Kindling the Native Spirit: Sacred Practices for Everyday Life - Denise Linn 2015

Drumming: Rhythm of the Heart
The Deepening: Communing with Spirit

Sitting in the dirt in a hut made of straw and mud with my teacher Credo Mutwa in Bophuthatswana, I felt as though I’d been transported in time. His skin glistened in the reflected light from the fire in the center of the hut. Through the opening above the flames, I could see stars. It seemed that some of the small embers were floating up to join those sparkling pinpoints of light.

Next to Credo was a large, well-used drum. The sonorous beat of his drum filled me—as if it were penetrating into the core of my being. I felt as though the drum was calling the spirit of the earth and the spirit of the ancestors into our space. Nothing existed, except for the beat. If it’s true that the universe is made up of a rhythmic, ever-changing, ever-flowing stream of energy, the drumbeat pushed me off the shore into the flow of that ancient and primordial sound. . . . I was being called home.

I’m a drum-maker. My husband and I have been making drums for decades. We also drum together. We drum to connect with the cycles of life, to celebrate our lives, to release pent-up emotions, and especially to grow closer to the Creator. I also teach drumming and lead drumming circles. The drum is one of my allies, and it carries me to the center of my soul.

From ancient times, native people around the world have been drawn to the sound of percussion, from beating on a hollow log, to hitting two sticks together, to crafting an instrument from animal hides. The beat of the drum has been used for a variety of purposes, from rousing warriors to accomplish remarkable feats to healing, dancing, and connecting to Spirit.

It’s been estimated that for over 20,000 years drumming has been used for various forms of healing. Although we often associate animal-skin frame drums with the Native Americans, since the beginning of human history, shamans in Siberia and Northern China and the Inuit, as well as indigenous people throughout the world, have used the drumbeat to connect with Spirit. Drumming also plays an integral role in many African communities. Perhaps the reason why the drum has been used in so many different cultures is because it has the ability to alter consciousness. Research has shown that the shamanic beat used around the world, which is about 210 to 220 beats per minute, can catapult your brain waves into a low alpha and theta range. This type of brain activity is associated with heightened senses, creativity, and vivid imagery. When one is in this altered state, it’s easier to travel from the physical world into spiritual realms. For this reason, Native Americans call the drum the “canoe” or the “horse.”

As far back as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by the power of drumming. As a young girl, I’d take the cylindrical oatmeal box my mom stored in the cupboard and beat on it. The sound enthralled me, but it was the vibration that coursed through my body and has never let me go. When I was a bit older, I discovered, much to my parents’ chagrin, that pots and pans thumped with wooden spoons had amazing resonance. There was something primal and exhilarating about drumming and dancing to its beat. As I listened to the rhythm, worries and concerns dissolved, time seemed to stand still, and I was transported out of my normal awareness.

I believe the sound of drumming is part of our genetic code. Those early childhood forays into the realm of drumming were perhaps my way of tapping into ancestral memories of our collective tribal life around the fire. The round shape of many native drums is believed to represent the universe. And its rhythmic beat is the pulse, the heartbeat, of the universe. In the shamanic traditions of Siberia, it’s believed that drumming creates a bridge so that you can go from one world to another. When you stop playing the drum, the bridge disappears.

Since drums have the power to connect us with the Divine and many cultures believe that their beat represents the heartbeat of the earth, drums are revered and treated with great respect. When I was with Credo Mutwa, I asked him about the importance of drums in his culture. He told me that drums are venerated in Africa, as it’s believed that they are alive. In some regions a special hut in the center of the village is reserved for the drums, and every morning, milk (and sometimes food) is placed in the drum hut, so the drums can absorb the energy of the daily offerings. Credo told me that in some places there was a “wife of the drum” who was a woman who tended the fire in the drum hut when it was cold because the drum spirits liked to be warm. This practice and similar practices throughout Africa, he said, underline the deep reverence that Africans have for their drums.

In many native cultures no one is allowed to touch a shaman’s drums, and the penalty can be severe. Credo said that in times of antiquity for the Zulu, someone could be killed for touching the sangoma’s (medicine man) drum. But they don’t do that these days. He said that now if someone touches the drum, they are levied a hefty fee, which poses a large financial burden. This gives credence to the immense value that native cultures place on their drums, and it’s a reminder of how important it is to respect your drum, which in turn will bless you with years of healing, mystical journeys, and divine connection. In the following sections, you’ll learn more about the power of drumming and how to use it for space clearing and other forms of healing.

