Sharing the beats of hope and creativity
I moved from Sri Lanka to the United States over 40 years ago. Each year I spend December back in Sri Lanka, with my family living in the country as well as those living in the United Kingdom, Dubai, and the United States. It’s been a tradition for us to celebrate the holidays where it all began.
As in past years, I cherished my time with family and friends. But something was different this year. Some of my childhood friends familiar with my work in music and wellness, had heard that the programmes we offer have scientifically documented health benefits and two of them opened doors to engage vulnerable populations in HealthRHYTHMS group empowerment programmes in December.
A session with elders
The first opportunity was with over 50 children who have experienced much abuse in their young lives. They enjoyed creative musical expression with the drum, had fun with their friends, and felt a sense of calm and peace at the end of the programme.
We then took the programme to a drug rehab centre. It was gratifying to see 36 young men drumming together, working together as a team, and break into laughter and song. Later, I was able to see the beautiful wood carvings created by these talented individuals which left me thankful to have got to know them even for a short time.
The third opportunity was to actively engage over 30 elders at an elders’ home. Many came to the drum circle with walkers and in wheelchairs but all participated with a “can do” spirit. The atmosphere was celebratory. We drummed and sang Christmas carols and they also created rhythms to reflect their mood, concluding their group empowerment drumming session in high spirits!
The next group affected me a lot – 28 children with cancer who undergo chemotherapy on a regular basis. I marvelled at their little hands on the drums and their bodies moving to the rhythms. It’s like they were defying cancer – not letting it get them down. It was wonderful to see several of them come up and sing solos in English, Sinhala and Tamil. Their confidence was infectious!
My last session was with a group of about 20 – among them physicians, musicians, bankers, engineers, lawyers, media personnel and others who were interested in learning about the health benefits of HealthRHYTHMS. They were pleased to hear that the programme helps reduce depression, anxiety, tension, improves communication, builds camaraderie and increases self-esteem. Another positive aspect for them was that the programme was innovated by a neurologist/pioneer in mind body medicine and learning about the peer-reviewed published scientific studies.
For me personally, getting the opportunity during my visit to work with these diverse groups was beyond my expectations. It was indeed a Special December!
Arlene de Silva is CEO of Cincinnati Music & Wellness Coalition and can be contacted at arlene@musicandwellness.net or 1-513-315-7393
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