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Southeast
Florida Drum Circle Newsletter
SPECIAL EDITION
Published Monday, September 22nd 2008
Offered to you by the Southeast Florida Drum Circle Community
Michael Dean Goodman, Coordinator, 561-350-3930
SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity-owner@yahoogroups.com
This newsletter now reaches about 3000 people!
VISIT OUR YAHOO GROUP WEB PAGE
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity
Free twice-monthly SE Florida Drum Circle Newsletter via e-mail
Lists of drumming & dancing teachers and vendors
Educational & inspirational materials about drumming & dancing
Links to other drumming/dancing resources on the web
Photos from many drum circles in our local area
SPECIAL REMINDERSPECIAL EDITION
Published Monday, September 22nd 2008
Offered to you by the Southeast Florida Drum Circle Community
Michael Dean Goodman, Coordinator, 561-350-3930
SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity-owner@yahoogroups.com
This newsletter now reaches about 3000 people!
VISIT OUR YAHOO GROUP WEB PAGE
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity
Free twice-monthly SE Florida Drum Circle Newsletter via e-mail
Lists of drumming & dancing teachers and vendors
Educational & inspirational materials about drumming & dancing
Links to other drumming/dancing resources on the web
Photos from many drum circles in our local area
TONIGHT - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 7PM-MIDNIGHT
The Tequesta Bonfire Drum Circle -
Celebrating the Autumn Equinox
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park - Ft. Lauderdale
EDITOR'S NOTE
This is the biggest, most glorious drum circle in our area. It only happens four
times each year (at the changes of season - the solstices and equinoxes), bring-
ing together 400+ drummers and dancers from five counties for one big, unified
celebration. Don't miss it! You don't have to be a good dancer or drummer - every-
one is lovingly welcomed and appreciated. You can drum (or play any percussion
gadget that you have), dance, or just watch and socialize.
[Please note: there have been some changes - some fine-tuning - to the event
content and guidelines. Please read the description below.]
Held every 3 months, at each Solstice & Equinox (the start of each season)
$7 per adult (kids under 10 free) - fee goes toward increased event costs (insurance,
staffing - hiring even more park rangers for the night, bringing in handicapped-acces-
sible porta-potties, etc.).
INCLUDES
• A huge bonfire
• An (optional) potluck feast - if you plan to partake, please bring a dish or drink
• A short, Earth-centered ceremony to welcome in the season (at about 9pm),
conducted by Live Oak Kindred, Asatru Group (an indigenous faith native to
Scandinavian countries)
• Great live drumming
• Beautiful dancing (bellydancers, free-form dancers, etc.)
• Fire-performers
• Community altar
PHILOSOPHY
"People of all life-affirming spiritual and philosophical paths are invited to come together un-
der the beautiful canopy of the sky, in a preserved 'native Florida coastal habitat'. It's an
opportunity to align our thoughts and energies with our own core of being, with the seasonal
shifts on our planet (Earth), with the energy effects of our star (the Sun), and with the powers
of the universe that form all things (which you may call God/Goddess, Spirit, Nature, laws of
evolution, etc.). The Tequesta (tuh-kes-tuh) Drum Circle is named after one of the ancient
tribes who inhabited lands around SE Florida prior to European and Seminole arrival - and
gives us an opportunity to remember that legacy.
This is a family-oriented celebration for those who hold the importance of our relationship to
our home planet, the Earth. Come be a part of the celebration, look up into the night sky,
breathe, and remember our intrinsic connection to both planet and universe.
Every 90 days or so our planet transits a key point on its journey around our parent Star (the
Sun) which shifts the balance of light entering into our world. This light continually feeds a
tremendously complex array of living systems that have co-evolved for billions of years. The
shift creates a cascading ebb and flow of cycles in each hemisphere creating what we know
as Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, and inspires us to observe these natural transits
of our planet as Sacred Days."
EVENT GUIDELINES
• Performers are very welcome - fire performers in the designated area only please
• NO flash photography around the circle
• NO intoxication (Police are on-site.)
• Be responsible
• Be respectful
• Recycle (bins are provided). Please bring biodegradable products.
• No pets (except for medical purposes)
• Table available at the entrance to distribute environmental or holistic information
HOSTED BY
Moon Path Circle, Inc., http://moonpathcircle.org/index.htm
(Park Ranger) Mark Foley 954-655-7182
SpelCastor <spelcastor@...>
Sophia Letourneau <sophialinus@...>
HELD AT
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale FL, 954-468-2791,
954-564-4521, http://www.floridastateparks.org/hughtaylorbirch/
This is a primitive camp setting, with outhouse-style bathrooms.
