Why do I have an urge to dance singing at Mass?

[Sailor_Kenshin]

What you’re feeling is simply animal excitement caused by the meter and rhythm of the hymns.

It’s not a manifestation of the Holy Spirit at all.

Oh. You can read minds?

You are the arbiter of what the Holy Spirit wills?

Good to know.

 

[CDNowak]

If people are distracted in church by other people swaying, then that is their own fault. Don’t blame it on the person swaying.

And if someone could please explain to me how expressing joy with your body is sacrilegious, I would appreciate it.

Swaying is one thing. Dancing, however, is foreign to the western rite, where the bodily participation is of a more somber nature. There are Eastern Rites that have more exultant physical expressions, such as the Ge’ez Rite.

Christian charity would dictate that we try not to disrupt others prayer, perhaps visiting some of these more jubilant Churches would be a good option for those who want an option to the discipline of the Latin Church.

 

[zab]

Good for you! I don’t think everyone here “gets” what you’re saying. You’re not talk about something base, or a temptation. You’re talking about the Spirit of God bursting out from within you.

Personally, I think there’s nothing wrong with putting your body into your praise. It’s what bodies are for. :extrahappy:

In my case, the swaying is just a habit after raising 10 babies. I still catch myself swaying after all these years.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Swaying is one thing. Dancing, however, is foreign to the western rite, where the bodily participation is of a more somber nature. There are Eastern Rites that have more exultant physical expressions, such as the Ge’ez Rite.

Christian charity would dictate that we try not to disrupt others prayer, perhaps visiting some of these more jubilant Churches would be a good option for those who want an option to the discipline of the Latin Church.

You won’t find rigid silence anywhere. Even within the ‘discipline of the Latin Church,’ we have crying babies and fractious toddlers.

Unless children and their parents are not welcome in church?

 

[CDNowak]

You won’t find rigid silence anywhere. Even within the ‘discipline of the Latin Church,’ we have crying babies and fractious toddlers.

Unless children and their parents are not welcome in church?

I didn’t mention “rigid silence”. You are the first to raise the issue of noise at all. Of course the children are welcome at Mass. My statement still holds concerning respect for others being a part of charity, however.

 

[Cluny]

\I’m not inclined to any “Holy Spirit manifesting” stuff, and I think I would probably faint if I ever had the urge to speak in tongues, but this seems a bit definitive. I don’t see why the Holy Spirit might not occasionally manifest itself in such ways - I certainly wouldn’t say that it could never happen.\

++Thank you for the information. Can you tell me what authority you have to make such a definitive statement?++

**Oh. You can read minds?

You are the arbiter of what the Holy Spirit wills?**

You’d be surprised about how much an authority I am in these matters, but let me challenge you to find ONE EXAMPLE in Scripture or the Tradtion of the Church of the Holy Spirit moving people to sway during hymns in the Liturgy.

This, btw, is ONE reason why Gregorian chant is, for the most part, UNmetered–to suppress any such mere animal or emotional urge.

 

[Prodigal_Son]

This, btw, is ONE reason why Gregorian chant is, for the most part, UNmetered–to suppress any such mere animal or emotional urge.

You keep using the phrase “animal urge” or the like. Who made us so that we have such urges?

Everything must be done with discernment and in prayer. We ought never to act on our instincts without first thinking about it. But emotions and “urges” can be, and often our, signs that our spirits are in tune with the Spirit of God. This is why we call the central moment of Christ’s story His passion, not His chore.

There are some churches in which swaying would require more discernment than others, and I certainly wouldn’t advocate swaying during the consecration. But the Bible speaks of angels shouting and the blare of trumpets! Do you really think that “base” emotions aren’t part of God’s plan for our worship?

 

[catechizeme]

I think this is the key

flipping through the missalette not long ago I notice majority of traditional hymns are written in 3/4 time, why do so many organists play them as funeral dirges? That is waltz time – shall we dance 1 2 3, think of the waltz banged out in The King and I.

Off topic…but aaahhhhh - "The King and I’ - my favorite musical, and “Shall We Dance” - my favorite, all-time waltz, along with “Ten Minutes Ago” from Cinderella. Sorry, had to get that out. Carry on!

 

[Bull]

If people are distracted in church by other people swaying, then that is their own fault. Don’t blame it on the person swaying.

And if someone could please explain to me how expressing joy with your body is sacrilegious, I would appreciate it.

No kidding! When I serve Mass I look down into the congregation. During the singing of the Glory for instance I see everything from swaying people who appear to be signaling touchdowns (silently of course) to people in what I guess they would consider to be a 5 on 5 prayer position and everything in between.

If any of it distracts you, learn to ignore them and focus on why we are there – Jesus Christ!

 

[Bull]

You keep using the phrase “animal urge” or the like. Who made us so that we have such urges?

Everything must be done with discernment and in prayer. We ought never to act on our instincts without first thinking about it. But emotions and “urges” can be, and often our, signs that our spirits are in tune with the Spirit of God. This is why we call the central moment of Christ’s story His passion, not His chore.

There are some churches in which swaying would require more discernment than others, and I certainly wouldn’t advocate swaying during the consecration. But the Bible speaks of angels shouting and the blare of trumpets! Do you really think that “base” emotions aren’t part of God’s plan for our worship?

