Very often people who are just beginning to be interested in the Native Faith and the history of the Slavic, Russian land, its rites, traditions and rituals, are faced with the problem of perceiving information about paganism due to the difficult terminology and scientific disputes, studies, tables. We will try to briefly and simply, in our own words, explain how and why Slavic beliefs and ancient pagan traditions arose, what meaning they carry, what happens in the process of each ritual and why it is performed.
The most important events for each person have their point. The most important for him, his Ancestors and Descendants are birth, family creation and death. In addition, it is with these situations that the most frequent question: where does such a similarity of pagan rituals and Slavic rituals come from with Christian ones? Therefore, below we will consider and compare them.
Slavic rites of birth and naming
Having a child with or without midwives was an important Slavic rite. They tried to approach him with the utmost care and take from the Mother's womb the Child of the Kin, show and arrange his life in Yavi correctly. The baby's umbilical cord was cut off only by special objects symbolizing its gender and purpose. The pagan ritual of giving birth to a boy meant cutting the umbilical cord on an arrow, a hatchet, or simply hunting knife, the birth of a girl and her entry into the Family required the following Slavic rite to be carried out - cutting the umbilical cord on a spindle or on a wide plate. All this was done by the Ancestors in order to make the children understand their responsibilities and touch the Craft from the first minutes.
At the birth of a child, the ancient Slavs did not carry out the now popular, but transformed for a person's attachment to a Christian egregor, the rite of baptism - naming.Pagan traditions allowed children to be given only nicknames, that is, names known to everyone. Until the age of 12, and then further they could call him that, the child walked under this nickname and was protected from evil eyes and slander.
He was called by his real name when performing the Slavic rite of naming. Pagan Priests, Magi, Vedunas or simply Elders of the Clan - call it what you want, called the child to him and began the ritual. In running water, they consecrated him as a Descendant of the Native Gods, dipping him several times into the river with his head and, finally, quietly communicating the Name sent by the Gods to him.
Slavic wedding ceremony
The Slavic wedding ceremony actually includes many rituals and traditions, the pagan roots of many of which have remained in modern times. Usually, wedding activities lasted for a year and began with Matchmaking - asking the girl's consent to create a family with the groom.
Next, the bride was held - the acquaintance of two connecting their Clans in a single Slavic families. After their successful passage, the Betrothal took place - the final stage of matchmaking, where the hands of the future newlyweds were tied as a sign of the strength and inviolability of the union. Having learned about that, the girlfriends and friends of the young people began the ceremony of Venkova weaving for the emerging family and later laid them on the heads of the bride and groom. Further, merry Hen parties and Good evening parties were organized and held. To say goodbye to the parents of the heroes of the occasion, before the creation of a new one, another pagan rite was performed - Sazhen.
Further, the direct preparation for the pagan wedding began and the Slavic rite of the union of the two Destinies into a single genus began:
- Washing the young with decoctions of medicinal herbs to cleanse them of the superficial before starting a family.
- Dressing young friends and svatyushki in new Slavic shirts with special symbols for the wedding ceremony.
- Bganiye - cooking of various types of loaves. The Eastern Slavs, when conducting the wedding ceremony of uniting the Fates, baked a round loaf as a symbol of a harmonious and satisfying life without corners and obstacles.
- Request is an official ritual invitation to a wedding ritual and celebration of relatives, acquaintances and friends of the bride and groom.
- The mother dropping the young out of the family to create a new one from the groom's house to the bride's house, and then to their new Common house.
- The ransom is a symbolic attempt to keep the young woman from marrying and the groom's decisive action to remove these obstacles. There were several ransoms throughout the ceremony, and they ended with a wedding chant.
- Posad - the ritual distribution of places in the Family and the role of each: newlyweds and their Relatives, the exchange of gifts and the consolidation of the Union of Clans.
- Covering - the bride was unraveled or even cut off the braid as a symbol of binding to the Old and covered her head with a scarf - an ochip, otherwise - a cap. Since then, the girl became a wife.
After the most ancient wedding ceremony with putting on rings with Slavic protective symbols, the following pagan rituals began with the Wedding Man:
- Posag (dowry) - transfer by the Bride's Parents of a dowry to create new family and Rhoda. Everything: from towels to kitchen utensils, began to be collected from the birth of the girl.
- Comora - a cycle of rituals of the first wedding night and checking the bride for Purity and Virginity before Childbirth on both sides, for the birth of a new Family.
- Kalachins, Svatins, Gostins - pagan traditions of treating and giving thanks to Relatives, Brothers and Sisters in Spirit and Heart - solemn feasts and gifts from all sides to newlyweds and them for all who came to greet.
Slavic funeral rite
The ancient pagan burial rites of the Slavs included the custom of burning the deceased. This was done so that the body did not interfere with the person's soul to go to Nav and start there new life, wait for the next incarnation in the Cycle of Nature and return to Reality in a new guise. At the beginning of the Slavic funeral rite on Ancient Rus prepared a boat for ferrying the deceased across the Smorodina River to another World. The Krada was installed on it - a fire made of logs, surrounded by sheaves of grass or simply dry branches, the body and gifts to the Naval Gods were placed in it. The power of Stealing - the Sacrificial Fire annealed the deceased's ties with the Revealed World, and the launch of an already lit boat along the river at sunset, so that the moonlight showed the right path, was accompanied by the universal last words of the Memory of the Ancestor and Brother Slavic.
In regions where funerals using running water were not available due to the aridity of the territory, this ancient Slavic burial ceremony has been slightly modified. The resulting ash was collected in a pot and buried in mounds. Often the personal belongings of the deceased were put there so that he could arrange a comfortable life in Navi. Have Eastern Slavs before the forcible conversion to the Christian faith and the insistence to follow their rules, the following interesting tradition was preserved. After the ritual of burning and collecting the ashes, the pot was placed on a high post at the road intersection of the Fates and covered with a domino - specially made for this wooden house... Thus, they could come to the deceased to say goodbye and leave a mention, and he also ended up in the Navier Kingdom, where he could choose his further path of Renaissance.
After all types of the above-mentioned pagan funeral rites, the ancient Slavs arranged a feast - a feast in commemoration of the deceased and ritual battles symbolizing the battle with the Three-Headed Serpent on Kalinov Bridge for the opportunity for the deceased to choose his own path, thereby helping him to reach his new place of residence.
Trizna as a way of reverence for the Ancestors of the Family was also held on special calendar dates for commemorating the dead: Krasnaya Gorka, Rodonitsa and other ancient Slavic holidays. As can be seen from the description of the ancient pagan rite of burial of a Slav, everything possible was done to facilitate his Further Path, the appearance of mourners as a tradition is interpreted by many as the imposition of Christianity's dogmas and attempts to make a person's departure from Revelation the most difficult and longest, to bind him to his living relatives and inspire guilt.
Calendar holidays and ceremonies in Russia: spring, winter, summer and autumn
The most important calendar pagan holidays and Slavic rituals on this day were carried out according to Kolo Year: on the dates of the Solstice and Equinox. These turning points meant a great role in the life of the Slavs, as they announced the beginning of a new natural season and the passing of the previous one, made it possible to set a good Start and get the desired result: to collect a generous harvest, get a rich offspring, build a house, etc.
Such calendar winter, spring, summer and autumn holidays ancient Slavs with the most important ceremonies of sowing, harvesting and other rituals are and were:
- Spring equinox March 19-25 - Komoeditsy or Maslenitsa, Great Day
- Summer solstice June 19-25 - Kupala
- Autumn equinox September 19-25 - Radogosh
- Winter solstice December 19-25 - Karachun
Description of these ancient pagan holidays and Slavic rituals or rituals carried out in Russia during these and other strong days at Colo Years Movement, you can read in ours.
Bringing demands as a pagan rite of gratitude to the Native Gods: what is it
Special attention should be paid to Trebes to the Native Gods before the Slavic rite, during the ritual or the onset of a calendar holiday in honor of one of the Patrons. Gifts from a pure heart and with sincere gratitude to the Gods of the Slavic Pantheon were necessarily brought - they could be of any price, since the wealth of each Slavic family was different, but they had to express respect to the Family and the keepers of Yavi, Navi and Prav. The place of their offering was the Temples and Temples in which the churas of the Gods and Goddesses were located, as well as the Altars.
