Beautiful Ocean

The drumming and dancing continued during that wonderful evening! The sun began to set, but while there was still light we were going to continue to drum and dance and honor the ocean and sacredness of the beautiful island of Kuaui.

The colors begin to take their place in the clouds, and the rhythms shifted and changed. The dancing became more vigorous, and I think Tanis got a little tired because she switched from dancing to playing the drum. When I first met Tanis she could not play the drum to save her life. Over the years she has become a very proficient drummer. I think she can drum as well as she can dance! She does both very well.

We continued to send the rhythm to the ocean. We drummed for the healing of the planet, the unity of the people, and the joining together of all tribes! People were switching from drumming to dancing, and from dancing to drumming, and back again. As the color filled the sky and the ocean waves rhythmically connected with the lava rock on the shores, there became a sense of peace and well-being in the midst of this vital life force energy.

Unity in the Rhythm of the Drum

It’s amazing how the drum activates the energy around it. Our group went to the pavilion to drum and enjoy the rhythms and sounds that were being created. What ended up happening was an energetic expansion in each and every person that sent us into an ecstatic and joyful state of well-being. Most of these people had never met each other, yet we were able to unify in the rhythm, in a way that made it seem like we were all family, we were all of one tribe!

This kind of unity I find to be very unique to the drum. It is one of the reasons why I treasure this instrument so much. Each person carries their own rhythm, each person carries their own unique heartbeat. We are all the same, but in our own unique way.

Potent Energy Beneath the Stars

Penny and I Drumming Together

Another one of our crew who was a beautiful addition to this special evening is Penny. A veterinarian by trade and angel by energy, she was a beautiful soul to have in our group.

I’m not sure how much drumming experience Penny had had, but she did great! It was magical to drum with her and the others as the sun set. It was interesting to feel the difference in the energy between the sun time and the moon time.

The night energy that particular evening was very potent, carrying the power of the island and the cosmos simultaneously. The grounded energy of the water and the island combined mysteriously with the high vibration and expansion of the stars.

There’s something about the energy of the island, the dark night sky, the sound of the ocean, and the feeling of the land. I can’t put my finger on it, but I know that is something indigenous, something very old that resonates deeply with my soul. It is so awesome to see the power of people who come to the island, wake up and embrace that which has been lying dormant deep within them and owning their power!

Gratitude for Island Experiences

It is these experiences that keep me coming back. It is not only my own personal experiences which have been life-changing on the island, but watching those who come and join me blossom and expand in ways never expected and not always understood.

The embrace of this magnetic pull is beyond explanation to me. But I’m glad it’s here and I’m glad that I have experienced its wonder.

This summer’s Advanced Shamanic Training Workshop was about combining the shamanic technique of drumming and journeying with the beautiful nature that was present on the island of Kauai.

First Time Drummer

The man on the left had never played before!

One afternoon, we went to a beautiful pavilion located right beside the ocean. There were lava rock cliffs just beyond the pavilion that made the drop down to the water take your breath away. We took our drums to the pavilion, called upon the power of the ocean to lead us in the rhythm, and began to play.

What I love about the djembe is that it brings the best out in people. There is something about the magic of the drum that reaches deep inside one’s soul, and brings to the surface the rhythm that is often stored deep within. Some of the people in the class were proficient drummers, while others were just starting. In fact, for some the workshop was their very first experience drumming.

We had two visitors from the United Kingdom: a Scottish couple that were delightful. The husband had never played a drum before, yet when the magic of the djembe touched his soul, he began to drum and kept perfect time with the rhythms that we were doing and engaged deeply in the magic of this powerful instrument. He began to drum, at first tentatively, but soon he began to engage with the drum more vigorously. His rhythm was beautiful: it was strong and powerful. It was beautiful to see the smile on his face . . . and the shock on his wife’s face as the rhythm began to take over!

Dancing with a Movie Star

As we drummed some of the people in the group decided that drumming wasn’t enough. The dancing then started! Tanis put down her drum and started dancing. This movement then began to inspire others, and as the sun set the energy of the drumming increased. Soon Danny joined in on the dance!

Danny dancing to the drums!

Danny had facilitated our hike to Makaleha falls earlier that day. He is a wonderful tour guide for any of you who are heading to the island. He has been a son of Hawaii for many years, born here, raised here, and he happens to be a bit of a movie star! When Danny was 10 years old, he was in the movie Blue Hawaii with the famous Elvis Presley. I actually rented the movie to verify his story.

It goes something like this: when Danny was 10 years old, he and his friend were at the Cocoa Palms Hotel. In it’s day, it was the place the rich and famous stayed during vacation. When Elvis Presley was filming Blue Hawaii, this was one of the primary places where filming took place.

Danny and his friend were playing at the Cocoa Palms and saw the film crews. They got the brilliant idea that they would like to be in the movies, so they ran home and put on their aloha shirts, then snuck into the filming area where they took position right beside the bridge where Elvis Presley was married to his wife in the movie. If you watch the wedding scene, as Elvis walks up to the small arched  bridge, on the left side of the bridge you will see a couple of boys: one with a blue shirt on—which is Danny—and one with a red shirt—which is his friend.

So we got to spend time with the movie star!

Drumming Inspiration

Dolphin woman Charlotte drumming.

Inspiring the fun dance done by Tanis and Danny, Elsa drummed her heart out that night. Not having much drumming experience, I was so pleased to listen to her gentle rhythms as she began to allow the power of the drum to resonate through her body. She was such an inspiration on this trip, and really held the space for magic to occur.

