Pagan traditions of pre-Christian Rus': description, rites, rituals and interesting facts. Pagan beliefs and rituals of the ancient Slavs

Do you want Slavic spells to change your life for the better forever? To do this, you need to understand how they work. It is the magical technique of the ancient Slavs that will be discussed in this article.

CONSPIRACY

Conspiracies are small folklore texts with the help of which people try to achieve what they want in productive, protective, healing and other rituals. They are distinguished by the originality of semantics, language and structure. The execution of conspiracies is of a purely personal nature. In functional and genre terms, they are close to folk prayers and spells.

Performance technique

Slavic conspiracies are first pronounced in a loud voice, and then in a whisper (especially healing ones). The practice of casting healing spells using the “throat singing” technique, which is usually used by shamans, is known. Adherents of this technique claim that it is this tone human voice capture divine powers.

In northern customs, the skill of “singing” spells is practiced. That is why runic shamans had to have a sonorous voice, developed hearing and a talent for exhortation. The latter does not apply to oratory, but rather is an integral part of charisma, natural charm, magnetism.

Ancient Slavic conspiracies are famous for their tradition of casting curses (Magia Maleficio), which in the voice suggests a certain sinister tone that sets the magician apart from others. This sound is similar to a dissonant and hoarse howl, causing those who hear it a feeling of emotional depression and significant discomfort.

Cosmogony and cosmology

As a rule, Slavic conspiracies recreate the components of the archaic reproduction of the Universe, including details of cosmogonic and cosmological ideas - the center of the celestial world and its axis, the horizontal and vertical model of the universe, the earth's firmament in the middle of the sea, the sublunar tree and celestial bodies, motives for the revival and decay of nature, and so on further. In addition, they reproduce elements of legends - the sea king, the snake, personified images of the lower and higher worlds, as well as ideas about man-microcosm (illness, as a cosmic disaster and healing, as the restoration of the order of the earthly vale), about his physiology and bodily substance, about his connections with other creatures, details and much more.

Slavic conspiracies also show the main features of promoting the ancient mythological and real Christian models of the Universe.

Paganism

Slavic paganism is a system of pre-Christian concepts about man and the heavenly world, based on magic and legends. It is reconstructed according to the language, rituals, folklore, beliefs and customs of the Slavs. Such paganism can be perceived not only as a historical stage in the worldview of the Proto-Slavs before they adopted Christianity, but also as a special civilizational model, the forms of which, mechanisms and semantic categories continued to exist after the establishment of Orthodoxy.

Wedding ceremonies and customs

Slavic rituals and conspiracies were used by different tribes. Wedding customs varied depending on the type of marriage. Pagan Slavic marriage could sometimes be polygamous. History distinguishes two types of marriage and wedding rituals among Slavic tribes, which are symbolically called “matriarchal” and “patriarchal”.

Patriarchal marriage

Slavic conspiracies excite the minds of many people. Back in the 6th century, the Byzantine writer Mauritius described the customs of the glades. He said that the decency of their women was at its most high level. In his writings it is written that most wives considered the death of their husband to be their own end and voluntarily strangled themselves, not wanting to remain a widow for the rest of their lives.

The Varangians of Rus' were characterized by polygamy and patriarchal marriage. IN Ancient Rus' They charged a fee for the bride, which was called “veno”. The wedding ceremony was called “taking off the groom’s shoes.” The chronicles indicate that the bride was always “brought.”

Matriarchal marriage

Most of the information about pre-Christian customs and rituals can be gleaned from church instructions directed against paganism. They say that during the wedding, idolaters led the bride to the river, drank a cup in honor of the demons, and then threw the belts and rings into the water. And in these works it is said that the pagans used foul language in front of their daughters-in-law and fathers, they did not have weddings, since at the games they took young women to themselves, conspiring with them. Very often these people had two or three wives.

The tradition of marriage near water (well, lake) is confirmed by later ethnographic facts - folk beliefs and ritual, which after Nikon’s reforms was recreated among some Old Believers.

Phallic ritual

It is absolutely clear that in Ancient Rus' there really was a certain phallic wedding ritual. Undoubtedly, the phallus was used as a witch's sign: it was supposed to give fertility to the earth and fertility to the newlyweds. The facts of this morality are also confirmed by archeology - male virtues carved from wood were repeatedly discovered in ancient Russian villages.

It must be assumed that the Old Russian (and, probably, Slavic) wedding was accompanied by multiple manifestations of sexuality, with the help of which people tried to induce fertility and fertility. There is a known birch bark letter from Novgorod, in which the matchmaker announces the marriage with peculiar abusive words: perhaps they are associated with the cult of Mother Earth, with whom the bride was compared. The same document mentions the old (12th century) wedding ceremony “train”.

In Slavic marriages, unusual displays of sexuality were preserved until recently in the form of “shameful” ditties. Apparently, Russian swearing has its roots in the mythological archaic layer and has long been a ritual.

