Went to my first drum circle weekend the middle of November.It was held at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, in Live Oak, Florida. I was really excited about attending this as I had heard so much about it from other drummers and as it turned out it was all true and the weekend was life changing.

We left here Friday around noon and arrived at camp just after 4pm. Got car unpacked and tents set up and then wandered around the area to check out the vendors, and just see what all was going on!

This was the first time I had been introduced to many of the people in the Melbourne Drum Tribe so it was great to connect and put names with faces.

Friday nite was cold-- down in the 30's but I did manage to go to the drum circle even though the huge fire didnt even begin to warm me!! It was an awesome experience to drum with so many people and to see the dancers as the twisted and turned in the firelight!

I was taken to a different plane...the thumping beats guiding my journey.

Wow what is that strange sound? Holy cow its a bag pipe!! The notes curled around the drums adding such a unusual tone...not really mournful but a strange new sound that totally .,.....

All of these new experiences although uplifting were draining too and I found myself suddenly exhausted so gathered my drum, and chair and headed back to camp where I sat around our tiny fire for a while and then headed off to bed.

Didnt sleep well at all..sleeping bag was all screwed up and I was cold...tossed and turned most of the nite and when sleep did finally overtake me it was only for a short time. The neat thing was when I awoke, I could hear the drums in the distance. They continued all night and into the beginning dawn. Many of the guys from the Melbourne Tribe were the all nite drummers!! I was proud to be a part of them!

Saturday I awoke filled with anticpation of the workshops that were available...it was freezing cold but i really didnt mind it too much as i was so excited about the events of the day!! The first workshop began at 9am ..Buddy Helm and it was great. He taught rythms and had each of the participates take his rythm and then add to it. i have to say it was a little intimadating to be in a huge group and have to suddenly be "on stage" so to speak but i managed to improvise pretty dern well i think!!
The next workshop was Didg Revolution and Dragonfly which taught how to play the digeridoo. There were instruments made from plastic pipe so each of us had one...i have to say that this was somewhat disappointing as i just coudlnt get it at all and finally just left. I dont know if it was the instructor or me but it was way over my head!!

Jane Broder had the afternoon workshop and it was totally awesome. She is a dynamic,warm, humorous gal. She came to the event with a trailer full of drums that people could just borrow for the weekened. How cool is that? The title of her workshop was Learn to perform druing a facilitated drum circle. She had people who had never touched a drum doing basic rythms in just a few minutes and we all really enjoyed learning new rhytms. It was really super!

Saturday night were the performances ... Didg Revolution and Dragonfly played the Digeridoos.
KamukaRima and Tam Tam Congo ...a group of real african drummers simply overwhelmed the crowd with their incredible dancing and drum playing. Their hands moved so fast you couldnt even see them and it was an extremely powerful performance.

I was fortunate enough to buy their CD and actually had them all autograph it!!

Saturday night was really cold ..i went to the drum circle but my hands were freezing, my drum was freezing and the fire just wasnt large enough to accomodate anyone sitting a couple rows away so i finally gave up and went back to camp!

It was good to just sit around our little campfire and get to know everyone.

I wastotally amazed at the energy that surrounds these folks-- everyone is so gentle, kind,thoughtful, supportive, and helpful. No dirty jokes, no slurs against women, just pure love! i just let myself be bathed in it and thanked the universe for giving me this awesome opportunity.

Sunday was somewhat crazy as we had to pack up all of our stuff and get ready to head home so i didnt really get to participate in the second Buddy Helm Mediation and Spritutal Healing with the Drum... the schedule was way off and he was kind of late getting started and by that time i was packing up my things.

This was a most incredible weekend- -i cant possibly tell everything that happened -- i would be writing a book-- totally life changing-- totally soul changing--

The next weekend is in April sometime and i will definately be there.... here is the link for more informaiton
http://www.paralounge.net/