This site brings you information about the U.S. performances of the Whirling Dervishes from Turkey, organized by local and national non-profit organizations.
In 2009, the locations are:
» Tampa, FL - February 4, 2009
» Orlando, FL - February 5, 2009
» Miami, FL - February 7, 2009
» Athens, GA - February 9, 2009
» Atlanta, GA - February 11, 2009
» Knoxville, TN - February 12, 2009
» Tallahassee, FL - February 14, 2009
» Jacksonville, FL - February 17, 2009
Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi
The Whirling Dervishes are followers of the 13th century Muslim poet and philosopher Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi, who lived in Konya, Turkey. He represents the Sufi tradition of mainstream Islam driven by the Holy Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. The Whirling Dervishes are known for their famous practice of whirling as a form of dhikr (remembrance of God). The rituals of the Whirling Dervishes with chanting and music are among the most enduring ceremonies of spirituality. The universal values of love, respect, self-discipline and responsibility shared by all Sufis are very much relevant to the individual and social issues of today.
Rumi is one of the great spiritual masters and poetic geniuses of mankind. Rumi's life and works show us that it is not faith, belief and religion which cause hatred, conflict and violence, but the sins of hatred and greed and other symptoms of the unrestrained ego, and he showed us how the true practice of religion, the purification of the heart, is the remedy for these.
In our days his life and works are a reminder to all that the "Clash of Civilizations" is far from inevitable and they show us how to derive hope, renewal and reconciliation, rather than despair, fear and enmity from our differences. He invites us to call constantly to mind that we are all one, from God we come and to God we will return:
Come, come, come again,
Whoever you may be,
Come again, even though
You may be a pagan or fire worshipper,
Our hearth is not the threshold of despair.
Come again, even if you may have
Violated your vows a hundred times,
Come again...
