While back "Home" in Safety Harbor, Florida I stumbled across my first "Drum Circle." It was way cool! I was very impressed with my 5 year old niece Kellan who, before we knew it, was shaking a tambourine while hula-hooping at the same time....now that's talent!
SIDE-NOTE DIATRIBE (pass over if you want): Ironically I really don't know where "Home" here on Earth is anymore. I feel more and more that anywhere here on our planet is home and in reality just an enroute pitstop to the eternal life we all came from. There is of course infinity backwards and infinity forward. So in reality the years we spend on Earth are just a "Cosmic Speedbump" in our Infinite Life....this is true whether we believe in God or not. Our matter will be somewhere in some form for Infinity Forward. So it's more than just a choice of being optimistic or pessimistic, right?
Here's why. A believer in God decides to believe in God and a Heaven with not only the hope of being with God forever in Heaven but, almost as important, they allow themselves to tap into an infinite power source while they are still here on Earth! They can become a bright light shining in the darkness. In contrast, people who deny Him decide to let their spiritual batteries run low slowly discharging their energy into a hollow human existence of self-serving devotion and often self-pity. Neither the believer or the non-believer are superior beings as both are loved equally by God, but both made a decision on how they want to live their lives. Either through a conscious choice or selected intellectual laziness, both type of Earthly creatures decided on their Earthly existence and more importantly their Eternal existence moving infinitely forward.
Deep stuff, eh? Well, it's real important stuff too! That is truly the MOST important decision we have to make during our human existence...where we want to spend "Eternity Forward." So what is your decision?
In my belief, we simply need to ask for God (Jesus- God the Son) to come into our heart and maybe even challenge Him to prove His existence if we want to remain a little stubborn. I can guarantee that a person's life changes when they make this decision!
Back to the Drum Circle, I enjoyed the fun and Spiritual nature of the seemingly impromptu Drum Circle and I decided to attend or start one when I returned to my St Louis/Scott AFB home.
In researching groups in the area below is what I came across for the St Louis area. The one in Safety Harbor had Belly-Dancers, Native Americans dancing, and folks seemingly from all walks of life. They were old, young, able, disabled, and enabled by the power of the music and fellowship. Who wants to go with me to one or to start one here!?!
The Best Drum Circles in St. Louis, Missouri
Create a Sense of Community and Sharing
There's an empty circle of metal
folding chairs sitting at the front of the Pathway's New Age Books
and Gifts in Concord Village, south St. Louis. Slowly, a scattered
few start coming in around 7 o'clock. They bring a variety of
drums. There are a few djembies, a bongo or two, and a couple of
conga drums. There's even a couple of African talking drums.
Every body sits down and starts talking. They pass each other's
drums around and comment on them. One participant brings up the
fact that drumming is man's oldest form of communication. Another
tells how drumming has been used in medical therapy to relieve
stress and allow people with disabilities to communicate with one
another.
The group consists of an eclectic group of people. There the long-haired musician that started the group. He owns a recording studio and plays bass in a rock band. There are others in the group who have no musical background whatsoever. There are people who come from all walks of life, getting together on a Friday night to bang on the drums and have a little fun. I'm one of them.
Everyone sits down and Robert asks everyone to go around the circle and tell everybody their name. Then he slowly starts a beat on his drum. Soon everyone joins in and a rhythm is started. A few minutes into it and the circle is jamming. A couple of the store's customers and the sales clerk stand and watch. After almost thirty minutes of continuous drumming, the beat slows down and the finally comes to a halt. There is a smattering of applause from the crowd.
The group does two more fifteen minute sessions of drumming before the circle draws to a close.
At the Center for Spiritual Living 12815 Fee Fee Road, on a Sunday evening, a drum circle gathers. It is more spiritual in nature than the one at Pathway's. It is led by an elementary school teacher. The group consists mostly of people who come to the Spiritual Center as regulars. Some of them have services like Reiki there. Others just come in to be enlightened about other religions. One lady brings her service dog, a big, fat Rottweiler, to the circle. As the drumbeat begins, one of the ladies chants softly, her words drifting out over the beat of the drums.
