Slavic rituals and conspiracies. Slavic pagan rites and rituals

Introduction

The whole life of the ancient Slavs was accompanied by a wide variety of rites and rituals, which symbolized the beginning of a new natural or life stage. Such traditions embodied faith 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 had to realize that each time he moves to a completely new stage of life. For this, special age rituals were held, 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 tested with pain so that he would remember that birth is the biggest pain in his life. A person went through peculiar rituals, choosing one or another profession. These rites were initiation into warriors or priests, artisans or tillers. In order to become a craftsman or tiller, it was enough just to master the skills of these professions. Often this happened in a solemn atmosphere. Having reached a certain age and having learned to do his job flawlessly, a person was awarded an honorary title.

The situation was quite different with 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 rites of the priests were different. Depending on which god people worshiped, a potential priest also underwent such an initiation. All this was accompanied by sacrifices and special magical actions. A man could become a warrior only after passing certain tests. This is a test of endurance, agility, courage and ability to wield weapons. Not every person could become a warrior. And only those who endured sometimes deadly and dangerous difficulties can bear the title of warrior and protector of all other people.

There were also such 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, have always carried magical properties. Sacred actions relating to such life moments 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 agrarian significance and were associated primarily with natural forces. With the advent of a new annual period, special gods came into power, whom the Slavs revered, making sacrifices to them and performing magical actions in their honor. Each ritual acted as a kind of performance, where its participants, like the heroes of the performance, played magical performances. At the same time, all the rituals of the Slavs in the annual calendar were considered holidays. Each such holiday meant not only the veneration of the gods, but also the observance of a certain tradition.

Birth

When the child was born safely, a large series of rituals began to protect the child from evil spirits, introduce him to nature and give a new person under her protection, so that he would be lucky in business and life.

The father's shirt served as the first diaper for the son, and the mother's shirt for the daughter. In general, all the very first actions with a baby (bathing, feeding, cutting hair, and so on) were surrounded by important and very interesting rituals, which, again, can be devoted to a separate book. Let's take a closer look at just one thing - this is the custom of dipping a baby in water (or at least spraying it), which is noted among various peoples. In particular, the Scandinavians did so in the Viking Age. For a very long time this was explained by the influence of Christianity. However, later similar customs were recorded among peoples who had never even heard of Christianity!

Naming ceremony

The rite of naming - if a Slav or Slav from birth was called a Slavic name, then the rite of naming is not necessary. Of course, if there is no need to call a new name. If a person has not been baptized or brought to any other foreign faith, then the rite of naming is carried out as follows. The one who is called stands facing the Holy Fire. The priest thrice sprinkles spring water on his face, forehead and crown, saying the words: like that water is pure, so thoughts will be pure; as the water is pure, so the name will be pure! Then the priest cuts off a strand of hair from the named and puts them in the Fire, pronouncing the new name in a whisper. Before a person receives a name, no one, except for the priest and the named one, should know the chosen name. After that, the priest approaches the person and says loudly: “Narcemo is your name ... (name)”. And so three times. The priest gives the betrothed a handful of grain to bring the trebe and the brother of surya to commemorate the ancestors. A Slav who was previously baptized, or was led to some other foreign faith, must first undergo a rite of purification. To do this, they seat a person on his knees on a deck (he should not touch the ground with his knees), circle this place in a vicious circle. Before sitting in a circle, the accused takes off his clothes, revealing 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, a lot is cast: is a person worthy of such an honor to receive a Slavic name and go under the protection of the Ancestors. This is done as follows: the priest, standing behind the cursed, 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 accused, then the rite continues. If not, they postpone the naming until better times. So, if the lot fell out successfully, then the head is lightly washed with spring water, salted with fire, sprinkled with grain, making cleansing movements with the hands. Purification is carried out by a priest or three priests. They go around the named salting in a circle, holding their right hands above his head. At this time, they lingeringly proclaim the cry "Goy" - three times. Raising their hands to the sky, they solemnly exclaim: “Narcemo is your name ...”, then the name chosen by the community (in agreement with the priest) is pronounced, or the name that the named person chose for himself (again, with the consent of the priest). And so they exclaim three times. The circle is broken, the betrothed is given a handful of grain for his first sacrifice and a bucket of honey to commemorate the ancestors, under whose protection he is now passing.

Ancient people considered the name an important part of the human personality and preferred to keep it secret so that the evil sorcerer could not “take” the name and use it to induce damage (just as they used cut hair, scraps of clothing, dug out pieces of earth with traces on it). and even rubbish 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 rest called him by the name of the family or by a nickname, usually of a protective nature: Nekras, Nezhdan, Nezhelan. Such names-nicknames were supposed to “disappoint” illness and death, make them look for “more worthy” life in other places. It was not only the Slavs who did this. For example, the beautiful Turkish name Yilmaz means “what even a dog does not need”

The pagan, under no circumstances, should have said “I am such and such”, because he could not be completely sure that his new acquaintance deserved the knowledge of complete trust, that he was a person in general, and not my spirit. At first he answered evasively:

“They call me ...” And even better, even if it was not said by him, but by someone else. Everyone knows that according to the rules of good manners, it is still considered preferable for two strangers to be introduced to each other by a third person. That's where this custom came from.

