When I was in high school, yearbooks had captions under each senior’s name. One that was often used was “Music soothes the most savage beast, but I play the drum.” It is actually a misquote. The original was “Music has charms to soothe the savage beast. To soften rocks or bend a knotted Oak.” (Congreve).
Either way, the point was: there is a power to music, especially the drum, that goes back to ancient times. That power may express or incite anger, soothe, or even heal. The simple beat of a drum can do any or all of those. We might first think of the beat of a bass drum or the rat-a-tat of a snare drum in a parade or military marching band. The Scottish tattoo is classic as are other pipe and drum songs, like “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” Or we might think of the electrified drum beat of hard rock.
Read MoreI had never thought much about how the stars and planets align and what that might mean for my life and the life of our planet. In the last month, there was tremendous celestial activity: three eclipses. The power of the skies was not to be ignored.
Read MoreFind a stillness. Find a way to calm the monkey, squirrel or whatever animal you have in your head. Use guided meditations or music to find your stillness.
Read more about strategies to find stillness in this blog.
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