The sound of a rattle helps to break up stagnant energy within the body. Sit quietly and shake your rattle. Even softly and gently, the repetitious sound will help clear the mind and open a portal to different realities. Shamans and other indigenous sound healers often make their own rattles using materials that possess power for their spirit work. Typically they use wood, animal skin, seeds, animal claws, and dried plant materials. (dried pods, brushes made of dried stems, or long blade leaves.) A healer’s rattle holds great power. As a result, some sound workers keep their rattles in special medicine bags when not in use. Protecting them also helps to prevent their rattle from attracting unwanted energies nearby.
The sound of the rattle reflects the user’s mood. A sound worker can easily go into a trance-state and connect with the Sound Spirits when they are shaking their rattle in a regular, steady rhythm. They can also guide a person into a deep, healing trance using the same method. Before beginning, ask the sound spirits and nature spirits to put the right rhythm in your mind and hands so it can travel to the instrument. Healers know how to use the rhythms they perceive to help those in need.
Some mystics use their rattle to dispel illness and disease, while others use it in ritual and celebration. The rattle can also be used for grounding, conditioning the energies in the space, and for consecrating elements in ceremonies.
Healers and energy workers believe the rattle possesses a life and persona of its own. When the rattle is played, it awakens the spirit within the instrument which assists the healer in communicating with spirit guides in other realms.
How to play a Medicine Rattle
I prefer these small gourd rattles for gentle expression. They are light and easy to control the sound. You can also play both at the same time without overpowering the space. You will find the rattle that speaks clearly to you when you begin your search. It is important to get acquainted with the instrument and feel its energy before making a choice. It will be your helper in much of your work.
Hold firmly using the handle. If the rattle has no handle, cradle it in the palm of the hand securely. Use the power and strength of the wrist to “flick” a beat, making sharp, short beats. If the beat needs to be faster, reduce the recovery time between flicks. If the beat needs to be continuous without a particular rhythm, shake from side to side or up and down rapidly. If you are following a determined beat, stop your wrist motion on the downbeat and gently pull back up without making any other sound. If you pull it back up with the same energetic motion, the beads inside will continue to rattle, weakening the rhythm. When finished with the ceremony, or rattle song, shake it gently into “sleep mode.” Thank it for helping, and put it back into its protected space.
Uses for Rattles or Shakers
• Invocation or calling of the Spirits
• Space clearing (breaking up and clearing away any unwanted energies)
• Self-healing or healing for another
• Aura Re-patterning (clearing and releasing old patterns)
• Meditation and Journeying
• Grounding
• For Divination, ceremony, and making music.
A rattle is perfect for all those purposes. Its sound has the benefit of not traveling too far, so it won’t disturb your neighbors.
Use rattles at the beginning of ceremonies and rituals to ensure that there is no negativity in the space.
