Whirling Dervishes Ceremony And Mevlevi Sema

Whirling Dervishes, also known as the Mevlevi Order, are a Sufi Muslim order founded in Konya, Turkey, by the followers of the Persian poet and mystic Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi. The practice of whirling is a form of physical meditation and a ritual performed as a symbolic act of reaching the “perfect” or the source of all perfection. The whirling dance is called the Sema and is performed in a ceremony called the Sema Ceremony. It represents a mystical journey of spiritual ascent through mind and love to reach the Divine. The dancers, or Dervishes, wear long white robes and tall hats (sikke), symbolizing their death to ego and rebirth into the truth. The dance is accompanied by music, often featuring the haunting sounds of the ney (reed flute) and chanting. The Mevlevi Order is known for its tolerance, its music, and its distinctive practices such as the whirling dance, which have become famous worldwide.