Reclaiming the Rhythm: An Interview With Rick Allen

What would you do if you were suddenly faced with the threat of losing your most important gift? What if regaining it required more effort and willpower than you’d ever imagined and forced you to rely on parts of yourself you never even knew existed?

Rick Allen became a rock star at the early age of 15 as the drummer for the group Def Leppard. After an explosion of success in the early eighties, his world was suddenly turned upside down in 1984, when a violent car accident caused him serious injuries and the loss of his left arm.

After a visit to the Remo factory in Valencia, California, Rick immediately insisted that his family members join him at a Remo drum circle that evening. Inspired by this experience and the philosophy of Remo’s drumming & wellness department -Health RHYTHMS, Rick agreed to share his personal story and information on his current project, Raven Drum Foundation, in an interview at his home in Malibu, California.

1. Could you describe your first memories immediately after the accident?

1. …………….I felt very lost. It was the epitome of chaos. Really in and out of belief and disbelief. But I think we all have an inner strength in times like those. You really can’t even say what you would do if it happened to you. But when you’re thrown into it – you are amazed at what you can do. The amazing thing was my family and friends. Throughout my hospital stay, I saw people around me dig into sides of themselves I’d never seen before.

1. When was the first time music came back into the picture for you?

1. In my first week in the hospital, I started hearing music that just seemed to be playing. I thought it was coming out of the air vents. Then I told my brother, “You’ve got to go home and get the stereo system and my music collection to see what I can do.” So I started listening to Led Zeppelin, Free, Bad Company, T-Rex, David Bowie – just throwing myself back into that whole era I grew up with.

1. What was it like when you first started to feel the rhythms?

1. It was interesting. I realized that I could play all the basic rhythms I ever learned just with my right and left foot. I played the rhythm by tapping this big piece of foam at the end of my hospital bed. I realized I could make a beat, using only my legs. And it was like – WOW – I CAN DO THAT. I can replace what I used to do with “left hand” with “left foot.” The information was still there, in the brain – I just had to re-channel it.

1. But is it just in the brain?

1. Actually, your entire body becomes a memory of how to play an instrument. You have to re-shuffle everything and ask, “what’s important now?” I’d rather play a basic pattern really well than try and play too much. It’s a constant learning curve. What I can do today with two legs is completely different than what I could do two years ago.

1. You figured out that the information was within you, it just needing to be re-channeled.

1. Well, you have to figure out ways of healing yourself. You let people on the outside influence you – but ultimately, the job of getting well is entirely up to you.

1. Did anyone doubt you – tell you that it wasn’t possible to play again?

1. One junior doctor came up to me and said, “You know you’ll never play drums again.” But I think it just made me more determined. Another guy said, “You know you’ll never be able to wave again,” since my right shoulder was severely broken. After I was released, I came down the hall and waved at him. Even today, I’m working with a trainer and my right arm is still improving. It helps when I use the aluminum drum sticks (Easton) to take some of the shock out of playing. When I’m playing electronic pads all the time, I feel like I need that cushion. I’ve also learned to constantly give myself that positive reinforcement.

1. What do you think is the role of the mind in rehabilitation?

1. It’s all about intention – what you set out for yourself. I keep pushing that boundary and seeing myself in a better physical condition. Being a better musician. Even just being able to tie a shoelace in a better way.

1. When you first started playing again – did it make you more aware of the loss? Was it a painful experience?

1. Actually being able to play my instrument again was enough. That was really the gift. It didn’t matter how good or bad it was. It was just, “OK – I can do this. THANK YOU.” I encounter people that are in worse situations who are so challenged, but they have the audacity to look up to me. I don’t even feel like what some people would say “disabled.” I don’t even feel like I miss anything. I think of some people out there who do so much more than any of us with so much less. When I think about them, I realize that I don’t really have a problem, do I?

1. What was it like playing your first concert after the accident? Your first time on stage?

1. It happened gradually, through an amazing series of coincidences. We were playing four shows at small pubs in Ireland with this guy, Jeff Rich who we affectionately called our “stunt drummer.” He played acoustic drums to back up my electronic kit. But, he had travel problems and missed half of our second gig, so I played it myself. And the next gig had a stage that couldn’t fit both our kits, so I managed it on my own. By the time we played Donnington, outside of London, for a crowd of 55,000 people, I felt great. When I was introduced, the crowd went nuts. My mom, dad and brother were there to support me. That was probably the greatest moment in my life – just sitting there with so much gratitude.

