Sacred Space Jam: Sister Muse Sweetness

Magical Mystical Muse works are by far the most powerful medicine I have found for the dis-ease of Modern living. Co-creative, playful, deeply moving, prayerful, transformative and invoking the spirit of oneness, Muse experiences allow us to be witnessed, to hold space, to share and to meet in a profound way. Most of our lives are spent in the mundane, talking about our daily challenges or joys, our lives, our jobs, our frustrations, and often there is a certain level of superficiality to the exchanges, "Hey, how are you?" "Good.." because there isn't time, or because there aren't words to express the depths of what may be really going on for us in this wildly spinning world where the changes that are happening are fast, furious and sometimes totally unruly and insensitive to our more childlike, deeper, curious essences. This world can be so sweet, and so cruel all in one day.

Muse Experiences where we can let go, unwind, sing, dance, cry, lay on the floor and belt out our pain or our joy, writh in ecstasy or in sorrow, drum, pray and just simply be our true essence in the presence of others are a reprieve from the mundane, and a medicine that is deeply needed in these times. Last night I visited the Sacred Space Jam at the Starhouse and was right at home in the sweet and delightful facilitation by founder Karen and Michael Travers. I felt last night that I was in the presence of the Master Musers. Profoundly moving, the bodies, voices and music wove their way in and out of high states of trance and intense booty shaking. Many offered at the end of the night that the highlight was when the moon came shining thru the windows of the perfecly placed Alchemical temple we know as the Starhouse in Boulder, CO. The crystal bowl, the hang, and a circle of voices praying their hearts out carried us into the silence that closes the practice. Certainly, I too felt that magic as the crystaline point of our hearts, souls and bodies merging in service to the Muses that service us!

These practices are opening us into our hearts. I am honored to meet another sister carrying the torch of creative free expression and look forward to sharing every month at the Sacred Space Jam in Boulder! Don't miss the next one, and look for the Muse Practice which will be returning to fill in the spaces in between the Sacred Space Jams.

Medicine of Music

Bodies moving
Sensual delite
The Medicine of Music
Healing all this nite

Faces beaming blissful beingness
In the seduction of the groove

Rolling
Hips soft like river dance
Swirling
hands making air romance
pounding
feet praying for a chance
to live again
another breath
just to feed this medicine
to my soul

Music takes away all pain
Music makes the insane sane
Like honey dripping from the hive
the medicine of the muse alone
is keeping me alive to thrive

Only the passion of the pulse can turn the dark to light
Ignite the nite
magnify the lite
send my body swish swish
yum yum into sweet delite
unable to be explained
so deep beyond all space and time
body, spirit and mind
I venture in thru rhythm's eye
And there
I find

Myself awaiting the return of her beloved...

Awaken...

Upcoming Events & Updates

This week: Don't forget

Awakening the Wild Woman Within

AND

Evolution of the Drum Circle & Alchemuse Drum & Dance Celebration at Double Rainbow Ranch

Hope to see you there!

I leave for my NE Tour on Sunday, off to

Drum & Splash in PN
Starwood Festival in OH
Syrius Rising in NY
Summerland in NY

and more...

Keep in touch and The Muse Network is coming very soon, so stay posted and start sending me resources, links and events to post on the Muse Network for you until we are ready to launch it fully to the world!

Upcoming Event: June 26

4:30 pm - 6:30 PM - Evolution of the Drum Circle - $30
Applications and Teachings for Better Drum Circles & Community Music Making

8 PM- 11 PM **OPEN COMMUNITY ALCHEMUSE FIRE DRUM & DANCE CELEBRATION
OPEN TO ALL MUSICIANS.. bring sound equipment if you need it!***
7 PM POTLUCK, 8 PM Open Circle $10

This experiential workshop offers an in depth look at drum circle dynamics: past, present and future. Be sure to bring your instruments, a notepad and your wisdom to share with us!

In this workshop we will:
*Explore Ancient Methods of Drum and Dance Cultures around the world
*Examine Current Paradigms for Drum Circles
*Learn Tools to help Evolve and Transform your Community Drum Circles
*Learn the 10 Conscious Considerations for Better Recreatioinal Music Making
*Learn the 4 Building Blocks for Building better Drum Circles
*Have fun, meet new people who share your desire for better and more creative drumming experiences!

Poem from A Florida Drummer

AN AMERICAN DRUM CIRCLE


We all arrive gradually,
Slowly form a circle under the trees,
Talking in the breeze,
Not breaking our inertia.

Out across the circle,
Someone reaches for his hand drum,
Strikes idle notes that turn into a rhythm.
Ears prick up;
Sounds like he’s on to something;
One or two others pick up their drums.

