Whirling Dervishes, Istanbul, TR

Whirling Dervishes

Large Mural of Folk Dancing

Carol read about the Whirling Dervishes and wanted to see how they could be just spinning in place, not getting dizzy and not falling over. It is amazing to think about. To spin for hours, holding one’s body in a strict position seems impossible to do. We wanted to learn and to witness this feat in more detail.

The Dervishes have ceremonies one can visit and watch, but it is not an entertainment, nor a lightly taken side show. Applause is not permitted, nor are pictures. The men who dance and swirl for hours on end, use the swirling to get into a trance-like condition to pray. To be in contact with another reality, to drug themselves with dizziness to feel ‘different’. To understand all of the implications of the spinning and swirling is difficult to grasp. It is mind control, it is a different dimension. The Persian Mystic Rumi wrote about it extensively.

We visited the “Sema Istanbul Dervishes” in the Hodjapasha section in Istanbul; a section just before leaving Europe and going into Asia.   (www.hodjapasha.com)   This area today is a cultural pocket set up for the arts, deep within a back ally. It was a surreal experience to have visited this service.

The Spinning Dervishes are a mythical order of Sufi Islam, a small hybrid of Islam but so important that the whole order was incorporated into the Unique “Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” listed by UNESCO.  We witnessed a ‘SEMA’, a ritual, a spiritual journey. In the Universe, everything, from atoms to the solar system and to the blood which circulates in the body, revolves.

Sema - This One Was For Entertainment So Pictures Allowed

No Matter the Color - Also For Entertainment

Sema is a ritual, a spiritual journey which the soul makes to God as it becomes mature and attains unity. After this journey, it returns to its life to serve humankind again.

This spinning, swirling dance, is a prayer; once entered it can (will) bring the Dervish closer to the mysticism of the love for the Divine in ourselves in every minute of our lives. There is much symbolism along the way. There are many stops on this journey, seeking guidance from all around the universe and even from death.

According to the founder, Mevlana, (Rumi) in the early 13^th Century: “When you enter the Sema you will leave both worlds; the world of the Sema is outside both worlds.” It takes study, it takes dedication, and it takes understanding to fulfill this ritual, this journey.

Carol and I were sitting, mouth agape, trying hard to understand and follow each person during their prayer service. Each body position, each clothing part, each step had its meaning and we were clueless yet knew that we were seeing something few will see in their lifetime. We were witnessing the spirit of humankind shown to us in a dance form that far exceeds what we ordinarily do in our daily lives.

At the end when the music stopped, the praying men left, the colored lights went out, we walked back to the trolley, unable to really speak to each other. It was a very personal, deeply rooted experience that each of you, reading this, should experience at least once in your life time.

Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, or Zen. Not any religion
or cultural system. I am not from the East or the West, not out of the ocean or up
from the ground, not natural or ethereal, not composed of elements at all. I do not exist,
am not an entity in this world or the next, did not descend from Adam or Eve or any
origin story. My place is placeless, a trace of the traceless. Neither body nor soul.
I belong to the beloved, have seen the two worlds as one and that one call to and know,
first, last, outer, inner, only that breath breathing human being.

Mevlana Rumi (1207 - 1273)

Basilica Cistern, Istanbul, TR

Basilica Cistern, Istanbul, TR, - Dervishes -

The city, Istanbul, is very old. For centuries people lived in close proximity to the sea but there was always a need for drinking water. So how did the Ottomans handle the lack of fresh drinking water? There are not enough rivers or lakes to supply the need for water by millions. Carol and I found out about the ancient methods, still used today. There are many reservoirs strategically placed below ground throughout Istanbul.

The old water reservoir we visited, the Basilica Cistern, was built as early as the 6^th century when Istanbul was still named Constantinople.  The spot where the water is stored today was a Cathedral in the 6^th Century and when this Cathedral burned down it was converted to a Reservoir. The details about just this one water storage place are mind-boggling. I have the feeling that Istanbul, like Rome, Athens or Damascus, has many layers below ground that are hardly visible. 

The Cistern Is Huge And The Lights Make It Look Romantic 

The Basilica Cistern From The Outside

I was told that 7000 slaves were used to build this huge holding tank. To find columns, to find any other building material, the ruins of the burned down Cathedral were looted and anything the people could find to make building easier was used to build the water reservoir. While we visited we saw a mix of these columns within this cistern. One of those columns had an upside down carved head of Medusa as a base. Another column had another Medusa head placed sideways. Some columns had ornate decorations of the Evil Eye (supposed to ward off evil Spirits). The whole installation was huge. Capable of holding 2.8 million square feet of water, this Cistern sure helped with the water usage. Most of the water stored was rain water.

