THE BOOK OF SYSTEMS
CHAPTER 1
1 Daily Honors are a worshiper’s way of individually celebrating the Kor energy inside oneself, as well as the Kor energy inside all living organisms that connect us to each other, to the Eternal Plane, and to Kor.
2 Daily Honors are practices that are performed each and every day. They are regular reminders of our connection to each other through Kor, and our commitment to positively directing our Kor energy.
3 Daily Honors can be performed by anyone, whether or not they are part of the Korist Church, but affirmed Korists are required to perform Daily Honors.
4 The first Daily Honor is Morning Prayer. Morning Prayer allows one to express gratitude for our shared existence and set their intention for the day to come. Through Morning Prayer, one acknowledges their Kor energy and makes a commitment to positively direct it in the day to come.
5 To perform Morning Prayer, a worshiper must close their eyes, bow their head, press their hands together at heart’s center, and repeat the following words five times: “I am grateful for today. I am connected to all people. I will positively direct my Kor energy and make the world a better place for all.”
6 Morning Prayer can be performed sitting or standing, and one may rock back and forth while praying if desired. Morning Prayer should be performed as soon as possible after one wakes. If one is attending a Weekly Service in the morning, they should still perform the Morning Prayer when they wake, then perform it a second time at the Weekly Service.
7 The second Daily Honor is Evening Prayer. Evening Prayer allows a worshiper to express their gratitude for the experiences of the day and the lessons they have learned, as well as affirming their commitment to positively directing their Kor energy.
8 To perform Evening Prayer, a worshiper must close their eyes, bow their head, press their hands together at heart’s center, and repeat the following words five times: “I am grateful for the experiences of today. I will apply the lessons I have learned. I will direct my Kor energy and make the world a better place for all.”
9 Evening Prayer can be performed sitting or standing, and one may rock back and forth while praying if desired. If one is attending a Weekly Service in the evening, they should perform it at the Weekly Service, then perform it a second time before their day is over.
10 Evening Prayer must be performed near the end of the day, but to perform the prayer properly one must also be awake and alert. For that reason, Evening Prayer can be performed anytime after the sun has set at the worshiper’s discretion.
11 At latitudes far to the north and south, days or nights become very short at certain times of year, and in some cases the sun may not even cross the horizon for many days at a time. It is acceptable in these areas to set a unique time for Morning or Evening Prayer if needed.
12 For those who typically work at night, the timing of their Morning and Evening Prayers should follow their work schedule. Morning Prayer should be performed soon after the individual has awoken, and Evening Prayer should be performed near when the individual goes to sleep, regardless of the actual time of day or night.
13 The third Daily Honor is Midday Prayer. Midday Prayer allows a worshiper to remind themself of their intention for the day if and when they lose their way. Through Midday Prayer, one reconnects with their Kor energy and recommits themself to positively directing their Kor energy.
14 To perform Midday Prayer, a worshiper must repeat the following words five times: “I choose to direct my Kor energy positively and make the world a better place for all.”
15 Midday Prayer can be performed at any time between Morning and Evening Prayers, in any place and in any position. If speaking the prayer out loud is not possible, one can recite it in their head.
CHAPTER 2
1 Weekly services are worship services that take place at the same day and time every week. Weekly services take place on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings.
2 Weekly services are opportunities for us to honor and pay homage to the spirit of Kor. They give us the necessary time and space to study and understand the teachings of the Holy Books of Korism.
3 Weekly services are open to all people, including both affirmed Korists and outsiders. Unless a person disrupts the service or presents a threat to others at the service, they shall not be denied entry to the weekly service in question.
4 When possible, weekly services should always take place at a Korist Church. If there is no Korist Church in a given area, weekly services should take place at a safe, quiet indoor location with the capacity to comfortably hold all worshippers. If no physical location is available, weekly services can be held virtually via an online stream.
5 When possible, weekly services should start at 7:00 PM local time on Wednesday and 9:00 AM local time on Saturday. Start times can be adjusted if necessary, but should be as close to the aforementioned times as possible.
6 Copies of the Holy Books of Korism should be available for all worshippers if they wish to follow along during service. Copies should be available in printed form whenever possible, but can also be provided in digital form.
7 Weekly services always start with a prayer. Wednesday service starts with a collective performance of the Evening Prayer, and Saturday service starts with a collective performance of the Morning Prayer. The presiding cleric leading the service shall call the service to order and lead the performance of the prayer.
8 After the performance of Morning or Evening prayer, the presiding cleric will give a sermon relating to specific teachings or doctrines found in the Holy Books.
9 After the conclusion of the sermon, the cleric will share relevant announcements with worshipers. Announcements can be local to the congregation or from the United Korist Church. Worshipers may also share announcements at this time, with approval from the presiding cleric.
10 After all announcements have been shared, the presiding cleric will conclude the service by announcing the time and location of the next weekly service held by the congregation.
11 In days without a weekly service, individual study of the Holy Books is highly encouraged. One should return to the Holy Books as regularly as possible to remind themself of its doctrines and guidelines for directing Kor energy. Only with consistent study and analysis can one gain a deep understanding of the Holy Books.
12 Group study and discussion of the Holy Books are also highly encouraged for worshipers. While one may find some verses and chapters of the Holy Books easy to understand, others may prove more complex or ambiguous. Listening to the opinions and analysis of others gives perspective and context that aids understanding of the Holy Books.
13 If a worshiper is unsure of what doctrines in the Holy Books to study at a given time, they should consult their local cleric. Clerics can and often will instruct individuals, groups, or their congregation as a whole to study specific parts of the Holy Books, such as verses or chapters to be explained at upcoming weekly services.
