Number 11

Drums, Not Drugs by Edward E. Mikenas
Shamans in Mongolia, griots in Africa, medicine men of the Native American nations, and healers of other non-technological societies that preceded us have used drums to assist in maintaining the wellness of their cultures. As a substance abuse counselor and musician working with adolescents, I’ve had many occasions to witness how drums can help people who are recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.

I’m not saying there isn’t a value in formal feng shui training. It is a wisdom which has been passed down through the ages and is a good guide for how to be in harmony with the forces of Nature. However, by finding our own co-creative relationship with the Spirit of Feng Shui itself through the consciousness of Nature, then we have access to that which goes beyond the books, beyond what is taught in feng shui.

Drumming to a Different Beat: African Drum Therapy on the Road to Recovery by Richard B. Williams

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The butterfly is a powerful symbol of transformation, transmutation, and magic in world mythology and religion. Virtually all cultures have marveled at the magical process that transforms an ungraceful caterpillar into a magnificent fluttering butterfly. According to Hindu mythology, Brahma became filled with deep calm while observing a caterpillar’s transformation and was convinced to achieve perfection through rebirth. In China the butterfly was a symbol of conjugal bliss and joy. In the Hopi tradition unmarried girls of the Butterfly Clan wore their hair in the shape of butterfly wings. In many traditions, this most exquisite yet fragile creature was a symbol of the soul. Many cultures around the world believe that butterflies are the spirits of the deceased communing again with the earth.

I love to commune with the fluttering butterflies I encounter in my earth walk. They are dancing spirits made of color and joy. Many butterfly encounters have been powerful spiritual experiences in my life, like the monarch butterfly that landed on my nose the day after a loved one passed on. When I encounter one of these remarkable beings, I stop and observe them carefully. I have learned to trust these endearing spirit guides. Butterflies have guided me to specific places of power in the web of life on many occasions.

Earth, human, and solar processes are interwoven through a vibrational resonant network around the planet. At the intersection points of the planet’s energy web exist holy places, power spots, or acupuncture points. According to the Hopi, the world would fall apart without these nodes of concentrated vitality. These sacred places are like nerve centers that distribute vital energy throughout the surrounding natural systems. When a human being goes to a power place, the attention of the Earth Mother is drawn to that area, and energy begins to flow to that spot because our bodies, like hers, are electromagnetic. Like acupuncture needles, humans are capable of maintaining the harmonious flow of the planetary energy meridians by making an Earth connection at power places.

There are special energy fields at power places that facilitate healing and transformation. Natural ionization occurs at power sites and ionized air is known to affect hormone levels, brain function, and consciousness. Air ions are charged molecules of common gaseous elements in the air, which form when uncharged stable molecules lose or gain an electron due to some disruption. Negative air ions carry an extra electron, producing a negative electrical charge. In nature, the catalysts of negative ions include waterfalls, ocean breakers, evergreen forests, caves, the summits of mountains, and the presence of unusually strong electromagnetic fields at power spots. An abundance of negative air ions invigorates us, reduces fatigue, stimulates the immune system, and helps open the portals of the mind to alternate realities. The spirits that inhabit power points are ready and willing to communicate their energies to those who come in gratitude, openness, and humility. Butterfly Medicine protects sacred power places and facilitates transformation.

Butterfly Medicine is all about transformations, the element of Air, and mental powers. Butterfly can bring clarity to your mental process, help you organize the project you are undertaking, and assist you in finding the next step in your career or life path. The power that Butterfly brings to us is akin to the air. It is the mind, and the ability to know the mind or to change it. It is the art of transformation. Butterflies teach us by example about self-transformation. Scientific research has shown that the butterfly is the only living being capable of completely changing its genetic structure. During the process of transformation, the caterpillar's DNA totally changes into that of a butterfly. Thus, it is the symbol of the never-ending cycle of transformation.

To use Butterfly Medicine, you must determine your position in the cycle of self-transformation or transmutation. Like Butterfly, you are always at a certain station in your life activities. You may be at the egg stage, which is the beginning of all things. This is the stage at which an idea is born, but has not yet become a reality. To bring an intended pattern into being, you must first undergo a self-transformation. Make a clean sweep of negative, limiting, or otherwise outmoded patterns, and then start anew. The larva stage is the point at which you decide to create the idea in the physical world. The cocoon stage involves going within; doing or developing your idea or project. You must listen to your inner voice. The final stage of transformation or transmutation is the leaving of the chrysalis and birth. The last step involves sharing the colors and joy of your creation with the world.

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__ __ Fire

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______ Over

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__ __ Wind

The above linear image is Hexagram 50 from the I Ching, the ancient Chinese oracle and "book of change." It is known as Transformation. This hexagram image symbolizes the transforming power of intent (wind) when aligned with the clarity and flow of intuitive mind (fire). It implies that you must rely on your intuition to guide you toward your intended objective. Following the intuitive sense connects you to the guiding forces of the cosmos. When you renew the flow of intuitive mind, synchronous activity appears within consciousness as the most natural thing to do. Whatever it is, it will carry you to what you need to do next in order to embody your idea in the material world. Just as a caterpillar emerges as a beautiful butterfly from the cocoon, so this cycle of transformation will give wings to your vision.

