Andy Hughes

I am based in Hay on Wye, in Powys, on the Wales/England border.

I am a Sound Healing with the Drum Practitioner and Tutor for the College of Sound Healing.

I also offer Shamanic Drumming Circles, workshops and 1:1 sessions and I co-host a one day ‘Power Songs and Rhythms’ workshop with a drum tutor colleague.

I am also a Gong Practitioner and I offer group and 1:1 gongbaths.

As a drummer from an early age, I was always drawn to to sound and rhythm of things around me – cars and lorries changing gear and accelerating; the mesmerising sounds of water from the tap; the sounds and rhythm of the river where we played as kids; the glorious racket I made as a toddler banging pots and pans; the hypnotic calm of the waves on the beach on holiday. These were the sounds that held me and helped me make sense of the world around me.

A hobby drummer since my teenage years, I began channelling these energies into music – playing in bands and learning how to listen to the arrangement of a song, and exploring different styles of playing.

My journey with Healing Sound began in 2010 with an introductory weekend with singing bowls and gongs. I was immediately drawn to the power of the sounds and vibrations and Gong. This presented an interesting departure from my previous experience as a drummer, as it focussed on allowing the sound to blossom and flow naturally, rather than using set patterns and predetermined rhythms. Practitioner training followed and I have been working with the healing properties of the gongs since 2011. It was during this period that I really learned to listen and to feel the sounds, vibrations and energies.

This led me to an exploration of  the power of shamanic drumming and how, simple, repetitive rhythms can help us to free us from the over-busy mind, reconnect to our Inner knowing and to seek help and support from Spirit. This, in turn, can help us acknowledge, reassess and reframe issues we may be facing.

Since my  Sacred Drumming training with the College of Sound Healing in 2019, I have been offering Shamanic Drumming Circles, workshops and 1:1healing sessions. I am currently teaching the Sound Healing with the Drum Diploma Course for the College of Sound Healing, and will be offering it again, beginning September 2027.

A lot of my own self-healing comes from being out on the magnificent land around the area, where much of my inspiration for workshop themes and rhythms is offered. To walk out onto the land and connect with the power of the environment through the drum is such a powerful gift.