Sunday 20 – 16.30 : 18.00
The Sufi Trance workshop integrates Sufi traditions with eco-somatic principles, offering participants an embodied approach to deepening their connection to both self and environment. Led by Smirna Soraya, the first woman in her Sufi lineage to teach these practices, the workshop bridges spiritual practice with ecological awareness, creating a space for participants to explore their place within broader ecosystems.
Through the rhythmic, spiraling movements of the Sema (dervish dance), participants engage in eco-somatic awareness, using the dance to attune to the energy flow within their bodies and the pulse of the natural world. The dervish dance becomes a powerful tool for experiencing embodied belonging, guiding individuals into a state of connection with their human community as well as the earth, plants, animals, and elements.
Complemented by breathwork, chanting, and storytelling, the workshop creates an immersive environment where personal healing intersects with planetary healing. By blending ancient Sufi wisdom with eco-somatic theory, Smirna Soraya’s approach encourages participants to embody natural rhythms, fostering a sense of balance, surrender, and unity with the world around them. This practice enhances individual awareness but also cultivates a deeper relationship with the community and ecosystems participants are part of, making it a transformative, holistic experience.
Smirna Kulenovic is a Bosnian transdisciplinary artist, director, researcher, filmmaker, lecturer, and a PhD candidate at the University of Arts Berlin.
