TABLE OF CONTENTS
Similar to a book, use this table of contents as an overview and as a way to navigate the material. All live chapters are linked. Over time chapters that are locked or not yet live will be finalised.
URC HOME
PREFACE
URC MUSICAL PROJECTS
URC TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
OPTIMAL HUMAN POTENTIAL THROUGH RHYTHM
URC MEANS ENTERING A META STATE; GOING BEYOND THE "I" & LETTING "IT" HAPPEN - URC as a rhythmic field has three main ingredients: Syncronisation, Simultaneity and Activated Primal Rhythmic Intelligence. By being exposed to such a field an optimized learning state is triggered where the intelligence of the unconscious can be unlocked for healing, inner transformation and accessing the experience of flow!
OPEN PUBLIC WORKSHOPS
Experience the profound reset of a URC Rhythm Process in its full format. An event that can and will transform your perception of time and space. Even short 2.5 hour sessions can make one feel like they have been on holiday! Rhythmic perception is deepened and expanded into the immense world of Universal Rhythm Consciousness. Beginning with the call of the drum, the rhythm circle formation, resting phase and integration phase, one makes contact with and is carried by rhythm on a the most profound and healing level. Due to the simultaneity of both challenge and supportive processes existing the same time URC is both beneficial for musicians and non musicians!
URC FOR MUSICIANS
URC AS A RHYTHMIC TRAINING SYSTEM FOR MUSICIANS - Did you know that most technical mistakes are the result of rhythmic problems? We are not talking about timing either. Learning how to awaken the innate rhythmic intelligence within the body, enables one to identify the difference between syncronisation and coordinated timing. For a musician, syncronisation as a state is incredibly efficient, it reduces the amount of will necessary to perform and process the complex task of playing an instrument. The less "you" are doing, the more "it" happens. Learning to train in URC principles, enables a musician to integrate the rhythmic process on their instrument and completely transform musical expression, regardless of whether one is a beginner or a highly skilled professional.
URC FOR NON-MUSICANS
Whether or not you play an instrument, you are a profound rhythmic being! We walk, talk, breath, think in rhythm. The very thing that sustains our life, the heart pulsates in precise two and three beat rhythms, this is the foundation of all rhythmic expression. The paradox is, with all this profound subconscious rhythmicity within the body, why is it when asked to consciously and intentionally step a simple pulse, this almost always arouses deep inner reactivity within? The tendency will be to tense, freeze or push rhythmic movement to the point of disturbing rhythmic flow. Experience has shown that this is due to a fear of losing rhythm. What is this insecurity?... and what is the relationship to how we live life?
Through URC one can gain deep insight into the primordial relationship between surrendering to rhythmic flow and allowing not knowing. By reconditioning our response to rhythmic chaos we repattern how we deal with challenge and uncertainty in life. Anything that destabilises us, rather than triggering fear and resistance can become a catalyst for creative manifestation. Rhythm shows us that chaos is inevitable and necessary for evolution of human consciousness, by embracing it we gain access to deeper levels of trust and intelligence. URC is a profound musical life practice that requires zero musical experience, creating social cohesion within any group of people who practice it. URC opens new perspective, new perception while resetting the nervous systems parasympathetic healing capabilities, bringing one into contact with "flow" as a tangible experience that can be playfully explored through the rhythmic process. Ultimately URC guides us into to deep reflective states of inner silence making it an ideal way to naturally enter meditation.
EMERGENT LEADERSHIP IN RHYTHM - 3 YEAR URC TRAINING
LEARN TO LEAD THE PRIMAL RHYTHM PROCESS - For those wanting to go deeper! This training is an initiation into the skills and awareness required to trigger URC and lead the primal rhythm process. Includes all necessary drum and percussion tuition.
THE CORE COMPETENCIES - TRAINING AND TUITION IN THE FOLLOWING...
All PARTS AND PHASES OF THE PRIMAL RHYTHM PROCESS
BERIMBOW
SURDO
CONGA
CHANGOO
GUIDELINE INSTRUMENTS - CHING, GONG, STICK DRUM, CAXIXI
RTG (see below)
APRD (see Below)
A 3 year URC Training will provide foundational knowledge and skills for developing world class musicality while at the same time give experiential learning of emergent leadership processes in rhythm and beyond.
This training will be residential and involve 2 x 14 day blocks per year. As there is a lot of course material to cover One needs to asses their ability and commitment to assimilate and train the necessary competencies in between residential intensives. Dates and venue TBA Soon
RTG - PRACTITIONER TRAINING GROUPS- TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY IN RHYTHM
Different to open public workshops; RTG's use the URC unique training philosophy. They are specifically for those who have trained, or are in training to work together to practice facilitation skills. The format for RTG comes from 20 years of experimentation and is covered in the three year URC training curriculum. RTG's are the foundation of the URC training system providing a powerful learning forum for social cohesion and emergent leadership through rhythm. Public participation is also encouraged in RTG's. As a participant one gets the opportunity to witness the complexity and challenges faced by the leader of the rhythm process and partake in the formation of community based in finding "Truth and Transparency" in rhythm.