More importantly, this hexagram image depicts a particular drum pattern that renders the essence of the hexagram into sound (see I Ching: The Tao of Drumming). The pattern image or six-line configuration is the visual representation of an archetypal condition. The I Ching is a codebook of archetypal patterns, in which the hexagrams counsel appropriate action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. While the pattern image symbolizes a particular condition, the drum pattern pulsates a particular resonance, which stimulates, works with, and informs the body, mind, and spirit in the most optimal manner for effecting change or harmonizing with change. A solid yang line _____ symbolizes consolidated, unified energy moving upward or forward and represents one beat. A broken yin line __ __ symbolizes collective, cooperative energy pressing downward and represents two beats or one heartbeat. All I Ching hexagrams are read or played from bottom to top.

The rhythmic pattern of Hexagram 50, Transformation is depicted below. To play the rhythm of Transformation, you simply drum a heartbeat, followed by three single beats, followed by a heartbeat, ending with one final beat, and then pause before beginning the cycle again. Follow your inner sense of timing as to both the tempo and time span to drum. Trust your inner timing. It connects you to the resonances affecting you at this moment in time.

While drumming, you should have a receptive attitude of calm, positive expectation. Such resonant receptivity allows whatever factors or forces are present to fully penetrate your senses. Any attempt to analyze or conceptualize the experience will only fragment the resonant field. The key is still the mind and focus your attention on the hexagram image. As the drumming progresses and your inner image of the hexagram becomes clearer, close your eyes and feel yourself being carried away by the rhythm, as if going on a journey into yourself. With time and patience, the rhythm archetype will begin to release a rush of intuitive ideas. Inspiration and insight regarding the unfolding pattern of your destiny may flow into your awareness. However, it is not essential that you become cognizant or consciously aware of any particular insight or guidance. Simply resonate in sync with the vibrational pattern of the hexagram. The qualities needed to transform a personal vision into a reality will interpenetrate every aspect of your being. These qualities will be engendered in you and resonate out to influence all aspects of your experience in the same manner.

After drumming the hexagram, repose in the sonic afterglow of physical and spiritual well being. When the final drumbeat fades into silence, an inaudible, yet perceptible pulsation persists for a brief period. This silent pulse is ever present within each of us, but our awareness is rarely in sync with it. Sense this silent pulse resonating within your body. You may experience the sensation of every particle in your body pulsing in sync with the rhythm you just played. This inner pulse entrains to the rhythmic pattern as soon as you begin to drum. This synchrony of inner pulse with the appropriate hexagram rhythm brings you into accord with the dynamics of change.

Butterfly Medicine reminds us that we need to allow ourselves to adapt to changes taking place either within us or surrounding us. We should make necessary changes when the opportunities present themselves. Change is inevitable, but Butterfly teaches us that it does not have to be traumatic. Butterfly teaches us that growth and change can be as gentle, sweet, and joyful as we wish. We should emulate the magical butterfly by moving out of the caterpillar stage, cocooning ourselves within the opportunity for transformation and waiting with seeds of patience for our final manifestation.

Watch out! When you encounter Butterfly Medicine, be prepared to undergo some form of transformation or internal growth.

Michael Drake is a writer, rhythmist, and ceremonial drummer of Cherokee descent. He is a member of the United Lumbee Nation and author of The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming and I Ching: The Tao of Drumming. He has studied with traditional drummers from the Native American and Mongolian shamanic traditions. Michael lectures and gives workshops around the country. Through his work, he has guided thousands in the healing art of ceremonial drumming. To learn more, please log onto Michael’s web site at: www.geocities.com/talkingdrumpub/ .

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Shamans in Mongolia, griots in Africa, medicine men of the Native American nations, and healers of other non-technological societies that preceded us have used drums to assist in maintaining the wellness of their cultures. As a substance abuse counselor and musician working with adolescents, I’ve had many occasions to witness how drums can help people who are recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.

Addiction is a disease of the feelings. People can sit in A.A. meetings for months before they are able to start talking about how they feel. The reason for this, in my view, is that unexpressed feelings create energy blockages. Helping people remove these blockages is an important part of substance abuse treatment.

One day it occurred to me that if sound is energy in motion, feelings (expressed) are also energy in motion. If people in recovery have difficulty expressing their feelings through the medium of language, perhaps they could express themselves in another rhythmic sound medium, such as participation in a drumming group. This article describes what I have experienced in exploring the use of drums and other percussion instruments to assist people in the regenerative process of recovery.

