SACRED TOOLS
for Healing
Anything can become sacred; any object, ritual, ceremony, altar, land, building. It's how we hold it, love it, respect it, honor it that makes it so.
Life itself is sacred.
Different cultures all hold their own ancestry of sacred tools and working with them. These are items that have been attributed with certain abilities, characteristics, purpose or meaning.
For me, two of the oldest tools known to man, the voice and the shamanic drum are close to my heart, and I have added to that treasured heart space, the shamanic rattle.
I feel truly blessed to spend my days creating and working with these sacred tools, and supporting others in birthing their own sacred tools.
Visit my Soul Song page to learn how your voice can help you heal.
Medicine of the Shamanic Drum
Mother Earth, the universe, all that is...has a heart beat; a rhythm, a unique vibration. As energy workers we connect, tune in, communicate and work with these beats and vibrations.
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Our ancestors right across the globe have worked with drums. Drums have been central to our ways of communicating with Spirit via visions and journeying. Shamanic drums have been used by medicine men and women over centuries to heal, communicate, and in ceremony and rituals. They are powerful in bringing communities together, and there is no barrier to their use. Anyone can own and learn to work with a drum.
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Each shamanic drum comes in with its own spirit. It's own soul. They all bring a unique message and healing potential. Each time I birth a drum, or support a student bringing in a drum I am blown away by the gifts they bring. They teach us about ourselves, as well as about who they are and what their special characteristics are. I believe there is also a collective Spirit of the Drum. Like an over arching ancestry.
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It brings so much joy to my heart to also help students learn how to journey. How to follow the heart beat of the shamanic drum to drop into altered stated of reality. To find their guides and support in Spirit form.
Science can now explain what is actually happening to our bodies when we drum. When our awareness shifts into what has been referred to as the 'Awakened Mind'. Our brain waves slow to the 4-7 cycles per second, the theta brain wave state. Both hemispheres of our brain become entrained; they are balanced, working at the same cycle rate with neither one dominant. This union of creative and logical, conscious and sub-conscious takes us to a hypnotic, dream like state that allows us to bridge the worlds of reality.
Listening to the regular beat of the drum has incredibly positive effects on the regulatory systems of the body. In the deeply relaxed state drumming can take us to, our bodies shift into healing states of being, with positive impacts on our CNS, immunity, stress levels, heart rate, breath. We re-regulate if you like. This means we will spontaneously begin to release tension in our bodies. We are more able to let go of anything we are holding onto that isn't serving us well, and even start to detox - that is certainly what I experience anyway!
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And, when we drum together, like in drumming circles that are seeing a huge increase in popularity right now, the whole group brain waves can become entrained. Meaning we collectively share that state. We start to 'ride the same wave' energetically. We feel the flow of the beats, of the energies in the room. Have you ever been at a circle when everyone starts to play, and it all seems at bit 'off' and awkward at the beginning, then you feel the energy shift. The group drop's into the energy and begins to flow. Beats become harmonised and an orchestra of sound with the universe conducting takes place. Such a blissful experience!
So, if you don't already drum, why not give it a try today. If you are not in a position to invest in a drum at the moment, there are many free drumming tracks available online. Here are links to two I have put together for you. Enjoy!
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Medicine of the Shamanic Rattle
Shamanic rattles have been used over time in much the same way as the shamanic drum has been. Used in ceremony, to connect with Spirit, and to heal. Like any form of sound healing, a rattle can be used to clear energy block's in the body or shift energy in a room as part of a cleansing ceremony or ritual, or to open and close space.
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An experienced energy worker/shamanic practitioner can work with the individual tones and frequencies of a rattle to connect to Spirit allies, or transmute/ward off energies. Put simply, we can all connect, and work with energy to call in, raise up, transmute and shift energy using rattles. We can clear and cleanse and promote a healthier flow state with them.
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One of my first profound shamanic rattle experiences was during my training with Stacy Keast. She has a rattle who's spirit shows itself as a large, powerful African woman. This rattle soul has an ancestral 'no-nonsense' attitude and as I worked with her, not knowing or understanding her power I was very quickly shifted into an altered state and taken through a healing process that gave me my first taste of channeling my ancestors. Quite an awakening experience!
Altered states of consciousness can be reached with repetitive, rhythmic shaking of a rattle to achieve a journeying experience. Just like with a drum.
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A rattle adds an instant diversity to a sacred healing tool kit, and as with drums they all carry a unique quality. A collection of rattles is like having an orchestra of energy to experience and work with. They tell me not to underestimate them.
With all sacred tools, I encourage you to work from the heart space, with love, respect and understanding. Get to know your tools. Connect regularly with them. Journey with them to learn what they have to teach you. Open yourself up to their healing potential for spiritual and personal growth.​