We also had the dolphin woman, Charlotte, with us. It was so interesting, because my friend Naoka  is really connected to the dolphins. When I met Charlotte a few years ago, she had dolphins tattooed all over her body! Needless to say, she and Naoka hit it off well. Charlotte had a blast that evening drumming to the ocean and holding the inspiring energy connecting the drum to the dance!

Stay tuned to read more about my fantastic Healing Drummer adventures this summer in Kauai!

As I browse through my photos of my summer experiences, fond memories fill my mind. I have been home for just a few days and miss the island terribly. On my last evening on Kauai we had a traditional going away party, typical of how I conclude each of the workshops that I facilitate. Or so I thought it would be typical!

Island Energy

What a way to end the Advanced Shamanic Training workshop!

We started off at the octagon, which is in the Kahuna Valley. The energy in the valley is potent. It is at the base of the Makaleha Mountains, and from the valley you can see thousand-foot waterfalls pouring down the sides of the steep cliffs above. It is like being guarded on all sides by old wise warriors. The feeling of safety and ancient wisdom fills the air.

After taking in some much-appreciated beach time, we met back at the house to prepare for the going away party. Thanks to the women staying with me, the house was clean! In a matter of moments, salads were prepared, and what is known as “Toby’s juicy chicken” was on the barbecue along with a couple of racks of ribs.

As usual, the fun began right away as the additional participants arrived. I was quite thankful to have John Dumas and his beautiful wife Kana there. We also had the pleasure that evening of having the kava master of the island attend: my friend Gary Mack showed up with a cooler full of kava, so we indulged in this traditional Polynesian drink as the food was cooking.

Polynesian Beverage Kava

Toby and Gary drinking kava.

Kava is a traditional Polynesian drink. What we were drinking that night came from the island of Vanuwatu. It’s an interesting drink, coming from a plant related to the pepper family. It has a sedative and anesthetic property. With a rich, earthy flavor, what you drink is made from the roots of the plant. The kava we were drinking that night was prepared on the island, then sun-dried untill it became a powder. This powder was then mixed with water, producing a wonderful-tasting kava drink straight from the land of its origin.

Great thanks to Gary for bringing this wonderful beverage to all of our gatherings, and for providing me with a personal supply that I am now enjoying very much in Park City!

Spirit of the Aloha

After the kava, the food was consumed vigorously. Once it was gone, the drums came out! John manned his didgeridoo and flutes, giving us a powerful healing melody. The drums followed this melody to create a magical effect in the room. As the drums echoed off the walls, those who were listening could not help but start moving. And as John wandered through the room, connecting with each person by vibrating the drone of his didgeridoo into each one’s heart, the joy of the island expanded (a result of this can easily be seen on the faces of Danny and Tanis in the photo as they hijacked the cacao while we were playing).

Danny and Tanis pre-sampling the dessert!

All in all, it was a wonderful evening. Everyone was sent home with the magic of the island in their hearts, the rhythm of the drum resonating in their souls, with the beautiful drone of the didgeridoo grounding them firmly with indigenous energy, and the beautiful melodies of the flute inspiring their joy.

It was wonderful experience for all, made more profound than ever by my dear friends who brought the spirit of aloha in the authentic Hawaiian way.

Terry Kingen playing the blues on the Epiphone Casino.

As my adventures on the island of Kauai unfolded, I had the pleasure of having a couple of friends visit from the mainland. Terry Kingen has been a great friend of mine since elementary school. Terry is one of the premier guitar players in the Seattle area, and has been teaching me blues guitar for the last couple of years. Anytime Terry and I get together, music is involved!

One evening, Terry and I decided to have a party. And whenever we have a party, drumming and guitar playing is always the primary theme! Several friends came over to join us that evening for a wonderful dinner. When we were all completely stuffed, we gave ourselves a short recovery time and then broke out the guitars.

Francesco Garripoli started singing some of his new songs, and Terry couldn’t resist laying down the lead. He started off playing my Epiphone Casino. Although I love guitars, I’m not a very good player. This particular guitar was a favorite of the late John Lennon. If you ever see a video of The Beatles’ last performance on the rooftop of Apple studio, you will see him playing a guitar just like this one. It is said that he liked it because it was lightweight and the hollow body allows it to be played as an acoustic guitar. Not to mention the P90 pickups make it sing beautifully when played  through an amplifier.

Musical Feast

Francesco rocking the Taylor guitar.

With Francesco laying down the rhythm guitar and Terry playing lead, there was only one thing missing: the  drum. So I pulled out my djembe and started playing. Song after song, Francesco sang the beautiful melodies that he’s been inspired with for the last year, Terry added the beautiful lead licks to spice up the songs, and I laid down the djembe. The energy continued to build from there.

We must have played for at least two hours! Francesco came up with amazing new material. In fact, the songs we played that night were later performed by our band, the Kauai Vibe Tribe, a few weeks later at The Trees Lounge in Kapaa.

When we eventually ran out of Francesco’s songs, we took a little break to replenish our energy with some coffee and ice cream! When you’re a hard-working musician, it’s important to eat right. Sugar and caffeine are two very important foods for good musicians. So, after consuming copious amounts of the local ice cream and a few cups of coffee, we were ready to start again!

The Djembe Drum

Toby taking a break from the djembe.

It’s amazing how good the ancient tribal African instrument, the djembe, can sound so good with modern guitars.

With that evening’s jam-session, it was almost as though the ancient and the modern had united. Whether we were playing folk songs written by Francesco, or tunes by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young—or in some cases, very unusual renditions of a Frank Zappa song—the djembe served well as the rhythm keeper.

