The Whirling Dervishes

Sema is a part of the inspiration of Mevlana as well as part of the
Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture.

Historically it has been Rumi, more than any other Sufi, who has
issued the invitation to people of all backgrounds to the mystical
garden that is Sufism:

"Come, come, whoever you are.
Wanderer, idolator, worshiper of fire,
come even though you have broken your vows a thousand times,
Come, and come yet again.
Ours is not a caravan of despair."

From a scientific viewpoint we witness that contemporary science
definitely confirms that the fundamental condition of our existence is
to revolve. There is no object, no being which does not revolve and
the shared similarity among beings is the revolution of the electrons,
protons and neutrons in the atoms, which constitute the structure of
each of them. As a consequence of this similarity, everything revolves
and man carries on his live, his very existence by means of the
revolution in the atoms, structural stones of his body, by the
revolution of his blood, by his coming from the earth and return to
it, by his revolving with earth itself.

However, all of these are natural, unconscious revolutions. But man is
the possessor of a mind and intelligence which distinguishes him from
and makes him superior to other beings. Thus the "whirling dervish" or
Semazen causes the mind to participate in the shared similarity and
revolution of all other beings… Otherwise, the Sema ceremony
represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind
and love to "Perfect." Turning towards the truth, his growth through
love, desert his ego, find the truth and arrive to the "Perfect," then
he return from this spiritual journey as a man who reached maturity
and a greater perfection, so as to love and to be of service to the
whole of creation, to all creatures without discrimination of
believes, races, classes and nations.

During the ceremony, the dervishes remove black cloaks to reveal the
tennure (white religious robes with voluminous skirts). They turn
independently, shoulder to shoulder, both around their own axis and
around other dervishes, representing the earth revolving on its own
axis while orbiting the sun or possibly God.

In the Middle East it is believed that the dervish is in prayer and
that his body becomes open to receive the energy of God. The Turkish
Sultans often consulted the Dervishes in difficult times. Their
spinning created a relaxing and hypnotic effect in which the Sultans
could search for guidance.

Dervish literally means "doorway" and is thought to be an entrance
from this material world to the spiritual, heavenly world. During this
solemn religious ceremony it is believed that the power of the Heavens
enters into the upward extended right palm and passes through the body
and leaves the lower, turned-down left palm to then enter into the
Earth. The dervish does not retain the power nor is he to direct it.
He accepts that he is the true instrument of God and therefore he does
not question the power that comes and leaves him.

"The religion of love transcends all other religions, for lovers, the
only religion and belief is God."

"This moment this love comes to rest in me, many beings in one being.
In one wheat-grain a thousand sheaf stacks. Inside the needle's eye, a
turning night of stars."
- Rumi

A secret turning in us makes the universe turn.
Head unaware of feet, and feet head. Neither cares.
They keep turning.
- Rumi

Nothing moves without divine power. No object can stand without six
equal forces. There is another power making the atom move. It is
obedient to it's Creator's will. From the smallest thing to the
largest; everything is moving according to the Will of it's Creator.
Everyone is a unit. There is not two of anything. Everyone is in a
private situation. Among millions of men and women, everyone is in a
private circle, from their birthday to their last day, their death
day: a circle. Everyone's circle is different. Everyone is moving in a
special circle. We call it 'destination' and they are all different.
They are all arranged and prepared. It is a perfect foundation; all
destinations are perfect. This perfection is from Allah Almighty's
perfection. According to the light of your faith, power will be
granted and appear to you. You may be looking and seeing some
realities, maybe 1%, maybe more. We are in need of more lights and
faith. Everyone has been granted 'iman', faith, everyone knows what it
is but very few people may enter the inner faith, like Buckingham
Palace, it is only for a few select people. It is an order from Allah
Almighty to see reality. Work on 'La illah illallah' (The only reality
is God). This year Allah has sent Mevlevi murids to use our will power
physically. The Lord is pleased with us. The 'sema' (whirling
ritual)is for Allah, if you don't like it, go. The permission is from
the Grandsheikh for the sake of this tariqat, Grandsheikh may open for
a particular person. There are angels wearing the Mevlevi dress
whirling for Allah.

