People of Nature

 Years ending in 3 and 8.

A Nature Year signifies Transformation.

According to the Dagara tribe, the medicine of Nature asks us to be real, to be ourselves–to drop the mask the world expects us to wear and to see what is around us as it truly is. The element of Nature asks us to go in and in  to ourselves and find what is authentic.

Nature invites us to change consciously and to welcome change. Just as mineral stores information for our benefit, nature’s complex paradigm is a library those who pay attention. The magic we crave and out attraction to the supernatural are nature in their essence. This is because the tree, the plant, the landscape and the serpentine river zigzagging down hill on its way to the ocean are all golden hieroglyphs capable of bringing a deep understanding to those willing to pay attention. Indeed, to the indigenous it seems that the tree is the essence of consciousness.

Landscapes and physical geography to indigenous people are a language, a writing that can be read. Elevated areas function function very much like antennae, relaying or downloading information from far away places, from the outer world to the inner world.

Nature People

The nature people embody the principles of radical change, transformation, authenticity and magic. They're born in the years ending in 3 and 8. Nature people are eager to evolve and expand their consciousness. They have a deep understanding of the cycles of life, death and rebirth and are often sensitive to the changing rhythms of nature.

A nature person demands authenticity and is very in touch with their True Self. They can't stand fake-ness or pretending and will often challenge us to drop our masks and be as real as possible. Therefore, a nature person brings the best out of others.

Nature people tend to be their family's mystics, healers, diviners and light workers. They are often deeply spiritual. They are very interested in the supernatural and they crave a life full of magic, excitement and alchemy. 

A nature person is often very playful and joyful.  They want to have fun! Many nature people possess a lot of "coyote energy" because they know how to use humor, jokes, tricks and laughter to break down other peoples barriers. This is a nature person's soft-hearted approach into tricking others to drop their guard and show up as truly authentic.

People of Mineral

 Mineral is the storage place of memory, the principle of creativity, resources, stories, and symbolism.  In the cosmological wheel, mineral is located in the west and is colored white. The elemental energy allows us to receive messages from the Other World, and to remember our origins and purpose in this life. In Dagara physiology, our bones, not the brain, are the storage place of memory.  In the village, it is not uncommon to hear an elder say, “This is in our bones as it was in the bones of our ancestors.”  In the West, there is a similar saying, “I knew it in my bones,” which refers to a deeper, more elemental knowing than is possible through rational thought. To the indigenous person, mineral is also equivalent to stone.  As they say, the bones of the earth are the stones and rocks we see.  To know the true story of our earth, including the story of ourselves, is to listen to the rocks.

Mineral is about communicating, the ability to translate things, the ability to converse. It has a lot to do with social connections. A lot of Mineral people are relatively talkative. In the indigenous world they are the Storytellers, the Great Communicators. Mineral is also something that we must see in terms of the conveying of energy, to convey energy that comes through you on its way somewhere else. This is why any person who is a Mineral person is supposed to be running energy, whether it is through your hands or your body or whatever. Mineral people are also recognized as Stone people–not that they’re stone but because the stone is seen as the one that stores information. They say if you want to know the story of the earth, listen to the stones or listen to the rocks.

Mineral People

Born in the years ending in 4 and 9, mineral people have great social skills. They're excellent communicators and listeners and thrive when it comes to relationships and connecting with others. Mineral people love to teach, speak and tell stories because they carry the ancient energy of remembering. Therefore, they have powerful memories. So, you'll find that mineral people are usually fascinated with myths, legends, rituals, traditions, metaphors, symbols, songs and poems

A mineral person should also know that the answers they seek are always within themselves and not "out there". They understand that they already possess the wisdom they're seeking.  They usually contain a knowing that is deeper than rational thought and exists within the minerals of their bones. Just like a crystal, our bones contain ancient wisdom, history and information that has been passed down to us throughout many lifetimes. A person in touch with mineral knows how to access this knowledge within them.

Non-mineral people often get frustrated with mineral people because they enjoy the art of debating and arguing. They like to use eloquent language and take their time to "get to the point". They crave deep and meaningful conversations.