Wedding

Wedding - in ancient times, each person was aware of himself first of all as a member of a certain family. The children belonged to the family of their parents, but the daughter-girl, when she got married, passed into the family of her husband. (That is why they “get married” - 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 custom, which has been preserved in some places, to call the husband’s parents “mom” and “dad”, which, by the way, elderly people often value very much, although they cannot really explain where this custom came from. "Entered into the family" - and that's it!

Now it is clear to us why the groom is trying to bring the bride through the threshold of his house, always in his arms: after all, the threshold is the border of the worlds, and the bride, previously “alien” in this world, must turn into “her own” ...

What about the white dress? Sometimes you have to hear 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, has been for mankind the color of the Past, the color of Memory and Oblivion since ancient times. From time immemorial, such importance was attached to it in Russia. And the other - a mournful wedding color was red, black, as it was also called. It has long been included in the attire of brides. There is even a folk song: “Don’t you sew 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-white) dress is a “mournful” dress of a girl who “died” for her former family.

Now about the veil. More recently, this word simply meant "handkerchief." Not the current transparent muslin, but a real thick scarf, which tightly covered the bride's face. Indeed, 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. It is no coincidence that the famous phrase from N. V. Gogol's "Viya":
“Lift up my eyelids: I can’t see!” So no one could see the bride, and the violation of the ban led to all sorts of misfortunes and even 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 world, moreover - to one group, only "ours".

Nowadays, young people are also not recommended to diligently treat themselves to their own wedding, and even more so to drink intoxicating drinks, but for a completely different reason. They should soon become Mother and Father, but can drunk spouses have full-fledged children?

It is necessary to mention another 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 that what's wrong if a guy and a girl work together or hunt and eat from the same bowl, like brother and sister? That's right - like brother and sister. (a joint meal made people “relatives.” And marriages between relatives were not encouraged - again in the interests of posterity ...

At the Russian wedding, many songs sounded, moreover, mostly sad ones. The heavy veil of the bride gradually swelled from sincere tears, even if the girl was walking for her beloved. And the point here is not in the difficulties of living married in the old days, or rather, not only in them. The bride left her family and moved to another. Therefore, she left the guardian spirits of the former kind and handed herself over to the new ones. But there is no need to offend and annoy the former, to look ungrateful. So the girl was crying, listening to plaintive songs and trying her best to show her devotion to her parental home, her former relatives and her supernatural patrons - deceased ancestors.

Let's remember about the "scythe - girlish beauty." Since pagan times, the custom has been preserved to say goodbye to her forever and to braid the young wife with two braids instead of one, moreover, laying the strands one under the other, and not on top. If the girl ran away with her beloved against the will of her parents (it was precisely such a marriage that was called “marriage against the will”, the will was meant exclusively by the parents, and not by the bride herself, (as they sometimes think), the young husband cut off the precious girl’s braid and presented it to the newly-made father-in-law and mother-in-law, along with a ransom for the kidnapping of the girl. And in any case, a married woman had to cover her hair with a headdress or scarf (so that the “power” contained in them would not harm the new family). dressing meant to inflict witchcraft damage on her family, offend her and get into serious trouble - a fine, if not blood feud. And the wedding ransom was called "veno" in Ancient Russia, and this word is related to the words "wreath" and "crown" - - girlish headdress.

housewarming

Housewarming - the beginning of the construction of a new house was associated with a complex of ritual actions that prevent possible opposition from evil spirits. Choosing a safe place for construction, often at first they released a cow and waited for it to lie on the ground. This place was considered successful for the 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, they cut the rooster and sprinkled blood on the four corners. The animal was buried under the door.

The most dangerous period was considered to be moving to a new hut and starting life in it. It was assumed that “the evil spirit will strive with all its might to interfere with future well-being.
In order to deceive her, a rooster or a cat was the first to be allowed into the house, which was supposed to take on a possible danger from evil spirits. All other members of the family came in after the animals 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 inhabit the house. .

Putting an icon in the front corner, all family members were baptized on it. Then the hostess cut off the first slice from the loaf of bread and put it under the stove, greeting the brownie.
Until the middle of the 19th century, in many places in Russia, another ancient ritual was also preserved and performed:

- having taken off her clothes, before dawn, the hostess of the house walked naked around the new hut and pronounced a sentence: “I will put an iron fence near the yard so that not a fierce beast jumps over this fence, - neither the bastard crawled, nor the dashing man stepped over with his foot and grandfather - the forest guard did not look through it.”

To give the spell additional strength, the woman had to roll over at the gate three times head over heels, saying: “Give that the family and the fetus in the new house increase.”
Shortly before the housewarming or immediately after the move, the owner always invited the brownie to move to a new place, he put treats under the stove, put an open bag nearby (so that the brownie climbed there) and asked him to follow the family.

Introducing the cattle into the new barn, the owner also introduced it to the brownie. Otherwise, it was believed that cattle would not take root in a new place.

Harvest

An extensive complex of rituals and magical rituals was associated with the harvest period. They were not confined to a specific date, but depended on the time of ripening of cereals. Sacrificial rites were held to thank mother earth for the long-awaited harvest. With the help of magical actions, the participants of the rite sought to restore fertility to the earth, ensuring the next year's harvest. In addition, the rite was of practical importance: the reapers needed a certain break from work.