I hate to say it, but the djembe even sounded good with some of the rockabilly and country songs that Terry sang. I must admit, it was challenging to play country music on the djembe—for me it’s hard to play country music, period. But Terry put his own spin on the music and made it sound just fine!

Toby Plays Guitar

For our second set, I was somehow convinced to play guitar. Actually, it didn’t take too much convincing: I love to play. And to take over the djembe and keep rhythm for us, we were joined by our friend Naoka.

Naoka on djembe.

This time the tone changed a bit. Being that my guitar skills are somewhat limited, Terry started a nice blues progression in the key of A, and encouraged me to lay down some of the lead patterns that he’s been teaching me.

I must admit that this was a little bit intimidating. Both Terry and Francesco are far more superior on the guitar than I am. But I had just the right amount of ice cream and just the right amount of coffee to be loose and ready to lay it down. And I had so much fun!

We played on and on. Sometimes, I would play rhythm and trade licks with Terry, and othertimes we would all play rhythm and add made-up, funny lyrics to the blues patterns. What a joy!

What’s Music Without Dancing?

As we jammed along on the blues, some of our other guests, my friends Robert Weir and Sherie Hayes, started dancing. This wasn’t just any kind of dancing. This was real dancing. Step-by-step, each one knew what the other was doing. Robert would spin Sherie under his arm and she would duck and emerge safely on the other side of him. We moved the chairs around to give them more room, as it was a delight to watch the masterful movements of these very skilled dancers.

Sherie with Toby on guitar.

I’m not sure for how long the dancing went on. Everyone ended up lost in the beauty of the energy that was being expressed that evening. But I’ll tell you this: it was one of the most amazing times that I’ve had on the island!

I’m incredibly fortunate to have Francesco, Naoka, Sherie, Robert, and Terry in my life. We played that night as late as we thought advisable as not to disturb the neighbors, and it was just perfect. My fingertips were very sore, since I don’t usually play the guitar for long periods of time, and it was time to experience the silence of the island under a beautiful starry sky.

Linda drumming at the Oceanside Pavilion.

This last month we had a rocking Healing Drummer Advanced Shamanic Training Workshop in Hawaii. Part of the magic we created included a couple of good drum jams by the ocean. It’s amazing how inspiring it is to drum to the rhythm of the waves and watch the sun dip behind the beautiful mountains as the rhythm resonates through the hills.

One particular night when we were drumming Linda really stepped up to the plate with some amazing skill and veracious beats! As she ripped off a great solo the way a soul rider surfs a wave, Rebecca joined right in and added the voice of her new drum to the mix. That’s when things really took off. We also had a couple join us all the way from the United Kingdom. I was truly amazed, as one of them had never played the drum before, yet caught on to the rhythms almost immediately!

There was so much magic in the air that evening I don’t even know how long we drummed. I just remember that the faces of the people across from me, 10 feet away, began to disappear in the darkness. It was then that we decided it was time to go.

Making a House a Home

An amazing thing about drumming together is the sense of community that forms in the group. Three of the workshop attendees were living at the house with me for ten days. Now, I normally live alone and really appreciate my alone time . However, there was not one moment that I regretted having these people stay with me. Their kindness and willingness to help around the house made it so nice, comfortable, and easy for me. It was truly a blessing.

The Wild Kauai Guys!

In addition, there was a cohesion that occurred with the group that I don’t think would’ve happened if we hadn’t spent so much time together. The people that stayed at the hotel just a few blocks away spent a lot of time at the house as well. We had some amazing get togethers that were completely spontaneous! We would get done with class graphs and beach time, and then out of the blue people would show up at the house with food and drinks, and the group party would erupt!

Oftentimes my friends Danny Hashimoto and John Dumas would stop by to add additional inspiration to the get together. With John on his didgeridoo and flutes, me on the drums, and Danny cooking up a mean dessert, the energy that we created drumming at the ocean spilled right into the house. Everybody was dancing and eating the wonderful creations that Danny brought. And one by one, after consuming copious amounts of raw cacao, people would lay down and get drummed on while John played over them with his didgeridoo.

Thankful for Experience

Besides her awesome voice, Rebecca can really drum!

Good food, good music, and awesome healing experiences were abundant! Many times what started out to be a simple drumming evening went long into the night and expanded to be an experience of magic and transformation!

It is with profound gratitude I acknowledge the magic of these people. Not just the ones I discussed in this posting, but all of the people who were present. Thank you all for the goodness that you bring to the world on a daily basis and for the happiness and joy you have brought to my life !

Mahalo! (“Thank you” in Hawaiian)

Drumming in Africa with Malidoma Some'

People ask me all the time, “How did you get into doing what you do?” I was recently on HayHouse Radio on John Holland’s Show and it came up again so I’d like to share with you a bit of my story…I call it…

What Zombies Taught Me About Transformational Drumming

Toby Christensen, here. In 1999, I had the privilege of traveling to Africa and living for a month with the Dagara tribe. I immersed myself in their culture and cosmology, experiencing both profound rituals and their realities of day- to-day living. It was an amazing experience.

Malaria Times Two

Returning home was pure culture shock. I arrived in the U.S. with two strains of Malaria, so I was going in and out of 105- degree fevers twice a day for about ten days. It was a very difficult time. As I began to recover, I started to have a recurring dream.

Before describing the dream, I’d like to share that when I was a young child, I used to have nightmares about zombies coming to get me in the night. I’d scream at the top of my lungs for my parents to come and save me. These were horrifying dreams, and they happened many times.

Lucid Dreaming Nightmare?

