Customer Reviews

Drumming To Journey By

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

With the help of an excellent shamanic teacher, I discovered (or more accurately, reconnected with past-life experience) the joy of trance journeying aided by steady drumming. But then it was time to go back home where I had no one to drum for me. Then one day, up pops an Amazon recommendation for Drumming to Journey By---and it's designed by the author of The Reluctant Shaman, a book of which I am very fond. This CD quickly became an invaluable tool for my self-discovery.

In the liner notes, Kay mentions that crystal singing bowls were activated by the drumming as the CD was recorded. My conscious self tried to hear the bowls and couldn't, but on my very first journey, I entered a cavern lined in crystals which began to vibrate with the drum-beats; THEN I could hear the crystals singing. So much subtle texture to the rhythm!

My first journey while listening to drums was with this CD. I am hooked. Listening with headphones, there is definitely a haunting spiritual quality. It took me a while to 'get' how the different lengths of time (the tracks selections) worked. The CD is one long continuous drumming, ending with the 'call back', but you can enter the drumming at various points so that your journey can be any length of time from 10 minutes to 71 minutes. I am hooked now, I listen to the CD nearly every day! Depending on how much time I've got, or what my intention for the journey is, I set the CD for the track of that length of time. This CD feels 'safe' to start drumming journeys with. Soon, I'll be looking for something more, but I am sure I will always come back to this one regularly!

I have been a sojourner on the inner spirit pathway for more than 40 years, and have met many teachers and learned to use many tools. I am familiar with all Kay Cordell Whitaker's CDs, as well as with her two wonderful books, *The Reluctant Shaman* and *Sacred Link*, wherein she tells the story of her training with the Amazonian shamans who taught her, and shares some of their teachings. I have also attended some of her personal training sessions. She is not conveniently located for me; otherwise I would do more face-to-face training with her. She has developed a high level of expertise and is an excellent teacher and healer and a wonderful, lively, glowing person. For those who are unable to attend her private workshops, and for those who want to repeat for themselves some of the processes they have used in live trainings, Kay has graciously made some of her basic guided journeys available on CD. I am familiar with and have used them all, with excellent results. Mostly, I have used and continue to use *Drumming to Journey By*, because it is just that--drumming to journey by--and nothing more. It is not a guided process. It is a vehicle, a superb vehicle, which I have used to facilitate a great many inner journeys over the past several years. It takes me where I want to go, if I know that in advance, and sometimes takes me to surprising and wonderful places I could not have imagined in my normal waking state. I have never found a better mode of transportation along inner pathways and to such destinations. I have never failed to make a safe and successful journey when I have set out to make one using this CD, and unlike any other drumming tape I have come across, it lets me choose the length of the journey beforehand so that I don't have to cling to consciousness so I can rise up and punch a button to skip to a callback when I need to return to this reality sooner than the full length of the CD. I safely can go as deep and as far as I like, knowing that the callback will come as I have programmed it to do before setting out on my journey. Its moderate pace allows me to float along and pushes me gently onward without making me rush on in a frenzy. The very rapid beat of many common drumming CDs doesn't suit me at all. *Drumming to Journey By* is the best. The low chant in the background is a mite distracting when I use headphones, as it holds my attention, but I can effectively tune it out by reducing the volume so as to make it unnoticeable. It doesn't impair or impede the success of my journey.

When I read the review here written by moomintroll2000, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. On the one hand, what he describes is so alien to my experience with this drumming CD that it appears to be a spoof and a very funny one. One the other hand, taking it seriously, it is sad that potential beneficiaries of this wonderful tool might be put off by his bitter diatribe. But even sadder is his apparently real fear and the negativity it has caused to wash over his experience of this superb drumming. I scanned through moomintroll2000s prior reviews. He is a rather prolific reviewer and his tastes are certainly eclectic. Many of his reviews are negative. I can understand his wanting to know what the chant is about. I wanted to know, too. So I asked. I dropped an e-mail note to Kay and her husband-partner Helmut, and they answered right back. Their website, www.worldbalance.com has contact information as well as lots of interesting information about Kay's work. Kay and Helmut are completely approachable. If you want to know anything about the tapes or the books or the workshops, just ask. Don't jump into negative assumptions like poor moomintroll2000 did then poison the thinking of others who might want to use the tool. I strongly recommend that moomintroll2000 contact the Whitakers and attend Kay's basic training workshop if at all possible. I have never met more kindly, dedicated and helpful spiritual teachers than these. I understand and respect that because of his own fears and lack of understanding of the process, moomintroll2000 had an experience that he does not care to repeat, but I cannot state too strongly, that such was not the fault of the vehicle he chose. There is great good to be gained through use of all the CDs in this series. I hope moomintroll2000 will make further efforts to avail himself of these benefits, after taking appropriate steps to assuage his fear and other concerns by contacting the producers of the CDs. I further hope that his sour review will not deter others from taking many wonderful journeys using this excellent drumming CD.