At twenty weeks of gestation the human ear is completely developed. During the twenty-first week, it begins sending messages to the brain (Nelson, 175). Thus, while there may be a continuum of developing awareness as the fetus grows, it is conceivable that the first event of conscious awareness is the hearing of sound. We don’t see, taste, smell, or experience touch until months later because there is nothing to compare these sensations to. The second thing we do consciously is move to the sounds that we hear. As soon as we are born, we experience hot and cold, light and dark, hard and soft, wet and dry, empty and full. Thus, the third thing we do as conscious humans is feel.

Our very being, then, is shaped from the beginning by responding to sound. Berendt points out that the word “per-son” in its root, personare, means “to sound through something” (171). Our early survival depends, in part, on the sounds we make and how those sounds are responded to. If the sounds we make are responded to appropriately, we have our needs met. If we are not responded to appropriately, or at all, we make sounds until our needs are met. In doing this, we practice our first manipulation of adults. If we must regularly manipulate adults in order to have our needs met, we may develop a chronic sense of dis-ease. This awareness of dis-ease is pre-verbal and sound/energy based.

Thus, our sense of self (the result of self-generated sounds that have been responded to in various ways) may be deficient as we mature. When we reach puberty, we develop new bodies, new sounds as our voices change, and new emotional needs. Now we increasingly have the need to self-express as our adulthood forms itself. We learn to communicate with those most likely to hear us: our peers, or our perpetrators. Thus, in the second most important developmental stage of our lives, we are recognized—or not—by the sound we make.

Tragically, our society tends to punish adolescents for their need to self-express. They regularly hear things like: “Don’t say that.” “I don’t want to hear it.” “I can’t hear you when you talk like that.” “Kill that noise!” An adolescent’s need to self-express can be easily stifled and his or her ability to have needs met can atrophy, along with any sense of confidence and self-esteem. If things get bad enough, adolescents may look for radical ways to change how they feel as a way to managing the experience.

Part of the problem is that adolescents are dealing with adults who literally don’t know how to listen. As children we’ve been told to listen, to “mind,” to raise our hands before speaking, stand in line with no talking. Yet with few exceptions, we aren’t taught the art of really listening. So we grow up with limited auditory skills. If we were lucky enough to participate in a rhythm band in elementary school, we had opportunities to make “noise,” have fun expressing ourselves nonverbally, and receive positive strokes from our teachers and parents. Unfortunately, the lack of continuity in education (as well as the way our society undervalues the non-verbal and non-rational) tends to put music classes—the primary experience in learning how to listen for many of us—at a low priority.

Here’s the good news: Joseph Scartelli suggests that regular, low-frequency auditory driving (drumming) affects the reticular activating system in a way that stimulates all other parts of the brain even where there is significant damage or impairment. Quite simply, drumming can affect our neurological development and accelerate the recovery process. Drumming groups can provide both the setting for a positive emotional experience and the physical mechanism of neurological and psychological growth. “The more connections that can be made within the brain, the more integrated the experience is within memory” (Campbell, 14). If the experience we want to integrate is the emotional felt-thought continuum from our infancy (which, remember is pre-verbal), then it is possible to integrate these experiences through drumming groups and drum therapy.

The advantage of participating in a drumming group is that you develop an auditory feedback loop within yourself and among group members—a channel for self-expression and positive feedback—that is pre-verbal, emotion-based, and sound-mediated. Perhaps the most important aspect of this experience is the phenomenon of entrainment. In 1665, a Dutch physicist named Christian Huygens discovered entrainment when he observed two mechanical clocks ticking in unison a day after they had been wound up and set ticking out of unison (Goldman, 219). Entrainment occurs because it is more efficient, hence “easier,” for nature to be in sync with itself. Musicians playing in a group experience this phenomenon naturally, and drumming is especially conducive to entrainment because it is pure rhythm. If we put people together who are out of sync with themselves (i.e., diseased, addicted) and help them experience the phenomenon of entrainment, it is possible for them to feel with and through others what it is like to be synchronous in a state of pre-verbal connectedness.

This can be very powerful stuff, as the following example illustrates: The drumming group I work with did a presentation at a local elementary school where the audience included a second grade boy who had been through a serious trauma only a few weeks before. His father had died and his mother, in a fit of grief, had committed suicide. Several days went by before the boy was discovered in the house with his mother. He had completely withdrawn inside himself emotionally, and after that had never been observed to express any emotion other than his inwardness. When our performance was over, the rest of the class went to the library and he stayed with his teacher and cried, convulsively, for the first time since his losses had occurred. After this same performance, the assistant principal remarked that he was seeing children whose “worlds made sense to them for the first time,” that he was amazed and pleased at the absence of negative, acting-out behavior, and that in subsequent rhythm sessions, the students shared the instruments we had handed out without being given any instruction.

