This last weekend on August 23rd I was facilitating a drum circle north of Edmonton for Oak Hill Boys Ranch. This ranch has boys from all walks of life who especially need support due to the struggles they have already faced in their lives. When I arrived, I had a group of boys eager to help with the unloading of drums. The chairs were lovingly set up in a perfect circle. They had worked diligently the day before to follow the chair diagram I had given them. They were all so very eager to make their circle a success.
We got everything all set up and family members were coming in the gym to have a snack and choose a spot to sit. I noticed that when the organizer was making an announcement that I could hardly hear what she was saying, even though she was yelling. Echoes! That is one of the biggest barriers for space for a successful drum circle.
The moment came for us to begin drumming, and guess what, it sounded like a cacophony! What to do! Keep it simple, meet the space, and the people where they are at, and STAY CALM! The people were trying their best, but not hearing my direction or their drumming. In the midst of the facilitation I needed to see the small successes, and not focus on the ‘problems’. After forty minutes of drumming I noticed a good amount of folks had disappeared from their chairs. The organizer said to wrap things up on a high note even though we were scheduled for a full hour.
At the end of the circle there were many kind words of gratitude and people expressing how much they enjoyed themselves. The organizer was amazed at how I was able to hole their attention for a WHOLE forty minutes, she was impressed!
That brings me to this little article that reflects perfectly the choice we have when facing adversity, such as a difficult set of challenges all at once. I approached this experience like a Coffee Bean! Each time we face a new challenge, remember we have a choice!
Article written by
Jamie Gore
Read and Enjoy, and may you have the chance to be a coffee bean too!