In Praise of the Sun.

In the Kingdom of Man (the second largest population of Izanagi's followers), the teachings are very different. While his faith is baked into everyday actions, it is mixed in with the practices of the other major faith among the Geltic Humans: the Church of Athena. Athena's teachings lead to Geltic Izanagi worship (and importantly Geltic translations of In Praise of the Sun) including moments of prayer, donations to religious figures "for Izanagi", and other beliefs that make it seem like Izanagi asks for more of a traditional, Elone-like religion than he preaches.   The core principle of this faith (though most in the Abrals don't consider it a religion at all), is that everything is Izanagi. He created life, the world, and all of existence, so simply living is praising and worshiping him.   Thus, most of the rules are simply about living a fulfilling life, including the core four principles of:

1. All actions are in service of Izanagi, and if done correctly, all of Izanagi's actions will be in service to you.
 
2. All of life must be honored and cherished, for all life is one underneath the Sun of Izanagi, and harm done to it is harm done to yourself and to Izanagi as well.
 
3. All moments are to be enjoyed, even those of great sadness and grief, for time will turn again to joy and triumph, and if you are to lose yourself in the pit of despair, you will never experience the happiness Izanagi can bring in the future.
 
4. Be sure to take a moment each day to bask in the light of the sun and remember you are alive. Be thankful for the opportunity that awaits in every moment not yet lived, and the joy in every moment already lived.

 

Shrines and Prayers

Whereas most faiths in Totania have churches, temples, or some other variations with major religious structures, Izanagi instead embraces the idea of individual shrines for individuals to visit near their homes. Each town in the Abrals has a local shrine to Izanagi, and he even says that one can build a shrine within their home and communicate with him there.   The only requirements he lays out for a shrine are as follows:

• There must be direct access to sunlight.
 
• There must be a sundial to measure time within the shrine.
 
• There must be an offering for me, placed in the light and burned.
 
• There must be a bell, which you must ring thrice to reach me.
 
• The shrine must be well-maintained and taken care of. A clean shrine leads to a clear path of communication from you to me.

The last rule is why official public shrines have kannushi, who maintain the shrine, lead ceremonies, and devote their lives to Izanagi's worship. As there is little difference between worship and life, they live generally normal lives aside from the fact that they reside at the temples, though some versions of In Praise of the Sun include guidelines for these kannushi, such as suggesting chastity and isolation. Not all kannushi follow these guidelines, and it is controversial even in the city that devotes itself to training the monks, Narayama.   Narayama itself follows all of these rules above for the entire city, making it a city-sized shrine that trains all the kannushi and monks of Izanagi. It is also the city where most prints of In Praise of the Sun are copied and distributed from.   As for other shrines, particularly the ones in towns or homes, people may stop by them as often as they can, sometimes daily on their treks to a job, school, or other obligation. Offerings may not always be burned if they are monetary, as those then go to improving a town, shrine, or something else in need of repairs. They offer prayers to the shrine, as all who visit it must do, and while the text does not give specifics on how one must pray, a method of clapping and bowing ones head has become the common form of prayer anyway. Due to a lack of prayer form in the text, some local cultures (particularly in the region around Tsuji-Torworth) instead ask for a kannushi or monk to offer the prayer for them.   A small prayer is offered before some actions are performed as well. Before eating, one offers a quick prayer to Izanagi for the food. Before performing, one asks for luck from Izanagi. Before travel, one prays for safety in their journey. As Izanagi is part of all aspects of life, he is consulted before most things. There are other forms of prayer and honoring him, but as they are not listed in the text, we will move on.  

Milestones

Izanagi asks for important milestones in life to be celebrated in his honor. When a new child is born, the first public place they are to be taken is the shrine, where Izanagi may shine his light upon them and give them a blessing. When one first goes to school, they are to go to a shrine the morning before and the night after to bless their education. When a warrior enters their first battle, they are asked to visit the shrine the night before for protection. Wedding ceremonies, funerals, and other important events are also detailed in the text as moments Izanagi wishes to share.   But there are other events listed that are considered stranger than these basic celebrations. When one takes their first steps, their next goal must always be to learn to walk to the nearest shrine (easier for those with home shrines or those born to non-chaste kannushi). After moments of public embarrassment, Izanagi says it is best to find peace at a shrine rather than wallowing in self-pity or suffering through the reaction of those around them, with Izanagi even saying that moments of intense negative emotion can be changed to celebration when done at a shrine. He considers all bad days to be worthy of recognition and sharing.  

