Harmonists

All things have their place in the world, but for us, we must seek it out to preserve the balance of all things and accept it as it was meant to be.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Harmonists come from many walks of life carrying their main language with them, but all learn Jurani, the original language that Usagi spoke and written all of his teachings in.

Culture and cultural heritage

Living in Harmony

Harmonists live simple lives believing in hard work and the acceptance of others around them. In doing so they can achieve a world that can bring forth a world that is apart shall bring harmony to the world. They only take what they need to live and never take anything that would bring harm to the world around them and the Balance.

Believers of Acceptance

By accepting all for who they are the Harmonists have created a faith that does not persecute anyone for being different as it is in their teachings to accept who they are and others around them. In doing so it has created a society of people who believe that life is full of possibilities for them and no one can take that from them. Finding inner peace by accepting one's self has further this notion for all who follow it.

Believing in What's Right

Though Harmonists believes in none violence, they do not go against the idea of it when it is needed as Usagi's teachings say that conflict is never-ending and there will be a time when it will be a threat to the Balance when it arrives. Rather than hide away to watch the world burn it is better to take up arms and protect all that is worth fighting for in their lives. There are even some orders dedicated to this ideal such as Warrior Monks of Disciples of the Balance and Huromatsu that dedicate themselves to protecting the innocent and the land to preserve the Balance.

Shared customary codes and values

All who are Harmonists believe in the teachings of Usagi and follow his teaching thoroughly to find meaning in their lives. By accepting one's self and others shows compassion. Accepting the world around them allows them to live life without hatred in their hearts. Finding inner peace shall give them enlightenment and letting go of earthly values show humility to live life to the fullest.

Common Etiquette rules

It is a common greeting to hold out your index finger and your middle finger as a sign of peace and well being to the person you greet. Often saying "all truths give us purpose" to show themselves as a follower of the faith. It is always common to say a quick moment of silence with a short prayer to be thankful for the meal they have.

Common Dress code

There is little difference between the clothing that men and women wear as they wear simple robes as a sign of humility. Though men have more ways to wear their robes, women covering much of their body except their lower arms. Shoes and sandals are worn of a simple design as they are only used for walking. But some do not believe in footwear at all and just walk barefoot.

Art & Architecture

Buildings are built of a simple design to avoid any sign of extravagance or wealth in them as it is a sign of disharmony. By doing it helps them avoid distractions and contemplate how to best live their lives. But pillars are a common thing to be seen inside of them to signify that everyone has an equal part in maintaining the Balance. But gardens are often built into them to bring tranquility and beauty to all things. As for the artwork, it is often statues of their founder, Usagi, and often many of his teachings are written on open scrolls and placed on walls all over the building to remind the occupants to never lose their way. A few symbols are placed around the building as well to signify it as a place of peace and purpose.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Meditation: To better understand the world and one's self one should search inward through meditation to find the answers they seek. By doing this Harmonists have a better time contemplating things in life and events that have transpired.
Aiding the Poor and Needy: To help those who cannot help themselves in considering some of the noblest things that a Harmonist can do in life, offering food, clothing, and shelter is the least that they can do.
Restoring the Land: In times of struggle and suffering Harmonists come to the aid of others in need and do what they can to help restore the Balance. Often in times like these of disaster and war, they do everything in their power to lessen the suffering of all by sharing the burden and rebuild what they can.
Entering Enlightenment: Those who have mastered the values and learned the important lesson of the Balance are able to achieve the receive enlightenment and be recognized as such as a great leader of spiritual guidance.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

Those born as Harmonists are given a simple celebration for a child born into it. At birth, the child is cleaned and taken from their mother to carry out a ceremony to allow the child to become humble and wise in their later years. It involves incense and mud with the Mantra of Life. The incense is used to bring a calming effect that calms the child to conduct the ceremony and the Mantra of Life is a calming chant that almost sounds like a lullaby to sing to a child. Once the child is calmed they are covered in mud to signify their acceptance by the balance by being apart of the land and by their fellow Harmonists. Once the mud dries it is rubbed off them rather than cleaned off as it is apart of them now.

