2007 Ways of Knowing Symposium

Evening Event: Drumming Circle

Drumming Circle Facilitated by Christine Stevens

Although intuition is most often thought of as an individual experience, it is also central to collective experiences. Intuition is key whenever and wherever teams or groups come together and experience ‘in the zone’ performance and creativity.

In sports, the famous Brazilian soccer player, Pele explained that he could kick the ball successfully to people behind him without turning around because he ‘simply went up above his head and looked around at the whole field to see where everyone was.’ The NASA team that landed a man on the moon in the 1960s described a common peak performance experience whereby contract companies, who were located many states apart and had little communication, seemed to know what was needed and when it was needed in a synchronistic manner. Musicians can also delight in peak performances when they ‘electrify’ audiences by creating oneness with their music, each other, and the audience. (See Dean Radin’s research on collective consciousness.)

With a ceremonial fire burning in the center, the Saturday night drumming circle exemplified collaborative intuition as the community lived as one in sound and beauty. Without words, the drums ebbed and flowed together.  Thank you Christine and all.