Sufi whirling is a form of physically active meditation originating in Turkey and founded in the 13th century by the Sufi mystic Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi.
Whirling dervishes perform a dance called the sema, in which they strive to reach kemal, the source of all perfection, by spinning one’s body in repetitive circles, focusing on God and abandoning the ego or personal desires.
The clothing used in the sema ritual is symbolic. The dervish’s camel’s hair hat represents the tombstone of the ego; the wide skirt, weighted at the ends, represents the ego’s shroud.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
At the beginning of the ritual, the dervishes hold their arms out, representing the number 1, testifying to God’s unity. During the whirling, the right arm is directed to the sky, ready to receive God’s beneficence, while the left hand points toward the earth.
Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, during which devotees pray during the night and fast from dawn till dusk, abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual acts.
Each day, before dawn and after sunset, food and drink are served. Certain people are exempted from the requirement to fast, including people who are suffering from an illness or travelling, the elderly and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating.
Photo: AP
照片：美聯社
Ramadan is also a month where Muslims try to practice increased self-discipline.
This year, Ramadan began on the evening of May 27 and ends on June 24.
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
Photo: EPA
照片：歐新社
蘇菲旋轉舞是源於土耳其的一種舞動身體的靈修方式，由伊斯蘭教蘇菲教派神秘主義者梅夫拉那‧賈拉盧丁‧魯米於十三世紀創始。
旋轉舞僧們表演一種稱為sema的舞蹈，以期達到kemal，即所有完美之源頭。舞僧們藉由不斷旋轉，得以專注於神，並拋棄自我及個人欲望。
在sema儀式中所穿的衣服具有象徵意義。舞僧戴的駱駝毛帽代表了自我的墓碑；寬裙的裙襬加重，代表了自我的裹屍布。
儀式開始時，舞僧伸出手臂，象徵數字一，代表與真主合而為一。在旋轉過程中，右手心朝向天空，以接受真主的恩澤，而左手則朝向地面。
世界各地的穆斯林皆慶祝齋戒月，這是伊斯蘭日曆的第九個月，在此期間，信徒在夜間禱告，並在黎明至黃昏之間進行齋戒，在齋戒期間不可吃飯、喝水、吸煙和進行性行為。
每天黎明前和日落後可進食及飲料。有些人可以不必齋戒，包括患病或旅行的人、老人，以及懷孕、哺乳或值經期的婦女。
齋戒月也是穆斯林嘗試提高自律的一個月份。今年的齋戒月於五月二十七日晚上開始，而在六月二十四日結束。
（台北時報編譯林俐凱譯）
Jiang Yiwu paced the small room and wondered how the leader of the Literary Society had got here. He could hear the Russian and Manchu police outside. They were looking for him. The Russians controlled the railways now, cutting through China, taking land and resources. The people were angry, and so was he. The revolution was almost ready. But things went wrong. Sun Wu, a key leader, lay in the hospital with critical wounds. The explosives were meant for the revolution but detonated by accident. Sun and the revolutionary plans were discovered by the police. Jiang grimaced at the
At an unusual event, a group of people gather and sit together without interacting or checking their phones. Instead, they concentrate on nothing at all and empty their minds for the Space-Out Competition. Originally proposed by South Korean artist Woopsyang in 2014, this event is a form of performance art. It challenges the social expectation to remain constantly busy in this fast-paced world, offering competitors a pause from their routines. For 90 minutes, players are scored on how well they “space out” based on artistic and technical aspects, with their heart rates monitored every 15 minutes. Then, the audience votes for
A: Taiwanese-language pop singer Jody Chiang is finally staging a comeback after having “turned off the microphone” for nine years. B: Yeah, she’s set to perform for the National Day celebration at the Taipei Dome this Saturday. A: As the best Taiwanese-language singer, it would be a big loss if she continued her hiatus. B: Recently, Chiang revealed that she quit singing in 2015 due to cancer. A: That’s shocking. But it’s great to see her healthy and able to turn the mic back on again. A: 台語歌后江蕙「封麥」9年後，終於即將復開唱了。 B: 對啊她本週六將參加國慶晚會，在大巨蛋開唱。 A: 江蕙可是最棒的台語歌手，如果不唱歌太可惜了。 B: 她最近才透露，其實2015年是因為罹癌才會「封麥」。 A: 真是令人震驚！能再看到她健康地「開麥」太好啦。 （By Eddy Chang,
A: Apart from Taiwanese-language pop diva Jody Chiang’s comeback, South Korean girl group (G)I-dle is also performing in Taiwan this weekend. B: I know. They have concerts at the Taipei Arena on Saturday and Sunday. A: Actually, to meet their fans’ high demand, they’ve added one more show on Friday. B: They’re even adding a show? That shows how popular they are. A: My favorite group member is Taiwan’s Susan Yeh, known by her stage name “Shuhua.” Let’s go cheer her on. A: 本週末除了江蕙復出，南韓熱門女團(G)I-dle也將開唱唷。 B: 我知道，他們本週六、日將在小巨蛋開唱。 A: 應粉絲的要求，他們本週五還會加場。 B: 還加場？不愧是韓流人氣女團。 A: 我最喜歡台灣團員葉舒華！我們快去幫她加油吧。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
RSS