OK, back to 1999. As I recovered from Malaria, I began to have a recurring dream. I was standing in the middle of a grass-covered football field surrounded by a huge but deserted sports stadium. It was nighttime, but the arena’s overhead lights illuminated the field. I was lucid, knowing who I was and that I was dreaming.

As I stood in middle of the field, I began to wonder what I was doing there. I became aware that I had my djembe strapped on. All of a sudden, the grass before me began to push up to form a small hill. Then the newly created mounds of earth began to tear apart and these filthy, rotting hands clawed out of the soil. A monster crawled out of the hole, stood, and stared at me. It was just like the zombies in my childhood nightmares.

I Stood Over the Zombie and Began to Drum

Doing Ritual With The Elders

The zombie flailed toward me, his arms outstretched. As he got closer, I could see that his right eye was decomposed, hanging out of his skull. He stumbled right up to me…but instead of me feeling any fear, screaming, and running away, I instinctively started to drum. As soon as he heard the drum, he laid down on his back in front of me. Somehow I knew to stand over him and begin to drum. The rhythms I played weren’t of any specific form; just intense, intuitive patterns that arose in my dreaming. As I drummed, he began to be restored. After a spell, he jumped up, looked me in the eyes—his eyes clear and filled with life—and said, “thank you.” Then he ran off, vibrant and transformed.

As I stood on that football field, the scene continued to repeat. These mounds would push up from the surface, boney fingers would tear open the green grass, and the zombie would run toward me. Paradoxically, I remained relaxed and centered. When they arrived, they would lay down and I would restore them to perfect health by playing rhythms on my djembe. They’d jump up, connect with me in gratitude, and run off. The scene would repeat until I awoke.

Just Another Pizza Dream?

Rousing from my dream state, I sat up in bed and said aloud, “What the heck?!” After pondering for a minute or so, I assumed I must have eaten something strange for dinner. (I sometimes refer to that kind of experience as a “pizza dream.”) Well, the following night I drifted off to sleep and once again became lucid. I had the exact same dream. When I awoke, I began to sense that I must have been receiving some kind of message.

In The Sacred Cave

“The Ancestors Are Giving You…”

The third night I had the same dream. When I woke up, I decided to call one of my trusted African teachers. At that time, was working with Malidoma Somé. I called and reached him looking for direction and sympathy, sharing my dream of drumming over zombies and watching them be fully restored.

My teacher, in their African way, said, “I can’t believe it! You don’t get it! You are being shown exactly what you are to do!” they took a deep breath and continued. “Toby, the ancestors are giving you clear instructions. You are being shone one of the gifts that you can bring to the world. You are being given an aspect of your life’s purpose.” They paused, and then said in an even stronger voice, “And I don’t want to talk to you again until you are doing it!” Then they slammed the phone down and a dial tone met my ear.

We Can Take Action Without Knowing All The Details

Malidoma and I

I trusted My teacher’s potent advice and decided to take action. I didn’t know what I was doing, but that was OK. What I did know was that in the dream I drummed over people…well, zombies…and they would get better. During that time, I was taking a shamanic training course. On my lunch breaks I would ask people, “Could you lay down and let me drum over you and afterward tell me if you feel anything?” Most people agreed and I stood over them, playing on my djembe whatever rhythms somehow felt correct. I was surprised when people began to share stories of powerful transformations. I had no mental frame of reference about what I was doing. I was simply drumming as the dreams had shown me.

He Was Dying of AIDS

A woman who reported a profound breakthrough from one of these early sessions referred a friend to me who was dying of AIDS and had been told he had a very short time to live. When we met, he shared that his viral count was over 40 million and his T cell count was virtually undetectable. He could only  get out of bed a day or two a week, and then, for only short periods of time.

We did a drum session, and afterward he was energized, sensing that some of his health had already been restored. We ended up doing a series of sessions, connecting every week for a month, every two weeks for three months, and then once per month for a total treatment time of six months. After our drumming work together, his medical tests showed his viral count was zero and his T cell count was 870. We were amazed and profoundly grateful for the healing that occurred. I still hear from him regularly, and his healing status is always stable.

The Fire Of The Drum Burns

Doors Open

Those early sessions opened the door and the phone started ringing with people wanting to experience the transformational, healing power of the drum. I worked in my local region throughout the rest of 1999 and 2000, began traveling part-time in 2001 to 2003, and then sold my restaurant and coffee shops in 2004 and began to travel full-time. In 2009 I traveled three hundred days, sharing the Healing Drummer work far and wide.

I’m humbled by the enthusiastic response to Healing Drummer Private Sessions. I can’t tell you how great it is to connect with so many people and be of service by doing what I love.

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed answering a number of questions about the Healing Drummer Private Session work. I hope you find the information helpful, and please let me know if you have any questions. My contact info is at the end of this special report. I’ll be delighted to provide any information you need in order to decide if you would like to schedule a time to work together.

Check me out at www.healingdrummer.com and to schedule an appointment shoot me an email to toby@healingdrummer.com

Stay tuned for Part II there is more to come.

Only one side of the story

A View From A Window

In my previous postings, I have shown you aspects of my travel, accommodations, and activities that I participated in on my recent adventure to Africa. What I want to do now, is to address an aspect of the culture that I found to be very powerful and helpful for me to bring back. The aspect I speak of is the connection of the Dagara people to ceremony and ritual in their daily lives. As I was getting a tour from one of the tribesmen — the only one that spoke English — he was showing me his residence. I noticed on a path going out of the compound there was a small stump that seemed out of place. What I mean by this is that it seemed that people could trip over the stump and that someone would have removed it by now. That, of course, is looking at things through my foggy Western eyes. I asked the gentleman, “What is that stick in the ground by the path? Aren’t you afraid someone’s going to trip on it and hurt themselves?” With a bright white-toothed smile he laughed and said, “That, my dear friend, is a very powerful Earth Shrine. There have been many miracles that have occurred for people who have come to the shrine and made offerings and done ritual to the spirit of the Earth.”

