Awaken Your Rhythm – Christine Stevens

Discover drumming as meditation — a rhythmic mantra that can engage the ‘monkey mind’ and help you fall deeply into your heart.

Encourage whole-body healing through drumming — including stress reduction, release of negative feelings, and improved immunity.

Rhythm helps us “unmind” our mind…

Ancient traditions used the rhythm of repetitive drum beats to induce trance… you became one with the drum and the space between the beats.

We’re even incubated in rhythm — held in the concert hall of our mother’s womb and formed to the sound of her beating heart. And a drum is also, like us, a skin stretched over a shell.

Prior to its use as entertainment and performance, drumming was used to anchor healing rituals, to unite communities, and to accompany ceremony and prayer. Through drumming, we can connect with the elements of nature — and invite creativity, sacredness, and meaning into our lives.

In this new 7-step journey, dedicated to finding your own “groove” under the guidance of internationally renowned author, speaker, music therapist, and drumming teacher Christine Stevens, you’ll discover how to experience drumming as a practice for connecting with your inner rhythm. (No musical experience or capabilities required!)

You’ll learn that we all have our own unique rhythm that — when liberated — can help us open to a spontaneous flow of creative energy and an empowering release of authentic self-expression.

You’ll also discover and experience drumming as a practice that can encourage whole-body healing. Research studies have shown that drumming produces demonstrable physical and emotional benefits, ranging from stress reduction to release of negative feelings to improved immunity.

For instance, British researchers found that drumming reduces anxiety, depression, and inflammation, while also improving social resilience.

The vibrations of the drum create a healing “massage” while also boosting energy and empowering creative freedom. Through these healing rhythms, you can shift your energy and re-tune to the sacredness and beauty of merelybeing.

Drumming is also just plain fun, and it provides a simple group activity that inspires unity…

During the self-empowering and exhilarating 7 weeks of this new course, you’ll:

• Create your own healing rhythm for body, mind, and spirit
• Learn a drum blessing that connects you with the sacred lineage of rhythm
• Discover drum-holding positions and their divine intention
• Discover the four element sounds of earth, water, fire, and air
• Learn to release self-judgement through the science of improvisation
• Liberate your creative voice through call-and-response and drum dialogues
• Discover the science of entrainment in what drummers call “the pocket”
• Experience the 3 keys to drumming for healing; intention, posture (mudra), and rhythm (mantra)
• Evoke healing vibration with a drum massage — for self and others
• Learn shadow drumming for emotional release
• Sing your own power song with drum accompaniment
• Share and learn sacred songs for blessing, greeting the day, healing, and gratitude
• And much more…

Christine holds master’s degrees in social work and music therapy, and for over 25 years, she’s inspired people all over the world with her message of music for holistic health, spirituality, and wellness.

She’s taught drumming to cancer victims, Alzheimer’s patients, the musically “challenged,” and people who just want to have fun. She’s also the teacher’s teacher, training drumming instructors globally.

Her students are wowed by her infectious passion for drumming and her uncanny way of making their heart smile.

When Christine worked with survivors of the Columbine High School shooting, she invited students and parents to join together through drumming. The simple, repetitive rhythm invoked tears from emotions that no words could express, all the while keeping the beat.

We all have a power song, the “music medicine” that inspires us and shifts our consciousness. The drum and voice are everyone’s biological instruments.

In this first-ever Shift Network course of this kind, you have the opportunity to open to drumming as a spiritual practice, a fun way of boosting your health and wellbeing, and an easy means for building community — you might even be inspired to start your own drumming circle.

You’ll also have the chance to pull out the drum you purchased and haven’t been using, or to gain more confidence — and enjoyment — in the drumming you already do for a healing practice, or to accompany sacred or shamanic rituals. (Upon registration, participants will also receive tips on how to make a drum — your own “found sound” — out of household items, as well as where you can find a low-cost drum.)

Drumming is an active form of meditation that can serve as a rhythmic mantra, engaging the monkey mind, so you can fall deeply into your heart.

In a scientific study, Johns Hopkins researcher Dr. Charles Limb, MD showed how the brain changes when you improvise, turning off self-criticism and judgement, while activating authentic self-expression and meditation. The drum is one of the simplest portals to this type of spontaneous self-expression.

Studies have also shown that when we drum and sing together, we generate kindness and compassion… the beat of the drum carries our prayers and intentions into the hearts and minds of others.

Christine has observed that the drum also seems to show up when people are transforming. So, if you’re drawn to joining her for this spirituality deepening, self-expression liberating, health-boosting journey, something inside of you knows you’re ready to make a shift… and that you’re open to learning how to create healing rhythms and welcoming more joy into your life.

