Medicine Drum Crafting Ceremony - 2 Days of Weaving, Sharing & Chants.

This is an opportunity to remember and reclaim your inherent connection to earth based wisdom tradition, find a grounded sense of belonging in the shamanic paradigm, receive the magic and medicine of music, your voice, rhythm and beat and become a carrier of this ancient spiritual tool and instrument. Which is in fact, a spiritual legacy for all of Humanity.

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The science and art of drumming is finally making its way into the health and wellness revolution. Over the last decade research involving the neurobiological underpinnings of drumming has seen tremendous growth. Numerous studies have shown that all types of drumming can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, enhance your immunity, reduce cortisol and provide relief from chronic pain conditions.

It is no secret that the Medicine Drum is a remarkable spiritual technology that enables us to connect with our true nature, the elements, great spirit and the heart of Gaia. It has been used throughout time and across many cultures and traditions to align with the spirit realms to harness the healing power of natural sound vibrations.

As we enter the age of Aquarius, we will simultaneously witness the emergence of significant advances in technology as well as a global shamanic renaissance; which is already evident in the rise of psychedelic plant medicine use, sound-healing and breathwork. As the Drum returns to the people it brings with it powerful and profound gifts, rites of passage, naturally induced altered states of consciousness, vocal exploration and expression and the integration of personal and intergenerational healing.

With the help of a drum, we are able to purify our energetic space, regulate our nervous system, find somatic centering, sing our hearts songs and connect to the natural world. As we deepen our practice in the shamanic paradigm we can learn to call upon benevolent spirits from the animal, plant and mineral realms as well as the elemental intelligences, our personal guides, guardians, protectors, the angels and our ancestors.

What to expect:

Over this weekend we will:

• Share 2 magical and transformative days held in circle
• Connect with our ancestors, spirit guides and allies
• Engage in prayerfulness, presence and gratitude
• Ritually craft a 16inch deer, goat or kangaroo hide shamanic drum (subject to availability) and beater
• Learn about the history and metaphorical significance of this spiritual instrument and tool
• Embark upon a Shamanic Breathwork Journey
• Receive the heart opening, grounding medicine of Cacao
• Discover the power and strength of the circle within us and all around us
• Share, learn, sing and receive the medicine of sacred songs
• Replenish our souls in the infinite power of the creative healing spirit together

*Please note: Wild Goat, Deer and Kangaroo hide are an option, however you must let us know your preference by October 31 to ensure they are available and delivered in time. As deer hide is currently the most rare to come across, if your preference is deer, please also indicate your second preference should deer be unavailable for the demand. i.e. goat or kangaroo hide.

Day 1. 9:30am start

• Opening ceremony, smoke cleansing, invocation and intention sharing
• Overview of the history and global symbology/cosmology woven into the Drum
• Connecting with your animal hide spirit - singing to the Water
• Calling to the feminine principles - preparing the hide, template and strings
• Calling to the masculine principles - crafting the beater
• Shamanic Breathwork Journey

Day 2. 9:30am start

• Integrative Sharing Circle & Cacao
• Sacred Circle Embodiment Practice
• The 7 Sacred Directions
• Calling on the Spirit of the Willow Tree - sacred hoop
• Weaving the Drum
• Lunch
• Finish Weaving the Drum
• Sharing Drum Songs
• Closing sharing circle & ceremony

The timing can vary depending on each individual's process. We will aim to complete each day around 6:30pm at the latest, however please be flexible and avoid making other plans for the evenings. You will want and need your rest.

Throughout the 2 days together, the sacred symbolic language woven into the Drum will be shared with you, as well as some guidelines and resources to support you in taking care of your Drum and harnessing the full power of this remarkable tool. Each participant will also receive access to a collection of photos and videos from our time together as well as some links to music books, song lists, and other relevant information (a bit like a digital showbag).

About the Materials:

All hides are sourced from a supplier in Tasmania. Animals are wild and seasonally culled to control numbers due to having no natural predators. Seasonal culling is believed to minimise disease, territorial issues and environmental impact.

The Willow Wood Hoops are sourced internationally by another local Drum Carrier. They are made from one piece of wood, steam bent and joined. It is the tree of dreaming, intuition and deep emotions. When used in a drum, it helps with the release of emotions and assists us in expression. It offers ‘the ability to thrive despite challenging circumstances’ because when you break a branch from a Willow, and plant it in the ground, a new tree will grow.

The ceremony includes time and space for deep reverence and respect for the animal's life and death, and is a celebration of its rebirth process into a shamanaic drum. The spirit of the animal will become one of your allies so tune into which animal's quality and nature resonates with you and the medicine you feel called to carry in the world.

Please note that the total cost of raw materials to craft your drum is $250 and is included in the total price of the Ceremony.

Hide Options:

Deer - teaches us about intuition, unconditional love, innocence, safety and protection. They are highly sensitive creatures with a keen insight into subtle energy all around them.

Kangaroo - teaches us about the importance of family and community. They are strong but gentle and remind us about balance and how to continue moving forwards.

Goat - teaches us about focus and perseverance. They are strong, agile and have the ability to navigate life's obstacles with grace and determination.

