SACRED DRUMMING PRACTITIONER TRAINING

Practitioner Diploma Training

The Sacred Drumming Practitioner Training is a certificated sound healing diploma course held over five modules within the period of one year in a blend of online and in-person teaching. Completion of this training will give participants the information, knowledge, tools and confidence required to become a qualified Drum Healing Practitioner.

The full training consists of 5 modules in a blend of in-person and online teachings, including Drum-Birthing of your own medicine Inipi drum.

The course is certified by the School of Sacred Drumming
and ratified by the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).

Next Diploma Course:

February – June 2025

We will honour the birth of our healing drums with a beautiful blessing ceremony at Imbolc, and celebrate the successful completion of this course with a gratitude ceremony at the Summer Solstice. Both ceremonies will be held in the expansive energy and magical healing power of the Avebury stone circle.

May the blessings enrich your life and work.

Or scroll down for further details, including partial scholarship options.

Begin your training with a healing journey to yourself with our
Sacred Drumming Self-Healing Course©!

Click here for a special combined offer for both courses.

See what our previous course participants say!

Stability, love, gratitude and new friends

I just wanted to say thank you! The best decision I ever made was to do the Sacred Drumming Training. The medicine wheel and the drumming brought stability, love, gratitude and new friends into my life.
Especially now I realize how strong this medicine is and I can feel that I can help mother Earth and others by playing my drum and saying my daily prayers with my drum.
I don‘t feel lonely but well connected.
Singing also came into my life and I enjoy a lot your music and I love to sing the Song for the great Mother Renata taught us at the last Goddess Retreat as well as the Irish Blessing which is just heart touching and giving comfort.
I‘m so grateful and I want to say thank you from deep within my heart.

~Katrin K.

Inspirational teachers, changing lives for the better

You both have been such inspirational teachers and have changed many many peoples’ lives for the better, including mine.

~ Susan C.

Profound support, holding and nourishing

I would firstly love to express my gratitude for this community and course, the level of support, holding and nourishing has been profound. The drum and rattle have been amazing tools in integrating the brain injury and neurological disorder I obtained, this is definitely something I’d like to explore further.

~ Rebecca L.

Things coming together, like the string on a bag

I feel blessed to have been introduced to the medicine of the Inipi drum.
Thank you Steven for such a beautiful response. What an amazing journey!
I loved the teachings (…). I feel things are coming together, like the string on a bag.

~ Julie

Treasured memories and lessons

I loved the learning about holding circles. It is what I feel drawn to do. I love the ritual of connection and community gathering.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, such treasured memories and lessons. It has been such a honour, I am full of gratitude.

~ Dean

Exploring the sounds of my drum and deepening the work with her

My drum is now fully awake and she is amazing! I am enjoying opening the medicine wheel with her in the morning and exploring her sounds and of course deepening my work with her on this course. It was an amazing weekend and I look forward to connecting again with everyone at our Zoom sessions.

~ Dr. Roz Gibbs

Beautiful Healing

I loved receiving and thoroughly enjoyed delivering distant drum healing. It was beautiful. I really feel different today. Thank you for gently pushing me, guiding me to do what deep down I can trust.

~ J.D.

Practitioner Diploma Training

The Sacred Drumming Practitioner Training is a certificated sound healing diploma course held over five modules within the period of one year in a blend of online and in-person teaching. Completion of this training will give participants the information, knowledge, tools and confidence required to become a qualified Drum Healing Practitioner.

The full training consists of 5 modules in a blend of in-person and online teachings, including Drum-Birthing of your own medicine Inipi drum.

The course is certified by the School of Sacred Drumming
and ratified by the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).

See what our previous course participants say!

Stability, love, gratitude and new friends

I just wanted to say thank you! The best decision I ever made was to do the Sacred Drumming Training. The medicine wheel and the drumming brought stability, love, gratitude and new friends into my life.
Especially now I realize how strong this medicine is and I can feel that I can help mother Earth and others by playing my drum and saying my daily prayers with my drum.
I don‘t feel lonely but well connected.
Singing also came into my life and I enjoy a lot your music and I love to sing the Song for the great Mother Renata taught us at the last Goddess Retreat as well as the Irish Blessing which is just heart touching and giving comfort.
I‘m so grateful and I want to say thank you from deep within my heart.

