Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Two Horses of Genghis Khan

The documentary "The Two Horses of Genghis Khan" leads the viewer on a journey of musical initiation through Outer Mongolia. The film follows renowned Mongolian singer Urna Chahar Tugchi's trek across Mongolia to recover the missing verses of a traditional "Long Song" believed lost and perform the folk song in Ulan Bator. The "Long Song" exists only in Mongolia and arose from the adaptation to life on the steppes. It is a technique of singing for hours while on horseback. Read A Look Inside the film, an Interview with Mongolian filmmaker Byambasuren Davaa, and view the trailer The Two Horses of Genghis Khan

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Contemporary Research on Shamanism

Thomas A. DuBois is a folklorist, researcher, and author of An Introduction to Shamanism. He recently published a scholarly review on the most recent developments and trends in shamanic research and the neoshamanic movement. DuBois's insightful overview is supported by an extensive bibliography to stimulate further research. Read Trends in Contemporary Research on Shamanism (PDF).

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

One World... One Breath

World Healing Day is a global event held in hundreds of cities in over 65 nations, the last Saturday of April each year (April 30, 2011), at 10 am local time worldwide. All events are free, open to the public and take many forms. Individuals can find local existing events or they can organize their own. The only rules organizers have are that the events are open to everyone, and that they have a calm healing intention and aspect. Read more

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Inuit Drum: Heartbeat of the Arctic

The Inuit people across the Arctic have a rich musical heritage centered on drum dancing. In the drum dance, voice and drum blend to create a mood, tell a story, or entertain. Rhythms are played on a large drum, coupled with chants or narrative songs. The qilaut or wind drum was traditionally made by joining pieces of bone, antler, or flotsam to form a frame. An animal skin was dampened, stretched over the frame, and lashed with sinew. It would often have a handle, like a paddle drum. A beater was used to strike the rim of the drum. Today, frames are made by soaking and steaming a piece of wood, then bending it into a hoop. Most modern drum heads are synthetic fabric. To learn more visit the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre and/or watch the videos The Qilaut and How to Make an Inuit Drum.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Silent Drum

Christine Stevens is a music therapist, social worker, and founder of UpBeat Drum Circles. She is the author of The Art and Heart of Drum Circles. After hearing renowned sound healing expert Jill Purce say 'The purpose of sound is silence,' Stevens asked herself the question, "What could meditation and drumming possibly have in common?" She answers this question and offers "some tips on how to drum your way into silence." Read More

Sunday, April 24, 2011

The World Drum Project

The World Drum is a traditional Sami (indigenous people of Norway) shamanic drum. It is a symbol of the circle of life and the manifestation of a vision that we are all one. The World Drum Project was launched in Oslo, Norway with the ceremonial initiation of the World Drum in front of the Norwegian Parliament in October 2006. That was the beginning of a global healing journey that continues to this day. The World Drum travels from country to country, person to person and from hand to hand, binding the web of life. Visit the World Drum Project site and/or view the World Drum Video.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Vortices, Drumming, and Standing Waves

In the introduction to Vortices: Altered Consciousness at Newgrange and Knowth Passage Tombs, Elizabeth McCormack, MFA, MA reveals that, under the guidance of ceremonial leaders, passage tombs may have provided communities direct access to the realm of the dead. These ritual monuments provided an ideal environment to induce ecstatic trance and bridge the abyss via sound. Inside the stonebuilt chambers, sound waves form a vortex or tunnel to the spirit world. McCormack cites an ethnographic study of Chukchi shamans who used the architecture of sound itself to create unusual auditory phenomena; "it was found that in a crowded, confined room, the shaman is able to direct his voice and drum sounds to different parts of the room. The source of the sounds is lost, the song and drum shifting around the room seemingly on their own. This is accomplished through the use of standing waves. Standing waves are acoustic phenomena caused by the reflection of sound waves between solid walls, producing zones of low or high intensity of sound as waves either cancel or combine. The sound may seem to expand and move about the chamber or room. Different sounds can be heard in different parts of the room." Read more of Vortices (PDF).