1. What helps you now?

1. It helps me to improvise and play for the fun of it, especially with a group of people. It feels good to do whatever I want. No right or wrong, just very natural, without any muscle.

1. Do you feel that drumming has been healing for you?

1. Yes, but only when I realized it. Not when my playing was forced. Sometimes when you sit behind drums, its all muscle. Very physical. Its not until you realize you don’t need that. The rhythm or the feeling can be found within. I’ve been in situations when I’ve felt it’s been damaging – because I’m over-playing and I’m in a place that’s uncomfortable. And there have been other experiences, where I’m very comfortable – like everything is RIGHT. It transcends the drum and becomes just the feeling.

1. What inspired you to create the Raven Drum Foundation?

1. Actually, Lauren and I want to bring more awareness of healing through the arts. We want to use our website to guide people to where they can go to learn about these tools and get more information.

(Joined by Lauren Monroe- Director of the Raven Drum Foundation)

1. The information is important, but the primary thing is the experience. We want to help people discover how to express themselves through sacred methods. We want to give people keys …to open up parts of themselves. The mission of the Raven Drum Foundation is bringing ancient knowledge through the arts for the purpose of healing. We want to support a collective of artists and facilitators who can share their wisdom and practice.

1. How did all of these events affect your outlook on being a performer?

1. I believe in intention and the connection between the mind and body. I’ve started setting intentions with the guys in the band, even before going in front of 10,000 people. And for myself, I just keep playing with the concept of simplicity and feeling good. I think it’s really about finding something that makes us feel good. If we can achieve that, we have a tool to cope with whatever life challenges come our way.

Rick Allen is President of the Raven Drum Foundation. Since the age of 15, Rick has been the drummer for the heavy metal rock band, Def Leppard. He is a REMO artist.

Lauren Monroe, M.A., CMT is Director of the Raven Drum Foundation. She holds degrees in Dance Choreography, Education, and Massage Therapy.

For more information on the Raven Drum Foundation, go to www.ravendrumfoundation.com or telephone (310) 456-5030. Raven Drum Foundation @ravendrum

Find Them On Twitter!  Rick @rickallenlive Lauren @LMBlaze

Also check them out at

by Christine K. Stevens, MSW, M.A., MT-BC

Christine Stevens, MSW, MT-BC is Director of Music Therapy and Wellness Programs in the new HealthRHYTHMS division at Remo, Inc. She holds masters degrees in music therapy and social work and is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Health and Wellness committee, For more information on the use of drumming for health and wellness, go to www.remo.com, click on HealthRHYTHMS.

Resiliency Radio – Giving the Gift of Resiliency

Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk For Suicide Prevention 2010 Boston

This year, we will make suicide prevention a national priority. In 2009, the Out of the Darkness Overnight national walk comes to Boston. The Overnight is fund raising walk unlike any other.  Starting at dusk and ending at dawn, we’ll walk up to 18 miles,  a moving community of thousands of diverse individuals connected by a common goal. Please join our community.

We need your help. By joining the Overnight, you’ll send a loud, clear message, heard from your house to the White House, that it’s time to end the stigma surrounding suicide and shed light on the tragic consequences of depression, substance abuse, anxiety and other mood disorders that, left untreated, can lead to suicide.

Register now for the Out of the Darkness Overnight, Chicago June 27-28, 201o

The funds you raise will further the mission of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those impacted by suicide.

June 26-27 2010

I look forward to walking with you!

Register Now

Request Information

Find Us on Twitter

@LillyAnn

@afspnational

@NoStigmas

@overnightwalk

@CounterSuicide

Our Friends

@800273TALK

@Active_Minds

Suicides THIS year alone

Marie Osmand’s Son, Michael Bryan

Joe Stack (Tax Protester Crashes Plane Into IRS Office)

Hard Rock Cafe CEO

The Corey Haim

Andrew Koenig Connection

When Emotions Become Habits

One of the questions people most often ask about flower essences is, “How long will it take them to work?” One could as easily ask this about crystals or any other vibrational tool.

