"The Shamanic Drum" Audiobook Release

I am excited to announce the release of the audiobook version of my bestselling books The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming and Shamanic Drumming: Calling the Spirits. The Shamanic Drum is my definitive guide to shamanic drumming, a form of repetitive rhythmic drumming. Its purpose is to induce ecstatic trance states in order to access innate wisdom and guidance. The essence of shamanism is the experience of direct revelation from within. Shamanism is about remembering, exploring and developing the true self. Shamanic practice heightens the ability of perception and enables you to see into the deeper realms of the self. Once connected with your inner self, you can find help, healing and a continual source of guidance. To practice shamanism is to reconnect with your deepest core values and your highest vision of who you are and why you are here.

Drawing from 30 years of shamanic practice and teaching, I present the first practical guide to applying this ancient healing art to our modern lives. Through a series of simple exercises and lessons, I teach the basic shamanic methods of drumming. The focus is on creating sacred space, journeying, power practice, power animals, drum circles and the therapeutic effects of drumming. There are no prerequisites to learning shamanic drumming. Whether you are an accomplished percussionist or a total beginner, this user-friendly book will help you harness the power of drumming. Listen to a sample of The Shamanic Drum.

In my book Shamanic Drumming: Calling the Spirits, I recount my journey into shamanic practice and explore what someone should do if they feel the call to become a shaman. Many people in today's world are being called by spirit to become shamans. A yearning exists deep within many of us to reconnect to the natural world. It is a call to a life lived in balance with awareness of nature, of spirit, and of self. Following up on my book, The Shamanic Drum, I provide a new series of exercises and lessons that allow for a deeper understanding and utilization of this core shamanic practice. I have written a guide to becoming a shamanic healer that encompasses the power of the drum, of community, and of the accountability inherent in authentic shamanic practice.

This empowering book is a call to build relationships with helping spirits. Spirit helpers are the caretakers in the unseen world who want to support the earth and her inhabitants at this time. They are here to teach us how to gather wisdom from the spiritual realms, the natural world, the past, the present and the future in order to give birth to new ways of being. The shamanic relationship between humans and helping spirits supports our spirit's quest for self-realization. Helping spirits, if engaged regularly and skillfully, offer flexibility, creativity and perseverance in fulfilling our own unique path. The spirits are here to assist us in doing the principal, unique thing we have come here to do in a way that benefits all living things. Listen to a sample of Shamanic Drumming.

Virtual Voice Narration

These audiobooks use Virtual Voice narration. Virtual Voice is a computer-generated speech technology designed explicitly to create Audible audiobooks. Audible is an Amazon-owned company renowned for its vast library of audiobooks. Audible's Virtual Voice is a cutting-edge technology that utilizes advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to generate lifelike voice narrations for audiobooks. Unlike traditional methods that require human narrators, Virtual Voice can create high-quality narrations using synthesized voices. This technology leverages deep learning and natural language processing (NLP) to produce voices that sound remarkably human.  

One of the significant advantages of Virtual Voice is the consistency it offers. Human narrators, while talented, can introduce variability in their performances due to factors like mood, health, or fatigue. Virtual Voice eliminates these inconsistencies, ensuring that every chapter of a book is narrated with the same level of quality and energy. I was hesitant to publish any of my books using Virtual Voice, however the quality of the narration is much better than I could have ever imagined it would be. 

The Rise of Audiobooks 

In the fast-paced digital age, the way we consume content has significantly evolved. Audiobooks, once considered a niche market, have surged in popularity, providing a convenient and engaging way for people to enjoy literature. Audiobooks have grown exponentially over the past decade, thanks in part to the proliferation of smartphones and the increasing popularity of multitasking. People can now listen to books while commuting, exercising, or performing household chores. This convenience has turned audiobooks into a preferred medium for many readers. Audible has been at the forefront of this transformation, offering a vast selection of titles across various genres. 

For those who listen to audiobooks, the arrival of Virtual Voice will be seamless to the existing customer experience. Audible users will be able to easily discover and enjoy audiobooks featuring virtual voices, and audiobooks created with Virtual Voice will be clearly marked to avoid any confusion with traditional, human-narrated audiobooks. Customers will be able to listen to samples prior to purchase, just like with any other audiobook, and decide for themselves whether they want to give this new technology a chance. Whether you're a long-time audiobook enthusiast or a newcomer to the format, Virtual Voice promises to enhance your listening experience in ways you never imagined.

Facilitating a Group Shamanic Journey

A group shamanic journey is a little different from an individual journey. The journey technique is similar, but ecstatic trance takes on an increased potency in a group. By journeying together, we deepen our individual connection to spirit and we also deepen our connections to each other. There's something magical about group sacred space, particularly when it's created with the intention to facilitate and support shamanic journeying. A group shamanic journey basically involves one person drumming a repetitive rhythm while the others relax and journey into the non-ordinary reality of the spirits. The journey itself may typically last fifteen to twenty minutes. A pre-agreed call back rhythm will signal that the group journey should end and the journeyers return to ordinary reality. I like to signal a call back with four strong beats, followed by a short period of slow heartbeat drumming to assist each journeyer in refocusing their awareness back to their physical body.
 

For your first group journey, I recommend traveling to the Lower World using the technique taught by the late Michael Harner. In his book, The Way of the Shaman, Harner suggests that you visualize an opening into the Earth that you remember from sometime in your life--from childhood, or yesterday. Any entry into the ground will do--an animal burrow, hollow tree stump, cave and so on. When the journey begins, you'll go down the hole and a tunnel will appear. Enter the tunnel and you will emerge into the Lower World--the realm of power animals, spirit guides and ancestral spirits. It is a beautiful, Earth-like dimension, where we can find lost power, retrieve lost souls and connect with animal and plant spirits.
 

