The performance of our Sufis (or semazen) is called a Sema.
The Sema ritual is a form of Sufi dance and was born out of Rumi’s
inspiration. In the Sema, semazens, who are also called
“whirling dervishes,” whirl—not to self-induce a trance, as some
believe, but rather to reflect our universal truth, that everything
in our existence revolves: electrons, moons, planets, entire
galaxies; we humans live by the circulation of the blood in
our bodies, by the cycle of the seasons, and by the stages of
our lives; we come from the earth and we return to it.
We humans have been created with love in order to love.
In Rumi’s words, “All loves are a bridge to divine love. Yet,
those who have not had a taste of it do not know!” We invite you
to share,through the semazen’s performance, in Rumi’s saying
divine love. The semazens, intentionally and vision of divine love
consciously participate with the shared revolving of their fellow
semazen. By revolving in harmony with all things in nature
—with the smallest cells and with the largest planets and stars—
the semazen testifies to the existence and the majesty, gives
thanks to, and prays to the Creator. In doing so, the semazen
confirms the words of the Qur’an (64:1): “Whatever is in the
heavens and on earth declares the praises and glory of God.
The Sema unites the three fundamental components of human
nature: the mind (knowledge and thought), the heart (expressions
of feelings, poetry, and music), and the body (activating life by
whirling). Turning towards the truth, semazens grow through
love to transcend ego and meet truth.
The ceremony represents our spiritual journey, an ascent, by
means of intelligence and love, towards “divine perfection.”
In the symbolism of the Sema ritual, the semazen’s wool hat
represents the tombstone of the ego; the wide, white skirt
represents the ego’s shroud. By removing the black cloak, the
semazen is spiritually reborn to God’s truth. At the beginning
of the Sema, by holding their arms crosswise, the semazen
appears to represent the one, thus testifying to God’s unity.
While whirling, arms are open: the right arm is directed to the sky,
ready to receive God’s beneficence; the left hand, upon which the
semazen gazes, is turned towards the earth. The semazen conveys
God’s spiritual gift to those who are witnessing the Sema.
Revolving from right to left around the heart, the semazen
embraces all humanity with love.