Slavic love spells were also found among Novgorod birch bark letters: with their help, young men and women tried to attract the attention of their chosen one. In this way they tried to change their fate.

Rules

Slavic prayers and spells were used by our ancestors hundreds of years ago. Already in those days the power and power of the word were known, and magical rituals were constant companions of people. Many years have passed, but the spells and prayers of our ancestors are still popular today. Many people find them very effective and powerful. After all, centuries of experience have helped to improve the rituals as much as possible.

Slavic magic and conspiracies were very popular among men and women. They turned to them for help quite often. Various prayers were aimed at victory in battle, mutual love, attracting good luck, successful trade, good harvest, good health and other areas of life.

Of course, Slavic rituals and conspiracies presupposed following basic rules: before implementing any ritual, it was necessary to observe strict fasting for a couple of days. The person had to give up alcohol meat dishes and tobacco.

It is known that ancient Slavic spells are read in a whisper so that no one can hear the text, as this can negatively affect the effectiveness of the ceremony. Only a completely healthy person could perform the ritual. It was believed that if a performer with a cold casts a spell, he might get even sicker. Naturally, in this case you can forget about the effectiveness of the ritual.

The Slavs paid a lot of attention to the condition of the magician’s teeth. If he had two front teeth missing, they said he could not do strong conspiracies and spells. When a ritual was performed for someone, it was forbidden to accept payment in money. As a rule, the Slavs used food as gratitude, which from pure heart was given after the magic words began to act. Slavic prayers and conspiracies of a positive orientation were read on Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday. These days were considered easy.

Ancient Slavic conspiracies with a negative message were always ascended on Mondays and Fridays. The person who performed such rituals had to believe without reasoning in the effectiveness of witchcraft and in his own strength. The Slavs believed in the strength of spells and resorted to witchcraft in a wide variety of situations. For them, prayers and spells were a productive way to influence their personal lives, fellow tribesmen and the results of their activities.

Ritual for health

Let's consider well-known Slavic conspiracies. The protection obtained with their help is beyond doubt. A ritual for health is a magical conspiracy that is effective means from various ailments and poor health in general. The ancient Slavs used this prayer to combat various diseases. They read it in a whisper: “In a distant place, on an island beyond the sea lies white stone. Near a flammable stone stands a man, a father to three sons, the sovereign of all. He takes out his sharp knife and uses it to cut all ailments, dryness and aches. So let him cut off all the ailments and illnesses from (the person’s name), put him under a stone and lock him up. He will throw the key into the sea, forever and ever. My words are strong, only those who chew a stone with their teeth can overcome them. So be it!" Slavic prayers for health are read for seven days. Not a single day can be missed. Usually a person begins to recover after two witchcraft sessions.

Prayer for happiness

Slavic brought happiness and prosperity to people's lives. If evil fate haunted a person, he resorted to a spell to correct the situation. This prayer service is effective if its words are said at dawn: “Oh you, oh you, Most Pure Mother, Mother Lada! Don’t leave us, don’t leave us without love and happiness! Send your grace upon us, as we glorify and honor you! So be it, so be it, so be it, while the sun Yarilo shines on us!” This text is read seven times in a row. If misfortunes and troubles do not disappear, after fourteen days you can repeat the ritual.

Spell for a strong baby

Slavic rituals, conspiracies and divination were very often used to give birth to healthy babies. The birth of a new soul has always been considered almost a magical process. Therefore, for the birth of a strong baby, a prayer service is read today: “Sister sister, Mother Rozhanitsa, hear our prayers, our words. Accept bloodless gifts and grant healthy offspring to the woman in labor (woman’s name). So that our family thread will never be broken. We sing your glory and invite you into our mansions. From circle to circle, now and ever! Let it be so!”

This prayer must be repeated three times. This ritual helps a woman give birth to a strong child and makes childbirth quick.

Prayer for insomnia

Spells and spells were used to treat insomnia, which was considered a serious illness. At midnight, a prayer was read to a person who had problems sleeping, placing a hand on his head: “Knock-knock, sleep will come, and illnesses will go away. To rest soundly - to dream. Get rid of your thoughts and pass by! Rest sweetly - be healthy! Sleep (person’s name)!”

The words of the spell were repeated three times, after which the person fell asleep.

Home amulet

Even among the ancient Slavs, protecting one’s own home was considered the main occupation. And already in those days there was large number various spells and prayers to protect the house. The messages to Domovoy were considered the most effective. People thought that if they pleased him, he would protect their homes for sure. This conspiracy was read in the evening: “Brownie, grandfather, don’t sleep, watch the house so that evil people avoid it, thieves run far away! Go on patrol and protect everything!”

These words were repeated three times, after which Domovoy was always given a treat to appease him.

