Aranism

Aranism is one of the world’s largest and most influential continuously practiced religions. It is a multi-tendency faith centered on a dualistic cosmology of good and evil, and an eschatology predicting the ultimate conquest of evil with theological elements of henotheism, monotheism, and polytheism. Aranism is based on the spiritual teachings of the prophet Aran, the first in a line of five human prophets. The fifth prophet, named Kunyil, terminated the line of human prophets and established the faith’s scripture as the eternal, religious spiritual guide for the faithful. Aran and his successors taught that living an “active, creative, practical, and upright life” or “truthfulness, fidelity, self-control, and purity” is above all other things. The faith also exalts the benevolent wisdom of the good deity, Tesh, as its supreme being. Aranism teaches that Tesh is merciful and very powerful, locked in an eternal battle with the bad deity, Sanal. Historical features of Aranism include messianism, life after death, and free will.

The primary scriptures of Aranism is called Sharit, believed to be the commandments of Tesh written down by Aran and his successors, as well as teachings and normative parables written by them. Another central text is the Kanshwa, a collection of ritual poems defining the religion’s precepts used in worship services. Aran’s religious philosophy divided the deities of his home nation into good and bad deities, the latter of which were not considered worthy of worship. Aran declared Tesh to be the supreme good, and that humanity had free will in choosing between following him or not, making them responsible for their choices. Tesh has several but unequal opposing forces, the greatest of which is called Sanal. Sanal is also the term used to refer to the collective destructive presence, whose forces are born from evil thoughts and deeds. They stand against good thoughts and deeds, which originate from Tesh and are thought to repair the world with their existence.

In Aranism, sevgi (truth or cosmic order), the life force originating from Tesh, stands in opposition to olyash (evil thoughts and deeds), with Tesh considered to be wholly good. Tesh works in both physical and spiritual realms through his six emanations, or angels. With each angel, there is also a blessing and obligation incurred by humanity. Aranism is not uniform in theological or philosophical thought, especially with historical and modern influences having a significant impact on individual and local beliefs, practices, values, and liturgy. Aside from regional divisions, most Aranists can be classed as Traditionalist or Reformist, with several smaller, regional groups. In Aranism, the purpose in life is to perform good deeds and bring happiness into the world, which contributes to the cosmic battle against evil.

The six prophets and authority
The term prophet, or Kalamna (meaning guide or mentor) is used for all five humans believed to have had a direct connection with Tesh and his angels and composed the sixth Kalamna, the Sharit religious texts. The traditions and philosophy of Aranism were established by these five men, each of whom added to and reinforced the message taught by the previous, resulting in the reaction of the Aranist faith. The kalamna regarded by the vast majority of the faithful are: Some breakaway traditions hold that Kunyil was not the true successor, but that various others were, with their own lines of kalamna branching off, and a few even remaining until the modern day. However, these are generally local sects with little sway on the larger scale, with the notable exception of Abayadi Rite Aranism. Aran was the first kalamna and appointed Yopish, his most loyal disciple, as successor. Kunyil was the last kalamna in human form, and before his death, decreed that the Sharit would serve as the penultimate kalamna for the faithful. The prophet Aran stated that Tesh is the embodiment and source of all good in the universe, and that he is the only deity worthy of worship and praise. He is said to have received Tesh’s wisdom as the newest in a line of prophets, including Vayon, but that all previous messages had been corrupted by men. Aran claimed to be Tesh’s mouthpiece and servant, but maintained that he was only a man and not divine. He stated that the kalamna is mortal, and must be respected, but is not worthy of worship.
 * 1) The prophet Aran
 * 2) The prophet Yopish
 * 3) The prophet Eltash
 * 4) The prophet Polom
 * 5) The prophet Kunyil
 * 6) The penultimate prophet Sharit

Kalamna Yopish succeeded him on his death. Yopish added several key elements to Aranist worship, such as baptism, and emphasis on the pursuit of salvation through unity with Tesh. He began building a cohesive community of followers with initiatives such as sanctioning distinctive ceremonies for births, marriages, and deaths. He also established a system of clerical supervision to ensure unity within the faith. In his additions to Sharit, he also emphasized the importance of proselytizing and gaining new converts, either through marriage or missionary work. Yopish’s successor, disciple, and son-in-law Eltash continued the development of the Sharit, elaborating upon the Six Emanations and their alternate meanings and symbolisms. He also founded the city of Holtin in an attempt to avoid persecution, which is widely regarded as the holiest city in Aranism. He was arrested by local authorities who were suspicious and hostile to the religious order he was developing, as polytheism was seen as crucial to the order of the kingdom.

