Month: January 2008

The Genesis of the Round Dance – Part 2

Leave a Comment
Aztec round dance for Quetzalcóatl and Xolotl

Aztec round dance for Quetzalcóatl and Xolotl

(Continuation from Part 1)

The Genesis of the Round Dance

Bryce Haymond

“Then shalt thou dance in a ring together with the angels, around Him
who is without beginning or end, the only true God . . .”
—Clement of Alexandria ((Backman, E. Louis. Religious Dances in the Christian Church and in Popular Medicine. London: Allen & Unwin, 1952, 19))

Introduction

Round dances, through all ages of time and all locations of the world, display striking similarities in structure and theme. This is strong evidence that they share a common origin. These dances are usually quite religious in nature and I propose that round dances, like other widespread yet similar ritual motifs found scattered across the world, had their beginnings in one of the first sacred rites of this world given to and practiced by our first parents, namely the ancient prayer circle.

So as not to confuse the term [Read more…]

The Genesis of the Round Dance – Part 1

7 Comments
Krishna dancing the round dance in the Mahabharata

Krishna dancing the round dance in the Mahabharata

Background

During my senior year as a student at Brigham Young University, the Fall 2006 semester, I enrolled in Dance 260 which was an “Introduction to Dance” course. The professor was Susanne Davis, a World Dance Division Administrator. In the class we learned about the history of dance, from the beginning of time down to the present. It was a fascinating experience to learn about the origins of dance, particularly since I have an affinity for ballroom dance, being an active competitor in the sport for more than 15 years. But it was even more interesting to me because of the connections I saw between religion and dance. Our final assignment was to write a paper about dance, relating it in some way historically to what we had learned in the class.

Several years previously I had read Hugh Nibley’s “The Early Christian Prayer Circle” in which he cites similarities between the early Christian practice of the prayer circle with the ancient tradition of round dances. I had always wanted to explore this connection more fully, and this research paper gave me that chance. I was even more convinced of my direction when I saw many more parallels to the prayer circle in the evolution of dance in ancient religions and practices as we read further in our texts.

My research led me to the thesis for my paper which I entitled, “The Genesis of the Round Dance”:

Round dances, through all ages of time and all locations of the world, display striking similarities in structure and theme. This is strong evidence that they share a common origin. These dances are usually quite religious in nature and I propose that round dances, like other widespread yet similar ritual motifs found scattered across the world, had their beginnings in one of the first sacred rites of this world given to and practiced by our first parents, namely the ancient prayer circle.

My paper found strong acceptance with the professors of the Dance Department at BYU. I was accepted to present my paper in the annual Dance Department Writer’s Symposium, and was published in their journal now available at the Harold B. Lee Library. What will follow is the paper, split into parts, with some additional edits of my own.

(Continued in Part 2)

A Flaming Sword?

12 Comments
Egyptian tree of life

Egyptian tree of life

When God drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, he placed cherubim and a flaming sword to keep the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). The Bible tells us very little about these symbols that were set to guard the way to the tree of life. Cherubim are commonly known as symbols for angels, or heavenly beings. But what is the flaming sword? What is its meaning?

Fortunately, God has given us the Book of Mormon, which has an extensive vision of the tree of life, which might help us understand what the flaming sword might mean. Bruce Webster has an excellent post over at Adventures in Mormonism about the potential symbolism of the flaming sword. Taking into account a possible typographical error in the text as discovered by Royal Skousen, Bruce says:

Combining Nephi’s descriptions of his (and Lehi’s) vision of the Tree of Life, we have ‘the justice of God’ represented as both a sword and a flaming fire — combined, a flaming sword — and in both cases keeping the Tree of Life from those who choose the world (the ‘great and spacious building’) instead of coming to the Tree of Life on God’s terms. . . .

What is perhaps more interesting is that we get through this vision an interpretation of the ‘flaming sword’ mentioned in Genesis — the justice of God, which prevents us in our willful state from approaching the Tree of Life. What the rest of Nephi’s vision tells us is that it is the love and condescension of God that gives us a path (’strait and narrow’) and a guide (’a rod of iron’) by which we can come and partake of the Tree of Life and thus enter back into God’s presence.

Andrew Miller also has some good commentary about this.

DVD about President Hinckley’s Temple Building

Leave a Comment

Meridian Publishing, part of Meridian Magazine, has produced a 60 minute DVD presentation about President Hinckley’s temple building era. It is produced by Meridian’s founders, Scot Facer Proctor and Maurine Jensen Proctor. It looks like a great film about President Hinckley’s vast work of building up temples around the world. It is available for $16.50. Here is a trailer:
[Read more…]

President Hinckley on Temples

Leave a Comment
President Hinckley sealing cornerstone

President Hinckley sealing cornerstone

President Hinckley loved temples. He loved speaking about them, building them, dedicating them, visiting them, and doing the work therein performed. Here are some of his words and counsel:

“Every temple that this church has built has in effect stood as a monument to our belief in the immortality of the human soul, that this phase of mortal life through which we pass is part of a continuous upward climb, so to speak. And that as certain as there is life here, there will be life there,” he said in a 1999 interview. The temple, he said, “is concerned with things of immortality,” in particular the eternity of the family. “All of the ordinances which take place in the house of the Lord become expressions of our belief in that fundamental and basic doctrine,” he said. “The temple, therefore, becomes the ultimate in our system of worship. And, therefore, is of great and significant importance to us.” (Deseret News, “Mark Left on Temples, Ordinances”, January 27, 2008)

“I wish to say to everyone here, come to the temple. Live worthy to come to the temple. Live the commandments of God so that you may come to the temple. Do those things which will make you eligible to serve in the house of the Lord. It has been built for you, my brothers and sisters, that you might have the opportunity of coming here and receiving the wonderful blessings that can be had nowhere else in all the world, except in other temples, where you may be sealed together as husband and wife, where your children may be sealed to you, where you may work in behalf of your forebears, who have gone beyond. That great and marvelous and wonderfully unselfish work occurs in the house of the Lord. Come to the temple” (meeting, Aba, Nigeria, Aug. 6, 2005).

President Hinckley often spoke or wrote about the temple, in General Conference and in the Church’s magazines. Here are some links to more of his counsel regarding them:

“O That I Were an Angel, and Could Have the Wish of Mine Heart” – Oct. 2002 Conference

“The Salt Lake Temple” – Ensign, March 1993

“Why These Temples?” – Liahona, June 1992

“Keeping the Temple Holy” – Ensign, May 1990

“Temples and Temple Work” – Liahona, Oct. 1982