Happy New Year al my relations;

In the Dagara Cosmology of West Africa; they have an elemental system used to bring about purpose, balance and harmony to an individual and the community.

Each element is associated with the last digit of the year, the number 1 is Water. Thus 2021 is a Water year.

Water is the second element, and Water is essentially about reconciling. It's about peacemaking and making bridges--between two cultures for instance, or between two people. It's also about bringing your wisdom out. It is also about focusing somebody so that they can see beyond their turmoil. So anytime you experience the hot Fire, you need Water in order to bring the balance back to yourself.

Therefore you understand what Water people are supposed to do. The task of the Water people is indeed to do the impossible task of reconciling--reconciling people or reconciling things, bringing peace all over the place--and this is why a lot of them are into the teaching job. That is one of the most accessible ways of being a Water, or living your Water energy. You can understand it within the context of modernity, in terms of the fact that when you are not connected--Fire is connection with the Other world--then the Fire you have in you becomes a combustion chamber.

It becomes active in a way that is consuming. The consuming fire inside of you turns you into a consumer, too. Do you see the link? So what happens is that in this context you are in need of a great deal of reconciliation. Maybe this is a time when you need to call the fire department to "hose you down" or something.

We need to bring healing and peace to our communities and the world we're currently in.

Spread love spread joy and peace among all fellow relations.

Drums, Spirit and movement

We had the honor of working with Jai Bhakti Yoga Foundation in New Orleans, LA in a collaboration of Spirit driven rhythms and drumming with powerful and intense Yoga. What a great combination the two were. Thank you Christina Andrini for having us down!

New Followers

 A huge TEXAS size THANK YOU!!!!! 

To our new followers. We truly appreciate your support! 

Sacred Drumming

Sacred Drumming is a worldwide ancient/modern cross cultural phenomenon. Every culture creates a drum! 

I have been a Sacred Ceremonial Drummer for 20 years, Reiki Master for 12 years, Afro Caribbean Elder and Drummer for 10 years.

My drumming began at the age of 8.  I've been on the Spiritual journey of infusing drumming and Spirit for nearly 20 years. My path in this type of rhythmic modality began in Haiti and Africa. 

My studies allowed me to deeper open the portal connection for clients of all walks of life through the means of light rhythmic playing that builds (depending on the group) to a trance induced, ecstatic state of playing for everyone attending. I learned many years ago how to incorporate the drum with Reiki, as well as learned the rhythms of the Afro Caribbean Diaspora and Dagara Cosmological Elemental System along with how to use the drum to call in Spirit from various indigenous traditions and create ASC.

My learning has been at the hands of Michael Drake, Malidoma Some, Toby Christensen, Bob Laake, Frisner Augustine, Petersen LaSeau, Kesler Pierre, Jade W'ahoo Grigori and Baba Ayo Adeyemi.

I've had the honor of adding rhythm to many Spiritual/Healing ceremonies here in the US and Greece; having played at numerous Ayahuasca ceremonies, Vodoun Fete's, Lukumi Bimbe's, corporate team building, Gabrielle Roth's 5Rhythms events and wellness coaching events. I found over the many years of doing this modality that it brings out the dormant power that resides in each person and each soul. It provides a means of empowerment, grounding, strength and fortification, regardless of the population. It moves the energy internally and externally to create a state of kinetic movement, allowing all three body states to align and heal.

Shamanic Drumming Movement Meditation

Want to experience a totally new type of meditating? Check out today's Movement Meditation with Shamanic Drumming by Ryan Taylor. You will not be disappointed... only awakened and energized with a greater sense of mind, body, spirit connection. Enjoy and please comment and let us know what your experience was like with the movement and the incredible hypnotic drumming.

What's in a name?

 In the Afro Caribbean Lineage my name is Janbe M' Ale Bon Houngan. Birth name is Ryan Taylor. I received my first initiation into the ATR's in 2010 as Hounsi Lave Tet under Il Fok Sa Yabofe Bon Mambo in NYC. I began practicing these cultures in 2004. What pulled me into this beautiful spiritual practice? Those drums! I started playing at the age of 10 and discovered all styles. Haiti reached out to me in 2005 and the journey has been ongoing ever since, and a glorious one at that. I went into the D'Jevo again to Kanzo as Houngan Sou Pwen in 2011, again under Il Fok Say Yabofe Bon Mambo in Port Au Prince. Prior to that I received my Third Degree Reiki level in 2008, was involved in a ceremonial Rite of Passage in the Dagara in 2005. My world as a Sacred Healing/Ceremonial Drummer began after visiting both Africa and Haiti. I use these modalities to this day with all in the community. In my eyes there is no judgement, discrimination, only equality. Medicine is needed by all of us. Thank you for your continued support! Aibobo!