Ritual to protect the life of a warrior

What about conspiracies for fighters? The amulet for preserving the life of a warrior has the following lines: “Thou art a farrier, brother! You yourself are tin, and your waxed heart, your clay feet, from earth to heaven, do not bite me, you dog - thaw! We are both from the earth! If I look at you with the eyes of my brother, then your waxen heart will fear me and your legs will give way. You don’t have to pierce my chest, you don’t have to plow the earth, you don’t have to chop off heads, but you have to scare flies. Well, plow the land and measure the groves of emptiness and air space!

Magi

Since time immemorial, the Slavs have used spells and rituals, some of which we will never be able to reproduce. But we know those conspiracies that people memorized and retold to each other. They are effective, powerful, in harmony with the forces of nature, because our ancestors received energy from there. To enchant love, find what is lost, expose a liar, attract wealth - all this and much more is possible if you correctly apply Old Russian witchcraft.

Today, some stores sell a book of Slavic spells. It is in it that the magic of the Magi is described, who devoted themselves to interacting with spirits and working with the forces of nature. It is known that strong conspiracies must be pronounced wisely, since they contain enormous power that can be curbed. If you use the magical experience of your ancestors, the truth may be revealed to you.

History is silent about the fact that the Slavs used powerful spells. Previously, there were strong magicians - soothsayers of the future. They prayed to their own gods, performed blood sacrifices, and knew how to control the forces of nature. Their divination was based on secret rituals. The Magi lived far from human settlements, as they were disturbed by the bustle of the world.

Where did they get their strength? The energy of the Sun is considered the most powerful of natural energy. Sacrifices were made to this star, prayers were offered. When there were no clouds in the sky during the day, the Magi directly received energy, which they used for various purposes. Thunder and lightning - natural phenomena, carrying within themselves a formidable crushing force. Only an experienced, old sorcerer could curb them.

The earth is considered the beginning and end of everything. The Magi walked barefoot in order to constantly feel a family connection with the Mother of all things. They knew that all sincere prayers to the Earth would be heard.

Wind and water

Today, wind energy is often used by people, but in today's world the number of open spaces is decreasing, and dry winds are being squeezed into the grip of megacities and buildings. In ancient times, vortexes walked the earth without barriers, their energy could deliver spells anywhere in an instant.

It is known that the soft power of water can heal ailments, carry messages, wash away curses, and take away unhappy love. The Magi kept their rituals in the strictest confidence. If a random person saw the ritual, he could pay for it with his life.

Sieve in Russian rituals

A sieve is a household item that embodies the idea of ​​prosperity and fertility. It is associated with the motifs of rain, sun and sky. This item is used in rituals as a keeper of gifts, and is an integral part of miracles and the absurd. In folk traditional medicine it plays the role of a talisman, and in fortune telling - an oracle.

Blood in rituals

In popular belief, blood is considered the center of life, the abode of the soul, the substance of vitality. It has a variety of magical and ritual functions, primarily generating. Blood is the basis for central social concepts and institutions (blood feud (kinship, sacrifice)). Conditional substitutes for this liquid (mainly based on color) are threads, viburnum, wine, linen and other items. This substance correlates with the concept of kinship and gender.

Veda

Many people ask: “What are the Vedas of conspiracies? Slavic conspiracies - what are they? represent a circle of ancient documents of the Aryan and Slavic peoples. They include both authored and clearly dated Vedas, as well as folk tales, epics, traditions and the like transmitted orally and recorded relatively recently.

In general, Russian writings contain deep knowledge of nature and reflect human history on Earth over the past several hundred thousand years. They also contain predictions about future events for 40,176 years, that is, up to our time and another 167 years ahead.

Milk in rituals

Milk among the Slavs was one of the main types of food (along with bread), an object of mythological beliefs, protection, and the maternal secret as a genetic product was endowed with sacred meaning. Dairy kinship was protected by customary law along with other types of artificial (ritual) kinship (twinning).

Without a doubt, using the technique of the ancient Slavs, you can turn your life into a fairy tale.

Naming ceremony

The naming ceremony is carried out by priests after a person has acquired the Slavic faith. In the process of a person’s life and maturity, a name can change repeatedly depending on the person’s abilities and inclinations, his type of activity, the path on which he has set foot and is walking through life. The ritual may vary among different priests and in different communities, but its main essence always remains common - to help a person find a traditional and NATIVE Slavic name, energy-information 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 Slav woman was named from birth by the name RODNY, then this ceremony does not need to be performed. By choosing a name, we choose the Path (Fate). Accepting 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 ancestral memory. “Having heard” the name in the Spirit, the sorcerer performing the naming ceremony, or the one being named, to whom his name was “revealed,” pronounces it out loud, “connecting” the World of Revealing and the World of the Spirit. Thus, the one who names is likened to Father Svarog himself, who once created our World, and the one who is named is likened to the new world being born. You should not rush to choose a name. If there are doubts about a person’s upcoming life path, it is better to wait until clarity on this issue is gained, or to ask the will of the Native Gods. For a name born from a worldly torment is pendulum, and a name born from the Gods is Divine.