It was at that moment that I remembered 12 years ago doing ritual in that very spot. Because the walls of the compound had been modified, I did not recognize the spot until he spoke of it in that way. I remember almost every day having some kind of ritual that went on in the village. Sometimes a person would have a dream and they would bring it to the elders. The divination would be done about the meaning of the dream and how to either feed the helpful aspect of the dream, or divert a warning that may have come through the dream. Once the divination had been done and the remedy or “prescription” had been given, a ritual would be conducted.

Rituals for Removing Obstacles

Ritual Sight

When we first arrived, we maintained a very grueling schedule that had been set. Transportation was very important for us to be able to get to all of the villages and to connect with the people we needed to see. Malidoma’s uncle, Desiree, had been using one of the cars and it had been running perfectly for months. The day we arrived, the car broke down. First the battery, then the alternator core, and then the entire alternator. It was one thing after another! One of the things that I admire very much about Malidoma is his tenacious insistence upon bringing solutions to situations that support the well-being of the people he cares about. He looked at me at one point with great determination and said, “The work we are doing must be very important, because the obstacles are coming out of nowhere! Someone or something is trying to keep us from accomplishing our goals. This cannot happen!”

So with great persistence, we continued to repair the car, call on the ancestors for their assistance, and hope that Desiree would arrive soon. To make a long story short, the car did get fixed, Desiree did arrive, and the first thing we did when he got to the village was make an offering to the spirits of the road asking for them to clear the way. We never had any problem with the car after that.

True Devotion to the “Old Way”

Malidoma Pondering Our Fate

One of the things that became clear to me was the true devotion to ritual of Malidoma, the shamans, and his wonderful uncle. More importantly, it was a commitment to ritual that was practical and worked. You see, oftentimes I will work with groups who talk about practicing ritual and they have ceremonies that they do over and over and over again, but not necessarily with specific intention or helpful results. It’s almost like they do ritual as a process that may bring some kind of relief emotionally, but not in a way that impacts a change in their lives. In Dagara-land, if a ritual doesn’t work by having a profound impact and getting you what you’re asking for, you find another ritual. Efficacy is critical and I really like the fact that they call the ancestors to task and EXPECT to receive what they’re asking for.

Now, What Do I Do?

I am called to task. I do a tremendous amount of ceremony. In the past, I must say the efficacy of my rituals has not been satisfactory. Through my inspiration with these people, I am encouraged to find the rituals and helpers that will lead me to successful and effective life altering results. So I’ll keep you posted!

Kava Ceremony

Kava bowl and drinking shell

Tonight in Park City I am facilitating a drum circle and Kava ceremony. I am also inspired to facilitate monthly rituals connected to the elements that will help me and my students transform our lives in a real ways; not only with our words, but with our actions that create the lives we desire. Stay tuned and I’ll let you know how the kava ceremony goes.

Toby out.

Orbs?, You Must be Kidding

Okay, this is an ongoing joke with many of my friends. Every time they take picture somewhere and there’s a spot on the lens they start freaking out that there are orbs floating in the atmosphere that the cameras picking up. They view this as an indication of some spiritual presence. I of course give them a hard time and say listen, “Don’t put your finger on the lens, and you won’t get those spots on your pictures.” They insist that they are some sort of spirits, aliens, or some sort of intervening energy that is making its presence known through photography.  Well, on this last trip to Burkina Faso we were out in the village of Dano. One of the girls in our group said, “let’s go out and see the Baobab trees.  I thought that would be a great idea since I have a beautiful photo that was taken on my last trip of these very trees. We went out at dusk and had a group of people, many of the village children included posing around these great trees. These trees are an amazing source of food for the native people. They are absolutely  Enormous! And the bark is like the skin of an elephant. They also have a fruit that hangs from their large limbs that is very good and holds a tremendous amount of water. In many cases the Baobab trees  have saved village people during drought by providing large quantities of water stored in the fruit. So needless to say, these trees are very important, and very sacred.

The Story Continues

Okay so I’m back on track. We go out to the Baobab trees posing around the trunks as the sun goes down. In the dusk light someone says, “Hey, take a picture of the Baobab tree against the beautiful sky.”  So we began to take some photographs of the trees against the night sky. I will show you the order of pictures and what was happening and you can see for yourself the change in the energy that was around us. If i was not there to see it for myself I would never believe what appeared on the camera.

120 Seconds of Transformation

The photo to the left is the first in the series of three photos that were taken within 120 seconds of each other. This is a photo of the night sky the moon center top, and the branches of the baobab tree reaching into the night sky. Second picture was taken immediately after as I began to call on the ancestors to be present for us as we head to an evening of community from the trees. The third  photo was taken a few seconds later, it is clear, that the ancestors were gathering on our behalf. As we continued to take pictures you could look into the night and see the flash physically reflecting off of the spirits that were coming through! This is how thin the veil is between ordinary reality in the spirit world is in this remote village. It was like walking into a Harry Potter movie. Things that could be seen in the night would have been considered profoundly unusual in the West but it was everyday normal “everything as usual” for this village in Dano.

Proof Is In The Pictures

I will never give anyone a hard time about saying there are orbs in a photograph. I have become a believer. There is no denying that in 120 seconds there was a rally of spirits who answered the call to join us in celebration of community and joy. The evening that followed these pictures being taken was full of dancing and play with the children of the village!