Very often, treasures were brought in Nature when performing ritual pagan actions by the Slavs and glorifying one or another Patron saint on his personal holiday, as well as when activating amulets, etc. Nowadays, few primordially ancient Slavic rituals of presenting demands and appeals to the Gods have survived, therefore the Veduns and Magi advise many, when conducting the rite, to simply communicate with Relatives, as with Kinsmen - with sincerity and courtesy, with an understanding of the importance of their role as a Descendant of the Russian Land and Continuer Slavic Sort. If what you ask is really important and necessary, if you have the Right, the Gods will definitely help and stand up for protection.
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Introduction
I chose this topic in order to try to identify the features of Slavic traditional culture, trace the process of its formation and development, identify the factors that influenced this process, also consider the traditional customs and rituals of the Slavic ethnos, since every Russian person should know the past of his people.
The word "culture" comes from the word "cult" - the faith, customs and traditions of the ancestors. National culture is what distinguishes this nation from others, allows it to feel the connection between times and generations, to receive spiritual support and life support.
Modern people see the world through the prism of science. Even the most amazing manifestations of the elements, such as earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, solar and lunar eclipses, do not cause in us that horror of the unknown that once possessed our ancestors. Modern man sees himself as the ruler of nature rather than its victim. However, in ancient times, people perceived the world in a completely different way. He was mysterious and enigmatic. And since the reasons for everything that happened to them and around them were beyond their understanding, they unwittingly attributed all these phenomena, events and blows of fate to dark forces: gods, demigods, fairies, elves, devils, demons, ghosts, restless souls who lived in the sky, underground or in the water. People imagined themselves to be the prey of these omnipresent spirits, for happiness or unhappiness, health or illness, life or death could depend on their mercy or anger. Every religion originates from the fear of the unknown, paganism is no exception.
The topic of Slavic traditions and customs has attracted the attention of researchers for several centuries. They were interested in who the Slavs were? How did the Slavic ethnos develop? What are the living conditions and external factors influenced their way of life, way of life, character? What are their traditions, rituals and customs? And other equally important questions. Both Russian and foreign researchers tried to answer these questions.
I. About the Slavs
The oldest history of the Slavs has not yet been finally clarified by historians, their origin and ancestral home have not been established. The origins of the historical fate of the Slavs go nowhere. It is not even known exactly when the Slavs learned writing. Many researchers associate the emergence of Slavic writing with the adoption of Christianity. All information about the ancient Slavs of the preliterate era was extracted by historians from the scanty lines of historical and geographical writings belonging to ancient Roman and Byzantine authors. Archaeological finds have shed light on some events, but how difficult it can be to correctly interpret each of them! Often archaeologists argue among themselves, determining which of the objects they found belonged to the Slavs, and which did not.
So far, no exact information has been found about where the Slavs came to Europe and from what peoples they originated. Scientists believe that in the 1st millennium AD. the Slavs occupied a vast territory: from the Balkans to modern Belarus and from the Dnieper to the regions of Central Europe. In those distant times, there were no Slavic tribes within the modern borders of Russia.
Byzantine historians of the 6th century the Slavs were called Antas and Sklavins. The Antes were distinguished by their belligerence. Initially, they were not a Slavic people, but, long time living side by side with the Slavs, they became Slavicized and, in the minds of the neighbors who wrote about them, became the most powerful of the Slavic tribes.
From about the VI century. from the common Slavic unity, the separation of three branches begins: the southern, western and eastern Slavs. The South Slavic peoples (Serbs, Montenegrins, etc.) were subsequently formed from those Slavs who settled within the Byzantine Empire, gradually merging with its population. Those who occupied the lands of modern Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and partly Germany became the Western Slavs. As for the Eastern Slavs, they got a huge territory between three seas: Black, White and Baltic. Modern Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians became their descendants.
The Slavs cultivated wheat, barley, rye, millet, peas, buckwheat. We have received evidence of the use of pits by our ancestors - storage facilities that could hold up to 5 tons of grain. If the export of grain to the Roman Empire stimulated the development of agriculture, then the local market contributed to the emergence of a new method of grinding grain in flour mills with millstones. Special bread ovens were built. The Slavs bred a large cattle and pigs, as well as horses, were engaged in hunting and fishing. In everyday life, the Slavs widely used the so-called ritual calendar associated with agrarian magic. It marked the days of the spring-summer agricultural season from seed germination to harvest, and highlighted the days of pagan prayers for rain in four different dates... These four periods of rains were considered optimal for the Kiev region and in the agronomic manuals of the late 19th century, which indicated that the Slavs had a 4th century. reliable agrotechnical observations.
II ... Traditions and customs
Genus and man.
In ancient times, all generations of a family usually lived under one roof. The family cemetery was not far away, so that long-dead ancestors also invisibly took part in the life of the family. Many more children were born than now. Back in the 19th century, under conditions of monogamy, ten or more children were common. And among the pagans, a rich and wealthy man was not considered shameful to bring as many wives to his house as he could feed. Four usually lived in one house - five brothers with wives, children, parents, grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, cousins, second cousins ..., that is, all relatives!
Each person who lived in a large family felt himself primarily not as an individual with his own needs and capabilities, as we do now. He viewed himself primarily as a member of the genus. Any Slav could name his ancestors several centuries ago and tell in detail about each of them. Numerous holidays were associated with the ancestors, many of which have survived to this day (Radunitsa, parental day).
Getting acquainted and calling themselves, they always added: the son of such and such, the grandson and great-grandson of such and such. Without this, the name was not a name: people would think that a person who did not name his father and grandfather was hiding something. But, having heard what kind of you you are, people immediately knew how to behave with you. Each genus had a well-defined reputation. In one, people from ancient times were famous for their honesty and nobility, in the other there were fraudsters and bully: it means, having met a representative of this kind, one should keep an eye out. The man knew that at the first meeting he would be assessed as his family deserves. On the other hand, he himself felt responsible for the whole large family. The whole family was responsible for one mischief.
In that era, every person's everyday clothes represented his full "passport". Just like the military uniform shows: what rank he has, what awards he has been awarded, where he fought, and so on. In ancient times, the clothes of each person contained a huge number of details that spoke a lot about its owner: what tribe he was from, what kind, and a lot of other details. Looking at the clothes, it was immediately possible to determine who it was and where it was from. In ancient times, exactly the same order existed in Russia. Until now, a proverb has been preserved in the Russian language: "They meet by their clothes, but they see them off according to their minds." Having met a person for the first time, "according to their clothes" they determined his gender and decided how to behave with him.
But in any situation, a person had to act in the best way for his family. And observe your personal interests only later. Such a society in which the clan reigns supreme, scientists call traditional. The foundations of an ancient tradition are clearly focused on the survival of the clan.
The clan, which completely determined the life of each of its members, at times dictated to them its unyielding will in the most delicate matters. For example, if two clans living in the neighborhood decided to unite their efforts, go hunting together or to sea for fish, or fight off enemies, it seemed the most natural thing to seal the alliance with family relations. If there was a grown guy in one family and a girl in the other, relatives could simply order them to marry.
A person who found himself in those days "without family and tribe" - it doesn't matter whether he was expelled or he left himself - felt very uncomfortable. Loners inevitably gathered together, and just as inevitably their partnership, at first equal in rights, acquired an internal structure, and according to the principle of the same kind.
Rod was also the very first form public organization, and the most tenacious. A person who could not imagine himself other than in the family certainly wanted his father and brothers to be around, ready to come to the rescue. Therefore, the leader of the squad was considered the father of his people, and the warriors of the same rank were considered brothers.
This means that those wishing to join the military fraternities were assigned a probationary period and a very serious exam. Moreover, the exam meant testing not only purely professional qualities - dexterity, strength, possession of weapons, but also a mandatory test of spiritual qualities, as well as a mystical Initiation.
The killing of a member of one clan by a member of another usually caused clan animosity. In all epochs, there have been direct atrocities and tragic accidents when a person killed a person. And, naturally, the relatives of the deceased wanted to find and punish the guilty. When this happens now, people turn to law enforcement. And a thousand years ago, people preferred to rely on themselves. Only the leader, who was backed by professional soldiers - the Slavic squad, could restore order by force. But the leader was usually far away. And his authority as the ruler of the country, the leader of the whole people (and not just the soldiers) was just being established.
Before the baptism of Rus, the Eastern Slavs worshiped numerous pagan deities. Their religion and mythology left their mark on everyday life. The Slavs practiced a large number of ceremonies and rituals, one way or another associated with the pantheon of deities or ancestral spirits.
