Learning to let go- by Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Learning to let go
With Toby Christensen and his unlikely instrument of change
Stubbornness can be such an enslaving tyranny. “If you want us to help, you have to let go and let us do our thing. We can’t help you otherwise”, they said. I knew they were right, but turning this tyranny into opportunity wouldn’t be easy for me. I was born a Gemini on the cusp of Taurus and thought I didn’t stand a chance. Thankfully I was wrong.
I was lying on a low and wonderfully comfortable bed of copper, crystals and blankets when Toby asked me what I wanted to work on. I had few expectations because I had never done anything like this before. We talked about a couple of concerns I had that I felt were hindering forward spiritual and physical progress, and I was anxious and excited to see what might unfold. He told me to relax, breathe deep and invite any inner teachers or guides I might have and ask for their help. He then stepped up on the bed with his back to me and his feet straddling my hips and began an intoxicating rhythm in ¾ time on his African Djembe drum. I’m a musician trained to listen. But soon I could no longer simply enjoy and analyze the masterful playing as it effortlessly slipped from ¾ to 2/4 to 4/4 time and then to a rhythm that I could no longer identify. And no wonder, because time itself was evolving into a mix of being and non-being that was sending me to another shore where one of my spiritual guides I had met years before stood patiently at dusk by his little boat with a welcoming lantern as if waiting for me.
I knew I had a choice. I could simply enjoy being in this state, with the beautiful drumming forcing out all other physical reality. Or, I could let go and open up and do the tough vulnerable work of trusting GOD and my teachers and begin the discipline necessary for lasting change. I knew what I needed to do, but as usual fear was encouraging the first choice. Suddenly two more of my teachers showed up.
A few years ago a wonderful African man told me there was a Native American in full feather headdress over my left shoulder that told him he was always with me, patiently waiting to help if I asked for it. I was encouraged to talk to him and ask how he could help. Then another time during an amazing guided meditation, I met another Spirit teacher who kept his face hidden under a hood but when embraced, filled me with such peace and Love that I felt I had been given a great gift even though no words were exchanged.
I’ve never known exactly what to make of these experiences. Had I just made them up in my over-active imagination, or did they really exist? At the moment it didn’t matter. I knew if I worked with them, and positive changes were the result, that was what was important.” Whatever works”.
So now all three were present encouraging me to let go. They needed me to acknowledge them and to ask for their help. They told me there were things they could help me with that I couldn’t do for myself. So I thanked them for being there and gave my permission. And so with Toby’s’ drumming the only thing still holding me to Earth, I dropped away and began to feel a buzzing energy in my chest centered in my heart chakra. I kept repeating like a mantra the issues I had come here to work on as this strange energy welled up inside until it felt like my chest would burst. Then it began to move.
Intuitively, Toby began a triple-time rhythm softly at first, then slowly playing louder and louder keeping the staccato going as the energy moved down to my pelvis where it built in intensity even more until with a whoosh, in an instant shot down my legs and out my feet. I then realized I was breathing out of my mouth in gasps with a huge smile on my face, even though tears were beginning to roll. By this time Toby had gone back to an earlier more subdued rhythm and I noticed that my hands were falling asleep. I lifted my arms and moved my hands outside Toby’s feet and began to feel the blood rushing back in when a new energy emerged.
I was crying now and still gasping for breath. Was I being healed of something? The space in and around the cells of my body welcomed the presence of this harmonious vibration. Energy in the heart chakra was now making its way up into my throat to my shoulders and down into my arms. I was throbbing all over as Toby began slowing down the rhythm and playing softer and softer until finally hitting one last authoritative thump.
My arms felt like they were full of marbles and each one was pulsating in time with every other one. Never have I experienced anything like this. Toby then stepped off the bed, and began playing his Native American hoop drum as he walked around me listening for the proper balance of my charkas through his drum. Then he was done.
I couldn’t move. He gently encouraged me to begin breathing deeply and to move my fingers and toes and slowly come back to normal consciousness. Finally I sat up, crossed my legs, put my face in my hands and sobbed, releasing great joy! I felt so good! But my arms continued to throb for ten more minutes or so as we talked about what had happened. Toby said I had really turned a corner and allowed myself to open up and could now begin to focus on the things I came there to work on. He said to give it time to manifest.
Toby Christensen is a master drummer and highly trained Shaman who, as he claims, doesn’t do the healing but uses the drumming to facilitate it. We heal ourselves as we allow our brain waves to entrain with his drumming, changing from alpha and beta wave patterns into theta which promotes relaxation and encourages creativity. In other words, his ‘Sound Attunement Therapy’ helps to create an energy shift so that all of our bodies (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) can find harmony through the proper balancing of our energy centers or Chakras. Once we’re in balance, our bodies feel free to do what they do best, HEAL. What a beautiful and unlikely instrument of change.
I didn’t know what changes might come over time, but I did know that it was impossible for my body to process so much energy without tangible change. And for the rest of the evening every cell in my body hummed harmoniously with the Joy that I believe is inherent in us all.
In the coming days as I meditated on the things he suggested I do, I was surprised to discover that my stubborn nature which made it real difficult to let go and accept help was breaking down. This was not one of the issues I went to Toby to work on. It was however, lo and behold, step one toward achieving success with those issues.
Stubbornness can be such an enslaving tyranny. But there’s a reason I was born a Gemini. I needed to shed some old karma I didn’t think was a problem. And I needed to see in my stars the opportunity to evolve into a helper, free and balanced, not locked in stone but resting in the space.
Thank you Toby for your exuberant energy and Love.