CONNECTING WITH THE SOUL OF YOUR DRUM

Since the beginning of human time, shamans have been using the cadence of the drum to journey to other realms; however, you too can use the heartbeat of the drum to alter your consciousness, explore the inner recesses of your being, and connect with the Divine. You can also drum to express your emotions and deepen your meditations. Or you can do it simply because it’s fun! As you pick up the drumstick and begin to bounce it off the surface of your drum, in no small way, you’ll be kindling the native spirit within you.

Whether you purchase a drum or make it yourself, before using it consider having a ceremony to align your energy with it. This will forge a deep connection to your drum. If you already have a drum that you’ve been playing for years, there can still be great value in following the steps laid out here to deepen your connection:

1. Select a time when you will be undisturbed. You may even wish to find a place in nature in which you can conduct this ceremony.

2. Cleanse yourself. Then dress in clothes that enhance a feeling of ceremony and intention. Remove rings and bracelets, as they can interfere with your ability to sense energy.

3. Sit in meditation while holding your drum. Give thanks with deep respect to the specific animal and tree from which the hide and ring came. This is essential.

4. When your meditation is complete, cleanse your drum. It’s traditional to use sage (or tobacco), but incense can also be used. Light a sage stick or loose sage in a fireproof bowl or shell, and pass your drum through the smoke. Then extinguish the sage completely.

5. Sit with your drum held close to your heart and breathe deeply. Imagine you are breathing life into the drum. Infuse your consciousness into it. Visualize the spirit of your drum coming forward and merging with your spirit. Then take your hand and slowly, respectfully rub around the drum in a circular manner to greet and welcome it into your life.

6. If you haven’t already named your drum, ask for a name to come forward. Often I see (or hear) a drum’s name in my mind’s eye. For instance, one time as I looked into the soul of a drum, I “saw” an image of a full moon reflected on a mountain lake. A gentle breeze rippled the reflection, making the moon dance; thus, this drum became “Dancing Moon.” In the Ojibwa Tribe, drums are called the generic name of “Grandfather” as a sign of respect. If a name is not revealed to you, you might wish to call your drum “Grandmother” or “Grandfather.”

7. With your eyes closed, continue to hold the drum to your heart to feel or “hear” its unique role in the world. Alternatively, you can ask your drum to reveal its destiny to you in images or in words. In my experience, drums are each birthed with their own purpose. In the early ’80s, my husband and I began making frame drums. These are a kind of drum in which the width of the drumhead is greater than the depth. They’re made by shaping wood into a hoop, which is then covered with rawhide attached to its sides. These are the earliest types of drum known to have existed and are one of the most ancient musical instruments. (Eventually, we taught drum making in various countries and even had a showing of our painted drums in a gallery in Covent Garden in London.)

As my husband and I gave birth to each drum, I began to notice that some seemed to be destined for healing or breakthroughs or activating joy, while others connected one more deeply to the earth, fostered a sense of community, or brought people together for dancing and celebration. While focusing on a new drum, not only could I “see” its name, but also it would often “tell” me its purpose.

8. Sit with your drum for as long as you feel it is necessary to build your connection.

Once you have connected with your drum, it is a part of your soul and bonded to you. Conclude by thanking it for coming into your life. You are now ready to drum!

CARING FOR YOUR DRUM

Drumming can be a sacred act. Hold your drum with reverence, and treat it with respect. Never put it upside down on the earth, and don’t put anything on it. Don’t use it for a coffee table or a side table. Store it in a place of honor. (In other words, don’t shove it under the bed or toss it in a box in the garage.) Hang it on the wall or store it in a place where it feels revered. If you cherish your drum, it will bless you. (Don’t touch the drums of others without permission, since sometimes a drum can be part of their power.)

