On the Wings of My Dragon Drum

Early one morning I finally had an opportunity for some uninterrupted quiet time (or so I thought) to try some trance drumming with my new drum. I settled back on my bed in a comfortable position and began drumming a steady beat, trying to quieten my conscious thoughts and let myself drift into a dreamlike meditation or trance.

After a while the sound of my drumming somehow changed the quality of the sounds from outside my house — the birds, aeroplanes, distant traffic noises — and they all blended together to become the rushing sound of the wind carried along by the steady drum beat.

An image of thick rounded cumulus clouds formed in front of me. They had shadows of yellow and violet within them, outlining their billowy folds and starkly highlighting their otherwise clean, white fluffiness. I flew through the clouds, higher and higher through their cool damp mist until I was above them in the clear blue sky. Looking down, the clouds looked softly solid, as if I could curl up comfortably on them and go to sleep.

I flew on for a while, marveling at the sensation of flight and absolute freedom of gliding on the breeze, before descending through the clouds to see the earth below. As I flew closer I realised I was flying over a large pine forest that stretched for hundreds of kilometres over undulating hills and partway up along the sides of the snow capped mountains ahead. The green of the trees was in stark contrast to the blue sky and the white, yellow and violet colours of the clouds.

My attention was diverted upwards again, as I saw the shape of a dragon begin to form in the clouds. It gradually took on a slightly darker, brownish tone which set it apart from the rest of the clouds. Large wings spread out either side of the dragon’s long, curved neck, then it slowly faded away as the clouds it was made of were dispersed by a gentle breeze.

My Cloud Dragon (Click image to enlarge)

Flashes of bright yellow suddenly flooded my mind.

A woman’s face then flashed into view. She had pale skin and long, wavy red hair hanging down past her shoulders and I could see just the top of her sky blue gown. Below her shoulders the rest of her body faded into white mist over the bright yellow background. There were beautiful dark pink flowers in her hair, on her left, and she had piercing blue eyes that looked straight at me, and through me, before she too faded into cloudy oblivion.

The image of a grey rabbit now floated in front of me. The rabbit blinked at me then casually hopped a short distance away and started nibbling at the grasses and other small plants and flowers growing at the edge of the pine forest which was now also revealed. Then the rabbit disappeared into the cool shadows of the forest and that scene also faded.

I was back in amongst the fluffy clouds, flying over a distant landscape with the sound of the wind rushing in my ears. A white silhouette of a rabbit flashed past to my left, then the head of the dragon reappeared in the distance in front of me. I followed the dragon but the closer I got, the more it started to dissipate back into indistinct cloudiness.

A word started to form in my mind. Before now I had never consciously heard this word, which I felt was probably a name, and I saw it spelled in two different ways — Galaya or Gallaea — before it too faded from my sight and hearing, only to be replaced by white mist and the rushing sound of the wind, and the sounds of a waterfall in the distance. I had no idea who or what it was.

I continued drumming as the wind grew louder and louder (and the waterfall receded further into the distance), but I soon realised something was starting to feel very wrong. I was disappointed to find that I was being pulled out of the meditation. The sound of the roaring wind was now right outside my window rather than in the dreaming place and it was quickly transforming into the noise of a very loud, early morning street-cleaning truck on the road directly outside my house. Damn it!! I would have liked to have stayed longer but I guess trucks and traffic noise are just part of the environment for an “urban shaman”. In spite of the noisy intrusion it was an interesting and successful first journey with my Dragon Drum.

~oOo~

Whenever I’m given information during a meditation I always Google it to see what turns up. First of all, there’s the dragon, which I assume to be an Air Dragon which can have the following meaning:

The Air Dragon brings represents inspiration, vitality, intellect, respect, insight and illumination. This power animal must be handled with the greatest of respect. With this power animal, large flashes of illumination in intellect and psyche are possible. Insight and clarity will be given for all problems. As always – trust your inner voice.

