Rumi Persian Poet Whirling Dervish Author:Demi Born in Afghanistan in the thirteenth century, Rumi settled in Turkey — and became a great mystical poet. Although he began his adult life — as a highly respected scholar, he found his true calling after being — mentored by a holy man, Shamsuddin. From "Shams," he learned to listen — for the sacred sound of God within himself. When his creative spir... more »it was
awakened, he recited more than 50,000 rhymed couplets. He also wrote
about the love that resides in the soul of everyone regardless of religion or
background. He founded the order of the whirling dervishes who believed
their spinning dances put them in touch with God and brought peace and
love into the world. Although Rumi died 800 years ago, his poems are more
widely read now than ever before. To honor the 800th anniversary of his
birth, the United Nations declared 2007 The Year of Mawlana Jalaladdin