Eltash’s disciple and successor Polom became the leader of the faith after Eltash was killed for refusing to renounce his faith. His execution inspired Polom and the faithful to become a more central military and political organization of communities to defend themselves from attacks made by outside groups. He established a mechanism which allowed the Aranist religion to react as a community to changing circumstances with the concept of the Throne of the Timeless One. Centered in Holtin, it serves as the supreme decision-making center of Aranism. It provided that, upon a kalamna’s death, that a council of family heads elected from the community would choose a new one, rather than relying on the wishes of the former kalamna. This council would evolve into a much larger body as Aranism spread.

Polom was killed in battle against forces wishing to oppress the Aranist people, leading the newly-formed Council of Families to elect Kunyil at the new kalamna. However, a succession crisis followed this decision, as many of Polom’s former disciples disagreed with the decision and declared themselves the kalamna. Kunyil maintained the majority of the faithful under his teachings, however, and most of the splinter movements remained relatively small (with the notable exception of that begun by Sev and his followers, which would become Abayadi Rite Aranism). However, he also recognized the danger of potential future splits, and declared himself to be the final Kalamna that would take human form. Instead, he said that upon his death, the Sharit in its entirety would represent everything that Tesh wished for humanity to follow, and would serve as the penultimate kalamna. However, he did wish for another leader to be selected as a central leader for the faith, to be called Aka. The Aka was not to be worshipped, but simply an upright man to be picked to lead his brothers and sisters of the faith.

Evolution of the faith
After Kunyil’s death, the faithful transitioned into the new system he’d designed and left behind for them. The Families elected an Aka to serve as a leader, but not to edit the now-completed Sharit. Kunyil’s message that the divine stream of revelation had ended worried many, but the new Aka Kovok reassured them that Tesh would remain in their presences as already stated in Sharit. This reassurance established the Aka’s power to interpret the Sharit and its meaning, but only as a person with no direct connection to Tesh (at least not one any stronger than anyone else’s). The faithful continued the work of spreading their religion to their neighbors as per Kalamna Yopish’s writings, as well as coming into irregular conflict with authorities. Despite this repression, however, the faith continued to grow, as its message of hopefulness and righteousness began to drown out the polytheist faiths. The turning point came when a king fell in love with an Aranist woman named Ashtar. Ashtar kept her faith secret when marrying the king, worried it would result in her death. However, one of Ashtar’s advisors had a particular hatred for the Aranists, and openly plotted their destruction. Ashtar threw herself before the king at his mercy and revealed the truth, begging for help for her people. The king converted to Aranism on the spot and purged his advisor and his supporters, declaring Aranism to be the state religion of his kingdom. As time passed, the office of Aka became united with that of monarch of the Second Tayan Empire, although after its eventual collapse it became customary to elect a respected, elder member of the clergy instead as a sort of figure-head of the faith.

No longer threatened by state repression, Aranism expanded rapidly across west, central, and south Tarsis, as well as being introduced to eastern Tarsis and eastern and southern Dihara by traders. It grew rapidly there as local leaders adopted it to facilitate trade with the east, but its exponential growth in only a few centuries also led to problems. The newer, Diharan churches did not wish to acknowledge the supreme authority of the Aka sitting in Holtin, believing him to be a symbolic successor with no right to dictate how they worshipped. This led to a schism between the two, and the establishment of Diharan Aranism, the second largest group in the religion. Diharan Aranism follows a similar structure to mainstream Aranism (although notably led by an Anti-Aka rather than an Aka), but with leadership largely being symbolic and power being held by the Congress of the Faithful.

