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.

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

We had a great crowd, filling the building to capacity. After a night of drumming I spent as few days doing HealingDrummer private sessions and then a multifaceted shamanic workshop investigating the Dagara cosmology and how our elemental construct effects our daily lives, the shamanic journey and of course lots of drumming.

Here is a photo of yours truly as we discuss  the benefits of being a FIRE person in the Dagara construct! Not everyone agreed with me that it is beneficial to travel 300 days a year, drink gallons of coffee a day and eat junk food. But we had a fun discussion.

We later moved into the Shamanic Journey portion of the day as I dawned the hoop drum. The shamanic Journey is one of if not the most powerful tool on ecan have to connect to great wisdom, direction and personal power. I have begun teaching it almost everywhere I go with profound results.

Last but not least a group photo of the gang who were brave enough to wander into the “other world” and claim their power. We did power animal retrievals this day so you may see some creatures lurking in the background. In addition to the non-ordinary beings we also had Smokey the cat and Sophie the shaman dog holding space in ordinary reality.

I am planning to visit Denver again soon so stay tuned!!

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

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!

In 1998, I went to Africa. In my wake across the Atlantic, I left a flotsam of failed relationships, addictions, dead dreams, phenomenal financial success and catastrophic financial failure. I had recently been homeless; everything I owned destroyed by fire a short time before. So that by the time I arrived in the heart of West Africa, I was an empty man – no sense of home, no identity, no purpose, and no material wealth. A being starving for something different, looking for answers to questions I didn’t even know I had been asking, seeking a different way to pattern my life that brought both the success and the happiness that had eluded me.
And it was there in Africa, in the tiny country of Burkina Faso, that I encountered a way of being that helped me recognize what belonged in that void that haunted me every minute of every day. It was there in Burkina that I reconnected with my purpose, with my heart, and with the drum.

It was both a blessing and a curse living in a village without running water or electricity. As is their custom, they welcomed me like their own. For two weeks, I ate what they ate, drummed with the tribal drummers, slept on the ground among the people, joked and cried with them and generally experienced first hand the spirituality, community and teachings of the Dagara people. In doing this, they helped me re-birth my genius into the world again. For that gift I am blessed and grateful.
My purpose in writing this book is to share what I learned during my stay in Burkina Faso. I will also share what I have learned in my fifteen years of putting those Dagara teachings into practice personally and how I have adapted those teachings to flow more easily with a Western mind without diminishing their effectiveness. The tools are deceptively simple, but phenomenally powerful and profound. These principles and truths will help you fill your own void, will help support you and celebrate you in discovering your own genius. They will help you see that deep within you resides a power to help you express this genius. The power that holds this magical place is the realization that you are intrinsically good and choose to create life-affirming situations in your life.

Blessings,
Toby

Here is a photo of an historic moment in the life of Toby… my first Cheese Curd!

The update is that I will be staying in Park City for a while longer. Seems that the banks have changed the way they qualify folks so to get what I want I’ll have to wait a little while longer!! So if you ski Deer Valley, you’ll see me there for another season. I’m looking forward to the Holiday Season and the New Year!!

Blessings to all,

Toby

So here is my criteria. I would like to be 30 min or less from a major airport, the house must have a basement for a recording studio, 1,000 square feet or more. Living space of 1,500 SQ.Ft or more and a house payment of $2,000 or less. I need room for workshops and drum circles. As well as music making!!

So Far, Cincinnati Ohio and Reunion Colorado are at the top of the list.

Let me know what you think!!

Thanks,

Toby

Here is the master at work. When Suzanne took this shot she had to remind me to breathe, relax and SMILE!!!

And here is the final product!! So my trip was not all work. I did have some fun!!

Just finished a great trip to the east coast and then on to Cincinnati. The Shamanic training courses are rocking and I am having a BLAST!

I have been hearing so much about the incident with James Arthur Ray I think it is an important issue to address. My heart goes out to those affected by it and the traditions that have become affected by it as well. Regardless of my destain for those who feel as though they know what is right for everybody and feel they have the answer for the world , I do not believe there was intent of harm in that sad incident. Only profound ignorance and irresponsibility. Having had the privilege of studying with many very powerful indigenous teachers I have learned one very important thing. NEVER GIVE YOUR POWER TO ANOTHER PERSON!! Some teachers, especially in the west feel as though they have the entitlement to be a guru. That they in some way know better than you what is your path. I have seen them come and go, I have seen them amass wealth and file for bankruptcy. Have great volumes of followers and then die alone a short time later. Please Please Please own your own power and keep yourself safe in any and all situations. The situation in Sedona was an unnecessary tragedy of overbearing power and egotistical manipulation. Please always trust your own heart and hold your own power!!