The beginning of the harvest was marked by a special rite of the “first sheaf”. The first sheaf, called the birthday man, was reaped by the eldest 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 ended, the sheaf was fed to domestic animals, and some of the grains were hidden until the next sowing. These grains were poured into the first handful of grain a year later.

In this article:

In Russia, pagan beliefs were ubiquitous. People believed and worshiped various Gods, and this continued until 988, when Christianity became the official religion in the country. Since then, the pagans have been persecuted by the Orthodox Church, which has done everything to eradicate ancient beliefs from the heads of the Russian people. Nevertheless, Christianity did not succeed in completely destroying Slavic paganism, and in a modified form it has survived to this day.

Today, pagan beliefs and the magical rituals associated with them are becoming more and more popular among ordinary people. The rites of the Slavs were very diverse, but all of them were based on the worship of the gods of nature, whom Christianity equated with demons.

Our ancestors worshiped nature and the basic elements, they sincerely believed in the kinship of man with animals and gods. Each Slavic community in Russia worshiped its own Deities. In the pre-Christian world, there was no single idea of ​​the Gods and the higher world as a whole, there was no single pantheon of Gods, as was the case, for example, in ancient Greece or Ancient Rome.

Slavic rites

Our ancestors had a huge number of different rituals, as they say, for all occasions. But the Slavs paid special attention to the burial rite. On the territory of Russia, there were two main methods of burial: burning and cadaverization. With the ritual of burning, everything is clear, it is still used by people today in the form of cremation. Corpses - the oldest type of burial used by the Slavs. It provided for giving the human body the position of an embryo in the mother's womb.

This rite was associated with the belief that after death a person experiences a second birth. This type of burial existed until the Bronze Age, when it was abandoned due to the emergence of new beliefs that after death the human soul rises to heaven to the Gods. To help the soul free itself from the body shell, our ancestors began to burn the bodies of their dead relatives, and gave the ashes to the earth, that is, they returned the remains of the human body to where it came from.

Christmas festivities

Many Slavic rituals were associated with various holidays, which were revered by various communities and tribes. Christmas time was considered one of the most revered holidays, at this time people dressed up in animal-like clothes and gave dancing and fun. Such masquerades continued throughout the Christmas season and reached their climax in early January.

With the advent of Christianity, pagan holidays were replaced by Orthodox ones, however, people did not forget their roots and, along with the day of the Nativity of the Virgin, celebrated the feast of all women in childbirth.

Paganism and Modernity

Paganism was never eradicated from the minds and hearts of the Russian people. Even today we continue to follow the traditions and beliefs of our ancestors without even thinking about it. For example, who has not heard stories about the various evil spirits that can be found in forests, rivers and even houses? Has anyone forgotten about the goblin, about brownies, about mermaids and kikimors?

All this came to us from the depths of centuries, from the beliefs of our ancestors in pre-Christian times. Even many of the old tales retold by famous writers are rooted in pagan beliefs. Thus, even today, mothers tell their children all the same instructive stories on which generations of the ancient Slavs grew up. And nothing can be done about it. So it was, so it is, and so it will always be in Russia.

Pagan rituals

Pagan Slavic magical rituals are an integral and very important part of folk traditions. Many witchcraft rites were timed to coincide with various holidays, and they could only be performed at strictly defined times. Magic was most often used during housewarming, after the wedding, during the harvest, and at other important moments in the life of the community.

Almost all Slavic magical rituals are based on a call for help directed to higher powers.

Both Gods and natural spirits, as well as the souls of departed ancestors and various mythological creatures, could act as higher powers. The Slavs believed that there were three worlds: the world of Reveal, the world of Navi and the world of Rule. The Explicit World is the visible world in which people live. Navi world is a world where spirits, mythological creatures, evil spirits and the souls of the dead live. The World of Rule is the world in which Gods and Souls of Glorious Ancestors live. The human world must be in harmony with other worlds.

Any pagan Slavic ritual is a sacred action in which service to the Gods, showing respect and honor to the Ancestors, takes a special place. That is why a person must approach the process of conducting a magical rite very seriously, and for this, special theoretical and practical training was needed. Complex rituals could only be performed by the Magi, however, there were many rituals that were known to every person, including conspiracies for health and good luck, rituals for love and well-being in the family, and much more. Many of these rituals have survived to this day in their original form.

Pagan love spell

This magical rite should be performed on a dark night during the growing moon or on the new moon. To conduct the ritual, you need to take some water from a clean spring, located far from the places where people live. At this time, you need to listen to all the sounds from the outside world.

Phenomena such as the loud croaking of a crow, the barking of a dog, or the howling of a wolf were considered a bad sign, and if such a sign was given, then water could not be taken from the selected source.

After the water has been collected, you can proceed to the performance of the ritual. To do this, go with two closest friends to a clearing in the forest, light a small fire there and place a pot on it. In this pot, it is necessary to boil the water drawn from the spring, throw a rowan leaf into the same place, count to three and take it out.

