Joy in the Moment

I don't remember experiencing such joy as I felt yesterday as I sat in our first Drumming Circle. I am so deeply and radiantly grateful for the experience!

The Drumming Circle is one of four activities offered monthly as a series of invitations to experience living in the moment. I was privileged to meet Lynne Hamilton, who led the Drumming Circle in a warm and yet masterful style. Lynne took us gently through the process of familiarizing ourselves with the various percussion instruments that she had brought to the Circle, and then of coming to understand the difference between pure improvisation and a more controlled group effort through careful listening to the whole. It was challenging for us because most of us were new to drumming.

I can't speak for all of the participants, only for myself. I had such fun! I was so filled with joy in the moment that I couldn't keep my body from expressing that joy. My joyful laughter filled my consciousness; it was the only true response that I could make to that much happiness!

Later, on my own at home, I made an attempt to understand why I had experienced such an intense burst of pure and loving joy. The answer was that I have been waiting for just such an experience for a very long time. As a responsible adult, I don't get to play. I thought about it. I haven't been 'allowed' to play, haven't given myself that permission and created a playful experience for myself in YEARS.

I'm not talking about playing Scrabble, as I do each week with my mother at the assisted-living facility where she resides, or playing backgammon or Bridge as some folks do. I'm sure those are pleasurable pasttimes, but I'm talking about improvisational, joyful, self-expressive goofiness. I'm talking about being allowed to make mistakes and call it Experience. I'm talking about moving in a sacred flow of BEing in the moment, dancing between boldness and shyness, responsively maneuvering between the desire for self-expression and the scruples of the ego-self, and interacting in the freedom of a SAFE SPACE with others who are doing exactly the same thing. Phew! Needless to say, the time flew by and we went over our allotted time by no small margin. None of us  minded that at all. We were having so much fun!

Next Sunday will be our first offering of the role-playing experience offered in this In the Moment series. I'll discuss that in an upcoming post. I want to give it my best, and at the moment I'm still glowing from the clear memory of yesterday's joy. In fact, it has carried over and fills me still. So, I'll come back tomorrow, having grounded this energy somewhat, and give a clear, concise description of the activity planned for next Sunday's joy in the moment.

I want to thank Lynne Hamilton from the bottom of my heart for her contribution to my joyful experience yesterday. The crowning moment for me - among so many moments of utter perfection of playfulness and radiant loving happiness - was the moment at the very end of our time together when Lynne bowed gracefully and said, "Namasté." 

In doing this she honoured both herself and all of us by invoking the Divine within each participant.

All is well in all of creation. Don't forget to play once in awhile. I doubt very much that you will ever regret taking the time to do so. As for me - I can't seem to stop smiling today. I hope that the same bubbling of joy and happiness wells in you also.

Namasté