talisman

The Cosmology of the Green Mountain People:
an Anthropological Abstract

1. Solar Ritual

In the cosmology of the Green Mountain People, out of all the beings in the world, people have a unique role to play in the cosmos. Similar to beliefs in the ancient Chinese river valley cultures, the day to day actions of people were believed to have a direct effect on the world around them by an mechanical and impersonal cause and effect relationship. In other words, these cosmologies place man on an axis mundi, connecting the mundane and habitual to the divine and seemingly random.

When a person joins the Green Mountain People, they assume the unspoken responsibilities of the Green Mountain People. Imbued with these cosmological responsibilities, all new members must also assume the legacy and traditions as well. It is unclear if the cosmology specifies if a person must be aware of these responsibilities in order to be assumed them, or if simply entering into the wheel of the land with the intention of participating in a full turn (a year) is enough.

In any case, these responsibilities realize in the form of ritual and talisman. The actions of every person (excepting foreigners not fully assumed into the circle) has an effect on the turning of the year. The objects associated with one season put away and taken out at certain times correlating with the turning of the year.
But the cosmos are not without a sense of humor. If one puts away the objects associated with one season too early and the year has not turned enough, the weight of the misjudged ritual pulls the wheel back. For example, when one person puts away their boots in April, it will have the correlative effect of causing it to snow. In this way, these objects become a talisman that must be observed for a time reflecting the unseen movement of forces. For example, a single tank-top must be kept out until snowfall, and a single winter jacket must be kept out until mid-May. Necessarily there is a tradition passed down the generations of how to properly read the movement of the seasons. The language of the Green Mountain People reflect his particular view on man's role in cosmology: if it rains, people say "it is because someone forgot to bring their umbrella [talisman]"; if it snows, a newcomer must have "accidentally put away their snow boots."