It’s very interesting how certain beliefs and teachings are common all around the world. Psychologist Carl Jung conducted some interesting research into archetypes, which are ancient mental images that persist in the present consciousness.
But can that account for many parallels we see out there that are very specific? Could very similar beliefs develop from those archetypes? How much of these teachings are remnants of truths practiced in various dispensations among lost tribes.
In this Navajo ceremony, it seems that there is a physical ritual that is created as a precursor to a spiritual experience. In this ritual, the person has a ceremonial name that nobody knows except their spouse.
Reminds me of D&C 130:11
And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word.
Before they are permitted to enter, they are asked questions like “Who are you?” from behind a veil-like blanket. This covering also prevents us from remembering the spiritual life before and separates us from “the holy people.”
Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
Isaiah 13:2
Rituals all involve some kind of transition. They attempt to communicate through some physical words, actions, and juxtapositions, experiences that transcend the mortal realm.
And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil;
Ether 3:19
Their intent is to bridge a gap between worlds, to prepare initiates for what lies beyond.
And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad.
Ether 12:19
Many of these rituals take different forms throughout time.
Even in the scriptures, where we see various prophets experiencing similar divine visions in which they are taken up to the throne of God, given an account of the creation, and shown future events, they differ very much from person to person.
Although they may seem different when considering the entire whole, there are key points that tie them together. If that is true for these heavenly visions, then could it also be true for the rituals here on earth?
While the rituals may seem vastly different, like the visions, there are these key points that are too similar to ignore. Not just with this Navajo ritual but in many others going back thousands of years.
Imagine how fascinating it would be one day to trace the lineage of all of these teachings and see how they converge.
4 Comments
I did some investigating into Wally and it didn’t take long to discover that Wally is LDS. He was married to his wife in the 70’s in the SLC temple.
It seems disingenuous and a bit underhanded not to include such an important detail that otherwise leads one to assume his message and tradition shared is strictly that of his native heritage and just happens to perfectly align with LDS doctrines and teachings.
Personally, I didn’t know he was LDS. But what he’s saying checks out with Navajo traditions. They do have a secret name that is used in rituals as he’s described. These things, even as he described them, do not “perfectly” align with LDS doctrine and teachings, there are simply very basic similarities.
It’s possible that being LDS he could have spun things a lot more to try and create more of a connection but what he describes is pretty general and accurate. I think he’s pretty objective in his descriptions of Navajo traditions, he doesn’t seem to inject any LDS terms or theology into at least the stuff from him that I have seen.
I agree. The parallels were so strong after just a few minutes that I immediately Google searched to find out and was not surprised at all to find your comment. There are deep parallels to Mormonism all throughout both eastern and western esotericism. The monomyth is alive in all cultures and wears the language and costumes of that culture with perfect ease.
In not only this video but throughout Wally Brown’s posts, one can recognize gospel practices, principles, and scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon.
Hugh Nibley observed that the Book of Mormon references the temple ordinances “in their old form,” as in Primitive Christianity and the Restoration, practiced before the Babylonian captivity and the rise of Rabbinism.
Gospel parallels permeate Native American and First Nations traditions but not so much among the mythologies as in the purer oral traditions, which are not widely known, as “Navajo Grandma” testifies, such as:
On Navajo Origins:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaDjh2VRyWY
On Chaco Canyon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6K1C_FMNMQ
There’s a wealth among the Mi’kmac, Hopi, and others.