Ritual of baptism

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 rites have different purposes. When baptizing a person who has renounced, the priest helps to cleanse himself of the faith that is alien to him. When giving a name, a person is helped to find his NATIVE faith and stand under the protection and patronage of his NATIVE gods.

The person being named, stripped to the waist (or without doing so if it is winter outside), and taking with him an old shirt and three different requirements, kneels on two knees at the temple. He is placed on two knees, and not on one, because he was a “servant of God” on earth, and bore this cross throughout his life. We should not forget that it is necessary to remove the cross from the neck and leave it outside the ritual circle before the ceremony begins.

The ritual ends after the priest congratulated the person who completed the ritual on completing the ritual and opened the circle by removing the knife from the lock. The rite of baptism is carried out not only on holidays and not only at the temple, but can be performed by a 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 person being baptized and the priest. The ceremony is recommended to be carried out with three witnesses.

Wedding

Truly, a wedding is the most glorious requirement of the Family, performed in turn by each of the Russian Family, from the Slavic Tribe, who is in Health in soul and body. Truly, not to take a wife for a Slav is the same as not giving birth to children for a Slavic wife - the same as not continuing the work of your Ancestors - the same as blaspheming the Gods of your relatives and not fulfilling their will. To do the opposite is the same as dropping grain into the arable land - to live according to God's Rule - to fulfill the family's duty - to extend the Rope of the Fathers. For the duty of every person on Earth is to preserve and continue his ROD, the duty of every Rusich and Slav is to continue the Russian and Slavic ROD. The chain of generations must continue and be unbroken.

The wedding, along with birth, introduction into the ROD (age initiation) and burial, from time immemorial was revered by our Ancestors the most important event life Kolo (circle, cycle) of a person and belonged to the number of not intra-family, but general clan celebrations. For, truly, this action is not only a personal matter of the young and their closest relatives, but of the entire Earthly Clan (relatives), the Heavenly Clan (Ancestors), and the Most High Clan itself, the greatest act - the True Tribal Unity, the implementation of the Tribal Will, and the True Tribal Glorification .

The wedding is usually preceded by: matchmaking, bridesmaids, collusion (during which they finally agree on the size of the dowry) and betrothal, and there are also other actions, for example, kidnapping (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, representing a happy life, prosperity in the family and home.

Housewarming

The beginning of house construction among the ancient Slavs was associated with a whole complex of ritual actions and rituals that prevented possible opposition from evil spirits. The most dangerous period was considered to be moving to a new hut and starting life in it. It was assumed that " evil spirits"will strive 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 methods 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 overnight, 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 goosebumps climbed into it, the place was considered happy. When choosing a safe place for construction, they often first released the cow and waited for it to lie on the ground. The place where she lay down was considered good for a future home. And in some places, the future owner had to collect four stones from different fields and lay them out on the ground in the form of a quadrangle, inside which he placed a hat on the ground and read the spell. After this, it was necessary to wait three days, and if the stones remained untouched, then the place was considered well chosen. Belarusians have a popular belief that a house should under no circumstances be built on disputed land, because this could bring curses from the loser of the dispute and then the new owner of such land would not see happiness forever. It should also be noted that the house was never built on the site where human bones were found or where someone cut an arm or leg.

Tonsured

Tonsure (tonsuring) is a Slavic Vedic rite consisting of cutting the hair of a child of seven years of age, as a sign of the transition from the care of the mother to the care of the father, from the care of the deities Lely and Polel, Perun and Lada. The ritual was preserved in Poland until the 14th century. In Rus', there has long been a custom of cutting the hair of male children for the first time - tonsure for power and protection (obsolete - tonsure).

The tonsure is usually carried out in the morning in sunny weather. Characters: Magus (Priest, Elder); squire (for the Rusichs - governor); father; mother; son-junak (initiated); gudkovtsy (musicians) and singers (choral); participants and guests (relatives and friends).

The following ritual objects and elements must be present at the ceremony: breastband; sign of the elder (hryvnia); breviary, stool for a young initiate; scissors on the tray held by the Voivode; a white shirt or Slavic shirt for a yunak (initiate); The fire that the Magus (Priest) kindles; a “male” gift for a tonsured man, in the hands of his father; buzzers ( musical instruments); cups for honey and other ritual utensils.

All participants in the ceremony stand throughout the entire ceremony. Yunak in a white shirt sits on a stool near the sacred Fire. The elder, having put on a bandage, opens it solemnly and reads the words from the breviary.

Yunak sits on a stool, the elder takes scissors from the tray, cuts off a bunch of hair with them and puts them to the Fire. Yunak gets up, the elder (Magic) 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 the elder’s sign, everyone stands up and sings the anthem to the music.

