
Rain Drumming Power Raising Ritual: A Guided Drumming Exercise by Eira Alarches @ SnowStones.com
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Overview:
Pre-Ritual: The selection of a Storm Guide. Provision of a drum,
rain-stick, shaker or
rattle for all involved.
The rain is water that nourishes the Earth. Falling from the sky, it brings
life to plants and animals, it fills our oceans and rivers. Rain brings us a
reason to celebrate life and living.
Drumming is a way to celebrate the God and Goddess within us. By using our creative spirit, we connect with the Earth’s energies and celebrate our most sacred connection to divinity.
This ritual helps us connect, parent to child, people to the plants and animals, spirit to spirit, by celebrating the water which brings us life and renewal. To complete this ritual you will need rattles and or drums for everyone in your circle. Remember that rattles can be anything from small ziplock containers with rice in them, to dried gourds with beans inside them. Making percussion instruments could be it’s own activity entirely, depending on how creative you’re feeling. The point of this activity, beyond the above stated, is to have fun. Your children’s participation and enjoyment is the most sacred of all experiences, and should never be over looked.
To make this activity
clear for all involved, choose an adult or an older child as the Storm Guide.
This person will direct all of the sound that raises the energy of your storm,
they will verbally encourage and direct the force of that which you are
creating. Music can accompany this ritual, however I find it most effective in
a quiet space with open windows or completely held outdoors.
Everyone should gather in a circular formation, capable of making direct eye
contact with everyone else in the room. Instruments should be placed before
each person, and sitting arrangements on blankets or pillows should be made
with comfort in mind.
The Storm Guide should speak:
“Within this circle, we are one. One mind, one heart. Our body must breathe as one. First in, taking the breath of Life into us, and then out slowly... Releasing the tensions from our body. We are joined together as one.
Water gives life, Water
renews life. We are Water, pure and clean. We are alive.
We are the Rain, we are the darkening clouds that form and flow. We cover the
great Sun, and limit the light so that we can revive the Earth.
We are the Storm. We are the Water. We are the Rain.”
The Storm Guide should begin setting the pace of the Rain. At first, to include everyone in the beginning of the ritual, fingers tapping on the floor or together in soft tapping motions resemble rain. Rattle and shakers should begin slowly, with random sounds at first, and then raising with frequency and pattern.
“The Rain falls gently,
softly across everything it touches.”
And as the rattles pick up speed and the rhythm increases:
“The Rain brings power,
the Water brings Life.
The Storm begins to gather, with Wind and Force. Gather Storm, bring your
power.”
As the rattles raise to a frenzy, the beginning thunder of drums can slowly start to make random plays. The drumming can naturally increase as the Storm Guide raises their arms to the sky. It is then your choice to include a chant, to do spell work, or to reach a climax of energies, and start to recede. A suitable chant might be:
“Water and Fire, Air and Earth,
From death to life; From death, rebirth.
Spirit dance and Spirit rise;
We raise the Storm from silent skies!”
As the drumming and rattling reach a crescendo, dancing is also a possibility. If outdoors, the room to move as Spirit calls you is more of an option. However you choose to direct the energies raised, remember that as you start to close your ritual, thanks is an important aspect of your work.
“We give thanks to the Earth for Life and Love. We give thanks to Earth and Air, to Fire and Water. We raise our Storm and work our will, but we do not forget those to have gone before, those who guide us. Hail to the ancestors! Hail to the Elements! We thank you.”
The drumming must slowly recede, and then when rattles are only left, the Storm Guide must direct the remaining energies back into the Earth to replenish and nurture life.
“This Storm, like all things, must slow and silence. We return to the Earth, we are renewed with the power we have raised here. We release all that we have no absorbed so that it can replenish the pool of Life.”
The rattles must
eventually quiet to the tapping of fingers, and return to the silence from which
the ritual began. The last words of the Storm Guide should be:
“Go from this place in peace.”
Note that Eira Alarches
and SnowStones.com can take no responsibility for outcomes or events
based upon the use of the above listed information.
Please use Common Sense, Reason and above all, Love.
Copyright Eira Alarches© 2008