Friday, April 22, 2011

The Shaman-Priests of Casas Grandes

by Christine S. VanPool, Ph.D.

Casas Grandes, or Paquime, in northern Chihuahua, Mexico, was home to a religious system that swept across northern Mexico and the southern United States between AD 1200 and 1450. It was a world centered on shamanic practice and shamans wielded immense power and influence. The shamans journeyed into the spirit world on behalf of the community; called upon horned serpents to bring rain, the lifeblood for farmers living in the Chihuahuan desert; and performed important rituals to perpetuate water and fertility. These findings challenge long-held beliefs about Southwestern religion and force a reconsideration of the importance of shamanism in the development of social differentiation in societies around the world. Read the article in American Antiquity or the book Signs of the Casas Grandes Shamans, VanPool's scholarly evaluation of recovered artifacts.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Shamans and Stories

Kira Van Deusen is an author, storyteller and musician who has done extensive research on the oral traditions of Siberian indigenous peoples and the Canadian Inuit. Her in-depth books include Singing Story, Healing Drum: Shamans and Storytellers of Turkic SiberiaThe Flying Tiger: Women Shamans and Storytellers of the Amura, and Kiviuq: An Inuit Hero and His Siberian Cousins. Van Deusen's books are a must-read for those interested in northern cultures, shamanism, oral storytelling, and cultural change. Read More


Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Earth Day 2011: Medicine for the Earth

Though it can be argued that each day is an opportunity to take steps toward caring for our planet, April 22 was officially designated Earth Day in 1970 through the efforts of Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson. The grassroots movement has gained momentum in the decades since, and each year, groups, organizations and individuals worldwide have come together to demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability. Earth Day reminds us that even in this time of unprecedented environmental challenge, every person has the power to affect change on a local, national and global level. From a shamanic perspective, the greatest challenge is learning how to change our inner environment; the thoughts, attitudes and belief systems reflected back to us in the outer world. To learn how you can get involved visit the Earth Day Network and Medicine for the Earth.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Riding With the Spirits

by Michael Drake

For six months in 2005 I worked as a medical transport driver, assisting clients to and from doctor appointments. The work was very rewarding and I met interesting people from all walks of life. I am truly amazed at how people cope with their illnesses and disabilities. The human spirit is simply irrepressible.

I had an incredible experience one day after dropping a client off at a local hospital. As I got back in the car and sat down in the driver's seat, I got the sensation that someone or something was in the car with me. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, entered an altered (shamanic) state of consciousness, and tuned in to what was happening. To my surprise, I discovered a huge Spirit Bear sitting in the back seat directly behind me. He was a jovial character and not the least bit menacing. I knew at once that he was a spirit helper there to aid the sick.

Sitting next to the bear was the spirit of a recently deceased friend. Jane (a fictitious name) was a compassionate healer and drummer when she walked the Earth in the flesh. In her hospice work she had assisted folks in their death journey to the other side. She often worked with Bear Medicine in her healing work and the Bear Spirit was her traveling companion.

Jane had first appeared to me several weeks earlier during a healing ceremony at a friend's home. I was performing drum therapy on a client. I was drumming the Bear Beat and singing the Bear Chant. Spirit Bear filled me in a powerful way and Jane came through me as well. She did some powerful healing work on the client. Before she left, Jane told me that she would be available to help me whenever I needed assistance in my healing work.

I was overjoyed to see Jane once again. I asked her what she was up to. She told me that she was there to help the sick and the dying. She told me to call upon her and my other helping spirits daily to ride around in the taxi with me. She told me that they would provide whatever help and healing they could for my clients.

I then began each morning with a prayer to my helping spirits, asking them to assist me not only with my clients but with my driving as well. I asked them to help me drive safely. I was not always aware of who was in the car with me or what was transpiring in the spirit realm. I had to focus on my driving and it is not a good idea to enter altered states while operating a motor vehicle. Moreover, I find that tuning in to what is happening in the spirit realm can be emotionally overwhelming.

