my first drum circle experience (photos & videos)
Last Saturday I had quite possibly the most amazing night of my life -- top five for sure. I experienced my first drum circle! I've never felt anything like it -- from the very beginning I was thrilled and it just kept getting better and better the whole time! There was such a sense of unity and openness. We were creating something together without anyone leading -- that is the essence of my faith. Being there was a transformative and deeply spiritual experience for me. I've never felt so alive and in love with life! I wanted to hug everyone, and I felt like I was hugging everyone. I CANNOT wait to have my own drum -- or even to bring a pot to bang my feet on!
I brought Ialu and I'm glad I did, but next time I intend to leave zir at home -- it's too dark to get any really good photos and my worries about zir (damage from the heat or vibrations, theft) kept me from fully entering in. Even so, it was SO INCREDIBLE. I thumped my feet on the ground and my hands on my legs, danced with hands and shoulders and waist (while sitting because I didn't want to leave my camera or jounce zir around). Oh... it was so amazing!
replete with rhythm
concerns thumped into the earth
glowing; connected
Bel & Ash before heading to Atlanta ;-)
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We met up with Kat K (whom I didn't get any photos of, boo -- next time I will!) at the Method coffeehouse and I had pretty coffee! The barista there was so cute and funny and a little flirty! and even better, didn't make some sleazy comment when I handed zir our dishes and said, "let me give you some more dirty stuff" but just kinda grinned to zirself (which is how I would respond).
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it was my first coffee with a design in it (how have I lived this long without ever drinking coffee art?)!
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there were SO MANY INSTRUMENTS. I had thought there would be more spectators but I think it was like 80% participants (drumming or dancing)
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This was pretty early, where there were just one or two dancers -- later, there were upwards of a dozen! (but I was too busy watching and thumping and moving to take photos) There was one in particular who inspired me SO MUCH with the way ze moved -- ze was so perfectly a part of the rhythm, and danced for the sake of dancing, in such a pure way. (I later found out that ze was a bellydancing teacher) Most of the other dancers also danced for its own sake but were at least a little self-conscious (and a few were just plain dancing for an audience, which I don't find inspiring) -- it's so rare to find someone who enters in so completely that nothing exists except the dance.
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the fire shot up a heart! (I love the huge smile on one of the sitters -- I think that may be Sage, an awesome person with very long hair whom we met thanks to Ash's complimentary impulses, hee hee.)
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I love the weird colors in this...
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this is not for watching, but for listening... it captures how the music would be chaotic and then settle into a unified rhythm, amazing...
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♥
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this firespinner reminded me of my sib-in-law Natty
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this firespinner was AMAZING. It's a little hard to see but ze danced -- not just using zir arms but moving zir whole body in this beautiful fluid motion... I was enchanted.