DIRECTIONS
1. Take I-95
2. Exit Sunrise Blvd. eastbound
3. Cross the Intercoastal Waterway bridge
4. Make the last left turn before A1A - turning into the Hugh Taylor Birch Park entrance
5. Follow the circular drive about 2/3 of the way around to the "Primitive Camp Area"
6. Park as directed by the parking attendants
Autumn Equinox, 2008
Reflections by Ranger Mark Foley
The gusts of wind whip columns of royal palms in a dance of fury outside the calm of your
living room window. Hot sunblaze yields to a thick cover of gray overcast, ominous plumes,
ushered in by some unseen hand of the Air Elementals, churning incantations with the
whisper of tornadoes. Your heart stirs at the fringe of home comfort, and all that might be
burst open exposing the fragility of security. This is the season of winds and rains, the
season of transitions, the height of the Wet and the Humid. This is Fall in the southern
peninsula of Florida.
During the Equinox, whether it be the Fall or the Spring, we physically experience the con-
vergence of Darkness and Light in balance. The day has subtly become somewhat less
lengthy, although it still reaches a blazing afternoon sojourn where we scurry indoors to the
comfort of cooling units, lest we dare endure the sweltering hours. The evenings have be-
come already less accentuated, almost comfortable to no technological aids, but not quite
yet.
As we enter the North's Autumn, the Sun enters the sign of Libra, the sign of Balance. How-
ever Libra is also the sign of the exaltation of Saturn, who is seen as the Grim Reaper carry-
ing his scythe and cutting off the brittle and aging and yielding them into death. We under-
stand that darkness lengthens upon the northern hemisphere as the tilt of the Earth's axis
points further and further away from the light bearer. As cold descends upon the northern
regions, life-sustaining sap retreats into the roots of deciduous trees to hibernate beneath
the ground. Leaves begin to quickly turn into golds and reds and yellows, and then fall to
pad the forest floor. Birds begin a mass migration along their species' particular courses set
in the billions, and other fauna scurry to store their share for the onslaught of intense snows.
As we enter Autumn and progress toward Winter, the Sun's transit shifts ever southward
across the dome of the sky, making shorter and shorter arcs as we near the Winter Solstice.
In many ways, the Northern September Equinox begins the season of Thanksgiving, since it
is the season of Harvest and the waning of life. Higan-e is celebrated for six days around the
Autumn Equinox in Japan as a time to reflect on the dead as well as on mortality between
samsra (here) and nirvana (the beyond). This is a season that we can give back, if even in
intentional gesture, to the greater organism of the Earth Mother. For the Northern Hemisphere
it is the Harvest Time, and so we offer up our thanks to the Nature that contains us, for all that
She provides to us in a perpetual procession of waxing and waning.
In cultures around the world, circles and stone structures have been erected to mark the Sol-
stices and the Equinoxes. Stonehenge, most notably known for its indication of the Solstices,
is also marked to predict the Sunrise of the Equinox. Other such structures exist throughout
Europe; The standing stones of Stennes of the Orkney isles indicate both Equinox and Sol-
stice passages. Similar sites are found in Native American structures, especially the Mayan
ruins and Calendar One in Vermont. These structures served to mark the passage of the
growing and dying seasons. Practical purposes that they served to the society of humans,
they were intrinsically tied to the spiritual lives of the cultures who used them, as the cosmo-
logy of the time and spiritual inclinations were one in the same. In 1980 the Georgia Guide-
stones were erected in Elbert County, Georgia, about 90 miles east of Atlanta. They contain
a message to the world about humanity in relationship to the planet. The structure also indi-
cates the position of the Sun on the Solstices and the Equinoxes, as well as marks the maxi-
mum procession of the moon through the sky. The Tequesta Circle, much smaller in magni-
tude of course, also indicates the procession of the seasons, including the Western Stone,
indicating Equinox.
We come to this Holy Day of Equal Day and Equal Night, with an understanding of its implica-
tions as it is related to our inner worlds as well as our outer world. The inner worlds of human
beings is a complex and evolving realm, and it covers many facets, for example how we re-
late to ourselves, with one another or how we relate to the rest of this same life process, our
Greater Being, the living Gaia.
Within an ethical framework we see Darkness and Light as symbolic gestures of Destruction
and Creation. As the physical presence of Darkness and Light do not reside within any ethical
framework, we see the physical oscillations, which are both healthy and necessary to biolo-
gical organisms, as symbolic gestures of the capacity within free-willed beings to embrace
paths of Creation or Destruction. We also understand that without the Light there is no defi-
nition to define the Dark. So we discuss the polarity once more on this holy day and its many
implications to the outer and inner worlds. This interpretation of Darkness and Light resides
within each of us, and the capacity of both have varied effects upon our lives and the lives
whom we touch.
