About Drumming
What can happen when you drum together. By Donna Clare, RN, MN, NP
Communication: CDCs create connection through the visceral sensation of rhythm and vibration. Particiapnts do not need to speak because they can hear and feel each other as they drum, but they have to listen to others to play together. Listening and speaking through the drum is simple communication that is safe, easy and universally understood. And it is a way to start communication when standard methods have failed.
Acceptance: Participants do not need drumming experience or a sense of rhythm; mistimed beats are simply absorbed by the sounds and rhythms of the group - “mistakes” even add interest and character. Individual style and ability is accepted and tolerated as long as one is trying to play along.
Inclusivness: All member of the community are welcome. Every drummer contributes to the rhythm of the group, enriching and deepening the music that is made together. Sometimes everyone will begin to just naturally play in synchronicity - like two beating cardiac cells touching in a petri dish. In those moments, the drummers experience a deep sense of unity and interdependence.
Participation: The standards of behaviour expected in a drum circle mirror the behaviours inherent in any healthy community. No one is allowed to just observe from the sidelines. Each person must be visible, even in multi-layered circles, because everyone is equally important, appreaciated and valued. Sensitivity and mutal respect are paramount. A drum circles facilitator shares these ground rules at the beginning of a CDC and reinforeces the importance of playing” in community” throughout the event. Highly dysfunctional groups may need more than a few sessions to learn to play together; the evolution from cacophony to harmony only comes with practice and perseverance.
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