Theology
Aranists believe that there is an all-good deity yet not omnipotent deity named Tesh. Aran writes that Tesh works through his six “emanations,” a term used both to refer to his six main angels as well as the six blessings and obligations Tesh gives to humanity. The obligations are: Likewise, the blessings are: Scholars and theologians have long debated the nature of Aranism, using terms ranging from dualism, monotheism, to polytheism to describe the religion. Most describe Aranism as having a belief in an immanent and self-creating universe with consciousness as its special attribute, potentially putting it into the panthiestic fold. In any case, Tesh, the main spiritual force for good, represents cosmic order. Although Tesh did not create mankind, he is responsible for all good things mankind enjoys by virtue of his being the ultimate good. The antithesis of this is Sanal, the being of collective chaos, falsehood, and disorder. The resulting cosmic conflict involves all of creation, mental/spiritual and material, including humanity at its core. Every person has an active role to play in this conflict.
 * 1) Good Thoughts (keep one’s thoughts spiritually pure)
 * 2) Good Words (be considerate in your words)
 * 3) Good Deeds (be kind/good)
 * 4) Charity (“building” the universe around you)
 * 5) Spiritual Equality and Duties of the Genders
 * 6) Good for the Sake of Goodness without hope of reward
 * 1) Reason
 * 2) Divine spark of creativity
 * 3) Free will
 * 4) Love/joy
 * 5) The promise of life after death
 * 6) Hope

In the Aranist tradition, all bad things in the universe come from the force called Sanal, the destructive spirit/mentality, while Tesh is the source of all good things. Tesh is immanent in humanity and interacts with the world through his Emanations, angels who are his representatives and guardians of different aspects of creation, embodying each of the six duties and six blessings (also called emanations). Through his Emanations, Tesh is assisted by countless smaller divinities called Tupuryas (meaning worthy of worship), each considered a hypostasis of a moral and/or physical aspect of creation. According to Aranist cosmology, Tesh will ultimately prevail over the evil Sanal, at which point reality will return to a state of All-Good that was enjoyed prior to the birth of the material universe. Ultimately, all of creation - even the souls of the dead initially banished to “darkness” - will be reunited with Tesh and be resurrected to immortality. According to most Diharan sects, near the end of time, a savoir-like figure called farshyant (one who brings blessings) will bring about the renovation, while most Tarsic sects use the term to refer to all believers.

Aranist theology includes foremost the importance of following the obligations posed by the six Emanations: Good thoughts, good words, good deeds, charity, spiritual equality and duties of the genders, and good for goodness’ sake without hope of reward. Many groups also place a heavy emphasis on the protection and veneration of nature and its elements, calling for the protection of water, earth, air, and soul as the fundamental elements of the universe. The reverence for Tupuryas, which are beings that are inherently local in nature, emphasizes the preservation of nature for many. Historically, many Aranists followed their duties to eliminate “evil” species, but no modern groups follow these spiritual maxims.

Angels
In Aranism, angels, or emanations, are believed to be celestial beings created from a luminous origin by Tesh, functioning as intermediaries between mankind and Tesh. Angels have both anthropomorphic and abstract forms, existing as a lesser but independent form from Tesh. The holy text of Sharit is the principal source for the Aranist concept of angels, but more extensive features of angels appear in various other works on theology, literature, and philosophy published by Aranist clergy. There are countless angels under the authority of Tesh, as they serve as spiritual warriors against evil across the universe. However, there are six that are held to be the greatest and most powerful, each embodying one of the six emanations from Tesh directly.
 * 1) Hayyi - reason and knowledge
 * 2) Rabuta - poetry, arts, song, kindness
 * 3) Nhura - freedom and labor
 * 4) Abathur - charity and mercy
 * 5) Phatil - justice
 * 6) Anush - hope

Philosophy and Teachings
The basics of Aranism lie in the teachings of the prophet Aran and his successors. Many sources call Aranism a monothiestic religion, while others call it henothiestic or even polythiestic. According to some legal scholars, western Vayonist renderings of Aranism as a monothiestic religion tend to reinforce an understanding of monotheism contrary to Aran’s original awareness of the universe. However, there is no doubt of his emphasis on Tesh as “the one'' worthy of humanity’s worship and respect.

In Aranism, the concept of Tesh is that of an incredibly powerful and benevolent deity, but not an altogether omnipotent one. Tesh is but the greatest of numerous cosmological forces, some good, and some evil. Tesh in his natural state is referred to as being “shapeless”, “incomprehensible and invisibile”, and “the formless one,” implying further that he exists as a more powerful, higher form of life than humanity without being necessarily omniscient and omnipotent.

