Musings and memoir of a magic carpet ride ala Danse Orientale, travels to Egypt, Tuscany, Andalucia & Crete & the inspiration and re-emerging of the SYSTRUM* (aka sistrum) after its being buried by the sands of time for hundreds of years....
*hand-held percussion instrument & Ancient Egyptian temple ritual implement
For more info., please visit: hathorsystrum.com
"Raks baladi on a terrace in Egypt" painted by Fabio Fabbi (Italian Orientalist painter and illustrator, 1861–1946)
This image reminds me of the very first time I encountered the dancer who would become my first teacher along the amazing carpet ride the ancient arts of dance and drumming provide! Thank you Susheelah**, who led me to Jamila Salimpour** and Aida Al Adawi and Mimi Janislawski*, Serena Williams, Ibrahim Farrah, and Morocco Carolina Varga Dinicu and Tasha Banat and Artemis Mourat and Dalia Carella and Aszmara Sherry and Omar Ron and Mary Ellen Donald and Layne Redmond and Glen Velez World of Drums and Hossam Ramzy and Nourhan Sharif B and Grant Smith and on and on and on and on....
YESssss these ancient art provide for me ~ and, as I have
witnessed, for those above-named teachers whom I love & respect ~ an
expression of the rhythm and music (in all its alluring, intoxicating and
hypnotic powers) flowing through one's physical being while allowing millennia
of divine feminine celebratory rhythm & movements to spill into our bhava
and extend beyond into rasa🙏🌹💞
July 22-25, 2019 Frame Drum Retreat with Maestro Glen Velez
and Yousif Shernoick
Trinity Retreat Center, West Cornall, CT Photo credits: 林亞蒨 (Alicia Lin Ya Chien). Thank you Alicia. Great group photo!❤️
Upon my return from a frame drumming retreat with Maestro Glen Velez, I find my mind swirling & whirling with wondrous memories of marvelous moments ... re-uniting with friends ~ e.g., Shirsten Lundblad, who was part of the Pilgrimage to Crete with Layne Redmond back in 2004 and Martha Sandefer, who participated in the 4-weekend Glen Velez HANDANCE program I hosted back in 2001 at Little Pond, in Nazareth, PA, and Ken Matazarro from Boulder, Colorado, who knows my ol' friend and musical ambassador of peace, Camerson Powers....PLUS meeting an ever-widening circle of enthusiasts for ancient arts from Taiwan, Columbia, Germany, Canada and the US! So grateful to have made acquaintance with you all!
The venue, Trinity Retreat Center, was the epitome of 'retreat' with beautiful gardens alongside the river, comfortable accommodations and delicious meals. The classes were inspirational, thanks to the facilitation by masters of their craft *and* the unique & exquisite resonance of the frame drum. The informal salon concert proved a true reflection of Divine creativity shared with love emanating from the bold souls who let their Light Shine! My personal pièce de résistance was the opportunity to recite Rumi accompanied by Glen, and last but not least was the culminating fire circle under the North Star!
I might add I also appreciated the meal-time reflections offered by the Trinity Retreat Center Exec. Director Joseph Rose, particularly this one:
May the Love that is in my heart pass from my hand to yours.
May the Peace that is in my heart pass from my hand to yours.
And may the Joy that is in my heart pass from my hand to yours.
Amen
Interestingly and synchronistically last night while watching a great episode of Spike Lee's 'She's Gotta Have It" (Season 1 Episode 9) Nola Darling contemplates, "Who knows why the University brings people together...Maybe it's to share exchanges of Light. Illumination to better see ourselves."
YESssssss sššt sššt sššt sššt (sesheshet, sesheshet, sesheshet, sesheshet (the sound of a shimmering systrum))
I see my Beauty in *YOU* - Rumi
Everyone contributed to a sense of Beauty and Creativity in the community we formed for those four days and I am most grateful. In fact, my heart's a flutter💖 Thank you Cascadu for affirming it so!
Tahya with Glen Velez, July 2019
Trinity Retreat Center, West Cornwall, CT
Ken Matazarro, me, Cascadu @ Trinity Retreat Center, July 2019
Since returning home, I am enjoying a renewed enthusiasm for practicing my frame drum, shakers, and systrum! YESssssssss! To paraphrase Hafiz's poem, THE GOD WHO ONLY KNOWS FOUR WORDS (Every child has known God, Not the God of names, Not the God of don'ts, Not the God who ever does anything weird. But the God who only knows four words and keeps repeating them, saying: Come dance with Me.)
Come
Dance & Drum
with me ...
So, I am working on my class notes for the Fall programming I will facilitate at Northampton Community College. I will be offering an introductory class on Mudra (Yoga for Your Hands ~ explore the health benefits of mudra & learn mantra to discover an openhearted space awakening healing pathways, improve circulation, etc.), Belly Dance Basics (an invitation to shimmy & shine! Explore dance moves deeply steeped in women's traditions that celebrate our femininity and sensuality) and one which I call *Awaken Your Rhythm* (an invitation to discover hand drumming for your health & well-being! An introductory course about the history of the frame drum & systrum. Slow down & learn rhythms designed to kindle your creative spirit for relaxation & healing.)
Amidst this morning's drum and dance lesson planning process, I came upon this image (again)...
Ever since first witnessing this Beauty, I have used her gracious smile as an inspiration *and* upon further investigation all these years later (nearly forty years, oh my!), it has now been revealed to me what was there all along and yet not previously noticed by me?! That is, on her crown, see the 'column capitals in the form of heads of the goddess Hathor...'**
Hathor, Hathor .... we sound our drum for Her spirit, we dance Her grace