Up strike the djun-djuns,
Bass drums of Africa;
Mellow, singing bass drums
Almost like marimbas.

They get a-goin’
Goin’ on a rhythm,
Rhythm like a river;
We’re all embarked on it.

Someone’s brought his congas,
Rich, full and round sound,
Building on the djun-djuns,
Rounding out the rhythm.

Djembes everywhere,
Stemmed cups of wood that serve a heady vintage—
The boom and the clang,
The boom and the clang;
Exultation under drummers’ hands.

Tones of an ashiko drum
Meshing with the djembes,
Strong, compelling bass
That stirs us into action.

A crowd gathers round now,
Drawn by the drum-song.
This is what they came for:
Waiting for the drummers
To carry them away.

A woman stands up,
Shakes back her hair,
Steps into the ring,
Begins to dance.

Another looks on;
Her mind is made up now;
She stands and she steps.

Two sisters dancing now,
Exchanging smiles of welcome;
Two sisters dancing—
Another one—
Three!

Someone strikes a tambourine,
Claves, bell or wood block;
Deft punctuation;
The song takes on an accent.

Someone’s drumming hot now,
Strikes up a solo,
A dazzling, crackling rattle;
The rhythm undergirds him,
Rich, sustaining rhythm;
He feeds from his brothers,
His brothers and his sisters;
We all feed from him;

All caught up in it,
Caught up to glory;
We’re rising—
We’re rising—
We rise and we soar!

The drummers start to dance now,
Dancing behind their drums,
Dancing in their harness.
Rooted in their places,
Takes a lot to get them moving,
But still, every now and then
There’s just no stopping it.

Accents come from everywhere,
Like nature roused to chorus—
Bells and tambourines ring,
Woodblocks and claves’ clink,
Rods and shakers rattle;
Someone plays a flute.

Other musicians come out with their instruments;
A blare of saxophones,
A peal of horns;
They want to take part in it.

The drums sink low now,
Thunder held in deference,
Restrained to accompany
Some delicate notes—

Soft boom of didgeri-doo,
Guitar’s gentle song,
Gliding of violin,
Set to muted thunder.

The drums rise up again,
Take up their ascendancy,
Rolling and booming out,
A wild exultation.

The solo rings out again,
A full crescendo crashing out,
Crashing and soaring out,
Rising up to climax.


At last the drums fall silent;
We bask in the afterglow,
Shake the tingle from our hands, quench our thirst, talk in the gentle breeze;
The circle drifts apart.

Then out across the circle,
Someone reaches for his hand drum,
Strikes idle notes that turn into a rhythm.
Ears prick up;
Sounds like he’s on to something.
One or two others pick up their drums.

We all start drifting back;
This new rhythm’s rising
To sweep us up once more.





© 2005 Daniel Gedamke. All rights reserved.

Awaken the Wild Woman Within

The Awaken the Wild Woman Within Series has officially begun, and after this first event, I am more than inspired and excited to bring it forth to the world!

15 women gathered last night, May 26, 2010 for the First Unveiling of the Awaken the Wild Woman Within Muse in Melbourne, FL.

The power and grace that came forth throughout the 3 hour experience was moving and profoundly magical.

At the end of the night, when the women were sharing their experiences and journeys with me, I was touched by something like a humble awe of what had transpired in the evening within each woman there and I could see a visible difference in the way these women were holding themselves and each other. The bonding that had occurred between them, but also within them to themselves, was purely a gift to witness.

Here's what some of them had to say about the experience:

"Freeing, enlightening about myself, empowering!"

"Empowering Energy: I was able to identify my true essence."

"This was a great medium for women to get together to express themselves through their primal essence."

"Opening and Releasing"

The women shared their journeys of seeing and freeing their inner primal essence. There were stories of animals transforming and molding one into another as they journeyed through and into themselves, colors and swirls, their Wild Women digging them out of the mud of their domesticated existance, and on and on.

The inspiration of this night will feed me for many many years as the birthplace of a direction on my path to bring more women into their wild nature, to break off the chains of society's expectations and find ourselves free, empowered and moving with the magic, and strength of who we truly are.

Unity Women Empowering Women

Last night's Unity of the Gardens Women Empowering Women's group proved to be a very special evening. Of course, it always is a special evening when we get to come together to play, dance, sing and share ourselves with each other, but the women who came last night to the event held some touching stories and I felt that the medicine that the Muse brought forth last night will be forthcoming for some time to come in their lives.

The Unity of the Gardens Women Empowering Women group meets once a month, and I had been selected to be the presentor for the May event.

