Solar Spring Spirit Jam on Saturday, March 26, 2011

 Looking forward to using my new Tiger Eye Drum by artisan drum maker Lisa Starr

photo by Lisa Starr

Come join us on Saturday, March 26, 2011 · 8:30pm - 11:30pm for the first annual  Solar Spring Spirit Jam, brought to you by Mind Altering Records and The Prosperity Hive:

A special evening of transcendental music, dance, and communal drumming featuring Solarminds (of Mind Altering Records) at the

The Prosperity Hive

740 13th St. #503

San Diego, CA

RSVP on the Facebook event page or just come join us! 

From Chris Miner of solarminds: 

..."I have some new material that I'd like to share with people. Right now it's just me and my acoustic guitar, but I would like to get a big audience driven drum circle going, and maybe a couple musicians helping to provide a drone sort of thing that my stuff could go on top of- very repetitive, meditative, spiritual stuff. The goal being to evoke ecstatic states of mystical devotion and union for everyone involved. 

It's all about dissolving boundaries- between audience and performer, and this world and the spirit world. It's about letting the spirits sing through me, letting the spirits dance our bodies. I always tell people my music is divinely inspired, but on March 26th, I want to inspire the spirits to join us, so that we transcend who inspires who on that night. 

It will be an experiment for sure, and I'm not sure where the experiment will take us, but I have a feeling it will take us somewhere magical." 

Bring your drum, rattle, tambourine, or other percussion instrument, and your dancing feet!

$5-$20 suggested donation

Doors open at 8:30
Music starts at 9pm

Hope to see you there! ~ Jaime Lyerly 

Drumming Up HOPE for Haiti - 2/11/2010 at the World Beat Center in Balboa Park, San Diego

Just had to share this event, which mixes my love for the drum and giving to others. If you are in the San Diego area, come check it out. Some members of the San Diego Women's Drum Circle will drumming it up at this event!

Drumming Up HOPE
Dear Drumming Spirits,

Please join me at this event in San Diego

Drumming Up HOPE led by Christine Stevens, Frank Lazarro,
Kat Fulton, and Sundiata Kata.

Raising Money and Energy through Sacred Drumming for Haiti

Please wear RED

Thurs Feb 11, 2010 8-930pm

World Beat Cultural Center
2100 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA
619-230-1190
Suggested donation $10.00

________________________________________________________
Rev. Bonnie Devlin, an initiated Haitian drum minister has provided this You Tube educational clip to prepare you to participate in Drumming UP HOPE!

Wear RED and learn this beat together as we send our support to Haiti.



YouTube Video Part 2




For more information, check out Upbeat Drum Circles and learn more about the healing power of the drum.

Happy drumming! ~ Jaime Lyerly

A Drum-filled Weekend! San Diego Community Events

I am so excited for two events coming up this weekend that I am surprised I have written about sooner. If you are in the San Diego, California area - come check these out.

First event is today, Saturday, October 3, 2009 for the 11th Annual San Diego Women's Drum Circle. Here is the information from founder Vicki Morgan:

This is our 11th year Anniversary of the SAN DIEGO WOMEN'S DRUM CIRCLE!!!

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

We will be Celebrating, and Drumming under the stars around a beautiful bonfire at Vacation Island on Mission Bay behind Paradise Point Resorts off Vacation Rd.

Potluck: 4:30-6pm - Bring something yummy to share:)!

Drum Circle: 6:00pm – 9pm

Directions: Take 8 west, exit Sports Arena/Mission Bay, take Mission Bay turns into Ingraham, pass 1st light (Dana Landing), go over bridge, turn left (go west) on Vacation Rd. Turn left before entering resort.

FOLLOW OUR DRUM SIGNS…. towards the back parking lot near the public restrooms. You will find us at the 1st Fire Pit

www.sdwomensdrumcircle.org

I have been participating in the San Diego Women's Drum Circle every month since April, and I love it! It is so exhilarating to play a drum, dance and have a good time in a non-judgemental space. More about the San Diego Women's Drum Circle on this blog post. Tonight will be special because it is drumming outside which I have never done. It also happens to be full moon which is even nicer. I would love it if you could join me.


