Whirling dervishes of Turkey

I went to a Mevlevi Order sema ceremony while in Konya Turkey and it’s mesmerizing. No pictures were allowed though. The order is a sect of Suni Islam and was founded in the early 1300s and is often simply referred to as Whirling Dervishes because of the spinning form of meditation/worship. The spinning people are called semazens. The ceremony is recognized by UNESCO as an intangible masterpiece.

The clothing they wear while revolving is also symbolic, with a felt hat that represents a tombstone, and a wide skirt in white that represents a death shroud.

Every year in Chicago there is a Turkish Festival with examples of Whirling Dervishes that you can photograph. They can spin for hours without getting dizzy.