Description
We arrived in the ancient city of Konya, Turkey, in the midst of winter, having just completed a gruelling crossing of the Taurus Mountains. The ordeal had taken so much out of us that Sarah ended up in the hospital, and we were both in a clouded state for days to come.
Our ambition, coming to Turkey’s Holy City, was to watch the Sema, a mystical practice of devotion and meditation, by worshippers known as Whirling Dervishes, pictured here. It has taken place in Konya for over 700 years.
A reed flute began playing, drums and bells set a slow, sure pace, as the Dervishes entered. We watched on, unsure what to expect, as a line of men and boys crouched down in their garbs, silently praying. Then, they stood and began to whirl, faster and faster, their white robes flowing, chasing after them.
Around and around, I watched, transfixed by their rhythmic spinning, the constant flashes of their peaceful faces.
At a glance, it may seem like some peculiar performance, rotating around with such marvellous attire. But it is a spiritual process. A form of meditation and remembrance of god, letting go of the ego and seeking connection with the divine. As the mystics continue to spin, one hand reaches upward, the other down, receiving from above and giving to the earth.
Sitting in darkness, the fluid motion of the whirling robes, the blur of hands, soft faces, and organic music… it sinks into me. With my weathered mind, their repetitive spinning takes me to snow-covered places, back to icy days. I feel the frozen sweet and the agonising headwinds, our own states of repetition and focus, undertaken to deliver us to moments of bliss.
Print details
• Printed on premium C-Type Fuji Matt photographic paper
• Available in multiple sizes
• Made to order
• Carefully packaged for delivery
• Photograph taken during our cycle journey from England to India
Thank you for supporting our work and helping us continue to tell stories from the road.
— Josh & Sarah
