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

Resiliency Radio

Inspirational stories of empowerment and overcoming adversity. Our audience includes veterans, their families , and all people who are interested in healing and finding balance during stressful times.

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.

11:11 represents a physical and spiritual merging of your soul. Many of us associate 11:11 as some sort of wake-up code/alarm as we see it on digit clocks and watches. It can also be seen as a key to unlock the subconscious mind/ our memories and connections to who we are as spirit having a physical experience – not physical beings having a spiritual experience.

What is reality if it isn’t real? Do you see 11:11 on the clock a little too much? Ever see the movie: Dark City? What if this was all an experiment. What if everything seemed normal except that you knew that things weren’t normal; that things were not as they seemed.

What if every now and then, you had a glimpse of what was behind the curtain; the ghost in the machine… A few recent movies have hinted at this crack in “Reality”. Take a good look at The Matrix. A few other movies worth noting are: Pi; Fight Club; The Truman Show; They Live; Brazil and Pleasantville. Also included should be the old TV show: The Prisoner.

During the past few years, many of us have seen this number far too often to be coincidence. Metaphysical author Solara has described 11:11 as an inter-dimensional synchronization frequency. Interestingly – 11:11 is also found in the Great Pyramid.

The number 11:11, then, seems to be a key harmonic to access the doorway to the Father Universes, which are catalyzing the dimensional shift. Eleven has been called the harmonic of the doorway of ascension, the portal beyond the physical.

The repetition of this number symbolizes the resolution of duality through perfect balance and symmetry, or the underlying unity principle, as expressed in all of creation that is polar or dual. Past/future, male/female, light/dark – all polarities harmonized and balanced: this is what occurs during ascension, the next step beyond the dimensional shift If you have the 11:11 Synchronicity pattern (seeing 11:11 on the clock, phone numbers, receipts, etc.) then you know there is something to it.

When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. ~ Sherlock Holmes

Inside the Doorway of the 11:11

The Vision

Standing on the Equator one can see two spirals, one originating in the North, the other originating in the South, spiraling ever closer together. It is the eternal dance of the One Heart. As the two become the One, the Second Gate is opened… From the core of the One Heart, the Lotus of True Love finally blossoms… This is the completion of the Legend of Isis & Osiris. And the scepter passes from North to South.

The Doorway of the 11:11

On January 11, 1992, hundreds of thousands of us joined together in conscious Oneness all over the planet and performed a series of Unified Movements creating wheels within wheels. This unified action opened the Doorway of the 11:11. What this did was create a Zone of Overlap between two very different spirals of evolution: the Template of Duality and the Template of Oneness. There are some who think that the 11:11 Activation is over, but it’s not, it has just begun. This is our doorway to Ascension. The Doorway of the 11:11 is open until November 11, 2011. During this time we have the opportunity to shift spirals and move into a Greater Central Sun System.

The Eleven Gates

Inside the Doorway of the 11:11 are Eleven Gates. These Gates are Portals of Initiation to new plateaus of awareness. Each Gate is similar to a lock in a canal, serving as a *stepping up station* to a new, more highly calibrated frequency band. After we enter each Gate, we proceed through its initiatory process, aligning and recalibrating our beings to that frequency band until we reach the subsequent Gate.

This is the patterning sequence of how we move from the Template of Duality to the Template of Oneness with the totality of our Beings through the Eleven Gateways of Initiation. As each of the Eleven Gates are activated, there is a corresponding activation of key planetary points which serve as Master Grid Vortexes on the new Starry Grid Network. Once activated, this grid will supersede all of our previous Earthly grid systems.

The First Gate

When we opened the Doorway of the 11:11, we began our journey through the First Gate. The predominant focus of the First Gate was the healing of our emotions, the activation of our Greater Hearts and the creation of new emotional bodies. This has enabled us to align with the One Heart. As we moved into the subtle, aqueous currents of the First Gate, we took our first steps into the realms of the Invisible.

The Second Gate

The Second Gate is the next step on our Homeward Journey. It was activated on June 5th, 1993. *(The numerology for this date adds up to a 33.)* This means that a new frequency band was made available upon which we can travel until the opening of the Third Gate in approximately three years. The main focus of the Second Gate is the anchoring of the Template of True Love, the reuniting of all opposites into conscious Oneness, and the subsequent merger into ever greater wholeness.

During our passage through the Second Gate, we will find ourselves reenacting a new phase of our journey Home. We descended into matter by fragmenting our beings into smaller and smaller units of consciousness, now we shall find ourselves reuniting with these fragments, *the ones whom we term True Loves,* and forming larger units. These larger units are simply our Greater Selves. This merger will begin with union with one other person and gradually include more members of our Essence family as we become increasingly vaster. By the time that we reach the portals of the other gates, we will be in small groups of merged beings who are functioning as one larger being.

What is True Love?

True Love is one of the most misunderstood concepts of our time. While everyone is looking and longing for the perfect partner, they are missing the point entirely. True Love is not to be found in any one person. *True Love is a state of consciousness wherein we embody the One Heart.* It is an all encompassing state of pure Love. While this can be experienced with another person, it is the love, not merely the relationship, that is true. As we travel through the Second Gate, we shall be reuniting with others of our Star Lineage as we retrace our way Home. These people will have a symmetry of Essence which will make for very amazing relationships. And together as One we shall experience the Truest of Love.