History of Slavic pagan rites
The ancient pagan traditions of pre-Christian Russia had religious roots. The Eastern Slavs had their own pantheon. It included many deities who can generally be described as powerful spirits of nature. and the customs of the Slavs corresponded to the cults of these creatures.
Another important measure of folk habits was the calendar. The pagan traditions of pre-Christian Russia most often correlated with a certain date. It could be a holiday or a day of worship of some deity. A similar calendar has been compiled over many generations. Gradually, it began to correspond to the economic cycles in which the peasants of Russia lived.
When in 988 the Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavovich baptized his country, the population began to gradually forget about their former pagan rites. Of course, this process of Christianization did not go smoothly everywhere. People often defended their old faith with arms in hand. Nevertheless, by the 12th century, paganism had become the lot of the marginalized and outcast. On the other hand, some of the previous holidays and rituals were able to get along with Christianity and take on a new form.
Name
What were the pagan practices and rituals, and how can they help? The Slavs gave them a deep practical meaning. Rituals surrounded every inhabitant of Russia all his life, regardless of which tribal union he belonged to.
Any newborn immediately after his birth went through the ritual of naming. For the Gentiles, the choice of what to name their child was vital. Dependent on the name further destiny person, so the parents could decide on the option for quite some time. This rite had another meaning. The name established a connection between a person and his family. Often it was possible to determine where the Slav was from.
The pagan traditions of pre-Christian Russia have always had a religious background. Therefore, the adoption of the name by the newborn could not take place without the participation of the sorcerer. These sorcerers, according to the beliefs of the Slavs, could communicate with spirits. It was they who consolidated the choice of the parents, as if "coordinating" it with the deities of the pagan pantheon. Among other things, the naming finally made the newborn initiated into the Old Slavic faith.
Baptism
Naming was the first obligatory rite through which every member of the Slavic clan passed. But this ritual was far from the last and not the only one. What other pagan traditions of pre-Christian Russia were? In short, since they were all based on religious beliefs, it means that there was another rite that allowed a person to return to the fold of their native faith. Historians called this ritual baptism.
Indeed, the Slavs had the opportunity to abandon Christianity and return to the religion of their ancestors. In order to cleanse oneself of the alien faith, it was necessary to go to the temple. This was the name of the part of the pagan temple intended for the ceremony. These places were hidden in the most remote forests of Russia or small groves in the steppe zone. It was believed that here, far from civilization and large settlements, the connection of the Magi with deities is especially strong.
A person who wanted to renounce the new Greek foreign faith had to bring three witnesses with him. This was demanded by the pagan traditions of pre-Christian Russia. Grade 6 at school, according to the standard program, superficially studies just the realities of that time. The Slav would kneel, and the sorcerer recited an incantation - an appeal to spirits and deities with a request to cleanse the lost compatriot from filth. At the end of the ritual, it was necessary to swim in the nearby river (or go to the bathhouse) in order to complete the ritual according to all the rules. Such were the traditions and rituals of that time. Pagan faith, spirits, sacred places - all this was of great importance for every Slav. Therefore, baptism was a frequent occurrence in the 10th-11th centuries. Then people expressed their protest against the official state policy of Kiev, aimed at replacing paganism with Orthodox Christianity.
Wedding
Among the ancient Slavs in Russia, a wedding was considered an event that finally confirmed the entry of a young man or girl into adulthood. Moreover, a childless life was a sign of inferiority, because in this case a man or woman did not continue their race. The elders treated such relatives with open condemnation.
The pagan traditions of pre-Christian Russia differed from each other in some details, depending on the region and tribal union. Nevertheless, songs were always an important wedding attribute. They were performed right under the windows of the house in which the newlyweds were supposed to start living. On the festive table there were always rolls, gingerbread, eggs, beer and wine. The main treat was a wedding loaf, which, among other things, was a symbol of the abundance and wealth of the future family. Therefore, they baked it on a special scale. The lengthy wedding ceremony began with matchmaking. In the end, the groom had to pay the ransom to the bride's father.
Housewarming
Each young family moved to their own hut. The choice of housing for the ancient Slavs was an important ritual. The mythology of that time included many evil creatures who knew how to damage the hut. Therefore, the place for the house was chosen with great care. For this, magic divination was used. The whole ritual can be called a housewarming ritual, without which it was impossible to imagine the beginning of a full-fledged life for a newly emerging family.
Christian culture and the pagan traditions of Russia over time became closely intertwined with each other. Therefore, we can say with confidence that some of the previous rituals existed in the outback and provinces until the 19th century. There were several ways to determine if a site was suitable for building a hut. A pot with a spider inside could be left on it overnight. If the arthropod spun a web, then the place was right. Also, safety was checked with the help of cows. This was done in the following way. The animal was released into a spacious area. The place where the cow lay down was considered lucky for a new hut.
Caroling
The Slavs had a separate group of so-called bypass rites. The most famous of them was caroling. This ritual was performed annually at the beginning of a new annual cycle. Some pagan holidays (holidays in Russia) survived the Christianization of the country. So was the caroling. It has retained many of the features of the former pagan rite, although it began to coincide with Orthodox Christmas Eve.
But even the most ancient Slavs had a custom on this day to gather in small groups, starting to go around their native settlement in search of gifts. In such gatherings, as a rule, only young people took part. Among other things, it was also an entertainment festival. Carollers dressed up in buffoonery suits and walked around neighboring houses, announcing their owners about the upcoming holiday of the new birth of the Sun. This metaphor marked the end of the old annual cycle. They usually dressed up in wild animals or amusing costumes.
Kalinov bridge
The burial ceremony was key in pagan culture. He completed the earthly life of a person, and his relatives, thus, said goodbye to the deceased. Depending on the region, the essence of the funeral among the Slavs changed. Most often, a person was buried in a coffin, in which, in addition to the body, the personal belongings of the deceased were placed so that they could serve him in the afterlife. However, among the tribal unions of the Krivichi and Vyatichi, on the contrary, ritual burning of the deceased at the stake was widespread.
The culture of pre-Christian Russia was based on numerous mythological subjects. For example, the funeral was carried out according to the belief about the Kalinov Bridge (or Star Bridge). In Slavic mythology, this was the name of the path from the world of the living to the world of the dead, which the soul of a person passed after his death. The bridge became insurmountable for murderers, criminals, deceivers and rapists.
The funeral procession took place a long way, which symbolized the journey of the soul of the deceased to the afterlife. Then the body was put on the steal. This was the name of the funeral pyre. It was filled with branches and straw. The deceased was dressed up in white clothes. In addition to him, they also burned various gifts, including memorial foods. The body must have been lying with its feet to the west. The bonfire was set on fire by a priest or a clan elder.
Trizna
When listing what pagan traditions were in pre-Christian Russia, one cannot but mention the funeral. This was the name of the second part of the funeral. It consisted of a memorial feast, accompanied by dancing, games and competitions. Sacrifices to the spirits of ancestors were also practiced. They helped find solace for the survivors.
The funeral was especially solemn in the event of the funeral of soldiers who defended their native lands from enemies and foreigners. Many pre-Christian Slavic traditions, rituals and customs were based on the cult of power. Therefore, the warriors in this pagan society enjoyed special respect both from ordinary residents and the Magi, who knew how to communicate with the spirits of their ancestors. During the funeral feast, the feats and courage of heroes and knights were glorified.
Fortune telling
Ancient Slavic fortune-telling was numerous and varied. Christian culture and pagan traditions, mixing with each other in the X-XI centuries, have left today many rituals and customs of this kind. But at the same time, many fortunes of the inhabitants of Russia were lost and forgotten. Some of them were saved in popular memory thanks to the careful work of folklorists over the past few decades.
Fortune-telling was based on the veneration of the Slavs of the many-sided natural world - trees, stones, water, fire, rain, sun, wind, etc. Other similar rituals, necessary in order to find out their future, were carried out as an appeal to the spirits of deceased ancestors. Gradually, a unique one based on natural cycles was formed, according to which they checked when it was best to go to guess.
Magic rituals were necessary in order to find out what the health of relatives, harvest, offspring would be in livestock, prosperity, etc. The most common were fortune-telling about marriage and the upcoming groom or bride. In order to carry out such a ritual, the Slavs climbed into the most remote and unsociable places - abandoned houses, forest groves, cemeteries, etc. This was done because it was there that the spirits lived, from whom they learned the future.
