Home

More about the Dances

About the Dances [.pdf]

FAQ

Helpful Tips for Dancers

Glossary [.pdf]

What is "Zikr"?

Video

Photo Gallery

Meetup.com Polls

Dances of Universal Peace is a practice of prayer and meditation in motion, a celebration of the Divine, of Unity, of our inter-being with all. (These Dances have also been known as "Sufi Dancing.")

Dance meetings around the globe typically begin with this invocation:

"TOWARD THE ONE, THE PERFECTION OF LOVE, HARMONY AND BEAUTY, THE ONLY BEING, UNITED WITH ALL THE ILLUMINATED SOULS, WHO FORM THE EMBODIMENT OF THE MASTER, THE SPIRIT OF GUIDANCE."

~ Hazrat Inayat Khan

QUESTIONS that have come up in our circle

One participant has asked: Shivadam, does "Towards the One" imply the One is a destination? Does it imply separation from the One? What are your thoughts on "All is One"?

Shivadam: Excellent question.... If there is one all-pervading reality - as I feel certain there is - then there is nowhere to go to get there, naturally. However, as we typically forget - or, we do not always live and act with awareness that we are one and we feel separate in all kinds of ways - we endeavor to remember that we are actually the same as that One, inseparable and even indistinguishable from That. That could be taken as the movement implied by "toward." We might also regard "toward" as the process of redirecting our focus, or directing our devotion, gratitude or praise. It is identification as the separate ego - in truth, merely habitual thoughts, beliefs, fears, etc. - which obfuscates the light of the heart, where awareness of our essential Unity - the One - is truly known. Ultimately, this is a matter best understood by the heart, so I can only hope my words have helped to address your good question.  (Saturday, August 17, 2013 3:33 AM)

Shivadam: This line of inquiry can lead to many other good questions, such as: If there is only One, then is there any useful meaning of "one," so long as we've begun by saying there can be no other? Another: How does it come to pass that - assuming there is only One - there appears to be beings who feel themselves separate from one another? I might be able to address those questions in several ways. But again, while the heart understands, the mind - with its relatively small toolbox of concepts - can only attempt to describe what is indescribable, which therefore may be taken as mere conjecture or wordplay. The activities we do in the Dances of Universal Peace can be effective at circumventing the mind in favor of the heart's deeper understanding - or, to put it another way, of helping to enliven and awaken the heart's natural awareness.  (Saturday, August 17, 2013 4:04 AM)