What You’ll Discover in These 7 Modules

In this 7-part transformational intensive, Christine will guide you through the fundamental spiritual skills and competencies you’ll need to successfully experience whole body healing through drumming, including stress reduction, chronic pain control, release of negative feelings, and improved immunity.

This course will feature teachings, training sessions, and experiential practices with Christine. Each session will build harmoniously upon the previous ones so you’ll develop a complete holistic understanding of the practices, tools, and principles you’ll need to use drumming as a meditation which will help you fall deeply into your heart.

Module 1: Drumming the Elements

The Great Spirit loved the drum so much, he gave everyone a heartbeat. — Navajo saying

We are incubated in rhythm, held in the concert hall of our mother’s womb. The drum is like us — a skin stretched over a shell. Through drumming, we connect with the elements of nature, invite creativity, sacredness, and meaning into our lives. This is the lineage of rhythm. And, before entertainment and performance, drumming had a primary function for healing, community, ceremony, and prayer.

In this first module, you’re invited to join the sacred lineage of the drum by shifting your paradigm from playing the drum as “music” to making music with a drum as a spiritual practice. You’ll ride the rhythm into the inner realms — the heartbeat of your inner drum.

In this module, you’ll:

• Learn a drum blessing to connect with the sacred lineage of rhythm
• Discover drum holding positions and their divine intention
• Discover the four element sounds of earth, water, fire, and air
• Learn a Four Element Meditation for grounding, being in the flow, igniting passion, and breathing into expansion

Module 2: Finding Your Groove

Life is about rhythm. We vibrate. Our hearts are pumping blood. We are a rhythm machine, that’s what we are.
— Mickey Hart

Being in “the groove” is called being in “the pocket” by drummers. It’s the place of synchronicity and effortless flow. It happens in rhythm — and in life. The only thing that blocks it is your mind.

In a scientific study, John Hopkins researcher, Dr. Charles Limb, MD, showed how the brain changes when you improvise, turning off self-criticism and judgement, while activating self-expression and meditation. The drum is one of the simplest portals to this type of musical self- expression.

You’ll learn how to find your groove and develop your innate rhythmic capacity through an exploration of the polarities of rhythm — straight and syncopate. You’ll also practice making tempo changes for rhythm — and life.

In this module, you’ll:

• Learn to release self-judgement through the science of improvisation
• Develop your rhythmic vocabulary through the exploration of syncopation and pulse
• Liberate your creative voice through call and response and drum dialogues
• Discover the science of entrainment in what drummers call “the pocket”

Module 3: Healing Through Rhythm

Rhythm is a means of organizing sound into specific energy formulas to harmonize the mind and body.
— Layne Redmond

Healing is defined as bringing back what is missing — being of “sound” mind, body, and spirit.

When Christine worked with survivors of the Columbine High School shooting, she invited students and parents to join together through drumming on one drum. In the unspoken energy of rhythm, there were tears of emotions no words could express, all while keeping the beat.

Researchers from the Mental Health Ministry of the United Kingdom found that drumming reduces anxiety, depression, and inflammation, while also improving social resilience. The vibrations of the drum create a healing “massage,” while also boosting energy and empowering creative freedom. Though healing rhythms, you can shift your energy and re-tune to the sacredness of beauty.

In this module, you’ll:

• Experience the 3 keys to drumming for healing; intention, posture (mudra), and rhythm (mantra)
• Evoke healing vibration with a drum massage — for self and others
• Learn shadow drumming for emotional release
• Create your own healing rhythm for body, mind, and spirit.

Module 4: Drumming Your Power Song

Music can change the world because it can change people.
— Bono

We all have a power song, the “music medicine” that inspires us and shifts our consciousness. Through the alchemy of song, we can literally take a sad song, and make it better. The drum and voice are everyone’s biological instruments.

When Christine worked in Iraq, there was a point when she no longer needed a translator… She was speaking with Kurds and Arabs through the language of the drum, playing back and forth in a call and response conversation.

Studies have shown that when we drum and sing together, we build kindness and compassion. The pulse of the drum carries our intentions through songs for prayer and affirmation.

In this module, you’ll:

• Learn a vocal practice of toning with the drum
• Learn to vocalize beats and speak the language of rhythm
• Sing your own power song with drum accompaniment
• Share and learn sacred songs for blessing, greeting the day, healing, and gratitude

Module 5: Embodying the Beat

The deep rhythms of life, pulsating, stir an ambrosia, flowing and overflowing everywhere.
— Lorin Roche, The Radiance Sutras

From rocking, walking, breathing, skipping, laughing, and resting, we are all vibrantly wired for rhythm. Our bodies entrain — our feet tap and our heads bob. We are walking, talking, ticking-tocking, polyrhythms.