People of Earth

 earth people

grounded and rooted, the earth person was born in the years ending in 0 or 5. they are, as malidoma would say, the "great mothers" who helps everyone around them feel at home, nourished, supported and comforted. earth people love taking care of others and have a knack for accepting others as they are, without judgement

a person who embodies earth energy is firm, solid, stable, patient, strong and wise. they care deeply about creating a safe and loving home and family. they have a strong sense of belonging and identity. essentially, they know who they are and where they're going, which is comforting to those who have lost their way

earth people are able to bring out the best in others. this helps to empower others by building them up and making them feel a sense of belonging. if you are an earth person, then you know all about unconditional love and you are generous with your care and attenti

the downside of being an earth person is that they can give so much of themselves to others that they often forget to fill their own cup up. earth people need to consciously care and nourish themselves first and foremost so that they have more to give to those they love. as the saying goes, "you can't pour from an empty cup."

People of the element Water

 

Water People

If you were born in a year ending in 1 or 6, then you are a water person, a peacemaker and a harmony seeker. Water represents compassion, empathy, deep feelings and emotions, forgiveness, healing and reconciliation. A water person's strengths are often centered around community, relationships, friendships, love and harmony. 

The voice of a water person is smooth and peaceful. They're often good at resolving conflicts and helping others to find harmonious solutions. They know how to reconcile differences with others and within themselves. Someone with a lot of water energy will appear cool, calm and collected even while weathering the storm. They are flexible and adaptable.

Water people are also very reflective and focused. They like to move at a slow and flowing pace so they have time to observe and understand the bigger picture and what's best for the greater good. A water person takes the term, "Going with the flow," to a whole new level.  But, because of this, they can sometimes appear to others as moving too slowly or lacking motivation and ambition.

People of the element Fire

 Fire kindles and sustains an animating and pervasive energy in all that lives. Fire is in the water that runs, it is in the trees, the rocks, the earth, and in ourselves. It is the mediator between worlds since it is very close to the purest form of energy. Any connection with ancestors, spirits and the Other World is mediated by Fire. Because Fire burns, those who relate to Fire are often tense and must be clear about their intention in working with Fire. The tension referred to here is like a charge of energy about to burst. Those who carry such fire energy are being prepared for energetic action that reflects, and is the result of, a touch from the Other World. Fire is the rising force that makes us do, see, feel, love, and hate. Fire has great power, both outside of us and within us. On the outside, visible fire drives us to perform our respective duties, to fulfill our life purpose. But a fire burns also within us. The fire within connects us to our real family—the people we are always drawn to when we see them—and causes them to recognize us. This fire originates in the Other World and connects us always to the ancestors. Through the fire within we can converse with those we left behind in the Other World by being born here. The inner fire is a rope that connects us to the world we abandoned when we were born into a human body. To the indigenous, that world is our real home. This does not mean that this world is not real. It is a place we pass through.

Fire People

Born in the years ending in 2 and 7, fire people tend to have strong visions and passions. Fire properties include powerful emotions, action, energy, heat, authority, power, courage, confidence, willpower, enthusiasm, success and vitality.

In Dagara, fire is associated with the Ancestors and the Spirit World. Fire is seen as the doorway to the Ancestral realms and the connecting rod between the seen and unseen. Fire people are often highly instinctive and are vivid dreamers. Our dreams are believed to be direct messages sent to us by the Other World and should always be taken seriously. 

Fire people are considered the conduits through which the Ancestors pass on information through intuition, dreams and perceptions. Because a fire person is usually deeply connected to both worlds they sometimes struggle to feel like they belong or fit in.

Fire people like to be active and are usually always moving and doing. They often like to take control and challenge everyone and everything that stands in their way. But, because of this, they can sometimes be seen as impatient, restless, impulsive, hyperactive or intolerant.

Magical Drumming

 There is something magical about watching people from different backgrounds come together and create beautiful music. Uniting cultures through drumming is just one of a myriad of ways drums help us become better people, more authentic and honest with one another than we might be otherwise. When it comes down to it, we are all pretty much the same and drumming, no matter the historical reference, helps us tap into that truth.

