Earth's Heartbeat
This is something very special to me, my drum. I have actually made two, one Goat skin and one Elk skin. I attend two ceremonial drum workshops a few years apart. The classes lasted all day and it was very powerful and very sacred. My Elk skin drum was blessed as a Siberian Medicine Drum, and it is used to honor the Earth. I will share the beginning of this journey.
Many years ago (it actually seems like a thousand years ago) I was looking through a local paper and seen a group of people that met up during the New Moon and the Full Moon for a Drumming Circle. The circle met and played drums, sang honoring songs to the earth and passed a talking stick around if you had something that you wanted to share.
At that time I was doing Gourd Art and made gourd rattles to display in different shops. When I seen the ad in the paper, I had to attend at least one of these drumming circles but I did not have a drum. I called the lady that was holding them and explained that I wanted to attend but did not have a drum. She welcomed me with opened arms and I took one of my gourd rattles to play.
I have to admit I was a little overwhelmed, excited and a little intimidated to be with a group of people that were so powerful. Once the drumming started I left this world! I went straight to the Earth and automatically connected with its heartbeat. I could feel the vibrations of the drums all through me, it was the MOST power thing I had ever felt. After a while, I tried to play my gourd, but I was so intrigue with the drums nothing else mattered to me.
Soon I became a regular at the Drumming circles. I had several people offer to let me use their drum, but I always refused. I could not bring myself to accept any offer, I knew it had to be my drum that I would play for the first time.
I am not sure how long it was perhaps a year or two, I heard about a drum making ceremony that was being held. My spirit popped up so fast it reminded me of a cartoon. It was hard but I came up with the money and shortly afterwards I was making my own drum. It was a very long day and it was very draining but it was very sacred. I had made my first drum, a Goat Skin Drum and at the end of the day it was Blessed but I could not beat it for a couple of days until it was completely dried.
When I got the drum home and was totally alone with it, my heart sank. I knew in my heart this drum was not to be my drum. I tried to connect to it, but it just would not happen. Soon afterwards, I bartered this drum for my 3rd degree in Reiki.
A long while after that I attended another Drum making ceremony and this time I knew with every fiber I was, this was my drum. Through every second of the ceremony I was fully connected to it. It felt like it was a part of my spirit that had been missing for life times. This drum is a Siberian Medicine Drum and will always be connected to my heart and soul.
As I sat in different circles playing my drum, I could actually feel the thumping of Natures heart. I was referred to as a Drum Traveler which meant I could travel in the circle through the drums and hear each of their voices. Although there has been many circles I have attended and have played a lot, one of my favorite times was when I attended a ceremony and was drumming right behind SilverRaven Wolf. She is an Author who I truly admirer. Our drums had almost the exact sound, it was amazing!!
I would recommend to anybody that truly wanted to feel the earth's heartbeat, to make a drum. It is one of the most powerful ceremonies and the rewards will completely overwhelm you. To feel the Earth's heartbeat is like pure unconditional love enveloping you in nothing but comfort and love.
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