5.2.3

THE OBSERVANCE OF THE DAYS OF NEUTRALITY

Prime 14 of Northern Equinoctial is the Northern Lent (Day) of Neutrality or Northern Day of Ananicity; Prime 40 of Southern Equinoctial the Southern Lent (Day) of Neutrality or Southern Day of Ananicity. On these Equinoctial Days the Sun is above the equator and the lengths of day and night are equal. By associating the neutrality of the Sun when it is above the neutral latitude with the neutrality of the all-ananic, the observance of these special days is centered in the supreme being, altho strictly speaking, the all-ananic may not have a neutral latitudinal position with regard to Earth (if only because this neutrality is no universal neutrality). Since they demand our attention for supremeness, the two Sundays of Ananicity are days of rest. They should be characterized by joy nor sorrow, but by nanhappiness in the form of contemplation, meditation or reflection. Those who keep or remember a Day of Ananicity should not address themselves or pray to any principal being (let alone, a god) on such an Equinoctial Sunday.

The metric calendar is to be arranged in such a way that the Sun passes the southern solstice before midnight on New Year`s Eve. Primeday 1 of Northern Yule can then be observed as the Northern Yule (Day) of Neutrality or Northern Day of Nanaicity. Similarly, the Sun must pass the northern solstice before midnight on Septerday 26 (or Octerday 26 in a leap year). Primeday 27 can then be observed as the Southern Yule (Day) of Neutrality or Southern Day of Nanaicity. (This day belongs to Equatorial Month, but marks the beginning of the quarter of Southern Yule.) Since it is only important that the Days of Nanaicity are observed after the Sun`s return to the equator has set in, both observances may take place a few days later than mentioned, so that they can adjoin or coincide with other special days (if any). However, they cannot take place earlier, that is, on a day before the Sun has started to return to the equator.

While observance of the Lent Days of Neutrality is centered in neutrality proper, the observance of the Yule Days of Neutrality is centered in the neutral-directed force which causes (or has caused) the Sun to return to the neutral latitude. In accordance herewith, the Yule Days of Neutrality are feast-days. They should be celebrated, that is, characterized by happiness or joy. A Day of Nanaicity ought not only to be a feast-day but a day of nanaic action as well.

The Days of Ananicity and of Nanaicity form part of one and the same symbolic system, and those who celebrate the Days of Nanaicity should remember the Days of Ananicity, and vice versa. For unneutralness without neutralness is no neutralism, and (in the actual, imperfect world) neutralness without unneutralness is no relevantism. As both nanhappiness and happiness concern all happiness-catenals, those who recognize the Days of Neutrality should eat no meat or fish, wear no leather or fur, and kill or wound no sentient beings on these days in particular.

Inclusive respect for life is more than respect for human beings, more than respect for sentient beings or animal beings, it is respect for both animal and plant life. Therefore there is much to be said for the symbolic abstaining from eating any living being, plant or animal, especially on the Days of Ananicity. Abstaining from all eating, almost all drinking and all smoking or all nonmedical drugs is a form of neutralist forbearance which may symbolically express ultimate neutrality, and abstaining from eating any animal or plant food is a form of symbolic inclusivism which may reflect the ideal of inclusivity towards all living beings. Denominational fasting is also a way of pausing which is particularly appropriate for the Lent Sundays of Neutrality which are days of rest. Something one is always permitted to take, however, and against which there can be no objection, is pure water. This is supposed to contain neither animal nor plant food, and is a gustatory symbol of neutrality. Naturally, one should not fast when drinking water only infringes upon one`s health, or one should not fast longer than one`s body will allow, because fasting has to be regarded as a symbol which must not be the cause of a situational deterioration or of physical weakness. In that case it would eventually defy the purpose of nanaic action by which neutrality will have to be established and maintained in the end.

At least four levels of strictness with respect to fasting on the Days of Neutrality can be distinguished:

• (strictest:) one fasts and refrains from smoking or taking other nonmedical drugs the whole day on all four Days of Neutrality
• one fasts and refrains from smoking or taking other nonmedical drugs on the Lent Days of Neutrality, and one abstains from eating meat or fish on the Yule Days of Neutrality
• one fasts and refrains from smoking or taking other nonmedical drugs before dawn or after sunset on the Lent Days of Neutrality, and one abstains from eating meat or fish on both the Lent and Yule Days of Neutrality
• (least strict:) one abstains from eating meat or fish on both the Lent and Yule Days of Neutrality

Those more forbearing, or more willing to express their neutral-inclusive feelings in a symbolic manner, may want to fast from sundown on the day before until sunrise the day after a Day of Ananicity, or even longer. The equivalent on a Day of Nanaicity is a period of (at least) 36 hours which should begin and end at the same hour throughout the world (since the times of sundown and sunrise then vary for each latitude, or are absent altogether).

The nonfundamental symbolism of the neutralist observance of days of rest and feast-days is centered around the all-ananic or neutrality proper and the all-nanaic or neutral-directedness. So it combines the neutral and the nanapolar-unneutral and reflects the dual character of the fundamental symbolism of the all-ananic and the all-nanaic. But it is not only in this respect that the neutralist observance of special days is inclusive. It is also inclusive in the ways in which this symbolism may be adhered to, which range from not at all to formal and strict. If one does recognize the Days of Neutrality, the observance of the Days of Ananicity has to be formal and strict, whereas that of the Days of Nanaicity may be much more informal and flexible.

Examples of the strictness of Lent Day symbolism are:

• the Sundays of Ananicity are fixed and cannot be observed earlier or later
• for the same level of strictness with respect to eating and drinking the observance of a Day of Ananicity will usually be more demanding
• notwithstanding the special connection between Lent Day symbolism and supreme fundamental symbolism, no material object shall ever depict or represent the supreme being
• the participants or audience shall not applaud or cheer, nor show approval or disapproval in any similar way

• the Days of Nanaicity may be observed later than normal
• with respect to eating and drinking the observance of a Day of Nanaicity is least demanding
• material objects may be used (in a sensible way) to represent a nanan or a particular type of nanaicity (but never to represent the all-nanaic as this would be exclusivistic)
• the participants or audience may show approval (and if appropriate disapproval) by clapping, stamping, cheering or in any other adequate way

The Northern Yule of Neutrality coincides in the northern hemisphere with the time of the longest nights and the ancient midwinter festivals; the Southern Yule of Neutrality coincides with the time of the longest days and the ancient midsummer festivals. In this respect the celebration of these suprapersonal, special days is therefore the continuation or renaissance of an old tradition. The introduction of our weltanschauung has put these ancient festivals and humanity`s dependence on nature, on the land and on the seasons, in a new perspective.

But the Northern Day of Nanaicity also falls in a period which is traditionally a time of private Xism parties and of official Xism celebrations in certain parts of the world. The DNI`s alternative does then mean that the turkey table and sucking pig conception of (Northern) Yule, and the hollow, ceremonial phraseology of peace and justice around this time of the year, will be replaced by substantive, Ananormative thought and action. Neutral-inclusivists shall not argue that they cannot like their food or enjoy themselves when not being allowed to eat meat or fish on a feast-day. Hence, even tho people may still dine and wine, and decorate a Yule tree, to celebrate the return of the light in the northern hemisphere, the advent of the new Northern Yule, and of the observance of the four Sundays in general, should open people`s eyes to the content of the new Norm.