More to come!

Traveling from Ouagadougou to the Bush

I just returned from an amazing adventure in Burkina Faso West Africa. On my trip, I encountered a very different experience than I had when I visited twelve years ago. The video in this posting was taken while riding out of Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso, into a remote village to visit a unique shaman. The days were long, the weather was hot, and as always, the magic of Africa was present. Although we were surrounded by abject poverty, the smiles on the children’s faces and the warm reception that we received from the village people was unbelievable. My heart was so deeply touched at how happy people can be with few physical possessions. We spent hours under a mango tree waiting to see the shaman. Throughout the day, we watched villagers passing by, including many herding their livestock. Once the shaman arrived, it was an overwhelming pleasure to be in the presence of such a deeply connected spiritual man.

Survival of the Fittest

It’s hard to imagine how these people survive, and more importantly, how they remain so incredibly happy in this place where there is no relief from the heat, the dust, and the trash that is spread everywhere! There are pigs running around the streets; goats, donkeys, and dogs running helter-skelter. On our way out to this amazing place, I experienced how people do business. You will see them selling bread and bananas and rice cakes at the toll booth where we had to stop, and you will see how we go from the city, to the suburbs, to the place where we are literally driving our van on bike paths.

Here is a photo of some boys who we met in the village while we were waiting under the mango tree to see the shaman. They were so happy to have their picture taken, that they kept coming around. We later were invited to join their village in a small celebration with boiled potatoes and millet beer as we sat and shared time with them. The longer we stayed, the more people gathered, and it became quite a community celebration. We ended up going out into this village for another visit later that week, after our trip to Dano, and got to see these boys again. The joy of their lives as they played, wrestled, and ran through the millet fields was delightful to see. It’s incredible that these young people survive in this horrific environment while maintaining a very high degree of connectedness to the land and to their community.

Here is the Video of our Journey to This Village

Reflecting on Warmer Times

Today as the temperature drops and the rain begins to fall, soon followed by snow, I think back on the summer where I spent two months on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. It was a magical time of climbing the mountains on the island, walking the pristine beaches, absorbing the most amazing sun and experiencing one of the greatest highlights… Playing as the drummer for the Kauai Vibe Tribe. The Kauai Vibe Tribe is a group of local musicians headed by Francesco Garripoli who sings and plays guitar,  Master Will Lydgate on bass, the talented and lovely Ms.Elle on backup vocals and ukulele, and yours truly on djembe.

Therapeutic Rock and Roll

In most of my travels I play on my own primarily any therapeutic manner so to jam with these guys and play this fun music was a real thrill. The first time Francesco came over for us to rehearse was a great experience. He is a prolific songwriter, and really comes from the heart as he plays his beautiful Taylor guitar, (or Fender Strat if he’s in an electric mood) and sings with passion. As I entered in with the drum a beautiful smile came on Francesco’s face and it was clear that there was a merging of souls as well as music. The first time the group got together to practice  it was clear that the same connection existed between Will and myself. As Francesco began to play his first song I could feel the  funky vibe laid down by the bass guitar. Without looking, I began to lay down a beat complementary to the bass line I was hearing. The  groove got tighter and I looked up to see a huge smile on  Will’s face as our rhythms merged to create a beautiful foundation for Francescos song. All in all it was a fantastic experience.

Practice Pays Off

We performed at the Trees Lounge  in Kapaa. The place was jammed and we rocked the house all night long. One of the funny stories involves Francesco and one of the residence on the island. One of the songs that we did, I think it was the only cover, I take that back it was one of two covers that we did, is a song called  “ Wooden Ships” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. It just so happens that Graham Nash lives on the island and from time to time will pop in to local bar to check out the music. It suddenly hit Francesco’s awareness that Graham could very possibly come to Trees that night to hear us play. So in a respectful and somewhat intimidated voice Francesco says “if Graham is there, I am not singing Wooden Ships”. Will playfully responded “come on Francesco, Graham is a really nice guy and would be honored to hear you sing his song”. Well Graham never showed up and we did a great job on the song and believe it or not I’m actually going back for an encore.

Come and Join Us This January

You have nothing more important to do in the month of January 2011. On January 22,2011 the Kauai Vibe Tribe will be making another appearance on the island. This time in addition to the rocking band that we  had we will be featuring the amazing Mr. Terry Kingen on lead guitar. This will be an amazing show. January is a beautiful time to go to the island. The whales are jumping all over the place, breaching I guess is the correct term. The Kauai Vibe Tribe will be playing at some local venue, to be announced, And the following weekend will be the Kauai Wellness Expo! So there are all kinds of wonderful reasons to head to the island in January. And for those of you looking forward to a summer vacation, I will be facilitating three workshops this coming summer on the island so stay tuned for more information.

Please Check Back

Well I guess it’s time to do a little work, make a drumming video, and handle some paperwork. Thanks for sharing this delightful memory with me I look forward to reading your comments!

Kava and Friends

As I reflect on my days of drinking kava with my friends Gary and Lynn it occurs to me that I am finally back home! I gotta tell you it’s cold here in Park City. I got up the other day to go for a walk.  Put on my usual walking gear, stepped outside, took one breath… Oh my God! It’s freezing here! 33°. After two months in Hawaii, a week in Miami, a week in Calgary, and the week in DC, I was ready for home. Not realizing how my body has adapted to the warm temperatures I immediately became aware and put on a winter coat and long pants and had a delightful walk. I  Had been longing for those intense walks up Main Street and visiting my favorite pastry shop but going from 80° every day to freezing is a culture shock!

Refreshing But COLD!!