Quote

Working with Our Humanness

SOMEONE SAID, "There is something I have
forgotten." There is one thing in the world that
should not be forgotten. You may forget
everything except that one thing, without there
being any cause for concern. If you remember
everything else but forget that one thing, you will
have accomplished nothing. It would be as if a
king sent you to a village on a specific mission. If
you went and performed a hundred other tasks,
but neglected to accomplish the task for which
you were sent, it would be as though you had
done nothing. The human being therefore has
come into the world for a specific purpose and
aim. If one does not fulfill that purpose, one has
done nothing. "We purposed the faith unto the
heavens, and the earth, and the mountains: and
they refused to undertake it, and were afraid of
it; but the human being undertook it: and yet truly,
he was unjust to himself, and foolish". [Qur'an 33:72]

- FIHI MA FIHI #4

What Sheikh Nazim al Haqqani said about Maulana Rumi:

Bismillahir'Rahmanir'Rahmin

He is, he has no nothingness, I love him and I boast of him, I chose his path, I turn my face to his path.

Everyone has a lover, he is my lover, eternal lover.

He is the one I love, he is beautiful, oh he is most perfect.

The ones who love him are the never dying lovers.

He is he and he is he and they are he.

This is a secret if you hve love you will understand it. Maulanas understand it, for others it is forbidden.

Rumi's poem about aging:

Why does a date-palm lose its leaves in autumn?
Why does every beautiful face grow in old age?
Wrinkled like the back of a libyan lizard?
Why does a full head of hair get bald?
Why is the tall, straight figure
That divided the ranks like a spear
Now bent alomost double?
Why is it that the
Lion strength weakens to nothing?
The wrestler who could hold anyone down
Is led out with two people supporting him,
Their shoulders under his arms?
God answers,
"They put on borrowed robes
and pretended they were theirs.
I take the beautiful clothes back,
so that you will learn the robe
of appearance is only a loan."
Your lamp was lit from another lamp.
All God wants is your gratitude for that.

For Rumi, it is not aging that is loss. On contrary, life itself is loss, a nostalgia for our Origin from which we find ourselves separated. For Jalal ad-Din, the"last of life" is that for which "the first was made," even includes death itself:

Inside the Great Mystery that is, we don't really own anything. What is this competition we feel then, before we go, one at a time, through the same gate.

Hypocrisy

When someone calls me bad names, that makes me happy, but I
am troubled when someone praises me. Praise should be such that
afterwards no denial comes. Otherwise, that praise is hypocrisy.
Someone who is a hypocrit is worse that an unbeliever - Surely
the hypocrites will be in the lowest reach of the fire. {4: 145}
- Shams-i Tabrizi -

Listen!

Listen to the ney

Listen to the one who is giving himself up

Listen to the one is has emptied himself

Listen to the one from whom the voice of Allah is heard

Turn, turn around the meaning of the beloved

Do sema, turn, turn listening to what is being sung

Turn, understanding what is being sung

Turn, turn joining Allah

Who manifest Himself a new every moment

while turning become so pure so beautiful that you

start turning around yourself to

while turning know that the whole universe

even the electrons of an atom

from the tiniest to the greatest of the created

Turn, only to reveal this meaning

sema is for the soul that cannot stand still

Do not sit with the idol get up at once go further

Do not sit lost in your own thoughts

Get up go to where the beloved is

With one foot i am grounded in Sharia

with my other foot i am One with all nations,

I am free, free i am free because i am in love with Allah

I am in love with my Creator,

Slave to no human i am the servant of my love Allah

There is nothing to tie me down

I am free, free, free

They figured the value of my head, my robe and my turban

They were not worth more than a cent

Have you heard my name in this world?

I am Nothing, Nothing, Nothing

As long as i live i am the servant of the Quran

I am the dust under the feet of the Prophet Muhammad

Who ever belongs to God, God belongs to Him

Let yourself go, the ney will guide you to your goal

Demonstrate your love with your actions, your morals,

Be aware of the ways of servant people for the sake of Allah

Feel the pleasure of serving without expectations

Look at those with any faith with the eyes of your soul

From them nothing but a cry of Ya Hayy, or Ya Rabb can be heard

according to their beliefs

Friend I am you and You are me

Don't loose yourself

Don't forget who you are

The one following you like a shadow is me

My friend don't pierce your soul with your own dagger

since you miss the sea let go of being a drop

Since you are me and i am you

what is this talk of me and you

After death comes don't look in to the ground for our grave
Our graves is in the hearts of Areefs