by “Whoever does not take pleasure in the Sema and the poems recited during it, in spring and its flowers, in the ‘
‘ the ud, and its tremulous sound—there is a flaw in that person’s disposition.”
Prophet Muhammad
Music has held a very important place in human life since its inception. Furthermore, it is both a unifying element of a national culture and one of the most important tools for passing that culture on to future generations. Its use for therapeutic purposes dates back to ancient times. However, the proper and appropriate use of this tool is of the utmost importance. For, as Süheyl Ünver put it, “Music intensifies the lover’s love and the sinner’s sin.”
To keep the spirit of our forefathers alive, to pass on our national cultural values to future generations and across different regions, and to introduce to you a group—and its founder, a wonderful person and a man of the heart—that serves to utilize music as both a cultural expression, a source of healing, a return to one’s essence, and an element of love: the Turkish Music Research and Promotion Group (TÜMATA).
TÜMATA was founded in 1976 by Assistant Professor Dr. Rahmi Oruç Güvenç with the aim of researching and promoting the origins, development, therapeutic value, and rich repertoire and instruments of Turkish music. After operating under the Center for Ethnomusicology Research and Application at Istanbul University from 1991 to 1995, it continued its activities as the Unit for the Research and Promotion of Turkish Music at the Institute of Turkish Studies at Marmara University.”
The promotion of Turkish music—which is said to have a history of at least 6,000 years—both in our country and around the world, as well as the repertoire, performance styles, dances, costumes, and stage designs; its sociocultural and psychological roots; and the materials used in music therapy—which has been rediscovered in modern medicine—are all part of TÜMATA’s general scope of activities.
TÜMATA offers training sessions and concerts across a wide range of regions, from Central Asia to the Balkans, from Spain to Australia, and from the United Kingdom to Switzerland; introducing Turkish music and instruments, providing healing, offering exemplary practices for experiencing and preserving spiritual culture, and serving as a bridge between cultures. In short, their purpose can be summarized as beautifying the spiritual and physical worlds of humanity and serving their wholeness.
Oruç Güvenç Hoca, who is of Kyrgyz descent on one side and of Kazan Turkish descent on the other, was born in Tavşanlı, Kütahya. However, given his deep assimilation of our culture, the love for humanity that flows from his dervish heart, his efforts to bring cultures together, and his tireless dedication to serving humanity by passing on values, knowledge, and ways of life that were on the verge of being forgotten— his cheerful demeanor, and his gentle voice—which speaks not only to the ears but also to the hearts—it would not be wrong to say that he belongs to all of humanity and to every corner of the world.
Rahmi Oruç Güvenç, who stepped into the world of music through a violin that was handed to him in a dream and which he was told to play, brought the music of his own world into ours when his father helped him fulfill that dream by giving him a violin as a gift after he awoke. Our own introduction to the traditional Turkish instrument, the çeng, came about when we saw in a dream that he was teaching us to play it. Our hope is to share the sound and enchanting beauty of this instrument—which has been found to facilitate learning and the transition to the afterlife—more widely.
It would be helpful to briefly mention their activities here in order to get to know and introduce this group:
- Sufism Seminars: They organize seminars under the title “Sufism/Mesnevi Discussions” in Ankara, Istanbul, Yalova, Hamburg, Berlin, and Toronto. In these seminars, readings are based on the Mesnevi and Sultan Veled’s Rebabname; a page is opened according to what the moment calls for, and then it is interpreted. These sessions are enriched by the invocation of Allah’s beautiful names. Topics such as the friends of Allah, the esoteric knowledge (ledün), humanity’s highest values, and the contributions of all this knowledge to personal development are discussed.
- Music and Movement Therapy Practices: Two receptive (passive) music therapy practices are conducted using pentatonic music—a tradition of music therapy among the Turks and known as its oldest form of performance—and makam music, which originated in Khorasan. Another form of receptive music therapy is Imagery Therapy. The goal is to release negative mental patterns and emotions through the accompaniment of improvised music. During the brief verbal debriefing and sharing that takes place after the session, participants report experiencing images in a wide variety of colors and forms, as well as perceptions and expansions of awareness on a metaphysical level.
- Baksı Dance: One of the oldest forms of music and movement therapy, it is known that in ancient times, healers called “kam” or “baksı” treated patients with archetypal movements accompanied by music. Today, preserving this form of therapy is important both for its cultural significance and its healing properties. The goal is to open up blocked areas and bring about a change in emotional state through movements that begin at the hands and shoulders and gradually spread throughout the entire body. The Baksı Dance is first taught and then practiced with the participation of those who wish to join, accompanied by music.
