| How many times over the last year have you | | | | Theories have an easy vehicle of delivery when |
| looked at or read a warning label? The media | | | | used with the Drum Circle. |
| reports mass recalls of products because the side | | | | #3 - UNDERSTANDING OF OTHERS THROUGH |
| effects were not thoroughly researched. We | | | | METAPHORS |
| have also seen over the years that the process | | | | We all use metaphors to create ways to gain a |
| of manufacturing a product was tampered with | | | | new perspective when describing an event or a |
| to damage the product's reputation. Sometimes | | | | concept. The drum circle is a great place to |
| they are not even stated on the product itself. | | | | experiment with many different metaphors, |
| Did you know that there are over 92 symptoms | | | | including visual, aural, tactile and physical. The |
| and side effects associated with the consumption | | | | current curriculum expectations in our education |
| of aspartame?! | | | | system ask for new ways to teach values and |
| Mass appeal in advertising a product or a story's | | | | character enhancing principles. The drum circle |
| "Newsworthiness" seems to, more often than | | | | naturally allows for these creative interpretations |
| not, reflect the bad news, the sad news or the | | | | to come to life as participants enjoy exciting and |
| negative. It seems to me that this happens | | | | innovative ways to learn! |
| because people listen more intently as it hits our | | | | #4 - SELF-CONFIDENCE |
| emotional buttons quicker. In the pharmaceutical | | | | Participating in a well-facilitated drum circle gives |
| industry drug manufacturers are required to list all | | | | the players a real sense of personal |
| known side effects of their products. When side | | | | accomplishment. They feel like their voice is being |
| effects of necessary medication are severe, | | | | heard. The challenge of trying something new in |
| sometimes a second medication or lifestyle | | | | front of others, and truly succeeding in it, gives us |
| change, dietary change, or other measures may | | | | all a tremendous boost of energy and confidence. |
| help to minimize them. | | | | It opens up our hearts to the needs and actions |
| We all need to stay informed, but we also need | | | | of others. Creating self worth in our youth is one |
| to make wiser choices about the consumables | | | | of the biggest challenges in today's busy world. |
| that we put into our bodies and our minds. In | | | | Drum circles offer room for us all to grow. |
| doing so, hopefully we will also stimulate others as | | | | #5 - RELATIONSHIP AND TEAM BUILDING |
| to the proper use and benefits of some of our | | | | All teams benefit from setting and then working |
| new products and progressive "new age | | | | towards a goal. Feeling the power of group |
| therapies". Many of these therapies seem to lack | | | | energy by using the element of Rhythm is an |
| credibility and seem to only have limited anecdotal | | | | uplifting experience. The natural law of |
| evidence to support them. | | | | entrainment allows humans to fall into "Rhythm" |
| I have often stuck out my own neck in | | | | quickly, but reaching their group's potential when |
| supporting the use of drum circles as one of | | | | drumming can also be transformational. The drum |
| those therapies. They are not a new technique | | | | circle allows for all levels of participants to come |
| but boast many beneficial results or " side | | | | together in unity. The common pulse and its |
| effects". Drum circles have had a sustained | | | | byproduct of "oneness" is something that allows |
| presence throughout history. They have had | | | | us to appreciate the power of the group and its |
| valuable applications within societies all over the | | | | commitment to a goal. |
| globe for hundreds of years, and they are not | | | | #6 - IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| going to disappear anytime soon. | | | | Drumming has three direct health connections. It is |
| Over the past 16 years, I have presented drum | | | | good for the mind, body and the spirit. Our planet |
| circle events for a wide variety of applications | | | | sustains itself with the principals of rhythm. Life |
| ranging from teacher training in schools to training | | | | evolves in rhythm, and learning how to "stay in |
| counselors and therapists in hospitals as well as | | | | rhythm" with others is one of the most important |
| team building programs at Professional Leadership | | | | lessons we can teach each other. Doctors in all |
