This anchoring is crucial because the dervish straddles the Unseen and the Seen realms. The right arm is directed toward the sky, with the palm cupped upward to receive seeds of blessings from the world of Spirit. These blessings pass through the heart and are dispersed through the left palm arched downward, like a spout scattering the seeds into the earthly realm. The whirling dervish’s face, tilted toward the left hand, is a symbol of the importance of rooting oneself in this world.

Whirling unites the mind, heart and body in a way that no other form of worship achieves for me. Sometimes in the midst of turning for a long time, I feel as though my body and mind are revolving around my heart, like planets orbiting the sun. They all engage in the practice, surrendering to the motion of the universe and the knowledge that the heart is the portal to Haqq, Truth.