Joanne Chang
Forum Replies Created
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Christine, thank you for your beautiful share, for allowing us to accompany you on your journey in such an intimate way. What exciting possibilities emerging for you! The imagery of the owl dropping you into the waterfall and the evolution from there to the turning of the bathroom knob, a participatory descent, into the waters where we celebrate you in your “Coming Alive”. Such potency in this transmission.
“the beautiful thing is, I did not have to overwork to get here. Focusing on my creative expression and taking care of my own needs was the fuel that built the capacity for me to hold this, and accept this opportunity.” — Yes yes yes! Huge gratitude for your cultivation of creativity and self care as the way forward. I feel my body relax as I read this, giving myself permission to be excused from the grind of productivity and lean into kairos, rest, joy, creativity, TRUST. “I prepare myself for a tumble / And instead / I fall into the Earth.”
Thank you. 🙏💗
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Dear Liz, thank you for inviting the rest of us to acknowledge the parts of this journey that are hard to reconcile — the shame, fear, sabotage, rage, disillusion — all parts of being human, no matter our vocation, our knowing, our training. The integrity of your share touches me deeply, and helps me feel seen while also witnessing your struggle and surrender. I love the journey of your flower essence and can feel the warmth, excitement and summertime tingle of this new relationship. What perfect integration of the fire season, romance, sparks, spirit, and magic. What alchemy!
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Hello Nicole, Kari – wanted to follow up on our discussion around a Zoom drum circle — which in theory sounds amazing — but I’m not sure if we can do it in actuality.
Nicole, Kari and I met last week over zoom to talk drums and the resonance doesn’t carry — it sounds tinny vs. deep and we tried to adjust the sound settings but to no avail. Have you participated in a virtual drum circle before that worked well?
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Hi everyone! I don’t have much time to write but wanted to chime in on scheduling — Fri afternoons can work for me, either next week or the week after. I just have to pick up my daughter from school at 3:45 p.m. MST (2:45 p.m. PST). I hope we can find a time that works!
If not the next couple of weeks, after Thanksgiving will work too.
<3 <3
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Thank you, Lorie! I’m excited to learn from Eagle and to bring sound healing into my life. I’ve always thought that I would find my way there someday, and then it found me. Really grateful for the opportunity to learn from Kari and Nicole and others in this group about the power of sound and rhythm in our collective work. 💗
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Kari, that sounds great! It’s on my calendar. I’m so excited.
My email is jchang77@gmail.com.
For the drum circle, I don’t have a paid zoom account, maybe we can use Google meet?
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I used to live in the Bay Area (1999 – 2017) and I still have family and a wonderful community out there — mostly SF/East Bay, though my sister lives in Saratoga. The place I was thinking about is in SF, so not ideal for you, but I will certainly keep my eyes and ears open for you.
I would love a zoom call! I am totally new to this instrument so any and all advice and information is appreciated. I clearly remember seeing the word “drums” on the gallery sign in Taos, and that is what pulled me in even though I have never thought about buying a drum. When I saw it I was mesmerized, but kind of intimidated too. As soon as I heard it I knew I would take it home. Life is so fun.
Bear energy found me when I worked with depth hypnosis many years ago, shortly after my daughter was born. I was going through a huge shift in my life, loss and death/rebirth sort of stuff, and Bear guided me down through the chaos of that time to the stillness, to a place of gratitude and even joy. I saw my daughter as a little girl (she was an infant at the time) with a wide circle of chosen family surrounding us, raising her as their own, teaching her all of the things that her dad would not be able to teach her. Bear led me there, to that place where I could know the rightness of everything even when my days felt dark.
I purchased the Medicine Cards around that time and started pulling Bear over and over. It’s funny no matter how many times I used that deck, I would get the same 5 or 6 cards in rotation. Bear according to that deck is Introspection. “Many tribes have called this space of inner-knowing the Dream Lodge, where the death of the illusion of physical reality overlays the expansiveness of eternity. It is in the Dream Lodge that our ancestors sit in Council and advise us regarding alternative pathways that lead to our goals. This is the power of Bear.” So, I have always felt a connection to Bear… and I’m so glad we’re having this conversation right now because it’s been some time since I’ve called on him — thank you for bringing him back to me. This is why I love this group so much. <3!
I don’t have Characters of Wisdom, so thank you for letting me know that ST36 is “To Walk in the Great Strength of Stillness”. Beautiful. 🙏💗
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Also, yes, the Eagle is Big Energy — will have to sit with that as well. The Bear has shown up for me in the past, Eagle is a very different energy. I’ll have to go dig up my animal Medicine Cards.
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Kari, thank you! I had to read your post a few times to absorb it all — so much insight and wisdom. The drum is 18 inches in diameter.
I love your suggestions on spending time daily with the drum, observing how I play it (and how it plays me), the rhythm, the liminal space we slip into through the playing. Letting the eagle land on my arm. This touches me in a deep place, and it opens my heart to the possibilities of deep connected relationship with these greater-than-living things. Perhaps all things. Lori talks about it but I’m not sure I’ve felt it until now — can this drum be not only an ally but a friend, a brother, a teacher? Can I extend my relationships to all objects? My toothbrush, my coffee mug, my beloved vacuum? The drum is a great place to begin! This collective conversation through the drum is already infusing my life with magic.
The first beat I played on the drum, and the one I am most called to, is a whole beat followed by two half beats, then a whole. Bum…bumbum Bum…bumbum Bum…
I resonate with what your share about how the white owl “started to fly while I was distracted and it has been a work to catch up with it!” and how this mentorship is guiding you back (or forward!). I wish we could sit down with a cup of tea so I could hear the whole story. I have been on a circuitous path, in and out of deep connection, and I too feel like I am starting to catch up with the help of this incredible community and our beloved teachers.
I will post updates on my drum journey in the treatment room and would love to hear about your States of Consciousness work and how you begin to weave it into your clinic. Where in the bay area are you? I might be able to connect you with someone for a sound healing space!
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Thank you Nicole! You ask great questions — I will have to find the answers! I didn’t ask any questions about the drum, who made it and where, how old it is. I was so swept up in the sound that I just bought it. I definitely feel the resonance in my heart space, but that may also be because that’s where I play the drum (close to my heart). I will ask Tony to play it over other parts of my body to see what resonates — is that how you do it? 🙂
A zoom drum circle sounds amazing!
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Wow, that’s beautiful Christine. Gives me chills! I feel this drum in my heart for sure.
Thank you for looping in Stephanie!
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Thank you, Benjamin! There’s definitely something magical about this instrument… will keep you all posted on our progress as we dive into relationship together.
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Thank you, Alice! I came upon CT Holman’s website and his offerings fit exactly what I’m looking for. I’m happy to see this recommendation from you, thank you! <3
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Ooh, Babbie — just came upon this share and it gave me CHILLS! So much yes to you taking the next step in your journey, focusing on the farm and the land, and on the mentorship and your own healing practice. It is an honor to know you and to receive you. I’m inspired. <3
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Thank you Benjamin! So nice to be back.
On this trip I realized that sometimes you need to leave home in order to discover where that is. <3
Sarah recommends an app called “Seek”, I’m going to try it 🙂