CHAPTER 3
1 Almsgiving to both the United Korist Church and one’s local Korist congregation is a crucial method of positively directing one’s Kor energy, as it provides those organizations with the resources necessary to continue teaching the doctrines of the Holy Books. Almsgiving provides funding for weekly services, open meals, Festival celebrations, and all other operations of the Korist church.
2 For all Korists that are financially able, monetary almsgiving is 5% of one’s gross income. This 5% figure consists of two separate alms: 2.5% of income is almsgiving to one’s local Korist congregation, and 2.5% of income is almsgiving to the United Korist Church.
3 If one is financially unable to give 5% of their income as alms, they should give as much of their income as they are able. If one is able to give more than 5%, they should give as much as they are able. The practice of almsgiving as a sacrifice of something important and meaningful creates the positive direction of one’s Kor energy, and though the amount of alms given may vary between individuals, the sacrifice remains the same.
4 Almsgiving to the Korist Church will only ever be conducted by clerics or other Korist leadership. Anyone who claims to be collecting alms for the Korist Church that is not part of Korist leadership is lying.
5 Alms should be given immediately after one receives income. Automatic payroll deductions wired directly to one’s local congregation and the United Korist Church are the safest and most efficient method of giving alms; one never risks forgetting to give alms, and contributions will go directly and immediately to the correct organizations.
6 Another important form of Almsgiving is the donation of food to one’s local Korist congregation, or directly to hungry individuals. Donations of food that can plausibly be used to feed other humans will always be accepted at any Korist Church.
CHAPTER 4
1 Reflection is a Korist practice where a worshiper engages in critical analysis of their past words and actions.
2 In order for one to positively direct their Kor energy through word and action, they must first understand how and why their Kor energy is currently misdirected. The most effective path to understanding the misdirection of one’s Kor energy is through reflection.
3 Reflection is performed through asking oneself the Three Questions. These three questions shed light on how one’s life reflects the misdirection of their Kor energy, and how they can change their words and actions to direct their Kor energy positively in the future.
4 The first question one must ask themself during reflection is: “How did my words and actions negatively direct my Kor energy?”.
5 The second question one must ask themself during reflection is: “Why did those words and actions occur?”.
6 The third question one must ask themself during reflection is: “How can I change my behavior in the future to positively direct my Kor energy?”.
7 Reflection can be performed in two ways. The first way of performing reflection is quickly and in one’s mind, and the second way of performing reflection is slowly and in writing.
8 Short reflection is performed immediately after the words or actions that negatively direct one’s Kor energy have occurred. Short reflection is performed by asking the Three Questions then answering them in one’s mind, via their thoughts, in one to two minutes. Short reflection is akin to having an internal conversation with oneself.
9 Short reflection is a Korist’s way of quickly addressing a negative word or action while the experience is still fresh in their memory. It allows one to regulate their behavior in real time.
10 Korists are encouraged to engage in short reflection as often as possible, within reason. It allows one to regulate their behavior in real time without causing any major disruptions to their or others’ schedules.
11 Long reflection is performed hours or even days after actions that negatively direct one’s Kor energy have occurred. Long reflection is performed by asking oneself the Three Questions in one’s mind, then answering them externally, in writing, in a thoughtful manner that may take hours.
12 Long reflection is helpful for analyzing complex situations that would be difficult to understand or reconcile using short reflection. Long reflection is also commonly used in situations where pausing for short reflection is not possible.
13 Korists are encouraged to engage in long reflection at least once per week, if not more. Long reflection is a practice whose power to create the future positive direction of Kor energy cannot be understated.
14 Korists engaging in routine long reflection should write their reflections in a book or journal, as a record of their experiences and spiritual development.
15 Korists are encouraged to share their long reflections with other worshipers, as well as their local cleric. Sharing one’s long reflection exposes its logic and ideas to additional perspectives and more varied sources of knowledge, which often leads to further insight.
16 Korist congregations are encouraged to hold a group reflection at least once per week, if not more, where members can share their recent long reflections then receive feedback and perspective from other members.
17 If there are enough members participating in a given congregation’s reflection group that there is not enough time for every member to share and receive feedback on their long reflections, the Korist congregation should create multiple reflection groups separated by age.
CHAPTER 5
1 Meditation is an ancient, sacred practice that proves highly beneficial to one’s mental and spiritual development when practiced regularly. Meditation is the practice of sitting quietly and cultivating one’s focus and awareness.
2 Korists should perform a meditation practice at least once a day, for as long as they are able, within reason. Korists are encouraged to sit for meditation once in the morning and once in the evening.
3 Before performing a meditation practice, one should find a peaceful, quiet location where they can meditate for at least a few minutes, if not much longer. While a peaceful location is preferred, meditation can happen anywhere, and meditating in a chaotic environment is better than not meditating at all.
4 Pure Korist mediation is performed by sitting in silence and focusing one’s attention on the physical sensation and rhythm of the breath. When one’s attention wanders, they identify the wandering thought for what it is and return to the breath, over and over again until the time allotted for meditation has elapsed.
5 One can choose to focus on a mantra instead of on the breath, or follow a guided meditation, if they are unable to initially engage in pure meditation. Any form of meditation is better than not meditating at all.
6 Thoughts or discoveries may arise out of meditation practice as one’s mind becomes more still. Korists are encouraged to reflect on meditative thoughts or discoveries after concluding a meditative practice, and record those thoughts and discoveries in a meditation journal.
7 Meditation can be performed individually or in a group. Korist congregations are encouraged to lead meditation sessions for their members as often as possible. Meditation sessions should also be open to outsiders when possible.