Solarism

Religion-wiki — for all religions and none

Contents 1 Solarism 2 Core Beliefs 3 Creation Story 4 Solarism Meaning 5 Sun's Prayer 6 Rituals 6.1 Solstice 6.2 Babassu Oils 6.3 Limpia 6.4 Enterro 6.5 Dead Tree 6.6 Geburt 6.7 Voksen 7 After Life 8 Wrong Doings 9 Sacred Objects 10 Sacred Places 11 Everyday Life 11.1 Gender 11.2 Education 11.3 Household 11.4 Clothing 11.5 Diet 12 Glossary

[edit] Solarism

Welcome to the wonderful religion of Solarism. Be prepared to take a journey back in time to see how Solarism came to be.

---

[edit] Core Beliefs

• The Sun is the highest god
• Everything centers around the Sun
• Solarist worship the Sun because the Sun provides food, water and shelter for the people
• When the Sun is angry, there will be lightening and thunder
• When the Sun is sad, there will be rain
• You must attend solstice, Limpia, Geburt, and Enterro

[edit] Creation Story

In the beginning of time, the earth was only a barren land of darkness. The Sun saw that the land needed life, so it formed human beings out of dirt. The Sun used its rays to give them life. These humans wondered the earth thinking there was nothing more to the mysterious terrain. The Sun realized the humans needed a place to live and grow, so it created an area with life including plants, animals, and water. The Sun provided light to guide the humans to this area. While roaming the earth, humans stumbled upon the light. As they entered the light, they felt great emotion that they had never experienced before. As they gained their bearings, they discovered life all around them. They were surrounded by mass vegetation, animals, and a small stream. The humans decided to stay and live in the area because food, water, and shelter surrounded them. They were thankful for the Sun to provide them with the things that they need. The humans decided to call the Sun their god. Over time, as the humans and animals reproduced, the area of sunlight grew and grew. The area of sunlight expands as the vegetation and human life develops. The humans promise to take care of the land and worship the Sun for all it has provided. (Genesis Article and Manu's Creation Story)

[edit] Solarism Meaning

Solarists develop a strong cultural style of how people should act in the religion and how their way of life should be. There are many different rituals and ceremonies that are important and meaningful. These lifestyles and rituals are their meaning for living. They are meant to worship the Sun which gives them meaning. The community's entire life is centered around the Sun. (Clifford Geertz)

[edit] Sun's Prayer

I pray to the sun To invite in your ever-present light

I stretch back to my right To open up that side to receive your divine light

I then stretch back my left to meet my right To become full of your divine light

My forehead, chest and knees are to the ground In prostration to your benevolent light

My feet and hands touch the ground Where they touch on the energy of your life giving light

I bring up my right To receive more of your amazing light

My left again meets with my right where my hands and feet meet To receive fully your gracing light

I stretch back up to the sky To give many thanks for blessing me with your light

I say many prayers to you For sharing with me your light

[edit] Rituals

[edit] Solstice

• The most important ritual is when the people go on a pilgrimage to the Aurinko Temple. When the Sun rises on the longest day of the year, the people comes together to travel to Aurinko to bring Aanbod to Mendori, the messanger bird. Either rain or shine, every follower must be present at the ritual. Each household saves up the Aanbod, the offerings including fruit, seeds and nuts, throughout the year. Every day they collect one form of Aanbod and place it in a sacred place within the home. On the way over to Aurinko, every person is mentally preparing themselves to connect with Sun in a spiritual sense. On this pilgrimage, they are blocking all everday thoughts and concerns, and they are focusing on worshipping Sun. Once they reach Aurinko, all the Aanbod are placed in the center of the temple for Mendori to take to Sun. The people sing the Solstice Chant to entice Mendori to come to Aurinko. While waiting for Mendori, the people kneel until he comes. After Mendori leaves with the Aanbod, the people sing the Solstice Chant again, and then they return to the normal state of mind. The rest of the day is filled with celebration which includes dancing, games, and food. It is a joyous day. (Virabhadra Article)

Solstice Chant

Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

Please shine down on me.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

Hiding behind a tree

These little children are asking you

To please come out so we can play with you.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

Please shine down on,

Please shine down on,

Please shine down on me.

