[travel] Psychedelic Islam

[mattbell]

One sect of Islam, the Sufis, is much more mystical than the other prevailing sects of Islam.  They emphasize music and dance as a way of gaining a greater emotional connection with Allah.  One particular group of Sufis (aka the "Whirling Dervishes") uses repetitive spinning to achieve a trance state for an even stronger connection.  This spinning is usually done to music involving a group of drummers and a reed flute. 

While I'm guessing the costumes and the spinning were glammed up for tourists, the look is quite good and at times rather kitschy.

So, let's review:
- Drum circles
- Crazy colorful costumes
- Spinning something as a performance
- Inducing trance states through ecstatic dance

Sounds like Burning Man to me.

I think a psychedelic revival of Sufi dancing should be the next big thing to hit Burning Man.  I'm thinking blacklight-sensitive op-art robes... or perhaps a kevlar robe with a flame wick sewn to the bottom so that you can be a flaming whiling dervish.   

Comments

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

That picture really makes me want a "play" button :)

don't do it, please.

[(Anonymous)]

Dervish dancing is a Submission unto the Will of Allah, to such a degree that one's own identity is wiped away as if in death. Only Allah remains spinning.

For a non-muslim to pervert this sacred dance for profane reasons and in a place of moral wickedness like BM, which is offensive to Muslim morality would be travesty.

If you had spinning Jewish Rabbis, would that still be acceptable?

Please refrain from cheapening Islam at your haram burning man drug party. You are pagans, you are not Muslims.

salam,

Abdel