Sema at Galata Mevlevihane
Watch the September 7th, 2019 Sema ceremony at Galata Mevlevihane (Istanbul) with Shaikh Huseyin Erek, Shaikh Kabir Helminski, and Neyzen Salih Bilgin, Music Director
The Voice of a Dede
~ Offered by Camille Adams Helminski[1] In 1980, we were graced with a meeting with Suleyman Dede. The moment we met him, we felt received, into the presence of a soul deeply devoted and at one with his Lord. Our two small sons were with us, and as soon as he heard that the younger [...]
Segah Niyaz Ilahi & Na’t Serif
Segah Niyaz Ilahi: Segah Niyaz Ilahi PDF Segah Niyaz Ilahi Translation Na't: Na't-i Mevlana short 1 Na't-i Mevlana short 2 Na't-i Mevlana long 1 Na't-i Mevlana long 2 Na't-i Mevlana long 3 Na't-i Mevlana long 4 Na't-i Mevlana long 5 Na't-i Serif ve Turkce Anlami (Visit Semazen.net for more scores.)
The Mevlevi Order
The Mevlevi Sufi tradition traces back to Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi (d. 1273) one of the greatest mystics and poets the world has ever known.
Mevlevi Women
In Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi's family there had long been a tradition of the recognition of the spiritual beauty, yearning, and wisdom of women. It was his grandmother, the princess of Khorasan, who first lit the spark of inquiry in Rumi's father, Bahaeddin Weled. It was under her care (Bahaeddin's father died when he was two years old) that he grew to be the "Sultan of the learned" and a great spiritual light for his world. Mevlana's mother, Mu'mine Hatun, a devout and saintly lady, was very dear to him. Mu'mine Hatun was the beautiful daughter of Rukhneddin, the governor of Balkh in what is now Afghanistan.
The Sema Ceremony
An illustrated description of the sequence of events in Sema, the central ritual of the Mevlevi Sufi order.
The Musicians
The musicians sit on a raised platform opposite the sheikh. The hafiz (one who has memorized the entire Qur'an) chants a prayer to Mevlana and a sura (chapter) from the Qur'an. The sound of the kudum (kettle drums) then breaks the silence. The dervishes, now [...]
The Sultan Veled Walk
An illustrated description of the sequence of events in Sema, the central ritual of the Mevlevi Sufi order.
The Selams
The musicians play as the semazenbashi approaches the sheikh; bows to him with right foot over the left and arms crossed at the shoulders; kisses the right hand of the sheikh, then steps away backwards to a position five feet from the post, in order to direct the sema. Each dervish then approaches the sheikh [...]
The Turn
All of the dervishes unfold their arms and whirl as the sheikh stands at his post, the musicians play and the chorus chants. The semazens extend their arms, right palm facing up and the left down. The energy from above enters through the right palm, passes through the visible channel of the body, then passes [...]