Concept of life
Aranism emphasizes the Universe as a product between the forces of light and dark, even Tesh himself. “From the two bodies’ clashing, the whole of the universe welled up and began to churn.” All things currently present in the universe are a product of these clashes, including mankind. Reality (or Kator) in Aranism is referred to as the, “One Supreme Reality”, “the All-Pervading Spirit”, and “the One Creator.” The spirit of the universe has no gender, and is beyond space, time, and all composite beings that make it up. Aran wrote in his works that there are many other planes/worlds that it has created life upon other than earth.

It is important to note that, while Tesh is conscious but not omniscient, Kator is omnipresent but not conscious. The prophet Yopish, the second in line after Aran, compared Kator as the Universe and its composite elements to a forest and the animals within it, or the sea and its creatures. One can admire and appreciate a forest, but a forest grows collectively rather than having a single mind like one of its creatures might have.

Timeless truth
According to the prophet Aran and his successors, the supreme purpose of human life is to live a righteous existence and be united with Tesh in the afterlife, as Tesh symbolizes the ultimate collection of good in the universe. The biggest barrier to this are the negative presences in the universe that feed off of emotions and deeds such as greed, cruelty, and selfishness. The idea of this being the ultimate purpose of mankind serves as the “timeless truth” in Aranism. Aran designated the word Koprak (bridge/portal) to mean that they serve as a bridge to this divine truth for all humanity, which is why Aranist priests use this title today.

Liberation
Aranism’s teachings are founded not on a final destination of heaven or hell, but on a spiritual union with Tesh that will allow their spirit to battle directly with those of evil across the universe, resulting in a kind of enlightenment. The prophet Eltash, the third of the five, makes it clear in his writings that life and free will as humans are obtained with great fortune in the context of the wider universe, and one must make the most good of it as possible.

To get closer to Tesh, Aranists avoid committing sins or evils while keeping the everlasting truth in mind, as well as reciting hymns, meditating, and serving their fellow man. Aranists believe that being in the company of “true” or morally upright people is one of the key ways to achieve liberation into a higher form.

Service and action
Aranism’s prophets teach that by constantly remembering Tesh’s divine name and through selfless service to their fellow man, the faith’s adherents overcome the negative forces of the universe. The term used for service, ashok, takes on three possible meanings: physical service, mental service (learning in order to be able to help others), and material service. Part of this obligation is that of “honest work”, or finding a role in the community where one can ethically live without harming others. Aranism also stresses the concept of charity and sharing, giving to the needy for the benefit of the community.

Justice and equality
Aranism regards Tesh as the true Master of the Universe, King of all Kings, the one who dispenses justice through a retributive model and divine grace. The term used for justice, burtyama, also carries connotations for ideas of moral order and righteousness. According to the fourth prophet Polom, “one must first try all peaceful means of negotiation in the pursuit of justice, but not allow any harm come to the faithful from inaction.” If peaceful means fail, then it is legitimate to “draw the sword in defense of righteousness.”  In Aranism, an attack on the faithful is an attack of the ideas of justice, righteousness, and the moral order in general, and must be defended at all costs. Forgiveness is taught as a virtue, but the faithful are also taught to shun those with evil intentions and pick up the sword to fight injustice and religious persecution.

Although preaching the spiritual equality of men and women, religious obligations traditionally differ for men and women. Men are tasked with protecting the community and studying Sharit to guide their families and communities, while women are instructed to tend to keep the home and serve an anchors for their communities; in many traditions, it is believed that women who are married and begin their own households have within them living a spirit of divine peace, a lesser Good being. In essence, such women are theologically held to almost be like minor goddesses, worthy of great respect and admiration. However, in more modern times, women have begun undertaking the same obligations as men to study Sharit. Throughout history, women have taken up arms in battling their oppressors, providing historical precedent for their adopting of other roles. Both men and women are expected to take part in charity and giving.

