Why do whirling dervishes dance?
The Whirling Dervishes Festival is in a class all of its own, highlighting a spiritual dance form that is believed to help dancers attain a union with God. Who are the Whirling Dervishes? For these Dervishes, spinning is their way of worshipping God.
What is the whirling dervish dance called?
A Frenzied Spinning The best-known characteristic of a Whirling Dervish is the spinning dance called the Sema ceremony. The Dervishes wear all white long gowns with full skirts and tall hats. Seemingly tireless, the dancers can spin and whirl for hours at a time with their arms held up in the air.
Why were the whirling dervishes banned?
In the 1920s the Dervishes were banned from Turkey out of fear that their religious roots would lead them to revolt against the new secular government. It was only nearly 30 years ago that the authorities allowed them to perform again, seeing their uniqueness as a big draw for tourists.
How does the Dervish Dance relate to space?
Many forms of city order, architectural arrangement and movement pattern, including the basic orders of music and the representation of space in miniatures, comply with such an understanding of space and time. The Dervish Dance is in complete harmony with this understanding and with the cosmic movement.
What is the purpose of a Sufi whirling dervish?
It is a customary meditation practice performed within the sema, or worship ceremony, through which dervishes (also called semazens, from Persian سماعزن) aim to reach the source of all perfection, or karma.
Is the dance of the Whirling Dervishes codified?
The dance of the whirling dervishes corresponds to a specific current, that of the Mevlevis Sufis. Rana Gorgani does not seek to reproduce the highly codified and choreographed dance of the Turkish whirling dervish ceremonies. Her teaching is based on the essence of communion with the Cosmos and with the Divine within.
Who is the author of the Dervish Dance?
The Dervish Dance is in complete harmony with this understanding and with the cosmic movement. Jalaluddin Rumi wrote 30.000 verses of lyric poetry all on the theme of love and spiritual bondage. His most venerated work, the Mesnew, is by many considered as the second Koran.