SUPERPOWER CIRCLE
2020

Recordings & Resources

PAST SUPERPOWER CIRCLES

Here are podcast recordings and resource links from previous Superpower Circle online sessions.

Episode 8, September 16:

"Branching Further Into Wellness"

CHRISTINE STEVENS

What do we even mean when we talk about "wellness" and rhythm programs?  Christine gave us the definition:

"The active pursuit of health"

From there, we looked at 4 aspects of bringing a larger wellness component to our programs and ourselves.

1. Know your intended benefits and the pain points they address.  Describe them in language your participants and decision-maker clients understand and care about.

2. Have a program format that reliably leads to those benefits.

3. Partner with other wellness-oriented organizations that have a mailing list: yoga studios, wellness clinics, support groups, retreat centers, fitness groups, corporate employee wellness departments, etc.  Many are looking for online programming these days!

4. "Put on your own music mask first!" Cultivate your own personal drumming-rhythm-music-making practice!  Instead of "practicing drumming," approach it as "drumming as a meditative practice."

Resources

• Christine's Global Rhythm Sangha year-long monthly community learning exploration of world rhythm traditions with guest master teachers.  Starts January, 2021.

• Join Christine's "Rhythms of Radiance" online drum circle with partner Soul of Yoga.  Thursday, October 8. 

• If Christine's first "The Flute As Sound Medicine" course is not yet available for new students, read about it here, and join Christine's mailing list to get notified when you can enroll.

• Join Christine's mailing list.

Opening soundtrack:  Christine Stevens "Juicy Jam" from DRUM Reviving Rhythms.  (Christine has given us permission to download and use this track in our programs with attribution.)

Episode 7, August 26:

"Healthy Connections, Healthy Brains"

DR. JANE BENTLEY

Dr. Jane Bentley had good news to report in this week's Superpower Circle:  When it comes to building brain health, we're already doing the right things!

Particular for "Post-Covid Recovery"

We looked specifically at what to keep in mind to design programs for post-covid reunion / recovery groups who might be coming together again for the first time.  People — and their brains — are different now, after the pandemic disruption.  Our programs must meet them where they are.

 
Opening soundtrack:  James Asher with Arthur Hull, "Kalimba DreamDrum Call" from Universal Playalong Grooves album.

Episode 6, August 5:

"Metaphors That Matter"

JOHN FITZGERALD & MARY TOLENA

Click on photos to enlarge.

 

• What are the central metaphors of your life?
• What idea, image, principle, concept, or knowing guides how you approach your life?
• How do they operate in your consciousness and unconsciousness?
• How can they help you navigate and evolve in today's challenging times?

John Fitzgerald and I explore the power of metaphor, sharing our central metaphors and how they operate in our lives.  We also look out into our chaotic world, and talk about how our metaphors help us face and respond in the giant "Don't Know" that we're in now.

Book: The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist. 

This extensive Kindle preview gives a broad overview of the book.

Essay: "The Tree, the Drum, and the River"

 
Opening soundtrack:  James Asher with Arthur Hull, "Kalimba Dream" from Sounding the Stones album.

Guides and Gifts

There is a warm blossoming in the East as the Sun first kisses the Sky, rising from His resting place in Listening, the MoonPlace of Wisdom.

He is destined, as always, for Incandescence, a Fierce Illumination, a Noontime Knowing.

And yes, as He sparkles so brightly off the surface of the Sea, that which connects the Continents, He also penetrates Her depths.

Ah, what Beautiful Beasts await Him there!

For they too have been Listening...

Come! Let us lie on the Deck together, our Hearts rocked, comforted, on the supple skin of Knowing and Not Knowing, recalling, perhaps for but a moment, that keen edge of suffering as we walked the well-worn plank towards a Wisdom so longed for, and for so long resisted . . . 

 

Ah, but now it is time to hold to our Soulful breast, all our Companions; Fear, Joy, Curiosity, Love, Anger, and all the rest, as we climb that Highest Mast. 

 The warmth of that Sun, the rolling rhythm of that Sea, so deeply felt from this height, we are the Willing.

 We are the Willing. For now we have leapt, left that safe purchase, and descend at speed towards Her sparking surface.

Breathe deeply! Fill your lungs with Grace, and Trust the Beautiful Beasts that await you there!

They are Your Creations, Your Guides and They are Your Gifts.

— John Fitzgerald

Episode 5, July 10:

"Cooking with What's in the Fridge"

LOUIS-DANIEL JOLY

These challenging times call for us to "pull everything out of the fridge," then imagine how we can combine the ingredients in new ways.
 
In this episode, we "take stock" of the various kinds of programs participants have offered in recent months, and review the many valuable, transferable skills we have  as Rhythm Event Facilitators.
 
Opening soundtrack: Arthur Hull and James Asher, "The Pulse" from Universal Grooves Playalong album.