Caroling

The origin of the ritual of caroling goes back to ancient times. Even in Vedic times, several times a year, the Slavs cast a spell against evil spirits. This ritual, both before and after the adoption of Christianity in Rus', was timed to coincide with the Yuletide period and the great holiday of Kolyada. It consisted of groups of carolers (glorifiers), consisting mainly of teenagers, going from house to house. Each group carried a six- or eight-pointed star glued from silver paper on a stick (pole). 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 fur bearer, carrying a bag for collecting gifts and gifts.

The carolers walked around the houses of their fellow villagers in a certain order, calling themselves “difficult guests”, bringing the owner of the house the good news of the birth of a new Sun - Kolyada. The arrival of carolers in Rus' was taken very seriously, they gladly accepted all the dignifications and wishes, and tried, if possible, to generously reward them. The “difficult guests” put the gifts in a bag and went to the next house. In large villages and hamlets, five to ten groups of carolers came to each house. Caroling was known throughout Rus', but was distinguished by its local originality.

Masquerading is typically recognized as a Yuletide amusement. The meaning of the ritual action is to change one’s appearance so that evil spirits do not recognize and fool or frighten others with their comic appearance. The carolers dressed up as bears, parsleys, devils, as well as old men and women; sledding down the mountain, throwing snowballs at a target, preparing a delicious table, going to gatherings in the evening to have fun and look after the bride or groom. The mummers danced, tumbled, and spoke in squeaky voices. Whole bands of mummers walked from hut to hut, sometimes from village to village.

Bro

Bratina is an integral part of many community holidays, games, rituals and feasts. The priest and his assistants (obavniks and obavnitsy) dispose of it at the festival. It is made of wood (most often linden). It comes in a round shape with two handles. It is painted with carved Slavic ornament and symbolism. The capacity is up to a liter. At the beginning, it is always salted (according to the Sun, clockwise) so that people can quench their thirst and glorify the gods in unity, while observing the order. This develops a sense of community and unites people in the cause. What should the priest give importance to during the initiation. The unity of people in the Slavic spirit is one of the goals of all Vedic holidays. If you want, sip it and pass it on, if you want, drink it to the bottom, since the thirst is great, but respect for the brother herself in the circle must be shown so that the drink is not interrupted. And how you do this is your concern. It is poured into the bratina, depending on the essence of the ritual: kvass made by the hands of the community, or fermented surya with honey, or aged surya with milk and herbs, or fine wine, or intoxicating beer. At the same time, it is necessary to remember that it does not lie in the strength of degrees, but in the strength of unity, initiated by our brothers. Preparing 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 celebrations of our Ancestors. Translated from Old Russian, “bratchina” means a feast organized by pooling, that is, a communal festive feast. Folk feasts, known as “bratchina”, remained almost unchanged from ancient times until the beginning of the 20th century. Russian brotherhood was often combined with major annual holidays, timed to coincide with the end of the harvest, as well as the days of veneration of the supreme Deities of the Slavic Vedic pantheon.

The rite of brotherhood is now being restored approximately as follows: a day of brotherhood is appointed and an elder-celebrant is chosen; Contributions are collected to purchase food for the common table; the necessary ritual drinks are prepared (kvass, wine, beer, surya; all drinks are strictly non-alcoholic, only surya had a weak degree of fermentation, but it was only allowed to drink by husbands who had fulfilled their duty to the family, 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 location for the brotherhood. 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, and songwriters. Guests are seated at the gathering in strict order, at different tables: “front”, “middle”, “roundabout”. The principle of placement could have a different basis: based on merit to the community or based on age. The buffoons in the epics sat behind the stove, and it was only by the skill of their playing that it was determined whether to move them to a more honorable place. At the brotherhood, three row cups were required to be drunk, that is, the brothers walked strictly in a row of those sitting at the table; the rest did not have to drink. At the brotherhood feasts, various issues were discussed; apparently, the composition of the participants in the feast depended on this. The feast could last for several hours in a row - a day, two, three days, twelve days and even a month. Bones of eaten animals, wax and clay bread and other offerings were buried, drowned in water or burned. Bloodless sacrifices (requirements; more on 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.

Bath ritual

The bath ceremony should always begin with a greeting to the Master of the Bath, or the spirit of the bath - Bannik. This greeting is also a kind of conspiracy, a conspiracy of the space and environment in which the bath ceremony will be carried out. This is setting up a given environment in a certain way. Such an attunement can also occur either according to a pre-prepared spell - a greeting, or according to one born spontaneously right at the entrance to the steam room.

