Sufi Whirling is one of the most ancient techniques, one of the most forceful. It is so deep that even a single experience can make you totally different. Whirl with open eyes, just like small children go on twirling, as if your inner being has become a center and your whole body has become a wheel, moving, a potter’s wheel, moving. You are in the center, but the whole body is moving. Instructions It is recommended that no food or drink be taken for three hours before whirling. It is best to have bare feet and wear loose clothing. The meditation is divided into two stages, whirling and resting. There is no fixed time for the whirling—it can go on for hours—but it is suggested that you continue for at least an hour to get fully into the feeling of the energy whirlpool.The whirling is done on the spot in an anti-clockwise direction, with the right arm held high, palm upwards, and the left arm low, palm downwards. People who feel discomfort from whirling anti-clockwise can change to clockwise. Let your body be soft and keep your eyes open, but unfocused so that images become blurred and flowing. Remain silent. For the first 15 minutes, rotate slowly. Then gradually build up speed over the next 30 minutes until the whirling takes over and you become a whirlpool of energy—the periphery a storm of movement but the witness at the center silent and still. When you are whirling so fast that you cannot remain upright, your body will fall by itself. Don’t make the fall a decision on your part, nor attempt to arrange the landing in advance; if your body is soft you will land softly and the earth will absorb your energy. Once you have fallen, the second part of the meditation starts. Roll onto your stomach immediately so that your bare navel is in contact with the earth. If anybody feels strong discomfort lying this way, he should lie on his back. Feel your body blending into the earth, like a small child pressed to the mother’s breasts. Keep your eyes closed and remain passive and silent for at least 15 minutes. After the meditation be as quiet and inactive as possible. Some people may feel nauseated during the Whirling Meditation, but this feeling should disappear within two or three days. Only discontinue the meditation if it persists.