Second event is tomorrow, Sunday, October 4, 2009 from 11 am to 4 pm for the Buddhist Temple of San Diego Annual Food and Music Festival.

Here are the details from their website:

Food & Music Festival which will take place Sunday, Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We invite your participation and support.

Food items which require reservations are the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl ($6), famous Chow Mein ($6) and Sushi ($6). (A half-page order form is included in this issue.) Those who reserve these items in advance will pick up their tickets at the reservation table. There will be some extra servings made to sell on a first-come, first-served basis. Non-ticket food items which we will offer till sold out include Beef Curry, Won Tons, Somen Salad and Chashu Bao.

We ask everyone who enjoys baking to bring your packaged goodies to the Bakery Saturday during the morning festival preparation or early on Sunday.

Music Is Free:

The music we are offering this year is meant to make hanging out and munching food a laid back affair. Da Mack and Friends will be performing easy-listening Hawaiian-style R&B outdoors for several hours. Also scheduled to perform are the temple’s taiko troupe and a koto and shakuhachi ensemble.

11:00 am: Buddhist Temple of San Diego Taiko Troupe
11:30 am: Koto and Shakuhachi Duo
(Featuring Yuki Easter and Marylu Brandwein)
12:00 pm - on Da Mac & Friends

Silent Auction:

A silent auction will be ongoing, taking bids from 11 a.m. till closing at 3 p.m. It will feature a variety of special items including dinners, services, and vintage Japanese wares and Hakata dolls. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the New Heights Project. Please let your friends who enjoy "the thrill of the hunt" about the silent auction. We will gladly accept donations of gift certificates and other items suitable for the sale through Saturday, Oct. 3.

Benefit Raffle:

Be sure to turn in your raffle stubs, receipts and all unsold tickets to the Ticket Booth prior to the raffle by 3:30 p.m. The drawing for $1000 and $300 in cash prizes will take place at 4 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the General Fund.

Parking:

The lot will be reserved for handicapped patrons, musical performers and short-term pick-up. We also have the use of the Filipino Senior Center lot on Market St. across from the temple. Those working in the booths are asked to keep available spaces open for guests and pick-up.

My son, my friend Starry and I will be going to this event, although we just saw on the website about ordering the food (which we did not do). So I hope to get some of the great food without a reservation. I am planning to be there for the music performances, specifically the Taiko drums. I love Taiko drums! They are huge, and wondrously beautiful to hear.

I hope that if you are in San Diego, you can attend either of these events. If not, I hope they will inspire you to seek out your own community events.

Have a great weekend and Happy Art Making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

San Diego Women's Drum Circle this Saturday!

I thought it was time to share my new monthly activities with the readers of my blog. Every first Saturday for the past 4 months, I have joined in a safe and healing space of the San Diego Women's Drum Circle. The group has such great energy and is drumming is the best way to start off a new month. Come sing, dance, drum or just sit and soak in the healing energy!

Here is the information from the San Diego Women's Drum Circle website:

Join Us at our next Drum Circle

We Women Drummers of San Diego gather on the 1st Saturday of each month; sharing and exchanging our rhythmic energy.

Elisa will be holding her DRUM class one hour prior to the circle from 5:30-6:30 pm. Cost is $8. Elisa is an incredible instructor. She will take you on a journey, introducing technique and sharing her knowledge of the history of rhythms. Drums are available to borrow or purchase. Call Elisa for more information: 619 417-6272.

When: Always the FIRST Saturday of each month.

Where: Universal Spirit Center in Hillcrest - 3858 Front St., S.D. 92103 - corner of Front & University (Masonic Lodge Building).

Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Donation: $7.00

More Information: Vicki: 619 563-4771 or VMorganMT@aol.com

Drums For Sale: from Mali, Guinea, and Ivory Coast Africa. Contact Vicki 619 563-4771 or VMorganMT@aol.com

I hope you can join me this week, and come and make some noise. Your muse will be happy to have you give her extra energy. I usually come home buzzing for about a week, and creating for another week after. Since classes just started for me, and it is has be STRESSFUL, I need this time for myself to unwind and get a great start to a new month.

Happy drumming and Art making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

The Pink Declaration of Independence

Independence day is not exactly my favorite holiday. You will not see me wearing red, white and blue or waving a flag. I say my thanks to the US in my own way.

But this "Pink Declaration of Independence" is something I can get behind. I am ready to wave my pink flag and create an Independence day parade for myself. Free from fears! Not bound to laws that the government puts on my body! Liberated from a world where others' opinions matter more than my own! Check it out:

The Pink Declaration of Independence | OwningPink

So on this Independence day, instead of having hot dogs and watching fireworks on TV, I am going to the San Diego Women's Drum Circle to bang on a drum with 50 or so other women who want to do the same thing. And I am grabbing my friend, Starry, to join in the festivities. It will be my Independence day. Want to come! Please do! Circle goes from 7 pm - 9 pm and there is a wonderful drum class from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm. Check out the link for more details. This is the most energetic event that you will be buzzing on for days. I know you will love it.

Your Turn:
What are you freeing yourself from this year? How have you declared your Independence day?

Happy Independence from your fears day! ~Jaime Lyerly

Drumming for Renewal - Workshop (aka Uncomfortable Learning)

This weekend my partner Chris and I participated in a workshop on Saturday called "Drumming for Renewal" run by Music/Dance Therapists Kat Fulton and Draza Jansky at an expressive arts therapy studio called "The Art of You."

Before we went to the workshop, I was communicating with my mentor Mr. Fobes about how uncomfortable I was about the performance aspect of the workshop. He said "If you are uncomfortable, that means you are learning."

This comment has been marinating ever since.

The workshop consisted of four parts: drumming, vocal toning, movement and meditation. I never did any of first three, so this was an experience. I also have not participated in any performances since junior high and my anxiety was almost overwhelming.

1. Drumming - After a short intro to the drums and we fell into a rhythm of the group. It was by far the easiest part of the workshop for me, and I could almost block out the others around me by closing my eyes. The thud of the lower drums was soothing and the vibrations resonated through my body.

2. Vocal Toning - Next we moved on to vocal toning. The each sound connects to different chakras of the body. It is used like crystal bowls to align but can be done on your own. Elivira Melody's website has more info. This was getting more of uncomfortable territory for me since I haven't sung in public since elementary school! I tried to keep my voice low and not concentrate on other people.

3. Movement - Onto the expressive movement - my most uncomfortable learning! My body and I are not friends and generally ignore each other. I can follow directions when I am doing yoga, but to freely move around the room just for the sheer pleasure of it was so odd! We also did patting of our body and rolling around on the floor. Even trying to put it into words makes it sound silly! But silly is what I am missing out on now that I have to be an adult. My uncomfortable adult side was not willing to let my child come to play.

4. Meditation - Finally, we did a meditation to seal in the final act of healing and set our intentions for renewal. I was back to more a comfortable learning. I loved listening to the sound of Draza's voice as she spoke. When she asked us to think of a person that we could be completely ourselves with, I first thought of my partner Chris. Then she said that it didn't have to be someone who was still alive and I thought of my grandfather. He died when I was in my pre-teens. He was the only one in my family that did not judge. He was a creator too; made little rocking chairs out of clothes pins. Tears started streaming out of my eyes as I cried for the relationship that was lost so long again.

Overall, this uncomfortable learning experience was profound. I can no longer tell myself that I cannot dance, drum or sing - I just have to do it!

Your turn -- What has opened up your world to new experiences? Ever try something that you never thought you would? Ever move past anxiety and experience some uncomfortable learning? Share and let us all learn!

Happy learning!
Jaime