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LILA is a series of documentary episodes, in-person tours and events that explore the roots of Ecstatic Music traditions from around the world.

07/04/2026

Our 2026 sacred music journey to Morocco is sold out!

If you had hoped to join us but couldn’t book in time, our waitlist is now open. Join it to be the first to receive info in the event a space unexpectedly frees up for this upcoming journey and for details on 2027 when they become available.

Saha!

19/03/2026

Dances of the Mystics featuring Saenamgut with guest teacher Dohee Lee

Our final gathering will explore the Korean healing ritual of Saenamgut. Drawing from shamanic traditions, East Asian medicinal elements, and ancestral knowledge this session invites participants into an immersive ritual inspired by sacred ceremonies from Jeju Island, Korea.

Join us on this 6 week journey exploring sacred dance practices from around the world. We start Sunday! March 22 - April 26

Comment DANCE for details and to register.

03/03/2026

✨ Dances of the Mystics
featuring Brazilian Candomblé with Guest Teachers:
Luiz Badaro & Lina Yudin

In our third session, we will explore the Candomblé dance which arises from Afro-Brazilian spiritual traditions originally carried from West Africa.

Candomblé honors ancestral spirits, opens channels of healing, and serves as a living link between body, community, and spiritual lineage. This session will draw from these foundations, connecting traditional dance forms with contemporary expression and cultural context.

Join us on this 6 week journey exploring sacred dance practices from around the world.

📅 March 22 - April 26, 2026

Comment DANCE for details & to register

22/12/2024

Journey with us this May to the heart of Morocco—a land where music, spirituality, and culture intertwine. 🌍✨

Our Sacred Music Tour is more than travel; it’s an immersion into the soul of Morocco’s musical traditions, from the hypnotic rhythms of Gnawa to the ecstatic sounds of Issawa, and more.

Spots are starting to fill up. You can learn more about the trip by commenting “MOROCCO”.

21/08/2023

An otherworldly beauty on the Anatolian plains, Cappadocia’s topography of honeycombed hills and towering boulders will have you feeling like you’re in a whimsical fairytale.

We will have time to explore the underground cities, churches and monasteries carved into Cappadocia’s volcanic rock, as well as many optional outdoor activities, from hot air ballooning to trekking. We will also have a workshop on the Whirling dance practice with guest teacher Alper Akcay.

Join us on an 11-day spiritual journey in Turkey as we explore the path of Sufi Mysticism, the life & poetry of Rumi and the devotional practices of ‘Sema’ & whirling.

The Heart's Turn
Sufi Tour & Rumi Retreat
September 20-30, Turkey

Details and how to apply: https://lilatheseries.com/turkey

18/08/2023

Rūmī (Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, also known as Mevlânâ) was a great Sufi mystic and poet in the Persian language, famous for his lyrics and for his didactic epic Mas̄navī-yi Maʿnavī (“Spiritual Couplets”), which widely influenced mystical thought and literature throughout the world.

Rumi believed passionately in the use of music, poetry and dance as a path to God. The story goes that one day, Rumi was walking in a bazaar, and upon hearing the monotonous hammering of a blacksmith, he became captivated and began to spin in the street. In the whirling movements, he experienced ecstasy and union with the Beloved. After his passing, the Mevlevi tradition was established and the practice of the whirling dervishes developed into a ritual formn representing a mystical journey of spiritual ascent through mind and love to the Perfect One.

Come and join us as we embark on an 11-day spiritual journey where we will learn more on life and poetry of Rumi, the inspiration of his teacher Shams of Tabriz, and visit his resting place in Konya.

The Heart's Turn Retreat
20-30 September, Turkey
Details: https://lilatheseries.com/turkey

16/08/2023

“Love cannot be described. It must be tasted”. - Rumi

Just as Rumi quoted, Istanbul too must be tasted. This City of Dreams, has so much to offer. Straddling two continents, it is a meeting point of East and West, and a melting pot of many cultures and civilizations.

We will be starting our tour here and taking in the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, and a scattering of important Sufi locations in between. We will also get the opportunity to gather with local dervishes for a Sufi gathering in a small zawiya.

Join us on an 11-day spiritual journey in Turkey as we explore the path of Sufi Mysticism, the life & poetry of Rumi and the devotional practices of ‘Sema’ & whirling.

The Heart's Turn
Sufi Tour & Rumi Retreat
September 20-30, Turkey

Only 2 spots left.
Details and how to apply: https://lilatheseries.com/turkey

04/08/2023

We are honored to welcome Alper Akçay as a guest teaching artist on our upcoming Sufi Tour & Rumi Retreat in Turkey.

Alper will be teaching a class in the sacred whirling movement practice while we are in Cappadocia.

Alper is a performance artist born in Istanbul and currently residing between Fethiye and İstanbul. His artistic offerings focus on dance as well as traditional, mystic, and meditative movement practices of Sema and Semah. Alper, being immersed in Anatolian mysticism, has been practicing these whirling rites for over 18 years.

We are very grateful to have Alper’s presence with us on this tour!

"The Heart's Turn" retreat will take place from 23-30 September in Turkey and we have a few more spots. Get more details and check how to apply: https://lilatheseries.com/turkey

Address

Istanbul

Website

http://lilatheseries.com/

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