Hot August Blues 2013!

How does drumming among 6,000 of your music-loving neighbors sound? 

Yeah. Me too.

Come Beatwell with me at the Hot August Blues festival on Saturday, August 17th! 

For the second time this season, I'm making the 10 minute drive to Oregon Ridge Park—a perfect venue for an impressive festival lineup. The 3 stages of all-day music include headliners, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Galactic! 

The festival is family friendly (the Beatwell Kid's Circle starts at 12:30pm). 

Come Beatwell by the Main Stage at 2:30 and 4:45!

For full schedule, tickets (prices increase on August 1), and more visit: www.hotaugustblues.com and the Facebook event page.

The Power of the Egg Shaker

"I usually feel panic when I'm in basements."

A participant disclosed this towards the end of a Beatwell Workshop. Although I was hired as a facilitator and teacher, she ended up teaching me the most.

This was my first time sharing my work with adults in an outpatient mental health clinic. Many of the clients had diagnoses like schizophrenia and bipolar. I had few expectations going into this new experience, but entered with intentions to have fun and to provide an opportunity to heal.

The adults that I was lucky to drum and connect with were more engaged and appreciative than even I expected.

"Trust in the drum."

This one lady's anxiety continued to grow after our session. She was in line, waiting to sign out, proving her participation in the workshop. She expressed how anxious she was becoming, but how relaxing the ocean drum activity was.

I handed her a simple egg shaker.

She immediately said it was calming just like the ocean drum. An incredible insight.

Her persistant anxiety, which often results in panic, was calmed by a simple egg shaker. Just another powerful reminder to always trust in the drum (and the egg shaker).