Occasionally I got glimpses of spirits coming and going. On one memorable occasion, I was driving a dialysis patient from Salem to Portland, Oregon. She sat in the front seat beside me and soon nodded off into a deep sleep. Shortly after she fell asleep, an enormous serpent slithered over the front seat and coiled around my client's body. The serpent worked on her for the entire ride to Portland. The energy in the cab was palpable. I was witness to an incredible and powerful healing. It was an uplifting and unforgettable experience.

At times, I sensed dark and ominous beings leaving the cab after they had been extricated from clients. At other times, I sensed an entire entourage of spirits riding around with me or following me as I walked through various hospitals and clinics. I have seen spirit wolves, lions, eagles, hawks, and horses. I once saw a very protective black jaguar watching over an infant boy with respiratory problems.

I never imagined when I started driving medical transport that it would become such an inspirational and rewarding experience. I thanked the spirits each day for the opportunity to help others and for this wonderful gift of life. Riding with the Spirits was a journey of power, healing, and boundless joy. 

Click here to connect with a power animal. 

Monday, April 18, 2011

Weather Shamanism: What Weather Teaches

Streaming live on the Co-Creator Radio Network on Tuesday, April 19, at 11 am Pacific time/2 pm Eastern time, on her show "Why Shamanism Now?: A Practical Path to Authenticity," Christina Pratt welcomes Nan Moss and David Corbin, authors of Weather Shamanism: Harmonizing Our Connection with the Elements. Pratt talks to Moss and Corbin about and the intimate relationship between our inner states, the weather and our ability to transform the damage humans are doing to the environment. Prior episodes from "Why Shamanism Now" can be downloaded for free from the iTunes library.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Rock Art of Siberian Shamanism

In the introduction of Rock Art and the Material Culture of Siberian and Central Asian Shamanism, Ekaterina Devlet writes, "In Siberia and Central Asia - the 'homelands' of shamanism - there is no ancient tradition of written language, and consequently no direct descriptive data on the lifestyle and belief systems of the prehistoric population. Valuable insights can be however gained from the comparison of rock art images with ethnographic material, which indicate that a shamanic world-view was fundamental for the complex symbolism of the Siberians." A common feature in rock art is the portrayal of the shaman's drum. Even though there are different types, shapes, and images painted on the shamanic drum, it is clearly depicted in the rock art. The range of decoration used on the drums varied from simplistic to innately elaborate. The resemblance is remarkably illustrated, "In the Altai region, images depicted on historical shamanic drums demonstrate a striking similarity with what is shown on the rock engravings" (Devlet 47). Read More

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Spirits of the Air

The Nature and Culture of Birds
by Shepard Krech III

Krech, a renowned authority on Native American interactions with nature, reveals as never before the omnipresence of birds in Native American life. From the time of the earliest known renderings of winged creatures in stone and earthworks through the nineteenth century, when Native southerners took part in decimating bird species with highly valued, fashionable plumage, Spirits of the Air examines the complex and changeable influences of birds on the Native American worldview. Read more

Friday, April 15, 2011

Shamans of Mongolia

Over the last twenty years Donna Todd has built a career as a photographic artist, primarily a portrait artist. Her work is seen around the world in magazines and exhibitions and she has gained international recognition, winning over 80 prestigious photographic awards over the last five years. One of Todd's recent projects was photographing the shamans of Mongolia. A photographic essay (PDF file) of her sojourn among the nomadic Tsaatan reindeer herders can be downloaded for Free at Shamans of Mongolia

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Making a Shaman Drum

by Steven Kauder

Making a shaman drum is an involved process. You have to consider the quality of the hide. How tightly can you lace it? Does it have any weak spots? Are you making the drum for a dry environment or a humid one? Read more

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Drumming as Communication in Mammals

by Jan A. Randall

"An amazing variety of mammals produce seismic vibrations by drumming
a part of their body on a substrate. The drumming can communicate multiple
messages to conspecifics about territorial ownership, competitive superiority, submission, readiness to mate, or presence of predators. Drumming also functions in interspecific communication when prey animals drum to communicate to predators that they are too alert for a successful ambush. Footdrumming patterns are species specific and range from single thumps to individual footdrum signatures." Read the entire Oxford Journals Article