I must say the changing leaves here in the mountains and the fresh air, cold as it is, is a very refreshing change. I have been able to reconnect with my drums, my guitars, and have caught up on my work. I’m really enjoying my time here and I’m enjoying the seasonal changes, the energy of the mountains, and reconnecting with friends.

Football Therapy

One thing that is interesting, is the restlessness that I feel being stationary. It is definitely an energetic shift to ground in and be home. I’m so grateful for my experiences over the past few months and I am looking forward to visiting the Bay Area, Seattle, and Denver in the coming months. So as I return to normal life, watching the NFL games on Sunday, driving with my friend David, and going out to hear my friend Rich Wyman play I find a sense of fullness that comes from home.  Who knows I might even start doing yoga again.

Well that’s the update for now I wish you all the best in the coming weeks and look forward to seeing my friends in the areas that I will soon visit!

Another Long Flight

I am sitting at 35 thousand feet heading home from the most amazing two months. The island of Kauai is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been. As I look back on my intentions to blog daily and get some new music created and be busy for this long two months, I realize number one, that it went by like it was two hours. Secondly that I accomplished none of what I set out to accomplish and thirdly it was the most amazing experience to be in this place. I was very present each day. I did play music. I was the drummer for the Kauai Vibe Tribe, And I learned how to play “Blackbird”, one of my favorite Beatles songs on the guitar.

Going With the Flow

One of the things about this trip is that I learned a lot about the difference between setting intention, scheduling, and being in the flow of life. It seems with my busy schedule I have a tendency to put my head down and barrel forward not stopping to smell the roses or in this case swim with the dolphins.  Halfway through the trip I thought to myself “boy you have not done a thing!”. And then as I’m flying home I’m thinking to myself, “wow you did so much!”. I’m realizing the value of perspective.  I am also reevaluating the difference between doing and being. Because although on my list of tasks I may not have done much, I was more present than I’ve ever been in my life!

Being vs Doing

So this leads me to something to speak about. How much of our lives do we spend  “doing” and how much of our life is spent being in the flow of joy, happiness, and fulfillment. This past two months has awakened in me an aspect of peace, tranquility, inspiration, and joy that I do not ever remember having. I have met a new group of amazing people, I have played with some delightful musicians, and I have swum with the magic dolphins! It seems like every time we went to the ocean the Dolphins were there. One funny story is that I told a group that came for retreat that we would see dolphins Tuesday at 10::30 AM.  One of the workshop members said to me “you can’t make an appointment with Dolphins!” I didn’t say a word. But as we walked down secret beach…

Making an Appointment with the Dolphins

When we hit beach three they started jumping! And we had a wonderful time swimming with the dolphins.

As we engage our lives in the pleasure of living, we can ensure a greater degree of joy then living with the challenge of productivity. Not that there are not times that we dig in our heels stay up late at night and work hard, but the lion’s share of our life, if spent in the pleasure of living, will reduce stress and expand the joy beyond imagination. So I challenge you all in a pleasurable way, to look at the activities of your life and see if perhaps a swim with the dolphins might just be the ticket! Or perhaps drumming under the full moon! Let me know what you think.

Changing of the Seasons

I’ve been enjoying fall on the East coast- sunny weather and bright bold colors. The last great show of color before winter sets in!  Being here and seeing this times perfectly with the arrival of the Libra Super New Moon tonight – which marks a time of balance, harmony and peace in our lives. We are entering a time for introspection and being consciously aware of the mystical in every experience.

Tuesday is Dolphin Day! No kidding, every Tuesday for the last three weeks we have had amazing experiences swimming with pods of wild spinner dolphins here on Kauai. It is such an amazing feeling to be in the water with these beautiful, sensitive creatures. There are usually about 20-40 of them and they will surround you and swim below you as long as you keep an open heart and stay still in water. You can hear them talking to each other, watch them spin and jump and feel their ancient wisdom and energy as they surround you. Each time it brings tears to my eyes and each time I am humbled by their incredible beauty.

I’ve been here for weeks now. It’s probably time that I do some writing. So I want to share with you the fun and magnificence of the island of  Kauai! This is by far the most magical place I have experienced on the planet. Yesterday as I laid on the beach and watch the dolphins play in the surf I was overcome with a sense of gratitude and wonder.  The way the earth welcomes all of us, the way the other beings that share the planet with us welcome us. It is amazing. The interesting thing so far has been the weather. There has been a tremendous amount of rain. In the past this of course would be a disappointment since all I lived for was laying in the sun and playing in the ocean. But this rain has made the island so lush and so alive! The other aspect is that the rain is primarily in the morning and the afternoons have been beautiful and sunny. So the term paradise really fits.  I have been drumming and doing some private sessions, and working on some new music that will be released this fall. I am trusting that the magic of this island will be felt in the magic of the music. The longer I stay more connected I feel to the indigenous spirit of this great island. As I have talked to some of the locals and some historians in the area the power of this place and the blending of cultures leaves me spellbound.

Tonight I will be jamming with my friend Francesco. We are preparing for a performance of one of the local clubs which should be a blast! The mix of old and new, the healing drum with modern music, the voice of the heart and the rhythm of the drum, combined to bring a gift to all that listen. A powerful time on the island full of fun! I will update regularly and I’m looking forward to those who are coming to visit. By the way, there is still room in the September workshop for those who would like to attend!!!

Aloha,

Toby

OK so I am on my way to the airport this morning. It’s snowing so I left a half hour early in case the roads were bad. I drive a little sports car that sucks in the snow. Well I leave home the roads are good so I’m zipping along about 80 thinking about the double espresso I will be enjoying shortly.