After presenting this slide, I asked people to type in the chat what kinds of programs they've done recently, using the diagram numbers.  $ means paid.  Here are the results:

1. Education sector
 • Run a virtual summer camp
 • Online teaching - schools, $

2. Drum lessons
 • Online teaching - private $
 • Drum lessons....just started fee again after 90 days....
 • Private lessons
 • Universal Drumming class $
 • GIF Drummm Jam on FB - for tip$

3. Community & Recreation
 • Community donation only
 • Community & Rec: Free services
 • Online community circle Free
 • Mind-Full Music : Community and Rec #3 - paid through YMCA - but also have free offerings on zoom and getting a lot of attendance
 • Summer camps drum circles $,
 • Percussion show broadcast (private)$
 • community DC for the city of Montreal$
 • Community Rhythm Alliance for Justice free
• Community - volunteer
 • Summer Camp for kids
 • Activities at other summer camps
 • Family/Community library $
 • Social meetup group $
 • Virtual youth camp drumming $

4. Senior care sector
 • Educating Rec Therapists and Caregivers of Seniors: Music Alive: music4wellness.com
 • Seniors Singing outside the window

5. Health care sector
 • Healthcare - funded per existing grant (working at a Women’s Center)

6. Wellness programs
 •
Voice & Mindfulness
 • Crafting & wellness zoom program
 • Webinar + 5 hour online wellness Training $

7. Teambuilding
 • Teambuilding
 • Teambuilding $ with Boy Scouts. Virtual rite of passage ceremony
 • Teambuilding paid corporate face to face
 • Teambuilding Americorp $

8. Skills training
 • Skills training $. intro to baby sign language

Performing
 • Substitute musician for a few mid east performing groups

Episode 4, June 24:

"The Rumble Zone:
Leadership in the Rough & Tumble of Change"

JIM BONEAU

What a pleasure to interview Jim Boneau just as his new book is published!

As we all face life in today's giant Rumble Zone, hearing how Jim turned the lessons of the drum circle into a guidance system for life is just what we need.

In fact, Jim said, "I'm convinced that part of the reason that I can stand in the tough conversations, is because of the resilience muscle that drumming, and facilitating drumming has built inside of me."

Opening soundtrack: Peta Minter, "Happiness Affirmation" from her Energise Your Life album.

Get Jim's book here:  getbook.at/TheRumbleZone

Episode 3, June 17:
"Rethinking Representation"

SULE GREG WILSON

SuleGregWilson.com

Thank you, Sule Greg Wilson, helping us explore how to study and respectfully incorporate different cultural influences in our work.  Sule encouraged us to look at this question from the standpoint of our own lives, cultures and "Big Why":

  • WHY do I do this work?
  • WHAT about drumming / rhythm / music / music of a particular culture do I most want others to experience?
  • WHAT GIFT / benefit / outcome do I most passionately want to deliver?

Opening soundtrack: Arthur Hull and James Asher, "Clave" from Universal Grooves Playalong album.

Episode 2, June 10:
"Meeting This Moment"

KATY GAUGHAN

Thank you, Katy Gaughan, for shifting gears on our topic, and jumping into this opportunity to address systemic racism and how we are all stuck in it.   Your stories and observations certainly helped broaden our views.

Summary of a few points:

  1. This DCF movement is mostly comprised of white people (look at the screen).
  2. We value of inclusion and want diverse circles, but have not had as much success as we wish.
  3. This time of massive re-examining of the role of race gives us the opportunity to re-think this from the ground up.

This topic is so huge, we looked at 3 levels of inquiry to help us stay oriented in conversation:

  1. How do I operate within our system of structural racism?  (The focus of this call)
  2. What do I offer in my work, and how do I responsibly represent its cultural influences? (June 17)
  3. How do I reach out to other communities?  (ongoing discussion)

Opening soundtrack: Arthur Hull and James Asher, "To the Beat" from Universal Grooves Playalong album

Episode 1, May 27:

"Facilitation as a Life Operating System"

MIKE DEATON 

 

Big thanks to Mike Deaton for sharing insights and ideas!  Find Mike's livestreams here.

  • Opening soundtrack: Arthur Hull and James Asher, "Meeting the Circle" from Universal Grooves Playalong album.
  • John Hayden's rhythm activity is from his Fam Jam Challenge 6-day activity.
  • Rufus Glassco recommends tracks on Cameron Tummel's Solos CDs for playalong.
  • Cameron's Build A Box video.
  • Contact Jeff Holland about JUMPTIME practice on Zoom, Wednesdays at 7p Eastern.
  • Contact Grace Hussey of Saving Grace Rhythms about Emotion Shakers.  (See chat for email.)

 

COLLABORATION IS OUR SUPERPOWER!

 

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