Primal Music Monday 4/14

With God's help and permission, we'll gather for this month's Primal Music Monday next week from 7 pm to 9 pm at Zawiya Perspective:

1800 East Garry Ave. Suite 101
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(949) 394-6090

Recently, a good friend and I were at a conference together. During a break between speakers, I mentioned something about a guy having some troubles and how sometimes we need to be careful in how we help others. We can create a codependent dynamic that does nothing for anybody, I say, and as I'm blathering on he begins to sing a few bars from Bill Wither's classic Lean on Me:

lean on me
when you're not strong
and I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
for it won't be long
'til I'm gonna need
somebody to lean on

I joined him for the last couple of lines and we had just that little primal moment. But it was enough to push back my cynicism and I saw things differently, wal-hamdu lillah.

So you can count on that song making it into Monday's rotation, insha Allah.

We'll drum, talk, and sing. We'll sip lovingly brewed herbal concoctions (hibiscus rose and chaga chai) and we'll burn something nice.

Don't come in looking to be impressed. Show up as you are and do what you can and then think about how few opportunities there are to do just that.

Again, a quick reminder of the rules:

1) This gathering is for men only.
2) Show up groomed and smelling good.
3) Absolutely no tuned instruments allowed. Bringing your own drum is encouraged.
4) Sound recording devices are fine, but no photography or video, please.

See you then, insha Allah!

Drum Circle with Rowan Storm 4/12

This is a great chance to learn from a real master. Women are very well represented at Rowan's drum circles and this is the perfect opportunity for a family to learn and jam with with best!

Get out there this Saturday and make some noise!

Details here.

". . . no Cuban Spring"

We've talked a lot about what happens when we lose our voice.

Once that vacuum is created, there are others who are more than happy to speak for us, to fill our hearts and minds with desires and ideas that wouldn't have been there otherwise. All the better if we believe that these notions are our own.

Read about how the United States is creating social networks to spark dissent in other parts of the world. And be sure to pass this on to the next person you run into who was ever excited or inspired by the Arab Spring.

Perhaps such findings can help us to reframe some of what we are hearing about Turkey.

They took our drums and gave us "tweets." Trading substance for illusion is nothing that we should be a part of.

Circle up, primes. Bang a drum and sing a song.

That's living in community.

That's the only "social networking" that matters.