While we were in the park, we learned about how Peruvian shamans use music and rhythm as part of their healing. We found a quiet space in the park to listen to the rhythm of our own heartbeats; a reminder that rhythm and percussion is quite literally at the center to human life.
We used a shamanic drum as well as our Peruvian rattles to make percussive rhythms together. Shamans use music and rhythm to form an awareness of the links between our inner rhythms and the natural world around us. Taking turns to lead the circle, we listened to our own heart beats and the sounds around us to make rhythms. Afterwards, we shared what natural inspiration we had heard that had inspired us. By making music, we discovered that we were listening as intently to the world around us as if we had sat in silence!