Night on Ivan Kupala
Due to the fragmentary and incomplete historical sources of that time, the pagan traditions of pre-Christian Russia, in short, have been little studied. Moreover, today they have become an excellent breeding ground for speculation and low-quality "research" by various writers. But there are exceptions to this rule. One of them is the holiday of the night on Ivan Kupala.
This popular celebration had its own strictly defined date - June 24th. This day (more precisely, night) corresponds to the summer solstice - a short period when daylight hours reach an annual record of its duration. It is important to understand what Ivan Kupala meant for the Slavs in order to realize what pagan traditions were in pre-Christian Russia. A description of this holiday is found in several chronicles (for example, in Gustynskaya).
The holiday began with the preparation of memorial dishes, which became sacrifices in memory of the departed ancestors. Another important attribute of the night was mass bathing in a river or lake, in which local youth took part. It was believed that on Midsummer's day the water received magical and healing powers... Holy springs were often used for bathing. This was due to the fact that, according to the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, some areas on ordinary rivers were teeming with mermaids and other evil spirits, ready at any moment to drag a person to the bottom.
The main rite of the Kupala night was the kindling of a ritual fire. All rural youth gathered brushwood in the evening so that they had enough fuel until the morning. They danced around the fire and jumped over it. According to legends, such a fire was not simple, but cleansing of evil spirits. All the women were supposed to be around the fire. Those who did not come to the holiday and did not take part in the ceremony were considered witches.
It was impossible to imagine the Kupala night without ritual atrocities. With the onset of the holiday, the usual prohibitions were lifted in the community. Celebrating young people could steal things from other people's yards with impunity, take them away in their native village or throw them on the rooftops. Comic barricades were erected on the streets, which interfered with the rest of the inhabitants. The youth turned over the carts, plugged chimneys etc. According to the traditions of that time, such ritual behavior symbolized the festive revelry of evil spirits. The bans were lifted only for one night. With the end of the holiday, the community returned to its usual measured life.
The rite of naming
The rite of naming is carried out by the priests upon the acquisition of the Slavic faith by a person. In the process of life and maturity of a person, the name can repeatedly change depending on the abilities and inclinations of the person, his type of activity, the path on which he set foot and goes through life. The ritual may differ for different priests and in different communities, but its main essence always remains the same - to help a person find a traditional and NATIVE Slavic name, an energy-informational connection with the ROD and the community, connect to the egregor of the ROD and stand under the protection and patronage of the NATIVE Slavic Gods ... It should be noted that if a Slav or a Slav was named by the name of KIND from birth, then this ceremony does not need to be performed. Choosing a name, we choose a Path (Destiny). Acceptance of a new name is like a new birth (rebirth) of a person, a new step into the unknown (unknown). Once we take this step, we will never be the same. The name is the key that unlocks the gates of the NATIVE memory. "Hearing" the name in the Spirit, the sorcerer performing the rite of naming, or the named himself, to whom his name was "revealed", pronounces it aloud, "connecting" taco the World of Reveal and the World of Spirit. Thus, the one who is named is likened to the Father-Svarog himself, who once created our World, and the named person is likened to the new world being born. One should not rush to choose a name. If there are doubts about the upcoming life path of a person, it is better to postpone until clarity in this matter is gained, or to ask for the will of the NATIVE Gods. For the name born of the worldly pendant is pendulous, and the name born of the Gods is God.
Baptism rite
The rite of baptism itself is carried out somewhat similar to the rite of naming. But this is only at first glance. For these two ceremonies have different purposes. When baptizing a renounced person, the priest helps to cleanse himself of faith alien to him. When naming a person, they help a person to find a NATIVE faith and stand under the protection and patronage of NATURAL gods.
The dubbed, stripping himself to the waist (or not doing this if it is winter outside), and taking with him an old shirt and three different treasures, kneels down at the temple. It is placed on two knees, and not on one, because he was a "servant of God" on earth, and carried this cross through life. It should not be forgotten that it is necessary to remove the cross from the neck and leave it outside the ritual circle until the beginning of the ceremony.
The rite ends after the priest congratulated the person of the past rite on the completion of the rite and opened the circle by removing the knife from the castle. The rite of baptism is held not only on holidays and not only at the temple, but can be performed by the priest at the sanctuary on a weekday or near the river, where the person being baptized must bathe. The main thing is the will of the baptized and the priest. The ceremony is recommended to be performed with three witnesses.
Wedding
Truly, a wedding is the most glorious demand for the ROD, performed in his turn by each of the Russian RODA, from the Slavic Tribe, who is like soul and body in Health. Truly, you can't take a Slav's wife - it's the same as the wife of a Slavic child not to give birth - it's the same as not continuing the work of your Ancestors - it's the same as blaspheming to the Native Gods and not fulfilling their will. To do the opposite is like dropping grain into arable land - according to God's rule - to live according to God - To fulfill the duty of the Gentile - to extend the Rope of the Fathers. For the duty of every person on Earth is to preserve and continue their ROD, the duty of every Rusich and Slav is to continue the Russian and Slavic ROD. The chain of generations must continue and be inseparable.
The wedding, along with the birth, introduction to the ROD (age dedication) and burial, has been revered by our Ancestors from time immemorial the most important event life Kolo (circle, cycle) of a person and belonged to the number of not intrafamily, but general clan festivities. For, truly, this action is not only a private affair of the young and their closest relatives, but of the whole of the Earthly KIND (relatives), the Heavenly KIND (Ancestors), and the Most High KIND itself, the greatest deed - Spravochnaya KINDU Unity, the will of the RODOVA implementation, and the Isto KINM glorification ...
The wedding is usually preceded by: matchmaking, bride, conspiracy (during which they finally agree on the amount of the dowry) and betrothal, as well as, there are also other actions, for example, abduction (theft) of the bride (usually by mutual consent). In the latter case, the groom pays the bride's father a veno (ransom). A day or two before the wedding, a special ritual korovai with signs of fertility and a chicken pie - kurnik are baked, personifying a happy life, prosperity in the family and home.
Housewarming
The beginning of the construction of a house among the ancient Slavs was associated with a whole complex of ritual actions and ceremonies that prevented possible opposition from evil spirits. Moving to a new hut and the beginning of life in it was considered the most dangerous period. It was assumed that the "evil spirits" would seek to interfere with the future well-being of the new settlers. Therefore, until the middle of the 19th century, in many places in Russia, the ancient protective ritual of housewarming was preserved and carried out.
It all started with finding a place and building materials. Judging by the ethnographic data of the 19th century, there were many ways of divination when choosing a place for a house. Sometimes a cast iron pot with a spider was placed on the site. And if he began to weave a web during the night, then this was considered a good sign. In some places on the proposed site, a vessel with honey was placed in a small hole. And if goose bumps got into it - the place was considered happy. Choosing a safe place for a construction site, often at first they let go of the cow and waited for it to lie on the ground. The place where she went to bed was considered successful for the future home. And in some places, the future owner had to collect four stones from different fields and spread them on the ground in the form of a quadrangle, inside which he put a hat on the ground and read the plot. After that, it was necessary to wait three days, and if the stones remained intact, then the place was considered well chosen. The Belarusians have a popular assertion that in no case should a house be built on a disputed land, because this could incur curses from the loser of the dispute, and then the new owner of such land will not see happiness forever. It should also be noted that the house was never built in the place where human bones were found or where someone cut an arm or a leg.
Get tonsured
The tonsure (tonsure) is a Slavic Vedic rite, consisting in cutting the hair of a child of seven years from ROD, as a sign of transfer from the care of the mother to the care of the father, from the care of the deities Lelya and Polel, Perun and Lada. The rite was preserved in Poland until the XIV century. In Russia, there has long been a custom of the first cutting of hair for male children - tonsured under authority and patronage (obsolete - tonsured).
Vows are usually carried out in the morning in sunny weather. Characters: Magus (Priest, Elder); squire (among the Rusichs - voivode); father; mother; son-yunak (initiate); Gudkovites (musicians) and singers (choral); participants and guests (relatives and friends).
The following ritual objects and elements must be present at the ceremony: chest band; elder sign (hryvnia); missal, stool for the initiate of the Junak; scissors on the tray held by the Voivode; a white shirt or Slavic shirt for a Yunak (initiate); Fire that kindles the Magus (Priest); "male" gift for the tonsured, in the hands of the father; goodies ( musical instruments); bowls for honey and other ceremonial utensils.