The Journey Process
 

The basic steps for a group journey to the Lower World are as follows:
 

1. Smudge to create a purified space, and then open sacred space by calling in the benevolent powers of the seven directions: East, South, West, North, Up, Down and Within.
 

2. Having established sacred space, it is important to form the group's collective intention or objective for the journey. It is best to have only one inquiry or question per journey. It is important to focus on the issue that you want to know more about. Focusing on an issue develops a receptive state of mind and helps you clarify what it is you are truly seeking.
 

3. After clarifying the intended objective, a designated drummer should play a repetitive rhythm that begins slowly and then gradually builds in intensity to a steady tempo of three to four beats per second. As the drumming begins, each person should close their eyes and focus a moment on the inquiry free of any distractions, emotions or attachments that could distort the response.
 

4. Next, each person should clear their mind of everything. Focused intent, to be effective, should be followed by complete surrender and detachment. Focus your attention on the sound of the drum, thereby stilling the chatter in your mind. Allow the drum to empty you. Become one with the drum.
 

5. At this point, you may find it helpful to imagine with all your senses the entrance to a cave, an opening in the Earth, or a hollow tree trunk that you have seen or visited. Use an image that you are comfortable with and one that you can clearly visualize. Clear your mind of everything but this image.
 

6. Approach the entrance or opening and enter it. Typically, you will meet an entity here that will act as your spirit guide. It may appear to you as an animal, a person, a light, a voice, or have no discernible form at all. If you are uncomfortable or put off by whatever appears, ask it to take another form. It is important that you see, feel, hear, or in some way sense the presence of an ally that you trust and feel at ease with before proceeding with your first journey. If you do not, then return through the entrance and journey another time.
 

7. Pose your query to the guide. Your spirit guide may simply answer your question, but most likely will lead you on a journey. It may ask you to ride on its back or to accompany it. Follow your guide's instructions implicitly. If asked to leave, do so at once. Typically, you will proceed down a tunnel at a rapid pace. If you encounter an obstacle, just go around it or look for an opening through it.
 

8. When you emerge from the passage, you will find yourself in the Lower World. You may be led to a helping spirit that can answer your question. You may go through different landscapes and experience different situations. The possibilities are endless. Just go with the flow and observe whatever happens without trying to analyze or conceptualize the experience.
 

9. When you hear the pre-agreed call back signal, it is time to return. If for any reason you want to come back before the call back, just retrace your steps back. To achieve this simply do your journey in reverse. There is no need to rush and it is not critical that you retrace your route precisely. The reason for retracing your steps is to help you remember the route so that in subsequent journeys you will be able to travel to and from the Lower World with greater ease and efficiency. Upon your return to the entrance, thank your guide, emerge from the opening, and return to your body.
 

10. Once you have returned to ordinary reality, sit quietly for a few moments, refocusing your awareness back to your physical body. Take a deep breath, and then open your eyes.
 

Upon completion, bring everyone back to the present by letting everyone share their journey experience. It is not unusual for group journeyers to have similar trance experiences. These insights are shared without analysis, interpretation or judgment. Sharing our journeys allows us to see ourselves in other people, and to see that they are much like us. We begin to understand at a very deep level that we are all truly One.

Group Drumming Better than Antidepressants

A study published by the Public Library of Science (PLoS) scientifically validates what so many drum circle participants have already experienced first hand: group drumming produces significant changes in well-being, including improvements in depression, anxiety and social resilience.
 

With the World Health Organization identifying depression as the #1 leading cause of disability, globally, and psychiatric medications causing severe side effects, including permanently disabling the body's self-healing mechanism, drug-free alternatives are needed now more than ever.
 

Could group drumming provide just such a solution?
 

Titled, "Effects of Group Drumming Interventions on Anxiety, Depression, Social Resilience and Inflammatory Immune Response among Mental Health Service Users," UK researchers enrolled thirty adults who were already recipients of mental health services but were not receiving antidepressant medications in a 10 week program of drumming versus a control group of 15. The two groups were matched for age, sex, ethnicity and employment status. The control participants were informed that they were participating in a study about music and mental health but were not given access to the group drumming sessions. The treatment group received weekly 90-minute group drumming sessions over a period of 10 weeks. The drum group sizes were between 15-20. Each participant was provided with a traditional African djembe drum and sat in a circle. Twenty percent of the session time involved instruction and talking, whereas 80% was direct participation in music-making. The control subjects were enrolled in community group social activities (e.g. quiz nights, women's institute meetings and book clubs). Both groups were monitored for biomarkers related to immune status and inflammation, e.g. cortisol and various cytokines, to track the biological as well as psychological changes associated with the intervention.
 

The results of the study were remarkable. Significant improvements were found in the drumming group but not the control group. In summary, by 6 weeks the drumming intervention group experienced decreases in depression, increased social resilience; by 10 weeks they saw further improvements in depression, alongside significant improvements in anxiety and mental wellbeing. These changes continued to be maintained 3 months follow-up. The drumming intervention group also saw their immune profile shift from a pro-inflammatory towards an anti-inflammatory response.
 

This remarkable research opens up the possibility that group drumming may produce positive psychospiritual changes that, in comparison to conventional treatment with psychiatric medications like Prozac, support side-effect free improvement in parameters beyond symptom suppression.
 