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Light Inside Dark Times

by Michael Meade

"News of financial downturns and economic collapse resonates differently to the ears of the soul than it does to the antennae of the mind or the aspirations of the spirit. Spirit seeks "peak experiences" where soul would lead us down, past the "bottom line" into the real depths of life. Soul would make us deeper in order to make us wiser about the world. And, soul would have us each find our path in life even as the world around becomes more troubled. The soul is the light inside the growing darkness, the hidden quintessence secretly holding things together inside each of us and within the world." The Light Inside Dark Times 

Monday, April 11, 2011

Spirit Teachers and Better Humans

Streaming live on the Co-Creator Radio Network on Tuesday, April 12, at 11 a.m. Pacific time/2 p.m. Eastern time, on her show "Why Shamanism Now?: A Practical Path to Authenticity," Christina Pratt tells listeners: "The spirits are teachers, not therapists. They are here to teach us to be better humans." According to Pratt, "the helping spirits are here to help us sort out how to live well in our time. Even Death and the Trickster--along with plants, animals, and the elements--are part of this cast of compassionate characters who are tirelessly committed to teaching us to be better humans. The spirits do not come to assist us for self-help or enlightenment; they come to assist us in doing the precious, unique thing we have come here to do in a way that is good for all living things." 
Prior episodes from "Why Shamanism Now" can be downloaded for free from the iTunes library.

Shamanic Sound Healing

The Power of Awareness
by Scott J Simon

Shamanic sound healing utilizes sound healing frequencies in order to strengthen and/or heal the energy body. It does this in two primary ways: through the sounds themselves and through inducing trance states to access non-physical realities or what shamans call spirit worlds. Read more

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Shamanism 101

by Dean Young

Poet Dean Young is widely recognized as one of the most energetic, influential poets writing today. Strongly influenced by the New York School poets, and Surrealists such as Andre Breton, Young’s poetry is full of wild leaps of illogic, extravagant imagery, and mercurial shifts in tone. Read more

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Altai Shamans Restore the Sacred Web of Life

The Altai people of southern
Siberia, like their indigenous brothers and sisters from all corners of the Earth, face many social, cultural and ecological challenges, including climate change. Local shamans are convinced that only through restoring their reverential relationship with the sacred and spiritual realms can Altai people and the rest of the world restore the balance of the Earth and its climate.

Friday, April 8, 2011

"One Spirit" Drum Circle

Madge Peinkofer facilitates the "One Spirit" Drum Circle this Sunday, April 10th, and on the Second Sunday of each month at Woodland Chapel, 582 High St. NE, Salem, Oregon. Everyone is welcome, donation requested. The intent for this circle is 'Awakening Consciousness'. For information, contact Madge Peinkofer "White Cloud Feathers" homecenter2@concast.net. Growing in popularity around the globe, drum circles are used for journeying, celebration, stress relief and more. Find a Drum Circle near you.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Shamanic Drumming

by Jade Wah'oo Grigori

In that time before there was Time, there was Grandfather Fire. Around Grandfather Fire sat the Circle of Animal Brothers, who, speaking in that Sacred Language of Spirit, told their Tellings. Through these Tellings Grandfather Fire gave rise to Creation...

So begins the mythic Telling of Shamanic Creation, when we Two-Leggeds (humans) were one of the Animal Brothers, in the place of our Origin. The story goes on to tell of how the Two-Leggeds left the Circle of Animal Brothers, left the embrace of Grandfather Fire, and went into the Darkness and into the land of Death that we humans refer to as Life. In this place of Death, we lost our ability to communicate in the Sacred Language of Spirit.

So that we would not be lost forever, but always have a way of finding our way home, Grandfather Fire sent the Eagle to Grandmother Earth, and to those who are of her domain. This Eagle--Eagle Brother/First Shaman--brought to us Two-Leggeds "The Ways"--the compendium of knowledge, dances, songs, stories, methods, techniques, meditations, approaches to Spirit and ways of Power through which we could seek, find and fulfill our own unique Path of Reunification with Grandfather Fire, which is our path of self-realization.

