Hello All,

If you have ever experienced TaKeTiNa, you know there is laughter involved. I hope you all got a chuckle from “the Washing Machine.” This process is a full body and mind experience. We build multilayered rhythms which have a great number of effects on the body and mind. Sometime participants have said that it felt like their brain had gone through a “Washing Machine”. It had been flooded with water and soap, tumbled around in a good way, dried out and left warm, clean and fluffy. Okay, maybe those weren’t the exact words but they did use “washing machine” to describe this experience and I have too.

Often we are unaware how full our minds are trying to remember, worry about, cherish, complete, do, relax, make the pie… The mind is amazing. Conscious, subconscious, unconscious, all very amazing. But, the mind needs a wash, rinse, spin, and deep clean from time to time. So why is rhythm such a good “washing machine’?

For me, the cleaning happens as the rhythm comes back time and again. Each time I fall in or out, I am a little more focused, clear, present. It is like a rock being cleaned by the sand as the waves move. It doesn’t take a lot of pressure or work, just get into the waves and let them do their thing. Try to keep your footing. Sometimes, let go of that too for a bit and see how it feels. We are usually in rhythm for just over an hour. That is a lot of washing. Remember, you get to choose how much washing you want, how deep it goes, and when you want to take a rest. Its a choose your own adventure rhythmic washing machine. I hope you can make it this weekend to play with these ideas and see how your state of mind changes as we move through rhythm.

Peace,
Jacob Stein