Shessanism

The religion is structured and organized, much like the rest of aj'ra society. There are nine main schools or factions, one for each personality type. In practically each town or rural area there is a local temple, sometimes with nine wings for each specific number type, or in more well off areas there might be a specific temple for each one. The most centralized and powerful of these temples, often located in a city, will exert more influence and control over the small district. Above these are further and more important temples, and eventually it reaches the Nine Great Temples. Each of these temples is ruled by a high priest, known as the Supreme Priest of their number type. At the top of the hierarchy, these priests all rule conjointly as the Council of Nine from the Great Temple in Aj'Snaga. Generally they meet to discuss matters of the religion and how to better manage themselves, and vote on any measure to be taken.

Above all the Shessanists desire to better the world by showing and teaching the individual what personality they are and how to better themselves in the world. Generally more philosophic, they have developed religious iconography, beliefs, and customs over the years, but remain fairly the same and neutral in most matters.

Shessanism was developed by Shess'sikan, whose ideas and beliefs led to the teaching and eventually spread to become a staple part of aj'ra society. Though it has suffered over the years, and expanded as well, and gone through different ideological shifts, for the most part it has remained the same, and continues to be an important aspect of the aj'ra culture and society.

The Nine Sekk'sa

While the aj'ra do not believe in gods per se, the Sekk'sa or "Great Ones" seem quite close to divine figures. They are regarded as the living archetypes of the nine major parts of Shessanism, once mortal aj'ra that, rather than journeying into the aj'ra afterlives, chose to remain as powerful examples for each aj'ra, helping them achieve their balanced state.

• Esashass'i: Sekk'sa of Type One
• Kriss'hsa: Sekk'sa of Type Two
• Brass'al: Sekk'sa of Type Three
• Keleshashis: Sekk'sa of Type Four
• Kiss'uksas: Sekk'sa of Type Five
• Sususamus: Sekk'sa of Type Six
• Seess'lesi: Sekk'sa of Type Seven
• Ss'suri: Sekk'sa of Type Eight
• Unkshai: Sekk'sa of Type Nine

The Creation

Shessanists believe that the universe has no specific beginning, but it was set into motion. Reality is understood as a series of motions and processes that all tie back to each other, and something had to start these processes. The aj'ra refer to this as Koss'akasehss'aak, or the Thing That Slithered First, sometimes also refered to as the First Indefinite. According to Shessanism, this thing was the seed born from an unknowable substance and forged in the conflict between two primoridal forces, the Opposition. Opposition is understood in a cosmic sense as representing any conflict thing, be it ideology or nature of reality, like hot versus cold, and this conflict sparked the Thing that Slithered First, which set the universe into motion, and created reality, forming whole worlds, stars, the moon and the sun.

The origins of Shessanism began thanks to the famous aj'ra philosopher known as Shess'sikan. A scholar and philosopher in the Vying States Period, he saw the war and anarchy that befell his people. In addition, he also began noticing the different personality types, and over the years began pondering and recording his thoughts. In 4967 BD he released the book The Nine Types, and began teaching his ideas and beliefs. They quickly spread across the population, and under the First Emperor the ideals of Shess'sikan, known increasingly as Shessanism, became the official belief system for the Aj'snagian Empire.   Thanks to its rapid expansion Shessanism began to change. Initially more an ideological theory and philosophy, some of the more simple-minded aj'ra began treating Shess'sikan as a divine figure, while further sects and schools of thought developed. During the Ugasi Dynasty, Shessanism was encouraged to be more ceremonial and work for the state. This was also the time that the modern organized structure of Shessanism developed, which has remained the same for most of its history.

The Shessanist cosmology is quite similar to the teryn understanding of the cosmos, which is not much of a surprise, considering the aj'ra have spend thousands of years studying the magical and metaphysical arts.   To the aj'ra, the universe is divided into several great oceans of pure magical energy, known as the iskani. Each of the iskani can be peered into and magical energy can be pulled from, likened to grabbing a bucket of water from the sea, with each ocean bringing forth different magical energies. There exists nine of these iskani.

