CONNECTING THROUGH THE DRUM - DRUMMER's PATH

Written by Greg Whitt Monday, 28 September 2009 00:00

Drumming connects me to things greater than myself, to the people around me, to ancient traditions, to the heart of who I am as a person, to the planet on which we live.

As I sit and reflect this morning on the amazing things that drumming has brought into my life, I am hugely grateful for the community that has grown around me once I set my intention and began to walk the drummer’s path.

Since I first heard the call of the drum in the summer of 2001, the universe has aligned to open the way before me. Once I discovered the drum, I knew I was somehow magically connected to something larger than myself. I understand now that it’s a sonic connection, a vibrational energy through all things that unites us with each other and with the planet. Yeah, I know it sounds a bit hokey, but the more I explore and learn, the more I see for myself the truth of this practice. The summer has been a whirlwind season and a path lined with many milestones.

This year I coordinated a team of facilitators for the largest drumming event of which I’ve been a part - DrumSTRONG. I embraced use of the drum as a healing practice and put myself out there to lead healing drum workshops AND attended the HealthRHYTHMS training program. I earned my largest fee to date conducting a drumming-based leadership program. We’ve just held a fantastic 7th Annual Birthday Bash for the Raleigh Drum Circle (if you’re a member of Facebook you can see a video clip here) and passed the 200 drum circles mark with that group. On the heels of that, after three annual attempts we finally held a drum circle in the Wellness Center at SAS Institute for their employees and families. Last Friday Annelies and I presented a creativity session and drummed in Winston-Salem at the SurThrival symposium, an event all about health, wellness, and holistic living. We then spent the weekend camping and drumming at a Modern Shamanism retreat near Sparta, NC, where I reconnected with the Earth, got my hands dirty, breathed fresh air, showered in the rain, walked through the forests and climbed the mountains by the Little River. Immediately upon returning to Raleigh yesterday (and I mean as soon as I stepped out of the car after six hours on the road), I was blessed to facilitate a wonderful, energetic, and spirit-filled circle at Ten Thousand Villages (many, many thanks to Tony & Melissa for getting things started). Tomorrow I partner with Natural Math to combine drumming with mathematics for a local home schooling cooperative. The next day we’re headed to a leading integrative medicine center to talk to them about how they can use drumming as part of their offerings for a holistic approach to healing. During the retreat, someone shared this quote: “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift and that’s why we call it the present.” I smiled brightly as I sat by the fire because although they didn’t know it, the quote comes from Babatunde Olatunji, whose vision was to inspire a drum in every household. I think my vision with the drum is similar - to promote peace, community, connection, health and harmony with each other and with the world in which we live.

Many thanks to all of your for sharing and supporting that vision! My path has been winding and up hill much of the way, but this worthy journey has been filled with many beautiful vistas. Drumming connects me to that simpler time and place, to being totally present, to giving of myself and receiving all at the same time. Thankfully, it has also connected me to so many of you.

So come drum with me - let’s get reconnected!