Other Gods

Izanagi asks to be recognized as the King of the Gods, and so that does mean he teaches about the other Gods (Major and Minor). He does not ask for them to be held with the same esteem, but he does say that they should be honored in ways as extensions of himself. If one needs a blessing of fertility from Ishtar, they are to extend a joint prayer to her and Izanagi at one of his shrines.   Most Gods, since they take orders from and recognize Izanagi as their ruler, accept these prayers and bestow blessings (making the followers of Izanagi some of the most blessed of all religious citizens in Totania), however there are some that Izanagi warns will not allow his name to be uttered alongside theirs. The Gods he warns not to pray to, or to be careful when praying to, are:

• Tsukuyomi
 
• Chernobog
 
• Satanael
 
• Mimir
 
• Helle
 
• Selene
 
• Nyx

These Gods either hate Izanagi (Chernobog, Satanael, and Mimir), are jealous of Izanagi's role in the divine hierarchy (Selene and Helle), or contrast his domains and cancel out his prayers entirely (Nyx). Tsukuyomi combines all three of these issues, as he is said to be Izanagi's older brother, and is also said to despise Izanagi more than anyone else. While these other Gods have warnings attached to any praise or prayers, only Tsukuyomi and Chernobog are outright forbidden and hated by the worship of Izanagi.   In some later versions of the text, an extra bit was tacked on seemingly directly from the mouth of Izanagi, warning explicitly about listening to Tsukuyomi, saying a great many terrible things about the God of Darkness. After some leaders in Narayama refined the text, this was cut, and is said to have been lost, though records of it existing still remain in writings about In Praise of the Sun.   What still remains is the section about Chernobog and his Demons, said to be the greatest threat to all mortalkind. Some rites are included to ward off demons, including carving out signs and talismans to keep them away.  

Festivals

A later addition to the document, a list of festivals was included in the text to spread celebrations that were originally regional. These include, but are not limited to:

• Kandival
 
• Harvest Festival
 
• Spring Celebration
 
• The New Year
 
• Sending of the Ships

 

Regional Variations

The Geltic version, as mentioned, includes additional information not directly from Izanagi (or at least not included in versions that claim to be the "full word of Izanagi". This includes information about how to best honor one's family (respecting the parents and protecting the youngest child), aging (passing on ones favored belongings to their most cherished children, grandchildren, and students and allowing decisions to be made by younger generations), and government (respecting the monarch and military).   If these actually came from Izanagi himself or were creations of monks in league with the King of Mankind is debated heavily by theologians.   Another popular version, practiced mainly by Orcs in Central Udai, cuts most things about how to live ones life, and instead only leaves parts about fighting Demons and honoring the Gods outside of Temples. They build shrines anywhere and out of anything, though most Orcish shrines are not permanent and are not kept very clean.   Many rules from this text are also included in other religious texts, as the other Gods do honor Izanagi and wish for him to be part of their faith as well (particularly Phrixus, Leigong, Papatūānuku, and Erra).   Mayowa includes Izanagi in her religion in a major role as well, but does not have his rules as part of her religion, and there is no trace of In Praise of the Sun having ever reached the shores of Shafai except in the vast libraries of the Zavese Collective.  

Structure

"Rise, sun, and shine upon these truths laid bare before you."

— Izanagi, opening of In Praise of the Sun

  In Praise of the Sun is a very short text, even with later additions and regional variations, ending up as one of the shortest holy texts. It is taught in schools around the world because of its cultural and historical importance (except for High Elven, Korvian, and Mammen institutions, as well as schools in the eastern half of the Kingdom of Man), and the structure is seen as the key to this.   It lists out rules for life, blending teachings about the world with principles and guidelines about how to live. Alongside each of these passages are quotes from Izanagi directly to the reader, assuring them and helping them through doubt and hardship.  

"Go forth and praise the light, the ground, and those around you. Praise the gifts of Izanagi, and let your words ring out for all the world to hear."

— Izanagi, final lines of In Praise of the Sun