A Comparative Study of Self-expression and Catharsis in Theory of Mystical Journey at Manṭiq-uṭ-Ṭayr (Conference of the Birds) and Biodanza

Abstract

Spiritual consciousness can come in many forms; it can happen during moments of dance or even in poetic narrations. This article is designed to compare self -expression and spiritual development through Dance and Poetic Mysticism. The question arises, how different theoretical foundation can reach to psychological catharsis. It is supposed that a mystic journey is going to be closed with catharsis. During this journey, the main character (the dancer, the reader or spectacular) will undergoes Discovery and Reversal to reach the catharsis, which means cleansing, purging, or purification. Seymour Feshbach, key proponent of the catharsis theory in communication research, separates three conceptions of catharsis: The Dramatic, the Clinical, and the Experimental models. The thought behind catharsis theory is that feelings formed and create stress if not expressed. Releasing emotions declines the tension in the person so they have less violent and anxiety. The Dramatic and Clinical models are emphasized on change, while differing in cathartic experience, in the degree of cognitive representation caused, and in the interpersonal context. The purpose of this study is to give a psychological study of mysticism by reviewing The Seven Valleys of spirituality in Conference of the Birds. Attar has described the seven stages of spirituality in this book as the tools of discovery and rehearsal: The Valley of Quest, The Valley of Love, The Valley of Wisdom, The Valley of Detachment, The Valley of Unity, The Valley of Amazement, and The Valley of Annihilation. To free from belongings, to release from the self, these seven valleys is suggested by Attar to be passed. self is one of the biggest obstacles in human life. In the eyes of the mystics, you must ―Quest‖ first. Attar is a mystic who has put "Annihilation" in the last place. Sober die has not a tragic meaning but means of getting free of self and join the real source of nature. On the other side, Biodanze is also another journey that can interpreted by theory of catharsis. Toro believes that when five categories are entirely developed within the individual, people (the dancer) can experience inner stability and emotional health. He named these categories as Vitality, Sexuality, Creativity, Affection, and Transcendence. Journey in Biodanza is started by vital impetus and happiness to be alive. The dancer will reach to catharsis when he connects to nature and feel part of a greater totality. Keywords— Mystic, Catharsis, Biodanza, Conference of Birds. Simin Meshkati, M.A. Dramatic Literature, Department of Art and Arcitecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran I. MANTIQ-UT-TAYR(CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS) In the poem, the birds of the world gather to choose who is to be their supreme, as they have none. The hoopoe, the wisest of them all, suggests that they should find the mythical Simorgh. Each of birds represents a human vice, which prevents him from attaining awareness and consciousness. The birds have to pass seven valleys in order to reach the Simorgh. In Attar‘s outstanding allegory for the journey of the soul as it seeks union with the divine, there are seven valleys as follows: [1] 1. Valley of the Quest, where the Wayfarer begins by casting aside all dogma, belief, and unbelief. 2. Valley of Love, where reason is abandoned for the sake of love. 3. Valley of Knowledge, where worldly knowledge becomes useless. 4. Valley of Detachment, where all desires and attachments to the world are given up. Here, what is assumed to be ―reality‖ vanishes. 5. Valley of Unity, where the Wayfarer realizes that everything is connected and that the Beloved is beyond everything, including harmony, multiplicity, and eternity. 6. Valley of Wonderment, where, entranced by the beauty of the Beloved, the Wayfarer becomes perplexed and, steeped in awe, finds that he or she has never known or understood anything. 7. Valley of Poverty and Annihilation, where the self disappears into the universe and the Wayfarer becomes timeless, existing in both the past and the future.[2] When the birds hear the portrayal of these valleys despite their anxieties, they commence the prodigious journey. On the way, many decease of dryness, illness, panic, and vehemence. Finally, only thirty birds make it to the Simorgh. In the end, the birds apprehend that they themselves are the Simorgh( Simorgh in Persian means thirty birds) . According to Attar, the perfect servant of God must go through the steps in order to leave illusory and sensible, which is the stage of lust and covetous desires; also has to be over with the intellectual A Comparative Study of Self-expression and Catharsis in Theory of Mystical Journey at Manṭiq-uṭ-Ṭayr (Conference of the Birds) and Biodanza Simin Meshkati 15th LISBON-PORTUGAL International Conference on Literature, Languages, Humanities and Social Sciences (L2HSS-19) June 19-21, 2019 