The Christian tradition of Baptism comes from the baptisms given by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. Jesus also came to him from Galilee and was baptized. Jesus, who had led a private life until then, made a turn around and lived a public life thereafter. Therefore, baptism was a turning point in his life; it was a moment of confirmation for the Baptist and the people who hanged around him; it was a moment of approval from heaven for Jesus himself; and it was also a moment of anointing for him.
Coming back to the tradition of baptism, I often wondered where John the Baptist got the idea of baptising from! Just recently I read that baptism was part of the Jewish new-year ritual. The beginning of the year is known as Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah usually falls in the first half of our September. From the first day the following ten days are considered holy. The tenth day to the New Year day is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. All those ten days are days of introspection, prayer, and renewal. Rosh Hashanah begins with a symbolic cleansing of sins. The ritual bath that Jews perform by going down into a river or stream is a symbol of washing away sins. At the same time, they would throw bread crumbs that they would bring with them to the fish. This ritual bath is known as Tashlich. John probably adopted this Tashlich as a symbol of repentance, washing away sins, and beginning of a new life. Just not on a specific day, but throughout the year he baptized people as they came to him.
A similar but more intense ritual bath is found here among the Apsaalooke tribe, one of the Native American tribes. They consider the ritual bath, which they call the "Sweat", to be sacred. They have separate sweat lodges for men and women. A dome-shaped structure, perhaps about six feet high and twelve to fifteen feet wide, made of flexible tree poles. It is covered with several layers of blankets. The entrance would be only three feet or so high. With prayer and reverence one must enter in naked. A huge fire is prepared outside, and rocks heated real hot in it, are brought into the lodge and deposited in a pit. Once the entrance is closed, water is poured over the red hot rocks. The dark lodge now is real hot and filled with hot steam. With prayer, in connection with the earth, in the presence of people just like us, we stay for pretty long time. Then they come out purified physically, mentally, and spiritually. Once outside take a dip in cold water!
What a longing we see in every culture around the world to become new humans! What ways we can see people adopting for that!