[edit] Babassu Oils

• Once a month, members of the household collect all the fallen Babassu seeds from the family trees. The seeds are crushed until the oils come out. Once the process is completed, the oil must be blessed in by Mendori. The oils must be placed onto the Verander in Aurinko for Mendori to bless. The next day, the oils can be picked up. The adult men collect the oils and stored them in the Santuario. The oils are only used for purifying purposes.

[edit] Limpia

• When a wrong doing is committed, the person must bathe themselves in the Babassu oils. The adult male of the household must spread enough oil to cover any exposed skin. The oils form a protective coat over the skin, and the person must lay out on the Verander in Aurinko until they feel they have been cleansed. This process relieves the wrong doing from the body. If a person does not clean their body after a wrong doing, he or she may go through an out of body experience. The soul leaves the body and travels to the Sun. The Sun shows the soul its unclean body. The Sun threatens the soul that it will never be allowed to leave the Babassu tree after death. The soul travels back to the Earth in a frightened state where he precedes to preach about the importance of Limpia. (Going to Hell Article)

[edit] Enterro

• A ceremony is held when someone dies. Babassu oils are spread upon the body for the final Limpia. The body is placed on a platform in Aurinko for the Sun to prepare the soul to live through the tree from sunrise to sunset. The following day, the body is buried next to the other generations of the family. Babassu seeds are placed by the heart of the body. After the body is covered, the Sun's Prayer is chanted to commence the growth of the new Babassu tree. The time between the death of the individual and the planting of the Babassu tree, the soul is in a liminal state. The soul is not in the afterlife or on Earth.(Zombie)

[edit] Dead Tree

• If a Babassu tree dies in the Household Burial Garden. the tree is burned. The people say the Sun's Prayer while spreading the ashes around the remaining Garden. This represents that soul has left the tree and has reached the Sun.

[edit] Geburt

• When a child is born, a ritual is performed to honor the new life brought to the community. The household members say a prayer to welcome the child into the world. The family spends the day alone with the new born child as a day of rest and family bonding. The next day following the birth of the new child, a celebration is held at Aurinko for the rest of the community to meet the addition to their lives. The community parades to Aurinko with the family and new born child leading the way. Following the family are the musicians playing flutes and drums. When they arrive at Aurinko, the community forms a circle around the Verander, where they place the child. Mendori joins the community as he sits on Abbor. The Sun's Prayer is said and a sun is painted with berries on the new born's stomach. Mendori's presence represents bringing the child into the Sun's eyes. After the ceremony, they parade back to the households with a new addition to their life.

[edit] Voksen

• When a child gains knowledge of all of the rituals and beliefs of the Sun, they must perform a mission to prove their commitment to the Sun. They are taken deep in the forest and without guidance they must find their way to the highest point to find the Pepoe Berries. These berries are only found on one tree at one spot on the highest mountain. They let the Sun guide them to the Pepoe Berries. During this time the child enters a liminal space in which they will be transformed a child to an adult. Once they find the berries, they must find their way back to the community. During this walk is when the child is put into the liminal state of mind, and can only be broken once they bring the berries to Mendori. When the child enters the liminal space the person's mind becomes open to new ideals and how they will perform their new position in the the community. Once this walk has taken place the child is mentally transformed into an adult. The new adult brings the berries to the Aurinko and gives them to Mendori.
• He must perform an artistic performance, and if Mendori flies away, then he is approved. Mendori will take the good news of the new adult to the Sun. If Mendori stays, it is not approved and they are not ready to take on the responsibies of being an adult. (Liminal Space Article)
• Although it does not happen often, after two weeks if the child has not returned then he is assumed to be dead. If the child dies during the journey to the highest mountain, he is honored as a martyr because he was willing to give his life to attain the knowledge of the Sun. The soul will go directly to be with the Sun. Even though the child's body is missing, a Babassu tree is planted in honor of the deceased child. In place of the body, the family buries the belongings of the child underneath the tree. (Martyrdom)

