More Sound, Less Fury…Drumming our Way to Health

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Speaking of the healing effects of sound, let alone the health benefits of having fun,  I can affect my heartbeat, my blood pressure, my entire body’s systems as well as my entire mental state by simply creating a rhythmic pattern on a hand drum…….changing my vibration…..calming me or exciting me.

I find drumming my fingers in a rhythmic pattern to have a more relaxing effect than a steady, flat, palm rhythm.  I tend to think that is because of its resemblance to the sound of the rain at night as it falls on the skylight  above my bed.

Nevertheless, when I am looking for a great sense of release, the above-mentioned steady, flat, palm rhythm is far more enjoyable than that other favorite pastime many refer to as 'venting', but which most of us recognize as complaining-- unless of course, we are the ones doing the venting.  Trust me; it's still more fun beating on a drum, and will get us into a lot less trouble than actually beating on the person we feel inspired to vent about.  But I digress...

Drum therapy is an ancient approach that uses rhythm to promote healing and self-expression. Therapeutic rhythm techniques have been used for thousands of years to create and maintain physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Drumming reduces tension, anxiety, and stress.  It’s not my intention to speak for anyone else, but couldn’t you use just a little less tension, anxiety, and stress in your life too?
It  induces deep relaxation and even lowers blood pressure!

Drumming helps control chronic pain.  Ok, maybe those suffering from a migraine headache might differ with me, but you never know until you try……
Chronic pain has a progressively draining effect on quality of life. Drumming can serve as a distraction from pain—physical, mental, or emotional. 

What’s more, drumming promotes the production of endorphins-- the body’s own morphine-like painkillers-- and can thereby help in the control of physical pain.

Drumming boosts the immune system, and it’s a lot more fun than taking a handful of pills everyday.

In fact, recent studies from The National Cancer Institute, claim that group drumming actually increases cancer-killing cells.  Group drumming tunes our biology, orchestrates our immunity, and enables healing to begin on many levels.

Drumming produces a deeper self-awareness.  In this day of trying to serve too many masters, and therefore serving none (at least no particular one very well), we could all use a little more self-awareness.

The physical transmission of rhythmic energy synchronizes the two hemispheres of the brain. When the logical left hemisphere and the intuitive right hemisphere begin to pulsate in harmony, our inner guidance begins to flow unimpeded.

Drumming accesses the entire brain and has been used successfully for ADD and ADHD, autism, and Alzheimers’.  It has positively affected emotionally disturbed teens, recovering addicts, trauma patients, and prison and homeless populations.

Drumming is a valuable treatment for stress, fatigue, anxiety, hypertension, asthma, chronic pain, arthritis, mental illness, migraines, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, paralysis, emotional disorders, and a wide range of physical disabilities. 

Need I say more? I’ve enjoyed taking this opportunity to drum some sense into you, because it ALL makes sense to me !!