These days the ancient sound of African djembe drums can be
heard anywhere from outside office buildings to parks to the inside of school
gymnasiums. People have discovered the amazing healing powers of drumming and
are reaping the many benefits of “getting into the groove”.
The current proponents of drumming in community are no
longer shamans, but more likely drum circle facilitators, music teachers,
fitness instructors, psychotherapists and counselors – to name but a few.
Indigenous peoples have always incorporated drumming into celebrations, rituals
and healing; now this ancient wisdom is being cultivated and used to spread
joy, create community, relieve stress, enhance spiritual, emotional and
physical well-being and even to treat many modern illnesses.
It may seem unusual to think that one of the best antidotes
to many of the pressures of our modern world comes in the form of a drum, but
scientific studies - by renowned psychoneuroimmunologist Barry Bittmann, for
example - have proven that aside from the spiritual and social benefits of
rhythmic activity, drumming in a safe, encouraging circle actually enhances the
immune system and increases the effectiveness of killer-T cells in the body,
literally protecting us from many forms of cancer and other debilitating
illnesses.
Drumming has a marked effect on brain wave patterns. When
people with irregular or weak brain rhythms (such as those suffering from
Alzheimer’s), or people who are stressed and consistently in their “left
brain”, regularly participate in drumming activities, left-right brain
integration is stronger and brainwaves become more organized while changing in
frequency to a level where one feels more in tune, more balanced and more
meditative.
Drumming as therapy can also be used in couple’s counseling,
in prisons, in senior’s centres and in schools, where it has been especially
effective with children presenting various learning challenges. But drumming is
not only for specialized areas – it is for EVERYONE! The simple act of coming
to a drumming class, participating in a local drum circle or exercising to the
beat of a Drums Alive® event gives a person the opportunity to relieve stress,
experience joy and communicate with others in stress-free, non-verbal, positive
and healing way.
When drumming is combined with exercise as in a Drums Alive® session,
where participants combine beating on fitness balls with dance and movement, it
is a very powerful tool indeed. While drumming alone gives you all the usual
benefits of a good workout – stress relief, improved self-confidence, muscle
tone and health - drumming combined with dance/movement enhances all the usual
physical and emotional effects of physical exercise. Integrating drumming into
a fitness class is a total body, mind and spiritual approach to wellness.
We are born in rhythm, listening to our mother’s heartbeat
in the womb. Our bodies are rhythmic – our blood flows, our heart beats and our
lungs breathe in patterns. We change and move with the seasons – in short, we
are surrounded by rhythms and thus it is no surprise that our bodies innately
respond to the rhythms of drumming. So if you are feeling out of sync or
stressed, or just looking for a way to joyfully connect with the primal
energies of our world and with other like-minded folk, consider fitting
drumming into your lifestyle and start moving to a whole new beat. There are
only positive side-effects!
