--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Islam, and especially among the Sufi…" description: "\"“In Islam, and especially among the Sufi Orders, siyahat or 'errance' - the action or rhythm of walking - was used as a technique for dissolving the at..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/meister-eckhart-1044_dead-man_in-islam-and-especially-among-the-sufi-o_599321.jpg" --- # In Islam, and especially among the Sufi Orders, siyahat or… ![“In Islam, and especially among the Sufi Orders, siyahat or 'errance' - the action or rhythm of walking - was used as a technique for dissolving the attachments of the world and allowing men to lose themselves in God. The aim of a dervish was to become a 'dead man walking': one whose body stays…” quote by Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/meister-eckhart-1044_dead-man_in-islam-and-especially-among-the-sufi-o_599321.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/meister-eckhart-1044_dead-man_in-islam-and-especially-among-the-sufi-o_599321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a84/meister-eckhart-1044_dead-man_in-islam-and-especially-among-the-sufi-o_599321.jpg) > ““In Islam, and especially among the Sufi Orders, siyahat or 'errance' - the action or rhythm of walking - was used as a technique for dissolving the attachments of the world and allowing men to lose themselves in God. The aim of a dervish was to become a 'dead man walking': one whose body stays alive on the earth yet whose soul is already in Heaven. A Sufi manual, the Kashf-al-Mahjub, says that, toward the end of his tourney, the dervish becomes the Way not the wayfarer, i.e. a place over which something is passing, not a traveller following his own free will...it was quite similar to an Aboriginal concept, 'Many men afterwards become country, in that place, Ancestors.' By spending his whole life walking and singing his Ancestor's Songline, a man eventually became the track, the Ancestor and the song. The Wayless Way, where the Sons of God lose themselves and, at the same time, find themselves.”” [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Walking as a spiritual practice dissolves worldly ties, letting the seeker merge with the divine and become the path itself. **In simple terms:** Walking helps lose ego and find God. Key Takeaway Use movement or ritual to transcend self. Themes spirituality transcendence identity ritual Mood contemplative reverent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - pilgrimage - meditative walking - ritual dance - personal transformation Key Concepts Sufism embodied practice self‑nullification Questions to Reflect On - How can ordinary life incorporate such embodied spirituality? - What practices help balance surrender and presence? A Different Perspective The method may be inaccessible without a supportive community or guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dead man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-man/) [Dervish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dervish/) [Sufi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufi/) ## Related quotes > [A Sufi manual, the Kashf-al-Mahjub, says that, towards the end of his journey, the dervish becomes the Way not the wayfarer, i.e. a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-chatwin/a-sufi-manual-the-kashf-al-mahjub-says-that-towards-the-end-of-his/) [Bruce Chatwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-chatwin/) > [“Don't place me in the lineage of your tribal white giants, they were cute little smart kids, but that's all, my peers of heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/don-t-place-me-in-the-lineage-of-your-tribal-white-giants-they-were/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Either burn me, or burn with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/either-burn-me-or-burn-with-me/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“One sip of this wine and you will go mad with drunkenness. You will drop your masks and tear your clothes — destroying everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/one-sip-of-this-wine-and-you-will-go-mad-with-drunkenness-you-will/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“Having drunk the dregs of Your Love, I am intoxicated beyond recognition. Now, I only pray for the nearness of You so I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/having-drunk-the-dregs-of-your-love-i-am-intoxicated-beyond/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“…the work of the (Muslim Sufi) dervish community was to open the heart, explore the mystery of union, to fiercely search for and try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleman-barks/the-work-of-the-muslim-sufi-dervish-community-was-to-open-the-heart/) [Coleman Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleman-barks/) > [“THE DANCE OF ANGELS Suzy Kassem He spins and spins and spins To remove all three layers of him And with devout discipline He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-dance-of-angels-suzy-kassem-he-spins-and-spins-and-spins-to/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“After the first ten or so books, I wrote one called "In Search of Divinity", where the shift happened, the tone of that book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/after-the-first-ten-or-so-books-i-wrote-one-called-in-search-of/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Either burn me or burn with me (The Naskar Personalities, Sonnet 2924-2925) Naskar has many zones - neuroscientist, dervish, monk, decolonizer, sacred feminine, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/either-burn-me-or-burn-with-me-the-naskar-personalities-sonnet-2924/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Not to get too depressing, I've always been a slight whirling dervish in my life. I've always been at once a very spritely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elson/not-to-get-too-depressing-i-ve-always-been-a-slight-whirling-dervish/) [Karen Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elson/) > [Hitler is a dancing dervish. He must be shot down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-von-tresckow/hitler-is-a-dancing-dervish-he-must-be-shot-down/) [Henning von Tresckow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-von-tresckow/) > [“Only Fact is Me (Sonnet 2655) I'm the impulse before the language, I'm the reason before the science, I'm the pulse before the poetry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/only-fact-is-me-sonnet-2655-i-m-the-impulse-before-the-language-i-m/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Because we live in a world under siege,” I say. “Life sucks for mages and magicians- you taught me that. Bad things happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/because-we-live-in-a-world-under-siege-i-say-life-sucks-for-mages-and/) [Darren Shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [“You see, dervish, it wasn't always like this. Violence wasn't my element, but it is now. When God forgets