with gratitude, in tribute to Layne Redmond on the occasion of her birth date: AUG 19

When asked by Melissa Deborah and the Women Frame Drummers FaceBook group to create a video in remembrance of my meeting Layne Redmond, I was happy to comply; however, I was asked to keep this video under 5 min which was a HUGE CHALLENGE for me when giving consideration to someone who influenced me profoundly!
Thank you Sister Leo, Divine Feline Layne for all you shared with us during your time here on Earth. We hear you in the Heavens amidst a chorus of angels and when the bees are buzzing.
(Please see video below for my reminiscences of first meeting Layne.)
Layne Redmond (1952-2013) was a generous teacher, glorious frame drummer, director of many healing ceremonies including those she conducted with her ‘Mob of Angels’ (see https://youtu.be/wO4P25-vQiA), recording artist [she produced numerous CD’s and instructional videos (see layneredmond.com/shop/)] and author of the book When the Drummers were Women, A Spiritual History of Rhythm.

Layne inspired me to gather together women in my community to conduct similar percussion processionals & ceremony. We formed the Lehigh Valley Percussion Priestesses (see www.tahya.com/book-a-program/percussion-priestesses), playing percussion as we processed at the Bethlehem Sculpture Garden.

Tahya in the foreground; background left to right:  Donna Haney,
Wanda Finelli, Meg Green, Monica McAghon, Meg Deak

We opened our shows at Musikfest with frame drum, systrum, etc, alongside my son on doumbec, Grant Smith on Tabla, Yodi Vaden on djembe and Ross Brown and, most notably for me, we participated at an event in response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Left to right:  Jessica Ballas, Leticia Gutievaz, Monica Mcaghon, Sharon Ettinger, Gloria Leight,
Tahya, Nancy Schaefer, our pixie whose name I have since forgotten :-( and Meg Deak

Writing this post and reminiscing with my friend Susan Meixell, we also recalled a time we presented our processional at the '99 "Unity with a Beat" program.... (read more: https://www.tahya.com/about-tahya/musings)

Clockwise from lower left: Susan Meixell, Tahya, Donna Haney,
 (forgive me I cannot recall your name),
Meg Deak, Wanda Finelli

As I mentioned in my July 2020 post, in 2004 I had the good fortune to travel for two weeks throughout Crete with Layne Redmond. She passed through the veil October 28, 2013, in Asheville, North Carolina, may she rest in power. Her book remains exceedingly important to me. After years and years of studying the history & mystery of movements steeped in ancient matriarchal cultures which celebrated the Divine Feminine, at last I had a resource containing much of the information that had been handed down in oral tradition and now was in print! In turn, I recommend it to my class participants. BTW, if you don’t have a copy of the book When the Drummers were Women, A Spiritual History of Rhythm, I highly recommend seeking it out: layneredmond.com/shop/
Last but not least, it was reading her research about the ancient Egyptian diety Hathor in the book When the Drummers were Women, A Spiritual History of Rhythm that set me on the path of re-emerging the Systrum, a percussion instrument which had been buried by the sands of time. Together with the frame drum it was played in ceremonial temple processionals by priestesses and queens. For more information, please visit www.HathorSystrum.com
Below is the 'short version' of the circuitous route that led me to my first meeting Layne Redmond thanks to my friend Ben Iobst, after hearing Glen Velez in concert at Kutztown University. Mmmmm.... in memoriam to my sister Leo, divine feline, Layne Redmond on the occasion of her birthday: August 19.

AUGUST 2021 UPDATE:  On August 19 (Layne's birthday) Helen Hodgson posted to the Facebook page titled "Layne Redmond's Global Friends and fans" an interview conducted by Karen Tate featuring Layne and it's high recommended!!  Visit Layne Redmond - Voices of the Sacred Feminine