After removing the water from the fire, throw any silver object into it and whisper the words of the conspiracy nine times:

“I (name) will get up and go to a clean field, a wide field. I will meet on my way a bright fire, but a violent wind. I bow to (name), fire and wind. I will bow low, to the ground itself. I bow low, but I ask tearfully:
“Goy thou, fire, violent wind, and fast water. Do not water the green meadows, do not sink the ships in the blue sea, but serve me (name). Perform a faithful service, a great service, take out of me bitter melancholy, weeping dryness. Carry my longing through the forests, but don’t lose it along the way, carry it through the rapids, but don’t drop it, carry it across the seas, but don’t drown it. Carry it to my water, and put longing into this water, so that longing would grieve in it day and night. Let this water burn the white chest, let the zealous heart dry the one who drinks this water. So that he yearns for the one who brings this water to him. My word is strong. May it be so".

After that, the water is put outside the outlined circle and the words of the conspiracy are read nine more times. Only then can the liquid be poured into another vessel for transportation, for example, into a plastic bottle.

Having delivered the water home, it must be hidden in a secluded place, and stored there until the full moon. On the night of the full moon, you need to return to the place where the ritual was performed, lay down a fire in the old place, count three steps from it, and in a circle from the central fire, add 8 more fires so that there are 9 lights in total. Now you need to collect dew in three thimbles in the field, pour them into the charmed water, and then walk in a circle (clockwise) and cast the spell:

“I conjure (name), you, mighty forces, forces that are hidden in the tears of mother earth. I conjure you, the forces that are gathered in the centuries of antiquity. I conjure you, the forces that rule over the fate of man. I collect (name), moonlight, wind whistle, grass whisper, twinkling stars, my love and maternal tenderness. I will put everything I have collected into this water, into conspiracy water, into conjuration water. I conjure (name), you, Dennitsa, weave for me, weave two threads of fate into one thread for me, so that the knot is powerful, so that it is enough for life. Tie me threads not for death, but for the love of a strong girl and a good fellow. I conjure (name). You Mother Goddess. Yes, the grandmothers-partners, the grandmothers-rodunitsa will help me, they will help me, they will protect me from dangers. No one can undo a braided knot. No one from one fate will make two back, except for me alone. I myself will weave that knot, I myself will only unravel it, as I wish. May it be so".

After that, the performers must pass the charmed water from hand to hand and read the words of the conspiracy eight more times. For the ritual to work. It is necessary to leave a good sacrifice to the Goddess, for example, the wool of a wolf and one chicken. Now the performers must pierce their fingers and drop one drop of blood onto the damp earth. Close the water with a white canvas, put out the fires and, without looking back, return home.

This is a very powerful magical rite that allows you to create the strongest love water in its effectiveness. With its help, you can fall in love with absolutely any man, while the goal will not lose its individuality.

Before Christianity came to Russian land, paganism reigned on it. People believed in many Gods, worshiped them, invented a variety of rituals in the hope that the Gods would be more favorable to them. We still use many rituals of the ancient Slavs in holidays, for example, in weddings.

Why were the rituals necessary?

The rites of the ancient Slavs are part of modern Russian culture. And if now some pagan rites of the ancient Slavs seem strange and meaningless to us, then in those days they often had a practical meaning and a deep sacred meaning.

The rituals of the ancient Slavs, as well as those of other peoples, are a way of communicating with higher powers. This is a sacred conversation with higher powers, a way to negotiate with them. People wanted to believe that with the help of customs and sacred rituals they have power over the world.

If you look at it from a philosophical point of view, it is difficult for people to accept the idea that everything in the world is very chaotic, that there are no general laws of the world order. Because such knowledge leads to the next painful knowledge that people are basically powerless before the forces of nature.

Faith in the Gods is an attempt to influence the world order, through ritual communication with them, Russia was distinguished by its rich ritual culture.

The rites of the ancient Slavs were also needed in order not to figure out every time how to celebrate a wedding, the birth of a child or a funeral, but each time to turn to a certain ritual. Customs are also a way of organizing life, pastime.

Naming ceremony

Among our ancestors, a person could change his name during his life. His name changed depending on what abilities and type of activity prevailed in his life for a particular period of time. Such customs of our ancestors served as an energy support for them. Faith in the power of the name of the ancestors was very strong. Therefore, no effort and time was spared for this rite.

It was believed that when people take on a new name, it is as if he takes on a new destiny. It happened that in the course of life a person moved from one community to another, and in each community he was also assigned a new sacred name.

The ancient Slavs believed that the name is the key that unlocks the gates of ancestral memory. In order for a person to take on a new name, the whole community gathered around him, headed by the sorcerer, the eldest in the community. A bonfire must have taken part in the ritual. A person knelt in the center of the circle, a magical conspiracy was read over him, and then a general chant took place. After that, all the representatives of the community congratulated him on his new birth. The mantras "Rer" and "Resa" were chanted. These were significant Slavic holidays.

Enough time was given to choose a new name for themselves. Such a decision could not be taken hastily, this issue had to be carefully considered. It was believed that if a person chooses a name, being in a state of worldly fuss, then he will then toil all his life. And vice versa, if at the same time he is in a state of wisdom, peace, then life with a new name will be integral, filled with calm joy.