Here’s another example of how the drumming experience can connect people across cultures. The local mental health agency asked me to do some drumming workshops with a group of their male clients after I had presented several workshops for their staff. I planned the event to be outdoors at the park in the center of the city and arrived early to get ready. There were already two people under the pavilion who apparently didn’t realize the space was reserved. As I proceeded to set up, one of them, a saxophone player, began to practice. I started to lay down a groove, he caught it, and that’s the way it went for the next half hour. Soon I realized the other person present was a “deinstitutionalized” adult who apparently had nowhere else to go. He was smiling and moving with the groove. Eventually the mental health group showed up and we began to play. At first the group was tentative, but pretty soon they were jamming with the saxophonist and myself. Two women who happened to be passing by were drawn to the music and began moving to the groove as well. When we finished, one of the women asked if we were a “band” and where we were going to be playing next. You can imagine the dose of self-esteem the group members experienced when they realized that other people perceived them as competent and appreciated their performance.

Finally, in addition to providing an authentic experience of healthy connectedness and physiological synchronicity, drumming can help people learn to manage their emotions in a recreational and therapeutic way without the use of alcohol or other drugs. Two examples follow:

In the residential care facility I managed, I introduced the concept of drumming/ entrainment by showing my young female clients a picture of some prehistoric rock art found in Rhodesia determined to be around 25,000 years old. Without any effort, we spent the rest of the morning (over three hours) talking about the picture’s relevance to women’s issues and its significance as a work of art depicting music, theater, dance, and visual representation. Then I introduced some percussion instruments and talked
about how they were connected to stages of cultural evolution, how humans have always made music with whatever they had at hand, whatever the earth and their particular way of relating to it provided. Soon the girls were jamming. By the end of the week, they had made a video of themselves, had asked their mothers to join them on their next jam session, and were requesting more opportunities to play. I was frequently asked to bring the instruments back and noticed that after a few good sessions, the emotional atmosphere of the faculty stayed relaxed for several weeks.

In a prevention workshop I did for the Partnership of the Prevention of Substance Abuse, the students said the music “made them happy,” “brought them up,” “mellowed them,” “made them relax,” and “was music they could understand.” These students were all talking about the same music having different effects, without the help of alcohol or other drugs, all positive effects working on an individual, perceptual basis—using drums, not drugs.

Drumming as a generative form of experiential learning has the potential to move people from the fear of self-expression to a more creative state where they can serve as true human resources for themselves and their communities. By providing a medium for both individual self-realization and creative group dynamics, drumming can also help heal the isolation, frustration, and low self-esteem that fuel drug abuse. We can play out our feelings of fear, anger, loss, and abuse without saying a word, without having to be called on to expose our “issues.” This is an excellent supplement to traditional talk therapy processes used in recovery.

WORKS CITED
Berendt, Joachim-Ernst. The World is Sound: Nada Brahma: Music and the Landscape of Consciousness, trans. Helmut Bredigkeit. Rochester, VT: Destiny Books, 1991.
Goldman, Jonathan S. “Sonic Entrainment.” Music Physician for Times to Come. Ed. Don Campbell. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1991.
Nelson, John F. Healing the Split: Integrating Spirit into Our Understanding of the Mentally Ill. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1994.
Scartelli, Joseph. Unpublished manuscript.

Edward Mikenas directs Lynchburg Day Services and the Drums; not Drugs program. He has a masters degree in music and is certified as a substance abuse counselor. He is a member of Club Conga, a percussive arts ensemble, and is active as a studio musician and producer. He teaches at several colleges and provides training and workshops that combine drumming, wellness and leadership. To learn more please visit his web site at: www.edmikenas.org

I know that space clearing has quite a high brow reputation these days, with practitioners earning over $1000 to consult on certain jobs. Feng shui has become quite prolific with Barnes and Noble showing a total of 880 books on the subject. I’m not claiming to be an expert on feng shui. It is becoming increasingly more difficult a subject to master given the complexities which have arisen in the last several decades since its popularity came onto the radar of the Western pop culture.

However, I received a phone call from a feng shui master from Hong Kong recently asking me to come to China and teach a workshop on Space Clearing. His request got me thinking about something I had taken for granted until then. While it was an honor to be invited, it was also puzzling to me. I asked him why he wanted me to come and teach him given that he was a master in the subject, and being from China, the land of feng shui no less. His response was illuminating. He said that he felt that amid all the rules and techniques of feng shui, that it seemed to have lost its soul, which he felt was the connection with the Spirits of Nature themselves.

I’m as much a fan of the 8-sided bagwa as the next person, though I can’t say that I ever understood why something placed in one part of a room would relate to and even make changes in a certain area of my life. When one day it occurred to me that this concept of the bagwa was an “entity” a being. As such it had a consciousness which could be accessed for information. This was something which could take a person beyond the book learning, rules and dogmas of feng shui as it is practiced and taught today. What if we could access the “Spirit of Feng Shui” itself? After all, isn’t that what Native American cultures did when they addressed the Spirit of the Four Directions? Didn’t they believe that the Spirit of the North had a consciousness, and that each of the other directions did as well, and that when invoked, their wisdom and strength could be accessed?