Or because of the association of the waterfall trying to break through, there could have been a Water Dragon:

The Water Dragon brings connection, depth and passion. The water dragon as power animal brings memories and wishes, perhaps long forgotten yet hidden, to the fore. By squaring up with painful past experiences, a sense of peace and balance can be achieved in our lives. The water dragon will give you the courage and compassion in this challenge.

Secondly, there’s the rabbit which as a totem animal can have the following interpretation:

Receiving hidden teachings and intuitive messages. Active around dawn and dusk, (the time of the fairies and fauns), they are guides into the mystical shadow world and it is said that if you follow after it the rabbit will lead you to the fairy realm. Rabbit is known for its ability to procreate and fearful thoughts will procreate (manifest) into what you fear. Movement by leaps, living by ones own wits, not getting boxed into a corner. Take advantage of opportunities that may present themselves only for a brief moment. Examine the foods you eat and perhaps eat more of a vegetarian diet. The Rabbit is a spirit animal that is extremely open to one on one communication and when approached as an equal it will show great wisdom and guidance.

…some good advice there.

It turns out that Galaya is the name of a town in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is part of a name for another town in China (Galaya Linchang) but it also happens to be a feminine first name which has the following meaning:

The name of Galaya creates an easy-going, good-natured personality, meeting and mixing easily.
 You appreciate the company of others, to the point that you do not like to be by yourself for very long.
 You are gifted with natural expression, both verbal and musical, but you would find it tedious to study music and practice theory.
 Anything that involves concentration or just plain hard work, you prefer to avoid as best you can.
 Although you have many creative, original ideas, procrastination is your worst enemy because you can seldom make decisions and carry them out. The name Galaya creates the urge to be self-expressive and happy, but we point out that it causes procrastination and lack of confidence, and thus you are unable to realize your goals and ambitions.
 This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the liver, bloodstream, and fluid systems.

Hmmm… very interesting! …but not totally ‘me’, except for the procrastination part, lol. I’m not sure of the significance of this name turning up in my meditation …some shadow attributes to contemplate perhaps? Or maybe it’s the name of my drum? Or maybe the Water Dragon that didn’t turn up but maybe tried to?

Edit: 5/2/2012 ~ I decided I should look up Gallaya as well, and found this interpretation, which is a slight variation of the above information. Still not really ‘me’ either…

Your name of Gallaya has made you versatile and creative. There is hardly anything you cannot do if you put your mind to it, but a driving urge leads you to one experience after another, seldom finishing what you start. You cannot find peace of mind or lasting contentment in anything you do. As soon as a challenge is met, boredom sets in, and you yearn for another experience. This restlessness makes it difficult for you to assume responsibility and to establish stable, progressive conditions in your life. Though the name Gallaya creates the urge to be self-expressive and ambitious, we point out that it causes a restless intensity that hinders the ability to relax. This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the liver, bloodstream, and solar plexus.

Extended Description of Gallaya: You could do well in sales work or in meeting the public where quickness of mind and expression are all important. You have many friends, but lose interest in people very quickly. Your intense mental activity spoils system and concentration, and plays havoc with relaxation and sleep. Out of your quick thinking has been borne hasty speech. Acting on impulse instead of with forethought has led to many disappointments and bitter experiences.

Health Weaknesses of the name ‘Gallaya’: Your whole nervous system could be affected by the intense emotional influence of this name.

The word Gallaea was more difficult to find anything about (that didn’t involve online games) but eventually I found the following information:

The priests of Attis and Cybele of Phrygian and Greek mythology, known as Galli or Gallaea, perform a yearly ritual, mostly wearing yellow clothes, to purify the body of the dead Attis.  A pine tree is chopped down, covered with violets and carried to the shrine of Cybele on Mt. Dindymus (Dindymon). Afterwards Attis is mourned for three days, Cybele brings him back to life and there is a wild and joyful celebration.

