Ecstasy in Music: The Case of Sema and Semah
Authors: Kaptan Merve Nur 
Published: June 2024

Ecstasy is a state of altered consciousness in which a person is in a state of trance. The person in this state experiences an introspection and returns to their essence. Such a state can also be likened to being asleep or hypnotized. But more than these states, ecstasy refers to a conventionalized state of unusualness. In other words, ecstasy can occur in societies and these moods of ecstasy can change. Therefore, ecstasy continues to exist not only in the past but also in the present. In this regard, ecstasy appears as a universal word with different meanings and different nomenclatures from culture to culture. Containing different meanings and different nomenclature, ecstasy is generally associated with music. In fact, music acts as an intermediary in the transition to the state of ecstasy. This situation allows us to speak of a relationship between ecstasy and music. Cultural differences are decisive in this relationship. The relationship between music and ecstasy is also seen in the sema ceremony and semah ceremonies, which are at the center of the subject. In this direction, sema and semah, which are used in two different ways, contain the same meaning; however, these words differ from each other in terms of application. In other words, sema is performed in Mevlevi rituals and semah is performed in Alevi erkans/rituals accompanied by music. The Mevlevi sema ceremony can be visualized as a state of ecstasy in which music and kinetic movements are together. In the sema ceremony performed for the purpose of returning to one’s essence with this state of ecstasy, music and kinetic movements contribute to the occurrence of ecstasy. In this context, music and kinetic movements can be considered as a kind of mediating elements for ecstasy. In the Mevlevi sema ceremony, the human ascension is described with both music and kinetic movements through the performance of na’t, kudüm, ney, peşrev and ayin-i şerif. The climax of the ecstasy in this ceremony is the third salute. This is why the tempo of the music, and the movements of the whirling dervishes accelerate in this salute. In addition, in the aforementioned ceremony, ney and kudüm instruments can also be mentioned as instrumental elements in the experience of ecstasy. There is a similar situation in Alevi semah ceremonies. Semah ceremonies, like sema ceremonies, can be described as a state of ecstasy. In this state of ecstasy, the person returns to his/her soul, that is, to Allah. Semah, which is performed as a part of Miraçlama in cem erkans, is performed in two or three parts with the help of music and kinetic elements. The fact that the semahs are performed in two or three parts, namely, hospitality and swaying, or hospitality, execution and swaying, indicates that the semah is directed towards ecstasy. In this sense, the kinetic movements performed in the sections of the semah accompanied by music move from slow to fast. Thus, just like in sema, the music and kinetic movements in semah mediate ecstasy by enabling the transition to a state of ecstasy. Apart from this, it is seen that the ney and kudüm instruments mediate the experience of ecstasy in sema ceremonies, as well as the baglama in semah ceremonies. In this context, it is possible to say that music, musical elements and kinetic movements are the mediators of the state of ecstasy and the state of motion experienced with ecstasy in sema ceremonies and semah ceremonies. In this context, when the literature is examined, it is realized that there are various studies on Mevlevi sema rituals and Alevi semah rituals; however, there is no study that deals with ecstasy and its elements in sema and semah rituals. In this regard, the study is important in terms of filling the gap in the field and being a source for similar studies. In this manner, the research aims to reveal the state of ecstasy in sema ceremonies and semah ceremonies. In line with this purpose, a documentary research method with a descriptive model was used in the research, the sources related to the subject were examined and the findings were revealed by interpreting the data obtained.