Moving Mysteries

“Nothing fills the body more quickly or completely with divine power and joy…than spontaneously expressing gratitude in dance.”
-Andrew Harvey

In July, I was blessed and honored to attend the 50th anniversary festival, “Moving Mysteries”, of the Sacred Dance Guild. Over 200 women, and a few brave men, gathered to share their love of dance as part of their faith.

Although I went without knowing anyone, I left with a wealth of friendships and experiences of dance as prayer in forms as vast and different as we are. From the woman who danced her grief for her friend and mentor whom she recently lost to cancer, to the legends and pioneers of liturgical dance who graciously shared their knowledge, experience and history with us. Just to be in their presence felt holy.

Each day our morning began in a large grassy field where we moved our bodies to awaken and greet one another. Looking into the eyes of each person was a joyful and peaceful way to begin our day. In our world sometimes greetings are lost in the swift tide of the moment. It meant something to be still with another, look into their eyes and acknowledge their presence in the universe.

One teacher, the beautiful and graceful Stella Matsuda, led us through set movement to the music “Come Drink Deep.” The movement was graceful and interpretive of the words. We struggled in areas to get the motions “right” until we were released from this burden when Stella invited us to connect with the words and the movement as it held meaning for us, not worrying about getting it “right”. Having worked on that for a bit, she split us into small groups to allow us more space to move in. I watched as my fellow classmates became prayers themselves. I witnessed women lost in the movement, some expressing joy, some sadness, others redemption. Tears escaped my eyes as I was held captive by them. It was intensely moving to see young girls as well as women doing "the same” movement yet with their emotions and experiences added, they each told their own story. I felt incredibly honored to share in their prayer.

When we add movement to our own prayer, we find wells deep within us that have been longing to escape. When we find that in ourselves and express it with our bodies, others join in our journey… they become part of our prayer.

Dance has been a part our human story for as long as we have existed. So much of our own life’s story is told without words. Responding to rhythms in our environment, in our interactions with others, in our internal self…is instinct. My hope is that if you are ever in the presence of dance in worship, though it may seem foreign, and even a bit uncomfortable at first, you will be open to experiencing it. Sometimes it takes something old and ancient, to teach us something new and timeless.

I believe in the power of all forms of prayer--spoken, danced, sung, played on a musical instrument, painted on a canvas. It is truly a prayer to use the gifts God has given us to reflect them back to our brothers and sisters, sharing our essence with the universe. The Spirit is always moving through us...

Karen Rossignol