Sufi dance, also called samâ or sema, is one of the most fascinating spiritual traditions in the world. It is practiced by the turnip dervishes, heirs to the mevlevi order founded in Konya in the 13th century by the disciples of the poet and mystic Djalâl ad-Dîn Rûmi. More than a show, it is an inner way, a moving meditation that unites the body, the soul and the universe.
In this article, we invite you to discover the history, the meaning and the practice of Sufi dance, a sacred art that continues today to inspire thousands of people around the world.
The Sufi Dance is not a dance in the profane sense of the term: it is a spiritual ritual. In Arabic, the word samâ means "listen". The dervish, while turning on itself, listens to the music, the mystical song and above all the inner breath. Its circular movement symbolizes the rotation of the stars, the cycle of life and the soul’s path towards divine unity.
Viewers often speak of an impression of infinite spiral, where bodies seem to challenge time and space. This is what makes this practice both mystical and universal: it goes beyond religious and cultural boundaries.
The Sufi dance takes root in the teaching of Rûmi, great 13th century Persian poet. Settled in Konya (in present-day Turkey), he attracted disciples from all over the East. According to tradition, it is at the sound of a blacksmith’s hammer that he would one day begin to turn on himself, thus discovering a new way of entering into mystical ecstasy.
His disciples, called Mevlevis, codified this ritual in the form of samâ. Since then, Konya has become the spiritual center of the whirling dervishes, and every year in December, an international festival brings together thousands of pilgrims and curious people to celebrate Rûmi’s birthday.
The samâ is a structured ritual that begins with an invocation and a greeting. The whirling dervishes wear a long white dress symbolizing purity, and a high hat called sikke representing the tombstone of the ego. Before filming, they remove their black cloak, a sign of abandonment of the material world.
The dervish then turns around its axis, with open arms:
Each gesture has a deep symbolic significance, and each step recalls humility, service and unconditional love.
The Step of derviches turners, also called pas des Mevlevis, is essential to the practice. It requires a smooth and slippery floor in order to allow for smooth and continuous rotation. Practitioners use sufi slippers or dance in socks to promote gliding.
This step is a demanding learning: it involves moving the right foot gently, while the left foot serves as an axis. Regularity, breathing and inner connection allow one to reach a state of deep meditation.
Learning the step of the dervishes, is to enter a discipline where every detail counts: body posture, fluidity of movement, but also the ability to detach oneself from oneself to enter a state of spiritual abandonment.
Sufi music always accompanies the dance. It is played by a traditional ensemble composed of ney flute, daf or bendir drums, and sometimes lute oud. The sound of ney, long and melancholy breath, symbolizes the call of the soul separated from its origin.
The songs often take up the poems of Rûmi or other great Sufi masters, transforming each word into a vibration. Music is not a simple setting: it is the food of the ritual, the breath that guides the dervish in its rotation.
Today, Sufi dance is no longer limited to Konya. Workshops, retreats and shows are organized in many countries: in France, Switzerland, Morocco, Turkey or even in Iran. These meetings attract seekers of meaning, passionate about spirituality and artists in search of inspiration.
La danse soufie est devenue une méditation universelle, accessible à tous ceux qui souhaitent expérimenter une voie de reliance intérieure. Elle garde son caractère sacré, tout en s’ouvrant au dialogue interculturel et artistique.
Contemporary society is often marked by speed, stress and dispersion. The Sufi Dance offers a unique space for:
Many practitioners describe this dance as a path of transformation: the more one turns, the more the ego fades away, revealing a sense of unity with the whole.
Since 2005, UNESCO has included the whirling dervishes samâ in the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This recognition highlights the importance of preserving this millennial tradition, while making it known to new audiences.
The Sufi dance is a living heritage, an invitation to enter the sacred circle of whirling dervishes. It reminds us that life itself is a spiral, a movement that goes from earth to heaven, from the visible to the invisible.
By discovering the pas des Mevlevis, Sufi music and the depth of the samâ, everyone can find a door to the inner experience that Rûmi called "the union in divine love".
What is the Dervish Oracle?
It is a silent spiral. Each card is a step in an invisible dance where we join the rhythm of the world. The oracle is not static: it vibrates, it breathes, it allows itself to be tamed by slowness.
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