Sema: Whirling Dervishes...

Come, Come whoever you are
Come and come yet again
Come even if you have broken your vows a thousand times
Wanderer, idolater, worshipper of fire
Ours is not a caravan of despair
This is the date of hope
Come, come yet again, come...

Last evening I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Rumi Forum. A night dedicated to Rumi, his way of love, peace and universal truth. UNESCO has declared 2007 the year of Rumi to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Jelaladdin Rumi. If you are unfamiliar with Rumi, he is one of the greatest spiritual and literary figures known for his message call for love, humanity and peace.

The evening began with speeches from diplomats, embassy representatives and Turkish Konya mayor. It was a gathering of Turkey and Pakistan in a united gathering celebrating their strong brotherhood. It was also the first performance of the Sema: Turkish Whirling Dervishes on what is now to become their world tour. Sema consists of seven parts and can be thoroughly explained through http://www.mevlana.net/sema.htm.

From a scientific viewpoint we witness that contemporary science definitely confirms that the fundamental condition of our existence is to revolve. There is no object, no being which does not revolve and the shared similarity among beings is the revolution of the electrons, protons and neutrons in the atoms which constitute the structure of each of them. As a man carries on his life, his very existence by means of the revolution in the atoms, structural stones of his body, by the revolution of his blood, by his coming from earth and return to it, by his revolving with earth itself. However, all of these re natural, unconscious revolutions. But man is the possessor of a mind and intelligence which distinguishes him from and makes him superior to other beings. Thus the "whirling dervish" or Semazen causes the mind to participate in the shared similarity and revolution of all other
beings. Other wise, the Sema ceremony represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to "Perfect". Turning towards the truth, his growth through love, desert his ego, find the truth and arrive to the "Perfect", then he returns from this spiritual journey as a man who reached maturity and a greater perfection, so as to love and to be of service to the whole of creation, to all creatures without discrimination of beliefs, races, classes or nations.

Seven advices of Mevlana:
- In generosity and helping others be like a river
- In compassion and grace be like the sun
- In concealing others faults be like the night
- In anger and fury be like the dead
- In modesty and humility be like the earth
- In tolerance be like a sea
- Either exist as you are or be as you look

www.rumiforum.pk