Going berserk is considered an unhinged behavior as observed by the civilized. A mind winding its body up too tight will spring sometimes and it is witnessed as unbecoming by those who do not dive - or are not shoved - deeply into life. Not everyone who demonstrates wild abandon is damaged, however. Occasional permission to release the body from incessant punishment is a healthy practice few perform. It is sad to me, really, because the body is a fine tuned vessel designed to sense and process energies that are ever present in our world. Fortunate are to those who understand this and can step into their innate ability to enjoy this kind of health and feel the flow of life coursing through their bodies.
Hafiz talks here about opening up to this channel of energy and his enthusiasm for the opportunity to let his body play all of its "instruments".
Thank you for listening.
Video: A practice that some Sufi's employ is whirling meditation . The whirling dervish is not exactly unhinged, berserk behavior but calculating movement designed to liberate the body from being enslaved by the mind so a person can channel higher vibrations. Here are examples of a modern version of this practice and more. It is ecstatic or trance dancing. It is sometimes referred to as dancing like no one is looking. There is great healing in allowing the body to surrender to sound and energy and feel free. This is not a disease but a kind of medicine and caring for the body that could use a better understanding. I did this quite naturally as a young hippie and learned more about the mechanics of it through Jerzy Grotowski's work.
Video credits: Rising Spirits and Arthur Moore
The original post in this series of poems by Hafiz (including an addendum regarding the authenticity of these poems) can be found here. Also, my thoughts on this series a year into these poems, HERE.
The Gift: Poems by Hafiz and translated by Daniel Ladinsky can be purchased here.
My book can be purchased HERE. E-book HERE. The Season Two blogcasts with audio excerpts from my book begin HERE: in Behind The Lines. This reading of the book excerpts in a mixed media format is Season Two of this blog. These recorded excerpts are outside the chronological order in which the book was written. Podcasts with audio only beginning with episode 22 can be found HERE.