Yoga and Drumming
One of the finest ways to apply therapeutic drumming is combining it with other modalities of holistic health. One of these that I have had great joy in participating with this yoga. Now I’ll be clear here, I am not a big yoga guy! I like it, but my body seems to have an adverse reaction. It does not like to bend to positions that it does not seem meant to do. I’m only half kidding. Yoga and Drumming
Holistic Therapy
I began working in the yoga field many years ago with a wonderful young lady by the name of Sianna Sherman. She is an amazing yoga teacher, and upon hearing my drumming decided we must work together. It had never occurred to me to mix these two disciplines. I soon became enthusiastic as her students began to respond to the rhythm of the drum.
As she began the class, she had the students doing some slow stretching movements. I began to play some slow Earth-based rhythms. As the class continued and the postures became more complicated, the intensity of the rhythms played on the drum increased as well. It was almost like the energy of the class was inspiring the energy of the drum while simultaneously the rhythm of the draw was inspiring the class to go deeper into their postures, hold them longer, and connect more deeply to their meaning. None of this was intentional! It was kind of an experiment that was delightful!
For up about the last half hour of class things started to wind down and the rhythm of the drum followed in suit. When we reached the final posture where everyone lays down on their yoga mat, I stood over each person and drum a few rhythms. The response from the students was amazing! It was through this experience that I was inspired to work with many other yoga teachers around the country and have had fantastic results in this collaboration.
If you are a yoga teacher and are interested in collaborating, please contact me! It is fun, inspiring, and profoundly therapeutic to add these modalities to each other.