And there’s no specific answer I can give to this question because how fast you or I change is an individual issue, based on four vital elements: Intention, focus, commitment, and willingness.

How Vibrational Healing Works

My favorite explanation comes from Dr. Edward Bach, who discovered and developed the Bach Flower Remedies. He believed the source of all illness (whether mental, emotional, or physical) is conflict between one’s higher self and the personality (or ego).

“Higher self” is his phrase. I prefer the phrase, “spiritual” self (as distinct from physical self). This is the eternal, nonphysical aspect of each of us. Not only is it our direct connection to universal spirit, it has (for those who believe in reincarnation) been present for each of our visits to physical existence and remembers all we’ve learned in each incarnation. When we open ourselves up to its wisdom and energy, life on the physical plane can be a powerful and joyful experience.

Think of the connection between your spiritual and physical selves as a channel through which your spiritual self is constantly sending the physical self empowering messages. “You are a worthy person. Love yourself. Appreciate yourself. Celebrate yourself.” These messages are spiritual fuel, food to help you grow into someone who enjoys life and easily creates the fulfillment of your dreams.

Most people, however, are not getting this message. The one they hear says, “You made a mistake.” “That person doesn’t like you.” “You won’t get a raise.” “You’ll never find true love.” These messages always have emotional components: guilt, self-judgment, resentment that other people seem to have easier lives, etc. Our channel becomes blocked with mental and emotional sludge, and the spiritual fuel of the higher self can’t get through.

The role of vibrational healing, whether the specific method used is crystals, essences, Reiki, or any other modality, is to dissolve these blockages, thus clearing the channel and restoring the direct connection between the higher self and the physical self.

The Role of Intention

Choosing to take essences or to work with crystals, deciding which will be most appropriate, and taking the remedies or meditating with crystals on a regular basis are acts of intention. They announce that you want to release a condition/blockage limiting your life, and, in a more general way, that you choose to be happy and attuned to your spiritual nature. Such statements of intention set up a vibration that assists the essences or crystals in doing their work.

Sometimes that’s all you need to do. Mild blockages or those recently acquired are more easily and quickly dissolved. Someone who’s gone through a brief but intense period of stress and feels overwhelmed is likely to find she doesn’t need to do anything more than take Elm for a few weeks to a month (with Star of Bethlehem added, if feelings of trauma accompany the stress), sleep or meditate with an amethyst or aquamarine crystal, or give herself extra Reiki treatments. You can, of course, do all three.

When Emotions are Habits

You can most effectively release more deeply rooted and/or longer-held blockages by making a commitment to focus your attention on clearing up the psychic debris and unraveling the patterns that have created the habitual response.

Practical steps for expressing this commitment can include:

Create an Affirmation. This will have most effect when expressed positively, i.e., not. “I don’t want to feel guilty any more.” Say instead, “I accept myself just as I am.”

Meditate with Crystals Relating to Your Issue. Sugilite, for example, is a very good crystal for guilt. Rose quartz fosters love; while citrine and smoky can help to release blockages related to self-esteem. Quartz in all forms helps to release any kind of energy blockage.

As you meditate, visualize situations that in the past made you feel guilty. Imagine responding in a self-accepting way to these situations. Imagine yourself releasing any emotional charge these situations bring up and see yourself responding in a self-accepting way. When you do such visualizations, you are creating a future in which, when these situations come up in real life, you will respond in this positive way.

Also, imagine you are clearing up the channel between your spiritual and physical selves. Visualize that channel free of obstruction with any images you choose. Mentally sweep it with a broom, vacuum it, whatever works.

Keep a Dream Journal. Flower essences stimulate powerful dreams, and this is one way in which your being works through emotional blockages and releases them. When you’re connected to your creative dream life, you can have insights about the origins of your particular blockage. Insights help to shift energy and dissolve blockages.

Be Aware. Sometimes you know in advance that particular situations may activate the emotions and/or behavior you are working on releasing. If, for example, you’ve set reasonable boundaries about your children doing work around the house, but feel guilty and give in when they complain, take some time to think about this. Explore the situation in meditation.

