ON THE ANCIENT RHYTHMIC PATH

The power of drumming, chanting and ritual

Program description

Chanting, overtone singing and humming sacred sounds to the rhythms of the frame drum is an ancient technique for directly synchronizing the mind/body, creating conditions for psychological, physical, and spiritual healing. The ancient frame drummers of Italy, called the Melissa in Latin, participated in the rituals of Cyble and Attis, Dionysos,Venus and Isis.  Later the sacred traditions of the frame drum survived in the rituals surrounding the Virgin Mary.

The ancient Mediterranean bee goddesses of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome are connected to the Hindu Goddess: Bhramari Devi, the bee goddess and her connection to the teachings of the chakras. These seven realms of consciousness emanate from the first sound -- the pulse of the cosmic drum -- the heartbeat of the goddess. The Maha Devi or Great Goddess, Kundalini, manifests in sound form as a queen bee (Bhramari Devi) surrounded by a cloud of buzzing bees. This lightening like goddess awakens in a buzz of ascending consciousness and descending spiritual grace. As this buzzing energy rises up the spine it illuminates the chakras which are interconnected with areas of the brain that are silent in the unawakened state. The chakras function as switches that explode the brain into awareness as these dormant areas are activated.

One of the oldest techniques of awakening this energy within our minds and bodies is chanting to the frame drum. In this retreat we'll learn a synthesis of drumming techniques from India, the Middle East, and North Africa on the Middle Eastern Style tambourine. We will concentrate on creating sacred space through ritual with by chanting and playing the frame drum. We'll learn the correlation of the strokes on the drum to the elemental energies of earth, water, fire and air.

Along with the historical info from the ancient Mediterranean world we'll learn the yogic practices of the bee goddess from India, Bhramari Devi. We'll practice overtone singing and Bhramari, a pranayama practice derived from the buzzing of bees which vibrates and realigns the entire nervous system, brain and body by buzzing the vocal chords. These practices are also recommended for reproductive and endocrine health for men and women of all ages, they also relieve depression and insomnia, calming and soothing minds stressed from over-thinking.

The frame drum is an archetypal idea that people all over the world and at all times have been compelled to create and play to transform their consciousness into higher states of awareness. It is a time tested, powerful trance-inducing instrument that gives us a means of creating peace and wisdom within ourselves.

THE PATH:  Reveal, Remember, Restore, Reclaim, Revere, Rejoice, Rebirth

We begin by...

REVEALING the Mysteries through research, playing the framedrum, practicing yoga, meditation, chi kung, and other spiritual pathways, which takes us into the internal process of

REMEMBERING.
As our inner awareness begins to pull together we work at

RECLAIMING
these ancient modes of beeing and knowing.

Then the work of
RESTORATION
begins, bringing forth a deep blessing of reverence, to

REVERE
followed by the inner joy and celebration, to

REJOICE!
This brings us to the portal of the inner door and the interior mysteries which will lead us through the labyrinth and into the

REBIRTH of our ancient future.

About Layne Redmond: her unusual path focuses on the hand-held frame drum, the world's oldest known drum. For fifteen years, she researched the history of this drum in religious and healing rites in the ancient Mediterranean world culminating in her book, When The Drummers Were Women (1997). Layne has been featured in many music festivals including the Touch Festival in Berlin, Seattle Bumbershoot Festival, the Institute for Contemporary Art in London, Tambores do Mundo in San Luis, Brazil, as a soloist at the World Wide Percussion Festival in Salvador, Brazil. Her recordings include: The Wave of Bliss, Invoking the Muse, Trance Union, Since the Beginning, and she has two instructional videos: Rhythmic Wisdom and A Sense of Time.

IMPORTANT: to partecipate into the workshop, it is necessary to have a drum like the one in the picture above. If you don't have it, you can find one at the workshop - order it through the Organiser. At the end of the workshop you may also buy it.

ORGANISATION:

When: 28th May: 830pm-1030pm, introductory conference "On the ancient path of rhythm - frame drumming and bees rituals", free and open to the public. 29th May: 10am-18pm. 30th May: 9am-5pm.

Where: Villa Mirtilla, Via per Grumello 26A, 24030 Gromlongo di Palazzago (BG).

If you come by flight: land at Milan airports (Orio al Serio is the closest, 20km, Malpensa 95km, Linate 50km). Low cost flights to Milano Orio al Serio from many Italian and European airports. Advanced booking is suggested for really cheap flights (less than 20€). From the airports, take a bus to Bergamo Train Station or Milan Train Station or taxi straight to Gromlongo.

If you come by train go to Bergamo or Treviglio train station. For small groups up to 4 people, a free lift is available from Bergamo or Treviglio station (20' from Milan central station).

Lodging:

At Villa Mirtilla: 18 beds, in double, triple or single room. 5 shared bathrooms. Cost per night per person: 20€. Breakfast: 5€ (let us know what you prefer to eat for breakfast, so we can shop accordingly). Limited availability (only 17 beds), book within 30^th April if interested.

Meals: Saturday & Sunday lunch, Saturday dinner at Villa Mirtilla, 15€/meal/person. Please let us know any eventual allergy or intolerance, so we can cook for you what appropriate.

Fees: workshop only: 220€. (180€ if more than 20 subscribers; 160€ if more than 25 subscribers). Minimum number subscribers: 15. The more you are the less you pay!

For all the info, subscriptions, bookings for lodging or drums, contact Questo indirizzo e-mail è protetto dallo spam bot. Abilita Javascript per vederlo. , cell 393 7573058.

DRUM POWER * From community to coSmunity* www.drumpower.net