--- and here is what I posted a few days later ---

Wow, look at us and our excitment!

I have had 7 responses in less than 48 hours and that seems big, so I
am going to write back to the list to answer some questions people are
asking. Please don't take offense if I don't write back to each person
who writes to me at length.

My name is Jen. I was very taken with African drumming in
Seattle in the early 90's. "Taken" as in taken with spirit. I took
classes from a bunch of different teachers.. life changed. I had a
deep yearning for spiritual work using these drums and couldn't find
that going on. Time went on, I did other things.

One of the things I have been doing for the last years is training in
what is called Core Shamanism. You can read more about it on my site:
www.northwestceremonies.com

I want to return to the community now, hopefully as a servant to our
tapestry of fun with something good to offer. I want to facilitate a
Sacred Drumming Circle where we can all come together and take a deep
journey together using our drums and exploring the otherworlds for
insight and healing, for ourselves, each other and Mother Earth.

**People of all religions and spiritual paths are welcome. I only ask
that we are respectful of each other.**

As drum jams come in waves, we ride each wave, feeling our way through
it, keeping our eyes open to insight, keeping our ears to each other.
It is not a place to practice rhythms or polish our chops but a place
to practice listening to the spirit of the drum and the spirits the
drums evoke. HEY! We could do one specifically to get to know the
spirit of our own drum! Neat. wow.

I live in the Eastlake area and was thinking somewhere between Fremont
and U-Dist, Greenlake, Ravenna but we need to see where everyone is
from. (I understand what it's like living outside the city and driving
a long ways to come in to do something.)

I don't have a house to host and I can't afford to pay for a space on
my own. I'll have to charge to cover whatever room fee I find.

So this is how it will work:
- Write more questions to this list for me to answer that others may
want to hear about as well.

- Write to me with your free nights and where you live. Try to be very
liberal. It is hard to get people together.
- Also write to me with spaces and quotes if you want to help in that
manner. (Anyone ever explored the Fremont Baptist Church or the
Ravenna Community Center?)

I'll wait a week or so till I feel we've got everyone, then gather all
the info, requests, concerns, look for spaces and get back to y'all.

If you are there with me, I am 400% committed and jumping out of my
pants with excitement. I also have a bigg Turtle spirit that is
having me take things slooow so I don't burn out so be patient.

love and peace to all,

- Jen

p.s. I went to see Mickey Hart in Portland last year. I was fully
expecting him to be grand-staging the whole time but WOW he was not!
He put his teachers/drummers up front and drummed with them from the
back. The best thing was that the drummers were all SMILING the
sweetest smiles. Somebody started burning sweet grass and it was all
over for me. I had a massive healing around fear when drumming. I
learned that drumming comes from sweet happiness in my heart, not big
skill. That is how I want you to feel, welcome, happy, safe, sweetness...
please join me.

Well, I am certainly in!

I am going (well... maybe...) to a Breitenbush Fae Gathering this weekend... but I have no idea how soon things might come together -- so just putting that out there.

Count me in, especially if its a weekend. I'm cool with helping setting up too.

aloha,

Aki

Thats sounds great. I know that three moons healing arts center rents space for just $45. Keep me posted.

Yes!!! You beautiful Goddess, you. Gratitude for opening to this. I would love to be a part...however it flows.

Blessings,

Victory Moon