All participants in the ceremony stand throughout the entire solemn ceremony. Yunak in a white shirt sits on a stool near the sacred Fire. The elder, putting on a bandage, opens it solemnly and reads the words from the missal.
Yunak sits down on a stool, the elder takes scissors from the tray, cuts off a bun of hair with them and betrays them on Fire. Yunak gets up, the elder (Magus) announces the initiation of RODICH into adulthood (as is known from historical sources, our ancestors taught their children the art of war from a young age). At a signal from the elder, everyone stands up and sings a hymn to the music.
Caroling
The origin of the caroling rite is rooted in ancient times. Even in Vedic times, several times a year, the Slavs made a spell against evil spirits. This ceremony, both before and after the adoption of Christianity in Russia, was timed to coincide with the Christmastide period and the great holiday of Kolyada. It consisted in the fact that groups of carolers (slaves), consisting mainly of teenagers, went to their homes. Each group carried on a stick (pole) a six- or eight-pointed star, glued together from silvery paper. Sometimes the star was made hollow and a candle was lit inside it. The star glowing in the dark seemed to float down the street. The group also included a mekhonosha, who carried a bag for collecting gifts and gifts.
Carollers walked around the houses of their fellow villagers in a certain order, calling themselves "difficult guests", bringing the owner of the house the joyful news of the birth of a new Sun - Kolyada. The arrival of carols in Russia was taken very seriously, they gladly accepted all the dignities and wishes, tried to bestow upon them, whenever possible, generously. "Difficult guests" put the gifts in a bag and went to the next house. In large villages and hamlets, five to ten groups of carol-singers came to each house. Caroling was known throughout the territory of Russia, but it was distinguished by its local originality.
Dressing up is recognized as a typical Christmastime amusement. The meaning of the ritual action is to change the appearance so that the evil spirits do not recognize and fool or frighten those around them with their comic appearance. Carollers dressed up as bears, parsley, devils, as well as old men and women; sledding from the mountain, throwing snowballs at the target, putting together a delicious table, going to gatherings in the evening to have fun and look after the groom or the bride. The mummers danced, tumbled, spoke in squeaky voices. Costumed in whole bands went from hut to hut, sometimes from village to village.
Bratina
Bratina is an integral part of many communal celebrations, games, rituals and feasts. The priest with his assistants (obavniks and obavnitsy) administers it at the holiday. It is made of wood (most often from linden). It happens round shape with two handles. It is painted with carved Slavic ornaments and symbols. By capacity, it is found up to a liter. At its inception, salting is always allowed (along the Sun, clockwise), so that people can quench their thirst and glorify the gods in unity, while observing the order. It develops a sense of community and brings people together at the beginning. What the priest should give significance at the time of conception. Uniting people in the spirit of the Slavic is one of the goals of all Vedic holidays. If you want, take a sip of it and pass it on, if you want to drink it to the bottom, if the thirst is great, but respect for the brother herself in the circle must be shown so that the colo is not interrupted. And how you do it, your worries are yours. It is poured into the brother, depending on the essence of the ritual: kvass made by the hands of the community, or fermented surya with honey, or seasoned suryna with milk and herbs, or more attractive wine, or hoppy beer. At the same time, it is necessary to remember that it is not in the strength of degrees, but in the strength of unity, brotherly. The preparation of ritual drinks is a favorite activity of enchanters and healers who prepare ritual drinks and potions from various herbs, kvass, honey and grapes.
Bratchina
Bratchina is an ancient Slavic Vedic rite that accompanied most of the festivities of our Ancestors. Translated from the Old Russian "bratchina" means - a banquet arranged in a pool, that is, a communal festive feast. Folk feasts known as "bratchina" have been preserved almost unchanged since ancient times up to the beginning of the 20th century. The Russian brotherhood was often combined with major annual holidays, was timed to the end of the harvest, as well as to the days of veneration of the supreme Deities of the Slavic Vedic pantheon.
The rite of the brotherhood is now being restored approximately in the following way: the day of the brotherhood is appointed and the headman-pirnik is elected; fees are collected for the purchase of products for common table; the necessary ritual drinks are made (kvass, wine, beer, surya; all drinks are strictly non-alcoholic, only surya had a weak degree of fermentation, but it was allowed to drink only to men who fulfilled their duty to the ROD, who gave birth to 8 children - half a glass, 16 children - a glass), that is, the eve is being prepared. The community, guests, merchants, merchants, squads, villagers, townspeople choose the place where the brotherhood will be held. The place for the brotherhood could be the house of the elder of the brotherhood, a field, a mound, a sanctuary and other places. It is necessary to receive an invitation to the brotherhood, including buffoons, musicians, songwriters. The guests are seated in the brotherhood in strict order, at different tables: "front", "middle", "roundabout". The principle of placement could have a different basis: according to merit before the community or according to age. The buffoons in epics sat behind the stove, and it was only by the skill of their playing that they determined whether to transplant them to a more honorable place. Be sure to drink three row bowls at the brotherhood, that is, the brothers walking strictly along the row of those sitting at the table, the rest could not drink. At the feasts-brothers discussed various issues, apparently, it was on this that the composition of the participants of the feast depended. The feast could last for several hours in a row - a day, two, three days, twelve days, or even a month. The bones of eaten animals, wax and clay bread and other offerings were buried, drowned in water or burned. Innocent sacrifices (trebbles; about this at the end of the article) were presented to the previously mentioned Gods and the four elements of the universe, while prayers or conspiracies were offered up.
Bath rite
The bath ritual should always begin with a greeting from the Master of the Bath, or the spirit of the bath - Bannik. This greeting is also a kind of conspiracy, a conspiracy of space and environment in which the bath ceremony will be held. This is the tuning of this environment to a certain fret. Such tuning can also occur both according to a pre-prepared conspiracy - a greeting, or one born spontaneously right at the entrance to the steam room.
Usually, immediately after reading such a greeting conspiracy, a ladle is served on the stone hot water and the steam rising from the stove is evenly distributed in a circular motion with a broom or towel throughout the steam room. This is the creation of light steam. The fact is that steam in a steam room usually stands in layers. Above there are hotter, drier and lighter layers of air - steam, and the lower, the layers of steam become colder, more humid and heavier. And if you do not mix these layers with each other and do not create a space of steam that is uniform in temperature and humidity in the steam room, then this steam will be perceived as "heavy". It is heavy because the head will heat up, and the legs will cool down, and the whole body will be in different temperature and humidity layers, in layers of different pressures. All this will create a sense of disunity and fragmentation in the body, and will be perceived as a feeling of heaviness.
Star bridge
The traditional ancient Slavic funeral (burial) rite is called the "Star Bridge", also "Kalinov Bridge" is a bridge between the world of the living and the world of the dead, in other words - the bridge between Java and Navu, passing through which the soul of a person gets to the "next world". In the legends of the Slavic peoples, a wonderful bridge is mentioned, over which only the souls of kind, courageous, honest and fair people are able to cross. We see this bridge in our sky on clear nights, but now it is called the Milky Way. The righteous (people who lived according to the Rule, the Pra-Vedas, the Testaments of the Gods) easily pass through it and end up in Iriy the Light. Deceivers, scoundrels, rapists and murderers (meaning not the murderers of the enemies of the ROD Slavyansky, but the murderers who committed crimes out of mercenary motives and dashing intentions), evil and envious people fall from the star bridge down into the darkness and icy cold of the Lower World of Navi. Those who have done a lot of good and a lot of evil in this life are invited to undergo tests, however, they are their own for each, therefore we will not write about this.
During funeral rite, the procession, accompanied by the lamentations of the mourners, must cross the symbolic "Kalinov Bridge", thereby leading the soul of the deceased to the border of the worlds (Reveal and Navi), after which the body of the deceased was placed on the funeral steal ("If anyone dies, I will bite him, and sow creation I steal a bike "). Krada is a funeral pyre among the Slavs (the Slavic word “stealing” means sacrificial fire). The fire is laid out in the form of a rectangle, shoulder-height or higher. Domovina (coffin) is made in the form of a boat, a boat, and the bow of the "boat" is placed at the sunset. The interior of the thief is stuffed with flammable straw and twigs. The deceased is dressed in all white, covered with a white blanket, and gifts (gifts) and memorial food are placed in the house. The deceased should lie with his feet to the west. The elder, or the Magus (Priest), sets fire to the thief, stripping himself to the waist and standing with his back to the thief.