Here is Danny preparing his famous Cocoanut Cream Ambrosia

and Naoka dancing to the Drum

Here I am with Sam the ukulele  man, owner of Larry’s Music one of the most famous places on the islands

As I talked to my friends everyone was talking about the dolphins and the rich and magical energy they experienced while swimming with them. Well I have to confess I was a bit cynical. I have been to the dolphin beach at least 10 times and I have never seen a dolphin close in. So one night Surf and I were at a party on the beach,

and he started talking about going to the dolphin beach. He kept saying, “I know they will be there, and they will be there for YOU Toby!” Well I was stuck in the old story of “I’ll never experience anything that magical, blah, blah”. And as the night went on Surf and I kept jamming!

So after much debate we decided to go to the dolphin beach first thing in the morning. We went home from the beach, had a nice swim in the pool and hit the hay. The next morning I was still not convinced I would encounter the allusive dolphins but was willing to give it a go. We drive to the beach, hiked down the hill and I set out on the mile long trek to the beach were the magical dolphins reside. Having never seen them I had no idea what to expect and boy did I get a surprise. I hauled down the beach so if I did not get to see the dolphins I would at least get a good workout. As you can see, I was still not convinced. Even though Surf insisted they would be there.

When I arrived at the beach I was shocked beyond all belief when not one, not two, but three pods of dolphins just off shore and when I turned to watch them they began slapping their fins on the water and jumping wildly. Surf and his partner arrive 15 minutes later to find me sitting on the beach watching the dolphins with a HUGE smile on my face. “I told you they would be here for you. Are you ready to meet them in the water” Surf said kindly. Well to make a long story short, we entered the water     and to my surprise, these beautiful and amazing beings  did not run off.

They got closer and closer and closer still. I could feel the most amazing energy as they came closer and closer. There was no fear only trust and oneness. on their final pass I could almost reach out and touch them

This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I will never forget it.

What a thrill. From 80 degrees in Hawaii to 4 degrees in Park City!!! I was freezing my butt off. Then the music started and Michael had about 10,000 of us dancing like crazy on Main Street! He was freezing up on stage and kept playing!! What an amazing man.

The thing that really impressed me about Michael Franti is the fact that after he attended a yoga class at my friend Lisa’s studio, he stayed and had tea with her and gave her and her husband and friends free passes to his show in Salt Lake City. 

I have admired Michael for some time and now finally got to see him. My goal is to meet him and play the HealingDrum with him and his band to further support the cause of peace in the world!!

Here is a couple of my Park City buddies I ran into at the concert! Keili and Jillian. 

Here I am with my friends left to right, Jamie, Rich, Marilyn and yours truly 

They Have Her Favorite Scotch!

They had a very special beverage not for the faint of heart! As you can see she is quite happy about it.

I continued onto Portland where I drummed with a group of my friends at Sellwood Spirit Feathers. It was so fun! We let the drum send out the vibration of healing to a place I have moved from. It was a powerful and felt good to connect to my old home town.

The Drum Sent Out The Healing

I ended the year here in Park City my new home. Skiing at Deer Valley and enjoying time in the studio with my friend Rich Wyman. When the new CD comes out I will make sure and post some sound treats for you all!

Happy New Year!
toby

It was my pleasure this winter to escape to sunny Santa Fe New Mexico to present at the International Sound Healers Conference. In addition to being exposed to some great healing modalities and a wonderful sponsoring organization I had the opportunity  to jam with a group of vendors in the booth area. I played with Flutes, Gongs, a Pipe Organ and even a Harp! It was a wild time. Here is a little clip of what would spontaneously erupt through out the day!

The guy playing flute was so cool. He and his mother make the most amazing bamboo flutes. I of course had to have one. So when I get good enough to play in public, I’ll lay some licks down for you! Don’t hold your breath. The harp player is out of the frame but he had beautiful harps of all kinds and played brilliantly.

I also had the pleasure of hanging with some of the sound healing greats like Don Campbell, author of “The Mozart Effect”, David Hykes, Tom Kenyon and Siberian Shaman, Nikolay Oorzhak.