DRUMMING YOUR PRAYERS

Before you begin, consider smudging yourself, your drum, and the space in which you’ll be drumming. Then begin drumming softly to “wake up” your drum. (Think of this as waking up slowly, rather than someone shouting at you when you are in a deep sleep.) Keep your drumstick hand very loose and pliant. Your limber wrist will allow the movement to come from your wrist and not your arm. Using just your arm to drum for long periods of time can be tiring. Don’t try to sound good. Just let the beat emerge. Let your drum tell you what beat it wants. (If your drum sounds tinny, it’s too tight. Dry environments can make a drumhead tight. You can sprinkle a small amount of water on it to loosen. If it thuds when you drum, it’s too loose—this occurs in damp environments—and you may need to heat it with your hands or even carefully with a blow-dryer.)

An excellent drumbeat to start with is a two-beat rhythm: DUB-dub. This is the most primal sound known to human beings, as it’s the sound of the mother’s heartbeat while we are in the womb. As you drum the two-beat, allow your breathing to deepen, and relax your body. At some point it will seem as if the drum has its own mind, and the rhythm just seems to flow. No matter how you try to control it, the beat may seem to take off in its own direction. This is good; this means that your soul is taking over. The best drumming comes when you get out of the way and allow the drum’s rhythm to flow into and through you. The less you think about the “right” drumbeat, the more the rhythmic outpourings from the universe can move within you. You’ll give your prayers wings in this way!

SACRED DRUMMING TO CLEAR AND BLESS A HOME

In areas as varied as Tibet, Africa, China, Siberia, Lapland, Brazil, Indonesia, and India, shamans have used drumming to cleanse homes of stagnant energies and to call in positive energies. In fact, it’s rare to find a native culture that didn’t use drums for this purpose. The drum is an excellent instrument to use if the room energy is very dense or congested. Drumbeats can break up thick energy very quickly. Drumming is especially useful in clearing emotions. If there has been anger, an argument, or sadness, the drum can be your most powerful ally to clear out that energy and bring in sparkling energy.

EXERCISE: USING YOUR DRUM FOR SPACE CLEARING

1. Stand at the entrance to the home or the room. Hold your drum close to your chest and allow your awareness to fill the interior of the drum. Call for Spirit’s assistance for your clearing. Rub your hand in a circle around the outer area of the drum to connect more deeply with it. Begin drumming with a double beat. After feeling this sound resonate inside you, then use whatever beat feels best to you, simply allowing a natural rhythm to evolve.

2. Continue your steady beat, and walk in a clockwise direction (counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere) as you circle the periphery of the room. Notice any differences in the sound of the drum. If there are places where the drum sounds dull, keep drumming in that area until it sounds clearer. You’ll intuitively find the exact rhythms that are needed for each area of the room. When the drumbeat sounds crisp, this indicates the energy is clear.

3. Continue to drum until the entire room rings clear. Your intuition will tell you when you are done.

4. When complete, you should be in the same corner or area where you started. To seal the circle of energy, make a figure eight with your drum.

5. To clear an entire home, continue to drum in each room. Hold the clear intention of the results you desire. Drumming breaks up any stagnant energy, gets the energy moving, and calls for Spirit’s support. But you must hold the intent for this to happen.

6. When you have completed your space clearing, hold your drum to your heart and ask for blessings for the home and all who dwell there. (For more information about space clearing, see my book Sacred Space.)

EXERCISE: ENERGY DRUM BATH

Since ancient times, shamans have used drumming not only to clear the energy in dwellings, but also to clear the energy of people. To do this, lightly drum up and down the body of your friend, being careful not to drum loudly near his or her ears. As you work, listen carefully to the sound of the drum. Just as in drumming in a room, there may be parts of the body where the sound is muffled or feels stuck. If you find one of these areas, continue to drum until that energy feels clean and clear. When you feel the energy shift, move on. When the clearing is over, make sure your friend drinks plenty of water.

(To learn more about drums and drumming, visit my website. Also, drums are available for sale through my website.)

DRUMMING WITH CLICK STICKS

For very little time and money, you can make your own “click sticks,” such as the Aborigines of Australia use. Although the sound and feeling is different from that of a drum, they make a wonderful percussion instrument and can be used in all the ways described in this chapter. To make click sticks, saw off two identical lengths of wood from a fat dowel, broom handle, or wooden curtain rod. They should be about a foot long, short enough that you have control when using them, but long enough that there’s room to hold the ends and click them together without hitting your hands. Sand and decorate the sticks, and you will have your own drumming tool.