Workshops

"Bec has a special ability to communicate ancient wisdom through the art of drum making. With grace, ceremony and the spirit of humour, Bec shows you how to "birth" a drum that will be a companion for years to come. I recommend her teachings and her drum making." Denise Linn (Cherokee)

Creative Workshops for the Soul: Drum Making & Sacred Tools

For over 20 years, as co-creator of Native Journeys in Melbourne, Bec Nelson has offered Medicine Drum Making and other Sacred Tool Workshops. (see below)

All of our workshops are designed to awaken and reconnect you to the Divine within and the spirit of Nature. By working with our hands, head and heart in a harmonious and sacred way, we remember our innermost connection to ourselves, deepening our relationship with Spirit and expanding our sense of community. When we actively engage in dialogue with our natural materials, instead of 'stamping on what we want', we create items of greater beauty and spiritual connectedness. Our co-creation expands beyond what we could ever have originally imagined.

Bec's compassion and humour combined with her extensive knowledge, understanding and deep respect for indigenous cultures and their wisdom, permeate each workshop. Our workshops are sacred, fun, enlightening and full of wisdom from all who attend.

Our workshops are run at The Gallery, 63 Yarra St, Warrandyte, next to the Warrandyte Cafe. We're about 30 km NE from Melbourne city centre. We look forward to working with you!

Please Contact Us to Make a Booking (pre-bookings are essential for all workshops)

Testimonial

" I have just completed my third drum with Bec (my first being about 15 years ago!). Each drum has come at its own time of importance in my life. The beauty of the drum is that it calls you. It is an amazing spiritual journey that stays with you. The drum is an incredible teacher. Bec creates an amazingly supportive and nurturing space for the connection with your drum to occur. She brings such honour to the gifts given by the earth for this beautiful and magical craft.

Bec's wisdom, compassion, generosity and joyous soul make the drum journey an incredible experience. I love each of my drums. I honour the journey and lessons they came with and continue to teach me. I feel blessed to have been through these three journeys with such a gracious spirit. Bec brings such reverence to the drum’s gifts and the birthing of those gifts of your drum."
Cassie - Psychologist

Natural Raw Materials

We supply all the natural raw materials for you to create a beautiful, enduring and spirit filled drum or sacred tool (this includes the rawhide, drum ring, beads, feathers and leather)

However, if you wish to bring some 'special items' from your own collection or in nature, please feel free to do so.

We will do our best to help you incorporate your treasures into your creation.

Permission for Nature's Gifts

As in the ways of our Ancestors, if you find something you wish to have in Nature, please 'ask permission' from Mother Earth, to make sure it is appropriate for you at that moment. Take only what you need and leave an "offering" of some form - perhaps tobacco, sage or corn meal with a prayer of gratitude.

This conscious ceremony keeps us in Right Relations to All Beings, humbling reminding us of our infinite connection to the Web of Life.

What to bring

Please wear comfortable clothing, bring water (including any personal refreshments or a cushion as necessary), a notepad and pen. Some workshops require you to bring additional items, please check 'requirements' prior to attending.

Coffee and tea will be provided in all workshops. If you need somewhere to stay while you attend one of our workshops, please visit Accommodation.

Workshops:

Medicine Drum Making Workshop: $395
Fri Eve 9th Dec 7:30-10:30pm
& Sat 10th Dec 10am-5pm

We offer one and a half day Native Style Medicine Drum Making workshops throughout the year. They honour the gifts from the Natural World and your journey to the drum. Our drum making is a journey of reflection, where you are offered the opportunity to creatively re-weave your life and create new dreams.

Through sacred dialogue, you will create a Spirit filled hand drum of beauty, aligning you to the heartbeat of Mother Earth, the star nation of Father Sky and All Creation. You will experience the magical power of drumming and learn about the healing elements of Nature through the Medicine Wheel.

You will create a 13" or 15" cedar, pine or maple round hand drum with deer, horse or elk rawhide. Other materials may be available on special request.

You'll also learn to create and maintain a life in 'Right Relationship', using drumming as a personal and community tool for transformation. While you can make a drum in less that a full day, we prefer to allow 'good time' for sacred conversations with the materials who have offered themselves, time for personal interactions, natural learning, meditations and stories.

Please see our testimonials from previous seriously happy drum makers!

WHAT TO BRING:

Drum Stick from Nature (It should feel comfortable and strong in your hand. The length, thickness and look of the stick is personal, however, we recommend the finished drum stick size to be 12-17" long and 1" or less wide.)
Old Towel
Hammer

Sacred Tools Workshops: TBA

Our Sacred Tools Workshops are meditative and joyful. You will be supported to create personal ceremonial tools to reconnect you to the Divine within and the Spirit of Nature. These workshops vary from half to a full day and they are full of creativity, laughter and ceremony.

Shield Making: 9am - 6pm $195 TBA
Create a personal medicine shield from

Dream Catcher or Smudge fan: 4 hours $70 TBA
Learn to weave a traditional, spirit-filled dream catcher, reconnecting you to the Sacred Web of Life.

Medicine Rattle: 5 hours $95 TBA
Create your personalised rattle with deer antler, rawhide, leather and beads.

Medicine Bag: 4 hours $95 TBA
Create a beautiful buckskin leather pouch to hold your sacred items.

Smudge Fan: 4 hours $95 TBA
Create a smudging fan to honour the winged ones and work with Grandmother Sage.

Sweetwater Holistic Coaching