Perhaps the first conscious beating of the drum sound occurred as we gestated in the wombs of our mothers. Beat after beat, we grew within the sea of our births, and then we were born into the air of the world—when did we begin to separate from that beat? How long will it be before we hear the beating again?

Gabriel Horn, White Deer of Autumn, is an award-winning writer who has provided a nuanced look at Native American culture and spirituality for decades. Now, he shows how drumming can take us back to our true selves and connect us to each other and the earth. Spirit Drumming follows his journey to the drums, including a history of drumming in Native American communities, an investigation of drums as living beings, and an authoritative reckoning on vibration as a conduit for healing. In addition to sharing stories of people he has known who have been affected by the drums, he also provides information on how to integrate other sacred elements in your drumming (such as feathers, cedar, sweetgrass, and tobacco), transcripts of chants you can use in your own practice, and ceremonies for thanksgiving, birth, the harvest, children, and more.