Cosmology and Native North American Mystical Traditions
Different indigenous nations in North America provide examples of mystical participation in the processes of creation. Some observers dismiss native communities as fragmented or romantically reimaged as "ecological Indians", yet, the tenacity of their religious insights deserve attention....
| Published in: | Théologiques |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Faculté de théologie de l'Université de Montréal
2001
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.7202/005687ar http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/005687ar |
| Summary: | Different indigenous nations in North America provide examples of mystical participation in the processes of creation. Some observers dismiss native communities as fragmented or romantically reimaged as "ecological Indians", yet, the tenacity of their religious insights deserve attention. Intellectually framed in images of interactions between specific peoples with particular geographical places, these images are also embedded in dynamic performances. This paper presents a comparative study of mystical paths among First Peoples in which personal and communal symbols fuse psychic, somatic, and social energies with local landscapes. Experienced as synesthetic intuitions, these images are made more conscious in rituals. These dynamic performances link words, actions, sounds, sights, and sensory observations. Ritualized expressions of native mystical life are themselves interpretive reflections back upon the personal, communal, spiritual, and ecological realms from which they emerge. Native American religious ways, thus, are lifeway complexes that address the limits and problems of the human condition, and foster mature mystical understanding. On retrouve chez différentes nations indigènes de l'Amérique du Nord des exemples de participation mystique dans le processus de création. Bien que certains observateurs reprochent aux communautés autochtones d'être éclatées ou d'être romantiquement reconstruites en " Indiens écologiques ", on reconnaît que la durabilité de leurs perceptions religieuses mérite qu'on leur porte attention. Ces images, intellectuellement construites à partir d'interactions entre des peuples spécifiques et des lieux géographiques particuliers, sont aussi articulées dans des gestes symboliques dynamiques. Ce texte présente une étude comparée de voies mystiques chez les Premières Nations dans lesquelles des symboles personnels et communautaires intègrent les énergies psychiques, somatiques et sociales avec des territoires particuliers. Vécues comme des intuitions esthétiques globales, ces images ... |
|---|