Usually, immediately after reading such a greeting spell, a ladle of hot water is applied to the heater and the steam rising from the heater is evenly distributed in a circular motion of 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. At the top there are hotter, drier and lighter layers of air - steam, and the lower, the layers of steam become colder, wetter and heavier. And if you do not mix these layers with each other and create a steam space in the steam room that is uniform in temperature and humidity, then such steam will be perceived as “heavy”. It is difficult because the head will heat up and the legs will cool down, and the whole body will remain in different temperature and humidity layers, in layers of different pressure. All this will create a feeling of disunity and fragmentation in the body, and will be perceived as a feeling of heaviness.

Star Bridge

The traditional ancient Slavic funeral (funeral) rite is called the “Star Bridge”, also the “Kalinov Bridge” - a bridge between the world of the living and the world of the dead, in other words - a bridge between Reality and Navya, after passing through which a person’s soul enters the “other world”. The legends of the Slavic peoples mention a wonderful bridge, which only the souls of kind, courageous, honest and just 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 Great-Vedas, the Testaments of the Gods) easily pass along it and end up in Iriy the Light. Deceivers, scoundrels, rapists and murderers (this does not mean the murderers of the enemies of the Slavic Family, but murderers who committed crimes for selfish motives and evil 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 both a lot of good and a lot of evil in this life are invited to undergo tests, however, they are different for everyone, so we will not write about it.

During the 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 (Revelation and Navi), after which the body of the deceased was placed on a funeral theft (“If anyone dies, I will punish him , and therefore I steal great things." Krada is a funeral pyre among the Slavs (the Slavic word “krada” means sacrificial fire). The fire is laid out in the form of a rectangle, the height of a person’s shoulders or higher. The domovina (coffin) is made in the form of a rook, a boat, and the bow of the “rook” is placed at sunset. The inside of the krak is stuffed with flammable straw and branches. The deceased is dressed all in white, covered with a white blanket, gifts (gifts) and funeral food are placed in the house. The deceased should lie with his feet facing west. The thief is set on fire by an elder or a Magus (Priest), naked to the waist and standing with his back to the krada.

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; funeral feast. Initially, the trinitsa consisted of an extensive ritual complex of bloodless sacrifices, war games, songs, dances and ceremonies in honor of the deceased, mourning, lamentations and a funeral feast both before and after the burning. After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', the funeral feast was preserved for a long time in the form of funeral songs and feasts, and later this ancient Vedic term was replaced by the name “wake”. During sincere prayer for the dead, in the souls of those who pray, a deep feeling of unity with the Family and Ancestors always appears, which directly testifies to our constant connection with them. This ritual helps to find peace of mind living and dead, promotes their beneficial interaction and mutual assistance.

Trizna is the glorification of the Native Gods, dedicated to the remembrance of a deceased relative. This service affirms the eternal victory of Life over Death through unity three worlds in Triglav of the Family of the Almighty. The word “trizna” itself is an abbreviation of the phrase: “Triglav (three worlds) to know,” that is, to know about the commonality of the three levels of existence (Nav, Yav, Rule) and fulfill the sacred duty of supporting communication between generations, regardless of the location of the Ancestors. During this ritual, greatness, justice and mercy are glorified Slavic Gods, and also the exploits and righteous deeds of the glorious Knights, Bogatyrs and Ancestors of ours, who died defending the Native Land and the Slavic Family, are glorified. 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 - the NATIVE, as well as to give the opportunity to deceased relatives, in the world of Navi, to correct all the wrong they have done (if any) and get a decent life (to be reborn again ) in Yavi.

Harvest

Harvest is one of the main periods of the agricultural cycle. In the cycle of rituals that accompanied the harvest, its beginning (zazhinki) and end (harvest, dozhinki, spozhinki) are especially distinguished.

An extensive complex of rites 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 rituals (requirements) were carried out to thank mother earth for the long-awaited harvest. With the help of magical actions, the ritual participants sought to restore fertility to the land, ensuring the next year's harvest. In addition, the ritual had a practical significance: the reapers needed a certain break from work.

To begin the harvest, the main thing was considered right choice“zazhinschitsy”, a reaper who was famous for her health, strength, dexterity, agility, and “light hand”; the knife was never entrusted to a pregnant woman (popularly called “heavy”); she was forbidden to even watch how they reaped, so that the Harvest would not be “hard.” The woman elected at the general meeting prepared for the dinner with special care: she washed the altar, benches, and table in the house, and covered it with a tablecloth in order to worthily receive the first handful of harvested ears of grain. Then she washed herself, put on a clean white shirt and went to the field in the evening. In order for the harvest to go quickly and successfully, the worker walked to the place of work at a fast pace and without stopping; Having arrived at the field, she immediately took off her outer clothing and began to reap; After work I hurriedly returned home. Sometimes the harvest took place in secret: the harvester tried to go unnoticed to her field, and when she returned home, it became known in the village that the harvest had taken place, and the next morning all the owners began to reap.

