Harmonism
| Harmonism | |
|---|---|
| Way of the Two Sisters | |
 The Celestial and Lunar Yin and Yang, a common symbol of main-branch Harmonism. | |
| Type | Non-theistic |
| Scripture | - Way of the Light - Teachings of the Night - The Elements |
| Theology | Harmonist theology |
| Governance | Privy-Council |
| Prince of the Light | Vacancy |
| Prince of the Night | Vacancy |
| Origin | 2024 Sun Republic |
| Slogan | Dies, Nox, Harmonia. |
Harmonism, also known as Harmony and colloquially as the Way of the Two Sisters is a religion based around the duality of light and dark as it relates to the natural world and humanity, particularly one's inner feelings and emotion. It is the largest and only accepted religion of the Sun Republic. Harmonism dictates the Duskiean spiritual philosophy, and heavily influences the politics of the Duskiean Union.
Origins
Harmonism traces it's roots to the children's television show My Little Pony and its subsequent teachings. Harmonism fully incorporates the role of Princesses Celestia and Luna and applies them logically to the real world. Princess Celestia is assumed the role of Yang; light, the sun, goodness and transparency. Princess Luna is assumed the role of Yin; the dark, the moon, aggression and sinister feelings. Harmonism rejects the idea of a physical deity (that being either Princesses) and instead ascribes their influences to great cosmic forces, which are said to bind the universe together. Harmonism focuses on the application of a fair, steady and just hand in all affairs of life.
Beliefs
The principal belief of Harmonism is the natural 'harmony' between living beings. Harmony, as a concept, describes opposite but interconnected, self-perpetuating cycles which drive the natural world. In Harmonist beliefs, the universe was created out of a 'primary chaos' that, later, became organized through the establishment of Yin and Yang cycles. This dichotomy in some form, is measured in all things--patterns of change, difference, seasonal cycles, evolution of landscape, sexes, character and specifically order and disorder.
Harmonism emphasizes the duality of Yin and Yang with heavy emphasis on the setting of the sun and rising of the moon. This observed 'transition of power' is a core belief in harmonism--that the sun and moon live perpetually in a harmonic, balanced cycle, and that prosperity cannot exist without the other.
Internal Harmonic Balance is an important, powerful practice within Harmonism. Internal harmonic balance is an achievable, meditative state that any individual can partake in. Internal Harmonic Balance is said to have been achieved when an individual discovers the light and dark forces within their emotion and learns--not to conquer--but to harness the strengths of each and especially when to surrender one's self either power.
The Elements of Harmony, while present in My Little Pony, do not have the same attention within Harmonism as they do within the show. Harmonist scripture, however, talks about the Elements of Harmony existing between people when each individual lacks an internal harmonic balance. When a single person achieves internal harmonic balance they are said to be able to feel and harness each of the six elements of harmony from within.
Harmonist theory suggests the existence of two primal forces: Chaos and Discord. Chaos being the prime force by which the universe was birthed out of and that governs the laws of human emotion wherein discipline does not exist. Discord, while similar to Chaos, is distinct. Discord is the (often times malevolent) exploitation of Harmonic balance and order to create Chaos amongst people. Chaos is said to be inherently present within every individual, and individuals who lack discipline may be manifestations of Chaos. Individuals who learn to harness this primal Chaos for their own benefit, or to the benefit of others, may be considered representatives of Discord. Individuals who embody Discord are those who manipulate the delicate balance of Harmonic forces, disrupting order and sowing seeds of chaos among communities. They wield the power of Discord to incite turmoil and disharmony, exploiting the primal Chaos within individuals to achieve their own ends. These agents of Discord are adept at subverting systems of control and instigating chaos for their own gain, often causing widespread disruption and suffering in their wake. As such, they stand in stark contrast to those who seek to uphold balance and harmony in the face of chaos.