Rite of Baptism

The ritual traditions of baptism are very similar in procedure to the ritual traditions of naming, but these two rituals have completely different goals. Baptism rituals helped a person to move from one faith to another. This happened if he wanted to change the community. I must say that here people had freedom of choice - they could choose that faith and community where they intuitively felt a connection with the Family.

The whole community did not always gather for this, three witnesses were enough. After that, traditions sang ritual Slavic songs.

Housewarming rituals

The ancient Slavs were very subject to the forces of nature. In pagan times, they asked the heavens for advice literally in everything, even in trifles, this was also assumed by traditions. However, such an event as the selection of a plot of land for the construction of a house cannot be called a trifle. There are witchcraft magical traditions that helped determine whether a particular place is good for a family estate.

On the plot of land where they were going to build a house, they put a cast iron with a spider inside. So it was left overnight. The next morning they came, looked into the cast iron. It was believed that if a spider began to weave a web during the night, then this place was glorified by higher powers. The Slavs greatly trusted the forces of nature and insects as part of it.

Ants could also decide whether to build a house on a particular piece of land or not. If there was a depression in the ground, then a pot of honey was placed there. The next morning they came and looked. If ants crawled on honey, then this part of the earth was glorified by the Gods, this is an ancient tradition.

tonsure

Paganism assumed such an ancient custom as tonsure. It was performed on a child when he was seven years old. Pagan ritual traditions assumed that until the age of seven the child was completely under the care of the mother. During these years, his father practically did not participate in his upbringing. When the child was seven years old, his hair was cut in a certain way, a magical plot was read. It was believed that at this moment the child from the power of the female Goddesses passes into the power of the male Gods.

Such customs-holidays among the Slavs took place in the morning. The attributes of the Slavs for this ritual were: a stool, a shirt in which the boy was dressed, scissors on a tray, a fire kindled by the elder of the community, a gift for the initiate from the father, more treats, cups for honey.

It was a partial conversion of the youth to the warriors. Because all the boys in the days of paganism were considered to be them. After that there was a celebration and festivities.

Gods of the Slavs. Holidays and Ceremonies!!

Ancient Slavic rituals!!

Funeral rites of the ancient Slavs

wedding ceremonies

A wedding is a big, magnificent event that our ancestors celebrated with incredible fun, of course, there are pagan wedding rites. Many of these rituals are also used in modern weddings, while people do not know what their roots and sacred meanings are:

• Any wedding planning begins with the fact that the guy officially wooed the girl. This happens late in the evening, the guy takes with him two matchmakers who help him with persuasion to get the consent of the bride.
• Then the wedding ceremonies of the ancient Slavs include the bride. This time, the bride's family goes with her to visit the groom's parents.
• The next stage, which involves both paganism and Christianity, is betrothal. The parents of the bride and groom meet at the bride's house. The young people are bandaged with towels. After this ritual, it was already considered indecent to refuse marriage. If this nevertheless happened, then the refusing party had to pay the other party moral damage in material goods.
• It was customary for the Slavs to bake a loaf on the eve of the wedding. To do this, all familiar married women came to the bride's house. These were also holidays during which women had fun, sang ritual songs, something like a modern bachelorette party.
• Paganism, like Christianity, suggests that the bride's wedding dress should be to the floor, her hands must be hidden to her palms and her head covered. Slavic dresses were embroidered with symbols, these are Slavic symbols that protected the young from evil spirits.
• On the morning of the wedding day, the groom went to bathe the bride.
• Then comes the landing. When the groom's parents give gifts to the bride and vice versa. This was the last stage of marriage between the parents of the young.
• Then, during the time of Christianity, there was a beautiful wedding ceremony. Paganism also assumed a wedding ceremony, but it did not take place in the church, but at the temple, the elder of the community crowned the young.
• The last ritual of the wedding day was that the dowry of the young wife was transported to the house of the newly-made husband.
• Slavic weddings went on for at least three days or a week.

funeral rites

The transition of a person to another world is the most important event, which involved the following pagan rituals:

• Interestingly, in those days, elderly people independently began to prepare for their burial. Candles were bought, funeral clothes were sewn, special shoes were ordered, where there were no heels. The carpenters were ordered in advance a coffin according to their own standards, which was then stored in the attic.
• In pagan times, corpses were buried in the fetal position. It was believed that in what position a human being came into this world, in such a position he should leave.
• A little later, in the rituals of the ancient Slavs, cremation was practiced. It was believed that through the ash, which easily flies up, the soul quickly reached heaven.
• Today is the funeral of a relative, rather a family affair. In those days it was a public phenomenon. The whole community participated in the burial ritual.
• In pagan times, domina was used as a tombstone. It was a tall pillar with a roof on top. And even earlier it was customary to bury the remains in the trees. There, too, houses were lined up, where the bones were piled after the cremation.
• The funeral rites of the ancient Slavs were special if they buried a noble husband. Together with him, they could put into the grave of his servants, who were killed. They also sent all the tools to the grave so that he could do his job in the other world.
• Both in pagan times and in Christian times, part of the funeral rite is the organization of a commemoration.

