Burl Bolerjack - Heart Light Drum Circle Facilitator

My events are oriented toward people who simply enjoy drumming in a group, and those who have never drummed before, but want to try it.

I treat drum circle as a powerful meditative experience :

1) Like most meditation techniques - drumming brings us present, in this moment, and demands that we stay focused in the here and now.

2) Also, as in most meditation techniques, there is a "something to do" for the conscious mind, something to keep it occupied, so it doesn't interfere with the process. The conscious mind gets to do the listening - to each individuals rhythm, the group rhythm, and how they fit together, but it doesn't get to play the instrument. Just let the body find and express each persons rhythm within the group context.

We begin with a short meditation to energetically connect all within the circle.
I then start up a simple rhythm, a base rhythm, that acts as a framework for the group rhythm, a solid place to return to if anyone gets lost. Everyone is encouraged to close their eyes and allow the body to find and express their own rhythm, to play around this base beat. What we are looking for is what the jazz musicians call "the groove", it's that moment when all the instruments and rhythms combine into a cohesive whole. It turns out this is a fairly simple process, not complex at all. New drummers, as well as very experienced (if they can let go what they know and let their bodies play), can slip right into this "groove" with little effort.

My intention in these events, is to create a space in which everyone can experience connectedness, being part of something greater than themselves.

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