Description
In order to understand the dance one must be still. And in order to truly understand stillness one must dance.
-RUMI
About Sufi Whirling;
While whirling existed before Rumi it is his devotion to whirling and dance that make it such an important part of the practices of the Mevlevi.
Whirling is an active meditation. While we whirl, there is a sense of loss of the mind and the ego – the ‘I’ that represents us diminishes in the movement. The heavy skirts of the Sufis represent the ego, as the skirt lifts by the movement of the dancer. The skirt is also made of the same cloth that Sufis are buried in, symbolizing their intention to ‘Die before you die’ – meaning, to be released from the ego and unified with the Universe in this life.
A few things to keep in mind:
— We will start with warm up exercises and stretching, make sure you wear comfortable clothes.
– Make sure that you have a little bit of space around you and other participants
– If you don’t have a Sufi skirt, any skirt with a lot of fabric will do. If these are not available, any loose
clothes will do.
– Socks are helpful.
– Eat light, do not eat 2 hours prior to the event.
– Whirl at your own speed – you’ll feel more confident after trying it for a while!
– Some people experience nausea or dizziness, but that should go away after a few times.