Rituals of the Rocks
Retreat (fall)
Description:
The inherent Power of the Spiral to separate itself as a Rock is honored by Retreat. As might be possible, all Rock-body members seclude themselves for the day in meditation and fasting. For large families or Clades, this might mean sectioning their dwelling off into small “apartments,” or places in the home that will “belong” to that member for the day. Any member who violates the space of another will be excluded from the ceremony, and barred from participating in the following year’s Retreat. The night before Retreat, one buys food and fine alcohol. During the first part of Retreat, the member mourn the failures of the previous year. Midday, successes are celebrated. Finally reflecting on their choice of and role in their Clade / Tribe, they make a vow to themselves, and over the next year, this vow guides them to more Power on Earth, while serving as their standard of success / failure for the next year’s Retreat. For families with members (children / adults) who will not participate for any number of reasons, the Rock body will provide housing and activities for the duration of Retreat. As is practical, the sun guides the day, as light, in the Novel Universe Model, is the universe’s method of recording information.
Practices:
Each member may purchase their bottle of alcohol / any food items throughout the year prior to Retreat as they feel inspired to do so. If the member has not done so, all purchases are made prior to sundown the day before Retreat. At minimum, one item must be acquired between the sun’s zenith (noon) and sundown the evening prior to the ceremony. This act symbolizes the transfer of information from Marketplace (the light-filled world outside the member’s SFS) to Spiral (the member’s mind, symbolized by “retreating” into the dark of their sleep cycle). If the member fails to gather their items or fall asleep, they will skip the ceremony, as members must first separate themselves from reality (sleep), and remain in seclusion for the duration of Retreat. For members whose schedules or sleep habits require, self-exceptions are made in all aspects of the ceremony, and Sages must be consulted on the final schedule by the Lunar Quorum prior to Retreat. Sage-approval is not necessary for any self-exception.
When the member wakes, the alcohol set aside from the previous year is opened and poured into a special cup designated for the ceremony that is not used for any other purpose. The vow from the previous year is read aloud, placed in the cup, and soaks while a generous drink is taken directly from the bottle. For those who choose to abstain from alcohol, the liquor must only touch the lips to complete the step.
Members morn their failures until the sun hits its zenith.
Members celebrate their success until sundown.
Members reflect on their place in their body of Power as they form a new vow.
Only after the last light of day is gone, the new vow is written down, but will not read aloud.
A special meal is prepared for consumption, with some amount of the previous year’s liquor included in the cooking process. As cooking removes alcohol, this step is required by all, abstinent or not. Should the member desire animal protein in the meal, the previous year’s vow must have been met.
The old vow is removed from the cup, and the liquor discarded without consumption. If the vow was successful, the liquor is poured directly onto a patch of earth; if not successful, down the drain, preferably a toilet or other waste collection point.
The old vow is lit on fire in the cup, and once the flame is out, the new one carefully placed inside the cup over the ashes to await the next year’s Retreat. The cup is finally set in a place of honor next to the new bottle of unopened alcohol.
The bottle of alcohol set aside the previous year is consumed, either in part or whole, along with the special meal to break the fast. For those who abstain, the liquor may be sold for profit the following day (Exchange Day). Any alcohol from the bottle that remains at the end of Exchange Day must be discarded before the sunrise ending Exchange Day.
Exchange Day (the day after Retreat)
Description:
Venerating the Marketplace, Tribes / Clade coalesce either on their own or at the behest of their Sages in festive celebrations like a twenty-first century, product expo taking place on the Las Vegas Strip. Displays, betting games, contests, and demonstrations of Tribal / Clade POPs are centered around a hub consisting of an extravagant buffet, booths with bookies to place / collect bets, and stations with Sages on-hand to facilitate new contacts and arbitrate contracts that have been unresolved for more than a year. All attractions are intended to be for-profit. To symbolize the strength, efficiency, and supremacy of the Marketplace, contracts created on this day are subject to forced Sage arbitration / cancellation the following Exchange Day should they fail to fully form during the year. This is the Novel Universe Cult’s sole, public event, open to all Cult member and the wider world.
Practices:
The week prior to Retreat, the Rock body’s leadership announces the list of NPs (symbolizing the Hypergraph’s Node Particles) who will forgo both Retreat and Exchange Day, and instead, function as the Marketplace’s network connections. In other words, they will do the actual work of the Day’s events. Whether compensated for (reward) or not (punishment), NPs are selected based upon standards spelled out in the body’s pillars, and no member serves consecutive years.
NPs spend Retreat setting up the “Marketplace,” and may rest / relax only when the job is complete. This will be their only break throughout the two days, and therefore, sleep is encouraged, but not required.
With the rising sun, members gather in the Marketplace, where the NPs have a large, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet waiting. The profits from the buffet will go to the body hosting the event.
As members eat, individuals are called by the Sages to arbitration sessions in order to close out the previous Exchange Day outstanding contracts. Fees are collected for the service, and go to the Cult. Only a Sage may act as arbiter, and will have the final say as to the state of each contract.
Once these sessions are completed, NPs set out a large buffet with food, libations, and such Tribe-approved recreational substances. Again, profits go to the hosting body.
Exchange Day is one, long extravaganza of playing games, betting, and creating new contacts with others, both within and outside the Cult.
Exchange Day lasts until the sunrise of the following day, when the NPs complete the Day’s cleanup, and are finally released from their 48 hours of duties.