To Drum

The Circle

While there are many styles of drum and drumming, I’ll focus on what I know best, the Native American-style hand drum. I admit there is more I don’t know than I do, because even with the presumed simplicity of the hand drum, it still holds great mystery to me. Knowing this keeps me humble. And drumming.

Since we will be doing healing with the drum, and everybody participates in this by keeping a steady rhythm as the healing drum does its work, I put us in ceremony by first teaching the Hollow Bone, then smudging as a protection song is sung; "First, do no harm!" I next call the directions in song, and then we begin.

As we drum and sing a few songs, we meld into One Mind. The time will arrive to begin the drum healing, which is a simple process of drumming over the body (standing). While the body is never physically touched, it is touched by the physical vibration, mental intention, and the spiritual energy that are channeled through the drumming.

Drum healing has little to do with the person handling the drum: it is the Spirits, it is the Earth Mother, it is Creator that passes that healing energy along to the recipient. And that's a good thing. It is also why we first come together as One Mind, and how that steady backbeat of everybody drumming in unison helps do that.

To Drum

"...The healing drumming was also quite a new experience for me...My own response to healing via this method has been affected. I feel so renewed. I had been dealing with a very tough case of hives ever since...also because of the level of exhaustion. My entire being feels restored...

              My hives are practically gone! My legs pretty much cleared! No itching...My entire calves [were] engulfed with lesions & superimposed with so much redness. So inflammed.
                
                    I had to go to an urgent care center in early July due to that severe breakout...not even the Medrol pack cleared what it was suppose to..."

                Dr. C.J., FL

"A very interesting and unexpected sensation during my drum healing.

As soon as you brought the drum up close to my body, I began seeing colors. As you moved from one area to another, the colors changed. I was like a Kirlian Photograph. About 2/3 to 3/4 of the way thru, the colors all became white until I was enveloped in pure white light.

Can't tell you yet if anything was healed but there was undoubtedly something happening."
C.A., FL

Do you drum?

We do. When we drum, we sometimes say it’s the heart beat of the Earth, the Mother of Creation. And so it makes sense for us to go to Her for healing. And that's the main reason we drum "in circle."

I just got home from attending the drum healing ...Words cannot explain how moved I am. I...have always felt a strong connection with Native American...spirituality...I have a strong and natural connection with trees and animals and receive insights from the wind. Thank you so much for the joy that you brought into my heart this evening.
H.B., FL

The Journey

To journey with the drum is to go outside of time, to go to those places outside the physical, but that are just as real as any place on this planet. While there are those who can do this at will, most of us need a little help. A little guidance. And for someone to hold the space while we take the journey.

The Journey begins much the same as the Circle, with smudge, a song of protection, and the Hollow Bone. This opens us up and establishes protection, but is not considered ceremony. While there is usually a group, the experiences are individual. A floor drum keeps cadence while you are talked to the edge. Then you jump into the experience of other dimensions

That same drum beat accompanies you on your Journey, to let you know you are not alone, and to eventually guide you home. Journey is a skill you can develop simply by showing up and doing it. The benefits are many and varied, but overall, a realization that there is so much more to us than what we presume in the physical, and that these regions of reality are accessible are perhaps the most profound: we are open to more direct interaction with the Spirits.

"...I had a wonderful experience at the drum circle... [I] have been having a hard time with boss and work and being overwhelmed and treated poorly by my boss...I have a very bad back and neck from car accident...anyhow...the vibration from the drum at my lower back (you got louder around there on the drum) went deep within and the feeling was just almost breathtaking.

I woke up at 3 am very achy and feverish...as though I could feel all those negative toxins coming out of my body. I ended up staying home from work today but the amazing part is that I am not feeling resentment toward the boss or even worrying about all the work on my desk or what fires may come while I'm out...that is a very different feeling for me...the letting go part. So I think the experience genuinely enlighted me and I'm so very grateful ..."

J.W., FL

While we drum a specific "style" because of who we are and for healing, there are numerous drum circles out there and it seems more and more people are coming together to drum. If you'll click the Tribe Still banner, you'll end up on their Spirit Drumming page where you'll find an outstanding assemblage of quotes, insights, and wisdom on what drumming is about. I'm not that good with words, so time spent on Jeff''s page will help you understand what drum circles do, even hybrids like ours.

Rick