I love facilitating programs with the drug and rehab center (Univ. of CO hospital). We do it every two weeks on a Friday night.
People are there fulltime for 30-60 days, then rotate out to transitional programs where they can go to work during the day.
I’ve had some beautiful experiences w/ folks in treatment. The center has said that the drum circle is very consistently ranked as one of the most important parts of the treatment on outgoing client surveys. One man told me that he stayed in treatment b/c of the drum circle. People laughed, but he told them that he was serious. Towards the end of one program, another man said he felt at peace for the first time in many, many years. His face was weathered yet relaxed and calm bathed in the Spirit of the circle. Almost every program, people say they felt a real sense of freedom. The other night we talked about playing rhythms and falling off the beat, yet listening for the bass beat and support to find the rhythm again. A woman very beautifully discussed how it was like falling back into substance abuse yet returning to her support group to reconnnect with the rhythm. We talked about sometimes needing the support and other times giving it to others. Another time, one man said that he was badly needing pills/drugs when he entered the circle, but 30 min. into drumming and sharing, that need had released and he was relaxed and felt better.
We’ve had some incredibly funny experiences too. We do a process where people play a rhythm and can say something too, then everybody plays it back. One woman began it w/ “We’re all here because we’re not all there!” Then she played a rhythm. Everybody repeated the phrase, then played the rhythm. The great part was that we screwed up the rhythm i.e. “…We’re not all there!” Everybody laughed.
These folks are deeply processing, so it is very important to have a real and fun way for them to connect, plus laugh. People consistently comment about how frequently people smile during the drum circle, but see fewer smiles outside of it.
Why do they schedule us to do it on Friday nights? I didn’t understand this until we started doing it. People would often comment about how drumming and connecting in the circle enables them to be deeply present. They very often say that they were totally in it. They weren’t thinking about anything. A very important part of the drum circle is to develop an in the moment experience. Deep Presence. And, simultaneously, deep connection with oneself and others. Following the in the moment comments, somebody once realized what they would normally be doing on a Friday night- getting loaded, getting ready to get loaded, or already loaded. Then they realized that none of that mattered while they were in the circle drumming and connecting with each other. They didn’t even think about it.
It’s huge to offer them an experience and powerful, fun, real option instead of substances. And, we consistently discuss how they can continue with it when they leave treatment.
I also watch for bodily movement that can easily be facilitated into expanded movement in the circle i.e. dancing. I vividly remember a young man who got up in the middle and danced. When the rhythm ended and we were sharing, he said that it was the first time he had ever danced sober. He was 24 years old.
Recently, I remember a man saying at the end of a program that while everybody was in the circle “We were all drummers, not alcoholics.” I felt a profound depth to that comment. A therapist friend helped me understand it more b/c guilt and shame are usually so attached to these folks. To be able to release that in a real and healthy way is powerful. Again, freedom and a real connection w/ themselves and others.
I’m grateful because they are ready to receive what I need to give. That’s the circle. We’re here to serve, love, and share our gifts.
We end the rehab programs with the Serenity Prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
The courage to change the things I can.
And, the wisdom to know the difference.
I love that prayer.
A-Ho.
Jon