The Summum Pyramid

Utah has no shortage of religious kooks no matter the time period, it seems, and this one is no less interesting than any other. Easily seen from the I-15 freeway while southbound, if you are quick with the eyes, you can catch a glimpse of an Egyptian style pyramid built of partially metal construction that was completed in 1979. Designed to be facing true north as well as incorporating Golden Ratio in its design, it's got an fascinating story to go along with it.

The movement began in 1975 with a man named Claude "Corky" Nowell who said he had been contacted by beings he called "Summa Individuals" who spoke with him about concepts regarding the nature of creation and those concepts having always existed and are continually re-introduced to humankind by advanced beings who work along the pathways of creation. The experience had a profound effect on Mr. Nowell as he subsequently changed his name to Summum Bonum Amon Ra, and founded Summum to share what he had learned with others.

Afterwards, Mr. Nowell was often referred to (often derisively) as "Corky Ra" by the news at the time, and I can kind of see why, because nobody in religious circles ever seems to change their name to anything that's actually easier to type. 

Kind of confusing to me, but that's just me.

Anyways, Summum's religious practices and philosophy draws heavily from both Ancient Egyptian religion, modern mysticism, and some of the Hebrew tenants from the old testament. The name itself is derived from the Latin word Summus, meaning “highest,” and the goal of the religion is to achieve through heavy meditation a state of “spiritual Psychokinesis.” They don't believe in a specific deity at all, but rather say that all people are a part of the mind of the universe and that the universe collectively constitutes something great and worthy of study and meditation.

Perhaps uniquely, they also proport to be practitioners of modern a mummification process and a practice called Transference" which is meant to be able to guide one's essence to a greater destination after death. Another reason for the practice is that it would help to preserve the person's DNA and cells for possible cloning in the future as a scientific method of literal as well as spiritual reincarnation. However, the first person to undergo the mummification process was 2008 and was Nowell himself. His body is now encased inside a bronze mummiform casket that is covered in gold and is displayed inside the pyramid itself.

Actual photo of the mummification process for a cat.

Despite being used as the church’s primary teaching space, meditation hall, and location for the modern mummification services, the Pyramid building itself is not zoned as a church, but as a bonded winery. This is because they believe in consuming "Nectar Publications", which are wines needed in the meditation practices that help to have the mind absorb messages contained therein. An interesting fact to accompany this is that Summum was Utah's first ever federally bonded winery. 

The organization does not keep formal membership records, but according to its founder, over 250,000 people worldwide have "received" Summum instruction, this figure being based on the number of bottles of wine it has distributed.