Trizna
Trizna is a funeral military rite among the ancient Slavs, which consists of: games, dances and competitions in honor of the deceased; mourning the deceased; memorial feast. Initially, the feast consisted of an extensive ritual complex of bloodless sacrifices, war games, songs, dances and groans in honor of the deceased, mourning, lamentations and a memorial feast both before and after the burning. After the adoption of Christianity in Russia for a long time, the funeral service was preserved in the form of memorial songs and a feast, and later this ancient Vedic term was replaced by the name "commemoration". During sincere prayer for the dead, in the souls of those who pray, there is always a deep feeling of unity with the KIND and the Ancestors, which directly testifies to our constant connection with them. This ceremony helps to find peace of mind for the living and the dead, contributes to their beneficial interaction and mutual assistance.
Trizna is a glorification of the NATIVE Gods, dedicated to the commemoration of the deceased kindred. This divine service affirms the eternal victory of Life over Death due to the unity of the three worlds in the Triglav of the ROD of the Most High. The word "funeral" itself is an abbreviation for the phrase: "Triglav (three worlds) to know", that is, to know about the commonality of three levels of being (Nav, Yav, Prav) and fulfill the sacred duty of maintaining communication between generations regardless of the place of residence of the Ancestors. During this ceremony, greatness, justice and mercy are famous. Slavic Gods, and also glorifies the exploits and righteous deeds of the glorious Knights, Heroes and Ancestors of ours, who died defending the Native Land and the ROD Slavic. With the help of this memorial rite, the Slavs turn to the Gods with a request to protect and preserve the sacred Slavic ROD and the Russian Land - Native, as well as to give the deceased relatives, in the world of Navi, the opportunity to correct all the falsehood they did (if there was one) and get a decent life (to be reborn again ) in Java.
Harvest
The harvest is one of the main periods of the agricultural cycle. In the cycle of rituals that accompanied the harvest, its beginning (zhinki) and the end (zhinki, dozhinki, sponges) are especially distinguished.
An extensive complex of ceremonies and magical rituals was associated with the harvest period. They were not timed to a specific date, but depended on the time of ripening of cereals. Sacrificial rites (trebies) were carried out to thank the mother land for the long-awaited harvest. With the help of magical actions, the participants in the ceremony sought to restore fertility to the earth, ensuring the harvest of the next year. In addition, the ceremony had a practical meaning: the reapers needed a certain break in their work.
For the beginning of the harvest, the main thing was considered right choice"zhinshitsa", a reaper who was famous for her health, strength, dexterity, agility, "light hand"; never entrusted to a pregnant woman (popularly called "heavy"); she was forbidden even to watch as they were harvested, so that the Harvest would not be "heavy." The woman elected at the general meeting prepared with particular care for the zing: she washed the altar, benches, table in the house, covered it with a tablecloth in order to adequately accept the first handful of squeezed ears. Then she washed, put on a clean white shirt and in the evening went to the field. In order for the harvest to proceed quickly and successfully, the worker walked to the place of work at a quick pace and without stopping; when she came to the field, she threw off her outer clothing without hesitation and began to reap; after work she hurriedly returned home. Sometimes the cooking was done in secret: the woman tried to pass unnoticed to her field, and when she returned home, it became known in the village that the jam had taken place, and the next morning all the owners began to harvest.
Fraternization
The rite of blood fraternization is a very serious Vedic ritual action, fraught with a deep sacred essence and meaning. The meaning of this is the unity at the spiritual level of two warriors (as a rule) with the help of an oath of allegiance (by breaking which a person spiritually dies) and blood (which has long been revered as the bearer of a person's soul). The warriors swore not to betray for anything, to be faithful to death, and to stand for each other until the end in battle. This rite is especially necessary to strengthen the Host of the RODov and consolidate tribal ties and relations between representatives of the same people.
If two glorious husbands decide to fraternize in blood, thinking hard and then giving up and retreating without thinking, they will notify the Magus of the community or the Voevoda of their own or elder, so that he will testify both to the oath and the ritual of the word ryok. Men will stand against each other before the fire, and the Magus is next to them. And men cut off their left hands (veins), each one with one knife, red-hot in the fire, or each with his own. Blood streams are poured into a bowl of hops and mixed into a single drink, and the wounds are brought to one another firmly. Then the Magus performing the rite begins his utterance. After that, the Magus gives a cup to drink in half to each brother of the spoken, after which the blood brothers must hug tightly, thereby cementing their blood brotherhood.
Burial of flies
In traditional Russian culture, the burial rite of flies and cockroaches is also known; the fly is a participant in the autumn ceremonies of the calendar cycle. The funeral rite and fly-out are especially interesting. This ceremony attracted the attention of researchers back in the 19th century. The writer and ethnographer S.V. Maximov described the custom of burying flies in the north of Russia (in the eastern regions of the Vologda Oblast). This custom was called "amusing". The ethnographic material recorded by Maximov looks like this: “The funeral is arranged by girls, for which they cut small coffins from turnips, rutabagas or carrots. At the same time, during the removal, someone should drive the flies out of the hut with a "handkerchief" or a towel and say: "Fly on a fly, fly to bury the flies" or "Flies, you are flies, mosquitoes friends, it's time to die. Eat a fly, but the last one to eat yourself. "Maksimov notes that the details of the ceremony are the same everywhere, however," in some places, instead of a handkerchief, it is advised to expel flies with trousers, in full confidence that this remedy is immeasurably more effective, because a fly driven out by pants forever loses the desire to return to the hut again. "Maksimov also writes that" the custom of burying flies, cockroaches and bedbugs is practiced not only on Semyonov Day, but also on the Autumn Serpentine (Exaltation), and on Pokrov, and some other holidays. "The meaning of the rite was not only in the destruction and expelling of insects from peasant huts, but also in the fact that during the" fly funeral "the girls arranged a bridegroom, trying to show their dignity in front of the audience gathered to see the ceremony, especially the guys who they were looking out for brides, as the autumn wedding time was approaching;
Living fire
Not one Slavic rite and holiday is complete without fire, or rather, without lighting sacred fires and stealing. Often, these bonfires are kindled with the help of all kinds of obscenities like lighters and gasoline, as well as oil and matches. All this is of course good, but you can set fire to theft in another way - with Living Fire. The meaning of this rite is to kindle a fire, create it with your own hands, feel unity with this great element and the God of Fire - Simargl, as well as our Ancestors-Ancestors. However, you can feel the difference between the fire lit with matches and the fire lit with your own hands.
As a child, probably, everyone noticed that when iron hits a stone, sparks fall, and this very method is used in today's lighters. Most suitable stone for the extraction of the spark is flint. It is easy to get it, since stones are not uncommon these days. You can find flint on a country road or in a quarry, or simply buy it in a store. You will also need a chair, which can also be purchased, for example, from reenactors. It is a piece of iron, with which it is beaten on flint in order to strike sparks. This piece of iron, if necessary (if it is of an uncomfortable shape), can be fastened to a handle, for example, with a piece of high-quality steel, a fragment from a file, etc. However, for this you may need a blacksmith. Now try knocking on the flint with a chisel. Flint must be taken in hand and placed on some surface. Since we will have to make a fire in the forest, then we will put it on the ground. We take the armchair with the other hand and try to hit the flint, and we should hit it casually. Flint will start throwing sparks ... This is, in fact, in such an uncomplicated way that our Ancestors-Ancestors mined the Living Fire.
Consecration
Protective consecration should be carried out only on light holidays, when the rage of the Gods prevails on the earth, in the daytime, at the end of the rite, if only the consecration itself was not planned during the rite. The consecration of private amulets can be carried out at any rituals and on any good day for that, as well as on holidays. This action must be performed in front of the churas (caps) of the Gods on a temple (sanctuary), God's stone, a holy tree or a source, in front of a large or small fire, or turning to the rising of the Red Sun. All that is one holy is. The purchased amulet is collected in a towel and placed on the ground in front of oneself or the required stone is laid, while the pink is taken from the owner from the hand to the hand and placed on a stone, altar, shield, towel, or anything else, except on the ground. With all this, to consecrate other things that they wish to give strength to - weapons, adornments and all kinds of utensils. And if there is a basis for that, then they circle a towel with a guard with a holy knife, closing it in a spike. In the same way, the cleansing of the amulet with five articles, on which the light is white, initially stands, must be accomplished. And those articles: water, which reveals the power of Veles; earth (or grain) - the power of Lada-Mother; fire - Svarogov support; iron (knife or ax blade) - Perun vlada; air - Stribozhya rage (and others rekut that se is a silushka Yazhe-Serpent, Lord of the Underground).