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 on the spiritual level of two warriors (as a rule) with the help of an oath of allegiance (breaking which a person dies spiritually) and blood (which has long been revered as the bearer of the human soul). The warriors swore never to betray, to be faithful to death, and to stand by each other to the end in battle. This ritual is especially necessary to strengthen the Army of the ROD and strengthen family-tribal ties and relations between representatives of the same people.

If two glorious men decide to fraternize in blood, having thought it over carefully and not thinking about retreating, they will notify the Magus of the community or their Voivode or elder about this, so that he can testify to both the oath and the ritual of the river. The men will stand opposite each other in front of the fire, and the Magus will stand next to them. And the men cut their left hands (the veins), each by himself and with one knife, red-hot in fire, or each with his own. The blood streams are poured into a bowl of hops and mixed into a single drink, and the wounds are brought tightly to one another. Then the Magus performing the ritual begins his speech. After which the Magus gives half of the cup to each spoken brother to drink, after which the blood brothers must hug tightly, thereby cementing their blood brotherhood.

Funeral of the flies

In traditional Russian culture, the ritual of burying flies and cockroaches is also known; the fly is a participant in the autumn rituals of the calendar cycle. The ritual of funerals and driving out flies looks especially interesting. This ritual attracted the attention of researchers back in the 19th century. Writer and ethnographer S.V. Maksimov described the custom of burying flies in the north of Russia (in the eastern regions of the Vologda region). This custom was called "amusing". The ethnographic material recorded by Maksimov looks like this: “Funerals are held by girls, for which they cut out small coffins from turnips, rutabaga or carrots. A handful of caught flies are put in these coffins, they are closed and with playful solemnity (and sometimes with crying and lamentations), they are taken out from the hut to be buried. At the same time, during the removal, someone must drive the flies out of the hut with a “hand pick” or a towel and say: “Fly after fly, fly to bury the flies” or “Flies, you are flies, mosquito friends, it’s time to die. Eat a fly, and eat the last one." Maksimov notes that the details of the ritual are the same everywhere, however, "in some places, instead of rukoternik, they advise driving out flies with your pants, 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's day, but also on the Autumn Serpentine (Elevation), and on Pokrov, and on some other holidays." The meaning of the ritual was not only to destroy and drive out insects from peasant huts, but also in the fact that during the “fly funeral” the girls arranged shows for themselves, trying to show their merits in front of the spectators who had gathered to watch the ritual, especially the guys who They were looking out for brides. autumn time weddings; It was not for nothing that it was believed that from Semyon Day until the end of November were wedding weeks.

Living fire

Not a single Slavic rite or holiday is complete without fire, or rather, without lighting sacred bonfires and stealing. Often these fires are lit with the help of all sorts of obscenities such as lighters and gasoline, as well as oil and matches. All this is good, of course, but you can ignite the fire in another way - with Living Fire. The meaning of this ritual is to kindle a fire, to create it with your own with my own hands, to feel unity with this great element and the God of Fire - Simargl, as well as our Ancestors. However, you can feel the difference between a fire lit with matches and a fire lit with your own hands.

As a child, everyone probably noticed that when iron hits a stone, sparks fly, and today’s lighters use this same method. Most suitable stone Flint is used to produce sparks. It’s easy to get it, since nowadays stones are not uncommon. 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 that is used to strike flint to create sparks. This piece of iron, if necessary (if it is of an awkward shape), can be fastened to a handle, for example, with a piece of good steel, a piece of a file, etc. However, for this you may need a blacksmith. Now try tapping the flint with a hammer. You need to take the flint in your hand and place it on some surface. Since we will have to make a fire in the forest, we will place it on the ground. We take the hammer with the other hand and try to hit the flint, but we should hit it casually. The flint will begin to throw sparks... This, in fact, is how our Ancestors-Ancestors extracted Living Fire in this simple way.

Consecration

A careful consecration should be carried out only on bright holidays, when the fury of the Gods on earth prevails, during the daytime, at the end of the rite, unless the consecration itself was intended for the rite. The sacredness of private amulets can be carried out at any ceremony and on any day, as well as on holidays. This action must be performed in front of the churs (drops) of the Gods at the temple (sanctuary), God's stone, holy tree or source, in front of a large or small fire, or turning towards the rising of the Red Sun. All that is one sacred thing. The purchased amulet is collected into a towel and placed in front of the ground or the required stone, while the rose one is accepted from the owner from hand to hand and placed on a stone, altar, shield, towel or anything else other than on the ground. With all this, it is also possible to consecrate other things to which they wish to give strength - weapons, jewelry and all kinds of utensils. And if there is a basis for this, then they draw a holy knife around the towel with the amulet, closing it in a stake. It is also necessary to cleanse the amulet with five articles, on which the light is white from the very beginning. And those articles: water, which shows Veles’s power; earth (or grain) - the power of Mother Lada; fire - Svarog's fortress; iron (knife or ax blade) - Perun Vlad; the air is the Stribozhya Yar (and others say that this is the strength of the Yazhe-Snake, the Ruler of the Underground).

