I hope this finds you well and still able to find a connection with Taiko. I know how much I am missing it and do try and find time to practice a few rhythms, but it is not the same as being with ‘my group’, I miss the fun, laughter and sometimes sweat and tears!
As we move through these uncertain times, I have been reflecting on my Taiko journey and the importance of space for me in that.
Right now, we have to take space from each other, we have to move away rather than towards our friends and family and are slowly having to find safe ways back to each other. This has felt unnatural and uncomfortable for most of us.
I first discovered Taiko around twenty years ago, and after some years stopped playing, there was a space when Taiko was not in my life and I had no thoughts of playing again. That space was filled with other activities, people, work but somewhere inside I had never lost my passion for Taiko. Fourteen years later and I did a Taiko workshop with HJ, the spark was reignited, and I joined Taiko Journey, and the spark inside me became a roaring fire as I rediscovered my love and passion for Taiko.
During that time when I wasn’t playing, I filled my space, not always giving myself enough time to pause, not always using the space wisely, but I learnt a lot, hopefully grew wiser, learnt some new skills and definitely grew older!
As I stood in front of the drum once again with anticipation, joy and some trepidation, the space felt scary, and my uncertainties came to the fore. But I have learned to recognise the importance of space, those few moments in which we stand alone yet part of a group. We become aware of our individual and the group space. Drumming together with such a great group of people has allowed me to feel safe, to explore and find my creativity, with no pressure or expectations, it is a joyful space for us all.
So much can happen in that space as we stand before the drum. It is time to pause, it is that place where we recognise our right to exist, to feel both our vulnerability and our power. Time to fully connect to our bachi, our drum before us, to connect to our energy and those around us, before we make that first beat. It is a place of connection, and where we can find the strength to believe in ourselves, our voice, our energy and to fill that space completely with our Taiko beats. It can become a place where we can express who we are, push our boundaries, and through the drum find our voice. We can then fill that space around us with the magic that is Taiko.
I hope you are able to find some fun, joy and connectedness in your space right now, and look forward to the time we can be together and send the sound of Taiko way out into the space of Devon!
Linda