Now, I have no idea of the significance of this within the context of my meditation either, or if there is any significance at all, but it is interesting that I randomly picked up on the colours yellow (also represents Air and Spring) and violet (not quite the flower but the right colour), pine trees, mountains, and a woman — perhaps the Goddess Cybele? Although, the rabbit made me wonder if the woman was the Goddess Eostre (Ostara). Then again she might not have been a goddess, or maybe she was another expression of ‘me’, or it may all mean absolutely nothing and simply be the results of a pleasant but random wandering in the dreaming place. Who knows? Perhaps more will be revealed in my next attempt at trance drumming. 😀

Sources:
Cloud photo from http://www.distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/10399c98332a11e180c9123138016265_7.jpg
Cloud Dragon created by TopazDragon using image from http://www.mi9.com/wallpaper/white-clouds-and-blue-sky_78559/
http://www.shamanicjourney.com/article/6123/dragon-power-animal-symbol-of-transformation-infinity-wisdom
spiritwalkministry.com/spirit_guides/land_animal_spirits
http://www.kabalarians.com/Female/Galaya.htm
http://www.kabalarians.com/Female/gallaya.htm
StarPoet Newsletter Vol. X, No. XV April 2009 at starpoet.com/newsletter-list/384-starpoet-newsletter-vol-x-no-xv.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galli
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attis

Edit: 5/2/2012 ~ While looking up names I also decided to look up Topaz and Dragon to see if they fitted me any better …interesting results. 😀

The name of Topaz gives you a responsible, reserved, and dignified nature, able to find a certain amount of success in anything you undertake. You have an appreciation for the finer and deeper aspects of life. Your scholarly, studious interests incline you to art, literature, philosophy, music, and drama. You wonder about the deeper aspects of life contained in religious theories and occult beliefs. Although the name Topaz creates an interest in the deeper aspects of life, we emphasize that it causes a superior, interfering expression whose favorite expression is “I know.” This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the heart, lungs, bronchial area, worry, and mental tension.

Extended Description of ‘Topaz’: Others may consider you to be aloof and unemotional since you often find it difficult to express spontaneously. They could interpret your quietness as disinterest and aloofness, for they do not realize the depth of your feelings and thoughts. You require time alone, especially in the outdoors, to cope with the pressures of life.

Health Weaknesses of the name ‘Topaz’: This name causes tension to affect your heart and respiratory organs, resulting in colds or bronchial conditions.

~oOo~

Your first name of Dragon has given you an eagerness for knowledge and an intense desire to do something worthwhile in life. Being clever, imaginative, and analytical, you do very well in the activities that hold your attention. You long for freedom from restrictions and for outlets for your restless qualities, and cannot tolerate drudgery and monotony. It is not easy for you to take advice, subsequently; you tend to work alone or independently. You suffer inner turmoil and moods at times especially when you feel misunderstood, and being extremely sensitive, you are easily hurt and offended. Your quiet intensity is difficult for others to understand and thus, you are on guard for fear of being ridiculed or criticized. Loving the outdoors, you enjoy outside activities and the beauty of nature in its many facets. Many people do not realize that you have a depth to your nature resulting from having thought a lot about life in many facets. Although the name Dragon creates an interest in the deeper aspects of life, we emphasize that it causes a restless intensity that defies relaxation. This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the heart, lungs, bronchial area, and solar plexus.

Extended meaning of ‘Dragon’: Because you have high ideals and are a principled person, you have been disillusioned and disappointed in people on many occasions and have experienced much aloneness. You are fond of outdoor sports, where you can find an outlet for your nervous energy. Impulsiveness could bring frequent accidents and unfortunate happenings into your life. You do not like to be restricted or to have your freedom curtailed in any way. You find it difficult to control your thoughts and could swing in moods from one extreme to the other. Your speech can become very critical and sarcastic when you are frustrated or crossed.

Health Weaknesses of the name ‘Dragon’: This name creates a weakness in the heart, lungs, and bronchial area, and could cause heart trouble, pneumonia, asthma, or tuberculosis. It also creates tension in the nervous system, particularly the solar plexus and stomach, causing nervous indigestion and relative conditions.

Sources:
http://www.kabalarians.com/Female/topaz.htm
http://www.kabalarians.com/Female/dragon.htm

The only problem was that I couldn’t look up Dragon as a last name, but I guess in the way that I use it here I don’t actually consider it to be a last name anyway.