Drumming Therapy
taps into layers of the mind and body that other modalities cannot. Studies
have shown that repetitive drumming changes brain wave activity, inducing a
state of calm and focused awareness.
The first sound we ever heard while still in our mother's
womb was the beating of her heart, and the rhythm of her breath. No matter our
race, gender, age, religion or belief system, this common experience exists for
all human beings. Rhythm is our natural inheritance. It exists in our bodies,
our hearts, and our breath. It exists in the vibration of atoms, the cycles of
the seasons, the ticking of clocks, the orbit of the earth.
Drumming is a practice that spans the globe and has a
presence in every culture. It has been used for centuries in rituals,
ceremonies, communication, rites of passage, music and dance, celebration,
healing, community building, and cultural events.
What is Drumming
Therapy?
Drumming Therapy is a method of utilizing the natural
power of rhythm and sound and applying it to an individual or group for
healing. A truly holistic healing approach, group drumming breaks down social
barriers, promotes freedom of expression, non-verbal communication, unity and
cooperation. Drumming awakens dormant emotions and unexplainable feelings of
excitement, peace, and ecstasy. It can elevate the mood, decrease anxiety, and
stress, and it boosts immune system functioning and benefits physical health.
Repetitive drumming changes brain wave activity thus
inducing a state of tranquil and focused awareness for the psychological,
emotional, physical, and/ or spiritual benefit of the individuals. In a
therapeutic drumming session, you are guided to achieve a targeted result by
sound and rhythm.
The purpose of the drum therapy session, but not limited
to are to treat stress, depression or other mental distress or trauma,
supporting the body to make physical recovery from illness or disease, building
self-confidence and self-esteem and embracing positive working relationships in
one`s life.
Drumming induces deep relaxation, lowers blood pressure,
and reduces stress. It also helps to control the chronic pain, promotes the
production of endorphins and endogenous opiates, the bodies’ own morphine-like
painkillers, and can thereby help in the control of pain.
This rhythmic stimulation also synchronizes the frontal
and lower areas of the brain, integrating nonverbal information from lower
brain structures into the frontal cortex, producing “feelings of insight,
understanding, integration, certainty, conviction, and truth, which surpass
ordinary understandings and tend to persist long after the experience, often
providing foundational insights for religious and cultural traditions.” The
more connections that can be made within the brain, the more integrated our
experiences become.
Drumming Therapy
Applications
Latest studies’ results scientifically validate the
therapeutic effects of ancient rhythm techniques. Recent research reviews
indicate that drumming accelerates physical healing, boosts the immune system
and produces feelings of well-being, a release of emotional trauma, and
reintegration of self.
Other studies have demonstrated the calming, focusing,
and healing effects of drumming on Alzheimer's patients, autistic children,
combat veterans, emotionally disturbed teens, recovering addicts, trauma patients,
and prison and homeless populations. Study results demonstrate that drumming is
a valuable treatment for stress, fatigue, anxiety, addiction, hypertension,
asthma, chronic pain, arthritis, heart disease, mental illness, cancer,
multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, emotional disorders, and a
wide range of physical disabilities.
Research studies mentioned below indicate that drumming:
Reduces tension,
anxiety, and stress
Drumming induces deep relaxation, lowers blood pressure,
and reduces stress. Stress, according to current medical research, contributes
to nearly all disease and is a primary cause of such life-threatening illnesses
as heart attacks, strokes, and immune system breakdowns. A 2003 study found
that a program of group drumming helped reduce stress and employee turnover in
the long-term care industry and might help other high-stress occupations as
well. A groundbreaking 2005 study demonstrated that group drumming not only
reduces stress, but reverses genetic switches that turn on the stress response
believed responsible in the development of common diseases. A 2001 study, led
by Dr. Bittman, have shown that blood samples from participants of an hour-long
drumming session revealed a reversal of the hormonal stress response and an
increase in natural killer cell activity.
Helps control
chronic pain
Chronic pain has a progressively draining effect on the
quality of life, and may become a significant factor triggering depression and
suicide thoughts. Researchers suggest that drumming serves as a distraction
from pain and grief. Moreover, drumming promotes the production of endorphins
and endogenous opiates, the bodies own morphine-like painkillers, and can
thereby help in the control of pain. Endorphins are among the brain chemicals
known as neurotransmitters, which interact with the opiate receptors in the
brain to reduce our perception of pain and act similarly to drugs such as
morphine and codeine. In contrast to the opiate drugs, however, activation of
the opiate receptors by the body's endorphins does not lead to dependence or
addiction. Although more research needs to be done, endorphins are believed to
produce four key effects on the body/mind: they relieve pain, reduce stress,
enhance the immune system, and postpone the aging process.
Boosts the immune
system
A 2001 medical research study indicates that drumming
circles boost the immune system. Led by renowned cancer expert Barry Bittman,
MD, the study demonstrates that group drumming actually increases
cancer-killing cells, which help the body combat cancer as well as other
viruses, including AIDS. According to Dr. Bittman, "Group drumming tunes
our biology, orchestrates our immunity, and enables healing to begin. It's
simply a matter of letting go, joining in and having fun -- Mind Over
Matter!"