From time immemorial, our Ancestors created ancient rites- Solar Holidays of life, Goodness, Light and Love. The importance of rituals cannot be underestimated. This magical action directly reflects the spiritual life of a person. In the first place in the essence of any ancient rite there is a communication with the forces that affect the goodness of a person at a level beyond his direct control. Native Ancestors, spirits of nature, Gods possess such forces, therefore a person interacts with them. In the views of the ancestors, the picture of the world was not limited to materialistic chains of events. A holistic picture was opened to human understanding, in which Explicit events had their roots in the worlds of Navi and Rule. This made it possible to clearly see the causes and consequences of everything that was happening. The rite is the same reason, which, like any Explicit action, having passed through non-obvious paths, comes back to us later. But unlike simple actions, the rite allows you to control the result and the time of its completion.

The essence of ancient rites

Rite is a simple yet profound concept. It seems simple only at first glance, as an action aimed at achieving a specific goal with the involvement of the necessary forces. It turns out to be deep in understanding the involved forces and the mechanisms of their interaction with the creator of the rite.

An important point in ancient rite is to attract precisely those forces that are really needed and can help. To do this, you need to know these forces, as they say, “in person”. That is, to know their qualities and capabilities. It is on this that the content of the rite depends: the presence of the necessary paraphernalia, the sequence of actions, the form of designation of the goal and the ways of its manifestation in the manifest world.

In addition to knowing the nature of the forces around us, it is necessary to understand the principles of their interaction, causes and effects. One must be able to perceive their circulation: rotation, circulation and return. In a word, know Kon. Kon is the path to Rod - the source of the eternal movement of life. The construction of the rite depends on the quality of this knowledge.

What else affects the performance ancient rite? The person who creates it. This is the key and most important point. A person must be purposeful and holistic, like an assembled nesting doll. His subtle bodies must be awakened and united, just like that matryoshka. And all this happens with a clear thought, in full awareness, without trance states. This can be achieved only by protecting oneself from harmful food, narcotic substances and bad deeds, which are generated by equally bad thoughts (in other words, follow the path of high morality).

Appointments of ancient rites

It is customary to distinguish between rituals according to their purpose: wedding, funeral, natural, rituals of feeding the Ancestors and glorifying the Gods. They can also be divided according to the level of interaction with various forces and Gods, so to speak - in scope. These are tribal, natural and cosmic rites. Often these three levels are present together.

The generic level is an appeal to one's Family, to the Ancestors. It is very important to know your pedigree. When you purposefully and by name “feed” (treat) departed relatives, your grandfathers, you receive a talisman from them in business. And if you also know what they did during their lifetime, and what they were by nature, then the sense of ancient rite and you will know whom to thank later for the help. Through the rites of this level, the strengthening of his Family takes place, and then he protects his relatives from all hardship.

Natural level- when you embrace with your action everything that is with Rod: you perform a ceremony for the weather, for the harvest, you turn to the spirits of stones, streams, rivers, lakes, fields, forests, trees, animals. Praise the Gods responsible for certain periods of the year.

Cosmic - an appeal to the Gods of the cosmic order, the creators of galaxies and Rod-Father.

It is also possible to distinguish at least two more types ancient rites by semantic load. These are rituals that program an event, a phenomenon and strengthening rituals.

Strengthening rites- these are the days of commemoration and glorification of the native Gods and Ancestors. It is their strength that is the talisman of families, clans, peoples. These are the most important holidays in our time, which are obligatory and decisive in the revival of the former power of our people. Strengthened by our bright feelings from the world of Reveal, the influence of such rituals becomes faster and stronger, and the amulet of our Clans grows on Mother Earth. More and more bright souls are gaining strength and help from our Gods, breaking out of the dope of philistine, consumer fuss, freeing their spirit, soul and will for deeds for the good of the Family and their native land.

The calendar, which adopted the wisdom of our Ancestors, left in itself the cherished days and periods that are under the influence of certain Gods. So, glorifying Perun on his holidays, we strengthen the beneficial power of God the Thunderer for the entire responsible period of the year. And the days of equinoxes and solstices allow us to convey gratitude and the Light of the Power of our Souls to a whole multitude of Generic, natural and cosmic Gods.

To programming ancient rites include those that are held at natural festivals. Their essence lies in the transfer to the Gods and Ancestors of the program, plan, goal that the performers of the ceremony want to achieve. This can be expressed in the form of staging, showing the image-goal in a ritual-game action.

In other cases, especially when the rite is performed at the Tribal level, there is an appeal-petition. For example, when you ask the Ancestors for protection on a difficult path, a talisman against illness, etc. Or, an appeal to the spirits of nature in the natural circle: a petition for permission to cut down a tree, for good luck in picking mushrooms or berries in the forest, and so on.

Basic form of ancient rites

The basic principle of natural and cosmic rituals is the similarity of the earthly action to the heavenly one. This can be seen in the example of many preserved in our primordial tradition ancient rites. For example, a ritual for rain (to stop it), when a river is plowed with a plow.

But here it should also be noted the knowledge of the sacred qualities of objects created by man. The axe, knife, plow, collar, broom and other household utensils, in addition to their obvious direct purpose, also have deeper qualities that imply their connection with the heavenly.

So the process of plowing the river is identified with the plowing of the firmament, which leads to the cessation of rain. Moreover, the participants in the ceremony also take on the functions of the heavenly forces involved in the process.

