The Tao of Drumming

Tao is the most inclusive concept in Chinese culture, the center of all philosophical and spiritual belief. It may be defined as a path, a way, a doctrine, or the natural process of the universe itself. Every art and science is called a Tao or a way.

From a rhythmic perspective, the I Ching offers and represents a "Tao of Drumming." The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text and divination system. It is the wellspring of Chinese thought, stressing the connection between humanity's destiny and the natural world. Philosophically, it describes the universe as a single, flowing, rhythmic being, and all things in it in constant cyclical change. Everything is t'ai chi -- one universal energy, which expresses itself as two polarized yet complementary aspects, yin and yang. Yin and yang ebb and flow, creating the cycles and rhythms of life.

By observing nature, the sages perceived all of the rhythms and energy patterns that arise from the interaction of yin and yang. They then coded these rhythmic patterns into a "book of life." The I Ching's sixty-four hexagrams represent a code or program of the operating principle of life itself. Each six-line configuration is the visual representation of a rhythm archetype. The image pattern of each hexagram generates a particular drum pattern based on the sequence of the yin and yang lines. Each rhythmic pattern pulsates a particular resonance, which stimulates, works with, and informs the body, mind, and spirit in the most optimal manner for effecting change or harmonizing with change.

The drummer may then utilize the I Ching as a gauge, a precise means for placing oneself in relation to the pattern or way of cyclical change, and that way is known as Tao. It is a guide to harmony and balance and the drum is the instrument of attunement. It is a pathway to the "infinite Tao," the unknowable force that guides the universe and everything in it. Through the beat of the drum, anyone can resonate in harmony with the eternal rhythm of Tao. To learn more, look inside my book I Ching: The Tao of Drumming.

Snake Medicine

Hopi Snake Dance

Snake medicine represents cosmic consciousness, lightning, creation, fertility, sexuality, reproduction, transmutation, and the all-consuming cycles of death-and-rebirth, exemplified by the shedding of Snake's skin. As Snake sheds its skin so we can shed beliefs and habits which we have outgrown, moving into higher levels of consciousness and wholeness. On the deepest level Snake represents infinity or wholeness, which is depicted by the Ouroboros -- an ancient symbol depicting a snake swallowing its own tail. The Ouroboros eats its own tail to sustain its life, in an eternal cycle of renewal.

For time immemorial people have regarded Snake as the guardian of sacred places, the keeper of concealed knowledge, and the path of communication between the worlds. The ancient Maya invoked serpent deities who dwelled beneath their stepped pyramids. In the rapture of bloodletting rituals, the shaman priests opened a path of communication between the human world and the Otherworld. The Vision Serpent was seen rising in the clouds of copal incense and smoke above the vision chamber of the pyramid. In the vision chamber atop each pyramid, the entranced shaman king and priests communed with the ancestors and with the gods of the Otherworld.

Snake symbolizes rain, growth, and fertility. Among the Hopi tribes, the Snake Dance is the grand finale of ceremonies to pray for rain, held in Arizona every two years. Hopis believe their ancestors originated in an underworld, and that their gods and the spirits of ancestors live there. They call snakes their brothers, and trust that the snakes will carry their prayers to the Rainmakers beneath the earth. Thus the Hopi dancers carry snakes in their mouths to impart prayers to them.

Snake is often associated with spiritual awakening and the path to enlightenment. The Feathered Serpent was a prominent deity of spiritual enlightenment found in many Mesoamerican religions. In the Eastern traditions, a storehouse of fiery energy known as Kundalini, or the Serpent Fire, lies coiled at the base of the spine. When awakened, the Serpent Fire rises up the spine, activating spiritual energy centers and opening new levels of awareness. Snake medicine is the energy of cosmic consciousness, wholeness, and creativity. Invoke Snake to awaken your untapped power, creativity, and vision.

They Were Here: An Epic Shamanic Album

New Music from the two Shamanic Practitioners Debuts High on Radio Charts, is called "Phenomenal, Primal" in early reviews, and slated for soundtrack placement.

"They Were Here," by shamanic practitioners Byron Metcalf and Jennifer Grais, is an epic full length shamanic album, invoking the untamed power of America's wild horses. Driven by a deep sense of respect for 'Horse' as healer and spirit guide, tempered by sociological and political concerns about the ongoing extinction of mustangs from the American West, the seven-track, hour-long recording evokes the magic and majesty of our wild horses. "Run," the transcendent 14-minute journey at the heart of the album, begins with the real-life sounds of galloping horses that Byron ultimately fuses with his explosive drumming and Jennifer's joyful, heart-rending vocalizations.

Horse as 'Spirit Animal' represents and mirrors the innate life-force, personal power, wildness, and the instinctual impulse for freedom within all of us. Jennifer's invocation-like vocals, combined with Byron's deeply meditative drumming, take the listener on a unique shamanic adventure -- a freedom ride of soaring potential and along the way they are held gently and safely in the arms of Mother Earth. "They Were Here" weaves a deeply-grounded yet blissfully ethereal world infused with beautiful and haunting vocals, polyrhythmic drumming, droning didgeridoo, orchestral soundscapes, and field recordings of galloping horses. This evocative shamanic performance is an astounding listening experience of spiritual depth and sonic ecstasy. It debuted this week at #10 on the NACC Radio Charts and is available on Amazon and iTunes. Listen to the entire album on Bandcamp.