A New Lightning Drum...
Best Viewed and Heard on Desktop or Tablet
With Speakers Capable of Accurate Bass Reproduction
...With a Voice as Big as Its Spirit
Background Image: A part of the well known 2,000-year-old "Nazca Lines" complex in Peru that shows the Hummingbird glyph.
Hummingbird Lightning Drum
A Shamanic Drum of Unity & Healing
Video: See & Hear It In Action
Meet This Extra Special Medicine Drum
By Shaman Bob
Thank you for visiting the website today and for your interest in learning more about the Hummingbird Lightning Drum. I created it to honor a superstar in this everyday reality, a flying wonderment and surely one of the most loved creations of this and all worlds. Together, Hummingbird Spirit and drum join to magnify benevolent voice, heart-filled intention and spiritual unity with your desire to reveal answers to life questions and to share soul-path service with others.
Among the many blessings Hummingbird shares, you'll find joy bringer, truth teller, path finder, magician, and greatest of all, spirit healer. (Scroll down to learn more in the "More Media" section.)
I had occasionally worked with Hummingbird in the past and even named the 12-inch drums I made in its honor. But I wanted to do more, to work with this cherished healer on a deeper level. So this past year I decided to dive in for extended journeys and ceremonies that led to my work bench and the creation of this drum while Hummingbird Spirit hovered in my awareness.
And here is the result: A combination of the power of lightning and thunder imbued into an instrument created to represent one of the smallest of beings with the greatest of spirits.
Aho & Namaste,
Bob
Questions/ Comments for Bob?
In addition to the videos on this page, be sure to scroll down to the "More Media" section below where you can learn more about this drum, the only one like it the world. Look for Bob's short essay, "The Hummingbird Lightning Drum," available as both a PDF file and an audio file.
Behind The Decorations
Bob's Insights Into the Drum's Outward Appearance
Beautiful raw amber nuggets from the Baltic region featured on the Hummingbird Lightning Drum. They serve to visually remind a shaman of his/her purpose. That is, during ceremony, to lovingly restore the beautiful gem of the soul hidden beneath the rough surface of imbalance displayed by a suffering patient.
Neither mineral nor crystal, amber is an organic gem which offers protection, balance, negative energy clearing and more. One must not expose amber to prolonged sunlight. (See how they are attached to the Hummingbird Lightning drum in photo below.)
In the foreground: Bob made this small lightweight copper clad Hummingbird totem plaque. In the background: The much larger carved Hummingbird totem dangles beneath the drum stand.
Underside of drum. Notice the thick frame, which varies up to 1 3/4". Cross ties are arranged to resemble a bird in flight. The drum originates from a Kentucky cherry tree that grew on a forest edge next to a farmer's field before being struck by lightning. The tree has provided many medicine drums for healers in the U.S., a lasting legacy from a single, beautiful being transformed into many.
These variously shaped and colorfully tinted, bead-topped whimsical figures made of beads and coconut shells reminded Bob of the shapes, colors and smooth motion created by the optical illusions of Hummingbird's wings and feathers in flight. Filmed by a high-speed camera, the movements of a hummer's wings resemble a horizontal figure eight, a symbol of Infinity.
The Hummingbird Lightning Drum features among its many beautiful decorations these raw amber nuggets on colorful suede lacing. See above photo for how a shaman may view these special gems. The amber also coheres and smooths the energy flow produced by the drum player and the crystals in and around the drum's body.
Closeup of the hand-carved Hummingbird Totem sitting on the drumstick rather than assuming its normal position of hovering below the Hummer's nest on the drum stand.
Inside the drum frame is the nameplate, two field leather cutouts with Thunder Valley Drums initials and Bob's signature. They cover the drum's "heart space" where a small cache of emerald chips is hidden. Together with the crystalline nature of the drum, which occurs after a lightning strike has crystalized all of sand particles throughout the drum, the gems maintain a resonance when joining with the shamanic drum player's reciprocal energy in ceremony and journey work.
Magnify this image to see a special geode carrying a cache of crystals within it. Artisan beads top the string.
A crystal-bearing Geode is a shamanic helper that magnifies the generative energy of calm of the amber nuggets described earlier. It also symbolizes the goodness to be seen within that which may not be attractive on the outside. Generally, geodes are found within rough-looking rocks.
More Media
Above, PDF File: Click the icon to read Bob's written thoughts about the Hummingbird Lightning Drum. (To hear him read it, choose the audio version.)
ABOVE AUDIO: Press Start Button to listen to Bob's recording of his thoughts about the Hummingbird Lightning Drum.
And finally, this very, very short video...with LOVE!
Bob's Note: "I was lucky enough one afternoon to get this footage of a hummer on the clothesline in our back yard. Yum!"
Drum & Drum Stand Specs
Drum Stand
-
Legs are exclusively designed and fashioned by Bob from reclaimed 100-year-old cedar farm posts around a 12" wooden circle.
-
Decorations on each leg include several feet of brightly dyed (in Hummingbird's favorite colors) vegan leather lacing with large shiny copper beads .
-
Hand-Carved Hummingbird animal totem is generally suspended beneath the drum. (In above photo, the Hummer appears on the top.)
-
Hand finished with bees wax and natural oil, and paint in selected areas.
-
13 ½” square frame holds a 12" circle with an inserted crosspiece that serves as Hummingbird's nest.
-
Drum Width: varies up to 11" Height: 2" Frame Thickness: varies up to 1 ¾”
-
Comes prepacked with drum and all accessories.
Hummingbird Lightning Drum
-
Rare Handmade Lightning Drum, only one like it in the world
-
Exclusive Drum Stand
-
Extensive Decorations include artisan-made carving of Hummingbird animal totem, small copper clad pendant, many copper beads, specially crafted ceramic beads and dyed plant-based shapes, raw amber beads, a small geode opened to reveal of cache of natural crystals, decorative materials
-
Artisan-made round and flat stoneware pottery beads with copper-mix glazing
-
Drumstick: 12” long
-
Leather medicine bag
-
Small sack of Bob's special smudging mixture
-
Drum width varies up to 12" diameter (34" girth) including decorations, 2" deep
-
Weight 1 lb. 15 oz.
-
Free shipping to any U.S. address. Not for export.
-
For more information about lightning wood and Bob's extensive use of copper in his shamanic drums, please read the free downloads here.
Free Shipping to any U.S. address. Not for export.
For more information about Lightning Wood and Bob's extensive use of copper in his shamanic drums, please read the Free Downloads HERE.
$895.
Includes Free Shipping To Any U.S. Address
Closeups of a few Hummingbird Lightning Drum Totems:
Photo Above Top: A small copper-colored Hummingbird mounted on a wooden plaque, by Bob. A carved Hummer hangs from drum stand in the background. Middle:
Colorful coconut decorations on the drum. Bottom:: Hand carved Hummer Lightning Drum's totem animal sitting on the drum stick.