Listen to Your Thoughts. This relates to the point above. What thought patterns enter your mind when you choose to act on your commitment to adopt a way of being?

“If I were a better parent, they’d do what they were supposed to do.” “I don’t want to be strict like my mother.” “Why don’t they just do the housework?” “It would be easier to do it myself.” Bringing these thoughts to the surface helps to weaken their energetic charge, which clears the way for more positive energy to flow through you.

Ask Others to Help. Ask your spouse, partner, or a close friend to tell you when you’re sinking into guilt. Don’t get angry with them when they keep their promises to do so.

Healing/Crisis/Opportunity

Sometimes people experience healing crises when they take essences, work with crystals, or practice Reiki in order to deal with a long-term emotional way of being. A healing crisis is a positive development that doesn’t always feel good.

Energetically speaking, a habitual way of being is embedded in one’s being. Think of it as the psychic/emotional equivalent of physical toxins. In order to clear up the passageway to the spiritual self, the toxins have to leave the being.

When one physically detoxifies, the release of the toxins can cause physical symptoms such as headache, nausea, headaches, skin rashes, etc. One feels worse before feeling better. In like manner, one may feel emotionally worse (for example, intensified guilt) before feeling the release of the emotions.

Emotions may also become intensified because one is very aware of them. Because of your commitment to release your particular emotional blockage, you will notice whenever it comes up.

Being Willing to Change

Often, unconscious resistance can create or intensify a healing crisis. As physical beings, our fear of the unknown may be greater than our dislike of our emotional habits.

At this point, Rescue Remedy (containing Rock Rose for terror), Aspen (for fear of the unknown), and Charoite (for both known and unknown fears) can be very helpful.

I have also found it valuable to “make believe.” This means, even if you don’t think you’ve ever experienced the energy and guidance of your spiritual self, you can begin thinking and acting as if it exists. You can say to yourself, “I choose to feel the energy of my spiritual self” or whatever affirmation feels appropriate to you. When you meditate, imagine a greater, eternal you, who’s visiting the physical plane.

That’s who you really are, and when you go through rough spots in the process of transformation, remind yourself of this.

Or, as your spiritual self might say, “You are a worthy person. Love yourself. Appreciate yourself. Celebrate yourself.”

Transformational Crystals and Essences

In addition to the crystals and essence I’ve noted in the course of this article, I find the following invaluable:

Danburite: I have become increasingly appreciative of this crystal. It helps us to view our lives from the soul perspective, and has helped me clean up psychic sludge many times.

Particular forms of quartz can be especially valuable in the work of transformation. Tabular quartz, for example, can act as a bridge between where we are and where we want to be.

Chrysocolla and amethyst are extremely calming crystals, wonderful to have around when nerves begin to fray.

If one of your issues is needing to screen out the negative energies of others, hematite is an especially helpful stone. Its flower essence equivalents are Yarrow (for general screening) and Pink Yarrow (for shielding from the emotions of those close to you).

Rhodochrosite is an indispensable crystal for anxious moments.

Walnut is one of the most popular Bach Flower Remedies, helping to ease traumas associated with transition and transformation.

Three Wild Earth Animal Essences are especially related to transformation in that the animals they are related to go through complete physical transformation several times in their lives.

They are Butterfly, Frog, and Salamander. In my experience, Butterfly helps to achieve a lightness of spirit about the process of transformation; while Frog can aid in emotional release. Salamander is a very subtle essence, which seems to guide one gently through the process of release and transformation.

Wild Horse Empowerment – Rick Allen and Lauren Monroe

This video was sent to me on Facebook, by my friend and Def Leppard drummer Rick Allan, and his beautiful partner Lauren Monroe.

Rick Allen and Lauren Monroe visited the Life Savers Ranch in Lancaster, CA and each had a first hand experience gentling or whispering wild horses.

Raven Drum Foundation: http://www.ravendrumfoundation.org

Facebook Group:  Raven Drum Foundation

Twitter :  @ravendrum

Music:  Oneness Chant by Lauren Monroe and Rick Allen.
Visit http://www.laurenmonroe.com

A Sick Society

I know I’m getting on my soap-box again, but that’s just me. One day I’ll probably fall off it and anyone who wants can laugh but for now let me just mention the stark fact that six times as many Americans die every year from lack of health care as the number killed on 9/11. Acceptable ? Not in any sane society.

