Birthing your drum
Below I have created a meditation / ceremony (called drum birthing) for you to birth your drum and I highly recommend that you do it before you play your drum. The ceremony connects you to a life when you worked with the medicine of the drum and you activate this wisdom in your current life. You also meet the spirit of your drum and are guided to ground the drum medicine into your chakras. Once you have fully integrated the medicine you can then you can use it with others. Before you do the ceremony make sure to burn sage or the equivalent to clear the space.
Integrating the medicine of your drum – 40-day journey
To fully integrate and understand the medicine of your drum, you are encouraged to play it for 40 days. Please feel free to journal your journey so you can look back to see what medicine and experiences you brought through. You are invited to play your drum every day for 40 days without missing a day. If you miss a day you will need to start the 40 days again from day 1. Even if you play one beat that is ok as long as you pick it up and connect to it and play. Some days you will have deep experiences with your drum and other days will be subtle, it’s all perfect. Once you complete your 40 days you will have fully embodied the medicine and know it in your heart and soul.
First time you play
The first time you play your drum you are invited to say prayers and set your intentions. Take some time to tune in and connect with the spirit of your drum. You are also invited to burn some sage after you set your intentions as the smoke will carry your prayers to great spirit. The most important beat and rhythm is your own heartbeat and the natural and organic beat of your drum. To find this sit quietly with your drum in nature and tune into your heart, the heart of your drum and the heart of mother. Now play whatever comes.
How to play your drum
You will find your own natural flow with your drum and there is really no wrong way to play. Just make sure if you work with it on others not to play to hard into their chakras especially around the head. The drum medicine can clear a person’s chakras and any blocks in the auric field. If you would like to do this make sure to set your intentions first, connect with the spirit of your drum and then offer gently the medicine of your drum into their chakras and energy field. The drum also helps connect us to the heartbeat of mother earth. By playing the heartbeat with this intention you can help someone reconnect to the heart of the earth and receive the blessings that come with such a sacred connection, grounding, healing and unconditional love.
To help you on your journey of playing your drum below I have given you different drumbeats to practice and what they represent.
Drum Care
Due to your drum being made out of natural material it will be sensitive to the weather. The drum responds to the moisture in the air. If you live in a humid environment or its raining the drum will hold the water and be flat and floppy. If you live in a dry climate or it’s super hot the water will be sucked from the drum and it will be tight and tinny. This will change throughout the seasons, so please don’t think your drum is broken, its just responding to its environment. The sound and resonance of your drum can sometimes change from hour to hour, this can sometimes be frustrating for the modern medicine person however understanding this process makes life with your drum so much easier.
Tinny Sound – If the skin is dry it will be tight and sound tinny with no resonance. It requires a small spray of water on the face of the drum to soften so you get a nice resonance when you play.
Flat and floppy – If your drum is floppy with a dull sound it means it is holding too much moisture and you need to add heat. Different ways to add heat are as follows: You can place your drum in the sun only for a few minutes any longer than that can tighten and split your skin and hoop. Place your drum over an open flame or fire, only in small increments at a time until it is dry Good old hairdryer works a treat if there is no sun or fire available.
The best way to store your drum is in the bag in an environment where the weather is not extreme hot or cold.
