black snake in Kansas at HSA festival with Drum
I had a wonderful time at the 26th Heartland Gaea Festival in Kansas over Memorial Day weekend. The weather turned out nice. I was sitting outside my cabin waiting to get picked up by the shuttle to go up to the hilltop pavilion for my 2 hour drumming meditation seminar. I remembering that I had forgotten my shaker so I went back into the cabin and suddenly came face to face with a big black snake slithering out of my bedroom and into the other bedroom. It was long and took its time. I watched for awhile, transfixed by its glistening slithering beauty, while I got over being slightly anxious. I waited til its tail came into view to make sure it was a non venomous snake. It seemed right at home. Then I remembered coming in the night before after midnight- tired but feeling good after drumming with the Kansas City Drum Tribe around the big gorgeous fire while dozens of people danced in the firelight under the stars. As I was getting ready for bed I heard a russsssstling but was too fried to check it out. It wasn’t the sound of a rat. So I slept like a baby with this giant black snake under my bunk bed. This local gentleman who was working in the mess hall preparing food for all of us was nice enough to come down and relocate Mr Black Snake for me, back out into the woods.
Here is a link to an article I was asked to contribute to the Heartland newsletter.
http://hsa.pagangrove.com/newsletters/current-online-issue/335-drumming-as-magick.html