Mevlana Dervish

As an artist, I am enchanted by the whirling ritual . I try to capture the concentration, the purity, and nearly succeed. The build-up to whirling includes respectful processions, bowing, and forgiveness from an open-hearted Sheik. The dancer’s right hand turns up, connecting to the heavens, the left turns down toward earth. They follow the practice of Jelalluddin Rumi, known in Turkey as Mevlana. Rumi's group was once questioned at a city gate about their origins and destination. His reply became history:

"We are coming from God, and going to soil. Nothing whatsoever will impede our
journey." . . . Rumi

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