Harmony of Heart

Dance, Then!

“Dance, dance wherever you may be.

I am the Lord of the Dance said He!

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be.

And I'll lead you all in the Dance said He!”

Sydney Carter (Lord of the Dance, chorus)

Most church goers will recognize this delightful hymn. It actually describes a scene in the Gnostic gospel, The Acts of John, written in the second century. It tells a story not included in the New Testament describing Jesus with his disciples after the Passover meal we call the Last Supper. According to this scripture, Jesus had the disciples stand in a circle for a traditional Hebrew dance. He stood in the middle and said, “I will pipe, dance all of you...I will mourn, lament all of you...The whole universe takes part in the dance.”

“The whole universe” covers a lot of ground, doesn't it? Truth is, Jesus stood outside the norm for his day, which was bound up in laws and requirements, in fees and rules of cleanliness, and in the elitism of the “chosen.” He stood against the authorities in the temple and taught something utterly different. He believed in the universality of the human soul—it was not defined by one's race or religion, nationality or gender. It was equally precious in all.

When I see Jesus in my mind's eye, he is smiling and dancing with his friends. He is joyful, and tries to show them that joy is not dependent on circumstances—a Roman occupation is just part of the dance they are in at the moment. Joy abounds in the human heart, and at the heart of all life. 

Perhaps if we were able to tap into that place of harmony within ourselves we would be less angry, less reactionary. We might even realize that our circumstances today are not forever, only part of an ongoing dance—a circle of life. And, that life, who ever it belongs to, where ever it is, is precious beyond all measure.

                                                    In the Spirit,

                                                          Jane