“I am a Miracle” she said as she hit the drum

“I am a miracle” she said, as she hit the drum.

excerpt “History of the Groove, drummer’s story” Russell Buddy Helm ©2013 all rights reserved

2000. “I am a miracle” she said, as she hit the drum. She had never hit a drum before; not much chance of that; being a Beverly Hills matron with some plastic surgery along the way. But she was very sweet and sincere, and also scared. She had been through four cancer operations and the doctors were hovering around her, ready for another one. Her therapist sent her to us. We discussed her situation, while setting up a relaxing healing downbeat groove that she could play along to. It is important for the client to participate by playing the beat along with the drumming therapist. They cease to be passive at that moment when they hear their own downbeat note and that is the beginning of their metamorphosis. There are no wrong notes when you play this way. There is hope in every beat.

She discussed her family situation, entangled relationships with brother and sister, and sole care giver to her cancer ridden father. Her brother and sister had projected the shadow of the family onto her, so she said she felt like, “Cinderella’, under the heal of her siblings. They let her take care of the sick father. She did it without complaining, but when it came for him to be discharged from the hospital, she chose to take on the daunting task of taking care of him. On the night before his release, she came to the shop and created a drumming ritual with candles and a quiet groove and affirmations. Her father passed later that night, and she said that we had helped release him. She felt that he was staying alive just for her, so when she released him in her soul, he passed away gently as she was also free.

She told us that their family lawyer had spoken to her privately, “I have watched your brother and sister treat you shabbily for most of your lives. But lately, they have changed their attitude toward you. There is more respect there. What have you done to change this, if I may ask?”

“I’ve been drumming.” she said with pride. She had bought a small drum and was drumming on her own. “I am a miracle” was her healing mantra and she would stay on the groove, repeating that phrase for an hour or more, often two or three times a week in a private session in the store with me. When she came into the shop and drummed she would light up like a light bulb.  It was keeping her going. At one point the doctors called her just to say they could not find any new cancer and they actually told her, “You are a miracle.”

“I know.” she said. Her life was looking really promising and she wanted to have a companion, so I told her to drum on the kind of partner she wanted; make it specific. So she made a list of characteristics and then drummed on it; envisioning these characteristics manifested in a person. When she arrived for her weekly drumming session she was giggly like a little girl.

“He’s here.” She said, “He’s everything I wanted in a mate; great sense of humor, etc…..except, I was hoping for someone a little taller.” I laughed. She had not included that in her description. She brought him in and I was pleasantly impressed. She put her own life in order and ‘like attracts like’. She got what she wanted.

We now know that certain types of drumming increases the T cell count in the blood stream; one of the cancer fighting elements in our own survival system. I suspect that there are other cancer fighting elements in the act of meditation drumming, such as stress reduction, visualization of healing, intention, joy, endocrine stimulation, endorphin supply, mental stability, and who knows what else. I also know that drummers have died in a number of crazy ways but few I know of have died of cancer.

When I told her I was going on tour, she gave me a worried look. She feared she would not make it until I got back. I was driving through the Smokey Mountains, outside of Cherokee, North Carolina, in the middle of the night when my cell phone went off. There was no reception up there. It was her number but there was nobody on the line. I found out later, she had died that night at Cedars in LA. The last thing she said to her therapist, who was there when she passed was, “Tell Buddy it works. My life was better with the drumming.” She gave her drum to her therapist, who started to drum with me. One day while we were quietly drumming  our friend appeared to me, as if in a dream. I don’t get visions. I try to stay grounded when I am doing this. She spoke to me saying, “I was very far away, but I heard your drumming and I found you. I am sorry you weren’t there when I passed, but I want to bless and protect your work. So I will be here.” I try to be pragmatic about the benefits of the meditation healing drumming in order to relate to the greatest number of people. But as time goes on, I feel that we do have angels involved with this kind of drumming too.

excerpt “History of the Groove, drummer’s story” Russell Buddy Helm ©2013 all rights reserved

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