GALLOWAY – Since ancient times, people from all over the world and from many cultures have used drumming to heal themselves, to enter into deep meditative states to commune with the divine, to celebrate life, and to become one with their tribe.
A revival has occurred over the past few decades, with drum circles popping up at music festivals, at spiritual ceremonies, and on college campuses.
Drum circles have also been appearing in Atlantic County lately hosted by different groups on the beaches and in the parks.
David Shaman, a drum circle facilitator from Northfield, hosts events at Lake Lenape in Mays Landing throughout the summer, at the Unitarian Universalist center in Galloway, and at the Seashore Healing Arts Center in Somers Point, where he runs his Smiling Dragon Kung Fu Academy and offers therapeutic bodywork and energy healing.
Shaman's work as an energy healer and a drum circle facilitator go hand in hand.
"In the shamanic traditions the power of the drum is intentionally employed in order to achieve a shift in awareness that is applied directly to the healing process," he said. "We tend to live our lives in a variety of states of mind. Depression is nothing more than a very unpleasant state that operates at a very low vibration. Inspiration, enthusiasm and even a pure and natural state of ecstasy and joyfulness are just states of mind. Group drumming can be a powerful aide in changing or bridging from a less-than-desirable state of mind, to a more enjoyable and healthy one."
Shaman has worked in the field of holistic healing for the past 30 years. He is a nationally certified somatic therapist and is a graduate of the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics.
During his time in New Mexico, he said he went through an intense period of personal growth and transformation that led to him to legally adopt the last name Shaman – an anthropological term given to the spiritual leaders and healers in indigenous tribes.
“The more that I learned about the diverse shamanic traditions from every corner of the world, the more that I knew that I resonated with their particular wisdom and insight,” he explained. “I changed my name to embrace this understanding about myself and share it with others the best that I am able.”
Shaman is now spreading his spiritual insight and talent as a healer throughout the community.
One of his noble ventures includes using the therapeutic powers of rhythm as the director of his School Peacemaker Bullying Prevention Program. He presents programs in schools where he teaches students the art of drumming, personal empowerment philosophy, yogic thought, and the non-martial aspects of kung fu, to encourage kids to find more positive outlets for their emotions than violence.
He also provides "transformational drumming" workshops for children of all ages "returning us to the vitality and playfulness that is our birthright."
Shaman's next drum circle, set for 12:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, July 24 on the Village Green in Historic Smithville, will be a unique one. It will be a musical collaboration with recording artists Yoji Ananda and Tribal Groove, of Sea Bright, who will present "tribal kirtan." Kirtan is a type of devotional call-and-response chanting from the Hindu yogic tradition. This will be combined with world music and tribal percussion.
The event is free and everyone is welcome to join in the drum circle as an experienced or novice drummer, as a dancer, or to chant with the group. Shaman will provide some drums and percussion instruments. There will be raffles to win a Thai yoga massage or an African drum. Proceeds will benefit Seashore Gardens Assisted Living in Galloway and Psalm Charities, a Haitian relief effort based out of Pleasantville.
The event is the brainchild of Brian Johnson of Mays Landing, who owns the Fair Trade boutique Herban Legend on the Village Greene with his wife, Wendy.
"The whole idea of bringing drumming to people here is to experience its oneness and to realize that you don't need to be a professional percussionist to be able to play a rhythm that is uniquely your own, and in your uniqueness to join a group to create a new consciousness in sound that is elevating and freeing," Johnson said. "What the drum circle does is it gets rid of the boundaries."
He said he wanted to create the event to celebrate life and have people "let themselves go."
"It doesn't matter your religious background," he said. "Your experience of joy is a universal desire. … Bring all of the best of your traditions and join us."
Shaman said new drummers should not feel intimidated, but welcomed.
"The way that I lead others in the drum circle experience, and make it easily accessible to all (regardless of lack of experience) is by educating people on the simple importance of staying on a common and connecting beat," he said. "In my bullying prevention work with children in the public schools we refer to this as the 'rhythm of respect.'
"When we all honor this easy-to-follow method, beginners and advanced drummers all merge into harmonious oneness. New people can stay with the most basic pattern while more experienced players will develop more and more sophisticated and complex patterns on top of it. As beginners relax into what they are doing, they often evolve to more interesting and inspiring ideas themselves. But there is no pressure, and no competition; it is a synergistic sharing of energy."
Johnson said he is looking forward to the collaboration between Shaman, Yoji Ananda and Tribal Groove.
"I'm always for synergy," he said. "Common ground can always be found when the purpose is for higher ground."
For information about Yoji Ananda and Tribal Groove and to hear their music, log on to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yoji-Ananda-Tribal-Groove.
For information about Shaman's School Peacemaker Bullying Prevention Program and workshops for teachers regarding anti-bullying legislation, or to get on an email list to receive his newsletter, see www.DavidShaman.com or www.schoolpeacemaker.com, or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
To arrange a drumming event with Shaman, call him at (609) 457-3045.
Shaman's next drum circles are scheduled for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 and 16 at Lake Lenape.
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