The sound of drums floated through the evening air at a local pavilion last week. Over a dozen people gathered to honor the fall equinox with a drum circle led by Katy Gaughan.
The circle was part of a series of programs called Drumming for Wellness Community Drum Circles. Gaughan is offering the program in conjunction with Heavenly Well, whose acupuncture and massage practitioners, Renée Cooper and Julia Shapiro, have an office on Ivy Lane in Greenbelt.
Gaughan got her start in community drumming in the
Malcolm X Drum Circle in Washington’s Meridian Hill Park. She said she learned from many teachers to become a drum circle facilitator, “which is about taking all these people, taking all the sounds,” Gaughan said. “But actually, it’s taking it to another level with the musicality of it.”
Gaughan spent much of the evening’s circle in the middle of all the drummers, guiding them through different beats and tempos. She channeled soaring energy into the circle, waving her arms and jumping to the music. “Tonight is really about
gathering to honor the equinox and to connect as community,” Gaughan said. “And to really support our own wellness.”
Gaughan decided to partner with Heavenly Well to use a pavilion space near their office so the drum circle could be held in a semi-outdoor space with social distancing and masks.
Drumming Benefits
Gaughan believes that drumming together can help activate the body to fight disease. Cooper, part of the Heavenly Well team, said the drum circle fits with her belief in different types of wellness.
“We are so stressed in our daily lives nowadays,” Cooper remarked. “Even before COVID-19, life is for many people a hamster wheel and many people are anxious, there’s a lot of people being depressed.”
Cooper added that drumming can help reduce anxiety. When she first tried drumming, she found it to be a joyful and fun experience.
“It was very invigorating participating last time for the first time for me,” Cooper said. “It was really amazing how much it circulates: it increases the circulation in your hands.” Cooper said the first drum circle in the series included many veterans of Gaughan’s other drum circles, but last week there were newcomers as well.
Getting in Sync
John Ford, of Bethesda, is in the early stages of his drumming and described his first time joining a drum circle. “It was exhilarating. It’s very interesting. Nice people, nice camaraderie with everyone,” Ford said. “When you’re new you’re not quite sure how to play along.”
Ford said he watches people with more experience and tries his best to mimic the beats they play. Last week was his second time attending one of Gaughan’s circles.
“I find that there’s an awful lot of freeform in these groups. You look around and people are playing sometimes different things. But I don’t think it really matters.”
Ford said he feels happier after the drum circles. He recently bought a used drum online that he can play at home as well as at circles. His advice for anyone looking to try drumming was simple: “Do it. Have fun. Don’t be too critical of yourself.”
Drumming for Wellness events continue through October. Registration on the Heavenly Well website (heavenlywell.com) is required to participate.
Allison Mollenkamp is a University of Maryland graduate student in journalism reporting for the News Review.