We are in constant dialogue as to the choices that we make during our lives. For our bodies
we consider the state of health that we allow ourselves, through self-love or self-hatred –
care or carelessness. For our families we consider the nature of our relationships, whether
they are loving, co-dependent, constrained, or free. For our community we consider the ratio
to which we contribute or take. For our environment we weigh in to our impact upon it. To
what level do we have the right, as a biological organism to consume and produce waste,
and how do we negotiate with the larger processes by giving back?
As we move darkward during the Northern September Equinox (the Autumn Equinox for the
northern hemisphere), many of us feel a move toward more inward reflection into the secret
recesses of our being. Where Spring and Summer reveal an outward exuberance of self-
expression, of ego definition, the Autumn and moving into Winter brings us inward to reflect
on the ego as it is but a finite expression residing in a reality of utter unity and evolution. May
we all pause on the September Equinox and consider giving Thanks to the Higher Power that
has brought all into existence, including ourselves, our loved ones, the air that we breathe and
the sustenance that is provided to us. May we consider our walk upon the living planet - Gaia,
Freya, Pacha Mama - and our gift of being a human being within Her. May we consider our
maximum potential, as individual as each persons' potential is, which may be considered our
intrinsic purpose for being. May we remember that our bodies are a vessel that contains a
spirit of potential creation and destruction, that this light and dark is in constant dialogue, and
as we know who we serve clearly, we become masters to ourselves and servants of the whole.
Namaste,
Ranger Mark Foley
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WHAT ARE YOUR DRUMMING/DANCING OPPORTUNITIES?
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This month there at least 68 opportunities to drum/dance in our SE Florida area -
from Miami-Dade (11 events), through Broward (30 events), Palm Beach (23 events),
and Martin (4 events) Counties!
• Some repeat weekly, or monthly, or on the full or new Moons, and some are special one-time
events
• Some are outdoors (parks, beaches, backyards...) and some are indoors (homes, businesses,
churches, bars, arenas...)
• Some are in the daytime and some are at night
• Some are hidden away & private and some are public & almost exhibitionistic
• Some are eclectic world-beat improv/jam sessions and some focus on more repetitive trance-
drumming, or on drumming from just one cultural tradition (African, Latin, Middle-Eastern,
Native American, etc.)
• Some have bonfires, some have candles, some have the Sun or the Moon
• Some have entertainers (fire-twirlers, fire-breathers, poi-spinners, etc.)
• Some are strongly-led, some are mildly guided, and some are leaderless
• Some are flavored by a particular spiritual tradition (Pagan, Christian, Native American, Yogic/
Vedic, etc.) and some are free of any mention of any beliefs (politics, religion, etc.)
• Most are clothed, but one weekly drum circle is hosted by a clothing-optional (nudist) community
• Some have lessons before-hand and some don't
• Some attract only a handful of participants and some draw 100 or even 400+ drummers/dancers!
Try out a few drum circles and find the style(s) and vibes that you enjoy.
To see them all, SUBSCRIBE TO THIS DRUM CIRCLE NEWSLETTER. Just send any e-mail to:
SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Now there's no excuse not to go drumming/dancing and enjoy the bliss!
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CHECK OUT THE FILES SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE
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You'll find useful drumming and dancing resources at:
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity/files/
• Lists of local drumming & dancing teachers and vendors
• Educational & inspirational materials about drumming & dancing
• Links to other drumming/dancing resources on the web
You'll find lots of great, new pictures from local drum circles at:
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity/photos/
• Please e-mail us photos from drum circles that you attend and we'll include them!
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HELP US SPREAD THE WORD
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1. Please tell your drumming/dancing friends, students, etc. about our newsletter and our online
resources on our website (drum circle newsletter archive, files, photos, links, etc.).
2. Please post subscription info (or the whole newsletter) on any appropriate discussion list
or in any drumming/dancing newsletter. (You have permission to re-post this newsletter as
long as you keep the whole thing intact - deleting nothing, changing no formatting, and including
all the contact information that's already at the top and bottom.)
3. Or, if you'd prefer, please send us e-mail addresses of anyone that you think would be inter-
ested in the Drum Circle Newsletter and we'll directly invite them to subscribe.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve the drumming/dancing community.
Constructive, respectful feedback is always welcome.
Namaste,
Michael
Publisher: Southeast Florida Drum Circle Newsletter
SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity-owner@yahoogroups.com
561-350-3930
Dr. Michael Dean Goodman
The PremYoga Center, Co-Director (http://www.PremYoga.com)
PARA - The Center for Realization, Director
The Relationship Institute, Director
Boca Raton and West Palm Beach Florida
561-350-3930 • tantra@...
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