There came a time when Eagle Brother brought to us the Shamanic Drum. It is the Shaman's foremost vehicle for engaging one's attention in spiritual upliftment, for the gift of the drum is that it enables us to once again communicate in the Sacred Language of Spirit! A thorough understanding of the phenomena associated with the experience of Shamanic Drumming must include an integration of both the physiological and the transcendent.

A Shamanic Drum is constructed within very precise parameters for maximum effectiveness. The rim is made of wood, usually cedar, or a local wood with good resonate qualities. The coverings are most typically of elk or deer rawhide. A rim 3 to 4 inches in height by 17 or 18 inches in diameter provides the proper dimensional relationships for the qualities desired in a Shamanic Drum. When a drum of these materials and dimensions is played, it offers qualities of tone unlike any other drum, even the one-sided hand drum that many people nowadays are using.

When a Shamanic Drum is struck upon one side, it produces the sound of the beat, and a primary tone, or resonance. Since the hides covering the two sides of the drum are never able to be strung to precisely the same tautness, one side will always have a slightly higher pitch than the other side. The primary tone on the higher-pitched side will, consequently, have a "ring" to it. When the lower-pitched side is struck, a lower "drone" is produced in addition to the beat. Because of the close proximity of the hides to each other, being only 3 to 4 inches apart, when one side of the drum is struck, the sound wave of that strike impacts the other side's hide, causing it to resonate as well. We now have three tones being produced simultaneously from one strike: the beat, the primary tone (either a "ring" or a "drone," depending on which side is struck) and the secondary resonance of the opposing hide's vibration.

The human mind fixates upon the monotonous and repetitive. The constant striking of the drum produces a repetitive and monotonous beat pattern. When the mind fixates, all "chitter-chatter" and emotional overwhelm ceases. A profound state of Silence ensues.

The high-pitched overtone stimulates the brain into the alpha brain wave state. This alpha state is experienced as a dreamy, daydream-like state of being. Physiologically, our response to the alpha state is a deep physical relaxation, which comes over us. A daydream's content is driven by the emotionally laden internal dialogue going on within us. Because the mind is fixated, there is nothing to drive any content. In this way, Shamanic Drumming produces a daydream state of alpha without emotional content.

The undertone "drone" produced in Shamanic Drumming stimulates the brain into the theta brain wave state. Though this is characterized as the deep dreaming state, the most relevant response is that the drone opens our spiritual heart, allowing our indwelling presence of being, our Spirit, to rise forth unimpeded.

When these three states of consciousness--silence, alpha and theta--occur simultaneously, as in Shamanic Drumming, a phenomenal experience proceeds. The Spirit, rising forth through the now opened heart, is freed to express itself. The Spirit expresses itself through image, symbols, song/chant, tones, colors, sensations and knowingness. Where does the Spirit express itself? In the now empty alpha daydream state. The mind, fixated and silent, cannot help but pay attention to that which is transpiring within the alpha state. We are now able to perceive directly the expressions, or desires, of our Spirit--that is; we are now able to once again communicate in the Sacred Language of Spirit!

What had become lost to us, due to the spiritual amnesia inherent within incarnation in the mundane world, is now directly accessible to us once again--through the direct experience of Shamanic Drumming!

Jade, a Mongolian/American Shaman, is a Caretaker of "The Ways," an ancient Shamanic collection of Ceremonies, dances, songs, meditation, techniques and approaches to Spirit and methods of empowerment. To learn more, please log onto Jade's web site at: www.shamanic.net

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The Healing Drum

A Shamanic Counseling Case Study

by Isa Gucciardi, Ph.D.

