Rotation

I watched the Whirling Dervishes perform a traditional Mevlevi Order Sufi ceremony, the Sema. I've seen the Dervishes before on a few occasions and must say that this experience was not as uplifting as it has been in the past. I have noticed a loss in my spiritual awareness in recent times and it is worrying. It is also my own fault for losing sight but upsetting nonetheless. In Sufism, there is a belief that everything is a different shape of God, a belief that has been fairly natural to me. I've always enjoyed this surreal feeling that used to be a normal occurrence in my day. I could especially count on this feeling when I used to go to Friday prayers at the UN. That was a truly international experience, seeing Muslims from all countries come together for prayer. A different person would lead prayers and speak every week, which was an experience in itself. Young and old would impart their interpretations and experiences, each making an individual contribution. My favourite was this older Arab gentleman who would sit and read from the Qur'an in the most melodic voice, I initialIy thought that someone was playing a recorded recitation over the speakers until I observed him reading. He would then lead prayers and speak briefly but with purpose. I watched Malaysians, Arabs, Pakistanis, Indians, Europeans, Indonesians, Algerians, Sudanese, Moroccans come stand next to each other, make room for each other and pray together and then eat and laugh together. If only.

Generally, the mosques here in the States are categorized along national lines: there are Egyptian mosques, Moroccan mosques, Pakistani mosques, Black Muslims' mosques, Turkish mosques, Albanian mosques, etc. I don't particularly like the Mosque I go to for Eid prayers but I enjoy the tradition of going. The Imam's talks are less than inspiring more often than not and are fairly typical of the blind leading the blind. My idea of faith is based upon actions and intentions rather than counting how many times your neighbour prayed. About the mosques, they are in relatively close proximity yet people drive out of their way to go to a mosque of their national affiliation. This is something that is simple enough to explain but difficult for me to understand. I am always fascinated to see the different ways Islam is practiced and I always make it a point to go and see a local Mosque whenever I travel. This isn't a difficult task when the majority of my travels are to Muslim countries. I went to the Muslim section of Beijing to discover a Mosque that was built during the 10th century; something that is remarkable considering Islam was only introduced in the 7th century. I will eventually scan the photos of this mosque and post them. The blend in Chinese and Islamic architecture and art creates something quite spectacular.

When I went to University, it was an eye-opening experience regarding my own relationship with Islam. I met Muslims from all different nationalities and learned a great deal about the religion and the defining impact of culture on the practice of faith. I quickly enrolled in classes on religion and discovered a great deal, and am left still sorting through the possibilities. I used to enjoy a connected feeling, which has not been so close as of late. My desire for this feeling may be written off as a need for security and to feel the presence of a higher power, but I enjoy it nonetheless. I suppose I would define my endeavour as seeking the organic base, or truths of the faith, distilled from cultural and social additions that have created distortion. This is not a unique quest, by the way. I think the academic definition is called fundamentalism. Rest assured, my intent is quite different from fundamentalists - I'm just looking to ask questions. I've dug quite a hole here, haven't I? Moving on.

Before the Dervishes began tonight, the organisers provided a brief explanation, which I can only paraphrase: rotations represent the foundations of life, that a secret turning in us makes the universe turn. I used to enjoy this recognition, this feeling of connectedness which would reveal itself in the form of chills or the urge to cry. Sometimes I would come across something in my day or in my thoughts which would send chills down my spine because, for a brief moment, the simple brilliance would reveal itself. It could be as simple as watching the ocean or as direct as hearing the shahada. I enjoy irony because no matter how irreconcilable or nonsensical something may be, I've found that that is only because I have missed something or there remains something that is yet to reveal itself for consideration. I was hoping for a return to this awareness tonight, but I now realise that it is not so simple. I will have to work harder to enjoy that comfort and will probably be so much more aware of what it means when I am able to reach it once more. Perhaps I am undergoing a rotation of my own.