THE WHIRLING DERVISH / THE SEMAZEN

Whirling dervish ceremonies were started as a form of meditation by Jalaluddin Rumi, the famous Sufi Muslim mystic and poet, in the 13th century.

The Persia-born Rumi told his followers, “There are many roads which lead to God.

I have chosen the one of dance and music.

This form of meditation is sought through abandoning one's nafs - ego or personal desires - by listening to the music, focusing on God, and spinning one's body in repetitive circles, which has been seen as a symbolic imitation of planets in the Solar System orbiting the sun.

Dancers wear long white robes with full skirts, which symbolize the shrouds of their egos.

On the dancers’ heads sit tall conical felt hats called sikke, ranging from brown to gray to black depending on their sect; these represent the tombstones of their egos.

Over the robes, the dancers wear long dark cloaks, which embody the wearers’ worldly life and are cast off during the ceremony.

When the dancer is finally wearing only his long white robe, he is assumed to be without fault and ready to start the mesmerizing complex whirls that define the sema.

Materials & Dimensions

Cherry wood

Each Coaster : 10cm x 10cm x 8mm thickness

Sealed with a water and heat resistant finish.

Handmade with love <3