Additionally, when one considers that the benefits associated with conventional pharmaceutical treatment of depression may actually result from the placebo effect and not the chemicals themselves, as well as the fact that antidepressants can cause severe adverse effects including suicidal ideation, the findings of this exploratory study becomes all the more promising.
 

Another important discovery here is that group drumming down-regulated inflammation within the immune profiles of study participants. Could the dysregulation of inflammation be a root cause of a wide range of psychiatric disorders and anti-inflammatory interventions a solution? The inflammation-depression link, in particular, explains how interventions such as turmeric have been clinically proven to be superior to common antidepressant medications like Prozac, presumably because of turmeric's broad spectrum and systemic anti-inflammatory properties.

Meeting My Shamanic Teacher

An excerpt from my memoir, Riding Spirit Horse: A Journey into Shamanism.
 

In November of 1988, my wife and I sold our home in Bend, Oregon and moved to Sedona, Arizona. I was on a spiritual quest, and my wife was a reluctant companion. At that time, Sedona was becoming known as a spiritual mecca, attracting pilgrims from around the world. I was one of those pilgrims. My artistic wife found work in one of Sedona's well known art galleries, and I found work as a bartender at a Sedona racquet club. Art and tennis funded our spiritual quests.
 

After several relatively uneventful months in Sedona, I finally had a profound shamanic experience. I attended my first shamanic drumming circle a few blocks from our apartment. I had picked up an event flyer in a neighborhood metaphysical bookstore which read:

 

"Shamanic Drumming Circle. Jade Grigori is a traditional shaman of Mongolian ancestry. In keeping with his intent to make accessible to all peoples, regardless of blood line, the knowledge and practice of 'The Ways' of Shamanism, he is calling forth a drum circle. Those of the community seeking to join together with others of like heart-beat in learning and experiencing the empowerment and filling of the light-body through shamanic drum ways, are invited to participate. Tuesday Nights, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m."
 

When I arrived at the host's house, I joined about 15 people sitting casually in a circle around the perimeter of the living room floor. Some people had drums and others did not. Most of the furniture had been removed to accommodate a large gathering. Two of the participants were percussionists who were giving a performance at a local venue after the drum circle. They brought a wide assortment of frame and ethnic drums. They passed instruments around the circle so that each person had a drum if they chose to play. I received a rawhide frame drum and beater as it came round the circle to me. I had never played a frame drum before. It was a very eclectic mix of people and rhythm instruments. I came to know a few of these participants very well in the months to come.
 

After our host introduced Jade, the elder shaman entered the room and sat down in our circle. His long hair was braided in a ponytail and he wore a deerskin jacket and a red headband. He carried a double-sided frame drum and a large medicine bundle. Jade laid down his drum and opened the leather bundle, removing feathers and ritual objects. He then lit a charcoal disc in an incense burner. In the darkened room, I could see blue sparks dance off of the charcoal as the sacred fire came to life. Jade sprinkled herbs on the burning charcoal and began smudging his sacred objects with three eagle feathers, fanning the smoke outward into the entire space. Smudging is the burning of herbs or incense for cleansing, purification and protection of sacred space.
 

Double-headed drums
 

Jade explained that a double-headed drum is preferred by some shamans for it constitutes a microcosm of the Universe, unites the masculine and feminine principles, and produces sounds with a tremendous dynamic range. The higher-pitched (red) head of the drum tends to affect higher levels of consciousness. Typically, shamans associate this drumhead with the sky, Upper World and masculine energy. It is linked to the mythic Spirit Eagle who perches atop the World Tree. Eagle Brother will carry the shaman's prayers to the Upper World, or the shaman may transform into Spirit Eagle and soar into the celestial realm. The shaman and the eagle are both intercessors between the celestial and human realms.
 

The opposite or lower-pitched (black) head of the drum affects deeper levels of consciousness. It is commonly associated with the Lower World, feminine energy and the archetypal Horse of mythology. The repetitive, droning rhythm of shamanic drumming is suggestive of a horse on a journey. Throughout Mongolia, shamans describe it as the exalted, buoyant state that one mounts and rides from plane to plane. Mongolian shamans ride omisi murin, their name for Spirit Horse, into the Lower World on healing journeys or direct Spirit Horse to carry the power and healing to the intended destination.
 

The rim of the drum is associated with the Middle World and the World Tree. The frame of the shaman's drum is invariably made of wood derived from a sacred tree associated with the Tree of Life or World Tree. Like the World Tree, which links the upper and lower realms of existence, the rim links the two sides of the drum--the yin and the yang. A double-headed drum integrates the feminine and masculine aspects of the Universe within itself. It restores the balance of these two opposite yet complementary energies.
 

Three-round shamanic drum journey
 

After smudging, Jade instructed us in the ritual use of the sacrament tobacco, the unifying thread of communication between humans and the spiritual powers. He showed us how to empower our drums by offering tobacco smoke or a pinch of tobacco. Offering grandfather tobacco carries our prayers to the "Loom of Creation," causing the "Tapestry of Creation" to reweave itself in accordance with those prayers.
 

Next, Jade taught us the drum beats for invoking Eagle Brother and Spirit Horse.(1) He instructed us to play the rhythms in unison so that the drumming creates a mesmerizing effect to induce trance. He cautioned us to avoid jam or free form drumming, which produces a cacophony of competing beats. The goal is to produce a sound that is unifying and consciousness-shifting. Sound waves carry the specific intention or desired outcome of the ceremony. Together the drummers create the necessary rhythmic container that channels the energy generated by the ritual performance toward the intended objective.
 

