The Dancing Dervishes of Turkey
The dancing dervishes of Turkey celebrate divine love by losing themselves in its ecstasy. Don’t miss watching a performance in Istanbul.
Sufism emphasizes universal love, peace, acceptance of different spiritual paths, and a mystical union with the divine. One of its most famous followers is Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet whose works have been translated and sold around the world. He is said to have inspired a mystical dance form, a continuous whirling with one hand pointing upwards reaching for God, while lost in the ecstasy of love; a form of meditation that emphasizes introspection and a personal relationship with the creator.
Rumi wrote of dancing: “Dance, and make joyous the love around you. Dance, and your veils which hide the Light shall swirl in a heap at your feet.” There are very few places in the world where you can experience the unique Sufi dance form of the whirling dervishes. Istanbul is one of them. Take a trip to Istanbul and join in a Dervish dance. See if you can rip off your veils and find freedom in love.