Cosmology
Aran’s teachings dealt with the origins of evil by addressing the problem of evil by denying the omnipotence of Good (Tesh) and postulating two opposing powers. Aranist theology teaches a dualistic view of good and evil. A key belief in Aranism is that the powerful but not omnipotent Good (Tesh) is opposed to the eternal Evil (Sanal). Humanity, the universe, and everything in it are seen as by-products of this war, and there is no “creator” force as in other faiths. The individual person is seen as a battleground for these powers: a person has two souls, a heavenly and earthly one that are separated when one is born. Neither the earth nor flesh are seen as intrinsically evil, instead possessing portions of dark and light that either grow or shrink depending on one’s actions. Natural phenomena are physical manifestations of this spiritual battle. Therefore, the Aranist views explains the existence of evil by positing the universe as a flawed creation in the formation of which a divine figure had no controlling power in making, and instead exists as the product of a battle between good and evil forces.

Cosmogony
Aranist presents an elaborate description of the conflict between the worlds of darkness and light. This conflict has had several stages, each contributing to the state of the universe as it exists today.

First Creation
Originally, good and evil existed in two separate planes/universes, one of Light ruled by Ashaszel (also called Ashaszel Tesh, or Teshah) with his six Emanations, and the other of Darkness ruled by Pushyum. At some point, Pushyum noticed the Realm of Light and became greedy to rule it, attacking it. Ashaszel, in the first of three “creations,” or “soundings” battled Pushyum with six shields of light (reflections of the Emanations), and lost to the forces of darkness. This battle is described as “bait” to trick the forces of darkness, as they greedily enveloped Ashaszel, trapping him among the forces of darkness.

Second Creation
Then, Ashaszel called for his six Emanations to battle with the darkness. In the ensuing battle, six heavens and eight earths were created, all consisting of various mixtures of the evil and light beings. The sun, moon, and starts were all created from light recovered from the world of dark. The waxing and waning of the moon is described as the moon filling with light, which passes from the sun, through the milky way, back to the world of light.

Third Creation
The dark entities were scattered across the cosmos, and Ashaszel was reborn as Tesh after his temporary defeat. Light was recovered out of the former realm of darkness, but both light and darkness were both scattered across the cosmos. The churning energies of these two interacting is responsible for the creation of the universe as it is known today, including the first humans. Tesh, however, pitied these beings who contained within them sparks of divinity and who would reason, and through his emanations (and eventually directly through prophets) enlightened them to the true source of Good and light.

Outline of beings and events
Beginning with the time of its creation by the prophet Aran and additions by his successors, Aranism has a detailed description of higher beings and events that have taken place within their schema of the universe. Often, the names of these beings vary from region to region, suggesting that syncretism of beliefs played a major role in spreading the faith elsewhere. While the original language retains the descriptions as created by Aran and the other prophets, the transformation of the deities through other languages and cultures has on occasion produced incarnations of the deities not implied in Aran’s original writings.

Beings of Light

 * Tesh: the Good and Light of the Universe, born from the temporarily defeated body of Ashaszel. All good things in the Universe come from him.
 * Emanations: Lesser beings of Good and Light that derive from Tesh, and serve to spread his goodness and light across the universe by embodying elements of his blessings.

Beings of Dark

 * Sanal: the Evil and Dark of the Universe, born from Pushyum and formed from the recollecting energies of dark after the birth of Tesh and the Victory of Light at the beginning of the Universe.
 * Princes of Darkness: Lesser beings of evil derived from Sanal, present in each of the eight physical planes. Encourage and feed off of evil behavior, but not necessarily subservient to Sanal - seen as being rebellious and treacherous, incapable of serving as the Emanations do

Practices and observances
Aranism states that active and ethical participation in life through good deeds and good words formed from good thoughts is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaotic forces at bay. This active participation is a central element in Aran’s concept of free will, and as such the religion tends to reject extreme forms of asceticism and monasticism, but historically has allowed for moderate expressions of said concepts.

In Aranist tradition, life is a temporary state in which a mortal is expected to actively participate in the continuing battle between Tesh and Sanal. Prior to being born, the mortal soul of an individual is still united with its higher soul, which has existed since the inception of the universe. The higher soul, before the mortal soul’s splitting off acts as an aid in the maintenance of creation with Tesh. During life, the higher soul acts as a spiritual guide and protector, and the high souls of one’s cultural (heroes) and familial ancestors are venerated and can be prayed to for aid. On the sixth day after death, the mortal soul is reunited with its higher soul, in which the experiences of life in the material world are collected for the continuing battle in the spiritual world. Souls reincarnate until they reach a state of purity that allows them to unite with Tesh.

