 |
 |
 |
 |
Act VII: Rumi & Whirling Dervishes
|
During the 13th Century a devout Muslim named Mevlana Jalalu’ddin Rumi was born in Afghanistan and came to Anatolia at a young age. He made his home in a town called Konya in Central Anatolia. Konya’s population included Christians, Jews, Turks, Greeks, and Armenian's. He embraced all people as One and practiced the unconditional love of God. |
 Mevlana Jalalu’ddin Rumi |
Whirling Dervishes
For over 700 years, men in black and white cloaks have performed a whirling dance named
Sema, which is a continual remembrance of the Creator. The inspiration to ‘whirl’ came to
Rumi as he opened his heart and surrendered it to God.
The Whirling Dervishes performed Sema dance, which has four important meanings.
1) Both arms stretched out to either side with the right palm looking up into the sky and
the left towards the ground. This represents the taking from the Creator above and
giving to the created below.
2) One foot of the Dervishes never leaves the ground, which represent his firm belief of
his religion. The other foot in is constant motion, which represent engaging, cooperating,
befriending and loving others from different faiths and cultures.
3) White robe represent purity.
4) Tilted head represent humility.
The original works of Rumi are so deep that they penetrate the heart of men, and he has been
referred to as “the soul of the poet”.
Rumi’s Words of Wisdom
About knowledge Rumi said: “If you grasp knowledge through the heart, it is friend. If you
limit it to the body alone, it is a snake.”
“Every tongue is a curtain over the heart. When the curtain moved, the mysteries hidden
behind it are revealed. The tongue is like the lid of a cooking-pot; when it moved, you know
what sort of food is inside.
“If you seek to soar to heaven, make friends with all men.
Never harbour a grudge in your heart.
The joy of friendship is Paradise.
When you talk of enemies. Thorns and snakes fill your heart.”
Rumi said, “ I was raw, then cooked, and now I am burnt. “
“The core of every fruit is better than its rind.
Regard the body as the rind, and the human spirit the core.”
“ Leadership is a poison except to the one who possessed the antidote in his heart”.
“ The heart is like a candle longing to be lit “.
“Walking in the garden with my lover, I was distracted by a rose.
My love scolded me, saying “How could you look at a rose with my face so close?”
“Come, come whoever you are,
An unbeliever, a fire-worshipper, come.
Our covenant is not of desperation.
Even if you have broken your vows a hundred
times,
Come, come again.”
Before he died Mevlana Said:
“Do not search for me in the grave.
Look for me in the hearts of learned men.”
On the evening of December 17, 1273, Mevlana passed into “union” as the Konya sun
burned bright red.
|
Producer: Dr Sami Kent B.Sc, D.I.C., Ph.D. The Heart of Anatolia Ltd. 10 Barrie House, 93-94 Lancaster Gate, LONDON W2 3QJ Tel: +44 (0) 20 7402 7264 • Mob: +44 (0) 7729 449 899 Web: www.heartofanatolia.com • E-mail: heartofanatolia@btinternet.com Registered in England - Company Registration Number 6214300 |