In traditional cultures, master drummers dance just as well as they play, and in drum classes, participants often begin with movement in order to anchor the rhythm in the body.

Neuroscience has shown that rhythm ignites motor neurons and entrains our circadian and respiratory rhythms. Dr. Oliver Sacks, MD, found rhythm and dance to be effective in the rehabilitation of Parkinson’s patients. And, a study by Dr. Barry Bittman, MD, found significant improvement in cellular biology after one hour of group drumming.

In this module, you’ll:

• Explore feminine and masculine patterns of 4/4 and 6/8 — from steps to hips
• Experience authentic and subtle body practices to find your groove
• Experience the energy of rhythm qi
• Discover how rhythm is healing to your physical body

Module 6: Drumming for Meditation

I’ve been beating this drum of love for you to the tune of “See; my life depends upon my dying.”
— Rumi

Through rhythm, we unmind the mind. As Jill Purce says, “the purpose of sound is silence.” Drumming creates an active form of meditation and serves as a rhythm mantra, engaging the monkey mind so you can fall deeply into the heart. There are even ancient rhythms used specifically for trance through the practice of repetition. At some point, you lose yourself as you become one with the drum, the rhythm, and the space between the beats.

In this module, you’ll:

• Learn a rhythm mantra practice — the repetition of patterns
• Explore the polarity of rhythm and stillness by drumming your way into silence
• Experience mindfulness through drumming
• Learn an ancient trance rhythm in a 7-beat pattern
• Experience guided imagery drumming to combine drumming and visualization

Module 7: Drumming World Rhythms

The Creator wants us to drum. He wants us to corrupt the world with drum, dance, and chants. After all, we have already corrupted the world with power and greed… which hasn’t gotten us anywhere.
— Babatunde Olatunji

In this last section of the course, you’ll travel with the global passport of rhythm from Brazilian samba to African econcon, as guest instructors Frank Lazzaro, a Middle Eastern drum master, and Dramane Kone, a West African drummer from Burkina Faso, join us.

This is how we create the shift in consciousness — by imagining the world pulsing together in rhythm, the universal language of music… You and your fellow course participants will entrain across the global online platform of The Shift Network to raise the vibration of humanity…

In this last module, you’ll:

• Learn the rhythm of samba, a parade beat from Brazil
• Play a pol-rhythm using a simple body percussion practice
• Learn a Japanese festival rhythm that honors your ancestors
• Experience guest instructors, sharing Egyptian and West African rhythms

Here’s What You’ll Receive

Seven 90-Minute Recorded Class Sessions With Christine Stevens

Experience a rare opportunity to be mentored by and learn with speaker, author, and music therapist Christine Stevens — from the comfort of your own home. Each class session includes video teaching and guides you to discover specific skills and abilities to awaken your potential.

Seven Video Recordings of Class Sessions

After each class, the video will be available for you to download or stream in high-quality format. You’ll never have to worry about missing a session, and you can watch anytime and anywhere — on any connected device and at your convenience.

Seven PDF Transcripts of Class Sessions

In addition to the high-quality videos and MP3 audios, you’ll also receive the entire class transcription in PDF format. You can then review, print, and highlight the most important insights and practices you were given.

Exercises and Questions for Each Lesson

Between class sessions, you’ll have the option of completing related exercises, practicing new tools, and answering questions to accelerate your learning and integrate each lesson.

The Awaken Your Rhythm Bonus Collection

• Awaken Your Inner Music
  Guided Audio Practice From Christine Stevens

• Drum! Reviving Rhythms
  Full Play-Along Audio Album From Christine Stevens

• The Science of Drumming
  Video Teaching With Companion PDF From Christine Stevens

An Unprecedented Opportunity to Join the Awaken Your Rhythm Virtual Training

We feel honored Christine Stevens has chosen to partner with The Shift Network to offer this exclusive online training. This is a rare opportunity to learn from a speaker, author, and music therapist whose powerful insights and pioneering work are helping us heal and awaken ourselves and our world.

Through this powerful online format, you’ll not only save time and money on workshop costs (plus travel, accommodations, and meals — which would cost thousands of dollars), you’ll be able to benefit from Christine’s incredible teachings and exercises from the comfort of your home — and at your own pace!

If you’re serious about encouraging whole body healing through drumming, then you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, and our world to take this one-of-a-kind training.

If you’re ready to take the next step in evolving yourself, click the register button below to reserve your space now.