In Aranism, water and soul (also called fire) are agents of ritual purity, and the associated purification ceremonies are considered the basis of ritual life. In Aranist cosmology, water and soul are respectively the second and last primordial elements to take form, and scripture considers soul to have its origins in the water. Both water and soul are considered to be life-sustaining, and both are represented in religious artwork very often. Aranist worship incorporates both holy water and the presence of soul in some form (candles/lamps). The culminating rite of the principal act of worship constitutes a “strengthening of the waters.” Water is a source from which spiritual insight and wisdom are gained, with fire (as the embodiment of Light and Good) serving as the medium of that wisdom. Water and fire are both embodied in the Emanations, angels serving Tesh. Corpses are considered hosts of decay and Sanal. Consequently, scripture requires that disposal of the death not involve the pollution of any sacred elements of creation. This requires that bodies undergo complex purification rituals, before being cremated and dumped into a body of water. Burying bodies in graves cased with lime mortar is common practice in Dihara, thought to prevent tainting the soil.

Proselytizing has traditionally played a large part in Aranism, with the belief that as many people should be taught proper spiritual observances as possible. However, Aranist political leaders have historically been known for their tolerance of other faiths as well, with the belief that ultimately all faiths can contribute positively. Many communities across the world actively take part in missionary activities, visiting developing parts of the world and performing good deeds while spreading its word. Historically, the religion was spread by missionaries, trade, and even conquest by various groups. Aranists are often encouraged to marry members of other faiths in order to convert them.

Observant Aranists adhere to numerous longstanding practices and traditions to strengthen and express their faith. The daily dissertation of Tesh’s divine name and from memory specific passages of Sharit is recommended immediately after rising and bathing. Baptized Aranists recite the five morning prayers, an evening prayer, and a night prayer. All faithful pray facing either east or west in order to face the holy city of Holtin, depending on their location. Family customs include both reading passages from scripture and attending the temple (also called Kadam, or stairway to Tesh). There are numerous kadam prominently constructed and maintained across the world, found in nearly every nation where they reside. They are open to all, regardless of faith, background, gender, or race.

Worship in a kadam consists chiefly of singing alternate passages from Sharit and Kanshwa. Aranists will commonly enter the kadam, anoint themselves or be anointed by a priest with holy water, and touch the ground before the Sharit with their foreheads. The kadam is also the location where Aranists will spend their time preparing food to be donated to the community. All kadams are open to anyone of any faith for a free meal, normally but not always vegetarian. A communal kitchen can be found attached to most kadam, where people eat together during such events or directly after services.

Ceremonies
Aranists have also supported and helped develop major pilgrimage traditions to sacred sites, notably the birthsites and death sites of saints or martyrs, prophets, and of course the sacred city of Holtin. Pilgrims of Aranism and its various sects and branches customarily consider such sites as being very spiritually beneficial to visit and meditate at. Many such sites include sacred pools, where the sick are encouraged to dip themselves in to alleviate their hurts. Many bring home sacred waters in small bottles for sick friends or relatives, believing that they can purify their illness away. Vegetarianism is common in Aranist communities as a way to reduce suffering, but is not seen as compulsory by most.

Upon a child’s birth, the Sharit is opened at a random point, and the child is named using the first letter in the top corner of the page. The Aranist marriage ritual includes the ananj ceremony, performed in front of the Sharit by a baptized member of the community, commonly but not necessarily a priest. The tradition of circling the Sharit while reciting prayers is commonly practiced as well.

Scripture requires that disposal of the dead not involve the pollution of any sacred elements of creation. This requires that bodies undergo complex purification rituals, before being cremated and dumped into a body of water. Burying bodies in graves cased with lime mortar is common practice in Dihara, thought to prevent tainting the soil.

Baptism
The practice of baptism was introduced to Aranism by Aran’s successor, the prophet Yopish. Aranists practice frequent baptism as a ritual of purification, but a separate, more elaborate baptism ritual exists as is seen as a requirement for any who wish to join the body of the faithful. Aranism requires that they first reach an age of accountability (normally 16 or 17 at the youngest) before requesting to be baptised. The individual will converse with their priest until the priest is satisfied that they are ready. The greater baptism, called Daman, takes place with all of one’s loved ones present. The same ritual is done for converts as well as young people fully committing to the faith. Baptisms of either kind are almost always on the Aranist holy day of the week, wearing a white sacral robe and consisting of six full immersions in water.

