“A drum circle is defined by two core things. The first is the individual or group of individuals that step forward and are willing to hold and define the core heart beat. This is the beat that encircles and contains. Without this, there is chaos. With it, there is freedom for all to explore and play with their own responses as they circle around and interweave with that core beat. It allows those that get lost to return as it calls them back and welcomes them into the cohesiveness of the rhythm... The second is willingness of all to engage, to bring their hands, feet and voices to the circle. Together, a heart focused and powerful connection is created that transcends the individual.” – Barry Zworestine

Held in a previous, powerfully grounded form by Barry Zworestine as ‘The Warehouse Collective’, this community drum and music circle attracted a young man who, from this fortnightly gathering, started his own journey with the drum, community, and ultimately, himself. Guy Menzies-Saunders fell in love with this type of simple, yet undeniably potent experience right from the start.

Barry took Guy under his ‘wing’ and became an integral part of mentoring him into a drummer that (from Guy’s own words) “engages with drumming as If I’m running and dancing”. Eventually, Barry passed the group down to Guy in late 2013 with the name change to Castle Drumming due to the location change into the community household that Guy lived in originally, called 'The Castle' for its position atop a hill. Keeping the original ideals of The Warehouse Collective, Castle Drumming continues as a community gathering that invites the ‘integrity of the individual’. Held on the first Saturday night of every month, people from across the whole of Sydney and even further afield such as Newcastle and the Blue Mountains make the monthly ‘Pilgrimage’ to attend.

So what exactly can I expect from attending Castle Drumming?

After reading this we would hope that everyone can make an informed decision, given these guidelines for the event, on if they wish to attend, and if so, how they wish to safely and respectfully participate in the evening.

This can and has looked like a monthly gathering of the community to co-create a space for like-minded, music loving folks to come together and revel in the experience that is authentic community connectivity and collaboration - through the timeless medium that is, undeniably, music and dance.  Physically, this happens via community participation and collaboration from preparing and sharing of food, setting up the circle, crafting and maintaining a safe ‘heart-fire’, further setting the feel of the night with eco-friendly decorations,  and participating in group drumming and music sequences.

The jam starts at 7pm, and a community Welcoming of the space and recognition of where we gather will be given once the vibe is set. Throughout the night you could see or participate in dancing, free style drumming, being taught how to basic drum or learn new techniques. Specifically, It’s up to what you want to be a part of experiencing, to follow and be included in. This can take many forms inside the pulsating “organic chaos” of the Main Jam around the bon-fire, the evening's ‘HeartFire’.

Depending on the attendees of the evening: fire twirling, acro-yoga, slack-lines, face/bodypainting, cultural dances, eye-gazing and more may be able to be experienced. Later, around 10:30pm, we cease the drums and move into a more melodic atmosphere, giving space for gentler instruments to have their sound heard and connected with, weaving their own 'magic' in and around us all. Vocal harmonizing is also common and hugely supported to be confluent with the vibe of the collective sound and creation of the evening.

The night winds down with storytelling and pantomimes around the fire and then comes to a grounded close by around 11pm/12am. The balance of how the different elements of this night unfold, is paramount to what sort of nourishing experience it may be for the individual.

Guidelines &  Principles

• Come early if you can or stay late to help with the set up and pack down, share food to feed the body - as the experience feeds whatever brings you physically there...

• Initiative with eco-friendly decorative ideas, contributions of firewood, and definitely with the food sharing all can help to make the eve one of co-created wholeness.
  Castle Drumming is a free event, no one pays for the experience but rather is collaboratively and specifically responsible for what it is to be but a part of the ‘whole’. Attendance is managed by an invite only policy, currently in online construction.

• The experience had depends solely upon the lack of expectation, as well as the chosen intentions and subsequent actions of the evening's attendees. No night is the same. Though it gathers always for the same reason and values.

• This circle thrives on community participation and we would love for you to contribute in whichever way you feel comfortable to express yourself creatively - as long as its within the principles stated below (and rules of the area we gather in). All funds donated online contributes towards the creation of the evening and future 'Castle' supported events.

• We as a whole invite and encourage you to safely champion your own inner wildness, and at the same time hold a safe, grounded place for what it may be to have respect, if not be of, peaceful expression. This circle of self-made magic is what you make it - It is what WE as the whole made of the many, make it... Respect, Accountability, Compassioon, Trust, Curiosity, Solidarity are the values that hold 'Castle Drumming's foundation.