I also got to jam with Christine Stevenson and Kim Atkinson. We were able to commandeer a room at the hotel and turn it into a chamber of sacred rhythm!! What a blast.

When I get the video from my presentation I will post some of the highlights. It was an honor to be included with so many amazing people who are bringing healing transformation  to the planet with sound.

The release of World Unity has really created a stir and has opened doors for us to be involved in an international program to promote peaceful and powerful leaders from the youth of our planet. UNITY is the key. I was facilitating with Dr. Shelly Stelzer. As we were merging healing techniques from various cultures someone in the class asked about mixing modalities from different races of people and cultures.

I thought her response was profound. “There is only one race and that is the human race. There is only one true color an that is red, it is the color of the blood that runs through the veins of each and every person on the planet.” In my work with cross-cultural organizations I remember this as we begin to discuss the events in the world. We must think and act globally. The issues we face are not confined to only one race or nation. I love the words of a Michael Franti song:

Please tell me the reason for the colors that you fly. Love just one nation and the whole world we divide. We can chase sown all our enemies, bring them to their knees. We can bomb the world to pieces, but we can’t bomb it into peace.

My intention for the remainder of the year and 2009 is to bring the healing drum to as many countries as possible and drum in unity with as many tribal and cultural people as I can.

At the World Unity CD release party in Cincinnati I was blessed to have a great jam session with a cool cat from Nigeria. Another awesome synchronicity that has happened is a connection to a great ritual master and shaman of plant spirit medicine. His name is Fabaku and he is guiding me into some powerful indigenous teaching and the use of powerful medicine from Africa, South America and Mexico. As the world unifies to bring healing to the planet our own personal lives become richer as well.

I am very excited as well to be working with Flaco, a powerful brother from DC who is mentoring youth and guiding them through powerful initiations and rites of passage. We were fortunate to have him at an event I facilitated in Alexandria Virginia. As you can imagine, the drumming was fierce!!! Thank you my brother for blessing us all with your magic!!!

Here Flaco and I get ready to rock a group in Alexandria VA.

I am off to Canada next and am looking forward to connecting with our neighbors to the north, spreading the power and unity of the drum with all I meet. Stay tuned for a report from Calgary.

Peace and Blessings to you all!

Here is a photo of an unexpected treat. We were able to see this beautiful turtle nesting in a cave at the cove.

This is such a magical place!

I have been working on the new CD Peaceful Heart. Things are coming along well and inspiration is at every turn. One of the great inspirations on the island is Sleeping Giant. It is a sacred mountain that lies to the north about a 10-minute walk from the house. I have hiked up the great mountain almost every day. It takes an hour of persistent climbing to reach the summit and the view from on top is breathtaking!!!

Believe it or not I am standing on the top of the mountain as this picture was shot.

More soon! ALOHA!!!!

Well I have made my way to the island of Kauai where I will be living for the next month. I am renting a house from my friends Kirk and Sandy. Special thanks to them for providing this wonderful creative environment for me to bring new music and healing into the world, Thanks Kirk and Sandy! Here is a photo of the HealingDrummer Studio, Hawaii.

The weather here is FANTASTIC!! 80s and slight breeze every day. My day consists of catching rays in the morning at the local beach, then hitting the mixer in the afternoon and evening. The island is a great transition from the mountains of Utah. I have been very busy in Park City getting the final touches on my new CD. The final tracks have been completed and they are heading into full production. The new release is titled “WORLD UNITY” . It will be ready for release the beginning of August so keep checking www.healingdrummer.com for presale benefits. Here is the image that will become the cover art for the CD.

WORLD UNITY is my best CD so far. I am very excited for you all to hear it. The project was started over a year ago in the old studio in Vancouver, WA then moved to the new location in Park City. It also contains tracks gathered on my trips throughout the world. This CD has a different flavor than anything put out so far. It is much more complex than the other HealingDrummer CD’s and really has an authentic World Music flavor. It combines instruments from every continent playing side by side with the HealingDrum. Most tracks are upbeat and very inspiring. Aaron the Webmaster and CD producer will be putting some sound clips on the HealingDrummer website ASAP. Those of you who have attended my events have heard me say this about drumming in general, but I have held a strong intention for this CD to have a very powerful impact on the planet. I have dedicated the CD to those of us who take the time to acknowledge the similarities we have with each and every person on the planet, and in doing so we have no time to fight about our differences. As Michael Franti says, “You can bomb the world to pieces, but you can’t bomb it into peace”. I hope World Unity inspires you to do your part to unify the world in peace.

