Living in the armpit of America, we have to get as much "outside" culture as we can. So, when we heard the exotic dervishes were coming to Athens, we quickly purchased tickets. In their white flowing skirts, pointy hats, and soft-soled black shoes, a group of whirling dervishes gracefully swirled their way around the stage. The evening started with chant-like relaxing sufi music and then the whirling dervishes whirled with their eyes closed for over 45 minutes. The kinetic energy of the "whirling" sends the spinning men into a meditative state of spirituality. The performance was amazing and I have to admit during the sufi music I dipped into my own meditation, as the music just sent me to my breath. The whirling dervishes were founded by Sufi poet Mevlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi in the 13th century. Rumi was a lover, a romantic, a humanitarian and his poetry reflected those values. Here is one of my favorite Rumi poems (just in time for Valentine's day!):
The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for
you, not knowing how blind that was. Lover's don't finally meet somewhere. They are in each other all along.
4 comments:
awwww come on now...armpit of America? that's harsh :)
Okay, maybe not the armpit, but definitely the elbow or forearm. Ha, ha...seriously, I do realize my perspective is a bit jaded as I have had the fortune of living in some of the most amazing places with unsurpassed natural beauty (Boulder, CO, Kalispell, MT, Valdez, AK, Oslo, Norway). Athens just does not compare, however it is slowly growing on me.
My first flash-----KKK. Oops, guess it was the flowing garments. Knowing you and the yogi and spiritual being you are though, the whole thing had great meaning to you. Did you say a cultural experience? In Georgia?
Does that poem mean love at first sight? You were probably in yogi heaven with the Whirling Dervishes. I know that meditation is part of your spirit. Swirl on!!!!!!
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