Cool posting. Thanks.

 

[Sarabande]

It is a natural inclination for the body to sway to music. Musicians sway all the time when they play their instrument or sing. Some do it a little more heavily than others. When training in classical singing, we’re taught to be more poised while we’re singing because it can be a distraction if one moves too much during a vocal recital for instance. BUT there is still the natural movement that goes along with the rhythm of the music. If you watch ensemble groups, you’ll notice how many of them will move around the same moments within the music, whether or not each individual musicians is a heavy sway-er or a more conservative sway-er.

Here are some examples of the natural swaying inclination based on the music and the text of the music:

Watch the male and two females soloists close up and then when there is a far away shot. Also watch the orchestra members, then the choir, then back to the three males soloists together and see how they “dance”, or “sway”:

youtube.com/watch?v=VoKZ5KSsCsI&feature=related

If this is the kind of “dancing” referred to, it’s not really dancing per say. I sway like this when I perform or just singing hymns in congregation.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

**Oh. You can read minds?

You are the arbiter of what the Holy Spirit wills?**

You’d be surprised about how much an authority I am in these matters, .

Yes. Yes, I would be.

 

[Prodigal_Son]

Yes. Yes, I would be.

Play nice, Sailor.:tsktsk:

 

[Bluegoat]

It is a natural inclination for the body to sway to music. Musicians sway all the time when they play their instrument or sing. Some do it a little more heavily than others. When training in classical singing, we’re taught to be more poised while we’re singing because it can be a distraction if one moves too much during a vocal recital for instance. BUT there is still the natural movement that goes along with the rhythm of the music. If you watch ensemble groups, you’ll notice how many of them will move around the same moments within the music, whether or not each individual musicians is a heavy sway-er or a more conservative sway-er.

Here are some examples of the natural swaying inclination based on the music and the text of the music:

Watch the male and two females soloists close up and then when there is a far away shot. Also watch the orchestra members, then the choir, then back to the three males soloists together and see how they “dance”, or “sway”:

youtube.com/watch?v=VoKZ5KSsCsI&feature=related

If this is the kind of “dancing” referred to, it’s not really dancing per say. I sway like this when I perform or just singing hymns in congregation.

I think it is interesting that blind people often sway very noticeably to music. I have always supposed that they are less inclined to modify that behavior to fit in with the surrounding people. I think it is a very natural tendency, and as a pp mentioned mothers do it a lot and their babies find it very soothing. Perhaps it has its origins in the womb.

 

[DOShea]

If you feel that moved by the music, and it’s just a simple motion and not causing a distraction, then sway. I see people swaying (slightly), nodding their heads, tapping a toe, so what? All it suggests to me is that they feel a connection to a song used in worship. Isn’t that the whole idea? It’s not like you’re trying to turn the service into a square dance.

 

[LoveJesus]

Maybe I should re-word this, because some people aren’t understanding what I’m trying to say. What I mean is like I just want to start swaying, I feel the spirit within me, and I just want to move. I don’t mean like how you would dance to some like T-Pain song or whatever, but like I just feel the spirit within me.

Maybe you are so full of the Holy Spirit and want to express that? Nothing wrong with that. Come to a Mass in Africa and you’ll feel very welcome.

 

[Sarabande]

This, btw, is ONE reason why Gregorian chant is, for the most part, UNmetered–to suppress any such mere animal or emotional urge.

I would disagree with this. Having sung chant in choirs as well as in congregation, there is still a natural inclination to move with the line of the music within the chant (even chant has a musical line, otherwise it would sound totally pendantic and not how chant is supposed to sound) - even though there is no written meter in the actual music.

To add: Just hearing this and reading the music, I can totally feel the line of the chant and my body/head at this moment is involuntarily moving along with how it is flowing.

youtube.com/watch?v=37q9zIznj2M&feature=related

 

[pyro_alchemist]

It is probably more of a cultural thing than a spiritual thing. I have attended masses in The Philippines where the congregation was close to dance. My wife (a Filipina) sometimes has a hard time setting still in mass and on one occasion nearly danced down the isle at a Spanish wedding where we were sponsors.

If people offend you or distract you at mass you can always close your eyes while praying. I do that often.

 

[Sarabande]

It is probably more of a cultural thing than a spiritual thing. I have attended masses in The Philippines where the congregation was close to dance. My wife (a Filipina) sometimes has a hard time setting still in mass and on one occasion nearly danced down the isle at a Spanish wedding where we were sponsors.

If people offend you or distract you at mass you can always close your eyes while praying. I do that often.

I’m half Filipina, although culturally, I would consider myself “Americanized” since I was born and raised in the States and have had an “eclectic” upbringing between my European and Filipino heritages.

I will say that the Filipinos are very musically-minded people in general. (I do understand that I am making a generalisation here). It’s very rare (actually never) that a party, which seems to happen every month with what seems to be every Filipino who lives within that state attending, is without singing and dancing of some sort. They love to sing and dance.

 

[tweetymom]

What you’re feeling is simply animal excitement caused by the meter and rhythm of the hymns.

It’s not a manifestation of the Holy Spirit at all.

Anmd you are an authority on this because?