The Heartbeat of God

I spent the weekend at a Yoga & Drumming Retreat in Baltimore, MD ffered by the Shalem Institute.  I went because I've been intrigued these last few years about the connection between rhythm and spirituality.  We've done some drumming at St. Stephen's and it has been a good community builder.  It's also been a lot of fun, but I don't have the sense that it has caught fire in anyone's gut ... even my own ... and yet I couldn't get the idea drumming out of my head.  What was missing for me was the simple God connection and how to make that an intentional focus of the playing.  How do you make it a prayer?  


Bush Mango has a great drumming program, and you can go there to become an accomplished drummer.  That's not what I want.  I don't need to play amazing beats or learn different African rhythms.  I want to drum because it feels like something that could draw me deeper into myself and into God.  So I went to this retreat hoping that I might experience a little of what I've been intuiting.


No one who attended the retreat had much experience with drumming, but each of us felt drawn to explore it, to give it try.  Our faciliatator was amazing.  She helped us learn to feel the beat together, and to pay attention to one another and the heartbeat of God that is always vibrating in the world.  We didn't do anything difficult or complicated on the drum ... but it felt deep and solid and enduring.  It helped to quiet my mind and ground my spirit.  Drumming isn't something I plan to do on my own, because the community piece feels so important.  


I have ideas for integrating some drumming into our worship.  I will also be leading some prayerful drumming as part of our Tending the Soul series that starts on February 9th.  It gives me a chance to share some of what I learned.  I'm no great drummer but I am a faithful seeker.  I will be trusting in God's help as we begin.  That should be enough to get us started.  Don't you think?