Attempts at uniting cultures through drumming have many benefits. The most important may be that these activities help remind people that we are more than our belief systems or where our ancestors come from. Drumming together reminds us that it is possible to rise above our differences and connect one human being to another. It also reflects our ability to find harmony amidst seeming chaos. When the drumming first begins, it may not sound like everyone will be able to connect but eventually the music created becomes hypnotic and provocative.

 Drums can mimic speech, issue battle orders, maintain rhythm in a jazz performance, or invite friends to gather. They can be made of natural or synthetic materials and take a form as simple as a hollowed-out log or as flashy as a glittery red snare in a 16-piece kit.

The drum is one of the oldest communication tools. It was used for two-way communication long before the advent of the telephone and sends an immediate message to anybody who can hear it.

For Indigenous people in present-day British Columbia, drums are more than communication tools and musical instruments; they are tools for a lifelong connection to and relationship with all living things and the Creator.

Many drum teachings by First Nations in BC use the circle to represent balance and equality, wholeness and connection. The circle is unbroken and made of equal, connected, and infinite points. The Creator is the center, around which all living things—including humans, sit. Each animal, plant, and human is the same distance from this center and has a unique and direct connection to it. The drum voices our connection to all creation when we drum and strengthens our connection to each other when we drum together.

Circular drums are made by stretching an animal hide over a wooden frame that can be small enough to fit in a child’s hand or large enough to seat a six-member host drum at powwow. There are also different traditions. For example, the Tsimshian and Kwakwaka’wakw also make and play box drums, which are rectangular.

The playing of the drum helps us listen to our soul so we can understand our purpose and our connection to each other in the Circle of Life. The drum is female and human. The big drum was a gift from the women to the men a very long time ago, so that men could experience a resonant connection to the Earth Mother that naturally occurs with women. This is why it has been a tribal custom (in most tribes) that women not sit at the drum or play it.

Is the Drum calling you?

 One of the few fundamental things we know about our universe is that everything in it is vibrating, is in motion and has rhythm, which is the true Mother Tongue that unites us all and which started with the Big Bang. We are cradled in a world of rhythm. When giant meteorites crash into the planet with sufficient force, the earth vibrates like a drum and shamans the world over know that the drum is “Great Spirit’s favourite instrument, which is why we are all given a heartbeat…”

The drum is the most ancient instrument in the world, dating back tens of thousands of years. It has been used within healing work, ritual & ceremony, rites of passage, divination, celebration and for moving between the worlds. More than any other instrument, it gives us a powerful link with our tribal past. But how does one authentically step into a relationship with that which animates it; the Spirit of the Drum?

Ritual and drumming

Ritual drumming is a tool used by shamanic practitioners to engage the powers of the unseen world to effect specific changes in the physical world. A shamanic ritual often begins with heating the drumhead over a fire to bring it up to the desired pitch. The sound of the drum is very important. Practitioners may strike certain parts of the drum to summon particular helping spirits. It is the subtle variations in timbre and ever-changing overtones of the drum that allow the practitioner to communicate with the spiritual realm. The practitioner uses the drum to create a bridge to the spirit world, while simultaneously opening the awareness of all the participants to that bridge. A master drummer can draw powerful rhythms from the drum that can transport others into specific dimensions of the spirit world.

All elements of drum music such as timbre, rhythm, volume and tempo play an important role in shamanic ritual. By using different parts of the drumstick to play on different parts of the drum, different timbres can be produced for transmitting different meanings. Different rhythms transmit different meanings and enable the practitioner to contact different beings in different realms of the cosmos. Volume and tempo arouse feelings in the listener and communicate symbolic meanings directly as aural sense experience.

A practitioner may have a repertory of established rhythms or improvise a new rhythm, uniquely indicated for the situation. The drumming is not restricted to a regular tempo, but may pause, speed up or slow down with irregular accents. The practitioner may stop playing altogether, or suddenly hoist the drum skyward and bang it violently, throwing the disease into the heavens; returning it to the spirit world.

