A professor of theology in Turkey, Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-1273) met a wandering dervish, Shamsuddin of Tabriz. Jalaluddin died then to all but the Eternal. He was often seen whirling in extactic dance, spontaneously pouring fourth poems such as these few words below.

we came whirling
out of nothingness
scattering stars
like dustthe stars made a circle
and in the middle
we dancethe wheel of heaven.
circles God.
like a mill

if you grab a spoke
it will tear your hand off

turning and turning
it sunders
all attachment

were that wheel not in love
it would cry
“enough! how long is this turning”

every atom
turns bewildered

beggars circle tables
dogs circle carrion
the lover circles
his own, heart

ashamed,
I circle shame
a ruined water wheel
whichever way I turn,
is the river

if that rusty old sky
creaks to a stop
still, still I turn

and it is only God
circling Himself

the moon offers light without a handthe sun is proof of the sunwriting about love
my pen splinters

expounding love
the ass of intellect
lays down in the mire

when He comes
not one hair of me remains

the shadow loves the sun
but when the sun comes
it vanishes

there is no dervish
in all the world
and if there is a dervish
he doesn’t exits.

The above is from a most beautiful of translations of Rumi’s song by Daniel Liebert, isbn 0-942234-00-6.

If you are interested in whirling:Stand quietly in an open space, such as a living room or yard. Place the right arm slightly out with the hand about hip level, palm down as if touching the earth. Place the left arm up slightly bent, with the hand about shoulder level, palm up as if touching the sky. You need no music, for you will hear your own heart in every sound.Now with the eyes focused on nothing gently begin to turn in a circle (like a very slow top). Turn always to the left (or to the right if you are in the southern hemisphere). There is no need to spin quickly - just quietly turn in a circle, eyes unfocused. Whirl gently, for as long as you wish.As you move you may begin to notice that although your conscious mind knows that it is you spinning, what you see is the trees, the grass, the clouds, the sky, the universe spinning around an utterly silent, utterly empty you.
–Amber