A friend of mine who attends the Community Drum Circle at Remo in North Hollywood, emailed me that Motherland Music in Inglewood was hosting Mandingo Night on Saturday. We were suppose to meet there but by the time I got home from dropping off the oriole, (read previous post on Facebook for Monday, July 29th), at the California Wildlife Center and then driving from Malibu back to get my drum, and then out to Inglewood, my friend had drummed herself to exhaustion and called to tell me she had to leave.
Not knowing the area, and already having been told parking might be an issue and that the place was packed, I prayed all the way to Motherland Music for a parking space, which I got, and I prayed for a seat inside, which I got. (As a matter-of-fact, as soon as I walked into the store, 2 people got out of their chairs so there was an open spot for me and my drum!) It's too bad my friend left when she did because I was seated just in time to receive the event's evening blessing.
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| The African Priest gives his blessings. |
The holy man spoke and gave a blessing in an African language. The blessing was to the ancestors, thanking them for being there, for coming before us and making it possible for us to be here now. It was very inspirational and enlightening. Then the drumming and dancing resumed.
The beat was so strong. I just went with it and let go with the vibration. We were all one with the rhythm.
Drumming is a unique, spiritual experience. The vibration touches each of us differently.
Drumming is a spiritual purification. It provides a venue for healing to take place. Drumming transcends us and purifies our heart and that of our ancestors before us and continues healing after us because what we receive from our experience is passed on to those who come after us.
All the time I was at Motherland Music, I was on Cloud Nine. I couldn't help smiling.
On Sunday, my hands hurt from drumming for 3 hours and I had a spiritual hang over...
