Drumming up ways to Relax
By Ruth Longford, December 6, 2005

There wasn’t a sound outside the Just Plain Yoga studio in Lemoyne recently, but the street was full of cars.

Something was going on, but it didn’t sound loud — until you opened the door.

Inside the studio, 32 drummers were sitting in a circle and making a great sound — vibrating the floor and reverberating to the rafters.

Jim Donovan led a “drumming workshop” for two hours. There was a lot of laughter and as they played, many of the drummers closed their eyes and relaxed. It seemed there were no expectations or pressure.

This evening was about making a wonderful sound, united in the rhythm.

After a long session playing a piece from the Congo, Donovan taught the group how to stretch out their hands. These techniques are also helpful for people who plug away on a computer all day, he says.

As the drummers stretched out their hands and relaxed, he asked if they were feeling good. “Fantastic!” some shouted.

Working up a sweat

As the two-hour session neared its end, some were beginning to look a little tired and a few were sweating. They had been working hard, so Donovan then taught them a heartbeat rhythm from Jamaica, which he said “controls the chatter in your mind.”

They finished on a high, with some improvisation.

“Make the betterment of the group your number one concern,” Donovan told them. “Listen to your neighbor, borrow their sound if you like it, or complement it.”

They were soon drumming in harmony, rising in volume and getting quieter as they picked up direction from Donovan.

Barry and Donna Crumlich said the workshop “was moving and energizing” and they plan to attend another.

“It was a great way for unwinding,” said Sue Byers of Carlisle.

An experienced drummer, Bill Griffiths pronounced it an “excellent evening” while Brooke Wiley added, “We had a blast.”

Some novice drummers wondered where they could purchase a good drum.

“Each drum has its own sound and you’ve got to find one that feels good to you,” Donovan said. He sells drums as well as CDs for drumming practice or meditation with a drum.

“You need to watch out,” warned Yvonne Green. “Once you buy one drum, they multiply.”

On the Net: www.JimDonovanMusic.com