| Conferences. These drum circles have been | | | | three of theses fields are already seeing the |
| described as "Medi-Rhythmical Therapy" and | | | | benefits and documenting the results of |
| "Values-Centered Leadership" events. These | | | | prescribing "Medi-Rhythmical Therapies" to help |
| experiences have equipped me with many great | | | | their patients. Pick up a drum today. It's good for |
| tools for integrating drum circles into our | | | | you! |
| community. | | | | #7 - ELEVATED HEART RATE (CELEBRATIONS) |
| Although the benefits of participating in a drum | | | | The source of Rhythmic Energy is deep in our |
| circle are well documented, an interesting challenge | | | | Soul. Celebrations during one's life journeys are |
| that often rears its head is the need to convince | | | | almost always accompanied by music making. |
| the client , the "stakeholders" or the media for | | | | Drumming and rhythm making have always |
| that matter to actually offer this service to their | | | | elevated the spirit of society. As we celebrate |
| team or community. It seems to be difficult in | | | | through life, from birth to eulogy, human rhythmic |
| persuading them that there are definite favorable | | | | energy has always transformed us as well as our |
| "side effects" for the group participating in the | | | | planet. This was the goal that is depicted in |
| drum circle. The ones who are most openly | | | | historical images and photos in Mickey Hart's and |
| thankful and comment positively about their | | | | David Lieberman's tremendous book "Planet |
| personal "side effects" are actual users of the | | | | Drum". |
| product, the participants, the staff, the children in | | | | #8 - PEACE IN COMMUNITY |
| the classroom. These are beneficial side affects | | | | Drums circles naturally bring people together into |
| and are all very different for each individual! | | | | community. Drum circles are one of the easiest |
| Here I share with you 10 positive human "Side | | | | ways to celebrate each other. The |
| Effects" of the professionally facilitated drum circle | | | | Merriam-Webster's dictionary uses the active |
| that I have experienced and integrated into my | | | | terms "interacting" and "unified" to describe the |
| clients' lives over the past 15 years. I hope they | | | | individuals in a population. These are perfect |
| inspire you to go out and find yourself a drum | | | | descriptions of the exact energy that is alive |
| circle to attend so you, too, can benefit | | | | inside the drum circle. |
| from.......well read on........ | | | | #9 - ETHNO-CULTURAL INTEGRATION |
| #1 - PERSONAL RELAXATION AND | | | | Every culture throughout the history of |
| MEDITATION | | | | humankind has a relationship with rhythm. The |
| Drumming in any form, whether it is solo or in a | | | | instruments and their origins allow us to see the |
| group, has been used for years for personal | | | | diversity in all cultures. Having these two themes |
| relaxation and meditation. Shamanic spiritual | | | | come together through the music created inside |
| journeying has been in practice for hundreds of | | | | the drum circle gives us an enhanced awareness |
| years. Therapists use drumming to relax the | | | | and appreciation of our differences. I cannot think |
| minds of patients as well as a tool for treating the | | | | of a better place to demonstrate how different |
| sick and elderly for palliative care. Our minds are | | | | cultures learn to flourish together. |
| transported back to the original state of comfort | | | | #10 - ENJOYMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT |
| that we all experienced in utero, in the comfort of | | | | Everyone loves to be entertained, but it is a huge |
| our mother's womb, surrounded in the rhythm of | | | | rush to be a part of the entertaining! The thought |
| her body and heart. | | | | of empowering yourself while having fun at the |
| #2 - MIND GROWTH THROUGH EDUCATION | | | | same time never seems to go together. And yet |
| When drumming is used in the classroom, it can | | | | we experience the enthusiasm of one another's |
| assist us in teaching many art forms, from | | | | spirit inside the drum circle. The basic act of just |
| movement, drama and dance to all the elements | | | | having fun takes us back to the energy we |
| of music. Curriculum requirements are always | | | | experienced in our youth. Give yourself permission |
| expanding, and teachers are constantly looking for | | | | to have fun, and your doctor will love you! |
| ways to apply new knowledge. Universal Design | | | | |