The Whirling Dervishes trace their origin to the 13th century Ottoman Empire. The Dervishes, also known as the Mevlevi Order, are Sufis, a spiritual offshoot of Islam. In 1972, Jelaluddin Loras, Sheikh of the Mevlevi Order of America, brought the religion from Turkey to the United States. On December 17, Whirling Dervishes across the world celebrate the birth of Jelaluddin Mevlana Rumi, a mystic poet, who founded the Mevlevi Order. I am the first photographer allowed to document this group.


Sheikh Loras and Ferishte Couglin raise their arms in prayer as Mariah Parker plays the piano. Music plays an integral part of the Whirling Dervishes search for spirituality.


A Dervish practices the forms.


With the ceremony drawing nigh, Loras raises his hands in exasperation at his students failure to perform the correct steps.


A Dervish practices whirling hours before the December 17 ceremony in the Fairfax Pavilion in Fairfax, Ca.


Rashid Patch fingers his beads.


When the Dervishes enter the pavilion, they are wearing black cloaks which symbolize the tomb.


As the ceremony, known as the Sema, begins the audience watches the Dervishes.


The long, white skirts represents the shroud. The Dervishes extend their arms, the right palm faces up and the left palm faces down. Energy from above enters through the right palm, passes through the body and passes through the left palm and into the Earth. The Sheikh represents the sun and the Dervishes represent the planets turning around him in the solar system of Mevlana.


After the Sema is over, Wali Ali Myer and and Loras kiss the back of each other's hand to show their respect.


After the sema, the Dervishes leave the pavilion to celebrate the occasion at their retreat in the hills.


At 3:30 a.m. the Sufi youth, Jami, Dakota, Latifa and Isiah are tired, yet happy. They, and the rest of the Dervishes, will eat, sing and dance until the sun comes up.