Creating effective rituals

Ritual drumming is a universal way to address the spirit world and provide some kind of fundamental change in an individual's consciousness or in the ambience of a gathering. It is designed to engage the spirit world in helping us to do what we are unable to do for ourselves. With a strong connection to the powers of the spirit world, ritual becomes an effective tool for restoring or changing the status quo. By creating effective ritual, we can skillfully engage spirit in the processes we are involved in like healing, therapy or actualizing our goals. Potent rituals have similar foundational elements. Key elements of this foundation include:

1. Intention is the first element of effective ritual. You should have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Without a clear intention or desired outcome, the energy created in the ritual is poorly structured with little or no direction. Articulating your desired outcome is how you channel the energy of the performance toward the intended objective. One good way to think about it is by asking yourself what you want to happen as a result of the ritual. What effect do you want it to have on individuals, community and the world?

2. The creation of sacred space. Sacred space is that territory that we enter for spiritual and inner work. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, having a special place in your home reserved for quiet introspection, reflection and spiritual connection can nourish your soul. A sacred space can be any location in your home where you can be by yourself and be fully self-expressed. Be creative with this, but find a special place for you to go at least once a day.

Consider setting up an altar that is appropriate for the purpose of your ritual or ceremony. Although an altar is not essential, it provides us with a focus to pray, meditate and listen. An altar is any structure upon which we place offerings and sacred objects that have spiritual or cosmological significance. It represents the center and axis of your sacred space. A simple altar can be created with a cloth, a candle and other symbols that mean something to you.

It is important to cleanse your sacred space before starting any spiritual work. Cleanse the space by smudging and/or spraying holy water around the perimeter. Preparing a purified sacred space shifts our awareness from ordinary waking consciousness to a more centered, meditative state. Ritual preparation awakens our connection to the web of life and structures a boundary that separates the sacred from the ordinary and profane.

3. The opening of sacred space. After preparing a purified sacred space, you may wish to ritually open the space. The opening of sacred space is essentially an invocation; calling in the spiritual energies of the seven directions: East, South, West, North, Up, Down and Within. Calling in the directions not only aligns you with their power, but is a spiritual activity in and of itself. The orientation embeds you in the living web of life, yielding greater awareness and perspective. It imparts a comprehensive recollection of the basic experience of being fully human. The ritual grounds you completely in the present moment to begin your day or to begin a specific spiritual practice.

Though there are no rules or restrictions, on most occasions a sacred circle is cast in a sun-wise direction. I would suggest you start in the East where the sun rises. Strike your drum four times to open a portal in the East to the spirit world. Using words, chanting or song, invite the benevolent spirit powers associated with that direction to participate and assist in the ritual or ceremony. Welcome the spirits with an open heart and mind. Some people will whistle or make animal sounds to call in spirit helpers. Trust your instincts and intuition in this process.

Pause after calling the spirit helpers of the East and listen for any guidance or wisdom that direction has to share. The spirits will always respond when you call them. Sound does not just travel out into oblivion. There is a call and then a response. Pay attention to any guidance that comes to you. Communication may enter your awareness as a flash of color in your mind's eye, a visual symbol, a tingling of the spine or an inaudible sound heard deep within your soul. It may be visual, auditory, intuitive or some combination of these. Sometimes it is just a knowing that your helping spirits and guides are now around you. You may feel energy flowing into your hands, feet or arms, or showering down through your crown. When I channel spirit energy, I often feel chills and goose-bumps.

Next, pivot around clockwise and repeat the same procedure to invoke the spirits of the South, the West and the North. After that, invoke Father Sky above and Mother Earth below. When invoking Father Sky, reach to the heavens; when invoking Mother Earth, reach down and touch the ground where you stand.

Finally, face the center of the circle and bring your hands to your heart to invite the spirit of Within. Call upon the spirit of divine unity that flows from within the center of your being where the six directions meet. Welcome the gifts of balance, oneness and connection with all things, for all things are one and all things are related.

4. The induction of altered states. Altered states of consciousness are induced through intense rhythmic drumming. An altered state of consciousness is any state of mind that is significantly different from normal waking consciousness. Altered states produce deeper self-awareness; allow us to connect with the power of the universe, to externalize our own knowledge and to internalize our answers.

