Columbus enjoyed a unique opportunity to learn about one of the great mystic traditions of the world with a special live performance by the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi.
The Whirling Dervishes of Rumi performed Friday, September 22,2006 at the Palace Theater, in an event sponsored by the Scioto Educational Foundation.
Participants at the Sema, the mystic ceremony performed by the Dervishes, watched as the Dervishes removed their dark outer clock, bowed before their spiritual teacher, and then thoughtfully and gracefully began spnning in their quest for a transcendent state. The performance was accompanied by the soothing, mesmerizing music of a reed flute and traditional drum.
The ceremony has its roots in Sufism, the Islamic mystic tradtion, and techings of the great 13th century sprirtual leader and poet, Mevlana Jalaladdin Rumi, whose universal message emphasizing love, unity with God, and tolerance continues to enjoy popularity throughout the world. UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is marking 2007, the 700th year of his birth, as the International Year of Rumi.
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