The health care system in the USA is broken. No-one can seriously argue that its not. It does not operate in the best interests of everyone who needs it. The richest country in the world has 46 million people with no health insurance and even more that are dangerously under-insured with high deductibles and co-payments. The cost of essential drugs is obscenely high compared to other countries. The result is that more than 18,000 Americans die needlessly every year from preventable illnesses because they cannot see a doctor when they should.

Remember, this is six times the number who died on 9/11 but this avoidable carnage occurs every single year and nobody does anything about it. That’s not even counting the far higher numbers who live in misery with treatable illnesses they can’t get treatment for. This crazy system costs the U.S. far more per capita than any other country and health care costs continue to soar. Its not value for money. Sick people are being ripped off.

Why is it so hideously expensive yet so bad ? Really simple. Greedy individuals and big business interests add to the cost at every stage of the process by gouging out profits and resist any reform or effective regulation. Well maybe you can sell T-shirts or Coca-Cola like that but its sure as hell totally inappropriate for a fundamental human need like health-care. Its a disgrace and the whole discredited system needs to be radically and urgently overhauled so that good quality health-care is available to every single citizen, free at the point of delivery and regardless of their ability to pay.

No one should have to hesitate about seeing a doctor because of cost. No-one should have to forgo the drugs they need because they’re too expensive. No-one should be left crippled by debt because they fall ill. None of that is acceptable in a civilized society. Other countries can manage it so why not the USA ? Its hardly rocket-science after all. It just requires political will and common-sense.

Let me be blunt. I believe that any unscrupulous politician or self-interested big business lobbyist who tries to block or sabotage the desperately needed health-care reforms is an enemy of ordinary Americans in a very real way. If they succeed thousands more decent people will suffer and die needlessly. Its time to get angry. Its time to get serious. Failure is not an option. Compromise is not enough. Only radical, root-and-branch change that puts people ahead of profit is acceptable. The way things are is a national scandal and it can’t continue.

Send in The Clowns

I just wanted to show my sincere appreciation for all of the slapstick clowns who have worked so tirelessly to entertain us during the health-care debate. I mean, of course, the ‘right-wing’ TV hosts, political pundits and snake-oil salesmen. Here’s to good old Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck, Bill o’Reilly, the sainted Sarah Palin and many more. Merchants of doom, purveyors of hot air, peddlers of hate and vitriol all. For every lie and half-witted fabrication, for every unscrupulous scare-tactic and clumsy attempt to mislead the American people, our only response can be ….
hahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha …
ohmygosh, you guys are funny

New Rule: electing a smart president does not mean its a smart country – The incomparable Bill Maher using wit like a straight-edged razor on that section of America which is gloriously stupid and by-God proud of it! Alarming but sadly true facts to make you either laugh or cry, depending on your mood. Its hard to disagree with anything the man says.

Einstein goes high-tech to treat patients with eating disorders

The body’s innate relaxation response is an incredibly effective remedy for stress and anxiety. Relaxation methods such as deep breathing, guided meditation, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, and various forms of yoga can aid individuals in activating this powerful response.

When performed on a regular basis, these various activities can eventually cause a decrease in daily stress or anxiety levels and contribute to a heightened level of happiness and peace. In addition, they instruct individuals in techniques to utilize to stay calm and level-headed when faced with a stressful or unexpected situation.

The Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment, part of the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, has begun employing Healing Rhythms as an aid to a variety of behavioral disorders. Patients recovering from eating disorders may, early on, experience panic attacks and physical discomfort while learning how to eat healthy. This software is used in 50-minute sessions, twice a week, to help patients cope with a wide range of symptoms.

Healing Rhythms, developed by a San Diego company called Wild Divine, is designed to help patients learn to relax and control their heart rate, pulse and skin response through their breathing.

One program shows balloons peacefully rising and falling on the screen. As the participant does deep and focused breathing, the balloons will slowly float in a steady and straight course across the screen. In a different program, balls are juggled in the air. The more relaxed the person becomes through their breathing, the slower the balls move. If the person increases his or her stress levels, the balls are juggled faster and higher.

