The workshop:
We will begin with ritual practices for setting sacred space and will conduct our work in stages together. Smudging, Calling in the Spirits and personal journeys to the spirit of the animal is in order. After 4 hours or so, you will leave with your own personal drum that can virtually change your life in many wonderful ways!
The Drums we will make are made from ready-made wooden hoops and we will be using authentic animal skins. Each kit is complete with everything you need for creating your own 18 inch; single sided, round drum and beater. The picture above is similar to the ones that you will receive. You have a choice between deer or elk skins; deer is said to closely resemble the heart space and elk is generally used for more power.
When in our mother’s womb, our first experience of life was a felt experience -- the feeling sensation of our mother’s heartbeat. This was our initiation into another world, a world of duality. That essential rhythm, beat – silence – beat -- silence, is the rhythm of spirit as in form –spirit – form – spirit, and the rhythm of breath itself. The drum is our residence with this eternal sound and rhythm. In Siberia, the shamans called their drum their “spirit stead” because they would ride the beat of the drum like a horse into the spirit world in their shamanic journey.
Research has shown that drumming has many wonderful benefits by listening and or playing. Among them are release of good endorphins, deep relaxation, control chronic pain, boosts the immune system, a sense of connectedness, alignment of body and mind with the natural world, access to a more refined power. Drumming also helps to release negative feelings, puts us in the present moment and, when used properly, can allow us personal transformation.
This workshop will be facilitated by Gregory Besek:
Gregory Besek is a shamanic, religious, and mystical practitioner and teacher. Having since childhood, Greg has delved deeply into Roman Catholicism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shamanism and much more. Thoroughly trained as a monk in a Hindu Monastic Order for over 7 years, he understands intimately that the spiritual path cannot be tread with one foot in and one foot out and that the lack of true understanding is our deepest roadblock.
Since 1989, Greg has taught well over 250 workshops, lectured widely in numerous libraries, schools and Universities, and has maintained a spiritual mentorship practice for all those seeking clarity upon their own paths in life. From 2008 -2019, Greg was employed by Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, sharing his spiritual mentorship with the staff and students in the Offices of Religious and Spiritual Life.