whirling dervish

Sema or Sama is a Sufi term meaning that the Sufi hears the sound and meaning while listening to musical melodies, falls into ecstasy and moves, and becomes entranced and spins.

It comes from the semi word in Arabic meaning "to hear", and metaphorically means "song, melody, music, dance"[1]. Over time, it became the name for Sufis listening to poetry and divine hymns in a state of ecstasy, and performing standing dhikr during this listening. Since dervishes usually dance by spinning during Sema, Sema has also been called "devir ve deveran" (spinning/revolving)[3]. According to the Sufi understanding, all truths of the universe are heard during Sema, and those who perform Sema then try to behave and live in accordance with these truths.

Sama, literally Listening, is a Sufi ritual performed as part of the meditation and prayer practice known as Dhikr (in English, Remembrance [of God])).

It originates from the Sufi mystic Rumi, who is said to have fallen into an ecstatic trance after wandering through a city and hearing the name of God in the rhythmic hammering of a goldbeater (hence the name Sama, i.e. hearing/listening). As an imitation of this, Sama invites the practitioner to reflect on the all-encompassing presence of God, a concept known as tawhid).

Sama often includes singing, playing instruments, dancing, recitation of poetry and prayers, wearing symbolic attire, and other rituals. Sama is a particularly popular form of worship in Sufism