04/17/2018
Mevlevi Order (Sufism): What do the hand gestures of whirling dervishes represent?
The right hand is held open and up so as to receive grace from the beloved / universe / Allah and the left hand faces downward toward the earth so as to give that grace and light to the world. The right arm is held higher so the dervish, who turns around their center, becomes a channel - reaching up to God and letting that grace flow through them in service to the world. The whirling dervish remains empty and a vessel, and makes a choice to stay and serve the world without ego and without agenda.
The way in which the dervish open their arms is also special depending upon the teacher may be expressed differently the dervish will bow before turning, staying in attention with arms crossed standing in union and aligned. When the turn begins, the arms cross over themselves while “opening” over the chest - opening or as we say, polishing the heart. This polishing is to remove ghe rust or the cobwebs that have covered or obscured the heart. The arms then brush down and let that rust drop to the earth, letting go those concerns, cobwebs and debris. The arms then lift slowly together, outer sides (not the palms) of hands nearly touching as you lift up the center, by the heart and up over your head. The hands then part the curtain, and one turns in and up and the other turns out and down, the dervish is parting the curtain between worlds - this one and the next or the world seen and unseen. The arms the float to to position described above.
Most of the movements represent these themes. As the dervish turns, it channels love, grace and service to the world or may even mediate or with intention pray using the turn to focus that intention. The turn is a form of mediation as well, where the dervish disappears and once in the flow of the turn, the dervish can disappear into the center of the center of the center. Next time you see a dervish turn, imagine or see light flowing to and through the right arm and sending out through the left arm and the hand - and allow yourself to be touched by that light.