In one of the workshops I offer, I teach how to access this Spirit of Nature, called the devic realms. In a recent workshop in Sedona, our group did this in an exercise while in an 8-sided outdoor gazebo. Looking at the shape of the gazebo, I was spontaneously guided to try something new, and I asked each person to go towards one of the sides to which they felt drawn. I asked them to put out of their mind anything they might have read or learned about what that represented in feng shui, and to go with a clear and open mind. Then we did a simple meditation and after centering ourselves, each person of the group invited the Being which represented that side of the bagwa to make contact with them.

I was standing in the area of the bagwa designated as relating to career. When I tuned into the consciousness of this area of the bagwa, I was quite surprised by what I found! There was a very powerful Being in this face of the gazebo which I was amazed to see. I was taken back by this, underestimating the power of these Beings, having thought of them all these years as just drawings on a piece of paper. Then each of the group requested any wisdom which their particular Being in the side of the bagwa they were contacting might have for them. I wasn’t sure what would happen, but we were just playing around and having fun and were very open, which I’ve found to be the key to accessing these inner realms. After about five minutes of this exercise, we all came together as a group and shared what we learned. To my astonishment, every single person in the group received a “message” which was totally tailored to them and their specific situation. Even people who claimed that they never see things or hear things inwardly, received one of their first inner messages ever. Although the messages were all quite unconventional in terms of what the feng shui books would have said about the “wisdom” of each aspect of that bagwa, a feng shui practitioner in the group showed us how the individual messages were in fact related to the aspects of the bagwa to which we were each contacting on an inner level. The difference was that we each received individualized information about how that aspect of the bagwa could help us in our lives, instead of what a feng shui book would say about it. Were we in contact with the original “author” of the various feng shui books?

While I teach that everything is alive and conscious and has an intelligence, which I refer to as the devic life, it is such a joy and thrill when I discover that each time. I have since learned that this wisdom of Nature itself can guide people through every aspect of aligning their spaces with the highest intention and purpose of the property. After all, feng shui in its most basic form is “wind and water” nothing more than aligning with the forces of nature. In its original form feng shui was considered an art of divination. From whom did the original feng shui masters divine? If Nature can be compared to a woman, then surely we must realize that She has far too many mysteries to be confined to the static prescriptions, and rules and regulations which are found in any book. While that may serve as a guide, it cannot ever describe the dynamic forces of nature, which differ in each land and culture. What if we could access our own feng shui consultant in Nature Herself, who could guide us very specifically as to how to best align with Her for harmony and balance? I’ve found in the countless space clearings I’ve done all over the world, that this in fact is so. And it is quite easy to connect with in comparison to the years of study and training in traditional feng shui.

Christan Hummel is the author of the recently published “Do-It-Yourself Space Clearing Kit: a Guide to Working with the Consciousness of Nature.” She travels internationally teaching groups how to work co-creatively with the intelligence Nature to bring about harmony in our homes and the planet. For information contact: ph: 760-722-5555

or see: www.earthtransitions.com
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One by one the girls put away their journals, letters and books, and then headed toward the area where their drums were stored. One by one, they filed out of the room and down the stony path that would take them to the campus activity room where they frequently held their therapeutic drum sessions.

As they assembled their folding metal chairs in a circle around the room, each carefully positioning the tall drums between their knees at a slight angle outward. You could sense that something special was about to take place, and it would require an equal amount of effort from eight teenage girls who were vastly different from one another—yet sadly alike. They sensed it too.

“Today I feel OK. I’m a little angry, but I’m trying to have a good day. My goal is to not get really frustrated or annoyed.” The other girls muttered similar sentiments as they completed their daily “check-in,” a process used to assess their feelings and articulate their goals each day.

Next, they introduced themselves: Ashley, Rachel, Marie, Elizabeth, Sarah, Talia, Kate and Julia. The average age was about 15, but they all radiated silent resilience—the kind that comes from being forced to cope with difficult experiences before your time, as was the case with all of the kids in this program.

To say the girls in the room had lived through some pretty tough circumstances would be an understatement. Many of them were facing a variety of emotional, behavioral or educational problems, including Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, aggression, legal charges and substance abuse. Some of them had also been sexually or physically abused. Despite their obstacles and initial resistance to the program and its rules and structure, the girls seemed to enjoy— even embrace—their drum classes.

They listened intently as their instructor, Alan Little, began leading them in a warm-up exercise. As the beats became synchronized, the volume rose in an almost hypnotic way. It was easy, even at an early stage, to understand the relaxation benefits of the exercise.

They moved quickly into the first rhythm, Sofa (so-fah). Some of the girls looked away in a trancelike state. Others, who seemed to be struggling, bit their lips nervously as they tried to recover from their mistakes and recapture the beat. There were no sidelong glares from the girls who “got it,” nor did the group stop playing in frustration as others tried to catch up.

