Spinning in circles for enlightenment

Amazing whirling dervishes in Cairo, Egypt.

A dervish is a Sufi Muslim who had taken vows of poverty and austerity. Dervishes first appear in the twelfth century, and are known for their whirling dance.

Dancers will spin around and around and around in an attempt to reach religious ecstasy. I watched one poor sod whirl around continuously for what seemed like thirty minutes.

To the outsider, it looks like the whirler is in an ecstatic trance. The aim is to reach the source of all perfection, by abandoning all ego or personal desires, and by listening to the music, focusing on God, and spinning in repetitive circles.

I think it also might help if you smoke or snort a little something first.

The Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troup  performs at the Wekalet El-Ghouri Arts Center, Cairo, every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.