POT: Chapter 9
Chapter 9: The Lost Art: Why the Secret of Timekeeping Was Forgotten
The Priesthood’s Secret Art of Timekeeping and Its Role in Maintaining Power
The ability to measure time with great accuracy was a powerful skill, especially when it came to navigation and tracking the passage of the day. For the priests who mastered this technique, timekeeping became an essential tool not only for practical purposes but also as a means of establishing and maintaining authority. The secret art of tracking time through internal clocks calibrated by heartbeats gave priests the ability to perform tasks that appeared almost magical to those without the knowledge. Their ability to predict local noon, navigate vast distances, and even measure the passage of time with unparalleled precision became a cornerstone of their revered position in society.
As timekeeping methods were inextricably tied to celestial events and the priestly class was the gatekeeper of this knowledge, priests were viewed as intermediaries between the divine and the people. This created a power dynamic where their ability to understand and manipulate the passage of time elevated them above the common person. The priesthood’s secret art of timekeeping, therefore, played a significant role in maintaining their elevated status and influence, keeping ordinary people reliant on their expertise.
How the Art of Timekeeping Became a Guarded Secret to Preserve Priestly Status
The priesthood’s knowledge of timekeeping was no ordinary skill. It was a carefully guarded secret that served not only as a practical tool but also as a means of securing power. By mastering the art of tracking time through heartbeats and adjusting their internal clocks, priests were able to control vital information that others could not easily access. They could predict local noon with remarkable accuracy, estimate time differences between locations, and even contribute to the development of early navigational techniques. This knowledge, once kept in the hands of a select few, became integral to their spiritual and intellectual authority.
As the secret knowledge of timekeeping became intertwined with the priesthood's identity, its protection and preservation became crucial. The art of timekeeping was not merely about managing time for practical purposes; it was a sacred duty, one that could not be entrusted to anyone outside the priestly class. In this way, the priesthood intentionally kept the art of timekeeping hidden from the broader population. It was presented as a mysterious, even divine, skill that was closely tied to their spiritual authority and was not to be shared with others.
The Rise of New Timekeeping Methods and the Loss of the Ancient Practice
As new technologies and methods of timekeeping emerged, the need for the priesthood’s secret art diminished. The development of more accurate and reliable timekeeping devices—such as mechanical clocks—eventually made the ancient practice of internal timekeeping obsolete. These new methods were based on scientific principles rather than the mysterious internal rhythms of the human body, leading to a shift in how time was perceived and measured.
The introduction of more precise timekeeping instruments, combined with the rise of scientific reasoning and exploration, led to the gradual loss of the priestly practice. The ancient methods, which had once been seen as a form of divinely inspired wisdom, were replaced by mechanical and mathematical systems that were easier to verify and more universally accessible. As a result, the secret art of timekeeping faded from the priesthood’s exclusive domain and became forgotten over time.
How the Facade of Spirituality Was Maintained as Scientific Methods Took Over
Despite the rise of new timekeeping technologies, the aura of spirituality that had surrounded the priesthood’s role continued to linger. As mechanical clocks became more common, the priesthood had to adapt, and while the methods of tracking time became more scientific, the cultural and religious significance of the priestly class remained.
The priests’ ability to understand the cosmic rhythms of time, which had once been tied to their exclusive control of timekeeping, gradually became less important in everyday life. However, the priesthood still held onto a facade of spiritual authority by associating their ancient practices with divine wisdom. Their timekeeping knowledge, once secret and revered, was now viewed as an ancient, sacred tradition. This allowed them to retain influence in some contexts, even as the scientific methods of timekeeping began to eclipse their earlier practices.
The facade of spirituality was maintained, not by continuing the practice of internal timekeeping, but by reinterpreting it through new religious or philosophical frameworks. Priests could still claim a deep connection to the divine rhythms of time, even as the practical aspect of their timekeeping skills faded. They continued to be seen as spiritual leaders, guiding their communities based on the belief that they possessed ancient knowledge, even if that knowledge had become obsolete in the face of new scientific advancements.
