The ritual of SEMA, the mystic dance of turning Mevlevi dervishs found its origin in an inspiration of the mystical islamic philosopher Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, who lived and taught in 13th century in the city of Konya, Middle Anatolia (Turkey).

Accompanied by the sounds of the flute NEY and other instruments, the whirling dervish is turning around his own axis, the right hand upward to be ready to receice God’s beneficence and the left hand downward to the earth. It symbols the mankind with their connection between heaven and earth.

© Photo by Jens Helmstedt

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