Rhythm at the Heart of the Universe: A Drummer's Cosmology

Rhythm is at the heart of the universe. Hebrew Scriptures (Genesis 1) say the universe began as a primal sound, a word, a divine vibration. Christian Scriptures (John 1) identify the Primal Word with Jesus. In Hindu mythology it is out of the element of ether, or nada, the original sound, that the universe came into being. The god Shiva is depicted playing the hourglass drum in one of his right hands while dancing, thus creating and sustaining the universe through rhythm and dance. It is believed that existence would cease if Shiva stopped drumming and dancing. Within Native American stories of the Sacred Wheel (Medicine Wheel) imply that if the people stop dancing and singing the tribe, and even time, may cease to exist.

Drums play a role in the creation stories of many cultures. These stories indicate that drumming and rhythm are understood to be integral to human life. In a creation myth of China a being called P’an-ju, who was an architect, went to the cliffs of Chaos with his chisels. He began drumming out a beat with his tools. Pieces of the cliffs flew into the sky and became the stars and planets. Rhythm and percussion find themselves in our stories of creation’s origin.

Not only is rhythm featured in world mythologies, but also in Western science. Scientists advocate the big bang theory of the universe’s origin. Subatomic physics teaches us that there is rhythm at the heart of the universe. Over 2,500 years ago Pythagoras told his followers that stone was “frozen music.” His intuition has been confirmed by modern molecular physic. All matter is made up of energy vibrating at about 10 (to the 22 power) times per second. A drummer’s cosmology recognizes that there is a Primal Rhythm at the heart of the universe.