Third Avenue Palyhouse.- 2003

Listening and responding in each moment wile we roll through the past into and beyond now. What a wonderful way to live our lives. Free from fear or limiting thoughts. In contrast, many of us spend time and energy wondering or worrying about the future or the past. For many “living in the moment” is a thought or a wish. How can we open our attention to the here and now? How can we experience deep listening and responding? Improvisational Drumming has helped me with all of the above.

It is amazing how focus can change when a group of strangers connect and share several deep and clearing breaths. There is a circuit that is completed when we connect physically and share our breath. By doing this we can align the disparate rhythms we find within our selves and or align many bodies together for a task or project

One summer I was framing a house with friends. At the end of the day three scraggy V’s came a honking overhead. As we stood among the roof rafters the honking amplified as three V’s broke into chaos. The spike in honking persisted as the massive group made three distinct attempts to merge into a single massive V.

To our amazement after the first two failed, the third attempt was a gift to witness. In the blink of an eye chaos shifted into order. The honking mellowed as the community settled into a huge and grace-filled V.  In this way we can breathe the dispirited parts of our selves back together or help unify a group through breath and drumming. The breath makes the connection the drumming plays with that connection. This is a fun way to  set and affirm active responses based in respect and dignity.

Each time I lead drummings, at some point wonder drops in as a group of recent, non-musical strangers respond and listen having fun making lovely music. Together we thrive and grow.