December 13, 2005

Dear Drummers,

The Saami (Northern Scandinavian indigenous people) have a creation story that says the creator placed the heart of the reindeer goddess the very center of the earth. That heart is a divine force that blesses us with the life force, constantly, each moment of the day and night, from the depths. At the winter solstice, the reindeer goddess bears the sun between her antlers, returning the gift of life to the dark earth.

This image is not so different from any theological idea that claims God is present underneath the flotsam of life, under the burdens, the human a limitations, the envies, the lusts, the angers, the failures, the ego desires—the life force lies beating, pulsing, waiting for us to return our attention to it.

This Friday’s drum will open the heart of then earth so that we may ride the reindeer spirit to the depths and ask for a blessing from the pulsing force of life at the center of the world.

I find that when we open our earth and descend to the beating reindeer heart, we may discover some things:

1) Grief and Praise are the two legs we dance upon as spiritual beings.

2) A religious life marries these two forces in one body.

3) We learn about praise through grieving, and we learn about grieving through praising.

4) Trouble with grieving can be mended by praising well.

5) Trouble praising can be mended by grieving well.

6) Praising and grieving cleanse you.

7) Santa Claus needs to be dealt with, and so do his reindeer.

If you read this and can remember, I’d like to ask you to bring an offering this Friday—an offering to the beating heart of the reindeer goddess at the center of the earth. What would you bring as an offering to the blessing, nourishing life-force? You can decide, but typical offerings are things of beauty (something you make or find that is beautiful, this includes things you could find in nature that you think are beautiful and that you’d like to offer), something to eat (something a reindeer would eat would be ideal, something we like to eat is also good—but no meat, please), alcohol (whiskey is always good), also songs, poems (sung or written on paper) --well, you get the idea. Each of you will have an opportunity during the second hour to spend a few moments lying on a reindeer hide, under an arch of two reindeer antlers. I have found this a powerful experience; perhaps you will too.

As usual we will drum up the beating heart of life for about an hour, take a break for conversation and cookies, and then come together again for the "second hour."

See you Friday!

Jaime

© 2005  Jaime Meyer

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