Michael Drake is an internationally respected writer and recording artist. He is the author of Shamanic Drumming: Calling the Spirits, The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming and I Ching: The Tao of Drumming. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Awareness, Sacred Hoop, and Mother Earth News. Raised in a conservative Southern Baptist Church, Michael had his first ecstatic experience as a youth at a church revival, an evangelistic meeting intended to reawaken interest in religion. This state of rapture and trancelike elation inspired his spiritual quest. Michael spent more than thirty years of his life seeking answers to some of life’s most perplexing mysteries: Why am I here? What happens when you die? What is life’s purpose? He explored the world’s great religions, considered the philosophies of humanity, and studied the theories of modern science.
At a crucial point in his search, Michael came in touch with the transforming power of shamanic drumming and of an ancient shamanic way of self-knowledge. Under the tutelage of Mongolian shaman Jade Wah’oo Grigori, he learned the healing rhythms and drum ways of an ancient shamanic lineage. He discovered that therapeutic rhythm techniques have been used for thousands of years to create and maintain physical, mental, and spiritual health. Inspired by his studies, research, and experiences, Michael founded Talking Drum Publications in 1991 in order to share the healing power of rhythm with the global drumming community. For the past twenty years he has been facilitating drum circles and hands-on experiential workshops nationwide.
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