about us down here, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-shafak/you-see-dervish-it-wasn-t-always-like-this-violence-wasn-t-my-element/) [Elif Shafak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-shafak/) > [“Naskar has many zones – neuroscientist, dervish, monk, decolonizer, sacred feminine, and countless others I lose track of – my nondual works are authored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/naskar-has-many-zones-neuroscientist-dervish-monk-decolonizer-sacred/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Meister Eckhart > [God holds each of us by a string. When we sin, we cut the string. But God ties it up again, making a knot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/god-holds-each-of-us-by-a-string-when-we-sin-we-cut-the-string-but/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [When I think of God's Kingdom, I am compelled to be silent because of its immensity, because God's Kingdom is none other than God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/when-i-think-of-god-s-kingdom-i-am-compelled-to-be-silent-because-of/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Action and becoming are one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/action-and-becoming-are-one/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Whoever wants to receive the body of our Lord does not need to scrutinize what they are feeling at the time or how great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/whoever-wants-to-receive-the-body-of-our-lord-does-not-need-to/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Nothing will be able to hinder us, if we desire and seek God alone, and take pleasure in nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/nothing-will-be-able-to-hinder-us-if-we-desire-and-seek-god-alone-and/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [ \[W\]e must come into a transformed knowing, an unknowing which comes not from ignorance but from knowledge. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/w-e-must-come-into-a-transformed-knowing-an-unknowing-which-comes-not/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [I need to be silent for awhile, worlds are forming in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/i-need-to-be-silent-for-awhile-worlds-are-forming-in-my-heart/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [One person who has mastered life is better than a thousand persons who have mastered only the contents of books, but no one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/one-person-who-has-mastered-life-is-better-than-a-thousand-persons/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“But where is this true possession of God, whereby we really possess him, to be found? This real possession of God is to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/but-where-is-this-true-possession-of-god-whereby-we-really-possess/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [The most powerful prayer, one well-nigh omnipotent, and the worthiest work of all is the outcome of a quiet mind. The quieter it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/the-most-powerful-prayer-one-well-nigh-omnipotent-and-the-worthiest/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [If we seek God for our own good and profit, we are not seeking God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-we-seek-god-for-our-own-good-and-profit-we-are-not-seeking-god/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Our bodily food is changed into us, but our spiritual food changes us into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/our-bodily-food-is-changed-into-us-but-our-spiritual-food-changes-us/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“Concerning this desert, Jeremiah writes: ‘I will lead my beloved into the wilderness and will speak to her in her heart’ (Hosea 2:14) .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/concerning-this-desert-jeremiah-writes-i-will-lead-my-beloved-into/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [If the seal is pressed completely through the wax so that no wax remains without being impressed by the seal, then it becomes indistinguishably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-the-seal-is-pressed-completely-through-the-wax-so-that-no-wax/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Be ready at all times for the gifts of God, and always for new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/be-ready-at-all-times-for-the-gifts-of-god-and-always-for-new-ones/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) [Explore all 301 Meister Eckhart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) ## More Dead man quotes > [Those old hypocrites. They talk about killing witches but the Good Book’s full of magic. Turning the Nile to blood and parting the Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/those-old-hypocrites-they-talk-about-killing-witches-but-the-good/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“A thousand times a coward and not once a dead man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suad-amiry/a-thousand-times-a-coward-and-not-once-a-dead-man/) Suad Amiry > [“I cocked my eyebrow at her. "Are you kidding me, Clare?" I indicated to the dead man on the broken pine table. "There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-morgan/i-cocked-my-eyebrow-at-her-are-you-kidding-me-clare-i-indicated-to/) [Elizabeth Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-morgan/) > [Silvio, I gotta go, find out something only dead men know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/silvio-i-gotta-go-find-out-something-only-dead-men-know/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [I think I probably have the philosophy of a poor man. You know, like maybe I'd steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-think-i-probably-have-the-philosophy-of-a-poor-man-you-know-like/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [“Dead man, listen well. The Great Keep is not like the Otherworld. The Great Keep has many names. To the Norse it is Valhalla,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/dead-man-listen-well-the-great-keep-is-not-like-the-otherworld-the/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [Dead men tell no tales, Mary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dead-men-tell-no-tales-mary/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what i really need is a dead man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-himes/what-i-really-need-is-a-dead-man/) [Chester Himes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-himes/) > [And he that will this health deny, down among the dead men let him lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer/and-he-that-will-this-health-deny-down-among-the-dead-men-let-him-lie/) [John Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer/) > [“Death Valley is the perfect flesh-grilling device, the Foreman Grill in Mother Nature’s cupboard. 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