Lisbon (Portugal) https://doi.org/10.17758/EIRAI5.F0619421 19 concept which is a source of pride; while he must forbear the nonexistent which is the source of fraud in order to achieve the unity and the perfection and the vicegerency of God[3]. Meanwhile according to illuminative philosophy, a human is a microcosm and a God‘s manifestation and if he removes physical appearances and effects, he will be the God‘s vicegerent and the God himself[ 4]. II. EXPRESSING SELF IN THE MYSTIC JOURNEY BY BIRDS The term self is used in many different ways. I currently use self, soul, and psyche interchangeably in order to refer to the whole being of an individual human. Nafs ( ) is also an Arabic word, literally connotes self. The word is signifying that although humanity is united in having the positive qualities of self, they are individually responsible for exercising the interventions of the free will that it is responsible for them. My use of self is thus in reference to an individual‘s totality of body, mind, and spirit. I use the capitalized Self to denote a Supreme Uniqueness that transcends single human existence. This Supreme Identity is an entire and divine Self that is considered by mystics beyond all visible things. In this way, Self refers to the whole of the One and All just as self does to the whole of the individual human. At the Conference of the Birds‖ the capitalized Self is thus practically synonymous with God.To Attar ,the seven valleys are inner, mystical, or psycho-spiritual dimension of self to join the Self. The Path of valleys is a matrix of transformation, refining, purifying, elevating all relationships.Attar repeatedly warns us about our selves, our Nafs . In Sufi tradition, self stands between our true and the God. Once it is destroyed, the catharsis may come true by uniting with the Divine and hence recover our true self. In this school, to die means to let go of self, and when that happens all obstacle and veils will disappear. Even though all paths eventually lead to the united Self, the annihilation of the self shortens the path to the Ultimate Source and identity. The Conference of the Birds is a symbolic poem about human struggle, both corporal and spiritual. These parables guide and instruct human to animate the deeper meanings of what consider as reality. The end of this journey is not self-scarifying, but it is the Catharsis. Catharsis is the purification and purgation of emotions that results in renewal and restoration. The theory of catharsis has a disarming affinity with the expressional theory, since it emphasizes emotion, asserts a change in emotion as result of aesthetic operations, and concludes on a note of freedom in relation to the emotion [5]. It is a metaphor originally used by Aristotle in the Poetics, comparing the effects of tragedy on the mind of a spectator to the effect of a cathartic on the body. However, how the catharsis is possible trough journey of birds? The mystic journey of Birds is hierarchical. The wayfarer path has as its goal the state of union with God. It starts by Quest. For each traveler the journey to this goal is unique; it is the journey "of the alone to the Alone." Yet there are also stages which all seekers pass through, trials, processes of purification and transformation. A seeker who passes through natural pleasures to unravels the truth, to move from plurality to unity. Quest is an inner will to move from self to Self. The state found in the heart of the wayfarer to seek knowledge and to study truth and hope. The second step is love. If the wayfarer to be in love, motivations and the demands will need to be recognized and released. There really is nothing to lose except the useless suffering produced by these demands. The most important factor in this step is pain. Attar considers love as divine gift and considers it is given to one who passes through and filled his heart with pain of love. Here the wayfarer forget self and seek himself in the mirror of Beloved. The next step is Valley of Knowledge, and it is the attribute of one who recognizes Beloved and his names. He is aware of all aspects and details of self and Self. After this recognition, now is the time of Detachment from all the longings. F. L. Lucas proposes purgation as the meaning of catharsis and describes, it is the human soul that is purged of its excessive passions[6].It is the needlessness or the attainment of the soul to a state without a worldly desire. Here, what is assumed to be reality vanishes in favor of Unity. When the wayfarer understood there is no difference between self and the other selves, no distance between lover and beloved the being self will mean as same as being Self. The Knowledge of being unite cause Wonderment, where, rapt by the splendor of the Beloved, the Wayfarer becomes perplexed in wonder, finds that he or she has never known or understood anything. Astonishment is a matter of wisdom and wandering. But in mysticism, wonderment is a mediator that enters to the mystic's heart and leads him to the God. Because the essence of God does not app