Wellness Through Drumming and Yoga

Whether you are a master of the sun salutation, or embracing the “child’s pose,” yoga is one of the most recommended ways to not only find inner peace, but, to help with a variety of physical ailments and issues. Yoga seems to be everywhere, and is recommended by friends, physicians and websites alike for its ability to calm the mind and body. In many of these same circles, drumming and rhythm have also begun to find a spot in the activity list for wellness, and by combining the two activities together, the results can amaze even the biggest skeptics out there.

When practicing yoga, we are encouraged to concentrate on our bodies and our breath. This serves many purposes, but, essentially, we become more mindful and “in the moment” with yoga than we do when performing other exercises. This mindfulness is not only important for relieving stress or anxiety, but, it gives us a chance to focus within, cutting out other stimulus and showing that we are important beings to ourselves. With a focus on breathing, yoga becomes a more rhythmic practice that magnifies the various poses through extra oxygen and the natural healing properties of rhythm.

Many would say that these glimpses into yoga are enough to benefit their purposes for stretching, balancing and perfecting the “cat” and “cow” pose, and that belief is not entirely untrue. Drumming, however, can add a deeper meaning to the practice of yoga, helping to not only motivate a person and provide a focus that is still focused inward, but, drumming helps to strengthen the rhythms needed in the body and mind to accentuate the breath, heart rate and brain.

Since a djembe or other hand drum can be an emotionally responsive instrument, the rhythm of these instruments can provide a soundtrack for a truly positive yoga and drumming experience. Working together, drumming enhances the core principles of yoga, and yoga can even help a drummer understand the physical nuances of drumming. Allow the flowing rhythm of drumming to enhance your next yoga experience, and feel the beat of a whole new passion for wellness.