Intro to Religion

The Sun Dance is a ceremony practiced differently by several North American
Indian Nations, but many of the ceremonies have features in common, including
dancing, singing and drumming, the experience of visions, fasting, and, in some
cases, self-torture.

The Sun Dance was the most spectacular and important religious ceremony of
the Plains Indians of 19th-century North America, ordinarily held by each tribe
once a year usually at the time of the Summer Solstice.

The Sun Dance last from four to eight days starting at the sunset of the
final day of preparation and ending at sunset. It showed a continuity between
life and death - a regeneration. It shows that there is no true end to life, but
a cycle of symbolic and true deaths and rebirths. All of nature is intertwined
and dependent on one another. This gives an equal ground to everything on the
Earth.

The Sun Dance symbolizes a resolution with the conflict between being a
people that view the buffalo as wise and powerful, even closer to the creator
than humans, and having to kill and eat them to survive. Making the buffalo
sacred, symbolically giving new life to it, and treating it with respect and
reverence acts a s a sort of reconciliation. Without the buffalo there would be
death, and the Plains Indians saw that the buffalo not only provided them with
physical well-being, but kept their souls alive, too.

How long does this take, will it happen the first time?
Possibly, possibly not. We can’t determine how long this process takes, all we
can do is persevere, intent is all that’s required and the ability to loose your
mind. What we do know is that the experience enriches your spirituality and
makes future communications a damn sight easier.

For the physical sciences, including biology, the overall trend was neutral,
with no major change in religiosity. Somewhat oddly, these students showed
increased attendance at religious services, but a reduced sense of
religious importance. 

"I hope that Mount Sinai will obey the law and allow health-care workers not
to assist in abortion against their beliefs," she said in a statement. "I
believe lots of nurses and doctors throughout the country are being pressured to
assist abortion, and I want them to know they are not alone, and they should
speak up for their rights of conscience."