Parting
The rite of farewell to the Chur is carried out by the Magi in the event of an insult to the Chur, if it is badly damaged and cannot be restored - it is badly burned, hacked or cut down. Also in some other cases, when for some reason it has become unusable. If the damage can be repaired, then they are eliminated, but this rite is not performed. In part, this rite was borrowed by Orthodox Christianity in relation to decayed or burnt icons. A special and rare case is a lightning strike. Such injuries (even strong ones) are not in any way corrected, but are considered as a special blessing of the Gods (in particular, Perun), making the chura a true shrine. However, if, as a result of a lightning strike, the face of the chur is completely damaged (that is, it is actually absent), then a fiery burial of the chur (but not God, whose image he was) should be performed. Also, if lightning knocked down the chura or split it in such a way that the part with the face broke off and fell to the ground. The farewell ceremony for Chur is held solemnly, but not festively and without the participation of guests.
Fortune telling
In a general sense, fortune-telling was understood as a set of ritually arranged actions aimed at finding out the future, to clarify how beneficial life-giving and deadening forces relate to a person and his life path... Magic actions and fortune-telling were an integral and natural part of the life of our Slavic ancestors. In understanding the action of fortune-telling, several main stages can be distinguished: from veneration of faceless "living" forces to personification and deification. Initially, people revered the very elements and forces of nature: the sun, rain, wind, trees, stones ... The Slavs always treated their ancestors with the same respect. If necessary, they turned for help and support to the elements and ancestors, as well as to the patrons of the heavenly, earthly and underworld. Then more specific characters appeared, embodying the elements of the universe, calendar dates, "works and days" of a person, his fate, mental state, diseases: Avsen, Maslenitsa, Brownie, Bannik, Polevik, Dolya, Fever and others.
The purpose of most fortune-telling was the desire to get answers to questions about the life, health, death of family members, about the weather, harvest, offspring of livestock, bird breeding, honey bees, about wealth and poverty, about the fate of absent relatives; about the causes and outcome of the disease, about whether the purchased cattle will take root, about where and when to build new house etc. However, the most widespread and diverse group can be recognized as a group of fortune-telling about future marriage and marriage, performed mainly by girls. When guessing about marriage and marriage, they tried to find out the name of the future spouse, his appearance, age, character, skills and financial situation, who will have primacy in the family, how many children there will be, what gender and what fate, which spouse will live longer, etc. NS.
Treba
Treba is a gift of grateful descendants to their Higher Parents, in other words - a bloodless sacrifice to the KINGDOM Gods. The World is united by demand. I must bring the demand, Cleansing my heart from all that is superfluous - not in anger, not in rage, not blinded by an empty pendant. Anyone who brings demands to the Gods only to achieve some worldly goals dooms his soul to oblivion, in May arriving blasphemy to the Native Gods. For the Gods are our parents above and give us everything that we really need, and begging for unnecessary trinkets (for example, money) from them is to offend them, and to fall face down in the mud. Therefore, it must be brought with a pure heart and with good intentions - Glorifying the Gods for their generous gifts. I must say that when we bring demand to the Gods, we not only thank Gods NATURAL with gifts, we don’t bring a piece of ourselves together with these gifts, burning everything that has become obsolete in Fire in order to unite with the Power of God. Because you cannot receive anything without giving something. This is the essence of treba (sacrifice).
Know people who say that certain requirements for certain Gods are brought at a special time, at special places. Each God has his own time, in which his power is most fully manifested in Revelation, and at this time he must praise this God and bring demands. For the Light Gods, treasures are performed in the daytime and in Kologoda (in spring and summer), for the Navi Gods - at night or at dusk, in winter and autumn. To the Light Gods, bringing the treasures, the movement is made by salting (along the Sun, clockwise), to the Naval gods - anti-salting (against the Sun, counterclockwise).
Introduction
The entire life of the ancient Slavs was accompanied by a wide variety of ceremonies and rituals, which symbolized the beginning of a new natural or life stage. Such traditions embodied the belief in natural strength and the unity of man with the natural principle, and therefore with the gods. Each ritual was carried out with a specific purpose and was never something empty and meaningless.
With age, a person should have realized that every time he goes to absolutely new step life. For this, special age rituals were carried out, symbolizing that a person had reached a certain age. As a rule, such ritual actions were associated in people's ideas with a new birth and therefore were quite painful. A person was experienced with pain in order for him to remember that birth is the greatest pain in his life. A person passed through peculiar rituals, choosing one or another profession. These rites were initiation into warriors or priests, artisans or farmers. In order to become an artisan or a farmer, it was enough just to master the skill of these professions. This often took place in a solemn atmosphere. Having reached a certain age and having learned to do their job flawlessly, a person was awarded an honorary title.
The situation was quite different with the warriors and priests. Priests were chosen only when a person could boast of special knowledge. The priest was the liaison between man and god. The ritual ceremonies of the priests were different. Depending on which god people worshiped, a potential priest also passed such a dedication. All this was accompanied by sacrifices and special magical actions. A man could become a warrior only after passing certain tests. It is a test of endurance, dexterity, courage and skill with a weapon. Not every person could become a warrior. And only those who have withstood sometimes deadly and dangerous difficulties can bear the title of warrior and protector of all other people.
There were rituals in the life of the Slavs that accompanied significant life events. Rites associated with a wedding or funeral, the birth of a child or other event were always carried magical properties... Sacred actions related to such moments in life were designed to protect a person from evil forces, give him confidence and attract good luck. In addition to such special rituals, there were regular rituals in the life of the people that accompanied them all year round. Such rituals had an agrarian meaning and were associated primarily with natural forces. With the advent of the new year, special gods came into power, who were revered by the Slavs, making sacrifices to them and performing magical actions in their honor. Each ceremony played the role of a kind of performance, where its participants, like the heroes of the performance, acted out magical performances. Moreover, all the ceremonies of the Slavs in the annual calendar were considered holidays. Each such holiday presupposed not only the veneration of the gods, but also the observance of a certain tradition.
Birth
When the child was safely born, a large series of rituals began to protect the child from evil spirits, to introduce a new person to nature and give it under its protection, so that he would be accompanied by good luck in business and life.
The father's shirt served as the first diaper for the son, the mother's shirt for the daughter. In general, all the very first actions with the baby (bathing, feeding, cutting hair, and so on) were surrounded by important and very interesting rituals, which, again, can be dedicated to a separate book... Let's take a closer look at only one thing - this is the custom of dipping the baby in water (or at least splashing it), which is noted at the very different nations... In particular, the Scandinavians did this during the Viking Age. For a very long time this was due to the influence of Christianity. However, then similar customs were recorded among peoples who had never even heard of Christianity!
The rite of naming
The rite of naming - if a Slav or Slav was named from birth with a Slavic name, then the rite of naming is not necessary. Of course, if there is no need to give a new name. If a person was not baptized or brought to some other foreign faith, then the naming rite is carried out as follows. The nominated one stands facing the Sacred Fire. The priest sprinkles spring water three times over his face, forehead and crown, saying the words: “As this water is pure, so will the face be pure; as this water is pure, so thoughts will be pure; as this water is pure, so will be a pure name! ”. Then the priest cuts off a lock of hair from the dubbed and puts them in the Fire, while uttering a new name in a whisper. Before a person receives a name, no one except the priest and the named should know the chosen name. After that, the priest approaches the person and loudly says: "Narcemo is your name ... (name)." And so three times. The priest gives the betrothed a handful of grain to bring trebla and brother suria to commemorate the ancestors. A Slav who was previously baptized, or was brought to some other foreign faith, must first undergo a ritual of purification. To do this, sit the person on his knees on the deck (he should not touch the ground with his knees), circle this place in a vicious circle. Before sitting in a circle, the subject takes off his clothes, stripping himself to the waist. The circle is drawn with a knife, which is then left in the ground until the end of the ceremony. As a rule, before the beginning of the naming, lots are cast: is a person worthy of such an honor to receive a Slavic name and go under the patronage of the Ancestors. This is done as follows: the priest, standing behind the back of the dubbed, swings the ax three times over the head of the latter, trying to lightly touch the hair with the blade. Then he throws the ax to the ground behind his back. If the blade of the fallen ax points to the named person, then the rite is continued. If not, the naming is postponed until better times. So, if the lot is successful, then the named person is lightly washed his head with spring water, covered with salt with fire, showered with grain, making cleansing movements with his hands. The cleansing is carried out by a priest or three priests. They go around the designated salmon in a circle, holding their right hands above his head. At this time, they chanted the cry “Goy” in a drawn-out manner - three times. Raising their hands to the sky, they solemnly exclaim: "Nartsemo is your name ...", then the name chosen by the community (in agreement with the priest), or the name that the named has chosen for himself (again, with the consent of the priest) is pronounced. And so they exclaim three times. The circle is broken, the betrothed is given a handful of grain for his first sacrifice and a ladle of honey for commemorating the ancestors, under whose patronage he is now passing.