Instead there was encouragement—sometimes in the form of an understanding smile and other times as a girl interrupting her rhythm to quietly guide another. Pretty soon it all came together, and you could see a wash of pride over many of the girls’ faces.

“Right, right, left, pause, right, right, left,” Little called out to help the girls find the correct tempo for the next rhythm. Then the girls split into two groups, half playing one part of the rhythm and the other half playing the second part. Two girls, Julia and Elizabeth, switched places. Elizabeth didn’t feel comfortable playing the second, more complicated rhythm. Julia, a more experienced drummer, didn’t seem to mind. She’s one of the strongest players in the group. That wasn’t always the case.

“In the beginning, I had a lot of trouble,” Julia recalled. “I would get frustrated when the other girls knew the rhythms and I didn’t. I thought it was unfair, and I wanted to quit.” Eventually the desire to drum won out, and Julia began practicing outside of class on books, tables, walls—just about anything she could slap her hands on. It didn’t take long for her to become a skilled drummer. “Now, I just zone out when I play. But, I know what I’m doing—and it’s really fun.”

Only half of the girls in the group had any previous musical experience. None of them had drummed. When asked how many of the girls were afraid to drum the first time they came to class, eight hands rose timidly into the air. Nervous laughter followed.

“The first day was really scary because I really wanted to do it, but it was hard,” said Kate, who had been drumming for about two months. “After awhile it became easy. Now I love to do it.”

Many of the girls recounted similar experiences. All of them agreed that the class was therapeutic—despite their initial skepticism. “It makes your problems seem so much smaller,” remarked Marie, a relative newcomer to the program. “It makes you feel like you can do anything.”

Fourteen-year-old Talia agreed, “I’ve come into this room really mad and upset, but by the end of the class, I’m not so mad any more. It almost makes you forget why you were so mad in the first place.”

Little explains that the rhythms are cycles, just like life. “You can really relate rhythms to just about anything. For these girls, it is about completing a process—and it takes work. Anyone can come into this room and develop rhythm, tempo and coordination, as long as they are serious and they practice. These girls are serious!”

Little began teaching the classes about two years ago and has since trained more than 120 teens to play West African drum rhythms. Little says the technique is designed to help reduce anxiety and stress, develop self-esteem, promote a positive peer culture and provide cohesion among teen groups.

It sounds simple: teach the kids a few drum rhythms and let them play. But it’s a little more complicated than that. The seven-week class begins with a history of a particular brand of drumming based specifically on techniques found in Guinea, West Africa. Some classes are required to learn to build the drums, a process that involves using goatskins, steel and wood while taking several days to complete. Finally, the kids are ready to learn the rhythms or, rather, their parts of the rhythms.

“When you observe the teens from the time they come into the class to the time that they have learned the rhythms and are playing in front of an audience, it’s as if a metamorphosis has taken place,” Little says. “The kids are less tense, they start performing better as a group, leadership skills begin to emerge—it’s amazing.”

Little splits a typical class of 12 students into groups of three or four and assigns pieces of rhythms to each group. The goal is to teach the teens responsibility for carrying their workload. “The kids begin to realize that if they don’t play their part, literally, the rhythms sound terrible,” Little explained. “It can be very embarrassing, but it teaches them about teamwork in a very straightforward way. It makes them realize how important their contribution can be to achieving a greater goal.”

Once the kids have mastered eight or nine rhythms, Little takes them out into the community to perform. He says the public performances are especially therapeutic because they give the kids a chance to shine in a way that many teens never experience.

“Most kids have never performed in front of an audience, especially these kids,” Little explained. “Some of them have never even played an instrument. The fact that they can get up and do something that most people cannot do gives them a great sense of pride and accomplishment—their self-esteem skyrockets. To them, it’s very cool.”

Therapeutic drumming is one of many therapy techniques increasingly used to treat a variety of conditions, including developmental and learning disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and chronic pain. Although the idea of music as therapy is not new, its use for teens with behavioral problems is. Neurofeedback and biofeedback studies, conducted in 1999 by The Mind Spa in Norcross, Georgia, indicate that therapeutic drumming has measurable effects on the mental and emotional states of participants.

Marie, the newcomer, was trying to get the hang of Yankadi (yawn-ka-dee), the favorite rhythm among the group. Little got up and helped her. “Mr. Little makes everyone feel comfortable because he is so laid-back — not like a typical adult,” Marie said. After a few attempts, she finally got it—and a smile emerged on her face. “The only way to learn is to try it,” she said.