In almost all shamanic cultures, both past and present, we see the drum being used as an instrument of healing. Shamans use the drum to address any number of issues and physical ailments including depression, phobias, addiction, and chronic health problems. Additionally, the shamanic techniques of soul retrieval, depossession, and extraction can all be performed with the drum. Read more

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Make Your Own Shamanic Didgeridoo

Matt Newby has created a web page describing how to easily make an affordable didgeridoo from 2" Schedule 40 PVC piping. Matt even worked out the formulas for calculating the length of a pipe to produce a fundamental of a specific note. I used Matt's guide several years ago to make my didgeridoo. Check out the following links to learn more: Make your own Didgeridoo, Didgeridoo and Meditation, Didgeridoo for the Shamanic Journey.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Shamanism and the Trickster

Streaming live on the Co-Creator Radio Network on Tuesday, April 5, at 11 a.m. Pacific time/2 p.m. Eastern time, on her show "Why Shamanism Now?: A Practical Path to Authenticity," Christina Pratt explores the ways that we unwittingly cut off the Teacher in our lives, relying instead on old, soul-killing patterns of judgment, control, and distrust. Yet even when we are at our most wretched, positional and righteous in our suffering, the Teacher--usually in the guise of the Trickster--is there to open the way back to balance and wholeness. Prior episodes from "Why Shamanism Now" can be downloaded for free from the iTunes library.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

The Two-Sided Shamanic Drum

by Nicholas Noble Wolf

A shamanic drum is a sacred article that is used for journeying to help oneself or to help others--typically for healing. While medicines (spiritual helpers) such as the spirit of Horse, can be used in conjunction with the drum to make journeying easier and faster, even in its own right, the drum will carry you. In the following, I offer a "technical" explanation of how the drum, itself, works to carry one into the dream for journeying.

A traditional shamanic drum is typically two and a half to four inches in depth and 15 to 24 inches in diameter. However, I know people with larger and smaller drums that work equally well. The head or heads are covered with rawhide, typically deer or elk, but sometimes goat or horse. Cowhide, a nontraditional covering, is occasionally used, but some people will say such a drum has a tendency to "moo." This is because of what mankind’s breeding of cattle has done to the souls of cows.

When we strike the drum with a beater, the beat draws our attention, helping to still the mind-chatter. One might say that the mind becomes fixated upon the beat. With our mind out of the way, the resonance of the hide’s vibrations can then cause the mind to shift from the normal waking beta state, into an alpha state. The alpha state is the electrical frequency of the brain between 8 and 13 Hz. indicating the lack of external stimulus. It is that of daydreaming and mental relaxation.

Any drum can assist the mind to shift into the alpha state; you could even use an old, plastic water cooler bottle, but the water bottle will have difficulty in shifting the mind into the theta state (4 to 8 Hz.). This shifting into the theta state is accomplished by the drone of the drum and results in a sleepy state of wakefulness or a light dreaming state.

The two-headed drum has an additional aspect not carried in other drums such as single-headed drums. When one side is struck, it sends vibrations through the center of the drum causing the other side to vibrate at the same resonance or frequency. Therefore, beating on one side actually results in two sides playing. When the second side vibrates, it sends its vibrations not only out into space, but also back to the first side. At this point, the drum now has two sides sending vibrations towards one another, vibrations that are identical in frequency, but exactly mirror opposites of one another. Somewhere in the middle of the drum, these opposite vibrations meet and cancel each other out. Those frequencies that are identical opposites of one another actually serve to nullify and create a place of no sound at that frequency. The audio industry has noted a similar situation when one stereo speaker is wired backwards (i.e., one positive to positive, the other positive to negative) and sends mirror vibrations to those coming from the other speaker, canceling out part of the music.

Unlike a stereo system, in shamanic journeying this canceling is desired. With intent, you can place your attention on the portion of the resonance that is cancelled. The is the place of no sound. When you place your attention here, you hear nothing--just silence. I want to point out that you can not do anything to find this place. You must allow yourself to find it. Using the words of Carlos Castaneda, shamanic journeying is "not doing." When a person has found the place of no sound, his deep or lower theta and higher delta brain waves will be stimulated causing him to enter a hypnagogic state or trance. The hypnagogic state is the state between deep sleep and waking--the state where dreaming occurs. It is in the higher portion of this state that lucid dreaming occurs. Lucid dreaming is the awakening within the dream-time such that a person knows they are dreaming and can control the dream. When drumming, though, the hypnagogic state is reached while awake and one enters a deep trance or dream state. Essentially, one is dreaming while awake. Hypnotists take their subjects into a hypnagogic state also. However, unlike hypnosis, during shamanic drumming, one remains in control of his dream.

