Medicine of the Drum
A shamanic drum is sometimes referred to as the shaman’s horse, as the shaman will ride the drum beat through the energy world. It wasn’t until much later along my shamanic path that I learned this term, and although I agree with it’s meaning, there is so much more to a Shamanic Drum then you would ever initially think.
I feel like the best way to explain the intimacy of the relationship between a person and their shamanic Drum is to share the story of my first Drum. The love I shared with this Drum very much feels reminiscent of a first love - nothing else feels quite the same and it is a love you never forget.
I waited a long time for permission from Spirit to have a shamanic Drum. Not everyone needs permission, but for me personally, I always wait for the all rounded sense of ‘yes’ before opening a door spiritually. So when that yes came I was SO excited, and I searched around to buy a shamanic Drum, and in that, I found a drum making workshop which felt right. I wasn’t really sure of what it might entail but I knew birthing a shamanic Drum into being with my own hands felt like the right way to go. So a few months later I headed out to Kent early in the morning, with a beautiful colourful sunrise brightening the sky as I sped down the motorway.
When I arrived at the little venue set on the edge of a field, I had to bring the car to a complete stop, as in front me where two white doves dancing and spiralling with each other beak to beak right in middle of the road. I had never seen anything like it and knew instinctively for it to be a good omen. Right place, right time. The image of this and the feeling brings to mind the wings from the two of cups tarot card.
As the ceremony begun and we started making our shamanic Drums, I remember the uncertainty I felt when I chose the horse hide - is this the right hide for me? I began weaving the drum together with a rose quartz crystal nearby. I remember feeling a little stressed as I tightened the lacing at the back - am I doing this right? And then after much work our Drums were complete. We are asked to line up all the newly birthed shamanic Drums whilst we took a break and as I placed mine amongst the others I noticed my Drum seemed warped, it was misshapen, but I felt a love for the Drum and stepped back to look at it with all the others. As I I did, a gentleman who had just placed his drum with the others came and stood next to me. He asked me which was mine, and when I told him, he looked and said ‘that doesn’t look right, there is something wrong with your drum’. I felt a strong surge of fiercely protective love for my Drum, which the gentlemen sensed so he stepped away.
It was time to journey to meet the Spirit of the Drum. As I entered into the journey I met the Spirit of the Horse, he was a young horse, and I got on his back and we rode quickly galloping away. I sensed that he had been hurt which is why he died younger than he should have. We rode together as one, with power and speed, until Horse came to a gentle stop in a dense mossy forest. I got off Horse and could see a light shining so began walking towards it, round the tree and there floating in the air was the Spirit of the Drum, glowing with a bright light. I sat down in front of it, in awe of its beauty, and asked what do you have to tell me? The Spirit of the Drum said ‘you have unconditional love for everyone……….except yourself’. When I returned from the journey I was in shock. The idea of loving myself, let alone unconditionally, had never occurred to me.
I travelled home with my Drum, with a similar tenderness and care as if bringing home a baby from the hospital. Seven days for it to dry before I could play. Seven long days. That night the Drum’s face told me a story about the sands of time and the energy of spirit arriving to Mother Earth. The next day the Drum’s face spoke to me about the elements that made up the foundation of life. The day after that the Drum face had dried to almost its final colour, pattern and hue, and surprisingly a single large bright white scar. I could sense this scar was a reflection of me, that both the Horse Spirit and I carry a large scar from a painful wound.
For the next eighteen months my Drum was the love of my life, where I could take it I would. Where I could play it I would. I worked with my Drum in countless healings for others and countless journeys for myself. Travelling through the energy world with the same power and speed that I felt the first time I met the Spirit of the Horse. Until one day I finally felt the stirrings of a call for a new shamanic Drum. So without any intention of replacing my Drum, just more adding another to my shamanic toolkit, I booked on to another drum birthing ceremony. And the week before the ceremony, the hoop on my Drum snapped.
When I attended the drum birthing ceremony the following week, by chance the facilitator had brought an extra hoop. When we journeyed to meet the Spirit of the Drum, the Spirit of my first Drum appeared and showed me how it had carried me through many personal battles, and that it was time to move on to the next drum.
I did remake my first Drum the following week, smoothing out the hide and replacing the hoop so it was no longer misshapen although it had gained a few more markings as if age lines had appeared. And I continued to work with my first Drum. Over time I played it less and less, and soon it became a loving item on my altar. Until one day, around five years after its birth, I felt the hide wanted to be released. That young woman who had no confidence, self worth, or self love - she no longer existed. So I untied the drum, with deep love and affection, saying goodbye to this loved one that held me with such strength through so many personal healings, reminding me to love myself even though I was hurt and misshapen.
May the Spirit of the Horse from this Drum be blessed on its journey of Soul evolution. Waheguru.