What to Expect at a Drum Birthing Workshop

When you decide to join a drum birthing workshop, something has already begun. Before you ever touch the hide or wood, before you step into circle, you have made a call. And in shamanic understanding, a call is always answered.

All relationships begin with a simple “hello.” Yet we often place so much pressure on ourselves to experience something extraordinary straight away, to see visions, receive messages, or feel something unmistakable. In truth, a willingness to listen and an open heart are more than enough.

In my tradition there is a saying: if you take one step towards the ancestors, they take ninety-nine towards you. When you say yes to birthing a drum, you are taking that first step.

Before the Workshop: When the Relationship Begins

For many people, the days or weeks leading up to the workshop hold a quiet magic of their own. You may begin to notice subtle replies to your call.

Dreams might feel more vivid or symbol-laden. In moments of stillness or shamanic journeying, spirit helpers connected to the drum you are about to birth may step forward. You might find yourself drawn repeatedly to a particular animal, tree, or landscape. Or perhaps all you notice is a gentle stirring of curiosity, excitement, or anticipation.

All of this is welcome. None of it is required.

Shamanically, we are not simply making a drum. We recognise that the helpers involved, the tree, the animal, and all other components, have given their lives so that we may heal, remember, and serve.

When this understanding lands in the body, it changes how we show up. The magnitude of that sacrifice can be deeply heart-opening, and many people find they begin to connect with this truth well before the day itself.

This time between accepting the call and birthing the drum is a liminal space. Ancestors and spirit helpers may draw closer. Intention is held lightly but clearly. Ceremony, after all, is not only the circle we step into together. It is also the space we create in our own lives to welcome more gratitude, more healing, and more joy.

During the Workshop: Birthing the Drum

On the day itself, we begin by opening the circle and coming together as a group. We weave our intentions and prayers for the day, grounding ourselves into presence and shared purpose.

I offer an introduction to the drum as a shamanic medicine tool, and to the process of working respectfully with the hide, the wood, and any other elements we are bringing into form. We begin with a gratitude ceremony, honouring each helper for what it has given.

From there, I lead a guided shamanic journey to meet the spirits of the wood and the animal. This is an opportunity to receive wisdom, direction, and understanding, not just for the drum, but for your own path as its future keeper.

We then move into the lacing itself. This is where hands, breath, prayer, and story come together. As we work, I weave teachings and stories into the space, supporting both the practical and spiritual unfolding of the day.

For those who wish, I offer personalised runic guidance. As a runic shamanic practitioner, I can assist you in adding runes to your drum, though you are equally welcome to add your own symbols or words, or to leave the hoop unmarked. There is no single right way.

You will also choose the style of handle for your drum, whether a cross, spiralling cross, or triskele. Each carries meaning found across many shamanic cultures, and I will guide you through these options so you can choose what feels aligned. If you have chosen to bind a crystal into the handle, we will pause to offer gratitude and complete this together with care and intention.

When the drum is formed, we journey again. This is the moment when the spirit of the drum is fully called in to inhabit its body, and you step fully into your role as its keeper.

To close the day, I teach you how to care for your drum, both practically and shamanically. We explore what it means to be in respectful relationship, how to tend to the drum spirit, and how to ensure it chooses to remain with you. We then close the circle together.

After the Workshop: Walking the Path of a Drum Keeper

When the workshop concludes, the relationship you have begun is only just unfolding.

The bond you form with one drum will be entirely different from any other. It may challenge you, uplift you, bring healing, reveal truths, or walk beside you quietly as a steady companion. Some drums teach through gentleness, others through disruption. All teach through relationship.

This is the shamanic path of being a drum keeper. It is not about ownership, but stewardship. Not about control, but listening. Over time, your drum will become a voice, a bridge, and a living ally in your work and your life.

Drum birthing is not a single moment. It is a beginning.

If you are new to this work or wish to deepen your understanding of what it truly means to birth a drum, I invite you to read my blog post What Is Drum Birthing?, where I share the deeper spiritual and ancestral context of this practice.

And if you feel called to receive a drum but know that a workshop is not right for you at this time, you can explore available drums in the shop, each one crafted ceremonially and already in relationship with its spirit.

May the road rise up to meet you, and the old ways guide you.

Sarah • Earthwoven Shamanism