 Fòk ou bat tanbou a pou tande son 

Translation : You have to beat the drums to hear its sound

Meaning : We have to talk to others to find out who they are

The Rhythm Cho

Hi everyone! This tutorial is a part of a series I called, The Hand Drummers Beginners Series. I am posting this video in particular because I wanted to show case to you the Afro Caribbean rhythm called "Cho" which is Kreyol for "hot". Every distinct rhythm used in spiritual traditions, regardless of the tradition or practice, has a divine connection to the Ancestors and the spirit guides as well as God/The Divine/Gran Met....whatever you prefer to call the Da, the all.

 This one pattern is merely one part of a much larger family or rite of rhythms, yet with setting a strong intention, connecting to your Ancestors, this pattern can assist in bringing your needs and healing to you much faster. By all means use this rhythm when serving your Ancestors, your Guides and most of all, God, the Gran Met.

Please feel free to reach out if you have questions or would like to learn more.

Blessings

Rainbow and the Serpent

 In the Afro Caribbean Diaspora, the rainbow and the serpent are Ayida and Danballa Wedo. Both Lwa (Spirits) were said to have been "there" at the beginning of creation. The Ancestors ride the back of Danballa, the white snake, thru the cosmos. The ideology that Danballa is a snake comes from the cosmological theories of the infinite vibrating and sign wave rhythmic pulse that is ever constant between the center of Mother Earth to the center of Father Sun. 

Danballa and Ayida has 2 sources of origin. Dan-Aida Hwedo from the Djinou tribe of MahiLand became the repository of unnamed royal Ancestors. Danbge, the serpent of Wydah who came to prominence with the conquest of Savi, where he served a similar role for the common people.

As we look upon the following article, keep in mind the serpent/rainbow connection is worldwide and revered in every indigenous tradition and culture as the "life rod" between the stars and Earth. The following article discusses the severity of honoring that connection in order to grow and expand our consciousness.

Aibobo pou Danballa et Ayida Wedo et tout esko Lwa-yo!

Janbe M'Ale Bon Houngan (Ryan Taylor)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following is from Adam Shields

FORWARDING THIS MESSAGE FROM ULURU 🙏❤️🔥🌈🌟~

“Dear Brothers and Sisters

Please read this entire message carefully.

I have been instructed to provide clarity, for a specific shared intention for the Ceremony on the 21st December 2020. This is the intention given directly by Original People, Lore keepers. I am passing on their words.

I share this with pure love and energy, in an effort to provide clarity for those of you wishing to help and positively contribute to the Ceremony, and if you are wondering how you can do that.

Ten years ago, I was directly told, physically and in person, about this Ceremony, it’s purpose, the specific intention and the exact date from an Aunty who is directly involved in the Ceremony

Here is the guidance from Original People, directly involved in this Ceremony. We need to deeply listen and respect those who know exactly what is going on and what this Ceremony is for. They have prepared for this Ceremony for their whole lives. For many, many Generations.

These are their words;

We need to be truly focused on a singular, focused, specific thought, feeling and intention.

The purpose of this Ceremony is for the Rainbow Serpent to become the Rainbow Bridge, to rise up to connect with the light of the sun and go straight into the heart of Mother Earth. Cleansing, energizing and reinvigorating Mother Earth and ushering in a new era of consciousness for Mother, and her children.

To be clear ~ the focus is on Mother Earth, not on ourselves.

We need to focus on reinvigorating Mother Earth, and raising her consciousness. If this Ceremony is supported by enough pure love, energy, and support of the shared specific intention, it will be successful.

The byproduct of a successful Ceremony will be the new era of consciousness for Mother Earth and her Children. Us. We need to ensure our focus and love is on her, Mother Earth, and on this specific intention.

With a cleansed body, heart, mind, and soul the intention is:

~ A pure love for Mother in our heart as we ask to energize the heart of Mother Earth with our love and energy ~

With this pure intention, you can contribute to the energy of the Ceremony from wherever you are in such a positive way. You need not be at Uluru. You can do this from afar. And it will make a huge difference!! It is the energy the Ceremony needs to be able to work.

Rhythms of empowerment

 Using the rhythms of the indigenous Afro Caribbean folklore and tradition remove negativity, open roads, bring about blessings, fortune and positive abundance along with a sense of unbreakable strength and empowerment. Use these as often as you like. These are skeletal versions of the complex rhythms used in Haiti. I've converted them to be translated on hand drums, in particular Djembe's since the majority of community hand drummers use this most loved drum.

Remember to set an intention prior to starting this practice. Always consult with your Ancestors and thank them for translating these rhythms from the Cosmos so we can use them to commune with them.

Blessings and Aibobo!

 The Role of Drums in Spirit Possession;

The concepts and ritualistic behaviors surrounding Vodou drums are related to their capacity as agents of spirit possession, although this process can occur without drums. 

