Myths and Music Mevlevi Dervishes Vesa Matteo Piludu Helsinki Department of Comparative Religion University of Helsinki

Performative model of the whirling dervishes As in the Afro-American Religions The musicians aren’t in trance The dancers are entranced

CD: Trance 1, track 1

CD: Music and Trance 1, track 1

Whirling Dervish - Mevlevi Sema Ceremony Naqshbandi Whirling Dervishes of Indonesia

Ney (reed flute) Oud (lute) tanbur (fretted string instrument) Bendir (frame drum)

Dances The tunic are extended by centrifugal forces The tilt of the head is accentuated by the tall hat Relaxed arm are extended sideways

Living representation of Lam-Alif Letters of the Arabic epigram La Ilaha Illa-Allah ”There is no God – But God”

Sheik When the sheik enters the dance, his dervishes orbit around him like planets

Poet Jellaeddin Rumi If you split an atom you will find in it One Sun And some planet will revolve Jellaeddin Rumi

Closest to god In whirling … the outer world dissolves into bands of colors, space is obliterated and time reversed. This has been called the path of return Whirling, we move against the flow of the time Directly experiencing our origins Coming to our innermost centre where we are closest to god

Mystical goal Seeking mystic union and experience the dissolution of the self in the divine essence

Poet Jalalludin Rumi the mystical love Reason is powerless in the expression of Love Die in Love if you want to remain alive