fakir
Nail-bed holy man
A fakir is a Muslim or Hindu ascetic who lives by begging and may perform feats of endurance or self-mortification—walking on coals, lying on nails, or enduring extreme fasting.
The word extends loosely to any wonder-worker or street performer who appears to transcend physical limitations: The fakir sat motionless for hours.
Sometimes used dismissively for a fraud or charlatan.
Sufi order member
- tariqaSufi spiritual brotherhood
- sheikhArab tribal head
- whirlingRotating swiftly in place
- povertySevere lack of resources
annihilation · ecstasy · Rumi · mysticism · brotherhood · chanting · wird · silsila
Formal surrender of claim
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
abstinence · discipline · mortification · penance · hermit · recluse · sadhu · mendicant
Profound spiritual awakening
- meditationFocused attention practice
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- prayerAddress to deity
- mantraRepeated focus phrase
karma · dharma · moksha · samadhi · nirvana · prana · chakras · yoga
Moving for work
- mendicantOne who begs
- pilgrimReligious journey-taker
- wayfarerTraveler, especially walking
- homelessWithout a dwelling
rootless · nomadic · begging · alms · roadside · dusty · staff · journey
One who performs miracles
- rope trickStunt with twirling cord
- levitationUnsupported aerial suspension
- bed of nailsPlank studded with points
- snake charmerPerformer who entrances serpents
street performer · magic · spectacle · demonstration · endurance · pain tolerance · contortionist · feat
dervish
Sufi order member
poverty · annihilation · ecstasy · Rumi · mysticism · brotherhood · chanting · wird · silsila
renunciation
Formal surrender of claim
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
celibacy · abstinence · discipline · mortification · penance · hermit · recluse · sadhu · mendicant · begging bowl
enlightenment
Profound spiritual awakening
- meditationFocused attention practice
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- prayerAddress to deity
mantra · karma · dharma · moksha · samadhi · nirvana · prana · chakras · yoga · guru
itinerant
Moving for work
homeless · rootless · nomadic · begging · alms · roadside · dusty · staff · journey · shrine
wonder-worker
One who performs miracles
- rope trickStunt with twirling cord
- levitationUnsupported aerial suspension
- bed of nailsPlank studded with points
snake charmer · street performer · magic · spectacle · demonstration · endurance · pain tolerance · contortionist · feat · display
- believersbeliever, believers, adherent, devotee, theist
- Anglo-Indiansahib, memsahib, wallah, pukka, raj
- asceticsascetic, ascetics, hermit, hermits, recluse
- holy peoplesaint, saints, prophet, holy men, martyr
- holy wandererswandering monk, itinerant preacher, pilgrim, mendicant, sadhu
- mendicantsFranciscan, Dominican, Carmelite, Augustinian, friar