I learned to play the guitar when I young. Self-taught, it was an instrument I played on a regular basis until I began healing work. When a person plays the guitar regularly, they build a wonderful set of calluses on the tips of their fingers—wonderful, because they prevent the sensation of pain from either nylon or steel strings. If you’re like me, however, and use your hands and fingers to “read” people’s energy, calluses get in the way.
That’s why I love my bodhrán (pronounced bough-rawn)—a Celtic frame drum that’s held close to the body, resting on my left thigh and tucked snug into my left armpit. In addition to the rich and vibrant sounds that it makes, its curved rosewood frame, ornate brass tacking, and tightly stretched head, all make for a rewarding sensory experience.
The texture comes alive as my left hand inside the open-end moves to control the pitch and timber, while my right hand uses a smooth wood tipper to cast a spell—creating the jovial beat of a celebratory jig or reel, or a deep, insistent, menacing boom that calls to mind ancient warfare.
For thousands of years, rhythm has been a carrier of intention and information; an expression of vibration. Like a pebble thrown into a pond creates ripples that travel outward, so does our personal rhythm. The vibration of everything we think, say, and do affects the people in our lives. Their reaction, in turn, affects others. Our personal rhythm is powerful. With it we have the capacity to change the world in a variety of ways for better or worse.
What’s the ripple effect of your personal rhythm?
Laurie Buchanan
“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
– Laurie Buchanan
Copyright © 2010 Laurie Buchanan — All Rights Reserved. No part of this blog post may be used in part, or in whole, without written permission from Laurie Buchanan.
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