APRD - APPLIED PRIMAL RHYTHM DYNAMICS
Essential knowledge for URC facilitators and musicians.
THE PRIMAL FORCES OF A RHYTHM CIRCLE
THE GEOMETRIC POSITIONS OF A CIRCLE - The energetic qualities of participating in each position
RHYTHMIC ENTRAINMENT IS DEPENDENT ON THE VESTIBULAR MOVEMENT - The key driver of human rhythmic perception and rhythmic orientation is not auditory but vestibular movement!
RHYTHMIC PERCEPTION, CONSCIOUSNESS & THE RHYTHMIC FIELD - Rhythm as an energy field of perception and how the evolution of rhythmic orientation deepens consciousness.
RECOGNISING THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RHYTHMIC FIELDS - Multi-dimensional or linear, pushing or pulling, contracting or dissolving? Split fields, evolving, devolving, breathless, heavy etc. observable objective markers to identify each one!
THE TRANSFORMATION ARC - The stages of transformation in a 2 or 3 day Primal Rhythm Process.
PROCESS ACTIVATION - Meaning in rhythm is the harvest of nurturing the seed of insight within the fertile ground of strong rhythmic process.
SIMULTINAUTY - Using rhythm, drums and percussion to expand perception and access non linear processing. Contra tempo & contra movement, modulation of left / right, active / passive, loud & soft. Finding the sweet spot between speaking, listening, intention and surrender is a doorway out of the polarised dichotomous mind. Polarised thinking is a psychological prison where one flip flops between either/or states of being, complexity equals stress, simplicity equals boredom and distraction is the only relief. Entering a state of simultaneity is a key out of this suffering. In a state of Simultaneous perception one finds simplicity in complexity and complexity in simplicity, polarities of left and right, active/ passive , speaking and listening come together within the one field of expanded awareness.
CHAOS AND ORDER - Fluctuating and balancing stable and unstable rhythmic processes to promote flexibility, increase synchronisation capacity and therefore generate rhythmic evolution.
SYNCRONISATION - Chaos, relationship and the primordial forces of creation. Understanding the difference between timing / co- ordination and synchronisation can change one's understanding of not just rhythm but life itself.
SYNCOPATION - Crucial energy points for opening any rhythm structure.
COMPLEXITY AND SIMPLICITY - The key to transcending boredom and stress
PRACTICE PRINCIPLES - "Integrity of Process" and "Precision of Awareness"
DRUM & PERCUSSION TECHNIQUE Samples of basic and advanced practices for Conga, Changgo, Berimbau, Surdo and Percussion
PRIMAL RHYTHMIC VOCALISATION (PRV). All humans use the same muscular reflexes in the body, breath, and throat to create fundamental vocal sounds (Articulatory Phonetics) - these expressions present from birth are inherently efficient. Primal Rhythmic Vocalisation (PRV) Combines these sounds with archetypal rhythmic structuring while using precise melodic movement to emphasis target rhythmic elements. Through PRV it is possible to construct the most efficient rhythmic vocalisation in a way that deeply impacts the the body's sensor - motor system while directing rhythmic perception to train rhythm in the body. PRV develops and synchronises the three vocal (Air, Vibratory & Resonating) sub systems, naturally opening resonant chambers, co-ordinating breathing reflexes for increased efficiency, stamina, and power in the singing and speaking voice.
THREE EXPRESSIONS OF THE RHYTHMIC VOICE - Rhythm Syllables (matrix support), Drum Language (movement support), Free Structuring (challenging movement into an autonomous flow)
CALL STRUCTURING - Understanding how to build call structures and the rhythmic principles behind melodic variation. Archetypal single and double time rhythmic elements, single and double time Groove Variations, Shadow Figures, Exit, Entry and Bridging calls.
INSIGHT INTO CALL SEQUENCES AND PHASES - How to train so that the evolution of calls becomes a natural flow.
ANCIENT ROOTS OF THE METHODOLOGY
KOREA - Drummers role for inducing trance & presence in the Shamanic Ceremony "Kut"
BRAZIL - Surdo, Berimbau, Conga and the principle of the Capoeira circle (Roda).
BALI - Gamelan rhythmic interplay the birth of harmony, deliberation and consensus in society.
INDIA - Rhythm mantras, Pulse, Subdivision, Cycle and Indian Music Philosophy
AFRICA - The Drum Ensemble, Polyrhythm, Cross rhythm and learning socialisation through rhythm
HAITIAN VODOU DRUMMING - The Kasé - shifting (breaking/rupturing) the rhythmic cycle to open a door to the subconscious.
TRANCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST - Sufi Whirling & Qawwali Music
AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINALS - Basic pulse & basic tone as foundation for musical freedom.