Before beginning, the priest presents the robed entrant with a ring made of fragrant cypress wood to wear to symbolize the eternity of their commitment. Early Aranists maintained that living water, like in rivers, was required for baptisms, but this requirement is maintained only by a few denominations today. After putting on the ring, the entrant is anointed with oil to represent them taking their place as an heir to divinity among the faithful, and they are dunked in the water by the priest six times as they say six prayers to mirror the six Emanates of Tesh. After baptism, men and women alike take the name Mershor (heir) as a symbol of their spiritual equality. Ultimately, Daman represents a promise made by the individual to live in accordance with Tesh’s word, and to serve as a warrior for spiritual goodness in the universe.

Outside of Daman, baptism for the sake of purity is called Vamikh. Unlike Daeman, which is an individual affair, Vamikh can occur with groups of people being baptized. Any undergoing Vamikh must first have undergone Daeman, as Vamikh is seen as a sort of affirmation to the original commitment that they made. Vamikh baptisms occur for events requiring participants to be spiritually pure, such as weddings, or when people are known to have come into contact with something spiritually impure/committed such an act (touching a dead body, having killed another person, etc.).

Yukori (meaning “the sovereign”) is the collective name given by the prophet Yopish to those who have been fully initiated by taking part in the ceremony. Many Aranists, especially those of the Diharan sect, do not all undergo baptism and are not fully initiated, but do adhere to the faith’s other components and identify as Aranist.

Religious clothing
While not all Aranists wear the articles of clothing prescribed in the Sharit for ritual use, they are considered obligatory by many for participating in key ceremonies such as weddings. They include: Headgear of some kind is common, but tends to vary according to the region. Headscarves are common for women, although some wear turbans, whereas most men simply wear turbans of caps of some kind.
 * Toj - a kind of veil/mask worn over the mouth to prevent breathing in any insects, meant to emphasize the devotion to not harming other beings, typically worn during formal ceremonies only.
 * Cheka - a neck cloth worn draped over the front of the body, with sixteen lambswool fringes on either end totaling in 36, mirroring the 36 sections of the Kanshwa.
 * Kopok - a slipper that is sometimes embroidered, worn by the faithful inside temples after removing their shoes
 * Muloyim - traditional casual wear worn by both men and women. Fabrics include all cotton and synthetic materials. Styles include various lengths from about mid hip to just above the knee. Sleeves can be full length, three-quarters, half sleeve, or short. Men's kurti tend to be plain white, solid colors, striped, hatched, and prints. Women's kurti range from plain white, and solid colors with contrasting embroidery often along with appliqué, to multi-colored patterns and prints.
 * Ukyu - formal men’s wear for ceremonies. a kind of long tailored shirt with side slits up to the pocket. It may have a finished or straight edge cuffs and a rounded or straight hem. The karshi is a loose pant often made of fabric to match the ukyu. The very devout wear simple styles in solid colors to express humility.
 * Taruchi - formal women’s wear for ceremonies. Taruchi are baggy loose fitting pants with ankle cuffs. The taruchi is worn beneath the chemis, a dress top which is available in as many styles as there is imagination, and color, often decorated with embroidery. The color of the taruchi and chemis may match or contrast. They are worn with a color coordinated matching or contrasting. The very devout tend to wear simple prints or solid colors with a little embroidery, as an expression of humility.
 * Langan - Langan are ritual daggers that are commonly worn by men during ceremonies (usually bound shut to avoid injury) to symbolize the readiness to defend their faith at all costs.

Structure
As the faith continued to grow, the system was adjusted to go by community rather than family for representation in the Council. Eventually, the body grew so large that it became known by its current name, the Congress of the Faithful. The Congress of the Faithful historically gathers on special festival days and when there is need to discuss matters affecting all of the faithful, being summoned by the Aka directly. An akamata is an order passed by the Congress at the proposal of the Aka in the presence of the Sharit. It may only be passed on a subject affecting the fundamental principles of the faith, and is binding on all of the faithful. Such an order is required to edit any part of the Kanshwa, to approve any translations of Sharit into other languages, and to declare the official stance of the faith on any contemporaneous issues.