“The aim is to offer these patients another way to gain control of their psychological and physiologic responses, and, ultimately, their lives,” said Stacey Saleff, an occupational therapist at Belmont.

Original Suorce

http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2009/02/02/newscolumn1.html

Marijuana Has Anti-Cancer Properties

(NaturalNews) The active ingredient in marijuana appears to target cancerous brain cells for destruction while leaving healthy cells alone, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Complutense University in Madrid, and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Researchers first conducted an experiment in mice that had been engineered to carry three different grafts of human brain cancer. They injected the mice daily with the molecule tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) near the site of the tumors once each day. The chemical appeared to stimulate the cancerous cells to engage in a process known as autophagy, in which cells initiate their own breakdown.

“These results may help to design new cancer therapies based on the use of medicines containing the active principle of marijuana and/or in the activation of autophagy,” researcher Guillermo Velasco said.

THC belongs to a class of chemicals known as cannabinoids, named after the cannabis (marijuana) plant in which they occur. It is the chemical responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana consumption.

In a followup experiment, the researchers extracted and analyzed brain tissue from two patients with an aggressive form of brain cancer known as “recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.” The patients were treated with THC for either 26 or 30 days, then the researchers extracted and analyzed another sample.

After examining the brain tissue under an electron microscope, the researchers discovered that THC treatment resulted in death of cancerous cells but had no effect on healthy ones. The researchers were also able to discover the signaling pathway by which THC acts.

The research opens up the possibility that cannabinoid research could yield “a new family of potential antitumoral agents,” the researchers wrote.

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and aggressive form of primary brain tumor. Without treatment, the average patient lives only three months after being diagnosed with the cancer. Treatment extends the average life expectancy after diagnosis by less than a year.

Sources for this story include: rawstory.com; health.usnews.com.

Saturday, July 25, 2009 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer

Energy Muse Jewelry – Healing gemstones and crystals

Energy Muse Jewelry is intended to balance the body through the healing properties of gemstones and crystals. This is the world’s most recognized conscious lifestyle jewelry consisting of handmade crystal and gemstone jewelry with healing properties for love, health, prosperity, luck, and empowerment.

This unique handcrafted jewelry has been cleansed using ancient techniques and energized to amplify the power and healing properties of the stones. Embraced by athletes and celebrities, their pieces are worn by Sting, Bono, Heidi Klum, Britney Spears and many more.

Over the last few years, I have chosen meticulously, for each of my family members, a piece which I felt would benefit them most directly, according to obvious years of personal observation. The Energy Muse Jewelry that I have purchased for myself are listed along with their healing attributes, below:

6th CHAKRA BRACELET

6th CHAKRA BRACELET

The Brow Chakra, also known as the 6th Chakra, is located above and in between the eyes. This chakra is the center of intuition, and is associated with insight, devotion and memory. Clearing this chakra helps to balance discipline and dissolve feelings of inadequacy. Amethyst promotes peace and protection from negativity. Lapis Lazuli expands awareness and encourages a state of serenity. Quartz crystal is a stone of manifestation and enhances clear thinking. Blue Lace Agate works to calm the nervous system, while Charoite awakens intellect and grounds the spiritual self. Wear this Energy Muse piece when you seek guidance from your intuition.

6th Chakra Affirmation: I listen to my intuition and hear divine guidance.

3rd CHAKRA BRACELET

3rd CHAKRA BRACELET

The Solar Plexus Chakra, also known as the 3rd Chakra, is located behind the navel. This chakra is connected to ambition, transformation and self-discipline. Opening this energy center clears negative patterning and addictions, as well as stimulates digestion. Carnelian is worn to enhance personal power, balance sexual energy, and encourage creativity and joy. Citrine carries with it the vibration of joy and peace, while Amber is believed to attract strength and success. Sunstone is a healing stone that promotes a positive attitude during times of high stress. Wear this Energy Muse piece when you seek vitality and discipline.

3rd Chakra Affirmation: I am an empowered and vital being.