---

[edit] After Life

• When someone dies, it is custom to plant a Babussa tree in honor of the deceased. The Babassu tree is planted outside of the household to protect it. The souls of the dead live through the trees. This soul makes the Babussa tree a sacred object. In the beginning, before an individual dies, the Babussa tree is just an ordinary seed. After this seed is planted and grows, the burial of the dead individual turns these trees into sacred objects. (Otto and Eliade)

[edit] Wrong Doings

• Killing or eating any animals or people (Leviticus)
• Not attending Solstice
• Not collecting the Aanbod each day
• Leaving the household after the Sun goes down
• Worshipping other gods
• Looking directly into the Sun
• Dilberately protecting your body from Sun
• Cutting down a Babassu tree
• Females and children touching the Santuario

---

[edit] Sacred Objects

• Mendori- The sacred bird that brings Aanbod to the Sun. (See Solstice, Babassu Oils, Geburt, and Voksen above)
• Babassu- The sacred tree that protects the households. The oils from the tree provide a cleaner. The tree is only sacred when it is planted for a soul of a dead body. If the tree is somewhere else, it is not sacred. (See Babassu Oils, Limpia, Enterro, Dead Tree, and After Life above) (Berger and Durkheim)
• Aanbod- The sacred offerings for the Sun. (See Solstice above)
• Abbor- The sacred perch that is inside of Aurinko that Mendori sits upon whenever someone enters Aurinko. (See Geburt above)
• Verander- The sacred platform that is in the center of Aurinko. (See Limpia, Babassu Oils, and Geburt above)

---

[edit] Sacred Places

• Aurinko- The Temple is the destination of the pilmigrage. This Temple is an open area, so that Sun is always visible, within the forest that has no trees or wildlife. Only rocks and a small pool of water remain in the center. The pool is used washing and cleansing yourself of your sins. During the Solstice, the Aanbod are placed around the pool of water.
• Santuario- The shrine beneath the window within each household where Aanbod is stored until Solstice. Also, Babassu oils are kept in the shrine until it is needed for cleansing. The adult males are the only household members allowed to touch the shrine.
• Household Burial Garden- The area next to every house where ancestors are buried and the Babussa trees are grown.

---

[edit] Everyday Life

[edit] Gender

• Adult Males-
  • Gather berries, seeds, and nuts
  • Lead the Solstice
  • Father of family leads all the rituals
  • Bury the dead bodies and plant the seeds
  • Protector of the Household
  • Only person allowed to touch their household Santuario

• Adult Females
  • Cook the food
  • Educate the children of the religious rituals and beliefs
  • Clean the household
  • Take care of the Household Burial Garden
  • Carry the Aanbod to the Solstice

• Children
  • Become educated of the religious rituals and beliefs

• Hierarchy

Males are seen as the most powerful individuals among the community. They are given the most important job of the religion in leading all of the rituals. The women are seen as less powerful and important compared to the men. They have the less important jobs of cleaning cooking and teaching. (Buddhist nuns)

[edit] Education

• The mothers teach the children of the rituals and beliefs.
• The education is obtained through words and actions.
• The children must know all of the rituals and beliefs before becoming an adult.

[edit] Household

• Made out of sticks, mud, leaves, and stones.
• Only one window is allowed within each household. The window faces the Household Burial Garden.

[edit] Clothing

• People in the community are only allowed to wear a loincloth

[edit] Diet

• Fruits, vegetables, and anything that grows from the Earth
• Not allowed to eat any animals (Leviticus)

[edit] Glossary

• Aanbod- fruit, nuts, and seeds that are the offerings to the Sun
• Aurinko- the temple where the Solistice is held and many other rituals
• Mendori- the messenger bird of the Sun
• Babussa- the sacred trees that holds the spirits of the dead
• Santuario- the shrine that sits within the household
• Enterro- the death ritual
• Limpia- the cleasning of wrong doings
• Abbor- the perch that Mendori sits upon in Aurinko
• Verander- the platform in Aurinko

---