The Template of True Love

The Template of True Love was first anchored on Earth in Egypt at the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae on January 17, 1992. This activation was not possible until the Doorway of the 11:11 had been open and the Template of Oneness established. Anchoring the Template of True Love has facilitated the needed shift from the old emotional body of duality to the One Heart. As we do this, we begin to live our lives in a constant state of True Love, every day and in every way. Embodying True Love, we enter a state of sublime ecstasy which becomes our foundation upon the New Road.

A Trigger of Remembrance

For many years the numbers 11:11 have been mysteriously appearing to people all over the world. Often appearing on digital clocks, the sightings of 11:11 tend to occur during time of heightened awareness, having a most powerful effect on the people seeing them.

Each time we see the numbers 11:11 our cellular memory banks are further activated. There’s a stirring deep inside, a hint of remembrance of something long forgotten. The appearance of 11:11 is a powerful confirmation that we are on the right track, aligned with the Greater Reality.

Repeated sightings of 11:11 have happened to millions of people throughout the world. Many want to know why this is happening? What does the 11:11 signify? When the 11:11 appears to you, it is your wake-up call. A direct channel opens up between you and the Greater Reality. The 11:11 is an insertion point for the Greater Reality to enter into the present moment. When this happens, it is time to stop whatever you are doing and LOOK LARGER. A transfer is in position.

You can enter the Greater Reality and travel deeper into the Invisible. You can seed a long held desire, receive a vision, ask for help in some specific area of your life, or simply feel the Invisible insert itself into the present moment. The revelations you receive will not come in the form of mental concepts. Rather it will be an enhanced state of being in which you will see everything as if with new eyes. A deeper understanding of what is truly real will surround you.

The appearance of 11:11 is an always beneficial act of Divine Intervention.

It tells you that it is time to take a good look around you and see what is real and what is illusory. It’s time to pierce the veils of illusion which keep us bound to an unreal world. You have been chosen, because you are ready, to step into a Greater Reality. To lead the way for others into a new way of living, into a Greater Love. To ascend from duality into Oneness.

The 11:11 is the bridge between duality and Oneness. It is our pathway into the Unknown.

The 11:11 Activation

The Doorway of the 11:11 opened on January 11th, 1992 and is scheduled to close on December 31st, 2011. On January 11, 1992 well over a hundred thousand people gathered together in groups large and small throughout the planet and opened the Doorway of the 11:11. This activation was unique in that a series of Unified Movements and Sacred Dances were performed at three preordained times. The participants wore white to symbolize their inherent Oneness. Never before has there been an event of such synchronized unity on this planet.

There were two Master Cylinders during the 11:11 Activation which served as the stabilization pinions for the Wheels within Wheels Unified Movements. They were located at the Great Pyramids in Giza, Egypt and in Queenstown, New Zealand. Here, the Unified Movements were performed for thirty-eight continuous hours. The Egyptian group was composed of 500 people from thirty-six countries.

Throughout the planet, the Unified Movements were performed at 11:11 am, 11:11 pm & 11:11 pm Greenwich Meantime. It was during this GMT time, when all the groups performed the movements at exactly the same time, that the Doorway of the 11:11 officially opened. Many participants saw a brilliant shaft of light anchor deep within the Earth during this time.

The purpose of the 11:11 Activation was to open the Doorway of the 11:11. This Doorway is the transition zone or bridge between two very different spirals of evolution; those anchored in duality and Oneness. Each evolutionary spiral is aligned with different Great Central Sun Systems. During the 11:11 Ceremony these two spirals overlapped and interlocked into a docking position.

This Zone of Overlap is the actual Doorway of the 11:11. The overlapping of spirals remains in position until the 11:11 closes on December 31st, 2011. This is when the two spirals of evolution will separate once again. Thus, we have a twenty year period in which to graduate from duality and make our ascension into Oneness.

I am posting this today (and have written many time about this in my Newsletters over the last 9 years) because 11:11 phenomena has been a reality for me since I was 6 years old. The reality of 11:11 as it relates to absolute love, integrity, synchronicity, and oneness– is what has helped bring me “full circle” in my life, in unison, certainly, with God, Spirit, and Mother Earth.

I am also in the process of finishing up reading the simply outstanding book written by my friend Eric Rankin called The Aquarians which accurately encompasses the 11:11 phenomena, as well as other Mayan Prophecies (look for my personal written review soon!)

I also found this 11:11 video interesting on YouTube:

I would LOVE to know, by comment, how many of you have experienced this 11:11 Phenomenon, and if so, how many passed it off as coincidence at first?

I am currently completing research for the book that I am writing, and your thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated and perhaps incorporated into this section of the book. My book is 4 years in the making and is due to be published on 11/11/11. I know that seems a long time away , but perfection takes time, and publishing it on this date will have great significance for me, and I believe, for everyone who happens to read it

Thank you kindly for taking your valuable time time to read and consider this.

Live in Joy!
Lilly