The Whirling Dervishes

[packman]

Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair."




Sema is the inspiration of Rumi ( The 13th-century Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi) as well as a part of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture. The Sema ceremony represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to perfection

More pixs and history at:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/dec/18/whirling-dervishes-at-the-rumi-festival-in-konya-a-photo-essay

[rug]

1. This needs video!

[Kali]

2. I have not seen the Sema,

but I have been to the Mevlana in Konya. It was declared a secular museum, but lots of people still pray there.

If one is into religious/mystical stuff, Rumi isn't too bad. Peace, Love, Tolerance.

[47of74]

4. Me too!

I got to see the Mevlana in Konya as well during my trip to Turkey back in 2012.

[47of74]

3. That was one thing I missed out on when I went to Turkey

I unfortunately caught a bit of a cold while I was in Turkey. Going to see the Whirling Dervishes was an optional excursion that I was going to go on, but decided to skip out on in order to get some rest at the hotel.

[Skittles]

5. aw no

I was so traumatized watching a dervish "dance" display in school England when I was a kid - I babbled on to my dad so much about those creepy guys he called the school to ask what I was talking about - gawd, they gave me nightmares