Last night, thanks to the Ministry of Culture, the ritual of whirling dervishes was performed for the first time exclusively for photographers at the Mevlana (Rumi) Cultural Center. There were more than two hundred photographers. We can only be thankful for it, but the lights (red, green and blue most of the time) were disappointing. We were informed that it will be repeated every year, lets hope that they will make it better next year.

SEMA
Sema is part of the inspiration of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi as well as of Turkish custom, history, belief and culture. It is done as a form of remembrance of God.
Man as the possessor of a mind and intelligence is distinguished from and is superior to other beings. Thus the "whirling dervish" or Semazen causes the mind to participate in the shared similarity and revolving of all other beings… The Sema ceremony represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to the "Perfect". Turning towards the truth, his growth through love, desertion of his ego, finds the truth and arrives to the "Perfect", then he returns from this spiritual journey as a man who has reached maturity and a greater perfection, so as to love and be of service to the whole creation, to all creatures without discrimination of belief, race, class and nation.
The dervish with his headdress (his ego's tombstone) and his white skirt (his ego's shroud) removes his black cloak to spiritually awaken to the truth, he journeys and advances there. At the onset and each stop of the Sema, holding his arms crosswise, he represents the number one, and testifies to God's unity. While whirling his arms are open, his right hand directed to the skies ready to receive God's beneficence, looking to his left hand turned toward the earth, he turns from right to left around the heart. This is his way of conveying God's spiritual gift to the people upon whom he looks with the eyes of God. Whirling around the heart, he embraces all mankind and all the creation with affection and love. (Taken from Celaleddin Celebi, shortened and modified)

Thank you all folks for the kind appreciation of my last image, I am especially thankful to Bernie and Walt for their generous User Awards.

Tags: Black and white Turkey Konya Whirling dervishes Sema

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