Sufi whirling, which has been minimally studied to date, is an Islamic Sufi spiritual ritual of self-pivoting performed by spiritual seekers known as dervishes. This study empirically evaluates the inner subjective experience of Sufi whirling dervishes (SWDs) to benefit understanding of the experience of clients expressing through free whirling and the cultural competence of dance movement therapists and psychotherapists working with Muslim Sufi clients. The study participants (N = 44) were adults from the Israeli SWD community. They participated in a Sufi whirling ritual and then wrote their deepest feelings and thoughts to capture their authentic and living experience. Using expressive writing in a hermeneutic phenomenology analytic approach, the “inner experience of the SWD” theme was identified with subthemes of “the Sufi vortex,” “preparations for transitioning,” and “quietness in the center of the vortex.” Participants reported that the Sufi vortex drew them into a present, nonjudgmental body–mind state, sweeping them to submit and surrender until they rose above the separation and duality of this world into a unity and wholeness experience. Sufi whirling may increase body–mind focus, self-regulation, positive-affect, unity, and wholeness experience. Clients who express through whirling during therapy may benefit from these qualities.

迄今为止，对苏菲派的研究很少，它是一种伊斯兰苏菲派精神仪式，由被称为苦行僧的精神追求者进行的自我旋转。本研究根据经验评估了苏菲旋转托钵僧 (SWD) 的内在主观体验，以帮助理解客户通过自由旋转表达的体验以及与穆斯林苏菲客户一起工作的舞蹈运动治疗师和心理治疗师的文化能力。研究参与者（N= 44) 是来自以色列 SWD 社区的成年人。他们参加了一个苏菲旋转仪式，然后写下他们最深切的感受和想法，以捕捉他们真实的生活经历。在诠释学现象学分析方法中使用富有表现力的写作，“SWD 的内在体验”主题被确定为“苏菲漩涡”、“过渡准备”和“漩涡中心的安静”等子主题。参与者报告说，苏菲漩涡将他们带入一种当下的、非判断性的身心状态，让他们顺从和臣服，直到他们超越这个世界的分离和二元性，进入统一和完整的体验。苏菲旋转可以增加身心专注、自我调节、积极影响、团结和整体体验。