Once a person has entered into the hypnagogic state, it is possible to free the spirit to journey to the underworld and celestial realms of the soul. However, my intent here has been to explain why shamanic drumming works so well. While there are other ways, such as meditation, the drum, and particularly the two-sided drum, is the most effective and fastest way that I have encountered to reach the mythic worlds.

Nicholas Noble Wolf has walked the shamanic path for over thirty years. He is a traditionally initiated shaman--one who has undergone the prerequisite, physical death initiations and has shown the ability to call upon the powers and gifts received during the course of those initiations. An honored man, he dedicates the ways he carries, which have been passed down through an unbroken lineage for innumerable generations, to the welfare of the Earth and all her peoples. His web site is www.nicholasnoblewolf.com

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Rhythms of the Earth

by Morwen Two Feathers

"The rhythms of the Earth have been expressed musically in a wild variety of different patterns, timbres, and levels of complexity in many distinct cultures around the world. Are these differences the direct expression of the Earth’s voice in those particular places, or reflections of human social arrangements that are rooted in those places? From Gaia’s perspective it matters not at all, for these are the same thing. Indigenous people have communed directly with the rhythms of the land that is their home, evolving stable repertoires of traditional rhythms and songs that express fundamental relationships between the people and their environment. When a group of people takes root in a particular place on Earth and stays there for generations, a specific rhythmic musical tradition appears and develops." Read More

Friday, April 1, 2011

Spirit Of A Healing Drum Circle

by David Johannes

What is a healing drum circle you may ask? You might say that all drumming provides healing benefits and all drum circles provide the opportunity to also experience the group energy of drumming together in community. In this article though I am speaking of my personal experiences in a circle whose intent is less musical, and more spiritual in focus and intention. 

Since the spring of 2001 I have been involved in a circle based for the most part in Atikokan Ontario, with some events held in Thunder Bay Ontario. These circles are hosted by Tod Pringle, an acupuncturist whose personal spiritual journey has taken him to many native based ceremonies, particularly in North Dakota. Typically a circle is held for each solstice and equinox, with additional circles held if desired. Lately the trend has been to hold the winter solstice circle in Thunder Bay due to the elements. All are welcome to attend and the only requirements necessary are a willingness to participate and to open up to one's own spirit. Numbers of people tend to be small, around 5-15 participants which makes for an intimate setting.

Instruments

The typical instruments involved are the water drum, hand drum, community drum and rattles, all of Native American origin or inspiration. The intention in playing is for everyone to play together, and in a monotone steady beat, which facilitates an altering of consciousness and an entrainment of energy. Added to the mix is singing, and sometimes Tibetan bowls as well. While much of the flavour of the circle draws from Native American or shamanic influences, the circle is not strictly based on any traditional rituals or rules and is open to contribution from all influences keeping in spirit with the nature of the circle.

Preparation

Before the circle begins, the room itself must be prepared. The circle room is in a separate outdoor building which is only used for spiritual practice such as the circles. This allows for the presence of very clear energy. In the "center" of the room is an octagonal area oriented to the "four directions". This altar is usually prepared by one or two of the participants with objects such as rocks, candles and plant materials symbolizing the energy and intent of the circle and also the current season. The room is also smudged to cleanse the energy by burning plant material using a combination of cedar, sage, sweetgrass and tobacco, and by sweeping the smoke around the room. Coals are provided from the wood stove in the adjoining room, which has a fire prepared in advance.

