Danceswithwordsdid you know.....(part 1)
December 22nd 2006 04:55
I have always been fascinated with the origins of things, with why we indulge in certain traditions, why we partake in certain rituals and why certain symbols, words or gestures have specific meanings. In this blog I want to share a few discoveries that have either made me perk up my eyebrows or at least exclaim in the universal sound of interest (a monosyllabic ohhh).
Origins of words:
Ecstacy.
Comes from the greek word Exstasos or Ekastasis meanting to be “outside the body.” This was a concept first explored by the cult of Dionysus (bacchus), who would encompass themselves in a womb of crashing symbols and loud music, would whip themselves into a frenzy and emulate the grisly death of their deity (who was dismembered by titans) by ripping apart a live bull with naught but their teeth and bare hands. They believed that by doing this, they would transcend the restrictions of mortality and allow the soul to taste liberation from the body.
Enthusiasm.
Comes from the word Enthousiasmos, it quite literally means to be possessed, god filled, or inside the god. By achieving this state of ecstasy, by being outside their mortal confines, they allowed themselves to be possessed by bacchus and experience the paradise that would be theirs in the next life.
Origins of gestures:
The hand shake:
This one is debated, some historians assert that when two parties of warrior or knights met, they shook with their right hand to assure the other that they were neither concealing weapons or could draw their sword (the scabbard was predominately hung on the left) against them. Another theory is that it was a yemini tradition that circulated with the expansion of the Islamic empire. Yet another is that when St Paul met with James, Peter and John in Jerusalem, he gave each of them upon departing his right hand of friendship. It really came into prominence via the English quakers in the 17th century though, as a means of extending equality and egalitarianism across social classes.
The middle fingered salute:
Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger, it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous weapon was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew." Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, "See, we can still pluck yew ... ... PLUCK YEW!"
Even preceding this though, the raised middle finger was a phallic gesture demonstrating virility (just like the traditional thumbs up).
That’s all ill do for now, if you would like to know about a certain gesture, tradition, ritual, symbol etc…ill do my best to track it down for you.
Origins of words:
Ecstacy.
Comes from the greek word Exstasos or Ekastasis meanting to be “outside the body.” This was a concept first explored by the cult of Dionysus (bacchus), who would encompass themselves in a womb of crashing symbols and loud music, would whip themselves into a frenzy and emulate the grisly death of their deity (who was dismembered by titans) by ripping apart a live bull with naught but their teeth and bare hands. They believed that by doing this, they would transcend the restrictions of mortality and allow the soul to taste liberation from the body.
Enthusiasm.
Comes from the word Enthousiasmos, it quite literally means to be possessed, god filled, or inside the god. By achieving this state of ecstasy, by being outside their mortal confines, they allowed themselves to be possessed by bacchus and experience the paradise that would be theirs in the next life.
Origins of gestures:
The hand shake:
This one is debated, some historians assert that when two parties of warrior or knights met, they shook with their right hand to assure the other that they were neither concealing weapons or could draw their sword (the scabbard was predominately hung on the left) against them. Another theory is that it was a yemini tradition that circulated with the expansion of the Islamic empire. Yet another is that when St Paul met with James, Peter and John in Jerusalem, he gave each of them upon departing his right hand of friendship. It really came into prominence via the English quakers in the 17th century though, as a means of extending equality and egalitarianism across social classes.
The middle fingered salute:
Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger, it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous weapon was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew." Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, "See, we can still pluck yew ... ... PLUCK YEW!"
Even preceding this though, the raised middle finger was a phallic gesture demonstrating virility (just like the traditional thumbs up).
That’s all ill do for now, if you would like to know about a certain gesture, tradition, ritual, symbol etc…ill do my best to track it down for you.
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Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Comment by Candy
Can you tell me the origins of the wink (all references to I Robot are purely coincidental
Candy