The same can be observed in the rites of carols, "pahavannya strala", mermaids and many others. The participants in the rites are identified with plants (in the “pahavanne straly” ritual they lead a snake round dance around the field around the sitting children, who play the role of rye sprouts, and then throw them high), with the spirits of nature, with the gods, and at this level the programming of events takes place. Perhaps it is here that the origins of the theater are located.

A person with similar qualities was chosen for the role of this or that spirit or god. If it was difficult to make a choice, then games were arranged, the winner of which took on a responsible role. So, in mermaids, the most beautiful girl was chosen for the role of a mermaid and appeased her with gifts so that the summer would not be dry.

The principle of identity comes from the statement "like attracts like". And it brings us back to the point ancient rite. Attracting the forces we need. The purer, spiritually and morally, the person chosen for the role in the rite, the more beneficial forces he will call. In the above examples, "attraction" was made by comparing the qualities of a person and the qualities of the necessary God or spirit. And those people were chosen in whom these qualities were most manifested.

Indirect forms of ancient rites

In addition to such a direct method, more indirect ones were also used in the rites: a call, a round dance and songs containing both an appeal-call and the formulation of an image-goal.

A click or call is a direct call of forces. Usually natural phenomena, spirits, elements. A vivid example is the Belarusian invocations of Spring, which come as part of the spring ritual complex:

Click, it's clear! Click, it's clear!
And what did you bring us?
Old grandmothers - for a kite,
Small zetka - on the testicle,
Red dzeўkam - pa vyanochku,
Maladzіtsam - pa dzіtsyatku.

The same call is used when creating, so to speak, a quick rite, for example,

under direct threat to life. They call for help the spirit of Chur - the Ancestor-Keeper: "Chur, me (guardian!)" Or simply "Grandfather!"

Round dance - the movement of a closed row of people in a circle. There is a round dance with a song that is sung by the choir. The round dance creates an energy vortex that attracts the required force, whether it be Gods, forces of nature or nature spirits (usually stones and trees).

An example of a spring dance song (Klimovichi district, Mogilev region):

Meadowberry, Meadowberry,
Oh lunatic.
What do you smell, what do you smell
In every pocket?
Oh, you all the pocket.
Smell like me, smell like me
In every pocket.
Oh, in your pocket?
Old women, old women
Prysyadzeli.
Oh, bastards.
Maladzitsy, Maladzitsy
We stopped.
Oh, they jumped.
Red dzeўki, red dzeўki
Jumped.
Oh, jumped.

Driving round dances is a very strong action. One round dance can perform the entire ceremony. The essence here is the rotation of the round dance. Salting - collects, attracts, anti-salting - releases the collected.

After calling, attracting the power and attention of God, we “feed” him. We nourish it with light energies and thereby strengthen it, so that it performs its functions even more gracefully and better. For this, glories are sung and rites are arranged.

Requirements

Treba - a treat of the Gods, Ancestors or spirits with gifts. This action is combined with the formulation of the goal (request). Separately, it is used at the Generic and natural rites. Treba is the GIVING of energy that occurs at the time of making ancient rite or other rites.

The requirement may be a loaf, a pie, or even a kind of toy-image created by oneself. When a person does something, thinking at that moment about those whom he loves, he puts fertile energies and good power into the fruits of his efforts. Creations are imbued with this power. During the Ritual action, by betraying the Requirement to the Fire, we transform the Power accumulated in our creations into a form of energy, which is food for the Gods, Souls of Relatives and Ancestral Churs.

The Gods and Ancestors who are in the other world do not eat the food that we eat. Their food is our attention, our mental energy, Light, Goodness and Love that come from our Hearts when we think and talk about them. Treba is a sacrificial offering. It can be a small piece of bread or a whole loaf. Moreover, a small loaf, into which Love and sincerity were sincerely invested, can bring much more benefit to the Gods and Ancestors than a whole loaf cooked mechanically and without feelings.

Our Gods really need the energy of Goodness and Love! Put a part of the Soul into the Requirement and commit it to Fire, which is a transformer of one type of energy into another. Through Fire everything happens faster. And we are only just beginning to master the ability to transfer the Light of the Heart to Churams directly, but we will definitely remember everything and learn this magic to perfection!

Important for attracting forces to ancient rite and preparation for this work of the creator. The higher the strength, the purer in spirit it should be. This is where the rule “like attracts like” plays a big role. When interacting with the Gods, the human spirit must be freed as much as possible from carnal desires and needs. This requires certain cleansing measures: fasting before the ceremony or a complete rejection of food of animal origin, practices that strengthen the spirit, cleansing with water, fire, air, and so on.

glorification

Praise is the pronunciation or singing of glory (enumeration of the useful virtues of the Ancestor, natural strength, or more often the Gods).

As an example, glory dedicated to the winter day of Perun:

Perun is clear and powerful!
Perun is lightning and thunder!
The fire of heaven is possible,
Protective pokon!

Shine and shine of your lightning,
The voice of the sky is a loud thunder,
Heavenly light of your appearances
Protects the father's House!

The source of spiritual hare!
Bayan of spiritual ardent strings!
Guardian of the Awakening Race!
For the enemy, you are a karachun.