• For the beat and collective sound being created and sometimes vulnerable creativity being expressed, having these co-held values is essential. And a part of everyone's agreement to uphold by their choice of attending.

• Listening is encouraged not only for the sound itself but for your own possible learning of self...

A supporter of the values that Castle Drumming aims to hold, Neil Von Heupt expresses in his piece of writing, the value of what can make a drum circle one of potent connection:

"What makes a drumming circle work?

Why do some circles go off and others just go ... off? There's a few things in play...

• Listen. It's a bit counterintuitive, but the core skill for a drumming circle is listening. Before you can play, you have to be hearing the rhythm, the leader, the other drummers. That's a really intentional phrase 'be hearing', it's in present continuous tense, which means you have to hear, and keep on hearing. Stay present.

• Chill. Whilst many of the drummers started their drumming in African drumming classes, we're not African drummers. You may know particular rhythms, their names, the names of the beats within them, the calls and responses and the associated stories and/or songs that go with them (in African of course). That's awesome, but it's not what we're doing in a drum circle, don't try to force your favourite rhythm onto the circle. A circle is not a showcase for your talent (unless your talent is listening!). You may get invited to take centre stage at some point - let that be by invitation, not by demand.

• Follow. Every circle has a leader. It's likely not you. Work out who it is by listening, looking or even just asking. Don't just follow the loudest drummer. Part of participating in the circle is to respect the leadership of the circle (and the values they define for the circle). Once you know who they are, always keep an ear on what they're playing, and an eye (or the corner of one) on what they're doing. They may do a call and response, they may speed it up, they may quiet it down, they may invite someone else to take the lead for a while (follow them). You may be a more technically skilled drummer and have a louder drum than the leader. For the sake of the circle, suck it up and follow.

• Connect. Doing the three things above will help with this. The circle is about connecting - with they rhythm, with the other drummers, with the dancers, with the beyond, with yourself. Take a minute to say hi to the other drummers, catch their eye and mirror their rhythm for a while, say goodbye when you go, grateful for the opportunity to play together. Check in with yourself beyond the rhythm, what's happening in your body, your heart, your head. Be real. Connect with the dancers, connect with the listeners. Lift yourself beyond the circle, there's more going on that's not always visible.

As you listen, chill, follow and connect, the circle will work...

It will create and hold a space that is beautiful, safe and strong. A co-created space of freedom, of fun, of power, of life. A space where you can lose yourself in the rhythm, a space where you can find yourself in the rhythm.

Please be aware:

·        Castle Drumming is a Leave No Trace event. If you brought it in, please REMEMBER to take it with you. If you see rubbish that has been left, please help to each other to take extra out of the area. We respect the land that holds us and ask that you do as well. This includes any damaging of the surrounding environment, including the creation of the ‘Heart-Fire’.There is no mobile reception in area, please be prepared for your own strategy, should a need to contact the outside world urgently occurs.

·        This is generally an amplification free event, please contact the organizers if you would like to bring this element to the circle prior to the evening.

·        We are violence free, be it physical or verbal, to humans, plants or animals. Aggressive and/or inappropriate behaviours will not be tolerated...

·        We are drug and alcohol free. To hold the vulnerability of individuals as they are and be able to trust the same in return... This is a foundational principle of what Castle Drumming endeavours to gift, invite and hold. The responsibility though, ALWAYS, comes down only to those who are willing to stand for that communication...

If you see something a bit off, please don’t be afraid to say something.

To sit silently and not voice your truth is akin to not being there at all...

We adhere as a community to the public laws of the land that we inhabit at the time (this is to be updated as to be relevant for each location we may gather in).

 Laws/Rules of space:

(to be filled out when supportive location is found, gifted, and chosen)

(Anyone who chooses to disregard these should be aware that your individual actions can possibly place the future of this beautiful community event at jeopardy... If such conduct is of a blatant disregard of the principles and laws, you will be asked to leave or not attend future events so as to preserve the core and safety of this vulnerable and powerfully empowering community event.)

Thank you for taking the time to read all the above.

Written by: Lauren Grifoni

Edited by: Guy Menzies-Saunders
Added to by: Neil Von Heupt and Barry Zworstine