WATER

Water is an Essential Element

Without water life quickly begins to dwindle. Approximately two thirds of Mother Earth is covered by water. Water is the principal chemical constituent of the human body. We live in water (amniotic fluid) during our in-uterus life. Water is life-sustaining.

Water adapts to its environment. In cold temperatures it becomes a solid, in heat it turns into gas, and in moderate temperatures it transforms into liquid. Water consistently adapts and transforms. Water cleanses, and when properly utilized it is healing. Water is also a wise teacher. When we intently observe water, from its wisdom we may learn how to remain still or flow in synchronicity. Water vibrates in perfect rhythm.

How is this related to Drumming?

Rhythm is an integral part of human existence. The rhythm of nature can be observed and experienced through the changing of seasons, the cycling of day and night, and the oceanic tide. Humans are intricately connected to rhythm as evidenced by their patterns of speech, the rhythm of their walk, breathing patterns, and the beating of their heart. In uterus, humans experience the consistent rhythmical pattern of the mother’s heartbeat for approximately nine months. Drumbeats are analogical to heartbeats as they both produce rhythmical patterns, sound, and tempo.

The drum is born from life, that is, from the wood of a tree and the skin of an animal. Although some modern drums do not follow this mode of construction, symbolically the intent remains intact. The drum requires the drummer to use his or her hands or sticks, which directly connect the drummer and the instrument at a fundamental level. The drum resonates and its skin and hollowness are analogical to the ventricles and chambers of the heart. As such, the drum is a natural portal to the drummer’s inner world. Through drumming, the drummer may access, process, release, and transform emotions and thoughts that otherwise might remain unexpressed. This process leads to balance and health.

For millennia indigenous cultures have practiced ceremonial drumming and attribute its transformative properties to the spirit of the drum. Spirit transmits vibrations and induces trance. It accesses the drummer’s core and attunes it to nature.

During the course of a Healthy Drumming® workshop we introduce the governing principles of life sustaining elements and share ways to access and apply the principles. The combination of drumming with specific principles, such as those governing the element of Water, when properly applied result in clarity of mind, peace, and balance.