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!

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.

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.

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 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.