Spoke to Patrick Pinson over the phone the day after Winter Solstice. He is a very friendly man who when answering my questions felt a little like a speaker for the Divine. In other words, he spoke to my spirit/my heart! His enthusiasm and knowledge of his products made it a joy to speak to this man. And, just a few days before Christmas...He was not stressing me out! He was calm and personal.
My package with a drum, rattle kit and a few ceremony smudges came 2 days later!
I soaked my the hides over night.
Today, I sat down and followed a book that came with the kit and a package of videos I found on Youtube.
The process was enjoyable. I look forward to hearing the drum's voice.
I choose Elk skin for the drum head and cedar for the base/ring. Cedar is a sacred tree to Shaman/Native people and one of my favorites in the forests in my backyard.
Elk is medicine for the belly Chakra.
Thought it was appropriate medicine for my life these days.
When we are working in the West on the Medicine Wheel – the Water, emotions, shadow self – then Elk Medicine gives us the stamina and endurance to get through the edges, from the known to the unknown. As we go through our fears, we expand ourselves and add more trust to our circle. Trust is the lubricant that helps us take the “leap of faith” that leads us to unity with spirit and to a reclaiming of our original grace.
Elk is powerful medicine for healing child abuse and addictive patterns. The Elk will bring up our unresolved grief and help purify and cleanse us through crying and grieving our sweet tears. The vibration of Elk opens the third Chakra, the belly, where we carry our fears and undigested values that interfere with our pure will. The Elk is a communal animal, hanging out with members of the same sex except during mating season.
