Whirling, also called sema, is the Sufi purification practice. Begun by the great mystic Jallauldin Rumi, it has been handed directly down in an unbroken lineage from practitioner to practitioner for centuries. At the same time it is inherent in all humans. Children naturally whirl.

When this practice is offered as a specific focus, meditative preparation and resolution are essential. Whirling is most fully developed within retreat, comfortably emerging in an extended course of study. It  can occasionally be of benefit in a briefer context.