Drum Circle at The Center for Spiritual Living

I realize that even though I made a couple of posts this weekend I didn't actually talk about the Drum Circle I attended. I didn't take my camera and I'm not sure it would have been appropriate anyway.

Since I have joined my metaphysical discussion group I have met some extremely nice people. They told me about 'The Center for Spiritual Living' which is essentially a New Age church. This church has a very strong Native American theme going thoughout their services and decor. The building itself is quite lovely. It has a large wooden sanctuary that mimics a massive tee-pee. They have a great sound system and a massive grand piano. The entire room is extraordinarily warm and inviting. I am really looking forward to going there in the fall and winter.

On Friday evening I took my wife, my son John, my daughter Lauren, and her friend Jamie to attend the drum circle ceremony. I have attended one drum circle before and I really enjoyed it. The last one I attended was years ago and took place out in the forest next to some large open caverns where the sound could echo. At that drum ceremony there were a number of extremely talented musicians who set the rhythm that everyone was supposed to follow.

The one held at the Center for Spiritual Living was nothing like that. It was more of a religious ceremony, with meditation and sharing. I quite enjoyed it but I wish the drumming itself had been a bit more coherent. The drumming was more just a joyful expression of everyone banging rather randomly and dancing around an altar while occasionally vocalizing. On this particular evening there were quite a few children there. I really enjoyed watching the kids have so much fun.

My own children participated, never rolled their eyes, and expressed no particular interest in going back again. It was a nice opportunity to expose them to a new experience and different sorts of people. They all said they would like to go to a drum circle that was more like the one I described above; out in the woods and led by musicians.

Here is how the evening unfolded. We arrived early for a pot-luck dinner. My son immediately discovered the first of three pianos in the place. When he moved into the sancturary and played the massive grand piano it was quite amazing. The grand piano is very powerful and the music filled the sancturary, reverberating throughout the building. My son has been composing a new song that is coming along quite nicely. I will have to record it some time and upload it to share.

During dinner three of my friends from the Metaphysical Discussion Group showed up, Linda, Donna, and Adrianne. Linda is an expert at Near Death Experiences. Adrianne is a skilled holistic healer and massage therapist. Donna is her mother who has her own particular talents. For any of you rolling your own eyes at this point, all I can say is that in my life experience I have always found 'New Age' types to be extraordinarily loving and sharing people. At any rate, when you get right down to it, I'm basically a New Age type person myself so I might as well come to terms with it. I may be a New Age person with reasonably strong critical thinking skills and an even stronger dose of skepticism, but that just gives my aura a bit of an edge if you know what I mean...

Before the drumming began we all had to be 'cleansed' with burning sage wafted over each of us. I quite liked this little ceremony. The first drumming then began and, as I said before, it was a bit random and chaotic, but an enjoyable release nontheless. After this there was a guided medition which I had never done before. They used a device that simulates the ocean surf and a musician played some hypnotic music. Before that was done I was so relaxed I was about ready to melt through the floor. Linda brought her bearskin and laid on it during the mediatation.

Next we had the 'sharing'. This is where a 'talking stick' is passed around from person to person and each one shares their thoughts at that time. Since we have just come through a bit of a local crisis with the massive storms, and many had been without power, this was a common topic. One couple had recently returned from a visit to Arizona and New Mexico where they were able to see ancient Hopi Indian Kivas and they shared that story. When it came to be my turn I told a short story about the influence of wolves in my life. I have had two wolf-hybrids; the first when I was a child and the second when I was an adult. I gave myself the spirit name of 'Running Wolf'. I will answer to that as easily as 'John'. Try me.

My kids didn't say much, and it finally went around to Linda (Bear Woman) who shared a brief vision she had felt during the meditation.

After the 'sharing' was done there was another drumming, then we closed with a song as benediction and each went home our seperate ways. All in all I quite liked it. I enjoyed the meditation the most and hope a future 'drumming' might include an actual musician to set the rhythm for the event. They only meet once a month on the last Friday of the month and, having nothing else on my calendar, I can certainly see myself returning once again.

Every time I go to one of these kind of things I am so struck by just how much I like the smell of burning insense, whether it is a Catholic Mass or a New Age drum circle. I really want to use some in my own home from time to time.

All day Saturday I worked on my new website promoting our land in Lake of the Ozarks. On Saturday evening I took my son John and my daughter Lauren out to the 'Comedy Forum' for John's 20th birthday. The headliner was hysterical and we had a great evening.

On Sunday I went out an bought a new murse and a treasure chest for Charlie and Emily. I filled the treasure chest with $100 of dollar coins, $100 of two dollar bills, two one hundred dollar bills, two fifty dollar bills, and the rest twenties. Charlie and Emily are going to Cancun on their honeymoon and I want them to have plenty of cash so they can do whatever fun excursions they want. Terry made Emily's veil for the wedding and Charlie and I went boating and out to lunch. On Sunday afternoon I worked on another website I am creating and I also found out about the image search requests that I have previously posted about.

Sunday evening I worked on my presentation for the Metaphysical Discussion Group this Friday. On Friday I am going to talk about the 'Seth' material. Most of my New Age beliefs come either from David Bohm's concept of the implicate and explicate order and the Seth material. From a philisophical point of view they are pretty much the same.

Finally, today, I received an email notifying me that I have been selected as the 'Freemason Link of the Month' from the popular website Freemasonry.fm I am also listed under Freemason blogs and selected as one of the top 1,001 freemason sites on the net.

While, I suppose, I am honored by this it is all a bit confusing. Can you imagine what people are going to think when they stumble here and see a post about 'hot moms', 'lake of the ozarks property', and 'new age drum circles'? Where is the Freemason stuff they are going to ask, I'm quite sure.

Well, it will come. You know, we do go dark in the summer afterall...

I suppose there is no harm that people find out that I am a New Age Freemason. What is wrong with that afterall? There are Baptist Freemasons, Jewish Freemasons, and Muslim Freemasons. There are Freemasons from all of the worlds religions, great and small. I doubt I am going to cause any particular scandal in all of this.

I will be installed as an officer in two seperate Freemason lodges over the next few weeks so I'm sure the blog will steer back towards Masonic topics and have more photographs of old men wearing funny aprons.