This article is based on an interview with Alan Little, Therapeutic Drumming Coordinator for Three Springs, Inc.—a nationally recognized leader in youth services providing therapy and education to adolescents experiencing emotional, behavioral and learning problems. Three Springs discovered therapeutic drumming in 2000 through Tom Harris of Inner Harbour Adolescent Treatment Centers in Douglasville, Georgia. Three Springs decided to incorporate the technique into an outdoor program on a trial basis and has since fully implemented the classes into Three Springs’ Paint Rock Valley program where Alan Little is based. Alan has begun to oversee the implementation of drum therapy into many of the programs operated by Three Springs. Mr. Little received training in Guinea, West Africa from master drummer Mamady Keita, as well as Mohamed DaCosta and Ali Camara. To learn more about Three Springs Adolescent Treatment Programs, visit their web site at: http://www.threesprings.com

You may drum for many reasons. Perhaps you enjoy the feeling of social togetherness when you drum in a circle. Or maybe you are a musician at heart and enjoy performing for people within a group. You might have a goal of mastering complex African polyrhythms. It may be that you simply enjoy drumming, that the rhythm moves your body and spirit in ways that not many other things do in life. Whatever the reason, becoming aware of how you play and improving your playing skills in relation to your state of mind and spirit can help you to gain more from your experience. In this article I will share some of my own personal drumming wisdom which may help you in your own drum journey. Learning to master these skills may help you to grow in both drumming, and in other areas of your life.

When you are beginning your rhythm journey, the most important quality you can bring to your drumming is the willingness to try. Sometimes, that attitude may be the only difference between a person who becomes a confident player, and one lacking confidence. Kwasi Dunyo, master Ghanaian drummer says, "You can only fail by not trying". He believes "that music is in everyone, a gift from the Creator", and he is an inspiration for me to watch teaching patiently with love to people of all ages and skill levels. So step number one, pick up your drum and play it. Do not simply "tap it", but play it with heart!

It is usually easy to feel when someone else is being judgmental about something. Sometimes it is a lot harder for us to see within ourselves how we are judging of ourselves or others. Sometimes judging results in a person developing a "better than attitude" about themselves in both drumming and in other areas of life. Even more common though, are people who are just beginning to learn how to drum comparing themselves to those who are more experienced drummers. To give power to this judging attitude can be fatal to your progress. Community drumming is about connecting, not competing. The spirit you bring to your drum is just as valuable as another's. So please don't compare and please don't judge when you drum, for your own sake.

When you are first learning to drum, your mind will initially be actively engaged in the process. You may be trying to stay mentally focused on a rhythm, or keeping count of a beat. If you drive a vehicle, remember when you were first learning how much mental attention you put into consciously applying the right amount of gas, or how your hands turned the steering wheel. Now think about how you drive today with minimal attention to those details (but hopefully attention to the other drivers and pedestrians!). It is the same with drumming. By continued playing (some call it practice); the details of the rhythm will become absorbed into your body so that you can play without much of your mental capacities being engaged. Using logical thinking while playing will slow down your drumming, not only in terms of tempo, but also in your ability to play straight from the heart. So keep playing until you no longer need your learning tools, your gamela taki's, your taketina's, and your gundun godo pata's. Then play direct from your heart and spirit, and as Arthur Hull says, go to that magic place where you are no longer playing your drum, but your drum is playing through you. Trust me, when you get to that place, you will know it. It is the place where you truly feel like a drummer.

The intention you hold in your mind as you drum is the single most important aspect when you are drumming in a healing or spiritual circle, far more important than musical technique or skill. In that scenario, the drum is simply a tool to transmit your intention vibrationally into the spiritual dimensions. Intention is also important when drumming in other drum circles that may be focused more on musical qualities. When you drum, try to focus on holding an intention of peace, love and community to your fellow players. This will add to the richness of your experience immeasurably.

When you are playing in a drum circle of any size or purpose, listening to the individual players and to the group rhythm is as important as your own playing skills. It is important not to simply "space out" into your own world. The listening may not happen just on a mental level, but also on a more feeling level. Your body will tune in to the key rhythmic pulses allowing you to become entrained to the rhythm. To some degree this will be an automatic process, but will be more effective when you develop your awareness consciously. In musical terms, become aware of where the pulse is. A common pulse to look for is the first beat of four notes in a 4/4 rhythm (majority of modern western rhythms), or the first beat in a set of three notes in a rhythm based on 12 (common in African based music). When you feel this pulse, orient your playing to it. It will become your musical landmark to guide you and to help you from feeling lost. If there are bells or bass drums being played, pay close attention to their voices. As your awareness develops, you should be able to hear the interplay of different parts, the call and answer of different player's beats. Also become aware of the "groove" of the rhythm, how different beats accent the groove, and how your body responds to the rhythm.

Playing technique is not very important in healing circles with frame drums and repetitive rhythms. However, if you wish to be effective with playing a drum such as a djembe or conga in a more confident fashion in a drum circle or performance group it is important to have at least a basic sense of technique. I recommend that those who are more "serious" seek out a qualified hand drumming teacher to develop technique. Always strive to at least clearly differentiate the different voices of the drum. The bass tones should resonate deeply, the open tones should sing clearly, and closed tones should be muted. Slaps are more challenging to learn so keep practicing and don't be discouraged if it takes some time to develop. Technique will gradually improve with playing, so just keep playing and have fun. Your playing will improve in time.

