Birthing Drum Day

What a beautiful day this was. I have wanted to have a drum of mine own to work with, after being introduced to their medicine by Natasha.  i absolutely loved them when listening to them in ceremony prior to playing them myself, but like many of us do, i thought “ i love them but i cant play one of those”. 

Natasha held a space that was full of freedom, exploration and no judgement and my first drumming circle was so powerful and healing.

Studies now show that specific drumming tempos can change our brainwave patterns guiding us into relaxed and even dreamlike states. In these altered states of consciousness, we can access heightened creativity, insight, and emotional release. 

I have wanted to include a drum into my practices with the horses,  in circles, and meditations, but i’ve felt incredibly conflicted about the ethics of it for me. It’s not something i massively share on socials as i feel that most of us are doing something for the planet just often in different ways, and differing values. Being vegan and horsey often also creates conflict with many saying, but tack is leather , boots etc …… these are by product of the meat industry, and i understand some questions are genuine others are just sharing earth with differing levels of consciousness.  I choose not to eat meat being that i see as equal to us, therefore buying a drum that is out of an animals skin brought up many questions for me. I needed to know the drums journey and the ethics behind it. 

Thats where i came across Rachel from Sacred Stones. The skins she uses are all from deer that have sadly passed from usually being hit by car, so not hunted for their meat, skin or antlers. Rachel being a veggie had also gone through a similar process to me and that is too how she arrived at holding drum birthing ceremonies. 

We started with the opening ceremony in the Yurt, where Rachel gave me the choice to pick a crystal by eye for the handle of the drum, or blind and through what i was drawn too. i choose blind and picked the Unakite - some of its properties are. 

Unakite is known for its properties of emotional healing, balance, and promoting positivity. It is believed to help release negative emotions, foster inner peace, and encourage self-love. Additionally, unakite is associated with enhancing relationships, reducing stress, and supporting physical healing, particularly related to the reproductive system. 

Unakite is often used to heal emotional wounds and release negative emotions such as grief, anger, or resentment. It is believed to promote emotional balance and reduce stress, anxiety, and tension. The stone is thought to foster inner peace, resilience, and self-awareness. 

Unakite is associated with love, compassion, and harmonious relationships.

It can encourage open communication, understanding, and empathy.

The stone is believed to be helpful in strengthening romantic relationships, friendships, and family bonds. 

Unakite is thought to support the reproductive system and promote healthy pregnancies.

It may be beneficial for those recovering from illness or surgery.

Some believe it can help reduce the effects of electromagnetic smog. 

Unakite is associated with the heart chakra, promoting emotional balance and self-love. It is believed to help with introspection, personal growth, and releasing energy blockages. Unakite may also be helpful in connecting with the present moment and finding joy and gratitude. 

All in all a pretty incredible stone to be using in circles or healing sessions.
 

Afterwards i watched Rachel make a drum. 

Initially watching and smelling the process of making the drum, i wondered for a short moment if id be ok with it… but watching gave me time to sit with all that came up and move through it before having lunchtime to reflect.

Then it was my turn, i gave great thanks to Deer skin energy as i laid the skin down in preparation to start, giving gratitude for its hide, and thanks to the medicine that they will bring, and then as i started it felt so easy, as if an old tradition or habit was reborn.  I think it’s really important that if we use/ ingest products whether from plant or animal that we give gratitude and acknowledgment. To be part of the process means you truly connect to the process, to not go by with ignorance. 

After my drum was complete and ready for the drying process, it was time for a shamanic drumming journey to meet the spirit of my drum ( aka mediation) 

Rachel lead a beautiful journey, at first a wise large deer eye came through to me and i knew it wasn’t my drums spirit, but the mother of the drums spirit, she was full of wisdom and protection, she had come to introduce herself and lead her little one to me, as i continued on my journey , a shy little deer appeared, hiding behind the trees, popping their head round very timid. they slowly grew in confidence and they then the hiding went to play, of lets run through the forest together , a beautiful young deer, full of joy and their mothers ancestral wisdom , passed down. I cant wait for the drum to be dry to play and channel the beautiful medicine of the young, playful wise one, along side the Unakite properties i’m sure this shall be a powerful drum :)