The most thorough and integral explanations of the relationship between drums and possession are given by Vodou servants themselves. The Lwa (Spirits) love music, and each has their favorite beat. From their locations in the Cosmos, spirits respond to a complex of invitational signals sent out by the servants, but the drum might be the most compelling of these. Driven to dance, spirits use their powers to displace, and replace, the souls of dancing Hounsi's (Vodoun serviteurs not yet initiated). 

When a Lwa is present in ceremony, the drummers must keep going, or risk the irritation (ire) of the Lwa who came to dance. Collective energy is a necessary condition for summoning the Lwa, and the drummers use a driving beat to generate it. More specifically, they use a pattern called "kase" (to break) literally to pound a spirit into a servant who shows signs of the onset of possession.

The drummer can permit the tension to build to just the level where the "break" or "kase" serves not to release the tension but rather to climax it in a galvanizing shock, the first enormous blow of kase, which abruptly empties the head and leaves one without any center around which to stabilize. This is the state of helpless vulnerability. Instead of being able to move in the long, balanced strides of relaxation, the defenseless person is buffeted by  each great stroke on the drum, as the drummer sets out to "beat the Lwa into the head of the one getting possessed".

~as taught by Master Drummer Frisner Augustin, God rest your Soul in Ginea

In the images below, you'll see that I had the honor of playing an Ecstatic Dance, the dancer in the photo is experiencing exactly what Master Frisner would refer to as complete surrender of energy and spirit, allowing for what is known as "communal or trance possession". The energy of the drum and of the dance is extremely powerful and will take you to other levels of consciousness, what the Shamans call ASC (Altered States of Consciousness)

Yanvalou

In the ATR indigenous drumming there is a rhythm called Yanvalou, which translates to "come to me" or "I invite you to open to me". This patter I'm demonstrating is a broken down segment of that rhythm. The rhythm itself is an invocation to the Lwa (Spirits) to interact with you and assist with your requests daily or lifelong. A real easy way to remember this pattern is to sing to your self; "I am gonna open up!" Have a look at this video and give it a shot. Open to your Spirits, and your Ancestors. Have faith in their guidance, they will not steer you wrong! 

Aibobo!

 

 Finding Your Spirit Animal and Healing with The Drums - The Doctor and The Shaman - YouTube

An amazing interview with the Doctor and the Shaman on Sacred Healing Drumming!

Drumming principles are used in EVERY indigenous culture around the world. I am extremely passionate about sharing the power of the Drum and Spirit with everyone.

Wake into your truth, confide in your Ancestral guides and get closer to you Spirits!!

Aibobo!

 To understand one's Spirits is to understand the pure self. Before birth we are assigned with a Met Tet (Master of the Head/Guardian Angel). In most cases, people are not aware of their Spiritual Guide, much less who it is and how to acknowledge this deity. In many indigenous traditions, a divination is done to "introduce" the Met Tet to an individual. After receiving this information, we are then told what to offer our Spirit guide in the way of offerings, libations, songs, prayers, etc...

The Guide or Met Tet is merely an extension of the self in divine form. To learn this Guide is to learn ourselves. We must dig deep, past the shadow work in order to fully understand our Met Tet and ourself. It takes a lifetime. This deity walks with us constantly, never abandoning us. We are never left without, when it comes to this powerful self Spirit Guide.

This Met Tet completes the construction of the Soul. In  the Afro Caribbean Diaspora, there are seven parts of the Soul, similar to the seven Chakras respectfully. When all are comprised to create the Human experience it is called the Da, the One, the All. The Ancestral Spirit Danbala, partially derives from this great source of oneness....the Da. All is intertwined and connected. When the body expires, the seven Soul parts separate in traverse to the realms whereby they can download more information and recharge in order to house in another Human body. Thus creating an expanded consciousness. As in life so is the same in the Spirit realm, the more knowledge we download, the more experience we obtain. The Met Tet also has an Esko (escort) of numerous Spirits which to a degree are an extension of this Met Tet, an extension of the self.

It is imperative that we honor our Met Tet and our "self". Never stop learning the "self", it is our role to live and learn on this journey in order for us to either return, grow even more and share our teachings or to arrive home at some point. Honor the Da in you, the One and the connection to ALL that we have been given.

Aibobo mezanmi

Afro Caribbean folkloric drumming

As a drummer, I also teach the rhythms of the Afro Caribbean Diaspora and folklore. I am available for online or in person lessons. This is another means of service to the community as well as building a stronger connection.

Knowing these beats and songs is a form of worship and honor to self and the world around you. Give it a try, reach out anytime and we can get you started on your rhythmic journey!

Quick Yanvalou demo - YouTube 

 

Kongo Rhythm

 Teaching the rhythm Kongo on the Manman drum as used in the Afro Caribbean Kongo/Petro rites. There are typically three drums in each rite. For Ibo/Kongo/Petro we have the Manman, Mittel and the Kata or Ti Kata. Each drum embodies a different rhythm, bringing all three together.

Ancestors offering

 

Service for the Ancestral Spirits