The Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul (Photo courtesy of The Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul - Galata Order )
The Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul Story aired: Friday, October 07, 2005
Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam embraced by the poet Rumi. And Sufism expresses love of god in an ecstatic whirling dance.
The Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul are Islamic sufis. They perform the Sema, a spiritual ritual that has them spinning like tops across a stage for minutes at a time while seeming to be in a meditative stance.
Listen to a conversation with one of the dervishes.