After learning the two rhythms, Jade set a group intention and then led us in a three-round shamanic drum journey. During the first round, we drummed the eagle-beat on the celestial (higher-pitched) head of our drums and soared on the wings of Eagle Brother into the Upper World. In the second round, we drummed the horse-beat on the Lower World (lower-pitched) head of our drums and rode Spirit Horse on a journey into the Lower World. In the third round, we switched back to the celestial side of our drums and again drummed the eagle-beat, offering prayers of thanks and gratitude to Eagle Brother and Spirit Horse for their help and assistance. Finally, Jade signaled the end of our journey and the drum circle with four strong beats.
 

I was transformed by the power of that drum circle--it was a defining moment in my life. There was something magical about our group journey experience. Ecstatic trance seemed to be more powerful and transcendent in a group setting. The vibrant energy was unifying, expansive and palpable. I could feel the spirits in the room. Shamanic drumming shook the Earth beneath me, split me wide open and lifted my spirit skyward. The ecstatic rhythms resonated to my very core. From that point on, I was hooked on drumming!
 

The next day, I went back to the store where I had picked up the drum circle flyer and purchased an octagonal double-sided frame drum. I returned week after week to Jade's shamanic drumming circles to learn the myths, healing rhythms and drum ways of an ancient shamanic lineage. Jade encouraged us to drum as often as possible in between our weekly gatherings. I would hike almost daily into one of the many red sandstone canyons around Sedona to drum. I gradually built up stamina while learning how to play the drum and ride its rhythm at the same time. Drumming inspired and empowered me in a way I had never felt before. Through drumming, I found a meaningful way to express my inner self without words. More importantly, I discovered my true calling--shamanic drumming.
 

1. You can listen to the Eagle Chant (eagle-beat) and Horse Chant (horse-beat) at: <http://www.archive.org/details/SacredSongsAndChants/>. You can find the lyrics at: <https://archive.org/details/SacredSongsChantsLyrics>.

Going Deeper With Shamanic Drum Circles

Shamanic circling is a demanding practice, but it is a meaningful practice that deepens our connection to spirit. The deeper we go in our relationship with spirit, the closer we get to what we need. To go deeper and become more effective, many drumming circles close the circle to new members for a period of time. This builds a community of trust, allowing members to deepen in the knowledge and skills of shamanic practice. The shamanic work becomes more focused, building the power and integrity of the circle. The consistency of a closed circle allows members to explore more advanced practices or methods. Circles also benefit when members expand their shamanic skills outside the group and then return to share with the circle.

 

Shamanic circles can use intentionality to go deeper in their spiritual practice. Intention can be aligned with process rather than with a specific outcome. By setting the intention to go deeper, uncover more, and expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, circles can harness the power of group intention. Intentions are more likely to blossom if everyone participated in creating them, and feels truly invested, and if there is an acknowledgment of collective responsibility.
 

Effective intentions are supported by a mutual understanding of the group's purpose. Intention and purpose drive the circle process. Many circles use a shamanic visioning process to imagine future possibilities for their group. Shamanic visioning is a technique that uses imagination to create mental pictures in a multidimensional way by using all of the senses. Members collectively envision the future state they would like to see in their group using sound, smell, taste, touch, and sight, as well as emotion, which energizes the vision. That future state vision then becomes the basis of the intention of the circle. The members may not know how to get there, but they have a shared vision of where they want to go.
 

If a circle is to fulfill its potential, members need to commit to an ongoing relationship with the people in their circle and extend the intentions of the circle into daily life. At a minimum, a commitment within a shamanic circle means that you are fully present to everyone inside the circle to engender trust and caring among them. When that kind of commitment is consistent, a drum circle becomes a practice arena for the ways we want to engage the world. Extend that caring to people outside the group, to the Earth, and to the environment that we share by practicing the skills developed within the circle in daily life. Extending that authentic way of being outside the circle has a ripple effect in the world around us.

Drum Circle Facilitation Issues and Challenges

An excerpt from my book, Shamanic Drumming Circles Guide.
 

Drum circle facilitation can be challenging at times. In his book Drum Circle Facilitation: Building Community Through Rhythm, Arthur Hull recounts the story of a rip-roaring drunk who showed up at a closing celebration and graduation exercise for a facilitator training workshop in Japan. Throughout the program, the drunk offered a good balance of challenging distractions and disruptive behavior for the beginning-beginner facilitators. After the circle, Hull critiqued the event with the graduates. He told them that the presence of the drunk was a blessing in disguise and represented three types of challenges that facilitators encounter in drum circles. As Hull puts it, "He was an unconscious distracter, a random factor disruptor and the kid who would not behave."
 

According to facilitator Larry Dillenbeck, "Another challenge to circle facilitation is when one person 'triggers' another and people get upset. Sometimes that can quickly spread and dominate the energy and attention of the group. I've seen it handled two ways that seem opposite, but both were effective at the time. One facilitator asked the people to leave the circle and resolve the issue outside, which they did, and allowed the rest of the group to continue with the session. Another time, the facilitators used the incident as a way of processing and using shamanic skills to bring resolution within the group. Even though it was a deviation from the plan for that day, it was a great demonstration of healing and the skill of the facilitators to 'hold space' and deal with the matter elegantly."
 

"Traditionalists" can also present challenges to leadership. As circle keeper Madge Peinkofer points out, "My biggest challenge is when a person joins the circle with specific beliefs about what is right or wrong in 'their tradition.' They usually have strong feelings about 'their way' being the right way. They can bring the energy down very quickly and change it in a way that makes others feel uncomfortable. One way I handle this is to listen respectfully until I feel the integrity of the circle is being compromised. At this point, I politely intervene to explain that all people are honored in this circle and our only rule is that everyone be respectful of others. I then redirect the attention and energy of the circle to an activity that gets everyone involved." Another way the facilitator can address this issue is to clarify the focus and intent of the circle from the beginning. As Larry Dillenbeck suggests, "I think part of what helps in those situations is when the facilitator sets the 'tone' or 'Spirit' of the ceremony at the beginning by setting the intent to honor all attendees and their particular beliefs and traditions and invite the attendees to do the same."
 