Coming over Parley’s Canyon I begin my decent into the valley. Suddenly nothing but red taillights in all lanes the freeway is a parking lot and my great morning suddenly has a diminishing silver lining. I inch forward for a while and realize the chances of an espresso are slim and a short time later the chance of making my flight begins to dwindle. Suddenly my phone rings and it’s my friend Marilyn. “Hey you just passed me! I recognize that little red car and said, that must be Toby!” She informed me that there was an accident about a mile up the road and they were diverting traffic off the freeway.

I quickly realized that I was not going to make my flight. I was really bummed out. I had sessions scheduled and as always I LOVE to drum so while I was complaining to myself I reached the detour, which took us past the sight of the accident.

As I moved slowly past the mangled steel and glass scattering the freeway I became very grateful. To be late is one thing, to never get there is an entirely different thing. I said a prayer for those involved in the accident and their families. As I re-entered the freeway and continued to the airport I called my host and she graciously shifted my appointments and I continued in a state of gratitude.

I got to the airport, got on the next flight, got a first class upgrade, had a great breakfast, double espresso, talked to some friends on the phone and got my emails done. I am now flying to my destination. Healthy, happy and only a few hours late!

Sometimes I get a little ruffled by things that just need a perspective adjustment to change their importance. Today was a good lesson.

This August 17-27, I will be hosting a Hawaiian adventure. This exclusive trip is for a very limited number of people who feel called to swim with Dolphins and the Sea Turtles; those who want to enjoy the sun and hike the sacred mountains of Kauai, Hawaii. We will drum at sunset and perhaps even enjoy some Hawaiian music played by yours truly!! Actually I think we can find some better music than I can offer

Please contact me if you are interested. It will be a very informal setting with several people sharing a house. Camping style sleeping arrangements although there are two bedrooms available for those who require additional privacy. It will be tons of fun in the sun and the places we will go are amazing! So shoot me an email to toby@healingdrummer.com and I’ll give you the details. Base rate is $1,000 for the 10 days and includes breakfast every day and great adventures! I look forward to hearing from you! Toby

I was recently in Calgary Canada teaching at the World Unity Shamanic Training Institute. I had a bunch of fun with the gang and started a second round of teachings for a new group. We did a fire ceremony in the snow and offered to the Ancestors the dreams we desire to live in the coming year!!  Here I am bundled up with my “took” on (that is Canadian for stocking cap) I have been practicing my Canadian by watching Doug & Bob McKinsey videos on youtube. So far they do not seem to appreciate my efforts.

After we froze half to death, I got the gang to pose by the fire as we warmed up. This is a great bunch and I am grateful to be able to contribute to their lives. The thing that they have taught me most is when you have the courage to follow your passion, the opportunities come to nurture and support that choice and others with that same resolve find you and join you on your journey!!

Corrina Rasmussen – Founder/Dean/Shamanic Practitioner
corrina@worldunityshamanictraininginstitute.com
(403) 617-9956
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

While on Kauai last month I had the pleasure of attending the Kauai Wellness Expo. What a great event! I was in some great energy and met a bunch of people who are committed to making the world a better place. One such person and one of my favorite people in the world is Danny Hoshimoto. Danny is kind, loving and the true embodiment of Aloha. He is also a master raw dessert maker! I enjoyed many of his amazing creations while at the expo. Below are Danny and I posing while I take the shot! and Danny creating his favorite Coconut Cream Ambrosia. It is the most delightful food I have ever tasted!!!

Another aspect of the expo are the celebrities that hang out incognito. You never know who you will run into. I have seen music great Taj Mahal, actors Jeff Bridges and Pierce Brosnan, Bill Kreutzmann from the Grateful Dead and many others. While walking about I ran into a friend who I just came to know is a world famous Qigong Master, Francesco Garripoli. This guy is amazing. Each morning he leads the people at the expo through a Qigong routine. Here is a little scoop on him from a website I found.  Francesco Garri Garripoli is the Chairman of the Board of the Qigong Institute and enjoys being an author, television producer, Qigong practitioner and wellness advocate. He began his formal training in Eastern healing in Hawaii in 1977 after leaving a full medical school scholarship. His documentary Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century, airs on PBS Television, where he has produced programs for 20 years. Francesco teaches Qigong workshops around the world and through www.wujiproductions.com and is a past Chairman of the National Qigong Association. Author of Qigong Essence of the Healing Dance and Tao of the Ride, Francesco currently resides on Kauai, Hawaii at the non-profit Kahuna Valley Retreat facility www.kahunavalley.com . Here I am with Francesco, he is also a prolific song writer and guitar player.

I also ran into this person who requested to stay anonymous. Any ideas????

We shared some of Danny’s raw chocolate delight and then it was time for me to hit the beach. Thats the report from the Kauai Wellness Expo 2010. ALOHA!

Well I just retuned from my annual winter trek to Kauai. Here is a rainbow that appeared while we drummed on the beach one evening.

It was my best trip yet! I spent lots of time on the beach, climbed Sleeping Giant a bunch, worked with my good friend Kirk on the new HealingDrummer website and reunited with my friends. As always, I spent plenty of time at Larry’s Music with my friend Sam. here we are jamming on the ukuleles. Check out YouTube video for Sam’s “I’ll Be There”.

Kirk in addition to being a masterful creator on the web, allowed his tribal drummer self to emerge! Here he is whipping out a heavy Fire Rhythm during a 5 Element Drum Workshop I held on the beach in Kapaa.

Keep your eyes on the HealingDrummer schedule for the workshops I’ll be hosting in 2011!

That’s it for now! Aloha!