• Iskani Risshad (Life)
• Iskani Volshanki (Death)
• Iskani Ok'ashush (Light)
• Iskani Shaiosh (Shadow)
• Iskani Rajish (Order)
• Iskani Ssevsias (Chaos)
• Iskani Teshar (Reality/the Universe)
• Iskani Anjus (Positive)
• Iskani Kajus (Negative)

The last three iskani, in particular, hold a special place in Shessanism. The universe itself is considered the epicenter of the cosmos, surrounded by the six great oceans of magic which encircle and influence reality, constantly brushing up against it like the shoreline does against the coast. Iskani Anjus and Iskani Kajus are unique to the aj'ra understanding of the cosmos, and represent the primary afterlives for the aj'ra.   Generally, communal and respectful aj'ra (the ideal of their society, and thus seen as good) will have their souls sent into Iskani Anjus, where they will become one with the million other souls that exist there, a single primal entity that is without any difference or singularity.   Most individualistic and self-interested aj'ra will be sent to Kajus, where they will become nothing, not even existing even more.   To enter either of these afterlives is neither good nor bad, but because most aj'ra strive to live community-orienteered lives, entering Iskani Anjust is deemed a good and right thing.   The aj'ra also view reality as a process that is continually moving. The great oceans, or iskani, are vast and roiling masses, constantly shifting and moving and changing. But all together, reality, to them, is a type of spirit. Many Shessanists contend that the real world can't be known, and therefore it doesn't exist. Everythign is part of a single reality, known as kosksha or spirit. The kosksha is like a universal mind that is continoulsly evolving through the dialectic process. Because mortals are part of the kosksha their discovery of everythin is kosksha own discovery of itself.    Shessanists understand this universal process in this manner: an initial idea (thesis) gives rise to its opposite (antithesis), which together forms a new and richer idea (synthesis). For instance, there is tyranny and its opposite, anarchy, which together emerges law. Through the dialectic, kosksha produces more sophisticated forms of itself. Many Shessanists scholars and philosophers believe that through this process the universal mind becomes more complex and richer, and will eventually reach a point called Fullness - the time when all its contraditions are resolved and it returns to the state if was in the beginning, before it emptied itself into time.

There a vast array of ideological belies, and each believer in Shessanism is mostly focused on the idea that there exists 9 major personality types. Each type is distinct and unique, and has its own strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities. For Shessanists, the best thing one can do is first recognize their own type, and work to better themselves and their society. They must learn how to best use their natural traits to combat their own fears and create a better world.  

The Nine Types

The table below offers some of the principal characteristics of the nine types along with their basic relationships. The types are normally referred to by their numbers, but sometimes their "characteristic roles" (which refers to distinctive archetypal characteristics) are used instead. The "stress" and "security" points (sometimes referred to as the "disintegration" and "integration" points) are the types connected by the lines of the enneagram figure and are believed by some to influence a person in more adverse or relaxed circumstances. According to this theory, someone with a primary One type, for example, may begin to think, feel and act more like someone with a Four type when stressed or a Seven type when relaxed.   Figure 1. The Nine Number Types.

Subtypes

Each of the personality types is usually understood as having three "instinctual subtypes". These subtypes are believed to be formed according to which one of three instinctual energies of a person is dominantly developed and expressed. The instinctual energies are usually called "self-preservation", "sexual" (also called "intimacy" or "one-to-one") and "social". On the instinctual level, people may internally stress and externally express the need to protect themselves (self-preservation), to connect with important others or partners (sexual), or to get along or succeed in groups (social). From this perspective, there are twenty-seven distinct personality patterns, because people of each of the nine types also express themselves as one of the three subtypes. An alternative approach to the subtypes looks at them as three domains or clusters of instincts that result in increased probability of survival (the "preserving" domain), increased skill in navigating the social environment (the "navigating" domain) and increased likelihood of reproductive success (the "transmitting" domain). From this understanding the subtypes reflect individual differences in the presence of these three separate clusters of instincts. It is believed people function in all three forms of instinctual energies but one may dominate. According to some, another instinct may also be well-developed and the third often less developed.   There is also the countertype, those who go against the grain of their type, and appear unlike the other types. However, at their core they are still only one number type.  

Wings

Most Shessanist priests teach that a person's basic type is modified, at least to some extent, by the personality dynamics of the two adjacent types as indicated on the enneagram figure. These two types are often called "wings". A person with the Three personality type, for example, is understood to have points Two and Four as their wing types. The circle of the enneagram figure may indicate that the types or points exist on a spectrum rather than as distinct types or points unrelated to those adjacent to them. A person may be understood, therefore, to have a core type and one or two wing types which influence but do not change the core type.  