Shamanic circling requires that we allow space and encouragement for each member to bring forward their thoughts, feelings and concerns. Circles that are able to communicate well with one another are better able to withstand personality clashes and discord. Membership concerns might include issues of attendance, tardiness, confidentiality and sharing in the circle. By bringing forth these issues, they can be diffused and often lose their power. Circle issues might also include ego work. It's not unusual for some individuals to be seeking personal power. The spirits will often resolve this but if not, people may be asked to leave the circle.

"The Shamanic Drum" July eBook Sale

Mark your calendar! I am taking part in the 14th annual Smashwords July Summer/Winter Sale, taking place Friday, July 1 through Sunday, July 31 2022. For the entire month of July, all of my ebooks are 50% off list price: The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming, I Ching: The Tao of Drumming, Shamanic Drumming: Calling the Spirits, Shamanic Drumming Circles Guide, The Great Shift, Riding Spirit Horse: A Journey into Shamanism and Shamanic Journeys: An Anthology. Choose from multiple file formats including .epub, .mobi for Kindles, and PDF. Click on the following link to my Smashwords author page and you will receive the 50% discount automatically by adding my books to your cart: Smashwords July Summer/Winter Sale.
 

Why does Smashwords call it "Summer/Winter"? Here in the Northern hemisphere, it's mid-summer. Readers are loading their e-reading devices for summer beach reading and long-awaited vacations. South of the equator, readers are now in the middle of winter. They're ready to curl up in front of the fireplace and enjoy a great read too! Smashwords is the world's largest distributor of indie ebooks. They make it fast, free and easy for any author or publisher, anywhere in the world, to publish and distribute ebooks to the major retailers and thousands of libraries. The Smashwords Store provides an opportunity to discover new voices in all categories and genres of the written word.

Drum Circle Instrument Guide

Shamanic drum circle instrumentation centers around percussion, but may include other instruments, such as flutes, didgeridoos and other non-percussion instruments. Every musical instrument has a unique energy, spirit and sound. Sound is regarded as one of the most effective ways of establishing connections with the spirit realm, since it travels through space, permeates visual and physical barriers and conveys information from the unseen world. Sound-producing instruments facilitate interaction and relationship among all parts of the living world.

Conch Trumpets - Sound does not just travel out into oblivion. There is a call and then a response. When Iroquoian people of present-day central and upstate New York discuss "sending out a sound," they mention blowing on a conch shell to attract attention, signaling the start of a ceremony, notifying the community, and drawing the Creator's participation. The conch is sounded at the beginning of important rituals because the sound is believed to have the ability to drown out any negative words or noises that might disturb or disrupt the harmonious atmosphere. The sound of conch is understood as the source of all existence -- a cosmic womb, for when the conch is blown, it is said to emulate the primordial sound from which all else emanates.

Didgeridoos - The didgeridoo is one of the world's oldest musical instruments, originating in Australia many thousands of years ago. It is a wooden wind instrument that produces a resonant trance inducing drone called "the voice of the Earth" to support the listener in making shamanic journeys. Didgeridoos produce a range of infrasonics; extremely low frequency sound waves that are below the human auditory threshold but nonetheless enter the brain. These waves are picked up by the cochlea (labyrinth) of the ear and influence the vestibular, circadian systems of the brain. Infrasonics stimulate a wide array of euphoric trance-like states. This may help to explain why the didgeridoo found its way into Aboriginal shamanic and healing practices thousands of years ago.

Drums - The circular frame drum is the most popular instrument played in shamanic drumming circles. These drums are durable, easy to handle, and highly resonant. Plus, frame drums are less intimidating than other drum types, based on the simple design and method of play, allowing beginners to easily stroke a rhythm, and enabling those with disabilities to reap the benefits of rhythm and sound therapy. However, by their very nature, most community drum circles invite all to participate with whatever percussion instrument is available. Virtually any type of drum may be played, though most drum circles exclude drum kits. So, by all means, do not hesitate to play any instrument you have available such as a djembe, conga or tambourine.

Flutes - According to Ute-Tiwa shaman Joseph Rael, "The flute is an instrument connecting the two worlds, the non-physical with the physical. The breath of the flutist is the breath of God coming through a hollow reed; the sound is that of the invisible lover courting the visible lover, the metaphor of the lover and the beloved." The flute opens a path of communication between the spiritual and earthly realms. The flute is related to the soul, which extends far beyond the physical body, connecting us to the symphony of the universe. Something transcendent happens when you begin to play a flute. You journey deep inside yourself and bring out the cosmic music of your soul. Nothing matters -- audience, place, time -- you just get lost in the music. You become the music -- notes, rhythm and melody.

Rattles - The repetitive sound of the rattle, like that of the drum, helps induce trance states. The shaking of rattles creates high-pitched frequencies that complement the low frequencies of drumbeats. The high tones of rattles resonate in the upper parts of the body and head. The low tones of drums act primarily on the abdomen, chest, and organs of balance, while stimulating an impulse toward movement. Rattles stimulate higher frequency nerve pathways in the cerebral cortex than do drums. This higher frequency input supplements the low frequency drumbeats, thereby boosting the total sonic effect.

