The World Building Blogfest: Religion and/or Magic

Now it's Day #3 of The World Building Blogfest.  A great thanks to Sharon Bayliss for hosting this fun week-long event!

There's no magic in my world, though the Kentari do possess telepathic, telekinetic, and healing powers.  Some of the things they do may appear magical, which is one of the reasons they keep so much of their culture a secret.

The Kentari don't believe in a god or afterlife the way that most humans do. They focus more on the cyclical nature of the world they live in.  Here are a few key points taken from one of their religious texts that show how they view the universe and their place in it.

Image courtesy of photouten
 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Energy is life.  Matter is simply energy in an altered form.  The stars created the elements that make sentient beings and the worlds that sustain our existence.  Energy is the universe, and the universe is everything.

As sentient beings with the power of the mind, we are privileged.  With proper training, one may learn to appreciate life energies and work with them to create much good.  The ability to harness energy is central to our lives, and this ability must always be respected.

Our bodies are created with energy, and that energy is immortal.  When our bodies die, that energy is released and lives on.  Our remnants travel through the universe, becoming new elements, new living beings, new resources that help to maintain the cycle of life.  We must always remember that we are all a part of this cycle, and this gives us something that we hold in common with other sentient beings.  Our energy will continue to serve life after death.  In this same way we must serve life while we live.  Yet if one hopes to serve others, one must be sure to care for themselves.  Health of mind relies upon the health of the body.  Neglecting one’s fleshly needs and desires will not serve life.  Only excess that costs others around you is harmful.

Wisdom tempers the fire of the heart, but it is also an inadequate substitute.  Both are needed for a fulfilled life.  These writings offer some useful teachings, though they do not  comprise wisdom.  Wisdom comes with long experience.  Wisdom is the ability to combine desires with practical knowledge in a way that respects and benefits living beings.