Practices
The primary and only practice of Harmonism---as a spirituality---is meditation. However, in Harmonism, one does not need to meditate in the traditional sense. Instead, Harmonic Meditation is a deep exploration of one's inner emotions, particularly how they relate to the day and night, light and dark. A common practice of Harmonism is the observance of astronomical events (particularly during the nighttime) as well as sunrise and sunset. Often, followers of the faith are encouraged to meditate in places that call to them emotionally. Commonly these locations may include one's childhood home, a tranquil environment, or especially alone at night. Understanding the dark side of one's emotions is a defining moment in a follower's path in the Harmonist faith. While the light of Princess Celestia is easier to understand, the darkness of Princess Luna can be elusive and demanding.
Eclipses
In Harmonist theory, eclipses are sacred events which take place on a cosmological scale. Lunar eclipses are said to represent the overshadowing of Princess Lunar by her elder sister, Princess Celestia. The resulting “blood moon” is said to be the transformation of Luna into Nightmare Moon. Followers of Harmonism are encouraged to observe the event, no matter the time of night, if the event will be visible to them. Harmonist theory directs followers to meditate in the time period leading up to and right before totality. When totality occurs, one is to mute their inner feelings and feel the emotional connection between themselves as the “blood moon”. This process is known as Lunar Emotional Totality when executed properly. Followers are then directed to observe the Earth’s shadow pass over the Moon, revealing it’s bright shine once more.
While Lunar Eclipses are the most common astronomical event in relation to Harmonist practices, Solar Eclipses hold the same spiritual value, if not to a greater extent than, Lunar Eclipses. Solar Eclipses are said to represent the sacred battle between Nightmare Moon and Princess Celestia. Harmonist followers are encouraged to view a total Solar Eclipse at least once in their lives, and pilgrimage has been historically suggested for them. Harmonist theory directs followers to observe the Solar Eclipse from start to finish, without distraction. Solar Eclipses are considered as a “light-side” event and thus require a different method of devotion when interacting, emotionally, with them.
Sects
Solar Cult
The Solar Cult is a sect of Harmonism. It encourages for the lessening of the darker side of Harmonism, and expulsion of the teachings of the night. Followers of the Solar Cult place heavy emphasis on the observable kindness of the day, the overwhelming 'power of the sun', and what the sun as a heavenly body provides to earth on a microscopic and macroscopic level. The Cult believes in the protective nature of the sun, and call for the 'protection of all things good', even if it may be at the expense of others. Followers of the cult often describe themselves as venerating the all-giving Mother, Princess Celestia. Unlike the Nightmare Cult, the Solar Cult focuses exclusively on the power of the sun - bringing specific emphasis to heliocentric theory and point to how the sun, as a celestial body, will engulf the Earth in the future. Similarly, the Solar Cult differs from the Nightmare Cult in the sense that, instead of harnessing one’s inner darkness and working in junction with such to attain power, it preaches a forceful application of the light feelings, perverting them into radical, righteous desires.
Importantly, Solar Cult members do not believe in the idea of Harmony. Solar doctrine suggests that the idea of Harmony is, “…created to corrupt the power of our ideals, give creed to the lesser sister, and encourage self-destruction through the feelings of the night”. As a result, the Solar Cult differs greatly from main-branch Harmonist theory, often rejecting many of the ideas which build the fundamental beliefs of the spirituality. For example, the Elements of Harmony are described as heretical within Solar Cult doctrine and their power is a falsehood. It is not unheard of for Solar Cult members to call for a complete destruction of the Elements. As a consequence, the Solar Cult believes that Chaos and Discord to be less powerful than Solar practices, and that both will naturally fall to order based upon the power of the light. The Solar Cult operates based on a perversion of fear: the manipulated belief that only through light can people be protected. Specific emphasis is placed on the Nightmare Cult, and how it’s members have “fallen to the night”, claiming that the night itself is an evil force which seeks to corrupt and destroy everything good.