5. The closure of sacred space. When you have finished your ritual, sacred space should be closed. Follow the same procedure as for the opening, but in reverse order. Begin by thanking the spiritual energies of Within, Mother Earth and Father Sky, and then the North, West, South and East in a counterclockwise movement. Play your drum to say farewell to the spirits. As you drum, give thanks to all your relations for the needs met. The phrase "all my relations" is used at the end of a prayer in many shamanic traditions, for all living things share in the relationships of life on Earth. Express your gratitude to the helping spirits for assisting you and send them off, releasing their energies to the seven directions. Remember that drumming opens portals to the spirit world, draws spirit in, and opens you up to receive it.

Passing down the knowledge

 My dear friend and student Harta Dunia in Sedona Arizona practicing with her Son the Elemental Rhythms we worked on some time ago. Nothing is more gratifying than to see us pass this sacred knowledge down to our youth. Thank you dear friend!

The Ancient ways teach us that our strength is found in the indigenous medicinal ways. Engaging in a self or group healing practice thru devotion and discipline increases our immune system and the body, mind and emotional states. 

Drumming had the same end result as yoga, prayer or any other Bhakti one consistently utilizes and makes part of their practice, their life. It's imperative that we share this knowledge with our youth and teach the up and coming generation, to continue that trend. Drumming should be practiced by all families worldwide, creating that network connection between individuals around the globe!

#spiritdrumming 

#drumlessons

Sacred Hand Drumming in the Desert

September 19th!

 Fire up the rhythm maker in you! Learn easy approaches to advanced drumming techniques.

Learn the basic building blocks to rhythm making and time keeping in a western and Afro Caribbean meter.

We cover proper drum care and storage. Learn about world rhythms.

We'll cover the rhythms of the Dagara in West Africa, Afro Haitian rhythms and middle eastern trance rhythms.

You'll learn sacred songs of Cuba, Haiti and the Lakota.

Our evening takes us into ceremony and trance dance. You'll apply the rhythms taught that day as we create sacred space and ceremony as practiced in the Caribbean.

Key take aways;

-trance and sacred healing rhythms

-learn to improvise

-time keeping

-at home healing rituals

How you'll benefit from our time together;

-create sacred space

-open and balance both brain hemispheres

-learn to create community and team leadership

-relieve chronic pain, depression and anxiety

-build a euphoric state and have fun!

Itinerary

Art of Sacred Hand Drumming Workshop

11am we begin   

12.30pm    to    1.30pm   Lunch  

3.00pm    to    3.30pm        Coffee Break  

5.00pm    to    6.30pm        Dinner Break

Ceremony and Ecstatic Dance

6.30pm    to    8.00pm        Full Moon Ceremony with Trance Dance

Ticketing fees:

Early bird rate    

Workshop only

Now to 31st August        $85

1st Sept to 18th Sept        $100

Workshop and Ceremony

Now to 31st August        $111

1st Sept to 18th Sept        $140

Ceremony only

Now to 31st August        $25

1st Sept to 18th Sept        $40

Ticketing link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/harta-dunia-29758877091 

Derrick in Texas

 Derrick has been working with me a while now. I threw at him the extremely technical rhythms of the Afro Haitian drumming and he's doing an amazing job! 

Raven in Dallas

 Raven took the one day hand drumming intensive and caught on super fast! She found her place on the drum in no time at all. She's doing amazing work! 

Julie in Chicago

 Check this out. My amazing student in Chicago who has never played an instrument is progressing at such a rapid rate and finding her place with the drum. She spent the day with me for a crash course intensive and is truly a gem and coming along so well!

Full day drum lessons

 DFW Friends, I'm now offering private all day sessions for individuals and families. We'll begin in the morning with a variety of drum practices, beats and techniques. We'll break for lunch (my treat), then move on in the afternoon with a little more advanced lessons, reviews and finish the day with some drum shopping. 

This is your chance to practice and play in the comforts of home, park or wherever you wish!

Feel free to reach out to me in a PM and we'll get your Drum Day going!

#spiritdrummingdallas

#worlddrummingdfw

#LetsPlay

#drumlessons

Elemental Drumming

 Gang, have you ever heard of finding and living out your life's purpose by playing specific drum rhythms?

Sounds intriguing right?

In the West African Nation of Burkina Faso, they have long lived by using an ancient elemental system that brings balance, harmony and purpose to every single life in the village. This culture is known as the Dagara.

