Mevlana lived in Konya/Turkey in 13Th century AD. His name was Jelal and later he took the name MEVLANA ( teacher ). He revived the practice of whirling in his life time and gave it the status as a method of concentrating THE MIND and developing the art of devotion. Mevlana taught his followers a method of " self development". His method includes music, poetry and whirling. These 3 elements are incorporated in the ceremony of dance called SEMA. Mevlana heard some beautiful music and he began turning in harmony yet with a centered discipline. He was the mystic poet who founded the dervishes ( Mevlevi ). Dervishes also known as Mevlevi are sufis. Sufi's are spiritual off shoots of Islam and Sufi means WISDOM. Whirling Dervishes believe in performing dance SEMA. Dervish literally means " doorway " and Sema represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to PERFECTION. Turning towards the truth, the follower achieves "perfection". During the dance, the right palm faces up and the left palm faces down. Energy from above enters through the right palm, passes through the body and through to the left palm and into the earth. Dervishes believe that when they are spinning ,their body becomes open to receive the energy from God.
Turkish Sultans often consulted Dervishes in difficult times. Their spinning created a relaxing and hypnotic effect.
ABOVE PICTURES are: whirling dervishes, Mevlana, Mevlana museum and Mevlana's shrine.
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