If you don't mind hanging out with the Rainbow Family on a Wednesday evening at Tower Grove Park, then you will enjoy drumming at about 8 O'Clock. A lot of the folks meet for a cup of Java at Mokebee's across the street from the park beforehand.
The Mountain Bear Drumming Circle meets once a month on the last Friday of the month at the Soul Esteem Center in Maryland Heights. This drumming circle has a more Native American theme. It is much slower and rhythmic and there is a talking circle at the beginning where a talking stick is passed around the circle and everyone gets a chance to speak. Beforehand there is a pot luck supper where everybody brings their own dish.
At 1 pm. On Sundays there's a drumming circle at Drum Headquarters on Manchester in Maplewood. You can learn the different ways of drumming and check out the awesome displays of drums at the store. You might even buy one before you're through.
If the love the Loop as much as I do, then you won't mind sticking around for a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon and participating in their Sunday afternoon drum circle. It's easy to find, right behind Fitz's Root Beer. Everyone's continued participation in this drumming circle is crucial, because some people want to end all of the street performances in the Loop. I really hope that doesn't happen because that is the entire atmosphere of the place.
For more information about these and other drumming circles in St. Louis, check out my article "Drumming Creates a Sense of Community" at:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/288538/drumming_circles_create_a_sense_of.html?cat=33
The group consists of an eclectic group of people. There the long-haired musician that started the group. He owns a recording studio and plays bass in a rock band. There are others in the group who have no musical background whatsoever. There are people who come from all walks of life, getting together on a Friday night to bang on the drums and have a little fun. I'm one of them.
Everyone sits down and Robert asks everyone to go around the circle and tell everybody their name. Then he slowly starts a beat on his drum. Soon everyone joins in and a rhythm is started. A few minutes into it and the circle is jamming. A couple of the store's customers and the sales clerk stand and watch. After almost thirty minutes of continuous drumming, the beat slows down and the finally comes to a halt. There is a smattering of applause from the crowd.
The group does two more fifteen minute sessions of drumming before the circle draws to a close.
At the Center for Spiritual Living 12815 Fee Fee Road, on a Sunday evening, a drum circle gathers. It is more spiritual in nature than the one at Pathway's. It is led by an elementary school teacher. The group consists mostly of people who come to the Spiritual Center as regulars. Some of them have services like Reiki there. Others just come in to be enlightened about other religions. One lady brings her service dog, a big, fat Rottweiler, to the circle. As the drumbeat begins, one of the ladies chants softly, her words drifting out over the beat of the drums.
If you don't mind hanging out with the Rainbow Family on a Wednesday evening at Tower Grove Park, then you will enjoy drumming at about 8 O'Clock. A lot of the folks meet for a cup of Java at Mokebee's across the street from the park beforehand.
The Mountain Bear Drumming Circle meets once a month on the last Friday of the month at the Soul Esteem Center in Maryland Heights. This drumming circle has a more Native American theme. It is much slower and rhythmic and there is a talking circle at the beginning where a talking stick is passed around the circle and everyone gets a chance to speak. Beforehand there is a pot luck supper where everybody brings their own dish.
At 1 pm. On Sundays there's a drumming circle at Drum Headquarters on Manchester in Maplewood. You can learn the different ways of drumming and check out the awesome displays of drums at the store. You might even buy one before you're through.
If the love the Loop as much as I do, then you won't mind sticking around for a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon and participating in their Sunday afternoon drum circle. It's easy to find, right behind Fitz's Root Beer. Everyone's continued participation in this drumming circle is crucial, because some people want to end all of the street performances in the Loop. I really hope that doesn't happen because that is the entire atmosphere of the place.
For more information about these and other drumming circles in St. Louis, check out my article "Drumming Creates a Sense of Community" at:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/288538/drumming_circles_create_a_sense_of.html?cat=33
You can also start your own drum circle by following the About.com suggestions at:
http://worldmusic.about.com/od/instrumentation/ht/startdrumcircle.htm
Pax et Amor,
Brother Man Brian
www.PaxetAmor.org
www.BrainsFlight.com