How it Works:

The ceremony will begin on Saturday 23rd November at 9:15am for a 9:30am start. To maintain the energetic integrity of the ceremony we will be remaining in the COY (Centre of You) space. We will provide light snacks during the day, but please BYO lunch and water bottle and/or tea thermos. Our first day will be complete around 6:30pm, after a Shamanic Breathwork journey with Grace Elizabeth.

We encourage everyone to abstain from making any Saturday night arrangements and allow yourself an evening of deep integration and rest. We will be in the middle of a ceremonial process and you will need the time to yourself so that you have the energy to complete your Drum on Sunday.

After a good night’s rest we will reconvene at COY at 9:15am on Sunday and remain together for the entire day until the closing Ceremony around 6:30pm.

All materials to craft a deer hide drum and beater, ceremonial facilitation, light snack platters, cacao and herbal tea and shamanic breathwork journey are included in the ticket price.

Payment plans are available upon request (All payments being finalized prior to November 15th). If you'd prefer to make a direct deposit to avoid booking fees, be in contact.

Thank you for following the guidance of your heart.

About your facilitator - Melanie Gunn

Mele is a visionary artist, crafts woman, ceremonialist and retreat facilitator. She is a qualified Naturopath and Transpersonal Art Therapist; focused on providing trauma sensitive healing spaces that elicit life enhancing, sustainable and integrated transformation.

Over the past 20 years she has traveled to sacred sites around the world, studying with indigenous wisdom keepers and medicine carriers. From the Isle of Man, through Europe, South East Asia, to North, Central and South America, Mele has been on a spiritual pilgrimage around the world to source and distill the basic unifying truths of all earth worshiping cultures and traditions.

Mele is a wayshower and world-bridger, utilising eco-somatic-visionary shamanic practices to embody her devotion to all that is sacred. She weaves her own ancient Celtic-Pagan lineage through a unique tapestry of ritual - healing - arts and sacred songs upon her ancestral altar of Mother Nature.

Her work aims to unify people with their most empowered, creative and benevolent state of being, by welcoming all parts of the self, home to the innate intelligence of the heart centre.

Website - https://mamawhitelion.com/

If you need to clarify anything relating to this Drum Crafting ceremony, please contact Mele on on 0468 696 093.

Things to note:

Centre of You has plenty of bolsters, blankets, and cushions for you to get cosy with. We recommend wearing comfortable, loose clothes to enable deep breathing and sitting/laying upon the floor with ease. A journal is recommended as are any familiar personal items that will aid you in feeling grounded (crystal, teddy, scarf, etc).

Please Bring:

• Your own lunch each day
• Water bottle and/or thermos
• Towel (to work on your Drum)
• A small bucket to work with
• A precious item to place on the Altar

Personal responsibility: Please make an assessment on whether you are feeling stable and resourced enough to explore the practices on offer in this event.

Arrival: Endeavour to arrive between 9:15am - 9:30am. To preserve the experience for all involved, doors will close at 9:45am. Truly, it breaks our heart to have to turn latecomers away yet the disruption to the whole group experience by virtue of lateness does require management. We ask that you find understanding and consideration for the timebound nature of the container and make every effort to arrive on time.

Driving: Centre of You is located upon Chapel Street and while you may get lucky with an untimed spot, particularly on a Sunday (try High Street) predominantly 1 and 2 hour parking is available. So you can fully settle into the practice, we suggest you avoid the need to move your car or risk a fine and park at one of the paid parking options. CARe multilevel carpark (8-14 King Street Prahran), a 140-metre walk from COY will cost $15.40 to cover the timings of this event. Alternatively, weekend early bird (in before 10am, out after 3pm) parking at CARe Park Prahran Square, 30-40 Izett St, Prahran (Coles/Safeway), a 500m walk from COY, will come in at a flat rate of $11.10.

Public transport - tram: Both the number 6 tram & 78 tram stop on the corner of High St/Chapel St. This is stop 31 on the number 6 tram (Moreland/Glen Iris) & stop 45 on the number 78 tram (North Richmond/Balaclava).

Public transport - train: Both Prahran & Windsor stations along the Sandringham Line will get you walking distance to Centre of You.

Finding Centre of You: Centre of You is nestled within the arcade that Chapel St Bazaar is in (217 Chapel St). It is up a flight of stairs with a wide landing at the half-way-point. Unfortunately, this current version of Centre of You does not have a wheelchair accessible lift. If you could use support in getting up the stairs or would like to discuss ways to make your experience at Centre of You more comfortable, please reach out via [email protected] or via DM over on Centre of You Instagram.

Accessibility: At COY we aim to ensure our community and events are inclusive and accessible while alongside upholding the needs and responsibilities of our business and the businesses of our collaborating facilitators. Should you be in a time of financial challenge and unable to pay the full ticket price comfortably, please reach out via [email protected] or via DM over on Centre of You Instagram

Ticketing T&Cs: We get it, life happens, therefore we will gladly refund you up until 7 days before the event. After that, we have a strict no refund/no transfer to future events policy. If you are no longer able to attend and wish to pay forward your ticket to someone within the community, be in touch via [email protected] or via DM over on Centre of You Instagram.

Questions? Email [email protected] or reach out via Instagram DM.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Centre of You, Upstairs, 217 Chapel St, Melbourne, Australia