4th CHAKRA BRACELET

4th CHAKRA BRACELET

The Heart Chakra, also known as the 4th Chakra, is located at the center of the chest. This chakra is connected to forgiveness, compassion and hope. Clearing this energy center restores optimism and dissolves grudges. Rose Quartz is the stone of self-love and works to heal all issues of the heart. Aventurine carries a nurturing vibration that evokes a state of well-being. Malachite is a purifying stone that helps to release energetic blocks, while Peridot emits a warm, soothing energy. Watermelon Tourmaline attracts inspiration and diminishes fear, and Jade, the stone of wisdom, balances the emotions. Wear this Energy Muse piece when you wish to heal and nurture the heart.

4th Chakra Affirmation: I evoke clarity of the heart.

HEALTH NECKLACE

HEALTH NECKLACE

This Energy Muse Health piece has been created to enhance and protect your physical well-being. Turquoise, known as the Stone of Heaven, is considered a master healer. This stone works to protect and align the chakras, which in turn strengthens the overall body. Sodalite, also a healing stone, has been added to still the mind and encourage relaxation. Agate works to remove blockages from within the body, as it promotes balance, which leads to vibrant health. The authentic Chinese Coin, estimated to be 100-500 years old, is an ancient and powerful manifesting tool for attracting wealth, luck and endless opportunity. A symbol of good fortune; with its’ round shape representing Heaven and the interior square symbolizing Earth. Wear this Energy Muse piece when you seek healing for the physical body.

Health Affirmation: I live in vibrant health of mind, body and spirit.

MIRACLES – JUDE

Miracles – Jude

Trust and allow miracles to flow through you. Saint Jude brings peace in times of desperate situations. Call upon him to feel inner peace and divine care and love. As you feel peace within it will emanate to everyone around you.

Affirmation: I AM Peace.

Stone: Amethyst attracts spiritual contentment and gives you faith.

Energy Muse® Jewelry is intended to be a tool for transformation, manifestation and empowerment. It is designed to enhance the wearer’s own energy.

Discover the peice that best suits you @ http://www.energymuse.com

The Raven Drum Foundation

Friend and Def Leppard drummer, Rick Allen and his wife, Lauren Monroe, are the founders of the Raven Drum Foundation, an organization that seeks to heal individuals through drumming circles.

The Raven Drum Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to serve, educate and empower veterans and people in crisis through the power of the drum.

Community & Partnership Drum Circles

Drum circles are conducted in various communities across the country and internationally. Drum circles use drumming as a tool for healing and allow participants to use rhythm as a form of release and connecting to others.

They conduct two types of drum circles:  Community Drum Circles and Partnership Drum Circles.  Community Drum Circles are open to the public and are held throughout the year for communities to come together in support of their local veterans.  Partnership Drum Circles are conducted in collaboration with groups and organizations and are arranged upon request.

Resiliency Program

Raven Drum Foundation’s Resiliency Program is an innovative healing program for veterans, active duty military, and their families. They use self-care modalities to aid in healing combat-related trauma, and the everyday stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by service men and women and their families.

Current research demonstrates that the primary impact of traumatic experience is a bodily impact. Our body, as the site of all human experience, stores the memory of traumatic experience implicitly, and these memories permeate our thoughts, feelings and actions. By using the drum circle as a backbone, our programs incorporate drumming, rhythm, movement, dance, yoga, breathing techniques, and the practice of mindfulness and meditation. When combined together these modalities help to release and heal the trauma allowing the body to become integrated and whole.

Our program provides participants with self-help and self-healing tools to be incorporated into their daily lives to help cope with their emotional, physical and psychological wounds.

Over the past several years, we have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of veterans throughout the country and we hope to continue to expand our programs to reach more and more service men and women, especially new veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with life-changing injuries. Additionally, we are developing components of the program that will focus specifically on women veterans, as well as military spouses, partners and families.

The Resiliency Program is our way of giving back to these courageous and inspiring warriors by providing them with a new path for the future.

Additionally, Def Leppard and Live Nation have donated unpurchased tickets for each Def Leppard show to Raven Drum for our veterans!

Over the past decade, Raven Drum has been honored to work with amazing groups of people.  They are continually inspired, especially by our veterans, to continue serving and sharing our gift of healing and peace.

http://www.ravendrumfoundation.org/

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