that everyone appearing at GAIAFEST belongs to the same spiritual movement.

And we cannot say that merely appearing at Raven’s Knoll makes any person part of Raven’s Knoll’s Pagan community.

Those claims would go beyond the evidence.

The Bigger Story

When I started looking at this, I thought I was investigating whether one festival had connections to the Rainbow Family.

I don’t think that is the most interesting question anymore.

The bigger story is how modern alternative communities actually function.

Not as isolated boxes.

As overlapping networks.

Bhakti.

Paganism.

Rainbow culture.

Yoga.

Kirtan.

Ecstatic dance.

Wellness culture.

Transformational festivals.

Electronic music.

Rave culture.

They do not become the same thing simply because people move between them.

But the people moving between them carry ideas, practices, friendships and cultural expectations along with them.

That is how communities influence one another.

Not necessarily because somebody at the top planned it.

Sometimes there isn’t anybody at the top.

Sometimes it is simply what happens when the same hundred or thousand people keep meeting each other at festivals, workshops, dances, gatherings and campfires for twenty years.

And that brings us back to Raven’s Knoll.

Perhaps the question we should continue asking isn’t:

“Who secretly controls all of this?”

There is currently no evidence suggesting that anybody does.

A much more useful question is:

“What happens when all of these communities begin sharing the same people, ideas and spaces?”

That question we actually have evidence to explore.

And I suspect we are nowhere near finished following those threads.

References

Bhakti Bliss Yoga & Music Festival. (2026). Bhakti Bliss Yoga & Music Festival: Official festival and program materials.

Bhakti Bliss Yoga & Music Festival. (2026). Meet the Bhakti Bliss Committee [Social media post].

Bhakti Bliss Yoga & Music Festival. (2026). Enlightenment Through Communication with Nick Gallarza [Social media post].

Bhakti Bliss Yoga & Music Festival. (2025). Bhakti Bliss chant-a-thon fundraiser. Ticket Tailor.

Bhakti Bliss Yoga & Music Festival. (2023). Bhakti Bliss 2023. Ticket Tailor.

GAIAFEST. (2024–2026). Artist, facilitator and festival promotional materials.

KN¿WHERE Music Festival. (2026). About KN¿WHERE Music Festival.

KN¿WHERE Music Festival. (2026). KN¿WHERE Music Festival.

Ontario Rainbow Family. (2019–2026). Public gathering discussions and community posts.