The ancients considered the name to be an important part of the human personality and preferred to keep it secret so that the evil sorcerer would not be able to "take" the name and use it to induce damage (just as they used cropped hair, scraps of clothing, dug out pieces of earth with traces on it and even litter swept out of the hut). Therefore, in ancient times, the real name of a person was usually known only to parents and a few closest people. All the others called him by the name of the clan or by a nickname, usually of a protective nature: Nekras, Nezhdan, Nezhelan. Such nicknames were supposed to "disappoint" illness and death, make them look for "more worthy" living elsewhere. This was done not only by the Slavs. For example, the beautiful Turkish name Yilmaz means "something that even a dog does not need"
A pagan, under no guise, should have said “I am such and such,” because he could not be completely firmly convinced that his new acquaintance deserved the knowledge of complete confidence, that he was generally a human being, and not my spirit. At first, he answered evasively:
"They call me ..." And even better, even if it was not he himself who pronounced it, but someone else. Everyone knows that, according to the rules of good manners, it is still considered preferable that two strangers someone else was introduced to each other. This is where this custom came from.
Wedding
Wedding - in ancient times, each person was aware of himself primarily as a member of a certain kind. The children belonged to the family of their parents, but the daughter-girl, getting married, passed into the family of her husband. (That is why they “marry” - in the sense, they leave their kind, leave it.) Hence the increased attention that we now see at weddings, and the custom of taking the husband’s surname, because the surname is a sign of the family. Hence the habit of calling the husband's parents “mom” and “dad”, which, by the way, is often very dear to the elderly, although they cannot really explain where this custom came from. “I entered the family” - and that's it!
Now it is clear to us why the groom tries to bring the bride through the threshold of his house without fail in his arms: after all, the threshold is the border of the worlds, and the bride, formerly a “stranger” in this world, must turn into “her” ...
And what about the white dress? Sometimes one hears that it, they say, symbolizes the purity and modesty of the bride, but this is wrong. In fact, white is the color of mourning. Yes exactly. Black in this capacity appeared relatively recently. White, according to historians and psychologists, from ancient times was for humanity the color of the Past, the color of Memory and Oblivion. From time immemorial such importance was attached to it in Russia. And the other - a mournfully wedding color was red, black, as it was also called. It has long been included in the dress of brides. There is even a folk song: "Don't you me, mother, a red sundress" - the song of a daughter who does not want to leave her home to strangers - to get married. So, a white (or red and white) dress is a "mournful" dress of a girl who "died" for her the same kind.
Now about the veil. More recently, this word simply meant "scarf". Not the current transparent muslin, but a real thick scarf, which was used to tightly cover the bride's face. After all, from the moment of consent to marriage, she was considered “dead”, and the inhabitants of the World of the Dead, as a rule, are invisible to the living. And vice versa. The famous phrase from "Viy" by N. V. Gogol is not accidental:
"Raise my eyelids: I don't see!" So nobody could see the bride, and violation of the prohibition led to all sorts of misfortunes and even to untimely death, because in this case the border was violated and the Dead World "broke through" into ours, threatening with unpredictable consequences ... For the same reason, the young took each other by the hand exclusively through a scarf, and also did not eat or drink (at least the bride) throughout the wedding: after all, at that moment they were “in different worlds,” and only people belonging to the same the world, moreover - to one group, only “ours”.
Nowadays, young people are also not recommended to diligently treat themselves at their own wedding, and even more so to drink intoxicated drinks, but for a completely different reason. They should soon become Mother and Father, but can drunken spouses have full-fledged children?
It is necessary to mention one more interesting custom associated with the joint meal of the bride and groom. In the old days in Russia they said: "They do not marry those with whom they eat together." It would seem, what's wrong if a guy and a girl work together or hunt and eat from the same bowl, like brother and sister? Exactly - like brother and sister. (a joint meal made people “relatives.” And marriages between relatives were not encouraged - again in the interests of the offspring ...
At the Russian wedding, many songs were sung, moreover, mostly sad ones. The heavy veil of the bride gradually swelled from sincere tears, even if the girl followed her beloved. And the point here is not in the difficulties of being married in the old days, or rather, not only in them. The bride left her family and passed on to another. Therefore, she abandoned the patron spirits of the previous kind and entrusted herself to the new. But there is no need to offend and annoy the past, to look ungrateful. So the girl cried, listening to plaintive songs and trying with all her might to show her devotion to the parental home, former relatives and her supernatural patrons - deceased ancestors.
Let us also recall the "braid - maiden beauty". Since pagan times, the custom has been preserved to say goodbye to her forever and to braid two braids for the young wife instead of one, moreover, laying the strands one under the other, and not on top. If a girl ran away with her beloved against the will of her parents (it was such a marriage that was called “marriage against her will,” the will was meant exclusively by the parent, and not the bride herself, (as they sometimes think), the young husband cut off the precious maiden braid and presented it to the newly-made father-in-law and the mother-in-law together with the ransom for the kidnapping of the girl. And in any case, a married woman had to cover her hair with a headdress or a scarf (so that the “power” contained in them would not damage the new family). dress meant to inflict witchcraft damage on her family, offend her herself and make serious troubles - a fine, if not blood feud. headdress.
Housewarming
Housewarming - the beginning of the construction of a new house was associated with a complex of ritual actions to prevent possible opposition from evil spirits. Choosing a safe place for a construction site, often at first they let go of the cow and waited for it to lie on the ground. This place was considered a good place for a future home.
Before the laying of the lower logs, a coin was buried at the front angle - “for wealth”, a piece of incense was placed next to the coin - “for holiness”.
After the construction of the log house, the rooster was cut and blood was sprinkled on four corners. The animal was buried under the door.
Moving to a new hut and the beginning of life in it was considered the most dangerous period. It was assumed that "the evil spirits will strive with all their might to interfere with future well-being.
To deceive her, a rooster or a cat was the first to enter the house, which had to take on a possible danger from evil spirits. For the animals, all the other members of the family entered with an icon and bread - salt. It was believed that it was safer to move to a new house at night, since the evil spirits did not assume that at this time people could move into the house. ...
Putting an icon in the front corner, all family members were baptized on it. Then the hostess cut off the first slice of the loaf of bread and put it under the stove, "welcoming the brownie.
Until the middle of the 19th century, in many places in Russia, another ancient ritual was preserved and was also carried out:
- taking off her clothes, until dawn the hostess of the house went around the new hut naked and pronounced the verdict: “I will put an iron tyn near the yard so that neither a fierce beast. the forestry did not look through it. "
To give the spell additional strength, the woman had to turn head over heels at the gate three times, saying: "Let the family and fruit increase in the new house."
Shortly before the housewarming or immediately after the move, the owner invites the brownie to move to a new place, he put a treat under the stove, put an open sack next to it (so that the brownie could get in there) and asked him to follow the family.
Introducing the cattle into the new barn, the owner also introduced her to the brownie. Otherwise, it was believed that the cattle would not take root in a new place.
Harvest
A wide range of ceremonies and magical rituals were associated with the harvest period. They were not confined to a specific date, but depended on the time of ripening of cereals. Sacrificial ceremonies were carried out to thank the mother land for the long-awaited harvest. With the help of magical actions, the participants in the ceremony sought to restore fertility to the earth, ensuring the harvest of the next year. In addition, the ceremony was of practical importance: the reapers needed a certain break in their work.
The beginning of the harvest was marked by a special ceremony of the “first sheaf”. The first sheaf, called the birthday boy, was stung by the oldest woman in the family. The sheaf was tied with ribbons, decorated with flowers, and then placed under the icons in the front corner. When the harvest was over, the sheaf was fed to domestic animals, and some of the grains were hidden until the next sowing. A year later, these grains were poured into the first handful of grain.