While working on “PEACEFUL HEART” I have managed to get a break in. Here is a picture of Secret Beach where we hiked to swim with the wild dolphins. I have been blessed to have net a wonderful group of locals who are taking me under their wings and sharing many of their sacred places with me. Special thanks to Danny Hashimoto, Na Oka, Robin the “Beach Man” and the others in the community who have been so hospitable. The spirit of Aloha is alive and well here.

On the island I am working on the next two CD’s. One to be released in September called “PEACEFUL HEART” this is a CD designed to bring healing to those who need a place of peace and calmness. It is also a dynamic use of sound energy for Body Workers, Reiki Practitioners, Massage Therapists, Energy Workers and a great tool for those who meditate or just want to create a calm, nurturing space. Being at Secret Beach today was a great energy to connect to while I compose this CD. This album is a combination of synthesizer,Drum, and beautiful voice overlays. Lisa Needham, a vocalist from Park City laid the vocal tracks before I left for Hawaii and I must say they are inspiring. The blend of the instruments and her voice create a hauntingly entrancing mood that opens the energy system and relaxes the body. I am anticipating the release of “PEACEFUL HEART” around October 1st. Keep checkin in at www.HealingDrummer.com for the release dates and promotions.

As “PEACEFUL HEART” comes to completion, Tracks are being laid for “Djembe Groove”.A most unexpected union has occurred, the HealingDrum is dancing to the rhythm of pure joy provided by the Ukulele!  Yes, you red correctly. The uke has joined the HealingDrum family to bring the energy of joy and laughter to the music of “Djembe Groove”. One of the first contemporary musicians to bring the Ukulele to modern music is George Harrison of the Beatles. In his words, “Everybody should have a uke its so simple to carry with you and it is one instrument you can’t play and not laugh! It’s so sweet and so old- some are made of wood, some are made of Armadillo’s.  I love them,the more the merrier. everyone I know who is into the ukulele is “crackers”. So get yourself a few and enjoy yourselves. Love from George (Keoki) Harrison”

Taking George’s advice and longing to bring joy and laughter into the world I sought out the best ukulele resource in Hawaii. Sam Bonanno at Larry’s Music Boutique in Kapaa. After two sessions of uke school with Sam I acquired a couple of ukulele’s that will be featured on the new CD. Here I am with Sam Picking out my new toys!!!

Well this is it for now. I look forward to hearing your comments as we walk the path of Peace, Joy and Laughter together.

Peace,

Toby

Hangin’ in Park City

When I am not on the road I live in Park City, Utah. There is a great group of people who are into skiing, biking, hiking, yoga and drumming. We also have a European Rock Star who flies under the radar as a local “cool guy” and plays at the local clubs from time to time. His name is Rich Wyman check him out on the web. http://www.richwyman.com/ Here is a shot of me playing at Easy Street with he and his wife Lisa. 

Lisa is the yoga instructor I work with. Here we are in St. John US Virgin Islands facilitating a Yoga and Drumming workshop. We’ll be doing one at this same location in 2009 so stay tuned!!

In addition to our St John trips we will be facilitating workshops in Hawaii, here in Park City and other exciting locations around the world. These events will be posted on www.HealingDrummer.com so check regularly and sign up for our newsletter. 

In addition to drumming with yoga, which I will get to in another post we have a great Park City Drum Circle. Lead by my dear friend David Waterfall. This group is comprised of every kind of person you can imagine. Kids, elders, dads, moms and every one in between.   Here are some photos taken at one of our drum circle events

This is a group that gathered to celebrate the rhythm of intrinsic goodness! We made a video and sent it to Moses Brown the innovator of this fantastic rhythm. You will be able to experience the rhythm of intrinsic goodness on my World Unity CD that will be released this fall. 

Here is a photo of Maggie one of the key drummers in the  Park City Drum Circle and David Waterfall the current leader of the group with yours truly. 

It has ben such a pleasure to be associated with this community. They are devoted to making the world a better place, preserving the environment and working to bring peace to the planet. 

I will be reporting more about Park City and the wonderful people of the community in future entries but this is it for now. 

Peace,

Toby