- Sema: After providing information about Sema, the technique is taught, and those who wish to participate practice it together. Based on the understanding that Sema is not merely a routine rotation or dance, but is in fact a turning toward the heart and an orientation toward the heart, it is emphasized that Sema is a form of worship and prayer that brings the individual back to their essence, fosters self-awareness, and serves as a means to establish a connection with the Creator. In this context, Sema sessions are held in Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Austria, and Turkey—lasting 66 days and 66 nights, 40 days and 40 nights, 7 days and 7 nights, or 3 days and 3 nights—with Sema music playing continuously and the space never left empty. In particular, this event, held in Gökçedere, Yalova, in our country, attracts devotees of this path, lovers of the art, volunteers dedicated to the Quran and Mevlana, and enthusiasts from all over the world.
- Occupational Therapy / Music Therapy Studies: Studies for therapeutic purposes are being conducted at certain medical schools in Turkey and abroad, as well as in the psychiatry, algology, and oncology departments of hospitals. These studies, which contribute to the healing process in patients, have yielded very positive results. Given the history of healing centers in Turkish culture and geography, it is clear that the importance of these studies cannot be denied.
- From Medicine to the Heart, From the Heart to Medicine: Preparing for the Future / Symposia on Regenerative Medicine and Spirituality: Based on the understanding that the spirit, body, and mind form an indivisible whole in the human healing process, this initiative aims to reintroduce this perspective into medical schools and establish corresponding methodologies, to utilize art—particularly music—in medical practice and derive benefit from it; to enable “human beings, who are open to infinite knowledge and perception,” to benefit from spiritual and metaphysical resources and to foster the process of self-renewal; to ensure effective communication between patients and physicians; Establishing spiritual care units within the Ministry of Health and having religious psychologists serve in these areas—these and other topics are discussed and solutions developed through collaborative efforts with universities and medical schools. The most recent, the ninth such event, was held last year at Istanbul University.
- Sufi Tour: Drawing inspiration from the hadith that states, “The saints do not die but merely change states,” this tour aims to commemorate the saints who have significantly influenced and shaped Anatolian culture and spirituality, to visit them at their known resting places, to strive to understand the spiritual states they attained and to align ourselves with their states of being, as well as to teach this tradition to future generations, to use it in the training of the self, and to foster the growth of sincere emotions. Held every December since 1990, this event also serves to highlight the health benefits of travel.
- Instrument Courses and Instrument-Making Workshops: Courses are offered for instruments such as the ney, rebab, and çeng, open to participants of all skill levels, where instruction is provided on musical notation, rhythm, and modes. In addition, every summer in Yalova, a course is held at the reed bed where participants can make their own ney—from selecting the reed to carving and playing the instrument.
- Concerts: Concerts are held in our country and in many parts of the world that feature examples of Central Asian Turkish music, Sufi music, classical Turkish music, and therapeutic maqam music, as well as baksı and sema performances.
With the ney, you learn to listen—first to the music, then to yourself; the rebab immerses you in deep water, and you begin to explore the shores with that water; the ud makes you tremble inside, turning you into a leaf, a branch, and fruit among the trees; with the tambur and the kopuz, a divine ascent begins, and the rhythm of the water calms and heals your cells; and with the çeng, you cross over to the other world, shedding your body, dying, and being reborn each time.
The goal of all this is to achieve harmony and balance—which are possible only through unity and togetherness and by letting go of the ego—and to experience peace. It is to be able to turn toward the unseen realm—which is believed to exist alongside the realm we feel, know, and perceive—even though our senses and perceptions are insufficient to grasp it.
In each of their works, Oruç Hoca and his group remind us of who we truly are through what they call “compassionate music”—music and spiritual discussions that help us recall our essence and live our existence—by bringing to light the codes that lie within our very being and in our collective unconscious, yet which we have forgotten. These gatherings take various forms—some in intimate settings, some scientific in nature, some artistic, and some involving movement. But all of them revolve around the unity of the soul, mind, and body; they are about humanity, love, compassion, happiness, and paradise. For “with the sounds of paradise, all evil sounds are transformed into goodness” (Masnavi, Volume IV).
Music is one of the paths to the elevation of the soul in the process of becoming a complete human being; indeed, as Beethoven said, “Music is the language of God.” Let us hope that we may be among those who can understand this language, speak it, deepen our love for it, and live in good health with a harmonious unity of spirit, body, and mind.