Drumming away depression on the djembe

The moment I heard the thunder of that relentless, ecstatic rhythm it was obvious to me: drumming is like some God-given alchemy to release and transform the heaviest of energies.

To explain: this evening I went to a free djembe drumming concert held in the courtyard of Nicosia's Goethe Institut.

On a balmy Mediterranean night, with burning torches and gratis red vino, there were definitely worse places to be, let me tell you - but it was a total fluke. The only reason I was there was because an acquaintance had sent me a text message about it.

Actually, I can honestly say that I'm incredibly grateful for having gone; I felt happy for the first time in ages. The last week in particular has been steeped in sorrow and mourning for me for what was recently lost. Indeed, depression has been hovering rather too close for my comfort.

But gosh, hearing those drums - being stirred by that wall of joyous, pulsing sound - it was like being uplifted and relieved of burdens.

Small wonder such rhythms can be therapeutic. Even less of a surprise that such drumming is often the shaman's means to travel into an ecstatic state.

So, more drumming please, less depression. And if you're interested in learning more about djembe drumming's benefits, you can satisfy your curiosity here.






The image above was taken from this site.

How the life force sometimes returns

Really, we're designed to survive. No matter how tough it gets, no matter how much we trip ourselves up or try to self-destruct, at our core, we're actually pretty darn tough.

The renowned astrologer Noel Tyl said it far better when he mused on the following:

"There’s an adaptability about human beings that is designed by Nature to help us cope, to help us heal. Intrinsic mechanisms are built into our mood systems to help us accommodate difficulty.

"These coping mechanisms see to work against any of our contrived efforts to enhance our moods permanently. In other words, drugs, alcohol, rationalizations, pathological lying, profligate spending, as mood savers, cannot endure for long; more and more of whatever it is is needed, and addiction ensues.

"It is our nature to get used to what is difficult in our lives."

You can read the rest of his insightful essay here.

Despite weathering some of the worst bouts of self-loathing and self-doubt I've experienced so far, it seems moments of serenity and contentment do return - indeed, might well be hiding just around the corner.

For me, though, it's not just time that makes the difference as Noel suggests. Rather it is being meaningfully active.

No new ground broken here, but my Moon in Capricorn (under five degrees from my Sixth house cusp), my Virgo Ascendant, and my Aquarius Mars and Mercury (also in the Sixth) REALLY need to be busy - preferably working my a** off.

Fortunately for me, this evening was just such a night, wherein almost nine hours disappeared while I practised laying out articles using the InDesign publishing software for the newspaper at which I often proofread. The idea is I get trained up while working unpaid, in the hopes that I'll be in shape to cover sub-editor shifts whenever the latter are on holiday.

Well here's hoping, anyway.

Whether or not they hire me though, it felt so good walking home this evening after putting the paper to bed. Really, all I need is to keep ultra-busy if at all possible, and all will be fine.

Too bad Neptune and Chiron (and soon Jupiter) just turned retrograde in my Sixth.






The image above was taken from this site.