Perhaps the most significant part of the Solar Cult is not its spirituality, but its messaging and worship. Propaganda leaflets, posters, and general imagery procured by the cult are particularly powerful for students of the light, or those who venerate Princess Celestia. Targeted imagery such as the Solar symbol of the Zia people, Celestial Sun, and typical Alicorn symbols.
In totality, the Solar Cult is far smaller than the Nightmare Cult through effective protections and leadership. It has been warned, within the protective scriptures, that a corrupted Prince of the Light - specifically one that seeks glory and reverence - could turn his followers to the Solar Cult’s side and wage a Second Sister Conflict between itself, Harmonism, and the Nightmare Cult.
Lunar Guard
The Lunar Guard is a council which represents the darker side of Harmonism. While not being an independent sect of Harmonism, it often advocates for the expansion of the teachings of the night, with a heavy emphasis on the good nature of Luna. The Lunar Guard operate closely to an Old Guard, which serve to defend the lesser sister in an attempt to prevent the dark being overpowered by avid followers of the light. The Lunar Guard has been criticized for it's occasional affiliation with the Cult of Nightmare Moon, a deeply pro-darkness sect of Harmonism.
Cult of Nightmare Moon
The Cult of Nightmare Moon is a radical sect of Harmonism. It is directly opposed to the Cult of Celestia. Unlike the Solar Cult, the Nightmare Cult advocates for the 'protection of all things dark', with an emphasis on violent means. Followers of the Nightmare Cult often describe themselves as 'protecting the lesser sister' and the 'followers of the night'. The Cult of Nightmare Moon rejects the idea of Luna, and instead favors her more powerful counterpart Nightmare Moon. The Nightmare Cult advocates for a total application of the teachings of the night, and rejects the protective scriptures, which warn against the potentially corrupting forces of the night. Harmonist ideals describe that, in order to learn of the night, one must: "exert great restraint, understand one's limitation, and surrender upon the first overwhelming feelings". When someone attempts to fight the feelings of the night they may either become emotionally damaged by them, or succumb to them. Nightmare Cult members are often described as those who have "fallen to the night".
It is important to note that, while Nightmare Cult members are typically adherent to what are generally considered negative and selfish behaviours, they believe strongly in the maintenance of the state in an attempt to thwart Chaos and Discord — wherein the two would manifest themselves amongst religious devotees under a lack of solidified leadership. Nightmare Cult members do not reject the idea of the Elements of Harmony; rather, they believe in a plural existence of the elements. Namely, that there are both positive and negative iterations of the elements, and both can exist simultaneously. Nightmare theory states that although the path to attaining internal harmonic balance towards the light is well documented, the alternative path towards the dark is unexplored and generally extremely difficult to attain. They attribute this to being one the reasons forces opposed to Harmonic rule have struggled to attain many victories.
In Harmonist theory, it is widely understood that the “Night” is divided up into several sectors, chiefly among them being the “Darkness” and “Nightmare” realms. The Teachings of the Night delves primarily into the principal Realm of Darkness, which encompasses things such as the night time, stressful and harmful emotions, and especially power. The Realm of Darkness is, as Harmonist theory is concerned, as deep as one should delve into the Night without a mentor or explicit guidance from the Prince of the Night. The Nightmare Realm is the secondary, more elusive realm of the Night. It encompasses things such as anger, jealousy, envy and most importantly: fear. It is theorised by Nightmare Cult members that fear is what drives all creatures of the night; why exploitation of the human consciousness can be so indeterminably powerful.
It is believed in Harmonist theory that one may explore either realm of the Night through intense and devoted study and meditation — often over the course of days, weeks, or even months. This process is known as “Devotion”. The Protective Scriptures warn that an individual partaking in this deep study is the prime target of the Nightmare realm, and thus, should exhibit great restraint. The Prince of the Night is tasked explicitly with exploration of, and protecting his followers from, the Nightmare Realm.