Everyone in the world has a sacred element that directs their life and divines ones purpose in life. We find our element by revealing the last digit of your birth year.

Here's how it is set up, if your birth year ends with

 0 or 5 you are Earth; nurturing, love, abundance

 1 or 6 you are Water; healing and reconciliation

 2 or 7 you are Fire; creation and spiritual gate keeper

 3 or 8 you are Nature; humor, changes in life cycle

 4 or 9 you are Mineral; teachers and record keeper

As it turns out, each element has its own drum rhythm, that when played, opens your divine purpose in life. 

I'm reaching out to offer the sharing of these rhythms with all who want to know more about their role in life and to take their drumming deeper. 

If you're interested in learning more, please feel free to contact me and we can set up some lessons for you!

Looking forward to drumming with you!

#spiritdrummingdallas 

#worlddrummingdfw 

#drumforhealing

Corporate Drumming

 Along with healing and community drumming, I also offer drumming for the corporate sector. 

What you may not know, is the group drumming can save your thousands of dollars annually on physical and health benefit coverage for you and your employees! Curious as to what those drums can do? Let's connect!

 

My name is Ryan Taylor. I am the Founder of Sacred Rhythms and Ryan Taylor Drum, a vision of combining ancient and modern modalities geared to the improvement of self, group and corporate structure by harnessing the power of rhythm and group music making along with ancient indigenous and Shamanic practices used by many populations around the world regardless of age, race, economic status or ethnicity.  This is all accomplished through group drumming, rhythm making and infusing techniques from the Shamanic principles of Haiti, Africa and Native America. Research shows these cultures have held a collective group and cohesiveness by using the means taught to them and now those ideologies are being passed down to achieve more success, direction, team work, prosperity and clarity.

These methods are extremely effective for companies that want to enhance the generation of new ideas and better teamwork. When people discover that they can collectively produce a good rhythm without any musical training or background, and with the use of positive direction based on ancient Shamanic principles, they start to realize that they can be more effective at work by putting their heads together and working as a team.

 People learn that playing/working together is something that is its own reward because the results are beyond what any individual can do. We believe that harnessing ancient ideologies for today's modern world can begin to rebuild the morale and work ethic.

After having been in the Corporate World as a Quality Engineer in many disciplines, I found it was time to move out of that role and step into something more community driven using my talents and insights. Music, drumming to be more specific, has been a talent of mine for 40 years. Along with that, I took one of those "searching within you" trips to Africa and Haiti. My goal was to dig deeper within me, as my place in life had me feeling stuck, non productive and that aspect was hitting on all parts of life. I came across medicine diviners in both location who tapped into my abilities as a teacher and story teller. These amazing indigenous Shamans trained me in the ways of using the drum to heal and connect. Not only that, I was shown the ways of being able to tap into the psyche and guide folks to fulfil their positive directive. I'm now utilizing this gift in the corporate arena. We all have questions regarding our business, perhaps a little boost from the Shamanic means may be of assistance.

Benefits of Drumming

 Hello all. For years I've been expressing my passion for the drum and drumming as a group in all arenas of life. 

Today I wanted to share WHY we need drumming. Like Yoga, Meditation, dance, movement, sex and spiritually, the drum brings us closer on all three levels of the BMS system (body, mind, soul).

After doing some research I put together some of the main key points of the drum and why YOU should be drumming too.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Playing drums relieves stress. It's a great physical workout. It helps build coordination. It increases development in various regions of the brain.

Recent research indicates that drumming accelerates physical healing, boosts the immune system and assists in releasing emotional trauma. Drumming has a positive effect on anxiety, grief, fatigue, depression and behavioral issues.

Drumming is a challenging workout that can burn hundreds of calories. ... But as drummers keep the beat behind their kit, or on their Hand Drum,  they're also burning calories at an elevated rate. While few people might take up drumming to lose weight, playing this instrument can burn enough calories to keep you in shape.

Drumming Burns Calories, Builds Muscle And Gets Your Heart Pumping. ... According to BBC news, an hour of drumming burns more calories than running, aerobics or weight lifting.