This has got to be the best drumming music to journey or meditate with that I have ever experienced! The drum pattern is linked to the heart rythmn which is why it is so easy to relax from the daily concerns and be able to focus. I listen to this cd when I an spirit-journeying,meditating,or wanting to have some clear dreamtime. Sometimes my mind is chattering away with the to-do-list or my emotions are in a turmoil over a recent event and I want to have some inner peace annd quiet,so I will listen to this drumming cd.Not only do I experience calmness,but I can acheive the clarity I want.This is especially true concerning journeying and meditation. My dreams are also much clearer and easier to recall when I go to sleep with this cd playing since the drumming both soothes and focuses.This is a cd to definitely buy!I am listening to it now as I write this review-good drumming!

How anybody can write a review like moumine2003 about this drumming CD is a mystery to me. The only explanation I have would be that this person has ulterior motives. I have worked with this CD and all other materials from the creator of this CD for many years and to even think that she would create something that could even remotely invoke spirits from a not favorable sort is preposterous. I don't expect everyone to adore this CD, but I am absolutely appalled at what moumine2003 writes. Kay Whitaker has had a great deal of clients who actually were dealing with less favorable spirit beings in their lives and she was the only one they could receive help from. After years of uncertainty of what was going on in their lives Kay could actually see these spirits beings and provide help to free them and the person.

I have been part of the creation of this CD and unlike many other drumming CDs this actually has real drumming without synthesizers.

The background chant is from an ancient culture and time long before the concept of "lower, middle and upper worlds" was adopted into some tribal beliefs and of course long before that concept was popularized in the western world. The chant is presented in its original ancient language and has no reference in word or thought to the tri-world concept. The chant is said to "be spoken by the Goddess herself" (a goddess somewhat similar to Auset of Egypt) and hold the magic and beauty of the truth of who we are and where we came from. The "Goddess" calls us to the experience of our own Song, our own beingness. The implication that it could attract possessive thoughtforms or spirit beings is an insult not only to Kay's work, but to this entire ancient culture and can only come from utter ignorance or as I said before ulterior motives. Kay has dedicated her life to providing tools for people to truly and fully wake up - it is very likely that is not moumine2003's purpose in this lifetime.

This drumming CD as well is Kay Whitaker's latest "Amazon Drumming To Journey By" are the only two CDs for spirit journeying that carry you safely through your journeys and explorations, unlike most others which I always had the feeling of being chased through my experiences. The slower beat was used by Kay's teachers, whose culture is based on matriarchal principals, for eons long before the fast beat became popular in the western world. It has been the only speed they have always used in any of their ceremonies.

Don't be fooled by people who have no understanding of the intricacies of these ancient spiritual practices. Kay Whitaker has studied for more than 20 years before she even thought about teaching other people or creating material such as this CD and as far as I can tell her work and material are unmatched and absolutely impeccable in quality and intent.

I have used many different recordings available on the market in the past to guide me on my spiritual journeys and meditations. THIS ONE OUTPERFORMS THE REST BY LIGHT-YEARS! The combination and arrangement of sounds on this recording makes it so astoundingly easy to move into an altered state of consciousness. The CD is simple to use and has numerous options for selecting different lengths of time with a very gentle callback. Incredible Drumming CD! I use it for my own practice and in my work with my clients.

My first reaction to the idea of writing the review for this CD was : How, on Earth, am I going to convey the deep organic multidimensionality of Trance that you can experience through this CD, with something so insufficient as words? While the drumming covers the full range of the auditory spectrum, the shaking of rattle provides stimulation to even higher frequency pathways than does the drum - thus strengthening the total sonic effect. What it does is tantalize the senses, bringing all of our awareness awake and alert - freeing us to respond to and create with the freshness of each moment. The feeling you find yourself overwhelmed by is the feeling of multiple gestations of ever fresh Realities. Experiencing the Rhythm, we re-emerge.

A friend described her experience of this drumming as sensual. It startled her by awakening her in a way other drumming CD's had not.

I have used the CD as the root for several journeys, those led by shamanic practioners (including Kay herself), and those I've designed for myself. The rhythm is distinct and encourages deep trance. I find designing my own journeys of healing to be profoundly helpful, particularly in clearing old issues from my body. To do that, a CD like this is indispensible.

This is a good disc to have around if you wish to journey and there's no one else to do your drumming. The fact that many different length segments are available before the call back is excellent, and allows journeying without worry.

I have used many different recordings available on the market in the past to guide me on my spiritual journeys and meditations. THIS ONE OUTPERFORMS THE REST BY LIGHT-YEARS! The combination and arrangement of sounds on this recording makes it so astoundingly easy to move into an altered state of consciousness. The CD is simple to use and has numerous options for selecting different lengths of time with a very gentle callback. Incredible Drumming CD! I use it for my own practice and in my work with my clients.