Movement and Civil Discourse

In the second chapter of my book The Miriam Tradition I talk about how words are reflective of our actions.  I think many people think it is the other way around - that actions are a result of the words we speak. Unfortuately, I think that this perception is blocking a true, complete discussion on what creates a climate for civil discourse in our culture.
  Listening to a re-airing of a gathering to discuss this topic, I heard  Krista Tippett of Speaking of Faith/Belief begin the session by focusing on the words we speak as the basis of civil discourse. However, linguists such as George Lakhoff( see especially Philosophy in the Flesh but also his more recent work on politics and discourse) , and even recent neuro-biological studies tell us that words begin with our bodies and our actions. If we want to create a space for plural voices of caring and concern then, perhaps we should be more concerned with movement.
 
    Where do we allow for movement in our lives? Is it simply for utilitarian task of walking to a vehicle and typing on a computer keyboard? Or do we allow for movement that creates "the way the world should be" ? That is more or less Jonathan Z. Smith's definition of ritual (To Take Place: Toward Theory in Ritual (Chicago Studies in the History of Judaism) Yet, unfortunately ritual is still associated with boring and habitual to many, rather than significant and special.  Ritual forces us to slow down and pay attention to how we are moving, and in the process allow for our non-cognitive, non-verbal brain to surface its dreams and hopes.  It's a bit tricky how it happens, but ritual scholars like Catherine Bell describe a process of ritualization - the changes in patterning and movement in a ritual. Good ritual always evolves, allowing for the unspoken to surface.

    Ritual isn't always good. I was reminded of that as my book was edited. Ritual may be used to oppress people, as it is a very powerful activity as symbolic movement. The point is, when we pay attention to our movements, we start to understand where our words come from, and how important our movements are to social well being.

  In my book I quote Cass Daglish's characters from  Nin, Enheduanna and Shatapda on this point. They are the first writers  --- yes, the first writers, from Ancient Mesopotamia, and yes, they are women. They stress that one must not separate action and word; that they are inseparable, and separation leads to a fall. I think this is what is the downfall of our current culture. We sit in front of computers and type words, listen to podcast, and read articles. But we often do not do so as a group activity.  When we do meet in public, there may be the requisite singing of the national anthem, but eyes gaze at a flag and not one another.

   I remember my Jewish meditation teacher beginning each session with instruction to "greet your neighbor," with a reminder note that most of the work in Judaism was exactly this. Following instruction, we would all turn to one another, face to face, eye to eye. Those were the best meditation sessions. Such small but symbolic actions are simple rituals that convey a longing for unity, connection, and love of neighbor.  Possibilities abound for such simple but meaningful gestures. And yes, even democratic and republican senators and representatives sitting together for a presidential speech may make a difference.  But it all begins with a recognition that movement does matter very much.
   I am now going to stand up, stretch, and do some yoga before going to dance class. I am a kinesthetic person. Yet I am conviced that most people need to move more, and be much more aware of the movements they make. This is the place that civil discourse must begin - with ourselves, and discovering our connection to others in movement.

Shabbat Shirah - That's S-H-I-R, as in Miriam's song

 I am bad a typing (keyboard usually too big) and noticed I spelled Sherlock as Shirlock in my last post. Perhaps I was thinking of Miriam's song or "shir" in Hebrew.

  This weekend is Shabbat Shirah, when Miriam's song is read in synagogue. It was attributed to Moses for years, but now most scholars agree that it is Miriam's song, and maybe represent an entire strand of Miriam literature. ( For more on Miriam, please see my The Miriam Tradition  page).  It doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to deduce why such mislabeling occurred.

   Tonight, I am snowed out of Friday services. This is the memorial to Debbie Friedman at Temple Israel - perhaps the Miriam of our time, with Songs Of The Spirit: The Debbie Friedman Anthology, As You Go on Your Way: Shacharit the Morning Prayer, Renewal of Spirit, and even Debbie Friedman at Carnegie Hall: Double CD set. This is the woman who composed one of the best-loved healing prayer tunes for Jewish services. Ironically, she died of pneumonia - a singer who literally lost her breath.  I have heard and read of so many tributes to her. The power and meaning of her song was very great.

   I wish we could heal all relationships with a song, and maybe beautiful music like Debbie's does help us pause and think a bit more of what connects us, lifting us out of ego fits. Music and movement are always playing the backstory.

  Especially after re-reading the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, I am struck by how much is not said. Holmes is supposedly a walking machine with no emotions, and judging only by his words one would think just that. However, that is an extreme literal interpretation that avoids the actions and music in the story. In the stories, Holmes mask comes off when he listens to music. It changes the demeanor of the character, and we learn of a much more complex character when we read about this aspect of his personality.  He becomes more a human.
    No one is a stick-figure personality, even something like the Myers Briggs four-pronged personality profile can capture a whole human spirit. That profile considers mental aspects of being, but not actions. I really think that is a great aspect of personality and spirituality than if one is an INTP or ISTP ( supposed personality of Holmes with the former being more the New Adventures of SH character from PBS). 
    What is your action of being? Do you just sit there and let things happen? Or do you have at least some spirit of adventure to walk through the equivalent of the reed sea?  Maybe this means actively dealing with impossible people at holidays, or considerate of those who don't call in depressing winter times.  In any case, I think we all still need a song and dance to share with others; actions of magic, grace, and celebration.
  

Checking In

I haven't written anything for awhile, as I've been busy dancing.

I did want to do something on the holidays and relationships, but maybe later. Or rather, I'm going to incorporate some of the ideas I read about into the next post, which will also involve my re-read of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. 

I wouldn't have read these stories again if I hadn't seen the New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on pbs. Those 3 episodes are really more "Dr. Who Does Sherlock," but it got me thinking about personalities and relationships.  Perception is everything, and in re-reading the stories, it appears the Conan Doyle was attempting to see if readers could look at the back story. Watson's perception is actually off several times, but there are several sherlockians who take his word as truth, despite even the contradictory information from Holmes.

More later - I have another bookstore event, and need to practice for it.

p.s. the BBC has a fake Dr. John Watson Blog available, with links to some of the characters blogs. It is hilarious.