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5. Main Encouragements and Mantras of the Religion

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5. Main Encouragements and Mantras of the Religion

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1. Treat Others The Way You Want To Be Treated
2. Do Not Be Afraid To Ask For Help
3. If Able To, Please Provide Other Practicers With Assistance If Need Be
4. Rest

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This song by David Bowie is one of my favorites! The last time I saw Rex was in Summer 2019 in which this song was played often on the TV in a men's cologne ad. Because of that, I started associating the song with my time in Wisconsin and my last moments in Rex. It ended up being the perfect song because Rex was really into space and astrophysics making him kind of like a starman, and the opening lyrics "hey my love, goodbye now" make me cry every time. The main message of the song is that we are not alone, and I think that is essentially the main message of this Starman religion that is focused on community care.

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7. Holy Places: Starman Community Center

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7. Holy Places: Starman Community Center

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Since all practicers of this religion live in relatively the same area ( my previous hometown of Greendale, WI), there will be a Starman Community Center for all practicers to meet. Whether its a volleyball court, meditation rooms, dining hall, etc. there is a perfect mixture of group based and solo activities. More importantly, there are on-campus therapists who are there to help guide all practicers of the religion in tough times and even good times. It is always important to have a therapist, and having one allowed me to be more introspective and have more visions of my future.

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3. The Narrative of the Religion, the Origin

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3. The Narrative of the Religion, the Origin

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This religion was inspired by the death of my dear friend from high school, Rex. We met in Fall 2016 as locker neighbors, and we spent the next two years getting closer as friends. Especially through group activities like high school band, Rex and I were part of a community, and it was such a lovely feeling. We even got to travel to NYC that year for the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

Unfortunately, in Fall 2019, Rex took his life. What makes the death even more tragic is that I had a vision of being back in Wisconsin to watch Rex's burial, and it ended happening a whole year later. It was nearly the same experience in person as it was in my vision, and I decided to create a religion that focuses on friendship and embracing your intuitive side.

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Anything can happen in New York City, and you never know who you'll meet. There is the Instagram account, @humansofny for a reason!

Rex and I became a lot closer during our marching band's trip to New York City for the 2016 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. If you watch the video, you can tell that the performance was not perfect AT ALL! We actually got cued in too early by the producers and collided with the float in front of us, so we had to visually improvise the show. Anyway, all that mattered was that we were all with our friends and now have those memories to last a lifetime!!

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Greendale Marching Band at the 2016 Macy's Parade

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6. Organization of the Practitioners of the Religion

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6. Organization of the Practitioners of the Religion

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While everyone in the religion are friends because it is so small, the only time there is truly separation into groups is based on current needs of an individual. There will be a Slack channel for all practicers for the religion with different channels based on different needs (hot meal, a ride home, a pencil for a test, etc.). From there, someone else in the religion can respond and provide the other with what they need. This serves like a mutual aid network, and it is the only form of organization of practicers among the religion.

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While building community is important, it must be met with alone time for balance. Practicers of the religion are able to schedule their own alone time, but some recommended times are in the mornings for meditation/walking or afternoons for napping, but it is all suggestions! Some activities that are encouraged but not required are morning stroll, meditation, going to the spa, etc.

In terms of music, this is one of the most relaxing songs that I know, and it is great for meditation or just to unwind and relax. For some background information, this is the song that I listened to when I started having panic attacks in the middle of the night in Tiputini, and it put me right back to sleep.

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1. What objects or activities would be included? Honey Roast

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1. What objects or activities would be included? Honey Roast

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One of my favorite ways to spend time with friends is to have a Honey Roast. I have only done it a couple of times, but both experiences have been extremely meaningful to me. Honey Roast is just like a roast, but instead of making jokes about someone, you tell them everything you love about them. For Rex, it was hard for him to fully understand how loved he was because he lived in such an abusive household. However, honey roasts with friends is such an intimate and wholesome experience, and it helps foster a sense of community among groups of friends. Even if it did not solve his problem of living such a chaotic and unstable life, it could have at least added more love to his limited time in this lifetime.

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2. What emotional states would you try to generate?

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2. What emotional states would you try to generate?

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The most important feelings that this religion wants to generate for followers is the comfort of knowing that one belongs in a community and is surrounded by love and support. Through mental health staff in the Community Center, to mutual aid networks, everyone is looked out after! That sense of safety is honestly a truly beautiful feeling, and unfortunately, Rex was not able to have that sense of security consistently in his life.

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1. Ritual: Weekly Birthday Card Club Meeting on Sunday Nights

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1. Ritual: Weekly Birthday Card Club Meeting on Sunday Nights

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Instead of a Sunday church service, members of the religion will meet ever Sunday night to make birthday cards for everyone in the community. The importance of this activity is to ensure that everyone feels celebrated on their birthday. Not only is it relaxing to color with your friends, but it is also a form of spreading love and building community through words of affirmation.

This was a legitimate activity I was involved in and led when I was in high school. Every year, I made birthday cards for all of the staff and students at my school with the help of my dear friends, including Rex. We made around 1000 cards a year, and would meet every month and goof around and color. It was easily one of the highlights of my high school career, and little did I know I was making memories with my friends w who unfortunately died young (three of my friends who recently died were also in this club).