To be most effective in your drumming it is important to relax your body. Try to economize your hand and arm motions using as little physical movement as possible while still producing the desired effect. Play the drum with enough force to make it sing, but no more than that. When your hands contact the skin, let them fly off quickly and lightly. Breathing is also very important. Learn how to breathe deeply from the abdomen as in yogic breathing. This will bring oxygen (energy,chi,prana) into your body to allow you to relax into a deeper state and play from a more relaxed mind and body. Proper breathing is especially valuable in a healing or shamanic circle where you are basically attempting to reach a meditative state.

Well, despite the caption, I strongly suggest that you do acquire a drum or other percussion instrument to fully enjoy the benefits of hand drumming. However, it is possible to "practice" drumming in many daily situations when it is not possible or practical to have a drum handy. In some cases, it simply can't be helped as you may find yourself playing out rhythms in your mind automatically anyways (yes, you are very much sane if you do this!). Using your hands to tap out a rhythm on your desk, table, using your body, or by clapping, is in many cases an effective way to learn and practice a rhythm. If you are around other people in non drumming situations, you may want to use a little discretion here in order to avoid strange or annoyed looks (then again, maybe not).

When you are drumming, your spirit is engaged. This happens whether you are conscious of it or not, and is not related to any particular set of spiritual, cultural or religious beliefs you may hold. Your spirit wants to play, to experience healing and to feel joy, and drumming provides a means for that to happen. In a healing circle or shamanic circle by its nature, you will typically be attempting to connect with your spirit more consciously. In this case the drum becomes more of a vehicle for the spiritual connection and less of a musical instrument. In my mind, the only "real" purpose in playing a drum, or any musical instrument for that matter, is to engage your spirit and to celebrate life, your own, and that of others. It is from spirit that the feelings of creative expression and communion arise. When spirit is more actively engaged, a sense of "oneness" begins to emerge, and a sense of pure joy. That is why community drumming has been such a universal presence in so many traditions and cultures over time.

A master drummer is typically defined as one who is not only proficient in many drumming skills, but also brings a treasure of knowledge, culture, leadership and teachings in all aspects of rhythm, song, dance and tradition from personal life experience. Usually, one is born into life to become a master drummer, and is not something that someone strives to become. That being said, I believe it is our personal mission to all become masters of our own lives. The attitudes and energy we bring into drumming are merely a reflection of the bigger picture of ourselves. So don't try to become a "master drummer" in order to gratify some aspect of your ego, but do strive to master who you are. To master the spirit and energy you bring not only into your drumming, but into all aspects of your life. That will happen to the degree of consciousness you have of your own spiritual path, and of your fellowship with other spirits on this planet. Many blessings to you as you continue to play in your drum journey and as you walk your earth journey.

David Johannes is a musician at heart. The language of rhythm, as well as musical performance, has always been an integral part of David's life. Later in life David received the "call of the drum" and soon realized that hand drumming was where he wanted to direct all of his creative energy. Blending his new love of drumming with his existing technological and creative skills has resulted in the community based drummer's resource known as Drum Journey. To learn more about David and Drum Journey you may visit the site at: http://www.drumjourney.com

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The ancient Chinese revealed the most profound secret of the universe: that yin and yang pulsate within all things, and in unison, they are the moving force of nature and all its manifestations. By observing nature, the sages perceived all of the rhythms and energy patterns that arise from the interaction of yin and yang. They then coded these rhythmic patterns into a "book of life" known as the I Ching. The I Ching's rhythmic patterns represent a code or program of the operating principle of life itself. In this workshop, we will learn these archetypal rhythms and how they bring the essential self into accord with the pattern or way of cyclical change and that way is known as Tao.

Tao is the most inclusive concept in Chinese culture, the center of all philosophical and spiritual belief. It may be defined as a path, a way, a doctrine, or the natural process of the universe itself. Every art and science is called a Tao or a way. From a rhythmic perspective, the I Ching offers and represents a "Tao of Drumming." It is a guide to harmony and balance and the drum is the instrument of attunement. It is a pathway to the "Infinite Tao," the unknowable force which guides the universe and everything in it.

Michael Drake is a writer, rhythmist, and ceremonial drummer of Cherokee descent. He is a member of the United Lumbee Nation and author of The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming and I Ching: The Tao of Drumming. He has studied with master drummers from the Native American and Mongolian shamanic traditions. Michael lectures and facilitates workshops around the country. To learn more, visit Michael’s web site at: http://www.geocities.com/talkingdrumpub/

Upon death the Spirit makes a journey through realms of the Soul to the Other Side. Learn to assist the Spirits of our loved ones and clients, before and during Transition.

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