~Katrin K.

Inspirational teachers, changing lives for the better

You both have been such inspirational teachers and have changed many many peoples’ lives for the better, including mine.

~ Susan C.

Profound support, holding and nourishing

I would firstly love to express my gratitude for this community and course, the level of support, holding and nourishing has been profound. The drum and rattle have been amazing tools in integrating the brain injury and neurological disorder I obtained, this is definitely something I’d like to explore further.

~ Rebecca L.

Things coming together, like the string on a bag

I feel blessed to have been introduced to the medicine of the Inipi drum.
Thank you Steven for such a beautiful response. What an amazing journey!
I loved the teachings (…). I feel things are coming together, like the string on a bag.

~ Julie

Treasured memories and lessons

I loved the learning about holding circles. It is what I feel drawn to do. I love the ritual of connection and community gathering.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, such treasured memories and lessons. It has been such a honour, I am full of gratitude.

~ Dean

Exploring the sounds of my drum and deepening the work with her

My drum is now fully awake and she is amazing! I am enjoying opening the medicine wheel with her in the morning and exploring her sounds and of course deepening my work with her on this course. It was an amazing weekend and I look forward to connecting again with everyone at our Zoom sessions.

~ Dr. Roz Gibbs

Beautiful Healing

I loved receiving and thoroughly enjoyed delivering distant drum healing. It was beautiful. I really feel different today. Thank you for gently pushing me, guiding me to do what deep down I can trust.

~ J.D.

Next Diploma Course:

February – June 2025

We will honour the birth of our healing drums with a beautiful blessing ceremony at Imbolc, and celebrate the successful completion of this course with a gratitude ceremony at the Summer Solstice. Both ceremonies will be held in the expansive energy and magical healing power of the Avebury stone circle.

May the blessings enrich your life and work.

Or scroll down for further details, including partial scholarship options.

Begin your training with a healing journey to yourself with our
Sacred Drumming Self-Healing Course©!

Click here for a special combined offer for both courses.

Details and Curriculum

Why this course?

Drumming is as fundamental a form of human expression as speaking, and likely emerged long before humans ever developed the capability of using vocal organs as instruments of communication. Drum is regarded as one of the oldest instruments in the history of humanity and its power and use for healing are universal, wide ranging and all embracing. Drum therapy and group drumming have been proven to help reduce stress, increase the body’s own healing and wellbeing responses, form and strengthen bonds beetween individuals and create a sense of oneness with one another and the universe – a feeling that so many people crave in a world of isolation and loneliness. It is said that the physical and spiritual health benefits of drumming are as old as time itself.

Our  training course aims at providing practitioners with the understanding, skills and confidence to use drum and rattle for personal growth and transformation as well as helping others in regaining their balance and healing their relationships, home and environment. Information and wisdom from other cultures are imparted to reinforce studies on the beneficial use of the drum in healing.

At present the School of Sacred Drumming is the only teaching college offering the authentic Sacred Drumming Practitioner Course as developed by Steven & Renata Ash.
The course is taught by Steven Ash together with Renata Ash, Ally Gerrish and Debbie Sissman.

Our Sacred Drumming Practitioner Diploma Course is widely regarded as the gold standard of drum healing training. It offers a balanced mix of shamanic teachings together with modern science and proven sound healing techniques and leaves room for the students to go deeper with the help of their designated tutor.

Completion of this training will give students the information, knowledge, tools, practice and confidence required to become a qualified Drum Healing Practitioner.

The course is certified by the School of Sacred Drumming and ratified by the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).

Successfully qualified candidates are awarded a PRACTITIONER DIPLOMA IN SOUND HEALING WITH THE DRUM and can then apply for training to become a certified tutor with the School of Sacred Drumming.

THERE ARE NO QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO ATTEND THIS COURSE FOR PERSONAL HEALING, GROWTH AND LEARNING ONLY.

PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS ON COURSE CONTENT AND QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.

A limited number of partial scholarships may be awarded at the discretion of the School of Sacred Drumming, find out more and apply here.

Course Dates and Info:

 

MODULE 1 – Drum Birthing Module – Friday 31 January 2024 6 pm to Sunday 2 February 5 pm (in-person, planned in Bishops Cannings village hall, Wiltshire (near Avebury))
(Mandatory attendance for qualification)

MODULE TWO: 8 and 9 March 2025 (online)

MODULE THREE: 5 and 6 April 2025 (online)

MODULE FOUR: 10 and 11 May 2025 (online)

MODULE FIVE: 21 and 22 June 2025 (in-person, planned in Bishops Cannings village hall)

Please note: if you wish to qualify for the PRACTITIONER DIPLOMA IN SOUND HEALING WITH THE DRUM, you have to attend the full in-person drum birthing module (31 January to 2 February 2025), and are required to attend least 80% of all other training sessions.

Recordings of online sessions are provided, and personal tutors can help to catch up on missed attendance if needed.

Cost:

£1495

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION (until 30 November 2024):

£1345

Course fee includes course manual, drum- and rattle making materials and dedicated tutor support.

Payment plans available on registration.

Depending on personal circumstances, a limited number of partial scholarships may be awarded at the discretion of the School of Sacred Drumming. If you would like to be considered, please do not book through the link below, instead please find further details and apply here.

Additional costs:
  • Practitioner Certificate issue fee £30
  • ca. £20-50 for student insurance & ca. £35 for online first aid certification (this also applies if you want to perform case studies outside of the course sessions, but not aiming for qualification).

 

 

Or click here to book our combined Self-Healing and Practitioner Training course for a special discounted price!

Curriculum:

 

Module 1 – Every journey begins with the first step

In-Person Drum Birthing
  • The art of smudging – cleansing rituals
  • First explorations into the Sacred Directions and the Medicine Wheel
  • Creating Sacred Space
  • Making and Birthing your own Inipi Medicine Drum
  • Drum opening in sacred ceremony – connecting with the spirit of your drum
  • Starting on your medicine rattle

Students start the course by making their own personal, double sided medicine drum and rattle. This step is compulsory even if the prospective drum healer already owns a drum, since it gives students deep insight into their own hidden patterns and memories that may block their healing, growth and successful completion of their training.

Module 2 – Thinking out of the box

Online

Part 1:

  • Talking Circle, review of Module 1 and opportunity for Q&A
  • Initiating and blessing your drum and rattle
  • Meditative exploration of the dynamics of the Medicine Wheel and your place in it
  • Finding your allies in the Sacred Directions for guidance and protection

Part 2:

  • Introduction to Drum Medicine
  • Distant Drum Healing
  • Experiencing Drum Healing in a drumming circle
  • Drumming and Medicine Songs

Module 3 – Learning to listen

Online

Part 1:

  • Talking Circle, review of Module 2 and opportunity for Q &A
  • Anatomy of drum and rattle
  • Intuitive listening using different drum sound techniques
  • Introduction to Drum Healing
  • Standing Protocol & practice

Part 2:

  • Introduction to Trance Journeys
  • Middle World Journeys
  • Accessing your ancestors, tree, stone, herb and animal helpers and allies
  • Sitting Protocol & practice

Module 4 – Deepening into Trust

Online

Part 1:

  • Talking Circle and review of previous weekends
  • Lying Down Protocol exploration and practice
  • Lower World Journeys

Part 2:

  • Running a drumming circle
  • Facilitating a drum bath
  • Introduction to support tools: voice, crystals, vibrational essences etc.
  • Upper World Journeys

Module 5 – Taking your place in the circle

In-Person
  • Talking Circle and Q&A
  • Review and practice of drum healing protocols
  • Review of trance journeys with rattle and drum
  • Creating Sacred Space within and in the world around us
  • Healing ourselves – Healing the earth
  • Everything is Wakan (sacred)
  • Drumming for peace within and without
  • Sacred Pipe Ceremony
  • Closing and Blessing Ceremony