The water drum is a key drum used during the circle and originates from Native American peyote meetings. It is made from a vessel such as a metal pot which is filled partially with water, and then has a moose or deer skin laced to the vessel using small stones. It is played with a thin stick and usually at a fairly rapid pace. This drum must be assembled prior to each circle. After each playing session the skin is remoistened by shaking the drum and then blowing air into it.

Smudging and Group Drumming

Once all participants have arrived, each person will be individually smudged. If weather permits, this takes place outside in the yard around an outdoor fire pit. The smudge area is bordered by logs and each person enters the smudge area and then puts their intention into the fire with a handful of tobacco. Usually two others perform the actual smudging using the same materials as for cleansing the room. The person's energy field will be sweeped with the smoke on all sides, and also any instrument they have brought to play.

When a person is smudged they leave the pit to start playing the community drum. The first person sets up the beat, and the rest join in one at a time. When no more room is left to drum the first drummer leaves to make room for another, and so on until everyone is smudged and everyone has drummed. Our circle is blessed now in having two very special community drums. The first drum was built by Tod out of wood slats and is headed with moose skin. Its name is Albert Sugarhead (I won't go into where that name came from here) and it does have a very sweet sound. The second drum was the joint project of John and Debbie from Thunder Bay. This drum is substantially larger in volume and has a thunderous sound. John constructed the shell out of cedar boards and made the stand. Debbie obtained the buffalo hide from Manitoba and with a little help prepared and scraped the hide. When the hide was ready it was fastened to the shell using rawhide lacing by Tod, John, myself (David) and Tarmo. That was a memorable experience and the net result was simply amazing ... thank you Debbie for your vision! And so "Spirit That Wraps Around Us" was born.

Elements Of The Circle

Once the smudging and group drumming is completed, all participants settle into their spots. Tod as facilitator takes up the "west" and lately with me acting as "fireman" sitting in the "north" and all other spots open. The circle typically begins with some opening comments from Tod and whoever prepared the altar. The format and flavour of each circle varies, but some common elements usually take place. Commonly an initial drumming round takes place where each person may play a hand drum or a rattle if they desire, usually with Tod playing the water drum. The purpose of this is to help set intention for the circle. After this drumming round a "talking stick" or feather is passed around the circle, giving each person an opportunity if they desire to speak about what their current issues or thoughts are that they want to work on in the circle. If one does not feel moved to share they may pass on this as well.

At this point the circle takes a short break and then resumes with several "rounds". These rounds usually evolve from what people have spoken of in the initial round. Some rounds may involve drumming and rattling. In some of these Tod usually sings some traditional Native American peyote meeting songs while rattling, accompanied by someone on the water drum. Another round may involve shamanic journeying. A shamanic journey basically involves one person drumming a monotone beat while the others relax and "journey" into an altered state of consciousness. A person may journey for themselves, or for an issue spoken of by another. The journey itself may typically last 15-20 minutes, and after its completion those that wish to share any information or visions obtained on the journey may do so. These insights are shared without analysis or judgment, and it is up to the person whom the insight is about to consider how it relates to their own life. I find sometimes these sharings can provide very insightful information, and sometimes can sound quite humorous or entertaining.

Typically a circle may last 4-5 hours from the very beginning to the end. After all rounds have been completed, and all issues which arose feel to the group like they have been dealt with, the circle draws to a close. Some final songs may be performed, and then all arise and hold hands. Each person hugs each other person as they leave and the circle is then done. At this point we relax and commune over a pot luck meal before heading home.
Conclusion

If this article appeals to your spirit, I urge you to attend a healing or shamanic circle in your area if you can find one, or perhaps you might like to start one of your own. For me, I always leave the circle with a renewed sense of energy and spirit. Sometimes emotional issues are stirred up which then continue on with their inner healing in the days that follow. Each circle is like a "coming home" for me. The circle provides an opportunity to connect with your own spirit at a deeper level, and also to connect with a group of other like minded people. Each person who attends brings their own special gift of Spirit to the circle. I feel very blessed for knowing Tod and all of the other wonderful people I have had the chance to meet at the circles.

Meegwich ~ with gratitude and blessings ~ David.

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.