The toning workshop went well after initial concerns about the amount of participation that people would have to do. Everyone participated for most of the rounds. The gathering was a lot of fun. I even got onto the drums (something I’ve been doing more recently since being down here and surrounded by them). I’ve gotten comfortable enough that I’m willing to take the big drum and keep the bottom beat (for you non-drummers out there, the bottom beat is the foundation on which the session is built, so it’s critical that you can keep a steady beat going or the whole thing falls apart). I was keeping the bottom beat for a while and I got into the swing of things and I found myself changing the rhythm. I went into some bizarre beats that I don’t even have the vocabulary to describe, but they were really cool and my hands started to fly across the drum head almost of their own accord. I was flying. Just part of the music.
We kept it up for a long time and when I came down, I realized that I had overdone it a bit. Both my hands were beginning to bruise a little and the tendinitis in my right arm had flared to a very painful point. I put arnica gel on both and proceeded to ice down my arm. But I didn’t want to push things by getting back online too soon, so I took yesterday off from journaling to allow my arm to heal. I’m feeling much better now and even the bruising is gone, so I think I’ll be picking up a drum again this weekend at the festival. (I know, I’m a glutton for punishment.)
Looks like the plans have changed yet again. We have not been able to get a phone number for Gnome yet, so I think I’ll put off the Appalachian Trail hike until Spring. Chris says that he’ll probably go with me if I go at that time. We’re talking about possibly taking the trail up from Gnome’s place in Waynesboro, VA up to the festival at Lumen’s Gate in PA (assuming it’s anywhere near the Trail – we’re going to have to cross reference the two to determine that). Either way, we’re looking at the May/June time frame.
I also called Daniel thinking that I might head back that way for a while, but he is in the middle of a bunch of stuff right now and it is not a convenient time for me to visit there. Plus, I am in the middle of doing work here for a bunch of people, so it seems appropriate to stay on here for a while longer. The guys are attending a music festival this weekend and they think they can get me in on a volunteer pass which would be free, so I’m going to head up with them to do that. I’m thinking of setting up shop in my screen tent to offer reiki treatments and card readings as well. One of the people coming with us does massage and I’m going to offer her the use of the screen tent for her massages if I can use the table for Reiki treatments. Sounds like a good trade.
So, that’s the update for now. I’m heading off to look up publishers on the web and call my friend Molly about publishing the booklets I’m writing. I’m also working on the second one. Gotta go slow though. Take care of the wrist and all. Talk to you soon!
* This is part of an ongoing series of posts detailing what happened on a spiritual pilgrimage that I took in 2002. To start from the beginning, go to July 2, 2013. To see the entire spiritual journey as it gets published, click on the category “You Want Me To Do WHAT?!!?” to see all of the posts.