Learning to let go
With Toby Christensen and his unlikely instrument of change
Stubbornness can be such an enslaving tyranny. “If you want us to help, you have to let go and let us do our thing. We can’t help you otherwise”, they said. I knew they were right, but turning this tyranny into opportunity wouldn’t be easy for me. I was born a Gemini on the cusp of Taurus and thought I didn’t stand a chance. Thankfully I was wrong.
I was lying on a low and wonderfully comfortable bed of copper, crystals and blankets when Toby asked me what I wanted to work on. I had few expectations because I had never done anything like this before. We talked about a couple of concerns I had that I felt were hindering forward spiritual and physical progress, and I was anxious and excited to see what might unfold. He told me to relax, breathe deep and invite any inner teachers or guides I might have and ask for their help. He then stepped up on the bed with his back to me and his feet straddling my hips and began an intoxicating rhythm in ¾ time on his African Djembe drum. I’m a musician trained to listen. But soon I could no longer simply enjoy and analyze the masterful playing as it effortlessly slipped from ¾ to 2/4 to 4/4 time and then to a rhythm that I could no longer identify. And no wonder, because time itself was evolving into a mix of being and non-being that was sending me to another shore where one of my spiritual guides I had met years before stood patiently at dusk by his little boat with a welcoming lantern as if waiting for me.
I knew I had a choice. I could simply enjoy being in this state, with the beautiful drumming forcing out all other physical reality. Or, I could let go and open up and do the tough vulnerable work of trusting GOD and my teachers and begin the discipline necessary for lasting change. I knew what I needed to do, but as usual fear was encouraging the first choice. Suddenly two more of my teachers showed up.
A few years ago a wonderful African man told me there was a Native American in full feather headdress over my left shoulder that told him he was always with me, patiently waiting to help if I asked for it. I was encouraged to talk to him and ask how he could help. Then another time during an amazing guided meditation, I met another Spirit teacher who kept his face hidden under a hood but when embraced, filled me with such peace and Love that I felt I had been given a great gift even though no words were exchanged.
I’ve never known exactly what to make of these experiences. Had I just made them up in my over-active imagination, or did they really exist? At the moment it didn’t matter. I knew if I worked with them, and positive changes were the result, that was what was important.” Whatever works”.
So now all three were present encouraging me to let go. They needed me to acknowledge them and to ask for their help. They told me there were things they could help me with that I couldn’t do for myself. So I thanked them for being there and gave my permission. And so with Toby’s’ drumming the only thing still holding me to Earth, I dropped away and began to feel a buzzing energy in my chest centered in my heart chakra. I kept repeating like a mantra the issues I had come here to work on as this strange energy welled up inside until it felt like my chest would burst. Then it began to move.
Intuitively, Toby began a triple-time rhythm softly at first, then slowly playing louder and louder keeping the staccato going as the energy moved down to my pelvis where it built in intensity even more until with a whoosh, in an instant shot down my legs and out my feet. I then realized I was breathing out of my mouth in gasps with a huge smile on my face, even though tears were beginning to roll. By this time Toby had gone back to an earlier more subdued rhythm and I noticed that my hands were falling asleep. I lifted my arms and moved my hands outside Toby’s feet and began to feel the blood rushing back in when a new energy emerged.
I was crying now and still gasping for breath. Was I being healed of something? The space in and around the cells of my body welcomed the presence of this harmonious vibration. Energy in the heart chakra was now making its way up into my throat to my shoulders and down into my arms. I was throbbing all over as Toby began slowing down the rhythm and playing softer and softer until finally hitting one last authoritative thump.
My arms felt like they were full of marbles and each one was pulsating in time with every other one. Never have I experienced anything like this. Toby then stepped off the bed, and began playing his Native American hoop drum as he walked around me listening for the proper balance of my charkas through his drum. Then he was done.
I couldn’t move. He gently encouraged me to begin breathing deeply and to move my fingers and toes and slowly come back to normal consciousness. Finally I sat up, crossed my legs, put my face in my hands and sobbed, releasing great joy! I felt so good! But my arms continued to throb for ten more minutes or so as we talked about what had happened. Toby said I had really turned a corner and allowed myself to open up and could now begin to focus on the things I came there to work on. He said to give it time to manifest.
Toby Christensen is a master drummer and highly trained Shaman who, as he claims, doesn’t do the healing but uses the drumming to facilitate it. We heal ourselves as we allow our brain waves to entrain with his drumming, changing from alpha and beta wave patterns into theta which promotes relaxation and encourages creativity. In other words, his ‘Sound Attunement Therapy’ helps to create an energy shift so that all of our bodies (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) can find harmony through the proper balancing of our energy centers or Chakras. Once we’re in balance, our bodies feel free to do what they do best, HEAL. What a beautiful and unlikely instrument of change.
I didn’t know what changes might come over time, but I did know that it was impossible for my body to process so much energy without tangible change. And for the rest of the evening every cell in my body hummed harmoniously with the Joy that I believe is inherent in us all.
In the coming days as I meditated on the things he suggested I do, I was surprised to discover that my stubborn nature which made it real difficult to let go and accept help was breaking down. This was not one of the issues I went to Toby to work on. It was however, lo and behold, step one toward achieving success with those issues.
Stubbornness can be such an enslaving tyranny. But there’s a reason I was born a Gemini. I needed to shed some old karma I didn’t think was a problem. And I needed to see in my stars the opportunity to evolve into a helper, free and balanced, not locked in stone but resting in the space.
Thank you Toby for your exuberant energy and Love.
posted by Toby Christensen at 9:21 PM
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