Background

Yet we who live in it are sometimes out of sync. Our lives and institutions need to be invigorated with rhythm, song, dance, and play. Bruce Silverman, MA, is a drummer, teacher, counselor, workshop leader, ritualist, and festival maker who brings these elements to his work with individuals, groups, schools, conferences and businesses.

Bruce Silverman has devoted most of his professional life to the practice of art as healing. He is a drummer, music therapist, counselor, teacher, and ritual-maker. In 1987 he founded, and continues to direct the Sons and Daughters of Orpheus, a community of artist-healers utilizing drum and chant, movement and dance, sacred circle work, and most of all ritual: the “art of arts. “ The Orpheus Community has presented throughout The Bay Area and California and was highlighted in a 1992 Newsweek feature article exploring the role of drumming as a healing modality for men. This work was the subject of his interview with Charlie Rose on CBS Television in 1993. He has worked with Robert Bly, Coleman Barks, Mimi Farina, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Caroline Casey, and over the past ten years has been on the faculty of Matthew Fox’s University of Creation Spirituality, Naropa University, and currently Wisdom University (Jim Garrison, President). He teaches an innovative blend of drumming and embodied dream work, From the Drum Time to the Dream Time, as well as Rites of Passage for Men, The Art of Ritual, The Dream as Ritual Encounter, and also Body Prayer and Group Process. His approach to art as healing encompasses personal therapeutic work, group work, community ritual, (such as The Day of the Dead Processionals) and sacred activism as planetary transformation. He and his troupe of artist-ritual healers have presented at Zellerbach Auditorium, Grace Cathedral, The Palace of Fine Arts, The Esalen Institute, The Ojai Foundation, The Bioneers Conference, The San Francisco Aids Foundation, and at numerous churches, temples, healing conferences, peace rallies, and social justice demonstrations.

Besides the aforementioned institutions of learning, Bruce has offered art-as- healing work at: Burt Children’s Center for Autistic Children, San Francisco, CA., Marin Child Development Center, San Rafael CA., Chocmat Halev Jewish Meditation Center, Berkeley, CA. (where he is a core faculty member), J.F.K University, Orinda, CA., and The Institute for Transpersonal Psychology, ITP, Palo Alto, CA. He is a co-founder of Shir Neshama Havurah, a Jewish Renewal Congregation in Contra Costa County, CA, and is the World Drumming teacher at the East Bay Waldorf School, El Sobrante, CA.

His education and training includes:

• Liberal Arts, Miami University (Ohio), 1967-1970.
• Therapist, Washington University, St. Louis, Mo, Dept. of Sociology: Autistic Children’s Lab. 1970-1971
• BA, History, Washington University, St. Louis, Mo., 1971.
• North Indian Classical Music/ Drumming, The Ali Akbar (Khan) College of Music, San Rafael, CA, 1974-1975.
• Afro-Cuban, Haitian Drumming and Spirituality: Marcus Gordon, Priest of Santeria, 1975-77, San Francisco, CA.
• MA, Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, John F. Kennedy University, Orinda, CA, 1984.
• Brazilian Music & Spirituality, “Batucaje” Folkloric Troupe, San Francisco, CA, 1981-1986.
• Afro-Brazilian Healing Arts: The Umbanda Tradition, under “Ilorixa” Tina de Souza, 2002-2004, Oakland, CA, and Temple Guaracy, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Bruce is available individually, as a member of the Quadrix business consulting team, or with the Orpheus Ritual Community which he directs.

To reach him call: (925) 685-5585.