Alleviates
depression
By helping people express their emotions, music therapy
appears to be an effective treatment for depression. Twice a week, with the
help of trained music therapists, the participants in a 2011 research study
learned how to improvise music using a mallet instrument, a percussion
instrument or an acoustic, West African djembe drum. Study results demonstrated
that participants receiving active music therapy in addition to standard care
had a significantly greater improvement in their symptoms than those receiving
standard care alone after three months of treatment.
Produces deeper
self-awareness by inducing synchronous brain activity
Research has demonstrated that the physical transmission
of rhythmic energy to the brain synchronizes the two cerebral hemispheres. When
the logical left hemisphere and the intuitive right hemisphere begin to pulsate
in harmony, the inner guidance of intuitive knowing can then flow unimpeded
into conscious awareness. The ability to access unconscious information through
symbols and imagery facilitates psychological integration and a reintegration
of self. Drumming also synchronizes the frontal and lower areas of the brain,
integrating nonverbal information from lower brain structures into the frontal
cortex, producing "feelings of insight, understanding, integration,
certainty, conviction, and truth, which surpass ordinary understandings and
tend to persist long after the experience, often providing foundational
insights for religious and cultural traditions."
Accesses the entire
brain
The reason rhythm is such a powerful tool is that it
permeates the entire brain. Vision for example is in one part of the brain,
speech another, but drumming accesses the whole brain. The sound of drumming
generates dynamic neuronal connections in all parts of the brain even where
there is significant damage or impairment such as in Attention Deficit Disorder
(ADD). According to Michael Thaut, director of Colorado State University's
Center for Biomedical Research in Music, "Rhythmic cues can help retrain
the brain after a stroke or other neurological impairment, as with Parkinson's
patients..." The more connections that can be made within the brain, the
more integrated our experiences become.
Induces natural
altered states of consciousness
Rhythmic drumming induces altered states, which have a
wide range of therapeutic applications. A recent study by Barry Quinn, Ph.D.
demonstrates that even a brief drumming session can double alpha brain wave
activity, dramatically reducing stress. The brain changes from Beta waves
(focused concentration and activity) to Alpha waves (calm and relaxed),
producing feelings of euphoria and well-being. Alpha activity is associated
with meditation, shamanic trance, and integrative modes of consciousness. This
ease of induction contrasts significantly with the long periods of isolation
and practice required by most meditative disciplines before inducing
significant effects. Rhythmic stimulation is a simple yet effective technique
for affecting states of mind.
Creates a sense of
connectedness with self and others
In a society in which traditional family and
community-based systems of support have become increasingly fragmented,
drumming circles provide a sense of connectedness with others and interpersonal
support. A drum circle provides an opportunity to connect with your own spirit
at a deeper level, and to connect with a group of other like-minded people.
Group drumming alleviates self-centeredness, isolation, and alienation.
According to music educator and leadership consultant Ed Mikenas,
"Drumming provides an authentic experience of unity and physiological
synchronicity. If we put people together who are out of sync with themselves
(i.e., diseased, addicted) and help them experience the phenomenon of
entrainment, it is possible for them to feel with and through others what it is
like to be synchronous in a state of preverbal connectedness."
Provides medium for
individual self-realization
Drumming helps reconnect to the core, enhancing our sense
of empowerment and stimulating creative expression. “The advantage of participating
in a drumming group is that you develop an auditory feedback loop within
yourself and among group members—a channel for self-expression and positive
feedback—that is pre-verbal, emotion-based, and sound-mediated.” People in a
drum circle are expressing themselves through his or her drum and listening to
the other drums at the same time. “Everyone is speaking, everyone is heard, and
each person’s sound is an essential part of the whole.” Each person can drum
out their feelings without saying a word, without having to reveal their
issues. Group drumming complements traditional talk therapy methods. It
provides a means of exploring and developing the inner self. It serves as a
vehicle for personal transformation, consciousness expansion, and community
building. The primitive drumming circle is emerging as a significant
therapeutic tool in the modern technological age.
Helps us to
experience being in resonance with the natural rhythms of life
Rhythm and resonance order the natural world. Dissonance
and disharmony arise only when we limit our capacity to resonate totally and
completely with the rhythms of life. The origin of the word rhythm is Greek
meaning "to flow." We can learn to flow with the rhythms of life by
simply learning to feel the beat, pulse, or groove while drumming. When
drummers feel this rhythmic flow, especially at a slower, steady beat, they can
shift into a state of deep relaxation and expanded awareness. It is a way of
bringing the essential self into accord with the flow of a dynamic,
interrelated universe, helping us feel connected rather than isolated and
estranged.