The word got out about the drumming and in addition to the Unity Churh women who were regular attendees to this event, a group that wasn't at all connected to the church showed up from a home where women go to recover and rehabilitate from addictions and abuse. I was immediately touched by their openness and humble soft spirits. We talked about how the quest for God and divinity is the real driving force behind many addictions and they had a lot to ask me about meditation and other practices to work with the mind and body healing they were in the midst of.

These women are facing and moving through their darkness with a kind of courage and willingness that comes from the place of surrendering into new strength. Most of them had never experienced a drum circle, or anything like a Muse experience in their lives. They ranged in age from 19-50ish and I could feel that some of them had some pretty intense stories they were working to re-arrange in their own heads, hearts and selves and I felt so grateful that spirit had brought this group to be a part of this nite.

As always, the circle opened with intention, followed by some moments of quiet reflection to ground and relax, and just seeing them soften, their shoulders relax and their breathing unite was a gift to experience in and of itself. I know for a few of them the whole experience was like stepping into some bizarre field of whackiness, and I could feel the trepidation within them at the onset. In spite of it, they were brave enough to be open and I watched them soften, laugh, smile, and free themselves little by little, more with each excercise we did!

And seeing them after the circle closed, looking softer and more radiant, feeling how much more connected they were to each other, and the opening that I could feel and see in their hearts was the sweetest gift I could have and reminded me once again of why I love this work. I am so grateful and humbled to be sharing this in this world!

Thanks to the women of Unity and all who came last night for sharing yourselves and being brave and fearless in the great unknown.. and finding your joy there waiting for you!

The Manteis Project 5.7.2010

The Evolution of the Drum Circle: Jupiter, FL

May 13, 2010

Being back in Florida is such a sweet experience of homecoming, love, community and support and I feel so grateful for what is happening here. Clearly there is a strong current of consciousness, community and even sustainability that is emerging here which inspires me and warms my heart to it's depths.

Last night at the Corners Drum Circle, in Jupiter, I found myself surrounded by old friends from highschool, and my other visits and years in Florida, but also by a familiar energy of love that is common in drum circles around the world. Something about being together in this way, transparent, real, and exposed to the circle around us creates a vortex of love and connectivity that even if we don't speak, we share.

All ages of people from 15 to 65 were there, dancing, grooving, drumming and relaxing together. I am so inspired and so touched to see this circle as well as the Sheppard Park circle in Stuart which I was one of the original members of in it's early years almost 15 years ago. To see the committment of some of these people who I know have been holding it down for all of these years, and their inner personal growth through the process only adds fuel to my inspiration to continue to do the work I am doing and feel passionate about with community music making!

n talking with some people last night, I feel to share more about what this is, and why I'm doing it!

The Evolution of the Drum Circle workshops are designed to be a combination of discussion and the application of skill sets to help existing communities improve their circles, build more solid and interesting rhythmical and musical foundations and ultimately bring the individuals in the group together more as a collective whole functioning as one instrument played by many hands!

The idea is that the more we communicate openly about what is working, and what could or might be able to work better in the circle, the more we share, reflect and talk in a safe space with no judgements, the more we grow and evolve as a community. By sharing in concepts and dialogue and learning together some basic practical skills and applications of working energy and cooperating in the circle, the more exciting, rewarding and fulfilling our community drum circles can be for us as individuals and as a community.

Please feel free to email me with any questions. My sincere intention is that the community leaders and those who frequent drum circles will come to share and grow together, for YOU are the ones that the rest of the community looks to as the model of what is expected, possible and acceptable even. What the drum circle offers us as a model for the new paradigm is tremendous in scope!


Seeing what is going on here in South Florida is an inspiration for me to continue to share and learn and grow with this beautiful community sharing!

I am so humbled to participate and so grateful for the opportunity.

Returning to the Roots Tour: Florida Fun

The Muse is flowing thru me once again and after much transition and life changing intention driving me forward, I feel supported, nurtured and blessed to be back out in the bigger world with friends, family and new connections carrying me forth into my joy!

The kickoff for Returning to the Roots Tour last night was an electronic ambient groove show with Rhett Johnson of Manteis Productions and Red Shift Mantra. Also the producer of my album Visions of Reality, Rhett's super yummy blend of textured grooves with live musicians is courageous and trancey to the core. And some of the best belly dancing I've ever seen as a warm up to the show! Wow!

Such a sweet treat and I am excited about the rest of the May tour here in Florida to bring newness, reconnection and magic into the lives of many!

The Muse Network is being worked on diligently and I am hoping to launch that within the next 4-6 weeks if all goes well! You can get a basic idea of what the Muse Network is about by visiting my website: www.cherishanti.com