Forest Soul Gathering – Interview
Forest Soul Gathering – Interview
Forest Soul Gathering is a new Festival happening for the first time this year between the 21-25 of July in a beautiful forested location near the shores of a lake in the North of Portugal. The Festival organizers seem to be motivated by very interesting ideas and ideals and plan for a 100% echo friendly festival. We hooked up with Matt from the Forest Soul Gathering crew via email in order to find out more about the festival and its vision.
This natural orchestra named Earth needs a species that doesn’t disturb the music with false notes, but wants to be part of the composition, to learn how to go with the flow and to maintain it alive
Q: What motivated you to start Forest Soul Gathering? Who are the people behind the festival?
A: We tried to find a way to express our desire to gather people around a collective challenge, that should have an impact in our daily life and in the future of the next generations. For that, we started to think about the most powerful tool of gathering people, and music came up naturally. We also needed to find a way of gathering people who were almost ready to move on, to transform the dream in a daily fight, to be patient and spiritually opened to follow the rhythm of an essential transition, to act in harmony with their ecosystem. So we created the Forest Soul Gathering to be a collection of tools that we consider essential for the next step of Human Evolution, kind of an educational space where people are invited to share knowledge and learn from others. In the same way, step by step, all the family behind the Forest Soul Gathering is growing, because we have taken a path where there was free education, respect between the people and a huge desire to accept new challenges. Kuna Yala (San Blas, Panama), was the first tribe where, when young, the members of the crew spent a year learning and gathering with people that today are part of this new tribe. We feel a massive energy surrounding the project, the people involved in it and we really want to share it!
You can find more about Forest Soul Gathering here: https://trancentral.tv/forest-soul-gathering
Q: What is your vision for Forest Soul Gathering? What kind of people you expect to come to the festival? What is your goal for the first edition regarding how many people will come?
A: Our vision is that the festival is going to be a spot where people can enjoy some quality music and psychedelic art, but also where they can learn how to build a more green and healthy path for everyone on this planet. Actually, it is a spot where we try to give every tool for people to grow as human beings in order to give everyone a brighter future. We define the Forest Souls as magical human beings that have the capacity to see the interdependence between all the natural elements, and that we are part of this giant harmony. This natural orchestra named Earth needs a species that doesn’t disturb the music with false notes, but wants to be part of the composition, to learn how to go with the flow and to maintain it alive. We are not aiming for a specific amount of people to make this first edition, but we hope to make it with people that are ready to learn and teach to make this gathering the first step of our new collective challenge.
We try to also work with people that share our ideas and that are in this scene because they love it and not for the money and fame because, unfortunately, there’s some good musicians that couldn’t care less about the whole intent of the Psychedelic scene.
Q: What differentiates Forest Soul Gathering from other festivals?
A: We think that all festivals are unique and what make this event unique for us, is because this festival is our personal way to try to help ourselves, the others and the planet, so we just focus on what we think that is the necessary to give a step further and we don’t look too much at other festivals to make ours. But we are always totally open to any ideas or advices that may contribute to the proper evolution of this collective project.
Q: How did you choose the line up for the festival?
A: We always try to preview the whole experience as if we were on the partier position, so we chose based on what we think it’s good music. We try to also work with people that share our ideas and that are in this scene because they love it and not for the money and fame because, unfortunately, there’s some good musicians that couldn’t care less about the whole intent of the Psychedelic scene. In our perspective this is one of the various reasons why our culture is having a sort of down time. It’s the first edition and we are a young flower in this garden, we will for sure make some not so good choices as we get to know better who we are working with but without them we wouldn’t learn and grow!
Q: You put a lot of attention into the ecologic side of the event – can you expand on that? Do you think it matters to Festival goers?
A: Yes! Well we are trying to go 100% eco-friendly for the first and next editions and events, in partnership with the Eco-Celtic Park, because we think it’s a natural and collective responsibility that should be also a natural rule for all the events where the connection with Mother Nature is defended. With this event and others that are coming in the next years, we are trying to create a real platform where people can discuss, share, build and adopt natural guidelines for the future. Today, our goal is to be a connection between all the different protagonists of this ecological transition in the artistic and cultural area. For the future of the project, we desire to see its goals and actions reach new fields and inspire other Forest Souls that hopefully will be a source of inspiration for other people. It’s a long and probably an all life challenge to invite people to reconnect themselves with nature and work together to be part of a necessary ecologic, social and economic transition, but we are proud to have found our life mission!
the spot where the Forest Soul will happen is a part of one of the celtic tribes birthplaces so we will work to rewind you back in time in order to connect with this culture.
Q: What special experiences you think people who will come to Forest Soul Gathering take back with them?
A: We are working on building the best environment for people to have the most fulfilling social experiences with other attendees, artists and crew and the best inner experiences nourished by the music and other arts we will have in our festival. We also invite you to come for the pre-camping because some activities will be opened… As we mentioned in our event, the spot where the Forest Soul will happen is a part of one of the celtic tribes birthplaces so we will work to rewind you back in time in order to connect with this culture. During all the gathering you will have access to activities, workshops and therapies with donations, to some celtic games and to one of the green zones in Portugal.
Forest Soul Gathering location from bird’s eye view
Q: Should people coming to the festival spend some time in Portugal and the Festival surrounding areas? Any recommendations?
A:
Montalegre, the city where our gathering will happen, is a really nice and open city where you can find a lot of handcraft shops and local delicious food.
The North of Portugal is a really rich zone in terms of history, gastronomy and biodiversity. You can find a lot of green spots near Montalegre but also all around the country with nice forest, rivers, lakes.
In partnership with Pena Aventura Park and the Eco-Celtic Park we will soon provide a list with some of the most beautiful spots where you can go.
Soon on our website you will have access to all the information you need to enjoy the energy of the best natural spots of this land.
More info about Forest Soul Gathering:
Facebook event
Website