Pagans use musical instruments for sacred purposes–in meditation, ritual, or community gatherings. Instruments connect us to the divine, build relationships between people, are used for healing, and to manipulate the energy that affects our reality. Many instruments have been put to sacred use throughout history. Some instruments themselves are considered sacred and have their own magic and power.
The belief that all things (objects, places, creatures, weather systems, plants, animals, human handiwork, celestial objects, etc.) have agency and a spirit is common in many indigenous traditions. Archaeologists referred to this as animism, from Latin: anima meaning ‘breath, spirit, life’. In that vein many pagans believe words and sound also have a spirit and power, the rhythmic speaking, singing or playing music with an instrument have a life that we build upon, add energy to and create an effect as in ritual work or spell casting.
We in the pagan band Spiral Rhythm have different practices and ideas of how we engage with our instruments.
Kira Lang’s perspective on the magic of instruments:
I have always been interested in legends of drums with magic attached to them, flutes that seem to connect one with the Fae, and haunted violins. Being a dancer, music has been my muse for spiritual connection all of my life.
One of my most prized possessions is a pair of dancing bells that were handed down from my teacher as they were from her teacher. I feel I am but a caretaker of them and will one day pass them down to a student to continue the lineage. I wear them respectfully and am conscious of the energy I imbue them with when I dance.
As much as I like to bless a specific space and recognize its unique force of life and energy, I also believe all space is sacred. This follows that all things we do, make and are, we make sacred by the energy and will we put into the act. So I feel that though I don’t name specific instruments like I do trees, I recognize they have an energy and magic that are connected to the energy and magic I create when I play them.
You can hear the instrumental magic in our song My Roots Go Down.
You can buy My Roots Go Down here: https://spiralrhythmband.bandcamp.com/track/my-roots-go-down
Kiki Williamson says this about her instruments:
I tend to think of all music as sacred, so whatever I’m playing at the moment is part of that. My voice is my principal instrument, and when I sing, I try to imbue music with energy/intent equal to the song. I try to use my voice to empower what I sing, and to help express the intent of the song.
For the most part, both voice and instruments are universal for me. That may have to do with my viewing all space as sacred space, and all acts (yes, even scooping the cat box) as sacred.
I use them for many purposes magical and mundane, tending to interweave the two. Because music is sacred to me, instruments for making music are, too. I try to love and respect those instruments as much as possible.
Ok, so yeah – I name them, or they tell me their names, or…something. They manifest with the quality of their sound. Sometimes I’ll talk to them – tell them they’re sounding good, thank them for doing nicely, ask them to give me what I need from them.
As with singing, I try to put my own energy and spirit into music that I play to help shape it. Although I don’t have instruments particularly dedicated to ritual/spiritual use, I treat all of them as if they were, because music is sacred to me, and it lives in them.
Most of my instruments, including voice, can be sensitive to certain environmental conditions, so I take that into consideration. There are only rare circumstances where I will not perform or permit my music to be performed, predicated on particular people and some fairly horrid behaviors on their parts. Otherwise, I LOVE sharing music and strive to make that connection with others. You can hear the magic in our song Pele Rising.
You can purchase Pele Rising here: https://spiralrhythmband.bandcamp.com/track/pele-rising
Meren King and ‘Two Spirit’, an African djembe
Meren, our friend and fellow musician we are collaborating with on her next album, was visiting during the writing of this blog and offered this story about her drum.
My very first djembe was purchased in 2006 from a gentleman who needed to raise money by selling his beloved drum.
The body was carved with a native American man with a feathered headdress. It’s unusual, a Native American figure on an African drum, but I loved it and I called the drum “Old Man”. I play it with the Native people of the tribes of America in mind.
I have often called drumming and playing instruments and singing with other musicians to be “my Church and my Religion” – that singing and playing was the way that I followed the goddess, the god, our world and our universe.
Eventually the original drumhead bore the wear and it was time to replace it. I fell in love with a tie-dyed drum head that reminded me of the forest and the fae. The tie-dye artist’s partner removed the original head and replaced it with this magical skin created by the hands of an artist who was a drummer themselves.
When I received back my beloved “Old Man” I heard “Old Man no longer, for I am of Two Spirits” and I realized that on the new head, amongst the representations of the Green Man and other Fae, was a lovely representation of a yoni. Indeed, the male energy of the Old Man and the female energy of the Yoni created a magical instrument of a Two Spirit nature. And so, that is what their name became – Two Spirit, beloved drum and magical companion.
It seemed very apropos, as well, for I myself am of a two-spirited nature, on a magical journey of music, song and story.
The beauty of the tie-dyed head. Can you find the Yoni?
You can purchase Meren’s music here: https://merenking.bandcamp.com/:
Jon Skoglund says this about his relationship with his drums
I have three drums that I play, sometimes together sometimes separately…Terrance, a large djembe’, Miriam an Ashiko and Jonathan a small western African Djembe’ that I often play like a doumbek. I play them in onstage performances, fire drum circles and rituals… each drum has their own flavor. Although, they are technically interchangeable and are easily playable together…
Each one however has a preferred environment in which they shine in different ways…Terrence first and foremost is a fire drum circle and ritual drum. Terrance has a “go getter”, “look at me “sort of vibe… something I strive to incorporate fully when I play him. I have used Terrance’s energies to support full moon rituals and rituals that strive to generate specific life-changing manifestations. Terrance evokes a very goal-orientated vibe.
Miriam, over the last few years has become my main stage performance drum… She lends great earth power to beats that I maintain in most of our songs on stage… She is also an excellent ritual drum…lending very earthy, grounding & healing vibes for such rituals.
Jonathan, my smaller djembe, is the party drum… They are very social, and they loved to be played and passed around in social settings…Jonathan is a great talker, a flirt and has storyteller vibes. These vibes come through with play. He is the one drum that I allow others to play in such settings. Jonathan is currently a little envious of Miriam because I’ve been playing her far more often lately.
I have always grateful to have these three drums in my life. They allow me to tap into and communicate many various feelings & emote them with power… often ranging from, Joy, empowerment, sadness, solace, determination…each invoking power and a certain place of mindfulness within each feeling. Allowing me to play for many hours at a time when I flow with their various rhythmic energies.
You can hear what I mean in the song Peace Prayer.
You can purchase Peace Prayer here: https://spiralrhythmband.bandcamp.com/track/peace-prayer
The magic of instruments continues…
If you would like to join us on Facebook we would love to hear about your experiences with sacred instruments and music: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiralrhythm or follow our fan page to learn about upcoming shows and projects: https://www.facebook.com/SpiralRhythm/ You can find our music on Band Camp, https://spiralrhythmband.bandcamp.com/
article composed for Spiral Rhythm by Kira Lang
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