Author: Bryce Haymond

The Genesis of the Round Dance – Part 1

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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?

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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

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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:
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President Hinckley on Temples

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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

Gordon B. Hinckley – The Temple Builder

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Gordon B. Hinckley

(June 23, 1910 – January 27, 2008)

The most remarkable temple builder who has ever lived passed away this evening at the age of 97 – the Prophet of God on earth, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and our beloved friend and exemplar, Gordon Bitner Hinckley.

In the 165 years before he was called to the office of president and prophet of the Church 47 temples to God were erected on the earth. During President Hinckley’s 13 years as God’s anointed servant, 77 temples were built up to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 124 temples are now operating around the world, with another 13 temples under construction or announced, nearly tripling the number that existed previously. From an average of constructing a temple every 3.5 years, President Hinckley produced a near 21 fold increase in the rate to every 2 months! In the year 2000 alone, 34 temples were dedicated and given the exalted and holy status of the House of the Lord. During his lifetime he dedicated 85 temples, more than any other man who has ever lived. We might even say that President Hinckley has done more, save Jesus and Joseph Smith only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it, by extending the saving blessings and ordinances of the temple to countless millions of God’s children around the world (see D&C 135:3).  Other members believe similarly.

Many prophets and apostles, ancient and modern, have envisioned this day and prophesied of the inspired and prophetic work of President Hinckley:

Elder Bruce R. McConkie –

We expect to see the day when temples will dot the earth, each one a house of the Lord; each one built in the mountains of the lord; each one a sacred sanctuary to which Israel and the Gentiles shall gather to receive the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Perhaps they will number in the hundreds, or even in the thousands, before the Lord returns. [Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1982), 277.]

President Brigham Young –

To accomplish this work there will have to be not only one temple but thousands of them, and thousands and tens of thousands of men and women will go into those temples and officiate for people who have lived as far back as the Lord shall reveal. [JD 3:372]

Even Isaiah of old foretold this time, and likely saw the ministry of President Hinckley,

Enlarge the place of thy tent, and . . . stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations . . . (Isaiah 54:2)

Elder Merrill J. Bateman has explained Isaiah’s scripture thus,

I suddenly realized that the phrase “the curtains of thine habitations” refers to temples, to houses of the Lord. In looking at the last days, Isaiah saw that a key feature of Church growth would be the building of temples. Temples will spread across the earth. (The Dawn of a New Millenium, Jan. 11, 2000)

Many others have also prophesied of the time when temples would “dot the earth.” President Hinckley saw that era and gave us the realization of that prophecy and vision. Glory be to God for the inspired work of this remarkable man of God! Indeed, we thank thee, O God, for a prophet!

Said the prophet,

I believe that no member of the Church has received the ultimate which this Church has to give until he or she has received his or her temple blessings in the house of the Lord. Accordingly, we are doing all that we know how to do to expedite the construction of these sacred buildings and make the blessings received therein more generally available. . . . We are determined, brethren, to take the temples to the people and afford them every opportunity for the very precious blessings that come of temple worship. (Some Thoughts on Temples, Retention of Converts, and Missionary Service, Oct. 1997)

Let it be known to all nations, kindreds, tongues and people that Gordon B. Hinckley was a chosen prophet of God, that he spoke the word of the Lord, and was a first hand witness of the Savior Jesus Christ! He was God’s prophet, seer, and revelator on the earth. He set in motion the accelerated building up of the most sacred spaces on earth, the holy temples of the Lord, in the most spectacular way this world has ever seen, and in them the saints have worshiped God and performed saving gospel ordinances in and to His name. The world will forever remember the legacy of our beloved prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley!

Hear the testimony of the prophet of God.