It’s not a secret that music is a great stimulant for the brain, and it profoundly affects our emotions. That’s the reason music has an undeniable role in our lives. But when the topic shifts to the place that music has in a yoga studio opinions are diverging. Some people choose to practice in silence while others feel supported and inspired by the rhythm produced by music. However, there is a form of music that seems to go hand in hand with yoga, and that is drumming.
We consulted Massimo Cantara, registered yoga teacher and professional percussionist, to learn the benefits of incorporating drumming and percussion into the yoga experience. Massimo has been studying martial arts, yoga and complementary medicines since 1988 but he doesn’t hide the fact that music was his first love.
I’ve always been interested in making music or singing since I was a little kid, and I moved to London at the age of 19 to pursue that dream. I became a percussionist and started playing in several bands while studying to become a Shiatsu therapist, qualified kinesiologist and Cranial Sacral therapist.
In 1999, I founded Holismos Retreat, a centre for complementary therapies in Poggibonsi, Tuscany and since then I’ve been combining all my passions in the fields of healing and spiritual growth. Recently I’ve also decided to experiment the use of vibration in therapeutic settings, and I’ve been using yoga and percussions to support and comfort terminal patients.
I believe drumming and yoga form a natural partnership where the vibrating resonance of the drum pulls students and practitioners deeper into the practice.
Merging Yoga and drumming create a powerful way to unite body, mind and spirit, and it represents a new way to improve all aspects of the yoga practice and deepen our self-investigation.
In his retreats, authentic journeys of self-exploration, Massimo investigates the drum as a creator of sound, vibration and rhythm.
Rhythmic drumming is an ancient key that man has employed to facilitate meditation and awaken inner awareness, and I intend to use this power to guide and stimulate our self-inquiry and transformation. I will guide participants in an exploration of drumming technique, rhythmic discipline, and auditory independence while connecting body movement, internal rhythm, and hemispherical independence.
During the weeklong Yoga and Drumming Retreat we will experience the joy of playing together using hand drums, stick drums, and other small percussion instruments and we’ll explore the use of the voice through singing traditional kirtan and bhajan.
Because the drum provides the perfect outlet for the joyful inner child to play and it doesn’t require training to create lively and expressive sounds, you don’t need to have any previous experience in drumming to enjoy Massimo’s retreats.
Please email [email protected] to learn more about the Yoga and Drumming Retreat or join him for his Yoga, Wine, Cooking and Culture retreat in Italy or Yoga in Southern Greece.