Releases negative
feelings, blockages, and emotional trauma
Drumming can help people express and address emotional
issues. Unexpressed feelings and emotions can form energy blockages. The
physical stimulation of drumming removes blockages and produces emotional
release. Sound vibrations resonate through every cell in the body, stimulating
the release of negative cellular memories. As a counselor of at-risk youth, Ed
Mikenas finds that, "Drumming emphasizes self-expression, teaches how to
rebuild emotional health, and addresses issues of violence and conflict through
expression and integration of emotions." Michael Winkelman, a leader in
neurotheological perspectives on shamanism, believes that drumming and other
shamanic altered states of consciousness activities can also address the
emotional needs of addicted populations. In his 2003 article, "Drumming
Out Drugs," Winkelman concluded that, "Drumming circles have
important roles as complementary addiction therapy, particularly for repeated
relapse and when other counseling modalities have failed."
Places one in the
present moment
Drumming helps alleviate stress that is created from
hanging on to the past or worrying about the future. When one plays a drum, one
is placed squarely in the here and now. One of the paradoxes of rhythm is that
it has both the capacity to move your awareness out of your body into realms
beyond time and space, and to ground you firmly in the present moment. It
allows you to maintain a portion of ordinary awareness while experiencing
non-ordinary awareness. This permits full recall later of the visionary
experience.
Drum circle etiquette
Drum circle events of any kind, are about dynamic
interactive musical and personal relationships. These relationships, when
involved in any group rhythmical alchemy event, are based on a simple set of
unwritten guidelines. When adhered to, these relationship guidelines can help
direct the group of players to their highest musical potential.
In culturally specific circles, these unwritten guidelines
have been developed through centuries of ancestral evolution. They can also
apply to any contemporary western version of a drum circle, from a
"free-form" drum jam to a facilitated community rhythm event. These
unwritten musical and personal relationship guidelines are contained within
what I call Drum Circle Etiquette. To most drum circle regulars, Drum Circle
Etiquette is just a set of nonverbal agreements that everyone adheres to in
order to create a fun and exciting musical experience together.
Here are some standard general guidelines:
* Don’t wear rings, watches, or bracelets while playing
drums. This protects the head on the drum as well as the drum itself from the
metal. It also protects your hands.
* Ask permission before playing somebody else’s drum. For
some drummers, his or her instrument is a very personal possession. Also, if
someone gets up and leaves the circle to get a drink or go to the bathroom,
don’t immediately jump in and take their seat. In some drumming communities,
the drummers will put something on their seat, cover her or his drum with
something, or lay their drum on its side to signify that they will be back.
* Listen as much as you play. By listening to what is
going on in the circle as you play, you will have a better sense of how you
might fit into the groove that is being created.
* Support the fundamental groove that you hear in the
drum song being created in the circle. You do not have to be a rhythm robot and
hold down the same part all night long. There is plenty of freedom within the
fundamental groove to experiment with while expressing your rhythmical spirit.
* Leave rhythmical space for other players in the circle
to express themselves. Do not fill up the space with your own notes so much
that there is not much creative space left for the other players.
* Play at the volume of the group. If you can only hear
yourself, you are probably not having a constructive musical relationship with
the rest of the players in the circle. Good volume dynamics create good
relationship dynamics. Play softly enough so that you can hear everyone around
you. While you are drumming, be sure to follow and support the dynamic changes
in volume and tempo that the group will go through during a drum circle event.
Advice for first
comers
Along with the standard drum circle etiquette’
suggestions, there are few recommendations for beginners who are joining a drum
circle event for the first time:
* Enjoy the Journey. In all the excitement, do not forget
to have fun. Although it will help you to follow the simple Drum Circle
Etiquette guidelines, you do not really have to be an experienced drummer to
fully participate and have a good time.
* Don’t worry even if you might think that you are
rhythmically challenged. Just get started and you will find rhythms inside of
you that you did not know you had. All you have to do is actively participate
in the drum circle event and the excitement and rhythms that will surround you
will pull out of you exactly what you need to fully contribute to the group
song. You do not even need to play a drum. You can bring a simple percussion
instrument, like a shaker, a bell or a wood block. They are a lot easier to
play than a hand drum.
* Support the drum community experience. If you are
participating in a drum circle event for the first time, the best way to play
is with an attitude of humility and support. Be very observant of the actions
and reactions of the more advanced drummers who are playing in the circle and
you will learn a lot quickly.
* Keep it simple. Listen for, then play along with, and
around the pulse that will always be somewhere in the music. It is like keeping
the side of the pool within reach, as you are learning how to swim. The simple
pulse will always be there for you to “grab on to” if you ever get rhythmically
lost while playing. Once you are comfortable with what you are playing, you can
explore deeper rhythmical waters. Just keep the pulse in site.
* Every rhythm event is different, and has its own
particular variations of Drum Circle Etiquette. If you are not sure what is
appropriate, just ask somebody. They usually will respond with supportive
suggestions.
How to find Drum
Circle near you?
There are many websites, listing the available drum
circles by geographical location. But, I would recommend Meetup as the first place
to start your search, as it lists the biggest amount of groups, and information
is always updated.
Note that in most cases, you do not need even to bring your won drum, if you do not have one. Regular members are usually bringing extra instruments for newcomers.
Website: http://drumcircle.meetup.com/
Sources and
Additional Information:
