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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:01,261 --> 00:00:04,011 (peaceful music) 2 00:00:22,557 --> 00:00:25,390 - [Man] I am Cyrus, king of kings. 3 00:00:28,616 --> 00:00:29,783 Powerful king. 4 00:00:31,379 --> 00:00:32,712 King of Babylon. 5 00:00:33,881 --> 00:00:35,881 King of Sumer and Akkad. 6 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:39,957 King of four countries. 7 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:49,437 I command all people be free in worshiping their own god, 8 00:00:49,437 --> 00:00:51,687 and atheists not harm them. 9 00:00:58,979 --> 00:01:00,479 - [Narrator] Iran. 10 00:01:01,859 --> 00:01:06,026 A land known for thousands of years as the Persian Empire. 11 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,595 A land where 2500 years ago, and under the reign 12 00:01:13,595 --> 00:01:16,600 of Cyrus the Great the first declaration 13 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,183 of human rights and freedom faith was born. 14 00:01:24,179 --> 00:01:27,080 Carved on a simple cylinder, it was discovered 15 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,747 in the city of Babylon many centuries later. 16 00:01:37,236 --> 00:01:40,319 From the ancient rites of Zarathustra 17 00:01:42,536 --> 00:01:44,619 to the pre-years of Islam 18 00:01:46,819 --> 00:01:50,397 and the realm of mystic dervishes 19 00:01:50,397 --> 00:01:52,647 it's a land rich in spirit. 20 00:01:56,637 --> 00:01:59,480 Through invasion of people and tyranny, 21 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,120 the culture and the spirit survives because 22 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:06,203 at the heart of its nation lies a central belief. 23 00:02:09,939 --> 00:02:14,599 A belief in spiritual transformation and freedom of faith. 24 00:02:14,599 --> 00:02:17,656 The legacy of Cyrus the Great passed down 25 00:02:17,656 --> 00:02:19,489 for hundreds of years. 26 00:02:22,157 --> 00:02:24,740 (cars honking) 27 00:02:28,136 --> 00:02:31,803 I am a woman of two cultures, East and West. 28 00:02:34,456 --> 00:02:39,160 For more than two decades I have lived in the West. 29 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,993 My pilgrimage today takes me east. 30 00:02:43,290 --> 00:02:44,373 Back to Iran. 31 00:02:45,711 --> 00:02:48,711 Land of my birth and back to Persia, 32 00:02:51,133 --> 00:02:53,355 land of many beliefs. 33 00:02:53,355 --> 00:02:54,796 (gentle music) 34 00:02:54,796 --> 00:02:57,113 In quest of the spiritual roots and rituals of this 35 00:02:57,113 --> 00:03:00,946 ancient land that have survived the centuries. 36 00:03:04,135 --> 00:03:06,468 My journey begins in Tehran. 37 00:03:10,075 --> 00:03:12,817 Tehran the capital of Iran is a city like any modern 38 00:03:12,817 --> 00:03:14,536 city the world over. 39 00:03:14,536 --> 00:03:17,036 (light music) 40 00:03:20,001 --> 00:03:22,627 A city with ancient roots, Tehran has adopted 41 00:03:22,627 --> 00:03:24,877 a cosmopolitan way of life. 42 00:03:32,241 --> 00:03:35,625 But like many other cities in the Middle East, 43 00:03:35,625 --> 00:03:39,625 Tehran has developed its own unique public laws. 44 00:03:41,121 --> 00:03:43,982 In response to one of the more controversial laws, 45 00:03:43,982 --> 00:03:46,825 a dress code requiring women be covered head to toe 46 00:03:46,825 --> 00:03:50,963 in public, I saw the younger generation adopting a new 47 00:03:50,963 --> 00:03:53,296 East West fashion statement. 48 00:04:07,523 --> 00:04:10,699 Despite numerous public and private restrictions, 49 00:04:10,699 --> 00:04:14,866 many Iranians have reached new heights of achievement. 50 00:04:15,705 --> 00:04:18,763 And women as well as men have found a path 51 00:04:18,763 --> 00:04:20,680 to creative expression. 52 00:04:22,142 --> 00:04:23,309 As filmmakers, 53 00:04:26,526 --> 00:04:28,109 poets, and writers. 54 00:04:33,305 --> 00:04:35,326 From the hidden cafes and galleries where artists 55 00:04:35,326 --> 00:04:37,409 and intellectuals gather, 56 00:04:40,622 --> 00:04:43,486 to open air parks filled with the vibrant energy 57 00:04:43,486 --> 00:04:45,653 of the younger generation. 58 00:04:47,646 --> 00:04:51,813 I saw people redefining their role in the modern world. 59 00:04:56,883 --> 00:04:59,216 From the children of comfort 60 00:05:00,585 --> 00:05:04,345 to children who work and never play, 61 00:05:04,345 --> 00:05:07,095 I found Tehran a city of paradox. 62 00:05:14,321 --> 00:05:18,745 A place where lives are lived in a constant struggle 63 00:05:18,745 --> 00:05:22,022 between Western taste and desires 64 00:05:22,022 --> 00:05:24,272 and Eastern rules and laws. 65 00:05:30,163 --> 00:05:33,683 But my journey was to take me far beyond, 66 00:05:33,683 --> 00:05:35,266 away from the city. 67 00:05:36,905 --> 00:05:38,822 Away from the familiar. 68 00:05:39,822 --> 00:05:42,655 Into the heart of an ancient land. 69 00:05:46,803 --> 00:05:49,553 (peaceful music) 70 00:05:57,678 --> 00:06:01,369 As we rode into the Dasht-e Kavir Desert, 71 00:06:01,369 --> 00:06:04,825 we passed by abandoned and crumbling walls 72 00:06:04,825 --> 00:06:08,366 that once gave shelter from the sun and sand 73 00:06:08,366 --> 00:06:11,523 to caravans that carried the gifts of the Orient 74 00:06:11,523 --> 00:06:13,190 along the Silk Road. 75 00:06:14,980 --> 00:06:17,063 Connecting East and West. 76 00:06:28,585 --> 00:06:32,046 Now I traveled that same route in search 77 00:06:32,046 --> 00:06:36,323 of people, places, and the spiritual traditions 78 00:06:36,323 --> 00:06:38,823 long hidden in remote regions. 79 00:06:43,923 --> 00:06:46,173 Echoes from a distant past. 80 00:07:11,145 --> 00:07:14,163 A golden dome and turquoise minarets shone from 81 00:07:14,163 --> 00:07:16,963 the distant horizon inviting us toward 82 00:07:16,963 --> 00:07:20,542 the Shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh, a Muslim saint 83 00:07:20,542 --> 00:07:22,125 in the city of Qom. 84 00:07:24,979 --> 00:07:27,229 (chanting) 85 00:07:32,370 --> 00:07:34,866 When the teachings of Islam reached this region 86 00:07:34,866 --> 00:07:39,692 in the late 13th century, Persia was monotheistic, 87 00:07:39,692 --> 00:07:43,859 inhabited by the followers of Zarathustra, Moses, and Jesus. 88 00:07:47,907 --> 00:07:51,948 And like his predecessors, Prophet Mohammad believed 89 00:07:51,948 --> 00:07:53,531 in one supreme god. 90 00:07:55,465 --> 00:07:56,298 Allah. 91 00:07:57,351 --> 00:08:00,184 (water trickling) 92 00:08:04,391 --> 00:08:07,068 At the shrine we joined thousands of pilgrims 93 00:08:07,068 --> 00:08:10,332 from across Islamic world who had come to ask forgiveness 94 00:08:10,332 --> 00:08:13,351 and receive a blessing from the spirit of the young 95 00:08:13,351 --> 00:08:16,934 female saint buried in the inner sanctuary. 96 00:08:27,856 --> 00:08:31,192 For centuries people have believed in the healing power 97 00:08:31,192 --> 00:08:35,359 of the saints to cure the sick in body, mind, and spirit. 98 00:08:42,472 --> 00:08:44,894 Along with my male crew I waited for days under 99 00:08:44,894 --> 00:08:49,061 the burning sun for permission to film the shrine. 100 00:08:53,235 --> 00:08:56,230 I was not allowed to enter the men's chamber, 101 00:08:56,230 --> 00:08:59,563 segregated from women under Islamic law. 102 00:09:04,494 --> 00:09:07,192 Unexpectedly we were given five minutes to film inside 103 00:09:07,192 --> 00:09:08,859 the women's chamber. 104 00:09:11,054 --> 00:09:13,654 To my knowledge, we were the first film crew allowed 105 00:09:13,654 --> 00:09:15,237 into the sanctuary. 106 00:09:17,816 --> 00:09:20,515 (singing in foreign language) 107 00:09:20,515 --> 00:09:24,334 Outside the women kiss and touch the gilded doorways, 108 00:09:24,334 --> 00:09:28,501 a sign of respect offered to the spirit of the saint. 109 00:09:46,035 --> 00:09:48,713 Inside, a pavilion of light explodes 110 00:09:48,713 --> 00:09:52,149 into a seemingly infinite array of images 111 00:09:52,149 --> 00:09:56,316 as colorful tiles dance off a multitude of mirrors. 112 00:10:07,016 --> 00:10:11,294 Wall to wall hundreds of women wrapped in the black chador 113 00:10:11,294 --> 00:10:12,544 gather to pray. 114 00:10:22,430 --> 00:10:26,597 Some read from the Quran, seeking wisdom from the words. 115 00:10:28,792 --> 00:10:31,209 Some whisper the name of god. 116 00:10:34,675 --> 00:10:37,342 Others sit in silent meditation. 117 00:10:45,210 --> 00:10:47,992 Surprisingly no one pays attention or objects 118 00:10:47,992 --> 00:10:51,575 to the presence of camera or the male crew. 119 00:10:53,993 --> 00:10:58,160 Most quietly cover their faces and continue their prayers. 120 00:11:08,467 --> 00:11:11,192 Deep within the shrine is the gold and silver case 121 00:11:11,192 --> 00:11:14,511 enclosing the body of Hazrat Masoumeh. 122 00:11:14,511 --> 00:11:17,715 The young woman saint who died here of an illness 123 00:11:17,715 --> 00:11:19,715 in the late 8th century. 124 00:11:21,954 --> 00:11:24,355 We are caught in the crowd as hundreds of women press 125 00:11:24,355 --> 00:11:27,688 forward to kiss and touch her mausoleum. 126 00:11:36,362 --> 00:11:38,938 Some make offerings to the saint, 127 00:11:38,938 --> 00:11:41,352 hoping to find relief from sufferings, 128 00:11:41,352 --> 00:11:43,352 illness, and misfortune. 129 00:11:46,677 --> 00:11:48,794 Others lift their children high to contact 130 00:11:48,794 --> 00:11:53,054 the healing energy of the spirit within the chamber. 131 00:11:53,054 --> 00:11:57,221 Believing the saint's power transcends even death. 132 00:12:00,154 --> 00:12:03,914 But most have come simply for comfort, strength, 133 00:12:03,914 --> 00:12:05,997 and the hope to carry on. 134 00:12:17,077 --> 00:12:19,660 (gentle music) 135 00:12:45,096 --> 00:12:48,293 In search of rites and rituals dating to an earlier time, 136 00:12:48,293 --> 00:12:51,210 we travel deeper into central Iran. 137 00:12:56,714 --> 00:12:59,274 As we journeyed, I saw layers of past civilizations 138 00:12:59,274 --> 00:13:02,357 long-hidden within the desert cities. 139 00:13:12,469 --> 00:13:15,397 In an earlier time Islam forbade representation 140 00:13:15,397 --> 00:13:19,564 of deities and living beings in paintings and sculptures. 141 00:13:23,077 --> 00:13:25,994 Artists were compelled to express their creativity 142 00:13:25,994 --> 00:13:30,161 in other ways and an architectural Renaissance arose. 143 00:13:32,938 --> 00:13:36,771 (singing in foreign language) 144 00:13:46,277 --> 00:13:49,317 The city of Kashan, jewel of the desert, 145 00:13:49,317 --> 00:13:52,734 bears witness to this artistic awakening. 146 00:13:58,698 --> 00:14:02,031 From the narrow alleys and shapely domes 147 00:14:07,418 --> 00:14:10,585 to ceilings filled with rays of light. 148 00:14:21,057 --> 00:14:23,307 Even in the arched bazaars. 149 00:14:26,314 --> 00:14:30,037 Everywhere I saw signs of a higher creativity 150 00:14:30,037 --> 00:14:31,787 and boundless beauty. 151 00:14:45,514 --> 00:14:48,698 Like many seekers who had come before us, 152 00:14:48,698 --> 00:14:53,274 we entered the land of the ancient messenger, Zarathustra. 153 00:14:53,274 --> 00:14:56,024 (dramatic music) 154 00:14:58,221 --> 00:15:02,196 4,000 years ago, Zarathustra was born in the northernmost 155 00:15:02,196 --> 00:15:03,446 area of Persia. 156 00:15:06,959 --> 00:15:09,796 In an epoch of darkness and nonbelief, he spoke 157 00:15:09,796 --> 00:15:11,796 of an intelligent force. 158 00:15:13,140 --> 00:15:14,557 An unseen energy. 159 00:15:15,871 --> 00:15:17,288 The god of light. 160 00:15:27,536 --> 00:15:30,578 Deep in the womb of the Karkas Mountains 161 00:15:30,578 --> 00:15:33,999 we reached the sanctuary of (speaking foreign language). 162 00:15:33,999 --> 00:15:35,749 Hidden for centuries. 163 00:15:37,636 --> 00:15:41,876 A holy place for Zoroastrians, it is another shrine 164 00:15:41,876 --> 00:15:44,209 dedicated to a female saint. 165 00:15:46,836 --> 00:15:50,020 It is believed that she escaped to the high mountains 166 00:15:50,020 --> 00:15:53,556 to preserve the esoteric teachings of Zarathustra 167 00:15:53,556 --> 00:15:56,879 during a time of religious persecution. 168 00:15:56,879 --> 00:15:59,629 (peaceful music) 169 00:16:02,238 --> 00:16:05,919 According to legend, an actual miracle took place 170 00:16:05,919 --> 00:16:09,156 when the walls of the cave literally opened, 171 00:16:09,156 --> 00:16:12,406 giving her protection from her enemies. 172 00:16:16,298 --> 00:16:19,978 Every day women, men, and children colorfully dressed 173 00:16:19,978 --> 00:16:24,694 in traditional clothing gather in the hidden sanctuary. 174 00:16:24,694 --> 00:16:28,261 (singing in foreign language) 175 00:16:28,261 --> 00:16:31,258 They come to read songs from the holy book Avesta 176 00:16:31,258 --> 00:16:34,425 and to celebrate their lives on earth. 177 00:16:37,236 --> 00:16:39,860 An ancient layer beneath the Islam, 178 00:16:39,860 --> 00:16:44,027 the teachings of Zarathustra predates Jesus and even Moses. 179 00:16:45,039 --> 00:16:48,872 (singing in foreign language) 180 00:16:53,140 --> 00:16:55,890 (peaceful music) 181 00:17:06,980 --> 00:17:10,653 Zarathustra proclaimed god the omnipotent Ahura Mazda 182 00:17:10,653 --> 00:17:14,219 the creator of the universe and that the human soul 183 00:17:14,219 --> 00:17:16,886 was created in the image of god. 184 00:17:22,577 --> 00:17:25,036 Through his discoveries of the human soul 185 00:17:25,036 --> 00:17:28,337 and mysteries of the universe, he came to believe 186 00:17:28,337 --> 00:17:31,420 that two forces controlled the world. 187 00:17:33,521 --> 00:17:36,678 Spenta Mainyu, the positive force of goodness 188 00:17:36,678 --> 00:17:39,428 manifesting in the world as light 189 00:17:42,081 --> 00:17:46,248 and Ahriman, the negative destructive force of evil 190 00:17:47,218 --> 00:17:49,218 manifesting as darkness. 191 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,161 The dark force he believed was not an independent entity 192 00:17:59,161 --> 00:18:02,578 but existed solely within the human mind. 193 00:18:08,356 --> 00:18:11,778 Zarathustra proclaimed the only path to happiness 194 00:18:11,778 --> 00:18:14,445 was to purify one's own thoughts 195 00:18:16,818 --> 00:18:20,541 so that from the seeds of good thoughts 196 00:18:20,541 --> 00:18:23,708 good words and good deeds would bloom. 197 00:18:34,898 --> 00:18:38,381 As followers of this ancient messenger offer their prayers 198 00:18:38,381 --> 00:18:41,282 to Ahura Mazda, they burn incense 199 00:18:41,282 --> 00:18:44,782 and light candles to purify their spirits. 200 00:18:52,458 --> 00:18:55,240 Zoroastrians built temples in the high mountains 201 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:59,407 where they still come to perform rituals around the fire. 202 00:19:00,338 --> 00:19:03,901 This fire has been kept alive for thousands of years, 203 00:19:03,901 --> 00:19:06,482 a symbolic reminder of the divine illumination 204 00:19:06,482 --> 00:19:08,315 within the human soul. 205 00:19:11,199 --> 00:19:14,445 The legacy of this most ancient messenger remains 206 00:19:14,445 --> 00:19:16,112 one of joy and love. 207 00:19:28,562 --> 00:19:31,145 (upbeat music) 208 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,602 I've heard the stories of the incredible men 209 00:19:45,602 --> 00:19:48,898 known as dervishes living in the rugged distant mountains 210 00:19:48,898 --> 00:19:49,981 of Kordestan. 211 00:20:03,741 --> 00:20:06,298 We came at last to the remote village of Najjar 212 00:20:06,298 --> 00:20:10,215 inhabited by farmers living a simple lifestyle. 213 00:20:14,859 --> 00:20:17,421 Throughout history, the Kurdish people have practiced 214 00:20:17,421 --> 00:20:21,240 mysticism as a way of life, even while continuing 215 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,073 their long fight for independence. 216 00:20:30,214 --> 00:20:34,047 (singing in foreign language) 217 00:20:46,239 --> 00:20:49,520 Inside the Sufi center we were welcomed by Sheik Nadur, 218 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,127 one of the spiritual leaders of the 219 00:20:51,127 --> 00:20:55,294 (speaking foreign language) path. 220 00:20:57,271 --> 00:21:00,871 The dervishes come from many different walks of life. 221 00:21:00,871 --> 00:21:04,288 Young or old, educated or simple farmers, 222 00:21:05,127 --> 00:21:07,377 they share a common belief. 223 00:21:08,389 --> 00:21:12,509 All are equal here as they come before God. 224 00:21:12,509 --> 00:21:15,426 (percussive music) 225 00:21:18,668 --> 00:21:22,501 (singing in foreign language) 226 00:21:46,567 --> 00:21:48,807 The Western world knows about the dervishes and 227 00:21:48,807 --> 00:21:51,249 their whirling dance of Sama 228 00:21:51,249 --> 00:21:54,188 through the 13th century Persian mystic 229 00:21:54,188 --> 00:21:56,355 Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi. 230 00:21:57,818 --> 00:22:01,338 Rumi, a poet and a scholar, reached a state of enlightenment 231 00:22:01,338 --> 00:22:04,213 under the guidance of a wandering dervish 232 00:22:04,213 --> 00:22:07,963 and practicing Sufi known as Shams-e Tabrizi. 233 00:22:11,594 --> 00:22:14,757 Rumi expressed his enlightened state in his poems 234 00:22:14,757 --> 00:22:17,511 and through them has been a messenger of love 235 00:22:17,511 --> 00:22:20,594 and consciousness for over 700 years. 236 00:22:24,890 --> 00:22:27,395 Though it is believed to have branched out of Islam, 237 00:22:27,395 --> 00:22:29,418 the mystical apparition of dervishes 238 00:22:29,418 --> 00:22:33,514 also has roots in the older Christian and Zoroastrian 239 00:22:33,514 --> 00:22:35,347 teachings and rituals. 240 00:22:40,951 --> 00:22:43,818 Dervishes are often depicted as wanderers, 241 00:22:43,818 --> 00:22:46,874 pilgrims on a spiritual quest in search of mysteries 242 00:22:46,874 --> 00:22:48,207 of the universe. 243 00:22:50,357 --> 00:22:53,178 In their long journey in search of esoteric knowledge, 244 00:22:53,178 --> 00:22:55,955 they carry a ball symbolizing their willingness 245 00:22:55,955 --> 00:22:59,038 to receive that which comes from God. 246 00:23:05,658 --> 00:23:10,431 Dervishes believe in the existence of two worlds. 247 00:23:10,431 --> 00:23:12,848 The physical and the virtual. 248 00:23:14,701 --> 00:23:16,701 The seen and the unseen. 249 00:23:20,242 --> 00:23:23,122 In order to travel to the unseen world, 250 00:23:23,122 --> 00:23:24,743 they believe it necessary 251 00:23:24,743 --> 00:23:27,660 to reach the state of enlightenment 252 00:23:29,619 --> 00:23:32,205 and from that state the chosen ones 253 00:23:32,205 --> 00:23:35,205 will hear the voice of the universe. 254 00:23:43,922 --> 00:23:47,241 Throughout history, many dervishes have been persecuted, 255 00:23:47,241 --> 00:23:50,662 accused of blasphemy, and even killed for openly 256 00:23:50,662 --> 00:23:53,079 revealing esoteric knowledge. 257 00:23:55,817 --> 00:23:59,922 Forced underground, they kept a path open to devoted seekers 258 00:23:59,922 --> 00:24:03,505 in order to hand down the mystic knowledge. 259 00:24:05,661 --> 00:24:08,365 Their secret meetings take place in centers known 260 00:24:08,365 --> 00:24:09,198 as Hanaga. 261 00:24:10,082 --> 00:24:13,325 Many are still closed every day. 262 00:24:13,325 --> 00:24:15,817 As Rumi said, Jesus reached the crucifixion 263 00:24:15,817 --> 00:24:18,184 because of his message of love. 264 00:24:18,184 --> 00:24:20,678 (percussive music) 265 00:24:20,678 --> 00:24:24,511 (singing in foreign language) 266 00:24:28,744 --> 00:24:31,965 Men from areas throughout Kordestan gather to perform 267 00:24:31,965 --> 00:24:34,798 their sacred ritual known as Sama. 268 00:24:40,137 --> 00:24:42,798 Sama means to hear or to listen 269 00:24:42,798 --> 00:24:45,683 and it is during the ritual of Sama that the dervish 270 00:24:45,683 --> 00:24:48,100 opens himself to hearing God. 271 00:24:52,883 --> 00:24:54,925 It is traditionally taboo for women to enter 272 00:24:54,925 --> 00:24:59,085 the men's circle, but out of respect for our long pilgrimage 273 00:24:59,085 --> 00:25:02,918 Sheik Nadur allowed me to watch from a window. 274 00:25:11,283 --> 00:25:14,237 Islam forbids music and dance in secular life, 275 00:25:14,237 --> 00:25:18,024 but inside the Hanaga, the ritual of Sama begins 276 00:25:18,024 --> 00:25:20,274 with the rhythm of the daf, 277 00:25:21,165 --> 00:25:24,301 an ancient instrument like the shaman's drum, 278 00:25:24,301 --> 00:25:27,468 the daf is sacred to these mystic men. 279 00:25:33,965 --> 00:25:36,445 Like yogis, dervishes keep their hair long, 280 00:25:36,445 --> 00:25:39,843 wrapping it beneath the turban. 281 00:25:39,843 --> 00:25:43,421 As they start the ritual, the men let their long hair flow, 282 00:25:43,421 --> 00:25:48,061 whipping back and forth with the rhythm of the dance. 283 00:25:48,061 --> 00:25:52,228 (percussive music) (singing in foreign language) 284 00:26:48,483 --> 00:26:51,043 As the beat of the drum speeds up, 285 00:26:51,043 --> 00:26:53,460 they enter a state of trance. 286 00:26:55,805 --> 00:26:59,972 Some meditate, some levitate, some whirl, some chant. 287 00:27:09,341 --> 00:27:11,508 All in a state of ecstasy. 288 00:27:22,744 --> 00:27:26,327 As the mystic poet Rumi described the Sama, 289 00:27:28,621 --> 00:27:31,861 "Dancing is not rising to your feet painlessly 290 00:27:31,861 --> 00:27:35,194 "like a speck of dust blown in the wind. 291 00:27:37,544 --> 00:27:41,211 "Dancing is when you rise above both worlds, 292 00:27:42,362 --> 00:27:44,779 "tearing your heart to pieces 293 00:27:46,323 --> 00:27:48,490 "and giving up your soul." 294 00:27:49,843 --> 00:27:54,010 (singing and chanting in foreign language) 295 00:28:08,323 --> 00:28:10,656 The ritual lasted for hours. 296 00:28:17,068 --> 00:28:21,235 But at last they returned to a normal state of awareness. 297 00:28:22,465 --> 00:28:25,691 I saw men leave with a look of inner peace 298 00:28:25,691 --> 00:28:28,524 and a certain smile on their face. 299 00:28:39,893 --> 00:28:42,476 (upbeat music) 300 00:28:55,189 --> 00:28:57,093 (percussive music) 301 00:28:57,093 --> 00:29:00,926 (singing in foreign language) 302 00:29:11,509 --> 00:29:13,552 While in the village of Najjar I discovered 303 00:29:13,552 --> 00:29:16,219 the presence of women dervishes. 304 00:29:17,347 --> 00:29:19,472 They'd gather to offer prayers to the spirit 305 00:29:19,472 --> 00:29:23,639 of dervish saint Vaisa Kharan, buried within the mausoleum. 306 00:29:26,831 --> 00:29:29,825 Khalifa Saneh, the spiritual leader of the group, is a woman 307 00:29:29,825 --> 00:29:33,410 of modern wisdom and gave us permission to film the Sama 308 00:29:33,410 --> 00:29:37,446 during their pilgrimage through this remote region. 309 00:29:37,446 --> 00:29:41,613 (percussive music) (singing in foreign language) 310 00:29:50,770 --> 00:29:52,888 Though women have been practicing the mystic knowledge 311 00:29:52,888 --> 00:29:55,864 for centuries, their existence has been hidden 312 00:29:55,864 --> 00:29:57,281 from public view. 313 00:30:06,648 --> 00:30:10,189 It is forbidden for women to dance and sing in public, 314 00:30:10,189 --> 00:30:12,704 but once again, the ritual of Sama begins 315 00:30:12,704 --> 00:30:15,346 with the sound of the daf as the women whirl 316 00:30:15,346 --> 00:30:17,400 and chant the name of Allah. 317 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:19,650 (chanting) 318 00:30:56,839 --> 00:31:00,173 Dervishes practice Sama as a way to see further 319 00:31:00,173 --> 00:31:02,090 beyond ordinary senses. 320 00:31:05,009 --> 00:31:07,176 Beyond the material world. 321 00:31:10,588 --> 00:31:14,005 To reach a higher state of consciousness. 322 00:31:14,949 --> 00:31:16,449 Some have visions, 323 00:31:18,348 --> 00:31:20,765 other chase away bad spirits. 324 00:31:23,148 --> 00:31:26,933 But all experience the presence of God within their heart. 325 00:31:26,933 --> 00:31:29,850 (percussive music) 326 00:32:02,133 --> 00:32:04,469 The role of a spiritual leader guiding the Sama 327 00:32:04,469 --> 00:32:08,636 is to watch over the dervishes while in the mystical realm. 328 00:32:11,733 --> 00:32:14,049 Induced by the movement and sound, 329 00:32:14,049 --> 00:32:16,351 their hypnotic trance state deepens, 330 00:32:16,351 --> 00:32:18,770 and Khalifa Saneh helps the women back 331 00:32:18,770 --> 00:32:22,234 to a normal state of consciousness. 332 00:32:22,234 --> 00:32:26,401 (singing and chanting in foreign language) 333 00:32:58,778 --> 00:33:02,945 Inside the mausoleum, all sit for a moment of joyful tears. 334 00:33:04,255 --> 00:33:07,655 Whispering the name of the beloved god. 335 00:33:07,655 --> 00:33:11,322 (speaking foreign language) 336 00:33:18,335 --> 00:33:22,168 (singing in foreign language) 337 00:33:25,172 --> 00:33:26,850 (peaceful music) 338 00:33:26,850 --> 00:33:29,316 - [Narrator] A dervish gives the secret of the universe 339 00:33:29,316 --> 00:33:31,399 in every breath for free. 340 00:33:34,835 --> 00:33:38,356 Not the one who begs his daily bread, 341 00:33:38,356 --> 00:33:41,939 but the one who flows with life as charity. 342 00:33:49,716 --> 00:33:52,154 At lunch we join the women dervishes 343 00:33:52,154 --> 00:33:54,916 as they sat beneath walnut trees to sup in the sun 344 00:33:54,916 --> 00:33:58,583 and enjoy the company of family and friends. 345 00:34:03,754 --> 00:34:06,154 Khalifa Saneh explained that to be a dervish 346 00:34:06,154 --> 00:34:08,487 means to live a simple life. 347 00:34:09,715 --> 00:34:12,298 Away from material attachments, 348 00:34:14,575 --> 00:34:18,356 away from worldly desires and in the presence of god 349 00:34:18,356 --> 00:34:19,439 at all times. 350 00:34:26,036 --> 00:34:29,674 Fascinated by these dervish women, their spiritual state, 351 00:34:29,674 --> 00:34:33,674 and their simple lifestyle, mountain to mountain 352 00:34:35,455 --> 00:34:38,916 and village to village we followed them, 353 00:34:38,916 --> 00:34:42,166 becoming wandering dervishes ourselves. 354 00:34:46,554 --> 00:34:50,011 In the next village, we saw women dervishes preparing food 355 00:34:50,011 --> 00:34:53,754 for the traveling pilgrims and the day's rituals. 356 00:34:53,754 --> 00:34:57,252 (fire crackling) 357 00:34:57,252 --> 00:34:59,502 (pounding) 358 00:35:00,930 --> 00:35:03,354 We found Dervish Mehru among the group of women 359 00:35:03,354 --> 00:35:06,271 baking bread in a primitive cavern. 360 00:35:09,772 --> 00:35:12,474 Like many others, Mahru refuses to communicate 361 00:35:12,474 --> 00:35:14,391 in front of the camera. 362 00:35:19,243 --> 00:35:21,993 (women laughing) 363 00:35:26,058 --> 00:35:28,859 (singing in foreign language) 364 00:35:28,859 --> 00:35:31,899 When a woman begins to sing, this every day scene 365 00:35:31,899 --> 00:35:35,399 suddenly transforms into a surreal moment. 366 00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:59,656 As her companions keep working, Mahru begins to chant, 367 00:35:59,656 --> 00:36:00,989 lament, and cry. 368 00:36:04,816 --> 00:36:06,816 She is in another world. 369 00:36:09,019 --> 00:36:12,539 In a personal trance state, she begins to rub her hand 370 00:36:12,539 --> 00:36:15,521 on a burning piece of wood. 371 00:36:15,521 --> 00:36:17,771 (chanting) 372 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:25,840 It is believed that in a state of trance 373 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:28,048 dervishes can transcend the physical senses, 374 00:36:28,048 --> 00:36:31,179 achieving control of mind over the body. 375 00:36:31,179 --> 00:36:33,429 (chanting) 376 00:36:56,714 --> 00:36:59,776 As her trance intensifies, Dervish Mahru grabs a piece 377 00:36:59,776 --> 00:37:02,357 of wood from the stove and swallows the fire 378 00:37:02,357 --> 00:37:06,858 just as a woman crosses in front of the camera. 379 00:37:06,858 --> 00:37:08,635 With every utterance of Allah and 380 00:37:08,635 --> 00:37:12,802 (speaking foreign language), smoke comes out of her mouth. 381 00:37:19,419 --> 00:37:21,435 According to the dervish women, 382 00:37:21,435 --> 00:37:23,536 the fire eating was not something we were meant 383 00:37:23,536 --> 00:37:24,786 to see or film. 384 00:37:27,835 --> 00:37:30,859 Some believe the inner fire experienced during trance 385 00:37:30,859 --> 00:37:35,443 is so intense it drives mystic to reach for the outer fire 386 00:37:35,443 --> 00:37:37,860 to quench the burning within. 387 00:37:47,904 --> 00:37:49,001 (drumming) 388 00:37:49,001 --> 00:37:52,834 (singing in foreign language) 389 00:38:02,117 --> 00:38:05,044 As Mahru moves deeper into a state of ecstasy, 390 00:38:05,044 --> 00:38:08,201 she approaches the fire once more. 391 00:38:08,201 --> 00:38:13,161 This time she begins to dance on the burning embers. 392 00:38:13,161 --> 00:38:17,328 The women try to stop her, but only because of the camera. 393 00:38:20,185 --> 00:38:22,880 Mahru told us later that it is customary for both 394 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:27,047 male and female dervishes, like yogis, to eat fire, 395 00:38:27,902 --> 00:38:31,069 or cut their body and remain unharmed. 396 00:38:36,804 --> 00:38:40,503 While it may appear to the outside viewer as a spectacle, 397 00:38:40,503 --> 00:38:43,877 the goal of this practice is to weigh their mystic power 398 00:38:43,877 --> 00:38:47,127 and will and to strengthen their faith. 399 00:38:54,648 --> 00:38:57,742 The situation is getting out of hand and Dervish Mehru 400 00:38:57,742 --> 00:38:59,950 is helped out of the cavern by her friends 401 00:38:59,950 --> 00:39:04,117 and carried away to finish the cycle of Sama in privacy. 402 00:39:17,549 --> 00:39:20,299 (birds chirping) 403 00:39:25,107 --> 00:39:28,024 Everywhere the murmur of departure. 404 00:39:30,026 --> 00:39:31,859 The stars like candles 405 00:39:35,048 --> 00:39:37,965 thrust at us from behind blue veils 406 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:42,330 and, as if to make the invisible plain, 407 00:39:44,387 --> 00:39:47,790 a wondrous people have come forth. 408 00:39:47,790 --> 00:39:50,168 (drumming) 409 00:39:50,168 --> 00:39:54,001 (singing in foreign language) 410 00:40:05,507 --> 00:40:07,806 Back in their home in the city of Sanandaj, 411 00:40:07,806 --> 00:40:09,950 the women gather with Khalifa Saneh 412 00:40:09,950 --> 00:40:11,950 for their weekly ritual. 413 00:40:21,310 --> 00:40:25,731 Dervishes believe the heart is the seat of cosmic knowledge 414 00:40:25,731 --> 00:40:30,326 and the meditation, chanting, prayers, and Sama 415 00:40:30,326 --> 00:40:32,993 are the means to open the heart. 416 00:40:43,980 --> 00:40:46,230 (chanting) 417 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:53,247 All through meditation they chant a mystical mantra. 418 00:40:55,218 --> 00:40:57,160 It is believed that the chanting of the words 419 00:40:57,160 --> 00:40:58,493 clears the mind. 420 00:40:59,960 --> 00:41:03,377 The sound of the music purifies the soul. 421 00:41:04,255 --> 00:41:08,422 And the motion of the body ignites the state of bliss. 422 00:41:09,938 --> 00:41:14,358 In the mystical world, this brings forth love. 423 00:41:14,358 --> 00:41:18,525 (percussive music) (singing in foreign language) 424 00:41:29,437 --> 00:41:31,517 It is common for dervish women to grow their hair 425 00:41:31,517 --> 00:41:33,753 down to their knees. 426 00:41:33,753 --> 00:41:37,920 Like the men, it flows freely during the ritual of Sama. 427 00:41:39,594 --> 00:41:43,761 But because of the filming they covered themselves. 428 00:42:16,898 --> 00:42:19,357 Though the mature women are restricted by their efforts 429 00:42:19,357 --> 00:42:22,680 to keep their scarves on, with the rhythm of the music 430 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:25,698 they begin to forget our presence as they immerse 431 00:42:25,698 --> 00:42:27,698 themselves in the dance. 432 00:42:38,755 --> 00:42:40,919 A young dervish loses her scarf. 433 00:42:40,919 --> 00:42:43,837 Freed in her movements, she enters fully into the trance 434 00:42:43,837 --> 00:42:45,170 state with ease. 435 00:43:04,031 --> 00:43:07,032 The cycle of Sama allows the dervish to transcend 436 00:43:07,032 --> 00:43:10,830 the everyday self by transforming her state of awareness 437 00:43:10,830 --> 00:43:13,497 through the power of the ritual. 438 00:43:17,388 --> 00:43:19,388 Again the words of Rumi. 439 00:43:22,131 --> 00:43:25,381 "If you could get rid of yourself once, 440 00:43:26,552 --> 00:43:29,969 "the secret of secrets would open to you. 441 00:43:30,931 --> 00:43:35,790 "The face of the unknown, hidden beyond the universe, 442 00:43:35,790 --> 00:43:39,790 "would appear in the mirror of your perception." 