Manuintimation
'Manuintimation' is a word for the tradition of - as well as an item created as a result of - undertaking a private act of craftsmanship or artisanry as a form of ritual worship in the Forgist faith. By undertaking secret creative labors, shorn from any desire to please customers, critics, or the public, Forgists hope to achieve a deeper spiritual connection to the Creator.
History
The manuintimation ritual is a hold-over from Classical Verdial culture, where atonement for sins against The Ordaureum's Sire of Conflagration meant a period of indentured servitude among the temple pyres. As with many Ordaureum ritual practices, this gradually fell out of style with the publication of Universal Artifice and the rise in reverence for the Creator. The ritual subsequently took on less retributive symbolism and became more about personal spiritual development than punishment for transgressions against the godhead or his faithful, though it is still at times undertaken as an act of spiritual atonement.
Execution
Manuintimation is not restrained to any one sort of creative work, though it should be of some permanent sort and should be possible to complete within a single verdial lifespan. The important part about a manuintimation is that it is meant to be a manifestation of the true 'inner self' of the individuaul which executes it - all their best and worst qualities, all their sins and hopes and dreams, poured into a physical manifestation through creative effort. The amount of time required to complete a manuintimation is not set, but the celebrant is said to know for themselves when the job is done; still, good-quality creative works created over a long period of time are said to be most spiritually meaningful in the context of the ritual
The ultimate disposition of a work of manuintimation is as important as the form it takes. It is not required that a manuintimation be displayed to others. Once the work is brought out of the ritual space into the wider world (see below), it may be immediately destroyed if the celebrant so desires; this may be interpreted as a sign of the celebrant breaking with the past in some way, such as overcoming trauma or feelings of guilt. A work created over the course of a long period of time might be offered up to an aggrieved party as a sign that the practitioner wishes to atone. Making a gift of a manuintimation is a sign of trust and a show of the practitioner's desire to deepen (or maintain) their connection to the recipient. The recipient is not required to reciprocate these feelings and the practitioner is required to respect the response of the recipient regardless of its valence. Lastly, a work of manuintimation may be kept by the practitioner as a reminder of some important event or moment of self-discovery.
Components and tools
Manuintimation must, as a matter of course, be undertaken in a private space away from the prying eyes of any other sentient being.
The ritual space must be cleared of any obstructions and prepared by the installation of bounding walls, curtains or screens. Tightly-woven metal screens are the preference of modern orthodox Forgists, as these serve to arrest sparks cast from fires or metal striking metal; if the creative work does not involve fire or metal, similarly translucent screens of wicker, cord, or dried mycelium may be employed.
The ground of the ritual space is sprinkled with water over which prayers to the Creator have been uttered, and the earth (if present) must be packed down to create a solid, flat surface. The remaining water is then kept at the entrance to the ritual space space at all times, is refilled and reconsecrated daily to counteract evaporation, and is used to anoint any materials or individuals (including the celebrant) which enter the space. Simiarly, whenever the practitioner exits the ritual space, the water is used to scrub the practitioner's hands and feet to symbolize spiritual cleansing.
No objects other than those required to create the work may be brought into the ritual space. Purists will sometimes even extend this taboo to clothing, as the Creator exalts in the natural forms he had a hand in creating. This is not a universal belief by any means, as some creative works require protective equipment. No Forgist may enter the manuintimation space of another unless explicitly called in by the practitioner, as being called into the manuintimation space of another is a supreme act of trust.
To look into, enter into, or discuss the contents of the manuintimation space of another unbidden is considered a grievous sin against the owner, though exceptions may be made to preserve life or prevent bodily harm.
The willful violation of any of the above taboos or ritual requirements on the part of the celebrant breaks the seal of sanctity and ends the process of manuintimation. Otherwise, the ritual ends whenever the practitioner decides to remove their work from the ritual space and show it to the world, at which point the screens must be taken down as a way to signify that this particular work will no longer be pursued.
Participants
Generally, though not always, manuintimation is meant to be a solitary process, as it offers a window into the most intimate spaces of the practitioner's creative mind. Rarely, two or more practitioners may chose to enter into manuintimation together, but this requires a degree of emotional and creative unity and trust seldom seen in the world. Common group dynamics conducive to these sorts of projects include couples with more than a decade of healthy marriage behind them, identical twins, lifelong collaborators in a particular field of artisanry, and brothers-in-arms who shared a formative experience.
Observance
Though not explicitly required by the faith, Forgists with the capacity to do so are expected to undertake at least one act of manuintimation in their lifetime. Because of the intensely personal nature of the ritual, there is no set time in which the ritual is meant to take place.
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