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.

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)

Tori on the djembe

Some of the time here on the island spontaneous occurrences present themselves. One night, my friend Terry Kingen was visiting me with his daughter, Tori, and she spotted my drums lined up along the wall. Being very curious about this, she asked to hear what they sounded like. What came from that was about 3 hours of a wild drumming jam session!

Tori had never drummed before in her life, and it was so amazing as she began to play and the rhythm touched her heart. Her hands began to move and she picked up every single rhythm we played that night perfectly!

Terry was laying down the basic beat, holding the steady foundation, as I ripped it up a bit and helped Tori focus on the rhythms. Another friend of ours from the island was playing along as well. It was so fun to feel the vibration in the walls of the house, and see the joy on the faces of not only those of us who are playing, but Terry who was watching his daughter coming to such joy.

Magic Desserts Complement The Rhythm of the Drum

Drumming jam session at Toby's Hawaii house

Another joyful experience of this evening was the  unexpected visit by my friend Danny Hashimoto. Danny had been on an outing to the beach and stopped by the house on his way home . . . once again loaded with his magic desserts and sweet delights!

I will say it was also a bit distracting watching Danny pull these amazing treats from his cooler setting them beautifully on the counter awaiting our consumption. But we drummed on, laughing, smiling, getting into the rhythm of the drum, the rhythm of community, and the rhythm of the island. The drumming continued until everyone’s hands were so sore they couldn’t feel their fingers. There was so much laughter and fun.

Kauai: The Island that Creates Community

One of the things that the island does is creates community. People come together, and even if they have never met each other, they become instant friends. In the same way that the island welcomes everybody to its magic, that magic seems to draw everyone to each other. And the spontaneous merging of energy occurs. Family occurs, community occurs.

Danny Hashimoto and Toby Christensen

One of my dear friends, Malidoma Somé, from Burkina Faso, West Africa, talks often about how people in the village will spontaneously unite, just to enjoy each other and bring the rhythm of the drum or the song of the voice or the sound of the Balaphone to the people in the village. It is wonderful to experience these kinds of spontaneous events in a world where most things are planned and organized. I want to especially thank Danny for bringing his magic to our party and making a fun, spectacular time even more dynamic and spectacular!

I hope that next summer many of you are here on the island for the workshops that I will be offering so that you, too, can experience the magic of the island, the spontaneity of community, and the true feeling of aloha!

Stay tuned for more adventures throughout my visit to Kauai!

My time on the island of Kauai has been beyond amazing. The students that have come for the workshops have been a tremendous blessing. To know that there are now many new “healers” in the world bringing the vibration of peace makes my heart sing.

One of the highlights of last month was a wonderful full moon ceremony that was hosted by my dear friend and ohana brother, Danny Hashimoto. We all gathered at one of the local beaches, drums in hand, ready to honor this beautiful night.

Group Drumming

Full Moon Fire

As the darkness fell upon us, the moon began to rise through the clouds, shedding a mystical color of light all around us. After some conversation and socializing, we had a wonderful potluck meal followed by Danny’s world famous cacao mousse and other delectable treats he had concocted. Then I, along with three of the students that remained from the sound healing workshop, began to drum. Many island people brought their drums as well and began to play along. As the rhythms echoed across the beach, people began to gather around.

Suddenly, I realized that there was a woman sitting close to the drummers who needed a bit of healing. I didn’t know what it was, I just had a strong sense that the vibration of the drum would be very helpful for her. As I kept drumming, I manipulated the towel laying flat on the sand with my feet, and whispered in her ear that if she would like to be drummed on to please lie down on the towel.

Healing Vibrations of the Drum

As the woman took her position on the towel, she settled into the warm sand beneath her. She began to relax as the vibration of the group drumming flowed through her. Then I gently stepped over her, my feet approximately at her hips, facing the direction of her feet, allowing the bell of the drum to hang over her heart. I began to drum.

The healing energy began to flow more intensely through her as her body twitched and maneuvered itself to take in the wonderful energy of the drum. I drummed for three or four minutes, feeling the expansion of energy and the completeness of that session, and gently stepped away from her allowing her to rise with a large smile on her face and a beautiful open heart.

Individual Healing Sessions & the Full Moon

Healing Drum at Full Moon Fire

Before I knew it, another person had taken her spot down on the towel. So as the group drumming kept rolling, I concentrated my drumming over this person as well. What happened was individual after individual kept taking the spot on the towel and I kept drumming over them, offering powerful healing energies.

It ended up being a wonderful night of taking in the beauty of the full moon as well as doing some individual healing sessions. This was a totally spontaneous situation that erupted through the rhythm of the drum.

You never know what’s going to happen when the magic of the drum begins to dance through community. You never know what miracles will emerge from the rhythm!

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!

I have been to Hawaii many times and have come to love the island of Kauai most of all. It is a place where wild nature abounds AND you can still find a good burger! This trip was no exception. I was on Kauai a few weeks ago hanging with my friend Surf, making music and getting tan. While there I had the good fortune to visit my favorite beaches and spend time with my friends Danny Hashimoto. Naoka the Dolphin Diva, Sam the Ukulele man and many others.

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.

While on Kauai I realized the vibration of peace was so strong that I had to do something to express it publicly and acknowledge the energy that was transforming me. So… after talking to my good friend, Danny Hashimoto, we began to collaborate with some wonderful people on the island to celebrate PEACE. I want to thank Danny, Isa Maria, +Elijah and all who participated in making this event so wonderful. Here is a video of one small part of the event. I’ll continue to post more as I wade through the film!! Many Blessings and Peace to you, Toby