The Healing Power of the Drum. Cristine Rego Ojibway, Lac Seul First Nation

Transcription

1 The Healing Power of the Drum Cristine Rego Ojibway, Lac Seul First Nation

2 Moving toward Healing: The Good Life Mino-Bimaadiziwin or the good life requires working toward a balance in our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional parts of our being. This way of thinking has by our people has been around for centuries. (Anderson, 2005; Garrett, 1999; Rheault, 1999)

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4 our shared beliefs that practising our traditions within an urban community helps us to promote our cultural identity, and that participating in a handdrumming circle is one way for Aboriginal women to support one another. Hand Drumming: Health-Promoting Experiences of Aboriginal Women from a Northern Ontario Urban Community, (2008), Goudreau, G.

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7 Drums are used in nearly every aspect of our culture, from births to funerals. There are teachings that accompany the drum that include how the materials for drums are gathered, who has the right to prepare a drum, and what types of behavior are allowed and not allowed near a drum. There is also a ceremonial protocol and prayers offered during the drums preparation to ensure that drums emit positive energy to all those who are honored to hear its power. Drum considered our grandmother and have to treat the drum how we would treat our grandmother When you make your drum, there is a birthing ceremony. Need to make sure we smudge the drum before using.

8 Different teachings about women and drumming in some areas, it is coming back and women are picking up the drum because of the healing that comes with singing and drumming Men will use hand drums as well, but also have the Grandfather drum

9 Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux holy man made famous by John Neihardt s book Black Elk Speaks, offers this perspective: Since the drum is often the only instrument used in our sacred rites, I should perhaps tell you here why it is especially sacred and important to us. It is because the round form of the drum represents the whole universe, and its steady strong beat is the pulse, the heart, throbbing at the center of the universe. It is the voice of Wakan Tanka (Great Spirit), and this sound stirs us and helps us to understand the mystery and power of all things. ( 2009/Drums-Heartbeat-of-Mother-Earth/)

10 I picked up a drum and joined the circle, hesitant but carrying a desire so strong within to be part of the drum circle. I had felt the healing that comes with the drum beat, with the voices of the women lifted in unity. While it would take me some time before I found my voice in the drum circle, I attended every two weeks because I felt the healing in the process that accompanied the drumming. I felt pride in my identity when before I had shame. I had found a family when before I had lost one. personal journal entry

11 Goudreau s article speaks to the common threads in the interviews of the women from the drum group: Spiritual connection and growth drumming synchronicity emotional release community cultural identity, reconnection

12 Research on the healing and hertz rate notably 25 Hz, 50 Hz, 100 Hz, 125 Hz, and 150 Hz, that correspond exactly with the best frequencies determined by the most recent research for bone growth, fracture healing, pain relief, relief of breathlessness, and inflammation. cats purr rate measured, does serve a purpose to heal them. Idea was to measure different rates and determine the best Hz rate for healing. really talking about vibration rate Scientist Melinda Maxfield, PhD, conducted research on the drumbeats used during rituals of ancient cultures and found that they generally beat at a steady rate of 4.5 Hz or cycles/beats per second.

13 Our brain waves pulsate and oscillate at particular frequencies that can be measured, just like sound waves, in cycles per second. There are four basic delineations of different brain wave states, based upon the cycles per second of the brain. They are: Beta waves-from 14 to 20 hz. They are found in our normal waking state of consciousness. Beta waves are present when our focus of attention is on activities of the external world. Alpha waves-from 8 to 13 hz. They occur when we daydream and are often associated with a state of meditation. Alpha waves become stronger and more regular when our eyes are closed. Theta waves-from 4 to 7 hz. They are found in states of high creativity and have been equated to states of consciousness found in much shamanic work. Theta waves also occur in state of deep meditation and sleep. Delta waves-from.5 to 3 hz. They occur in states of deep sleep or unconsciousness. Some of the newer brain wave work indicates that a state of deep meditation produces Delta waves in conscious individuals.

14 Drumming produces deeper self-awareness by inducing synchronous brain activity the physical transmission of rhythmic energy to the brain synchronizes the two cerebral hemispheres. It is the harmonic pulsate of the logical left hemisphere and the intuitive right hemisphere that promote the inner guidance of intuitive knowing to flow unimpeded into conscious awareness. The ability to access unconscious information through symbols and imagery facilitates psychological integration and a reintegration of self.

15 also a process of synchronization between the frontal and lower areas of the brain which integrates nonverbal information from lower brain structures into the frontal cortex. When this happens, there is production of 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. Winkelman, M. (2000): Shamanism: The Neural Ecology of Consciousness and Healing. Westport, Conn: Bergin & Garvey.

16 Meeg wetch, Thank you