Voice as musical instrument - It is likely that the first musical instrument was the human voice itself. The voice can be viewed as the ultimate musical instrument, since it is capable of instant expression with no instrument required to render thoughts and feelings into sound. With the human voice, thought nearly equals sound. The voice is capable of producing an incredibly wide range and depth of expressions. Musicians often replicate aspects of the human voice with their instruments because of its pure expression and feeling. The human voice is the social glue that binds us and the most important sound in our lives.

5 Good Reasons to Harness the Power of Drumming

1. To ground you in the present moment: Drumming helps alleviate stress that is created from holding on to the past or worrying about the future. When one plays a drum, one is placed squarely in the here and now. The drumbeat somehow manages to anchor you while simultaneously creating a sensation of movement. Another paradox of rhythm is that it has both the capacity to move your awareness out of your body into realms beyond time and space and to ground you firmly in the present moment. It allows you to maintain a portion of ordinary awareness while experiencing non-ordinary awareness. This permits full recall later of the visionary experience.

2. To become a vessel of healing: When you drum, close your eyes and focus your attention on the sound of the drum. Become one with the beat of the drum. Allow the drum to empty your mind of all but the rhythm you are playing. You must empty yourself to be filled up by the healing power of the divine. Emptiness is the true nature of reality and the goal of all meditative practice. When you get out of your own way to allow spirit to work through you, you become a vessel of healing for others.

3. To build community through drum circles: In a society in which traditional family and community-based systems of support have become increasingly fragmented, drum circles provide a sense of connectedness with others and interpersonal support. A drum 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. Shamanic circles provide an authentic experience of unity and interconnectedness. Group drumming alleviates self-centeredness, isolation and alienation.

4. To access a higher power: Recent studies demonstrate that the drumming provides a secular approach to accessing a higher power and applying spiritual perspectives. According to research published in the American Journal of Public Health, "shamanic drumming directly supports the introduction of spiritual factors found significant in the healing process. Shamanic activities bring people efficiently and directly into immediate encounters with spiritual forces, focusing the client on the whole body and integrating healing at physical and spiritual levels. This process allows them to connect with the power of the universe, to externalize their own knowledge, and to internalize their answers; it also enhances their sense of empowerment and responsibility. These experiences are healing, bringing the restorative powers of nature to clinical settings."

5. To achieve self-realization: Drumming facilitates the realization or fulfillment of one's own potential. As Ute-Tiwa holy man Joseph Rael points out in his book, Being and Vibration, "Drumming opens up three basic vibrations. Drumming awakens the self. Drumming heightens the ability of perception, and drumming enables the person to see into the deeper realms of the self." Drumming connects us to our true self -- to our soul. Once connected to our soul, we can discover and actualize our true potential.

"The Shamanic Drum" Book Sale

Amazon is now offering a 16% discount on the paperback edition of my book "The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming." The paperback sale price is $11.69. Shamanic drumming is an ancient approach that uses rhythm to promote healing and self-expression. Based on my studies and personal shamanic experience, I present the first practical guide to applying this ancient healing art to our modern lives. Through a series of simple exercises and lessons, I teach the basic shamanic methods of drumming. The focus is on creating sacred space, journeying, power practice, power animals, drum therapy, drum circles and the therapeutic effects of drumming. Whether you are an accomplished percussionist or a total beginner, this user-friendly book will help you harness the power of drumming. Recent studies demonstrate that drumming is a valuable treatment for stress, chronic pain, cancer, stroke, trauma, addictions, mental illness, emotional disorders and a wide range of physical disabilities. The benefits include relaxation, healing, more energy, greater mental clarity, enhanced creativity and deeper self-awareness. Look inside "The Shamanic Drum."

Traveling Shamans Camp 2019

Traveling Shamans Camp 2019 July 26-28 is a free admission 3-day festival/camp in Hotchkiss, Colorado for shamans, shamanic artists, practitioners, students, friends, and the shaman curious. This gathering of shamans features ceremonies, sweat lodges, a medicine wheel workshop,  journeying lodge, drum circles, shamanic trance dance, dance of universal peace and more. Enjoy the magic of earth-based ceremony and dancing and drumming with all our relatives. The shamans are gathering beside the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Bring your tipi, tent, or RV and join the camp. Plenty of camping sites at the Fairgrounds, Tipi Haven, and Mountain View Meadows in Hotchkiss, Colorado. The event is sponsored by the Shamanic Arts Center in Hotchkiss and Epic Grand Valley Magazine from the Grand Valley of Colorado. For more details see the official website at https://ShamansCamp.com.

Mother Drums

Mother drums are large drums that can be played by many people at the same time. Also called community or council drums, these powerful drums symbolize the heartbeat of a community drum circle. Some drum circles like to open each gathering with a round of drumming on a mother drum. One way to do this is to ask a community drum keeper to set up the beat, and then the rest of the circle will stand up and 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 has drummed.

In drum circle culture, mother drums are usually open to any participant who wishes to join in, however it is a "sign of respect" to ask permission before you sit on a drum. Each drum is different, but there is some basic protocol when you play on a mother drum: Have respect for the drum and the drum keeper. Anything being passed at a community drum should be passed clockwise around the drum, never over, across or counterclockwise. Do not rest anything on top of the drum except for a drumstick or blanket when instructed by the drum keeper. Mother drums are usually covered with a blanket when not in use.

Mother drums foster and sustain a culture of engagement and collaboration. Playing together on a community drum bonds the individual members of the circle. Mother drums are often used to support group shamanic journeys. A group shamanic journey basically involves one person drumming a repetitive rhythm while the others relax and journey within. Transported by the resonant beat of the drum; the shamanic travelers journey to the inner planes of consciousness. If you have never had the opportunity to take such a deep shamanic journey, I invite you to try a "Mother Drum Journey." Available at iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.

"The Shamanic Drum" Audiobook Release

I am pleased to announce the release of my audiobook "The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming." Shamanic drumming is an ancient approach that uses rhythm to promote healing and self-expression. Based on my studies and personal shamanic experience, I present the first practical guide to applying this ancient healing art to our modern lives. Through a series of simple exercises and lessons, I teach the basic shamanic methods of drumming. The focus is on creating sacred space, journeying, power practice, power animals, drum therapy, drum circles and the therapeutic effects of drumming. Whether you are an accomplished percussionist or a total beginner, this user-friendly audiobook will help you harness the power of drumming. Recent studies demonstrate that drumming is a valuable treatment for stress, chronic pain, cancer, stroke, trauma, addictions, mental illness, emotional disorders and a wide range of physical disabilities. The benefits include relaxation, healing, more energy, greater mental clarity, enhanced creativity and deeper self-awareness. 

 

Conveniently listen to the book on your phone, computer, tablet or in the car. Available on Amazon and iTunes. I invite you to listen to the Introduction on YouTube.

Contents (1994 Revised Edition)
Introduction
Chapter 1 - The Role of the Drum
Chapter 2 - The Fundamentals of Shamanic Drumming
Chapter 3 - Power Practice
Chapter 4 - Drumbeat of the Rainbow Fire
Chapter 5 - Healing the Earth
Afterword
Appendix A - Drums
Appendix B - Journeys

The Cosmic Center of the Drum Circle

Indigenous cultures have been practicing community percussion for thousands of years. Although most of us did not grow up in an indigenous rhythmic musical tradition, we can still tap into the healing power of the drum circle. People have gathered in circles since the beginning of humankind for a very good reason. The circle is a container for building community and celebrating life. All are equal in the circle; no one is above or below. In a circle, each person's face can be seen; each person's voice can be heard and valued. Like the hoop of the drum, the circle represents the wheel of life. The plants, the animals, the minerals, and the elemental forces of nature all exist within the circle. All creatures walk the circumference of the wheel of life, experiencing birth, life, and death. After completing a cycle of learning on the sacred wheel, each one returns to the source, the Great Mystery at the center of the circle.

Every drum circle has a center, which represents the cosmic axis of the sacred space. In circle culture, it is customary to set up a centerpiece or altar that is appropriate for the purpose of the circle. A simple altar can be created with a cloth, a candle and other symbols that mean something to you. For example, if it is a grieving circle, a photo of the person who has passed away can be placed on the altar. If it's a circle of celebration, a symbol of the reason for the celebration can be included. It is customary for participants to bring offerings, sacred objects and fresh cut herbs to place on and around the altar. The circle participants will decorate the center with these objects as a way of making it their community space.

Although an altar is not essential, it provides us with a focus to pray, meditate and listen. It is traditional in circles to speak into the center. The idea is that everyone's voice is added to the center, and it is from the center that the wisdom of the circle will begin to emerge. Once someone has spoken into the center, their contribution becomes part of the circle. It becomes part of a collective, evolving story, a pathway to unity and understanding. When a circle meets regularly over an extended period of time, extraordinary things happen. As members learn to trust the process, the circle itself becomes the teacher. Participants both contribute to and benefit from the group's collective wisdom and experience. Individual visions coalesce into one common vision and mission. To learn more, look inside Shamanic Drumming Circles Guide.

Harnessing the Power of the Drum Circle

Indigenous cultures have been practicing community percussion for thousands of years. Although most of us did not grow up in an indigenous rhythmic musical tradition, we can still tap into the healing power of the drum circle. The shamanic drum circle is the most powerful way I know to connect with the spirit and oneness of everything. Drum circles provide the opportunity for people of like mind to unite for the attainment of a shared objective. There is power in drumming alone, but that power recombines and multiplies on many simultaneous levels in a group of drummers. The drums draw individual energies together, unifying them into a consolidated force that can be channeled toward the circle’s intended objective.

Drum circle participants should play in unison so that the drumming creates a mesmerizing effect to induce trance. Avoid free form drumming, which produces a cacophony of competing beats. The goal is to produce a sound that is unifying and consciousness-shifting, so individuals should alternate the responsibility of setting the tempo and leading the drum circle. Like the indigenous shaman who conducts community healing rites, the drum circle leader or facilitator must hold sacred space and guide the pattern, flow, and energy of the drumming toward the ritual’s intended goal. Even in trance states, a skilled facilitator maintains a portion of conscious awareness in order to stay in tune with the pulse of the circle.

Shamanic drum circles are an effective way to restore the web of life. The drums shape available energy into a powerful vortex that spirals out into the resonating circle of life. The true power of a shamanic circle comes from the capacity of its members to work together for a common goal. When they are of one heart, of one mind and of one accord, a circle of shamanic practitioners can effectively heal individuals, communities and beyond. To learn more, read my Shamanic Drumming Circles Guide.

Starting a Shamanic Drum Circle

A shamanic drum circle is a place for practitioners to get together for learning, healing, and the direct revelation of spiritual guidance. Starting a drum circle begins with getting the word out. This means doing outreach to new age bookstores and local events listings in community newspapers, college campuses and the local shamanic community. If possible, begin promoting your first drum circle at least six weeks in advance. Follow up with reminders a few days before the event. Don't be discouraged by a low attendance. When they meet on a regular basis, drum circles have a natural tendency to grow over time. If you drum, they will come. What you communicate about the drumming circle has a great impact on who will join and what they will expect. For posters and promotional materials, emphasize the benefits of being a member of a shamanic drum circle. Make sure to include key phrases like:

1. "A supportive community for shamanic practitioners;"
2. "Deepen your knowledge of shamanic practice;"
3. "Build community through rhythm;"
4. "Promote understanding of self and others;"
5. "Foster authentic connections and relationships;"
6. "Elicit wisdom, insight, ideas and points of view;"
7. "No prior musical experience necessary;"
8. "Instruments will be provided;" 
9. "Please bring a drum;"
10. "Drug and alcohol free!"

To learn more, look inside my book Shamanic Drumming Circles Guide.

The Call of the Drum

All over America, people of all ages are taking up drumming in great numbers. In communities all across the country, small drumming circles are springing up, oriented not toward performance and musical virtuosity, but toward personal transformation, consciousness expansion, and community building. Since there are no prerequisites to drumming, anyone can join in and explore rhythms with hands and drumsticks as an exhilarating way of communing.

Folklore around the world reflects the age-old use of drumming for creating communal and sacred space. Realizing that healthy living things are not only internally rhythmic, but also synchronized with their environment, the earliest communities of humans based their survival on keeping track of these rhythms. Living in harmony with the rhythms of nature was of vital importance. Perceiving life as a rhythmic existence, primal peoples used drumming rites to arouse and shape group emotion and behavior, developing a continuous, shared consciousness.

Drumming also served to influence modes of awareness that both underlie and transcend the normal patterns of consciousness. Cultures throughout the world continue to use drumming to initiate changes in group consciousness and to attune to the rhythms of life. The rites may differ significantly from culture to culture, yet virtually all utilize the drum to induce holistic states of consciousness.

Our own western culture is deeply rooted in drum images: the Little Drummer Boy of the Christmas tale, rudimental drumming of the military tradition, and the driving beat of rock and roll. Missing, however, is the spirit or trance side of the drum, a side recognized by virtually every culture on the planet. There are two voices to a drum. One is physical, having to do with the drum's construction, cultural context, and method of playing. To commune with the drum's second or spiritual voice, we must be carried away by the rhythm. We must soar on flights of rapture. It is this ecstatic element that today's drummers are rediscovering.

People are again hearing the call of the drum. As we hear and respect the compelling voice of the drum, we connect with our own inner guidance, which inspires us to heal our own place on the planet. The heartbeat of the drum is breaking through our soulless scientific misconceptions of nature to a new communion with our planet. The drum is calling us to a path of environmental sanity, to rejoining the miraculous cycle of nature. Indeed, it is the voice of our Earth Mother who is speaking through the drum, for the drum echoes the pulse of her heart. Her heart is crying out to the circle of humanity to attune our hearts again to hers. May we all heed the call of the drum.

The Power of Harmonic Reiki Drumming

Indigenous cultures have come together in community percussion circles for thousands of years. Although most of us did not grow up in an indigenous rhythmic musical tradition, we can still tap into the healing power of the circle. By creating a circle, the participants are structuring a pattern that will contain, focus, and amplify the energy and intention of the gathering. In a Reiki drumming circle, a group of Reiki practitioners gather together to create a rhythmic container that channels the outpouring of energy toward the circle's intended outcome. The objective is for everyone to play in unison, which facilitates entrainment, synchronizing each participant's heart and metabolic rhythm with the drum beat. The energy created when the group finds harmonic unison is greater than the individual components. There is power in drumming alone, but that power recombines and multiplies on many simultaneous levels in a group of drummers. The drums draw individual energies together, unifying them into a consolidated force that can be channeled toward the circle's intended goal. Read more.

A Drum Called "Rolling Thunder"

The community drum in this photo is named "Rolling Thunder." She is a Taos cottonwood log drum with a buffalo hide head. She is the most powerful, healing drum I have ever had the good fortune to connect with. True to her name, she sounds and feels like rolling thunder! Rolling Thunder has been the heartbeat of our community drum circle for over twenty years. We put our prayers into the drum before we play. We then send our prayers out into the circle of life on the voice of the drum. The resonance of the drum "shakes the earth" and the earth stops to listen.

Also called council drums, these are large drums that can be played by many people at the same time. A community drum symbolizes the heartbeat of the circle. Community drums foster and sustain a culture of engagement and collaboration. Playing together on a community drum bonds the individual members of the circle. Moreover, a communal drum can be ritually awakened and dedicated to the work, process or mission the circle. Read more about community drums.

Playing Community Drums

Community drums are large drums that can be played by many people at the same time. A community drum symbolizes the heartbeat of a drum circle. Community drums are usually open to any participant who wishes to join in, however it is a "sign of respect" to ask permission before you sit on a drum. Each drum is different, but there is some basic protocol when you play on a community drum: Have respect for the drum and the drum keeper. Anything being passed at a community drum should be passed clockwise around the drum, never over, across or counterclockwise. Do not rest anything on top of the drum except for a drumstick or blanket when instructed by the drum keeper. Community drums are usually covered with a blanket when not in use.

Some drum circles like to open each gathering with a round of drumming on a community drum. One way to do this is to ask a community drum keeper to set up the beat, and then the rest of the circle will stand up and 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 has drummed.

The community drum in the photo of this post is named "Rolling Thunder." She is a Taos cottonwood log drum with a bison hide head. She is the most powerful, healing drum I have ever had the good fortune to connect with. True to her name, she sounds and feels like rolling thunder! To learn more, look inside my Shamanic Drumming Circles Guide.