drum circles - drum journey1:1 drum therapy - drum massageevents - team buildingyoga drum - ceremony - performance
drum circles & drum journey
"Today I went to my first Drum Circle...I can't believe I've not done this before! It was AMAZING - I LOVED IT!!! So empowering and creative and fun! Thank you Ruth" - ST
"One of the most profoundly healing experiences I've ever had! The drum journey was really powerful and have certainly made me think more about the use of sound in health" - A
"It was brilliant! I loved it and looking around the room it looked like everyone else loved it (drum circle) too. Happy drummers! Lovely to see everyone having fun together, a fantastic shared experience we'll remember for a long time!" Paul - OT @The NHS Family Intensive Support Team
drum circlespublic, private & team-building events - including NHS, Martlets Hospice and Blind Veterans UK
Come, drum and connect! Group drumming is something everyone can do regardless of musical experience, it's about enjoying ourselves in rhythm together! We run a regular Drum Circles, discovering the joys of creative expression, the sense of connection of playing in a group whilst finding our own natural rhythm that is inside each one of us. All are welcome!
Our drum circles are facilitated by Ruth who is an enthusiastic drummer who focuses on the enjoyment of collaborative group drumming, playing both traditional rhythms and improvisational jamming rather than 'teaching' drumming. It's all about the fun and enjoyment of group rhythm! For those that find the djembe drum too large to use comfortably, we have some smaller frame drums available and there's plenty of percussion to experiment with too!
team building & wellbeing sessions
benefits of drumming - Research into the health benefits of rhythmic drumming have shown to be physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. There is currently much scientific interest in the interaction between group drumming and the biology of the human body:
- It brings people together, improving listening and communication skills, helps alleviate social isolation and can help build positive relationships, communicating without words or gestures
- It shown that it can positively affect our immune and endocrine systems and has shown to significantly increase the disease fighting activity of circulating white blood cells that seek out and destroy cancer cells and virally infected cells
- It induces a deep sense of relaxation, lowering blood pressure and stress levels - Stress is one of the most common diseases of modern culture, and drumming is a highly effective solution. Stress has shown to be responsible for the development of many common diseases
- Drumming has been used to help conditions such as Stress, Depression, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Immune Deficiency, Cancer, Autism and many more
- It allows for the creative self-expression and the joy of improvisation
- It helps develop multi-tasking abilities
- Improves confidence
- Improves concentration
- Improves short term memory and the ability to focus
- Improves co-ordination
- Improves physical flexibility
- Music making offers extensive exercise for brain cells and their synapses (connections)
- It can energise or relax, bring about a sense of playfulness or release anger and tension
- It increases our Alpha brainwaves, which are associated with feelings of well-being and euphoria
the djembe drum - The Bamana people of Mali in West Africa are cited as being the creators of the Djembe drum. The name of the djembe comes from the saying "Anke djé, anke bé" which translates to "everyone gather together in peace" and defines the drum's purpose". "djé" is the verb for "gather" and "bé" translates as "peace" which is what we do at our drumming circles. The music of drums creates a conduit to the Divine and connects us to our tribal nature. Group drumming is something everyone can do regardless of musical experience.
Our drumming circles are facilitated by Ruth who is an enthusiastic drummer who focuses on the enjoyment of collaborative group drumming and improvisational jamming rather than 'teaching' drumming. It's all about the fun and enjoyment of group rhythm! If you don't have a djembe
drum (as pictured) or if you find the djembe too large to use comfortably, we have smaller frame drums available and there's plenty of percussion to experiment with too! We have drums available for you to play during our sessions or bring along any frame or hand drum to play.
photo taken from our Soundbath and Drum Circle nature immersion workshop in the woods with our friends at Wild Side
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drum journey (shamanic journeying)1:1 - group sessions
The drum journey experience - Shamanic drum journeys are an ancient and sacred practice used by many cultures around the world as a way of moving oneself into an altered state of consciousness similar to meditation or to that just before falling asleep. They induce a kind of day dream or lucid dream allowing one to rest in a perhaps more unified state of being where one has the potential to see themselves and their process more clearly offering deep transformation, inspiration and insight.
Other benefits include stress hormone (cortisol) reduction, blood pressure and heart rate lower, potassium/sodium levels in the body can re-balance, cellular regeneration can take place and our autonomic nervous system can relax, offering the potential to find relief from physical pain, reduced stress and improvement in stress related symptoms, working on all levels of being, physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically and spiritually, in a person centred way. After the group Drum Journey you are invited to share your experience with the group if you wish.
Yoga mats and blankets are provided but please do feel free to bring your own for your own comfort.
For 1:1 Drum Journey we have both vegan synthetic skinned drums and traditional natural skinned drums available for your personal preference.
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yoga drumAre you a yoga teacher? Ruth is available to bring live drumming to one of your yoga workshops or sessions.
Yoga and live drumming is a wonderful and dynamic way of moving and stretching gently to rhythm.
"Amazing workshop..!! It was exactly what my mind and body needed. The drumming and sound bath was such a great experience. Thank you so much"
Photo: from a workshop with Lucy Howlett of Lift Yoga and Personal Training
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ceremonyWe can help make your ceremony or event, whatever event it may be, that little bit more special using sound drum and rhythm.
- 'celebration of life' ceremony
- handfasting
- birthdays
- equinox events
- retreats
- the list is long...
Please feel free to contact us to discuss your requirements
Photo: Ruth playing drum alongside a firewalk, followed by a gathering drum circle at a 'Celebration of Life' ceremony
