Thunder Valley Drums Podcast & Blog
Introducing the Shamanic "Bear Drum"
Six Beautiful Years In The Making
A Lifetime of Preparation
(Sorry, but this drum is now SOLD)
A new era of drum making has come to Thunder Valley Drums with the introduction of the Bear Drum, the first of many community or pow-wow type drums I hope to offer. Bear taught me how to make drums like this over a period of six beautiful years during journeys, or while I was working at the shop, and even in dreamtime. I believe, in retrospect though, that this is one of those events I have been prepared for throughout my life. So I now seek to honor this teacher with its namesake drum, the only one of its kind, ever. And I would like to acquaint you with it, because it contains many things never before seen in a drum. These were not the result of my doing, but of Bear's. (More photos, etc. on the Thunder Valley Drums site.)
There is an invitation to enter the sacred domain of spiritual connection and gratitude deep within this drum. Here you will find four small womb-like compartments on the inside of the thick frame and into which you can place seeds, stones, herbs, dry corn, flowers, and other special offerings to honor creation and all of life during ceremony. These are the Sacred Womb Lodges that Bear told me about in dreamtime.These are symbolic of two things, first that it is a spiritual principle among all faiths and creeds to give thanks to that which sustains us. And by placing herbs, seeds and other items in each of the Lodges, you are demonstrating your gratitude to All That Is. Secondly, the Lodges are concealed and somewhat like a cave, where resides the true potential of the seeds of your greatness and service. A separate but equally important part of this whole is the copper hod which hangs beneath the drum and functions to hold sacred water, the vital component of life and the source of spiritual cleansing for any ceremony.
Surprisingly, this Bear is not as introverted as many believe its kin to be. Oh sure, it does have its affinity for “going in the cave” or withdrawing, a tendency that is often interpreted by humans as introspection. This is the metaphysical equivalent for the spiritual seeker who ultimately will find the usefulness of discovering inner strength and identity only by spending time in the silence afforded “inside.”
And while we may think Bear prefers the confines of the cave, we learn from its example that the deep inner workings along a sacred path are always manifested both inside and outside. On the Bear Drum, this is symbolized by four emeralds mounted on Lightning-Struck cherry wood medallions and placed at each of the four sacred directions. This way, they serve as fierce protectors of the sacred space encompassing you, those who play the Bear Drum, and the drum itself, just as Bear is known to fiercely protect its own. But these beautiful emeralds, lightning-struck blocks and copper attachments also serve as conduits for the incredible healing energy available through the united intention of service to the greater good exhibited by those who join in playing the sacred drum. The emeralds came from deep within a Brazillian mine, a cave of sorts, and are raw, unpolished, rough and natural.
Aren’t we all?
So the work of the path is always to go inside to seek answers and to polish what will become the lustrous composition of our true identities as servants of each other and all of life.
And once we find our strength, we step out into the grand journey, prepared to fully engage life and to search for the quintessential essence of what every living being yearns for, and is willing to sacrifice its life for. And that is, to live free.
In practically all cultures, the Bear is a powerful symbol of this, of birth and rebirth, of creation in the face of extinction, of a stubborn light refusing to be overwhelmed by the darkness. We all carry Bear deep within.
Find it and Live Free.
Aho & Namaste,
Bob
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Posted by Bob at Tuesday, September 13, 2011 10:48 AM 
Categories: Shaman Drums For Sale
Tags: shaman drum shamanic drum Bear Drum totem totem animal Bear totem emeralds lodges sacred circle sacred drum Thunder Valley Drums shaman drum for sale
Categories: Shaman Drums For Sale
Tags: shaman drum shamanic drum Bear Drum totem totem animal Bear totem emeralds lodges sacred circle sacred drum Thunder Valley Drums shaman drum for sale
BRAVO ... AND BLESSINGS !!!
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Thank you, Karen! Blessings and Namaste.
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