Do you feel like something special is happening when you hear a drum beat? Does a drum beat resonate somewhere deep inside you? I have always felt a prickly feeling then a whole body response when I hear drumming. I'm not talking about JOhn Bonham, Dave Grohl or Ginger Baker type drumming (although they are amazing!). I referring to a classic hand held drum, usually round, that is associated with rituals, ceremonies and the Shamanic Journey. For centuries this drumming was used by a Shaman within a community to assist in reaching an altered state of consciousness in order to do the journey. Sometimes rattles, didgeridoos or repeated chanting was used. The Shamanic Journey relies on a steady 220 beats per minute. It has been scientifically proven that listening to this "sonic driving" beat allows the brain to relax, altering from our ordinary beta state, brain waves slow down into an alpha state then moves further into a theta state. Cortisol levels have been measured and shown to lower, creating a sense of calm, decreased heart rate which assists us in our altered state of consciousness to experience the shamanic journey. Using the drum beat creates a focus and routine we can use safely to practice our journey. Many modern shaman practitioners us a recording of the shamanic drumming and often headphones so we don't disturb other people in our space and to block out outside noises.