The Mukabele

Looking into the Heart

The Symbolism of the Mukabele Turning Ceremony

The Mukabele or turning ceremony of the Mevlevi Order of Dervishes from Turkey was founded by the 13th century Persian poet and mystic Jalal-uddin Rumi. Originally it is said that he went into a spontaneous whirling dance and then the ceremony was formalised by his immediate family virtually into the form that we see today. So it has continued as an unbroken tradition for over 700 years.