Konya · Turkey✦ Classical Sacred & Pilgrimage Cities

Spiritual gatherings in Konya

Nothing here yet, or within 100 km — but you can sit in a circle online.

dates this seasoninner ring ≈ 33 km · outer 100 kmMap tiles © Esri · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Within reach

Nothing within 100 km yet either. The online gatherings beside this are held at Konya times.

Online, at Konya times
All online gatherings →

Konya is where Mevlânâ Jalāl ad-Dīn Rumi lived, taught and is buried, and it remains one of the most significant Sufi cities in the world. The Mevlevi order — the whirling dervishes — grew from his circle, and his green-tiled mausoleum draws pilgrims of every faith. Each December the city gathers for Şeb-i Arus, the night of his union with the Beloved.

Known for
SufismRumiWhirling (sema)Mevlevi orderPilgrimage
The first date here

How the next gathering reaches you

Someone will hold the first circle in Konya. When they do, it reaches the people who asked — and only them.

  1. Ask for the placeOne note the day the first gathering is posted here.
  2. Follow a teacher who comes hereTold when they open a date here, or anywhere you choose.
  3. Bring someone who'd like itA friend who asks too makes it easier for a facilitator to say yes.
  4. Nobody sees who asked or who follows. Facilitators see a count, never names.
The place itself

The sacred life of Konya

History

Rumi came to Konya as a young man when it was the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, and spent most of his life here. After his death in 1273 his son Sultan Walad and his followers shaped the Mevlevi order around his teaching and the sema, the turning prayer. The lodge that grew around his tomb is now the Mevlâna Museum.

Why it’s sacred

For the Sufi tradition Konya is a heart-place: the home of the Masnavi and of a path of love, music and remembrance. The sema is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, and the anniversary of Rumi’s death is kept not as mourning but as a wedding night — Şeb-i Arus.

SampleWhat a season in Konya could look likeNone of this is real — no dates, no teachers, no prices.
A Saturday
An evening of Sufism
First-timers welcome
A Sunday morning
A morning of Rumi
Two hours
A weekend
A weekend of Whirling (sema)
Two nights · rooms shared

If money is the obstacle

Many facilitators offer a sliding scale — pay what you can, no questions asked, and no one sees what you chose.

Do you teach in Konya?

Konya has room for you. Post as many gatherings as you like — 9% of paid places, nothing on free ones, no monthly fee.

Seekers already searching Konya see your listing the day you post it
Book a room from a space host here, or list your own
A free evening is a good way to meet the place before charging for anything

Questions about practising in Konya

Do I need to book, or can I turn up?
Book. Rooms have limited capacity and the free evenings often fill faster than the paid ones, because nothing is risked by registering.
I've never been to anything like this — is that okay?
Look for the first-timer mark. Every listing that carries it has answered the questions a newcomer is afraid to ask. Plenty in Konya are made for a first visit.
What if the price is the obstacle?
Many gatherings here are free, and some facilitators offer a sliding scale — pay what you can, no questions asked, and no one sees what you chose.
How do I hear about new dates?
Follow a facilitator and you're told when they open something in Konya. No other notification is sent unless you ask for it.
Is everything in person?
No — some gatherings are held online, and each listing names its format and, for online ones, the time zone.