Drumming From The Heart - Grooves'n Views - Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

Next Drumming From The Heart Kootenay Community Drum Circle:

Tonight - Tuesday Evening March 25th, 2008:
@ Nelson North Shore Hall
@ 7:15pm/8:45pm, $7.00
@ 675 Whitmore Road
@ Nelson BC Canada.

Greetings Drummer People!

I would like to ecstatically thank all those souls who came out to drum in Lakeside Park in Nelson last Friday (March 21st) for the 8000 drums around the world event and the Vernal Equinox Celebration. It was a very magical and beautiful community event with incredible chanting/dancing/drumming. Thank you so much for your participation in the much needed healing of Mother Earth! I know that we participated in a great global event that truly helped initiate healing for our earth mother in her time of need.

Our Vernal Equinox drum circle last Tuesday was very powerful as well. We got into some very cool alpha-trance entraining drum songs that brought us all into a state we did not want to get out of! It is so interesting how every drum circle is so different, unique, rewarding, and so much fun! Most of our drum circles as of late have been so very enjoyable in so many ways. Not only are they enjoyable – they are also so very beneficial to our wellbeing.

I just recently found out some very interesting information on the internet that confirms yet another beneficent aspect of improvisational community drum circles that I didn’t know about. Apparently the improvisational aspect of the drum circle – where we are all creating in the moment with each beat we play - triggers some very key areas in our brain that enhance our sense of self and cancels out negative self censoring.

Please check out this short email I received through the Drumcircles@Yahoo.com Usenet group from a very well known drum circle facilitator in the USA – Christine Stevens (Thanks Christine – ever the pioneer!):

An amazing scientific study reported in USA Today on March 5 showed that musicians use the medial prefrontal cortex of the brain when IMPROVISING. This is the same area of the brain that lights up when people talk about who they are. Improvisation may access a type of musical autobiography, say the researchers from Johns Hopkins University.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-04-musician-brain-scans_N.htm

Of significant note is the area of the brain that turns OFF while improvising, which is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a portion of the brain linked to planning, careful actions and self-censoring! Although the study was performed with subjects who were jazz pianists, it may be that drum circles make improvisation easy and accessible, possibly turning off the censoring brain and igniting the personal truth of each individual.

I personally consider this information very significant. It means that through the improvisational aspect that naturally happens at most drum circles (as long as you are drumming “made up in the moment” beats and rhythms) you are effectively shutting down that portion of the brain that “censors” what we do – we are essentially shutting off the “Internal Judge” – a very good thing to do. We are also accessing that part of our brain that defines who we are – so perhaps improvisational drumming helps us to get to know ourselves better? We can never know ourselves well enough with all the depth that exists in the multi-dimensional aspects of the larger self.

Who are we? Have you ever seriously asked yourself that question? Who am I? Ask yourself that question in a quiet moment and then sit quietly and wait for the answer – I think you’ll be surprised who you really are when you dig deep. We are not who others think we are. We are not anything the English language can describe. We are not our jobs, our family, or our friends. We are not just “personalities” with physical bodies and names. We are so much more and the process of improvisation helps us begin to know that Larger Divine Self – the essential truth of who we are. We are all that One.

Drumming in drum circles also helps to quiet the busy little beaver mind from its restless quest to know all that is. The mind does not necessarily need to come into the picture all the time. All we really need is our open hearts and our senses to place us firmly in the here and now enjoying true creative inspirational drum song.

Drummers! Heal Thyself! Play your drums! Know who you are! Still your mind and converse with your heart. Open to the divine creative souls that you are while you create rhythmic melodies through improvisation and presence. Own your creatorship and begin to know your true self. Aho!

Namaste
Kim
: )

Interesting links:
http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/home.htm - A very excellent “conscious” media website.
http://www.dailyom.com/ - Inspirational relaxing website for nurturing your body and soul.
http://www.healingmusic.org/default.asp - Informative website on all kinds of healing music.
http://www.theresonanceproject.org/ - Carrying on where Einstein left off – incredible cutting edge scientific/spiritual information.
http://www.spiritofmaat.com/ - Excellent website discussing new age spirituality, human potential, and new science.
http://rhythmweb.com/circle/index.html - All about drum circles at the Rhythm Web.
http://drumbum.com/lessons/ - An incredibly diverse website with free drum lessons and instruction.
http://www.empire-music.com/Canada/English/ - Excellent online Canadian music/drum store.
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Thank you Esteemed Drumming Ones.
Peace and Synchronistic Rhythm to all.
See you soon Drumming From The Heart!

Namaste,

Kim Massé
Facilitator,
Drumming From The Heart
; > )

DFTH Drum Circle Calendar 2008:

North Shore Hall - 675 Whitmore Road - Nelson - Tuesday evening 7:15pm - 8:45pm
Cost = $7.00 – or one Drum Dollar($5.00) – ask about them!
Mar.25 On Schedule
Apr.1 On Schedule
Apr.8 On Schedule

Online Drumming From The Heart Blog/Archive Website: http://drummingfromtheheart.blogspot.com/.

"Drumming From The Heart" public community drum circles are facilitated drum circles.

All ages are welcome. Absolutely no drumming experience required. If you own a drum please bring it, I have a limited number of drums I can supply. Any and all percussion instruments are also welcome, e.g. wood blocks, bells, tambourines, shakers, flutes, whistles, etc.. Remember - all you need is an open mind and an open heart. I encourage you to forward to this email to others or invite friends who you think may be interested in attending this community drum circle - the more the merrier! Drumming in your community is a wonderful healing process that strengthens and heals you, the community, and Mother Earth!

May your life be filled with Eternal Bliss and Ecstatic Joy!

Thank You!

Kim Massé
Facilitator
Drumming From The Heart