Rattles

The use of rattles for ritual and ceremonial purposes can be found in different spiritual traditions, dating back for hundreds if not thousands of years. The sounds produced by a rattle when shaken in a steady, monotonous rhythm can support in calming down the busy mind and inducing a light trance state, in which communication with the spirit world is more easy. The rattle can also be used as an active ritual tool, for example for calling the spirits into the ritual space or for cleansing, balancing or blessing purposes during healing sessions. The more you work together with a rattle, the more you will notice (as with all in shamanism); each rattle is the house of an individual spirit, with its own specific dynamics and energetics. Thus it can certainly be possible to work with different rattles for different purposes.

The rattles here in our shop are mostly from the 'closed container' kind; they consist of a container made from rawhide, filled with rattling ingredients, attached to some sort of handle from wood, bone or antler.

The rawhide used for these rattles is acquired as scrap-material from an artisan drum maker. And, to use as much of these hides as possible, we try to get the most out of one scrap piece. That's why you will sometimes see rattles with little 'imperfections' in our shop. The rawhide containers are mostly filled with organic buckwheat. We find this gives the most beautiful sound and feel.

The whole process of making rattles is completely done by hand and with a lot of care and attention. Hours of time and energy go into each rattle. A process in which the spirit of the rattle comes forward more and more, telling us already a little bit about its dynamics and energy. With this information in mind, finally the colorful braids are made, weaved with the best of intentions and blessings, thus consecrating the rattle for its future work together with you as its partner.