The act of playing, especially vigorous drumming, helps you to burn calories, builds muscles and increases stamina. Drumming also increases heart rate and blood flow – all that while you're focused on keeping the beat, so you probably won't even build up a sweat. 

MENTAL BENEFITS

Research by the Royal College of Music has found that drumming has a positive impact on mental health, with a 10-week programme of group drumming reducing depression by as much as 38% and anxiety by 20%.

Drumming is a great way to tackle stress and anxiety with research showing us that participating in group drumming activity boosts the body's production of feel good endorphins.

According to Dr. Barry B. Bittman, drumming circles help boost the immune system and promote physical healing. Drum therapy encourages people to release inner trauma through physical movement and meditative rhythms, as well as bringing people together.

People who play drums regularly for years differ from unmusical people in their brain structure and function. The results of a new study suggest that they have fewer, but thicker fibers in the main connecting tract between the two halves of the brain. In addition, their motor brain areas are organized more efficiently.

Drummers presented clear differences in the front part of the corpus callosum, a brain structure that connects the two hemispheres and whose front part is responsible for motor planning. The data indicated that the drummers had fewer but thicker fibres in this important connecting tract between the brain hemispheres.

SPIRITUAL BENEFITS

Drumming directly supports the introduction of spiritual factors found significant in the healing process. ... Drumming can help people express and address emotional issues. Unexpressed feelings and emotions can form energy blockages. The physical stimulation of drumming removes blockages and produces emotional release.

Shamanic and Spirit Drumming is rhythmic form of connection. Its purpose is to induce a range of ecstatic trance states in order to connect with the spiritual dimension of reality.

While many of us may now think of drumming as a secular activity, the activity is rooted in the spiritual realm. Even today, in parts of the world where the origins of an instrument's use may be remembered and the traditional ways followed, we find that spiritual offerings and rituals are still followed.

Whether discussing the didgeridoo or the drum, percussion instruments have always played a central role in ceremonies. For this reason, the spiritual connection of drumming should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the history of the instrument.

The djembe drum, in particular, has an interesting spiritual connection with which many lovers of djembe may not be familiar. In West Africa, where the djembe holds a special significance, the drum would have been the domain of a special caste of people called the Jeli. The Jeli were essentially a group of artists who roamed the lands keeping the histories of the people alive. They were djembe drummers, storytellers, and vocalists given the honor of maintaining the oral traditions. Their sole purpose was to create music and retell the stories of the great Mali empire.

Due to the significance of the role of the Jeli in West African life, the musicians were highly trained and skilled. They also took seriously the spiritual connection of drumming. The tree from which the djembe drum would be made was given offerings, as was the animal from which the head would come. Because the drum would speak and bear significance on the direction of people’s lives, the spiritual nature of the drum and the materials used for its construction took on a significance modern day drummers may find difficult to comprehend.

The person who constructed the djembe was once considered part of the spiritual essence of the drum, as well. The Jeli were considered skilled enough to be able to bring forth the magical qualities of the drum. The Jeli was comprised of three, specific roles. The Kuma told the stories, the Donkili sang the songs, and the Maninka played the drum and other instruments. The Jeli still retain a prominent role in West African life, telling the histories during ceremonies and celebrations.

While these days we may not place much emphasis on who can or cannot be a djembe drummer, traditionally the instrument has had a spiritual significance. While many of us are fine with the way things are, those of us who feel the spiritual connection of drumming should feel free to explore it. After all, that is the origin of the drum and making that connection could help improve our drumming and, possibly, our lives.

Mission as a Healing Drummer

 Ok guys so my mission behind the drumming and rhythm that I share with all people is to create a network community, a tribe if you will. One that spans borders. 

We're all inherent beings of rhythm and sound. It's our nature, our primordial instinct. It's that instinct that brings us together. Unifying in peace, rhythm, vibration and movement is by far the most powerful form of Divine connection and self/group healing.

I invite all my relations to join me in this mission to get our power back thru raising our vibration.

Are you ready to create the new movement?

This is our medicine

This is our power

This is our choice

This is our right.

#spiritdrumming 

#sacredrhythms 

#drummovement 

#healingdrumming 

#findyourpower

Ryan Taylor Drum Academy