I went to dance class last week. My goal was to get a good workout and express my creativity. Perhaps Spirit had other intentions. The instructor taught us moves that expressed the feminine. Specifically, she taught us THREE moves. As we learned each move and began to weave them into a dance, I noticed that the instructor used these basic moves and transformed them into an entire dance. Sure, there were variations of the basic steps – we did them standing, sitting, and on the floor. We added arms and different levels of intensity, but the basics of the dance were still the same. Those three moves were evident in every way. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this is a perfect example of how cultural, philosophical, and spiritual roots evolve into something new – or a “tweaked” version of the original.
There are different schools of thought on the impact of tweaking the original. On the one hand, some believe that culture and spirituality should remain pure – completely intact in its original expression. Others believe that slight modifications to culture and spirituality reflect the evolution of society and are not only inevitable, but necessary to ensure their survival.
What’s the right answer? How does society continue to grow and at the same time, honor basic principles rooted in ancient cultures? Are there actually benefits to keeping indigenous cultures pure and intact?
There is plenty of room for debate about these questions. But, what I know for sure is that while society continues to evolve (in a positive or not so positive way), some indigenous cultural elements, like language, are in danger of being lost. We have an opportunity to honor them and keep them alive. Let’s learn about them. Take time to experience them. Listen to you heart and appreciate our roots. Without them, this dance called life would not be the exciting journey that keeps us all in awe.
