Spirit of the Drum + Rattle

Boom-boom — the steady drumbeat of our mother’s heart soothing and anchoring us in her womb is the first musical sound that our ears perceive, keeping us grounded on our journey to birth.

Our first musical instrument was the drum, discovered by beating a stick on a hollow log or some other hollow surface. The beat of the drum naturally compels our bodies to want to move, almost involuntarily - like breathing.

The shaman/spirit/medicine drum is used universally and is prevalent among many original peoples as a living and conscious tool to bridge into expanded reality. It is used widely among Siberian shamans, where the word shaman was conceived. Here in North America, the drum has always been a sacred instrument in their communication with Spirit. Even in Europe, history reaches far beyond the advent of Christianity that included drumming in sacred ceremonies.

Over the course of the training, we:

Journey to meet the Spirit of the Tree that gifted you the wood for your drum/rattle frame that will become the drum's/rattle's body.

Journey to meet the Spirit of the Four-legged who gifted the hide that will be the flesh of your drum/rattle.
Learn a unique spiral lacing technique as taught in the Saghic tradition [a re-dreamed Celtic tradition.]

Engage in sacred ceremony to breathe life into your drum/rattle using the four elements.

All these lead toward creating an intimate bond between you and the drum’s/rattle's living nature.

Learn to work with the drum/rattle as a conversational aid with your Guides and the Ancestors when you journey into the heart of your Spirit Drum.

Learn to care for and "feed" your drum—this drum will be different than any other drum that you will have and thus needs to be treated always in a sacred manner.

You will become aware of the Do’s and Don'ts for your drum.

Offering 2 opportunities in 2024 to craft your very own Spirit Drum or Rattle!

Nothing to book right now. Check back soon.

Pick your frame:

Cedar or Maple frames
Cedar frames are much lighter in weight than maple frames. If you do a lot of drumming for extended periods of time this lightweight frame will be perfect for you.

Cedar

Cedar has become a symbol of greatness, of nobility, of strength and of incorruptibility.

Maple

A symbol of strength, endurance and protection.

Pick your hyde:

Spirit drums are made of different hides such as deer, cow, horse, buffalo, elk, moose. All are sustainably obtained from indigenous trading posts. No horses or cows were killed for their hides. The horses died of natural causes.

Moose

Represents the work of Divine Feminine energies. It carries us deep into our feelings towards emotional honesty.

Buffalo (Bison)

Has to do with seeking guidance and wisdom from the Ancestors. It is connected to serving the community and connection to Sacred Source.

Horse

Represents the Shamanic Journey that we ride into an alternate reality seeking healing for ourselves and others.

Deer

Represents the Heart, the Natural Laws of Circulation: healing and love.

Elk

The element of Water, Emotions, and the Shadow Self

Cow

Represents Mother Earth, a symbol of motherhood, fertility, nurturing, survival and protection.

Hear what others are saying about their Spirit Drum/Rattle experience.

"My drum-making experience with Rob gave me an inside feel and a look at the elements of creating the drum that was called to me. I picked out the skin and brought in a stick from my property. His guided journey with every piece made my drum personal to my journey. He understood the mind-body drum connection, and the experience is one I'll cherish".

~Sabrina

"Where to begin, this journey, so highly anticipated -- more than fully realized.

Submitting my choice of hide – to the first site of it . . .

Journeying to the grandmother tree used in the crafting of the frame . . .

Securing the hide to the frame with sinew, hands tired and sore . . .

Blessing of the final product, joining in spirit . .

Drumming, joy in actual the drumming . . .

Robert’s guidance and expertise on the journey is unparalleled.

Brooke’s magickal space, a container of love.

This is a gift you will never regret giving yourself."

~Donna

"Meeting Rob Murphy is a beautiful experience. He is a wonderful, good humored, caring Individual. I'm definitely blessed to have gotten to learn from him.

The spirit of the drum workshop is like no other! It's not just simply the making of a beautiful drum. This is an exquisite journey.

From the moment you are blessed with an animal hide & wood round, then journey combining three spirits in harmony, to learning how to craft your beautiful spirit drum.. Priceless

Once you have finished crafting your drum, the amazing experience is not done. We finish with a drum circle, giving voice to our Precious Spirit Dum. Each Spirit drum I have made is truly a part of me."

~Rosa Strange

This 2-day Spirit Drum/Rattle crafting workshop can be pre-booked with a
$ 150 non-refundable deposit. Payment of the material fees and the remaining workshop fee of $200 will be collected no later than one week prior to the workshop start date. Payment plan options are available.

Material fees include the wooden drum frame, the chosen hide, all lacing materials, and the materials to make a beater stick for your drum. Estimated Drum fees are $130-160 depending on the size of Spirit Drum.

Estimated Rattle fees are $100 . The reminder of your workshop fee ($200) will be collected by the start of the workshop. In case of an unforeseen absence, Rob will happily craft your Spirit drum or Rattle for you upon payment of the workshop fee, which is a considerable discount over a private commissioning.

After your initial deposit, payment for drum materials and remaining workshop fee will be collected by Rob.

Contact Rob Murphy for selection and purchasing by email: ROBMURPHY.SHAMAN@GMAIL.COM

13” skin drum w/cedar frame - $130
14” skin drum w/maple frame - $130
15” skin drum w/cedar frame - $145
15” skin drum w/maple frame - $145
16” skin drum w/maple frame - $145
17” skin drum w/cedar frame - $160
18” skin drum w/maple frame - $160

Spirit of the Drum + Rattle

Offering 2 opportunities in 2024 to craft your very own Spirit Drum or Rattle!

Pick your frame: Cedar or Maple frames Cedar frames are much lighter in weight than maple frames. If you do a lot of drumming for extended periods of time this lightweight frame will be perfect for you.​

Pick your hyde: Spirit drums are made of different hides such as deer, cow, horse, buffalo, elk, moose. All are sustainably obtained from indigenous trading posts. No horses or cows were killed for their hides. The horses died of natural causes.

Hear what others are saying about their Spirit Drum/Rattle experience.

Pick your frame:

Cedar or Maple frames
Cedar frames are much lighter in weight than maple frames. If you do a lot of drumming for extended periods of time this lightweight frame will be perfect for you.

Pick your hyde:

Spirit drums are made of different hides such as deer, cow, horse, buffalo, elk, moose. All are sustainably obtained from indigenous trading posts. No horses or cows were killed for their hides. The horses died of natural causes.