In these times of Covid 19, it is all the more important to breathe correctly. More than ever the breathing skills we learn through learning didgeridoo are critical. I am open for Skype, Zoom or Facetime lessons. Please contact me to arrange lessons. Elise led a free workshop called Breath-Giving Didgeridoo at the SF Free Folk Festival on June 8, 2019 at Everett Middle School, 450 Church St., SF. See https://sffolkfest.org/ for more details. Please check out her youtube video for an exerpt regarding an introduction to didgeridoo (thanks to Viviane DeLeon Bias and Pamela d'Sophia for videotaping!): Video URL
And a video featuring the concept of "letting go" in learning the didgeridoo Video URL
The last Didgeridoo and Breathing Re-Training Class was held March 23-April 27, 2019 in Berkeley (See below for details) If you would like me to start another class, please contact me. Watch for the release of my soon-to-be-published book, Blow Sleep Apnea Away: Playing Didgeridoo to Ease Apnea, Athsma, Anxiety and More.
______________________________________________________ "It was a blast being in your backyard again, among the goodness that you seem to create wherever you are. I am always reminded when I sit in your didge circle, that you are an amazingly kind and sensitive teacher--never pushing but somehow allowing to flower. Thank you!" (Judy Chew, didgeridoo student) Photo credit: Lief Bruylant Upcoming and Ongoing Classes:
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Is your sleep interrupted by sleep apnea, intense snoring and/or insomnia that result in daytime sleepiness? If so, playing a drone instrument called the didgeridoo can help. Get relief from sleep apnea and snoring, express yourself musically and have fun at the same time! |
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What do the experts say?
The authors conclude that regular training of the upper airways by didgeridoo playing reduces daytime sleepiness and snoring in people with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and also improves the sleep quality of partners. How can you learn the didgeridoo?Elise has been playing the didgeridoo for seven years now and is now offering one-on-one sessions and classes to teach the skills to others. Included in the package is a practice urban didgeridoo, either decorated or one that you can decorate yourself. Should you become interested after you learn how to play, there are many professional didges available in the marketplace. Other reasons to play didgeridoo1.) Links Westerners with the ancient Aboriginal culture of Australia 2.) Helps with meditation 3). Teaches you to breath in a more healthy way 4.) Provides insight into yourself. and gives you a way to express yourself musically. Links Westerners to indigenous cultures
Playing the didgeridoo can enhance entry into a meditative state. Dirk Schellberg in Didgeridoo: Ritual Origins and Playing Techniques, quotes a psychotherapist who has been using the didgeridoo in his practice for years, Dr. Wolfgang Strobe, “After lengthy practice of meditation it is common to experience inner tangible or audible vibrations (the yoga philosopher Patanjali calls this the ‘humming of the cosmic engine.’) These vibrations can be compared to the vibrations of the didgeridoo which can be perceived with the senses. What is heard after a while with the inner ear when a person meditates, can be made audible for the outer ear by the didgeridoo. (p. 73) Breathing Breathing is connected to the word “spirit” in many languages, including English. And yet so many of us have not learned to breath properly, causing physical as well as spiritual problems. The art of circular breathing that is needed to play the didgeridoo allows us to become conscious of our breathing and to correct problematic patterns that we have established. This special kind of breathing can be of help to anyone with pulmonary problems such as asthma. The Greeks saw the diaphragm as the seat of the soul, using the same word for spirit, soul and diaphragm. Didgeridoo playing is an effective way to train the diaphragm because some of the rhythms are created directly by the diaphragm. Watch an experienced player, and notice the intense activity of the diaphragm. Didgeridoos have been used to reach a relaxed, dream-like state in which the unconscious can be accessed and insights gained. And it gives you all of the benefits of expressing yourself musically.
Our events are fundraisers for the Puuya Foundation in Queensland, Australia who work with Aboriginal Australians in a number of exciting programs. Click here to find out more and/or to contribute. |