The drums I make have taught me so much over the years – how my hands and my heart are connected.  The drums are constantly changing, as are we.  The book I am currently reading “The Hidden life of Trees” profoundly shifts the consciousness from “we are masters of the earth” to “The earth is our mother, and we must take loving care of her.”  And live in harmony with her.  Let that begin with me.  When I take loving care of myself, I can love you, for what a Rabbi called “fish love” isn’t love at all, rather is looking outside of ourselves to meet our needs.  I heard in recovery meetings that co-dependents don’t have relationships, they “take hostages”.  Emotionally honest is where the soul lives.  We are pure vibration, and when I cease to breath, i.e. allow fear to close me, I cut off the force of spirit (air).  In teaching drum making, I first make a drum and have others watch me.  I am amazed at how distracted folks are.  Maybe out of a group of 15, one or two will actually watch me.  Those one or two are responsible for helping those who were not paying attention (loving).  Giving, or paying is a yang movement.  The yin is FEELING.  When we feel, we heal.  Yin is Opening to receive.  When we interrupt this natural process, i.e. Prana or “the breath of life”.  Our fist prayer is “thanks you for the breath of life”.  When I am afraid, I can breathe through the fear rather than stop breathing.  When I was learning scuba, we were told that panic is what kills – the anxiety that has no ground.  In gestalt, if we stay in the present and be who we are, our live return to natures rhythm.