443 00:44:05,854 --> 00:44:10,030 They say love is the end of silence, the beginning is chaos, 444 00:44:10,030 --> 00:44:12,414 but the end is tranquility. 445 00:44:12,414 --> 00:44:16,081 (speaking foreign language) 446 00:44:42,590 --> 00:44:45,340 (peaceful music) 447 00:44:56,507 --> 00:44:58,371 - [Narrator] Modern man explores the universe 448 00:44:58,371 --> 00:44:59,788 from the outside. 449 00:45:01,128 --> 00:45:04,878 The mystic explores the universe from inside. 450 00:45:06,430 --> 00:45:08,263 Both in search of God. 451 00:45:16,189 --> 00:45:17,688 Nearing the end of our journey, 452 00:45:17,688 --> 00:45:20,646 we join hundreds of women in the remote desert village 453 00:45:20,646 --> 00:45:21,646 of Varsaneh. 454 00:45:24,334 --> 00:45:27,967 Side by side, echoing a tradition of years of discipline, 455 00:45:27,967 --> 00:45:28,800 they pray. 456 00:45:31,432 --> 00:45:33,850 They pray with the belief that the sound of their prayers 457 00:45:33,850 --> 00:45:38,691 offered with one voice transcends the material world 458 00:45:38,691 --> 00:45:40,691 and moves onward to God. 459 00:45:45,950 --> 00:45:49,200 And then they sit in silent meditation, 460 00:45:50,190 --> 00:45:54,357 listening, waiting, knowing that God will answer in time. 461 00:46:04,910 --> 00:46:08,414 A mystic's way to converse with God. 462 00:46:08,414 --> 00:46:10,997 (gentle music) 463 00:46:31,190 --> 00:46:34,690 Later we follow the women to the cemetery. 464 00:46:40,390 --> 00:46:43,192 Every Friday the holy day of the week they gather 465 00:46:43,192 --> 00:46:46,525 to pray the spirits of their loved ones. 466 00:46:49,352 --> 00:46:52,910 Dressed in ghostly white chadors, they adorn the graves 467 00:46:52,910 --> 00:46:54,493 with joyful colors, 468 00:46:57,832 --> 00:47:01,999 offering rosewater, flowers, and sweets to the spirits. 469 00:47:06,910 --> 00:47:11,271 These women view life on Earth as a caravan. 470 00:47:11,271 --> 00:47:14,271 Moving across the celestial horizon, 471 00:47:16,152 --> 00:47:20,319 passing through life, the soul settles briefly for the night 472 00:47:24,494 --> 00:47:28,661 and at dawn it disappears into the infinite distance beyond. 473 00:47:31,971 --> 00:47:36,825 Made of the earth, the human body returns to earth, 474 00:47:36,825 --> 00:47:40,492 but the soul rises above the material world, 475 00:47:41,870 --> 00:47:43,287 transcending all. 476 00:47:45,630 --> 00:47:48,989 In the end, the soul is married once more to the beloved 477 00:47:48,989 --> 00:47:50,989 God from whence it came. 478 00:47:55,705 --> 00:47:59,872 Only love and freedom, the gifts of the spirit, remain. 479 00:48:01,694 --> 00:48:04,527 (uplifting music) 480 00:48:15,832 --> 00:48:18,392 My spiritual journey had taken me from the land 481 00:48:18,392 --> 00:48:21,475 of Ahura Mazda to the realm of Allah. 482 00:48:24,094 --> 00:48:27,427 I came to believe there is only one god. 483 00:48:28,489 --> 00:48:31,656 The god of light and goodness and joy. 484 00:48:34,691 --> 00:48:38,858 A god who abides not on the mountains or in the oceans, 485 00:48:41,672 --> 00:48:44,505 nor the cities or the sanctuaries, 486 00:48:46,750 --> 00:48:50,083 but in the human souls who worship them. 487 00:48:55,934 --> 00:49:00,072 From the heart of the desert to the distant mountains 488 00:49:00,072 --> 00:49:02,665 I searched for the incredible men and women 489 00:49:02,665 --> 00:49:04,248 of legend and lore. 490 00:49:07,171 --> 00:49:11,950 They showed me the secret of life that is goodness 491 00:49:11,950 --> 00:49:14,349 radiating from the human heart 492 00:49:14,349 --> 00:49:17,266 that holds the universe in harmony. 493 00:49:20,588 --> 00:49:24,028 From the teachings of sages and wise men, 494 00:49:24,028 --> 00:49:27,934 I discovered that the roots of hatred and destruction 495 00:49:27,934 --> 00:49:31,684 emanate from the human mind and not from God. 496 00:49:33,614 --> 00:49:37,390 Looking back on the long history of the people of this land, 497 00:49:37,390 --> 00:49:41,669 I understood now that with the power of faith, 498 00:49:41,669 --> 00:49:45,432 no force or tyrant can stop people from claiming 499 00:49:45,432 --> 00:49:48,712 the freedom to follow their own hearts. 500 00:49:48,712 --> 00:49:51,462 (peaceful music) 501 00:49:55,891 --> 00:49:58,334 The legacy of Cyrus the Great will continue 502 00:49:58,334 --> 00:50:01,751 to resonate here for generations to come. 503 00:50:05,326 --> 00:50:08,611 Echoes from the past will live on. 504 00:50:08,611 --> 00:50:12,444 (singing in foreign language) 37581

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