Today, instead of relying on just rain water Istanbul recycles water very carefully. This ancient installation just serves to show how it used to be so some water is kept in the old Basilica Cistern. Today’s water comes from deep wells far away and is being pumped into Istanbul. But rain water and recycled water are the main sources for Istanbul’s water.

The Fish Are Blind 

Fish swim and spawn in those waters.

 Many of those fish have lived inside the holding tank for so long they can no longer see. They have lived and bred inside the cistern for generation after generation, living always in the dark. Those fish cannot live any place else now, they must stay in the cistern. It is a strange ‘evolution’.

here

You Must Turn Your Hand 360 Degrees To Get Good Luck

Visiting this old Cistern, built so long ago by slaves, left me in awe of the energy that was expended to make Istanbul the stronghold it is. This cistern is extremely large, even a bit eerie. I imagined the light failing while being deep inside it. A touch spooky! (I always have a working flashlight on me). Yea! 

The seeing eye column is said to bring good luck "IF" you can turn your hand a full 360 degrees around the 'eyeball'.

Carol could do it, too !

Good Job, Carol !

Move Away A Bit And It Gets Darker And Darker 

Dark In Some Spots, EERIE !!!!

Medusa's Head On Its Side As The Base For One Of The Columns

Upside Down Medusa Head Is The Base Of Another Column

Elegant Marble Columns With Decorations Were Used Inside The Cistern

Istanbul's Blue Mosque, TR

Istanbul’s  Blue Mosque, TR

Bike covers and cats don’t go together. When we checked on our bikes in the morning we found that now Carol’s bike cover was ripped to shreds by a cat too. I guess some cats used her covered bike as a spot to be out of the weather but then, when the winds flop the fabric, their claws swat at the ‘moving’ fabric and the damage adds up to rips after rips. OK, it depends on the cat, but most stray cats are ‘mousers’ and they have done a job on both of our covers now. What is the best way to cover the bikes then? The nylon covers we have will not work, that is for sure! We found our bike covers damaged before we started the day. Not a good way to start the day.

Minaret - A Finger Pointing To Allah??

At Dusk All The Lights Go On 

The 'Blue' Tiles Inside The Mosque 

Our plan today is a visit to Istanbul’s famous Blue Mosque. Actually there is not much ‘blue’ to the Mosque and no Turk ever called it the Blue Mosque. It’s just a Western name given because there is a lot of ‘blue’ in the 21,000 tiles used throughout the buildings. As a Westerner the Islam religion is a mystery, not understood by me. Oh, I understand the concept of Allah, of the Prophet, praying 5 times a day, having a belief system that contains 5 major points like:  Allah is the only God; Muhammad is the Prophet, praying 5 times a day, giving alms to the poor and going once in your life to Mecca (haj). I am sure there are other things that define Islam. I am sure there are many subtleties, too. That is why there are Sunnis, Shia and other smaller, mythical groups of Islam, each having a different outlook. We hear about the extremism almost daily, is this extremism here in Turkey, too?  Can I see something in their house of prayer, their mosque that is an indicator?  I will go and take a look, see what there is to see without being judgmental, I hope. No, I have no interest in turning into a Muslim. I explain why at the end of this blog.

Everybody in Turkey knows it as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque because it was built in just 7 1/2 years (1609-1617) by Sultan Ahmed I. It is yet another amazing building, not far from the Hagia Sophia and not far from the Royal Topkapi Palace. The young Sultan was just 19 years old when he gave the order to start building and he himself worked as a laborer for a while.

The main design follows the ideas of the Great Turkish Architect Sinan, but in charge and adding to the details was Sinan's  pupil, the Architect Mehmed Aga. Not only is this building complex a mosque but in accordance with Turkish tradition, it is a ‘kulliye ’, an extended mosque that includes a hospital, a madrasah (school), a bazaar (market), an imaret (soup kitchen) and a tomb for the members of the royal family. Other buildings like the ‘time house’ where astronomers predicted and calculated the times for prayer and other Islamic events were added, too.

