Interview met Philip Carr-Gomm (aug. 1998)
door Mardoeke Boekraad
- Do you think there is anything different or anything caracteristic about Dutch Obod members and the things we do and experience compared to members in other countries?
I always experience the Dutch as very open-minded, cosmopolitain and sensible. It feels as if The Netherlands is the California of Europe - meaning at the leading edge of ideas, without the surf of course.- What, in general, surprises you most when you come to The Netherlands?
Well I'm not sure if I'm surprised any more - having been to The Netherlands quite often now - but I do enjoy my visits. When I first came to The Netherlands I thought I would like to live there, the atmosphere was so interesting and relaxed. Later I became aware of the density of population, and I guess I'd prefer a less populated area with some more hills!- Would you like to see more Dutch members coming to England?
Yes. I think Dutch members would love the camps we have in the south of England.- What did you like most about the recent visit to NL and the OBOD weekend?
There was a fabulous energy in the group. 40 of us in that wonderful center - surrounded by those magnificent trees. It felt very clear - as if we were all there to be ourselves as fully as we could.- What did you like least?
Only the crazy traffic jam between Ostend and the centre. Otherwise everything was just fine!- Is there any other activity you would like to do in future in The Netherlands?
I would love to do an ongoing workshop - say 6 weekends in a year as a sort of residential training - a year's course spread out over a number of weekends. Then you can use that group energy we experienced at the weekend we just had and use it to work with and learn from.- Have you visited some sacred sites in the Netherlands?
The only ones I have seen is the Devils Hills near the Elfenbank Center in the south of The Netherlands. It felt very much like Silbury Hill or the Tump here in Lewes. And the old barrow and semi-circular earthwork and Ice Age lake that we all swam in last year! Both sites felt very good.- Why are you doing a sabbatical year next year?
By saying I might take a sabbatical I just meant I'll try not to do any travelling. I want to write and also re-edit the Bardic course.- Do you think we need more OBOD member workshops?
Yes! It would be good to create a facilitator training programme so it doesn't just have to be mostly me who does them!- Do you think that OBOD has too little functioning groves?
Yes, but you can't force these things. Group dynamics are very strange. You bring a group of people together and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, and often its hard to work out just why.- How much has the membership of OBOD grown in the Netherlands since you started the course in 1988?
I don't know. We're not computerised enough to retrieve that kind of information!- How did that growth develop?
Having the books in Dutch helps, and in February 99 the Animal Oracle will appear in Dutch. Also Miriam Ceriez's books and articles have helped to promote OBOD.- Do you also think that Druidry is getting less and less exotic with mainstream newspapers writing neutral or even friendly articles and even Tony Blair defending our access to Stonehedge a this summer solstice?
Yes. Here in Britain it's no longer considered totally eccentric. Whenever someone who is not a Druid asks me what I do and I tell them, they almost invariably are very interested in it and take it very seriously.- What aspects of Druidry would you like to develop more in future?
The social and environmental. We've done pretty well in the last ten years in creating an organisation and educational materials that help people's personal development. And we're having some success in the environmental field - with the 2000 groves project etc. But we could create many more community and environmental projects, showing that we are not just concerned with our own development but also with the world and community around us.- Any other remarks at this occasion of our first Dutch newsletter?
I saw the first experimental issue. It looked wonderful - but of course I couldn't read it! Good luck with the future and may it flourish and provide a great forum for new ideas and inspiration!
Terug naar de inhoudsopgave van dit nummer