Sufi Spin From helical DNA to spiral galaxies everything is spinning in this whole universe— electrons around atoms, moon orbits the Earth, Earth orbits the Sun, Sun around the Milky Way. There were no microscopes or telescopes when Rumi taught the Sufi Spin to Whirling Dervishes. Did he discern this spin in some cosmic vision? But since Sufi means wool— perhaps it's the spinning wheel! When dancing the hustle— I do the rocking step, the window, and Sufi Spin, spinning around four times to honor four elements of the ancient Greeks— air, fire, water, earth, ending with wisdom mudra at my heart that Einstein loves to do— I'm energized invoking two great sages while dancing in a trance. One partner says she can't catch me when I'm spinning. I tell her "you're suppose to catch the universe" so I spin— turn, turn, turn — Peter Y. Chou     Mountain View, 7-7-2013

Sufi Dancer (1993) by Peter Y. Chou