Drumming Circle

I had a most amazing Friday evening because Darian invited me to a Drumming Circle. Darian is the same lady who invited me to the piano recital where I met Pat Cole who wore the inspirational Spiral Shawl that led me to my Galaxy Shawl.

The Drumming Circle is where a bunch of people get in a circle and beat some drums. It sounds simple, and it is, but what an opportunity for creativity and community!

This is a picture of Darain (on the right) along with the lady who led us for the evening. I'm really sorry I don't remember her name because she was an excellent leader. She started us off with an impromptu drumming. Then our leader taught us three different rhythms that interconnected with each other. She divided up the drummers and we took it in turns to each play a rhythm. It was like doing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" in a round.

We drummers were just awesome! It sounded great and it felt wonderful. At one point I just rested my hands on the head of my drum and I could feel the vibrations from the entire room.

After the round we played a piece that felt like a walk through the rain forest. It was refreshing, and light with a tropical sound. We also switched up our instruments and I played a tambourine. Darian beside me had a thing that looked like it had a lizards tail and sounded like thunder in the distance. Some of the other ladies had a thumb piano, an African xylophone and shakers. The music ended on the notes from a Didgeridoo.

After that, our leader requested we drum in remembrance of our veterans and soldiers who are still fighting. I got my hands on a small silver drum with what was almost a tambourine in the top. It gave me a nice sharp sound and I drummed out a rhythm that reminded me of guns. It felt like I could get it out, that sound, put it into the drum and into the room, where we all gradually morphed it into a softer, gentler, healing rhythm. It was a moving experience.

Next, one lady felt moved to bring out her Sruti box. I'd never heard of such a thing and asked "Who is Trudy?" Not who, what. I thought it sounded like an accordion with an Indian accent. We all used our voices to sound tones along with the Sruti. At some points, I would get a certain note that resonated through my entire chest or head. At other times, it was a discordant sound. I really enjoyed playing with my voice in the group, seeing how low, high, soft, loud or resonant I could be.

To finish the circle and stretch out, some very aquatic music was played on the stereo and we all just moved our bodies into what ever stretch or place that felt right. Then we cleaned up. While putting the drums away, I got to explore the Lotus Centre some and I found it to be a very beautiful space. There were creative and loving touches spread through the entire building such as a hooked rug on the wall of the Madonna of Compassion. Or before another door there was a vase of flowers, with a candle in a glass beside it and a sign that read Love.

Of course, I met a knitter there.

This is Valerie. She's wearing a Fleece Artist shawl that she made. Isn't it funny how our knitting is our calling card? I wasn't wearing any of my knitting that evening, but I did have my new Moo cards with me and I gave her one. Hopefully Valerie will stop by the blog some day.

The Moo cards are from Flickr and for $25 Canadian I got 100 cards with my contact information printed on one side and up to 100 of my Flicker images on the other. I bought some because I am continually writing my knitting contact info onto the back of my work business cards. Now I have my own knitting cards to hand out! And I love having images of my knitting on the front.

What a great start to my weekend. I even have a knitting design all worked out in my head for my Noro Silk Garden that I'm very excited about. I hope some creativity and community works it way into your weekend!