Thunderstorm Spirit!
Sign of fiery celestial runes!
The power of the peace movement!
Glory to you, God Perun!

Attributes of ancient rites.

The attributes of the rite also aim to attract creative forces, and also serve as accumulators that accumulate in themselves the grace received during the rite, and then, until the next such rite, they are used as amulets. These include banners - constricting power, idols of the Gods in the Sanctuary and Ancestors in the Red corner of the house. We can say that they are antennas tuned to the desired frequency of one of the Gods or Ancestors. Fire - a candle for a home ceremony or a bonfire for a public holiday - is a "transformer" of energies that connects the Explicit and not Explicit Worlds. Water is the receiver and transmitter of the Force (through drinking).

Also attributes ancient rites there may be stones of certain types of minerals and rocks. They accumulate information and have certain frequencies of its transmission. Runic and swastika symbols help to organize the space of the rite. Creating such a space - a kind of vessel for the attracted force - is the key! The embroidery symbols on clothes work the same way. All this, as we see, requires considerable knowledge and the ability to apply them correctly.

Place and time of the ancient rite.

The place of the rite undoubtedly has a great influence on the success of the sacrament. For the Ancestral Rite, this is the Red Corner, for the natural one, the Sacred Groves and Oak Forests, which are places of Power. For rituals of the cosmic level, key places of the Power are required, or a whole network of these places, adjusted to a certain ritual action, when you can, if desired, perform a rite from any “accupuncture point” of our mother Earth. Through these places the planet “breathes”, communicates with outer space. Through these places, the forces we need so much, collected in powerful streams, flow. It often requires seeing or at least feeling these flowing forces.

Timing is again an important point for any ancient rite. And for the Family (there are days of commemoration of the Ancestors, especially favorable days for weddings and other things), and even more so for natural and cosmic rites. This somewhat facilitates the task of the creator of the rite, since strictly certain forces are active on certain days. Knowing what kind of forces these are, it is possible to conduct a rite of praise or a rite of request for help, those who need precisely these energies. Fortunately, our Ancestors have already painted the holidays on these dates for a long time, it is only necessary to introduce amendments to all sorts of foreign calendars that exist with us at the suggestion of the invaders.

The life of the Slavic peoples in antiquity, as, in general, of many other peoples, was accompanied by a variety of rites. In their purpose and conduct, they are similar in many nations. They are interesting and colorful in their content. The Slavs attached a very serious meaning to each of them.

Here is some of them:

• 1. Get a haircut.
• 2. Initiation into adulthood.
• 3. Military training.
• 4. Creation of a family, marriage.
• 5. Trizna.

Carrying out the tonsure

At the age of three, it was customary for boys to do the so-called "tonsured". Hair was cut off, which was then offered as a sacrifice to the gods common in those beliefs. After performing this ritual, the boys from their mothers switched to raising the male part of the tribe. The male half of the tribe began to introduce them to the basics and secrets. Around the age of seven, it was time for them to learn how to ride horses. Girls in this age period were taught the ability to spin. The first ball made by the girl was to be burned, the resulting ash was added to the water that she drank.

Initiation

More serious actions were accompanied by the rite of initiation of boys into equal members of their kind. This date came around when he was between the ages of 9 and 11 years old. The initiated boys were sent to the forest in special huts. The teenager supposedly had to symbolically die and be born again as an adult, prepared for real life and difficulties. It was thanks to the existence of such peculiar rituals that legends about the old woman Baba Yaga appeared among the people, who steals children and burns them in her own stove.

martial art training

Having passed this initiation, the young guys left the settlement. They were to spend several harsh years in the forest, devoting themselves to mastering the intricacies of military prowess, periodically practicing in real attacks on neighboring settlements. Women were strictly forbidden to go there. Violators of this law faced severe punishment. The guys were preparing as defenders of their tribe from the numerous attacks of enemies at that time, a little later they became the backbone for the formation of princely squads.

Features of creating a family

Only a young man who had undergone such severe training had the right to marry and start his own family. According to the customs of that time, a bride from another tribe was required to either be bought or stolen. Often this custom resulted in serious clashes between these tribes. Then the guys got married early, when they were from 16 to 17 years old. Girls even earlier - from 12 to 14 years. Tribal elders and princes were allowed to have two or three spouses. The marriage itself was a ritual act. It was supposed to be a rich drink and refreshments. All this was accompanied by songs and dances, sacrifices and special rituals aimed at increasing wealth and fertility. The man was recognized as the head of a new cell of the tribe. As a sign of her unquestioning submission, the wife had to take off his shoes at the wedding. Be sure to attend a tribal sorcerer.

It is worth dwelling on such a rite as trizna (funeral). Its holding was associated with the belief of the Slavs in the afterlife. The deceased person was seen off with the necessary honor. It was believed that now he would intercede at the right time for his fellow tribesmen before higher powers. Dishes with food, tools and weapons were placed next to it. Then the one who went to another world was burned on fire. It was believed that the soul leaves with clouds of smoke. Above the funeral pyre, as a rule, an earthen mound was poured. After that, competitions and a feast were held in memory of the deceased tribesman.

These are the main rather interesting and colorful rituals and customs of distant ancestors in ancient times. They accompanied each person throughout his existence.