As always when one enters a mosque, shoes come off, feet, hands and face need to be clean and the body and hair (for women) should be covered to a strict ‘decency’ level. The attire requirements are different for males and females. Carol knew about this and brought her own scarf to cover her hair, and had dressed conservatively. Many people in the long line who wanted to get in to see the mosque, needed to ‘rent’ dresses or hair covering. I have no objections at all to doing as told. It is their house of prayer, it is their belief, and it is their way of doing things. I felt like a guest and behaved accordingly. The long line we stood in moved along slowly but when we entered the mosque proper there was a service going on and I felt like an intruder and did not participate in their service. I just watched discreetly (if that is possible) from afar. I do the same in a Christian church when services are in process. I do not participate, I just sit and try to blend in somewhat. Not knowing what to do at all in an Islamic mosque I did not enter the mosque proper at all, nor did Carol. There were sections that were open for the public but with so many people (tourists?) around it felt a bit awkward, I felt like I was a disturbance, rather than a visitor.

             Praying Is Segregated

Still, I must admit this (blue) Mosque is a rare example of the grandeur of the Islamic world. Nothing was spared to make this a one of a kind building in the honor of Allah. It is a true spiritual representation of Islam.

Quotations in Arabic, taken from the Quran, decorate the top of huge pillars. Arabic ribbon like calligraphy runs along the periphery of the walls.

The Mosque has certain sections and all make total sense. I will list some of the description of these areas. It’s a bit detailed but I found it interesting.

There is the Mihrab, a niche; it looks like a cavity in the wall of the structure. This is the direction towards Mecca, towards the Kabah. This is to be faced when bowing down to pray.

The Minber 

There is the Minber, a pulpit, it looks like a staircase. On top of the staircase is a large platform from which the sermons are delivered every Friday at noon, at the feast of Ramadan and the feast of the Sacrifice. On these occasions every healthy Muslim is encouraged to attend. The Muslim belief actually tells them it is mandatory to attend, women as well as men, but women are given opportunities not to attend. On high holy days, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque holds about 12,000 people inside the main hall and main courtyard. It is a huge space.

Kursi Chair 

There is the Kursi (a chair) from which talks/lectures on religion are given by scholars. The chair at the Blue Mosque is covered in Mother of Pearl. This chair, I was told, is not always occupied, just on very busy days.

There is the Muezzin Mahfili (Muezzin’s Lodge). After the call to prayer from the minaret, the Muezzin comes down the stairs quickly and again, inside the mosque now repeats the call one more time, standing on this raised platform, this lodge. This elevated position within the mosque allows the muezzin to see the Imam and allows his voice to be heard well by all the assembled people. After the ritual prayers are finished the muezzin recites certain words 33 times. They are glorification and praise. To not lose count the Turkish culture uses prayer beads to help them count.  This process is called tasheeh. 

Muezzin Mahfili

There is the Hunkar Mahfili (Royal Lodge), a section within the Mosque that is walled off but one can see inside through ornate, carved screens, where the Royal House used to pray along with the most important ministers. In history Sultans were killed while praying and to make sure this would not happen again, a protected, screened room was installed to give the Sultan and his family some protection. It has its own entrance too.

The Imam I Spoke To 

The whole installation of the Blue Mosque is very active. In order to learn a bit more about the religion, I asked for an audience with an Imam and had a nice chat in English. I do not pretend to know much about Islam and was intrigued. One fine point I had was a question on this point:  when the prophet Muhammad was told to write down what he was told by Allah how could he write it? As a simple shepherd or merchant he was not literate. If someone else wrote for Muhammad, like a scribe, where are those written records today?  Ah, the stories about this are long and nobody really knows, but we had a nice discussion. I left the mosque with a smile on my face; it is a very holy, very nice place. The Imam was helpful and gentle.

I found a brochure that has the meaning of the call for prayer words (the translation in English) and I wanted to write it so I don’t forget: Again, I found it and I just had to remember this:

Here is what is being called out 5 times a day in all of Islam from the minarets:

Allah is greatest. (4x) - (called out 4 times in succession)

I bear witness that there is no god except Allah. (2x)

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. (2x)

Come to prayer. (2x)

Come to success. (2x)

Allah is the greatest (2x)

There is no god except Allah

The first call in the morning has an additional line which translates:   Worship is better than sleep.

It was a very good walk through the complex. The Blue Mosque Complex is huge and again, one could spend days learning about all the details. It would help a lot if I knew more about Islam but I have a natural tendency to be against all religions. I do not believe an Imam, a Priest, Minister, Rabbi, Guru et al have any real idea what will happen to us in the afterlife. They just recite what they were told by their teachers and what they read by writers, and they use their own interpretations. Nobody knows! So organized religion is superfluous! Someone said it’s the opium for the masses. I believe in that saying!  I am not an Opium addict.