April 12, 2006

Dear Ayllu:

For those of you who do not know what “ayllu” means, it is a Quechua word and concept of a group of people who learn and grow together on a spiritual path.  Something about a group is essential to learning about our own selves.  Of course, we are all connected, and we are all unique.  You all contribute to my growth, and I hope I contribute to yours.  Just writing every month is a learning and growing experience for me.

I had noticed that I skipped a month – life has indeed been intense and non-stop.  The astrology has also been intense.  If you are interested, a good web site can be found at http://www.planetwaves.net/.  Yesterday’s blog and one from a few days back are about an experience in living in an intentional spiritual community – something I did in several forms throughout my young adulthood. 

About twenty-five years ago I lived in a community in Seattle.  I did a lot of yoga and sufi practice, and began to open the tightly closed box of my childhood.  (There was good reason for it having been tightly closed, and excellent reasons for opening it.)  The woman I was learning from at the time told me I was very powerful and I needed to be careful, because everyone in the room tunes to the most powerful person in the room.

As I was beginning to move toward a separate living space, I started hearing an inner voice telling me to get a drum.  What?  Why would I want a drum?  Actually, I was quite irritated.  Yet the voice and the message would not go away.  So I started looking at drums.  I did not find the one that drew me. 

Then I went to a spiritual community gathering, where a woman led 100 of us at a time in a group dance, focused by a large “mother” drum.  At the end of the dance, she had the drum brought to the center of the room.  She pointed and said “Everyone in the room tunes to the most powerful force in the room.  Get a drum!”

Well!  That was so striking that I sat down with a friend and told her the story.  She pointed to someone there and said “He knows how to make drums.”  One thing led to another, and I soon had my drum. 

That first drum taught me a lot about prayer, and most particularly about the listening part of prayer.  I have done a lot of listening since then, and made and released a number of drums for myself, as well as making drums for others and helping others make their own drums.  Sometimes I ask money in exchange, other times I have given drums away. 

At times, I have been told that women are not supposed to drum.  I have also had native people berate me for doing this work – taking what is theirs.  Recently I heard this again.  However, I have seen pictures of women drumming on round hand drums, in ancient times in the Mideast.  Drums exist in every time and place where we humans have existed on the planet.  It seems obvious to me, from the history (let alone my own experience) that we humans NEED drums.  It echoes and reminds us of our hearts.  It draws us together in community.  It organizes and amplifies our energies in a very healing and, yes, powerful way. 

I keep saying I will not make drums anymore – it is hard on the hands, and tiring work.  Teaching is easier on my hands, and has its own challenges.  And it still draws criticism. As I was looking for a document on my computer this morning, I found this:

You cannot outguess the gods.  Hold to virtue – if you can identify it – and trust that the duty set before you is the duty desired of you.  And that the talents given to you are the talents you should place in the gods’ service.  Believe that the gods ask for nothing back that they have not first lent to you.  Not even your life.

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold, pp. 228 -229

Today I would give the same advice to anyone on a spiritual path that I received so long ago:  Get a drum!

If you want to buy a drum, or better still make your own, just ask.  You can contact me at jackie@dragonflyessence.com, or call (360) 789-9599. 

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In a heartbeat,

Jackie