Rumi: The Wings of Love

With their flaring, free flowing robes, tall turbans, and trance-like movements, the world of the Whirling Dervish--whose dancing is intended as an act of worship, not entertainment, backed by often monotonous music that is meant to increase wisdom through reflection--is not easily understood in the secular west. Narrated by Peter Boyle, Rumi: The Wings of Love offers a brief look inside the rarely seen world of Sufi mysticism and the Whirling Dervishes--members of the Mevlevi Order, named in honor of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, a 13th century Turkish poet, artist, and man of God. The ritual dancing allows the Dervish (literally: doorway) to empty his mind of all distracting thoughts, drawing the follower into God's divine presence in a never-ending revolution of all creation. While not for the novice (the video introduces but doesn't completely explain many unfamiliar terms and concepts), and somewhat hampered by consistently poor sound quality, the program's views of rarely seen dancing rituals are indeed fascinating as is the information on the musical instruments used in worship services. Ultimately, however, technical defects and a too scholarly approach limit the video's appeal to large academic libraries. A better choice here would be Rumi: A Poet's Heart (VL-7/99). Optional. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)