Sects
The two primary sects of Aranism include the primary branch, found in Tarsis called the Tarsic Rite, or more commonly simply referred to as Aranism, and Diharan Rite Aranism. The two split over major disagreements on the nature of spiritual purity, baptism, and the central authority of the Aka to make binding rules for all faithful to follow. Diharan Aranists are far more likely to be vegetarian than mainstream ones, although the practice is common in both communities. Other, more distantly related sects of Aranism include what are often referred to as the Aranist Hereseys; founded by dissidents who left the religion after Kunyil was selected as prophet, numerous former students of the previous prophet Polom disagreed with Kunyil’s vision and left, taking parts of the community who shared their visions. Of the groups who left, three have endured into the modern day; Abayadi Rite Aranism, Ayerani Rite Aranism, and Qaras Rite Aranism. Each of these religious varies even more from the original faith than the Diharan Rite, featuring different texts, prophets, saints, and practices while sharing the same essential theology from before the split.

Influences
Aran believed that the teachings of Vayon and various other ancient prophets and philosophers were incomplete, and that his revelations were for the entire world. He claims that his first revelations came when he was 10, but he began his teachings in his early 20s when he grew dissatisfied with the sect he found himself in. He was influenced by Vayonism and other movements of the day, namely the various cults dedicated to the deities of his homeland. According to biographical records preserved by his disciples, he allegedly received a revelation as a youth from a “good spirit” whom he would refer to as his twin. This twin would prove to be an early guide to the universe, informing Aran of the nature of some parts of the Universe, such as the Emanations (angels).

Sharit
The Sharit is a collection of the central religious texts of Aranism, committed to writing by Aran and his successors. Four human prophets succeeded Aran after his death, each contributing to an addition to Sharit as a unitary text. The text in its traditional form is presented in temples in large, illuminated, single tomes, kept and read from by priests. Alternate forms kept in people’s homes are often several volumes kept together. In temples, the Sharit is put on a seat at the front, as if it were sitting in a position of honor. Worshippers do not worship the book directly, but it is meant to be held in high regard. As the fifth prophet neared death, he informed his followers that Tesh had given them everything that they needed to fix the world, and that the texts themselves would be the sixth and penultimate prophet. The majority of Aranists at the time accepted this, but several splinter movements led by those who claimed to be the true successors were formed, a fraction of which have direct lines of succession that continue into the modern day.

In its present form, Sharit is a compilation of works from Aran and his successors, the shortest being the generally accepted version ending with the “sixth prophet,” the text itself. Most contributions consist of what are described as direct transcriptions of Tesh or an angel speaking to the prophet about the nature of the universe or what mankind’s obligations and blessings are. It is not written in narrative format or necessarily in chronological order, but is ordered by tenure as prophet. Only when written in its original language is Sharit considered to be properly sacred in most groups, meaning that versions that have been translated are normally kept for purposes of proselytization or academics. A standard Sharit is divided into 20 books, with each prophet responsible for writing a different number of them.

Kanshwa
The Kanshwa is the primary liturgical collection, named after the ceremony at which it is recited during worship. It consists of 36 sections, inspiring the 36 threads of lamb’s wool in the sacred thread commonly worn by Aranists at the edges of their garments. The central portion of the Kanshwa is the oyoq, the oldest and most sacred portion, believed to have been composed by Aran himself. The oyoq are structurally interrupted by various smaller prayers and hymns written in honor of Tesh by other prophets.

Singing and music
Aranists refer to the hymns written down by the prophets and faithful as Kanshwa. Likewise, the entire verses of the Sharit, or primary religious text, are written in a form of poetry to be recited as such. However, Sharit historically has been translated into the various languages of the faithful depending on the region, while the Kanshwa tends to remain in its original form and is sung thusly. The prophet Aran began the tradition and taught that listening to both while meditating is a powerful way to achieve tranquility and spiritual balance. Singing the glories of Tesh with devotion is the most effective way to anchor one’s soul in communion with him. The three morning prayers for Aranists reflect this desire to enter harmony with Tesh, and baptised Aranists recite a full version of five before breakfast.