Sufi Whirling & the Sacred Dances
If you thought going in circles would just make you go tizzy, attending this workshop on Sufi whirling will make you change your mind. The practice of whirling in meditation or physically active meditation has its origins in the quest of Sufi saints to acquire oneness with God and as a process of getting rid of one’s egos and personal desires.u00a0Dancer Zia Nath who specialises in fusing Sufi Whirling with Odissi will conduct this one-day workshop at Temperance: “The benefits of Sufi whirling differ from person to person. While some experience deep silence in their body others witness a rejuvenation of their whole body, which they have never seen before. It mainly helps gain a deeper exploration, stability and balance within ourselves through movement,” says the dancer.u00a0This introductory session will feature exercises from Sufi schools of dance, followed by turning techniques for Sufi Whirling Meditation onu00a0the beats of Turkish and Persian music. The session will end with a Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisine lunch.

Dancer Zia Nath at Jahan-e-Khusrao World Sufi Music Festival. pic courtesy / u00a0Muzaffar Ali