Whirling-
The Sufi Dance
The Whirling tradition was funded in the court of the great Sufi teacher Jalal a-din Rumi. He was born in Persia and migrated with his family to Konya, Turkey. There he became a teacher, poet and religious court judge. Unlike the Islamic tradition, Rumi taught and lived Sufizm, a stream in Islam which emphasis love and the intention of deeds, more than the religion laws. In one of his poems Rumi wrote: "there are infinite ways to fall on your knees and express your gratitude", and indeed, in this tradition, the playing, singing and dancing are integral parts of the prayer. For this reason, the Sufi whirl is mainly done during ceremonies and not for entertainment, like other popular dancing styles.
What is the Sufi Whirl?
In this dance, the dancer dances around himself (as his own axis) for an unlimited time. The turning direction is left, toward the heart, and the arms are open to both sides - the right hand turns up towards the sky to receive the support of God, and the left hand turns down towards the ground, to provide others with the dancer's grace. The dance is accompanied by singing and music; which are also part of the believers surrender to God. In order to perform the dance, the dancer must learn a seven stage technique and cultivate an inner mental practice, which will enable him to whirl without falling down, feeling dizziness, etc. This is a unique path which allows the practitioner to peel off old layers and become exposed to a more divine truth.
Ziker-Sufi Ceremony
The Ziker is one of the major rituals in the Sufi`s spiritual practice.Iit is a meditative technique of focusing awareness and concentrating attentiveness, in which the practitioner's binds his/her conciseness to God in every moment and every state. Even in the most intimate moments of a person life. In this respect, the Ziker, which means remembering God, is truly forgetting everything which isn`t God. Remembering God by man is equivalent to remembering man by God. The Ziker is an expression of linguistic formulas, mantras, in which you repeat Gods name out load an infinite number of times, until it assimilates into the practitioner's inner organs and is pronounced there in silence. The effect of the Ziker is not only on the practitioner's mind, but also on his body, organs and spirit. From time to time, we are organizing ceremonies in unique sites such as Synagogues, Mosques and ancient halls. These ceremonies are gatherings of prayer, singing and dancing, all done for the remembrance of God and for connecting to the heart and to love. The ceremonies are led by a Sheik, who is accompanied by musicians and whirling dervishes. As always, the audience is invited to participate in the powerful ceremony by singing, listening and observing their own hearts. For more details and pictures from past ceremonies, get updated in Our Blog For future Ziker ceremonies, get updated in the Coming ActivitesIn addition, every Wednesday, Sufi whirling class and Ziker ceremony is held in Jaffa, guided by Ihab and Ora Balha. In this circle of beloved friends, we gather, lovers and musicians for an evening of conversation, meditation, Sufi whirling, Ziker, Tea and Suchbat. This weekly gathering is designated for beginners and experienced friends. For the event click here Coming Activites
Sufi & Whirling Gatherings:
Every Wednesday evening, Ziker and Sufi gatherings are held in Jaffa, at the house of Ihab & Ora Balha. In this circle of beloved friends, we meet for an evening of talking, meditation, Whirling, Zikker, cup of tea and Suchbath. Both beginners and advanced are welcome with Love.
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