Connecting Lines

For most Shessanist priests there are lines connecting the points add further meaning to the information provided by the descriptions of the types. Sometimes called the "security" and "stress" points, or points of "integration" and "disintegration", they believe these connected points also contribute to a person's overall personality. From this viewpoint, therefore, at least four other points affect a person's overall personality; the two points connected by the lines to the core type and the two wing points.  

Triads

There also exists the three so-called triads which explains how one takes in information as well as the relationship to anger, fear, and shame. The Body Triad (8, 9, 1) takes in information intuitively, through their bodies, and also deal with anger. The Heart Triad (2, 3, 4) takes in information emotionally, and deals with shame and worthlessness. The Head Triad (5, 6, 7) takes in information analytically, through their minds, and most often deals with fear.   Figure 2. The Personality Triads.  

Stances

There are three stances, which relate to the general approach toward other people and toward time. First there is the Dependent Stance (1, 2, 6) meaning they are oriented towards others and their sense of self comes from outside themselves. Withdrawing (9, 5, 4) are oriented inwards and their sense of self comes from within. Aggressive Stance (3, 7, 8) are oriented outwards against others, and have a strong sense of self.   Figure 3. The Personality Stances.  

The Reckoning

A paradigm shift of each individual, it can be any major life event or trauma that causes a person to shift from always resorting to the coping mechanisms of their type. This is similar to a major facet in aj'ra society, known as the Recognizing. This is the event when an aj'ra finally discovers what type they belong to, usually around the age of maturity.

Due to the nature of Shessanism, most Shessanists believe that politics is a matter given to the wise and cunning, those deemed intellectually fit to rule. Thus in aj'ra socieites the ideal for government is a permenant elite group of philosopher-nobles, ideally being incorruptable, immune to poor arguments, and commited only to the truth. A complex bureacracy is also encourage, to both discover the Type of each individual and to match them correctly to best serve society.

The aj'ra refrain from calling those who teach the tenets of Shessanism as priests, and call them in their tongue shennkasi. But for the other races of Telarith, particularly, the term seems very apt. These priests are usually the abandoned and orphaned, any who have little hope in the competitive field of aj'ra society. Thus, the priesthood works to help keep aj'ra society organized.    Young initiates are kept at specific temple-schools, where they are fed, trained, and taught the tenets of Shessanism. Once they have undergone the Recognizing, they move onto one of the Nine Schools, one for each number type, and work as lower-level priests. In time, they might move up the ranks and become high priest of a temple, or a temple-school, or keep advancing, becoming a leader of a local region. This can continue until they become the Supreme Priest of their specific number type, a member of the Council of Nine.   Priest themselves usually tend to those who need aid in discovering their personality type, as well as offering good advice, friendship, and aid for those who need it. They focus on individual motivation, teaching how to counter the shadow side of oneself, showing others how to properly help different number types, help many unlearn nesting lies, explain the ripple effects one has on others around them, and offer healthy practices for others to practice.   Priests are distinguished thanks to their simple single robes, colored in the style of their number type, as well as specific golden emblems depicting their number type, wings, and rank within the organizatino.

Generally Shessanism does not affect the aj'ra that much. During different periods and under different leaders, the religion has exercised greater influence, but generally Shessanists believe these to be crimes against their religion and strive to remain neutral, only doing their part to better and help society.

There exist a variety of sects within Shessanism, mostly small ideological groups, but a few that are more extreme, dramatic, and influence. The main Central Orthodox is considered the main and true form of Shessanism, and most Shessanists adhere to this teaching.   The Sekssal are a notable sect that is far more focused on mysticism and the spiritual side of Shessanism, and generally are discredited and mocked. They do have a larger holding in rural and dangerous regions, and notably have many aj'va tribes that practice this form of Shessanism, which worships Shess'sikan as a type of demigod and have odd rituals and practices.   Ajhani sects are a rapidly growing one, that focus on the militant and imperialist side of aj'ra society, and proclaim the aj'ra to be the race best capable of conquering and ruling the world. They favor expansion and are notably known to produce zealous warriors, considered anathematic to the more peace-keeping goals of many Shessanists.   The Kjiani is a wide faction that is quite the opposite of their Ajhani counterparts. They are almost always pacifists or at least very anti-violence, and seek to spread their faith to all corners of Telarith. They focus on the teaching of unity and peace that Shess'sikan wrote about, and most non-aj'ra Shessanist (mostly lithryns or raleryns) are Kjiani.