Sound Peace

Stress Relief Through Shamanic Drumming

Shamanic Drumming has been used since ancient times for healing and releasing anger as well.  It is also great way to to release stress and frustration.  You can do this by combining drumming, yogic breathing and some vocalizing. 

The next time you come home from work feeling stressed out or angry try this shamanic drumming meditation.  You'll need some kind of frame drum, hand drum and mallet or if you don't have a drum you can just use you hands on your thighs while in a seated position.  Go someplace you will be undisturbed for about 10 to 15 minutes

1. Play a steady 4/4 beat on the drum at a medium tempo.  

2. Next start doing yogic breathing in the following way - take a breath into your belly so you belly rises and then push the air up into your chest so your chest expands. 

3. Then exhale your breath out and let your belly relax and become soft.  Breathe fully and slowly.

4. Start to time your breaths with the rhythm you are playing on the drum.  If you are doing the drum beat at a medium tempo it should feel comfortable to use four beats for the inhale and about 6 for the exhale.  Adjust your breathing and your breath until both the drumming and the breathing feel natural to you.

You might find it works better for you with 6 or 8 beats for the inhale and 8 to 10 beats for exhale. If you find it is more comfortable for make the exhale the same time as the inhales that's fine but if you can make the exhales longer you will find this to be more relaxing.

5. After a few minutes change your exhale so that you are saying the word "HO" with the exhale.  Time it with one of the drum hits.  After you say the word HO keep breathing out until the number of beats for the exhale you have chosen in completed and then start the inhale.  When you say the word HO say it forcibly so the breath is expelled as you say the word.

Make sure to time the breaths so you can exhale completely.  If you feel lightheaded then change the timing of the beats so that you have plenty of time to get all the air out of your lungs before you inhale.

6. As you breathe in imagine you are breathing in healing life force energy and as you breath out imagine all of your stress, frustration and anger  coming out.

7. After you are done spend a few moments with your eyes closed breathing normally and enjoy a serene feeling of inner peace.

— Steve Gordon

Learn to Meditate in 10 Minutes

 

Yes, it's true.  You can learn the basics of meditation in the 10 minutes it takes you to read this article.

There are countless books and courses promising to teach you to meditate and the fact is that you can learn it on your own after you know a few techniques.  Once your learn the technique however, it can take years to perfect it.  That's why many people call it their "practice."

But even if you are new to meditation, you can start to reap the benefits of it such as letting go of stress, being more relaxed throughout the day, better heart health, more creativity, better concentration and better clarity right away.

The main idea with meditation is that the mind needs an object to focus on and if you don't provide one it will find endless things to focus on all by itself.  In the east they say the mind is like a drunken monkey.  This is their way of saying that your mind will be constantly filled with thoughts if you let it run it's natural course. 

It's not that thinking is a bad thing; it can be often be a good way to decide things, figure things out, etc.  But there are often times when thoughts can contribute to stress and rob your sense of inner peace and relaxation.  Thoughts can also get in the way of experiencing the moment.  If you are thinking about what you are experiencing then you are not fully experiencing it.

There are many types of meditation but these three basic types are all your need to get started; Mantra Meditation, Zen Breath meditation and Music meditation.

With both of these kinds of meditation, first do this:

Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed.  You can either sit upright with your spine straight such as in a chair, sitting on the floor against the wall or your can sit cross legged in the meditation pose or half lotus, or if you are adapt at yoga in the full lotus pose.  Your hands can be on your knees or together with your fingers interlocked (my favorite).

Close your eyes and imagine that the world and all it's complexity are moving away from you and you are in safe within your inner world, a place of infinite space and infinite peace.

Optional: Focus your awareness at the place on your forehead between and above your eyes.  This is known as the third eye or ajna (brow) chakra.

Let your breathing naturally slow and breathe by relaxing your stomach and letting it extend out on the inhale.  This is yogic breathing.

At this point you can do one of three things:

Mantra Meditation

Choose a mantra, or short word or phrase to repeat silently in your mind as your meditate.  Here are a few you can try:

Om Shanti
Om - Breathing in
Shanti - Breathing out

Om is the Indian word for the sound of the universe, the seed sound of existence.
Shanti means peace.

So Hum
So - Breathing in
Hum - Breathing out

So Hum means "I am that" (so = "I am" and hum = "that").  "That" is referring to the entire universe.  So chanting So Hum helps you to feel a part of everything.

Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani - Breathing in
Padre Hum - Breathing Out

Om Mani Padme Hum
This Tibetan Buddhist mantra means "I am the jewel at the center of the lotus." although many believe that it's true meaning can only be known through meditation.

You can also make up your own mantras such as "I am at Peace" or "all is one" but I personally prefer ancient mantras because ancient languages such as Sanskrit were actually created with the effect that the vibrations of the words would have upon meditation.

Keep mentally repeating the mantra for the length of your meditation.  If you find yourself drifting away from the mantra into thoughts then gently return again and again to the mantra.  Think of your thoughts as white clouds that drift across the sky of your mind.  Do not chase them or try to hard to push them away.  Just let them be and return to the mantra.

Zen Breath Meditation

With Zen meditation, instead of repeating a mantra just repeat:

"I am breathing in" - Breathing in
"I am breathing out" - Breathing out

Eventually try to move from repeating these phrases mentally to just listening to the sound of your breath and use the sound of your breath instead of the words.

With practice you can actually use the sound of your breath to focus your mind on.

Music Meditation

This works the same as Zen breath meditation but instead of focusing on the sound of your breath, you let the music be your thought.  This requires music created specifically for meditation.  My brother David and I have been creating this kind of music for over 25 years and you can find some of our favorites here  Sequoia Records Meditation Music

Whether you use a mantra, breath or music, after just a few sessions, complete your practice with a moment of gratitude for what you have received.

You will start to experience a wonderful feeling of peace and pleasure during and after your meditations.

Nowadays with all the technology and complexity of modern life, spending some time meditating on a regular basis can serve you as your own personal place that you can go to no matter where you are.  A place to rest your body and mind and renew your spirit.

Even short periods of time such as 5 to 10 minutes can be beneficial.  But if you can spare 20 minutes or more you'll really start to understand how good it can feel.  You can do it when you first wake up, for a break during the day or before bed. 

— Steve Gordon