Coming of Age Rites

For those who come to age as a Harmonist, the child must let go of earthly values and notions to show their wisdom and maturity of the teaching of the world. When they reach the age of seventeen they must go on a pilgrimage to the Temple of Many Truth on the Pillar of Heaven. They are often accompanied by a monk that will help them along the way. The monk's purpose is simple, to help the child understand the world around them from a bigger perspective and remember the teachings that they were taught while growing up. What even innocence will be stripped away from them to truly understand what the Balance is. Depending on where they are the journey will take many months to reach the Pillar of Heaven. During that time they must show charity, compassion, guidance, and a sense of justice to those they come by. In doing this they will become better Harmonists than they were when they started. Once they do reach the Pillar of Heaven they must climb the mountain to endure the hardships of it and understand that the balance is unforgiving as well as there must be a hardship to have comfort in this life and by going through it you learn and become stronger from it. Once they do reach the top they will enter the Temple of Many Truths and be tested when they are greeted by the abbot of the temple and tested by him to see what he has learned on his journey and he answers adequately he has entered the right of to become an adult. They are then given prayer beads and are given their robes as gifts for their success. Then depending on what they wish to do with their life, they can become a monk or nun or go back to their life.

Funerary and Memorial customs

The Final Farewell

Death is a natural thing that should be considered something to be saddened about. For with every end, a new beginning follows soon after. That goes for those who are still here when they are not for their memory shall be cherished by them as long as they live. It at the funeral that all who attend give thanks to the deceased for their companionship and they will never be forgotten. It is with this the Mantra of Farwell is given to them so they go in peace and not need to worry about their loved ones. Then a piece of paper written with one of the cherished moments one of the attendees had with the deceased is placed on the body for the deceased to always remember them by.

Returning the Balance

Once the farewells are made the body is placed in a pyre covered in flowers and incense as a way to send off them off with true peace. Often at times, a food that was their favorite in life will be placed with them as an offering to their Spirit to enjoy on their journey back to the Balance to find their next place in the world to carry out its will. Then the body is burned until nothing is left but ash and the elements do what they will with them may it be the wind or the rain they will find their way.

Common Taboos

Judgment: To pass judgment on another is to hold pride in one's heart and cloud their reasoning.
Holding Earthly Values : Earthly values are a sign of ignorance that will blind one from the truth.
Harming the Balance: To lose your path means to bring harm to the Balance and the harmony that it would bring.

Historical figures

Usagi: the founder of the Harmonists and writer of the Scriptures of Harmony that brought forth the idea of the Balance and the values they cherish.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Harmonists have no value in making themselves more attractive to others and only wish to be themselves and something they are not. But they're a few ways that they believe will cut their ties of worldly troubles.
Men: Men shave off all of their hair so they may let go of worldly values to live a life of peace and let go of any bride that they once had. But are allowed to grow facial hair to signify wisdom with age.
Women: Women cut their hair short and wear a cloth over it with only the top covered to remove the idea of femininity and sexuality.
Another way they do this is by removing all forms of jewelry and items used to signify wealth and status as they no longer matter to them. They also believe in good dental hygiene as a healthy thing for the soul and to have bad teeth is a sign of disharmony.

Gender Ideals

Gender matter little in the way of harmony are men and women are treated as equals because of it. They are allowed to do the same as the other does such as doing chores or working. Harmony must be achieved through dedication and determination to let go of values based on how you were born. Nor is their sexuality judged for it is natural like anything else and should be accepted without persecution.

Courtship Ideals

For those who can marry, the way a courtship is much simpler than one might think, as object lack any real meaning to them a simple proposal is made with a long piece of string and a meal. They share a meal and drink from the same cup of water. If the meal is accepted by the one being courted then the suiter interlocks their hand with their and wraps the string around them to signify that they are one and bound to one another.

Relationship Ideals

A relationship with a Harmonist is built on love and respect for one another as they only wish to be with one another and stay by their side no matter what. Through good times and bad times as long as they have one another nothing else matters to them. It is the bond that they share that is more powerful than anything else imaginable.

Major organizations

Disciples of the Balance

Related Organizations

• Disciples of the Balance