Begun in Konya and finished in Uchisar, Turkey two days later
On my last night in Konya I attended the Sema ritual at the newly constructed Mevlana Cultural Center. 3 nights a week there is a "show", where 3 or 4 dervishes whirl, accompanied by live music. Once a month, there is a night where many more of the local dervishes come and do their thing. It's free, and the night I went there were probably a thousand people - almost all Turkish - there to witness. There were 11 musicians in the ensemble, and 14 dervishes. The ritual lasted nearly 2 hours, and seeing it up close revealed that behind the grace and beauty, there is an incredible degree of focus and physical exertion. As I watched them, I felt such a sense of admiration that a group of people would devote themselves so fully to a practice that has no apparent "product" aside from the intention to shower the blessings of Allah on the world around them.
As I walked across the parking lot after the ritual, I thought about my friends and I, turning round the fire for hours and hours, often 3 nights in a row - and remembered how I had seen in books, and on Mevlana related posters around town that the word "burning" was often used to describe the Sufi's experience in the ritual. I love that I am part of a tribe of people who turn in beauty and grace, celebrating life and love. Blessings on us all!
LYRICS:
when we find each other
this is what we do
we are vessels
that spirit flows through
turning and burning
drawing from above
burning and turning
radiating love
when we find the air
this is what we do
we are the vessels
words and chanting blow through
when we find the fire
this is what we do
we are the vessels
sound and music burn through
when we find the water
this is what we do
we are the vessels
dance and movement pour through
when we find the earth
this is what we do
we are the vessels
gifts of service work through
added March 2008:
we are the portals into the magic
we open up the doors into other dimensions
we're steppin through into fresh ways of being
aligning and refining, radiating love
1...2...3...4... Ayub (variation)
D..kD.k.Tk.kD.k.
On my last night in Konya I attended the Sema ritual at the newly constructed Mevlana Cultural Center. 3 nights a week there is a "show", where 3 or 4 dervishes whirl, accompanied by live music. Once a month, there is a night where many more of the local dervishes come and do their thing. It's free, and the night I went there were probably a thousand people - almost all Turkish - there to witness. There were 11 musicians in the ensemble, and 14 dervishes. The ritual lasted nearly 2 hours, and seeing it up close revealed that behind the grace and beauty, there is an incredible degree of focus and physical exertion. As I watched them, I felt such a sense of admiration that a group of people would devote themselves so fully to a practice that has no apparent "product" aside from the intention to shower the blessings of Allah on the world around them.
As I walked across the parking lot after the ritual, I thought about my friends and I, turning round the fire for hours and hours, often 3 nights in a row - and remembered how I had seen in books, and on Mevlana related posters around town that the word "burning" was often used to describe the Sufi's experience in the ritual. I love that I am part of a tribe of people who turn in beauty and grace, celebrating life and love. Blessings on us all!
LYRICS:
when we find each other
this is what we do
we are vessels
that spirit flows through
turning and burning
drawing from above
burning and turning
radiating love
when we find the air
this is what we do
we are the vessels
words and chanting blow through
when we find the fire
this is what we do
we are the vessels
sound and music burn through
when we find the water
this is what we do
we are the vessels
dance and movement pour through
when we find the earth
this is what we do
we are the vessels
gifts of service work through
added March 2008:
we are the portals into the magic
we open up the doors into other dimensions
we're steppin through into fresh ways of being
aligning and refining, radiating love
1...2...3...4... Ayub (variation)
D..kD.k.Tk.kD.k.
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