My Experience With Whirling Dervishes

[Buttons*]

Last Friday, I went to see some local Whirling Dervishes. They are not all Muslim, which is unique for a group that participates in this practice. It was a three hour ceremony.

In the beginning the dancers came in, bowed towards Mecca, and proceeded to sit along the outside of the circle that had been prepared. They wore large brown hats and black robes. The first thirty minutes were spent with everything very still. Turkish words were played over the loudspeakers, and we all listened. The Dervishes held their heads a little to the right - later I was told that this was to hear their hearts. I did so as well without knowing about this, and felt what I refer to as my "light" turn on.

The music became intense and then dull, intense, dull, repeatedly. The voice continuously sang out of tune - though I'm not sure if this held any significance. It was in the quiet sounds that my light glowed especially bright. It stopped, we all listened. A sound of a pipe played. The sound, after a while, was accompanied by the Turkish voice. I assume this was a prayer. It was sang again in the style that had been done before. The Twirlers were still quiet, still listening. I listened.

Then the music stopped, and the Dervishes stood up and walked around the circle, following the leader. There was a part where, two at a time, they would stop in front of the "alter" and bow while looking deeply into another's eyes. This happened three times. Then, everyone stopped, and one of the Dervishes took the black robes off of the Twirlers. I later found out that this part was meant to experience the source within other humans, knowing that we are all one.

The Dervishes then walked around and lined up in front of the alter on the right. As they passed in front of the leader one at a time, they began spinning. Their arms went down, then slowly were pulled up over their heads. Once this happened the left arm extended, to the side, and their hands pointed towards the ground. The right arm extended to the side and the right palm faced up. I was later told that this was meant to be the connection between an openness to the source, and a reminder that this presence was to be experienced on Earth.

I can't remember if music was played. They would spin and spin. There seemed to be no end to the spinning. My light glowed, but my thoughts were confused. I can't remember what I was thinking. They would spin on one leg, and also travel around the circle. Once one came in front of the leader, that person would stop spinning, pass in front of the alter, and then return to spinning. This happened three times each. (Each taking about 10 minutes... to my estimation). Then all would be quiet. They gathered in pairs, placed their left arms across their body, putting the left hand on the right shoulder, and the right arm over the left in the same fashion. They would sit on the ground and bow periodically. There must have been music, or a prayer said, because they knew when to do it at the same time.

The same thing happened three times. I was transfixed on the dancers. After the third time, they all gathered in two again, and this time, another leader put the black robes back onto the dancers. Each one presented and received with a kiss of the cloth.

I think it ended with a prayer in dialogue. Then They all exited solemnly. Bowing to the alter.

It was truly a moving experience.

[A-ManESL]

Thanks for sharing. I don't know whether it is true or not, but I have heard that the original dervishes were banned by the secular Turkish govt. It is only recently they been permitted with the caveat that they were not to be treated as personal religious experiences but as public performances mainly for boosting tourism.