Parting

The rite of farewell to the chur is carried out by the Magi in the event of a desecration of the chur, if it is severely damaged and cannot be restored - it is severely burned, chopped up or sawed down. Also in some other cases, when the chur for some reason has become unusable. If the damage can be eliminated, then it is eliminated, and this ritual is not performed. This ritual is partly borrowed Orthodox Christianity in relation to decayed or burnt icons. A special and rare case is a lightning strike. Such damage (even severe ones) is under no circumstances corrected, but is 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, virtually absent), then the chur should be buried by fire (but not of God, whose image it was). Also in case 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 carried out solemnly, but not festively and without the participation of guests.

Fortune telling

IN in a general sense fortune telling was understood as a set of ritually arranged actions aimed at finding out the future, clarifying how beneficial life-giving and deadening forces relate to a person and his life path. Magical 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 the veneration of faceless “living” forces to personification and deification. Initially, people revered the elements and forces of nature themselves: 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, the “works and days” of a person, his fate, mental state, illnesses: Avsen, Maslenitsa, Brownie, Bannik, Polevik, Share, Fever and others.

The purpose of most fortune-telling was the desire to obtain answers to questions about the life, health, death of family members, about the weather, harvest, livestock offspring, bird breeding, honey production of bees, about wealth and poverty, about the fate of absent relatives; about the causes and outcome of the disease, about whether the purchased livestock will survive, about where and when to build new home 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 fortune telling about 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.

Treba

The requirement is a gift from grateful descendants to their Highest Parents, in other words, a bloodless sacrifice to the Native Gods. The World is united by demand. You must bring the demand, having cleared your heart of everything unnecessary - not in anger, not in rage, not blinded by the empty torment. Anyone who brings demands to the Gods only to achieve some worldly goals dooms his soul to oblivion, arriving in pendulum and blaspheming the Native Gods. For the Gods are our parents on high and give us everything we really need, and to beg from them for unnecessary trinkets (for example, money) is to offend them, and to fall face down in the dirt. Therefore, demands must be brought with a pure heart and with good intentions - Glorifying the Gods for their generous gifts. It must be said that when we bring the demand to the Gods, we not only thank the Gods of our relatives with gifts, we do not bring a piece of ourselves along with these gifts, burning everything that has become obsolete in Fire in order to unite with the Power of God. Because you cannot get anything without giving something. This is the essence of the demand (sacrifice).

People who know that certain demands are brought to certain Gods at special times, in special places. Each God has his own time when his power is most fully manifested in the Revealed, and at this time this God must be glorified and demands made. Deeds are performed for the Light Gods during daylight hours and Kologod (spring and summer), for the Navim Gods - at night or at dusk, in winter and autumn. For the Light Gods, bringing their needs, the movement is performed in the direction of salting (along the Sun, clockwise), for the Naval gods - in the opposite direction (against the Sun, counterclockwise).

For centuries, all events in the life of the Slavs are closely connected with their rituals and rites: from the birth of a person until his death. Unity with nature and the gods is the basis of such traditions. Each ritual or rite carries a deep meaning and has a specific purpose. Respecting such a historical heritage is a matter of honor and pride for every Slav. Therefore, at present, many representatives of this nationality are trying to observe the preserved traditions.

Birth rituals

Slavic rituals begin from the very birth of a person and accompany him throughout his life. The very first rituals are intended to protect the baby from evil spirits, to introduce him to living nature with a request for its protection. Depending on the sex of the child at the time of his birth, his father's or mother's shirt served as his first diaper.

When a boy was born, an arrow or an ax was used to cut the umbilical cord. In order for the born girl to later become a needlewoman, her umbilical cord was cut on a spindle.

Naming

Among the Slavic peoples, the naming ceremony is intended to ensure that a person has a name. Because it depends on the name itself further fate and human well-being, the Slavs approached this ritual with special care. Characteristic feature naming is the fact that until the age of twelve, all children were called the word “child”. As the ancestors of the Slavs believed, a child under twelve years of age is not capable of being responsible for his actions, so he was not called by name. At this age, children underwent a naming ritual.

This ritual was performed by a priest who introduced the child into a meditative state, allowing the “child” to decide for himself about his destiny in life. future life. If the child was unable to interpret the images he saw, then the priest had to meditate with the child. Depending on the purpose discovered during the meditation process, the child was given two names. One of them (general) was his personal name, and the second (true or secret) was known only by the priest and the child.

Wedding

In ancient times, all the boys and girls, reaching mature age, and with the consent of the parents they arranged a wedding. This ritual meant for the girl that she was passing into her husband’s family and taking his surname. After the wedding, the wife calls her husband's parents dad and mom. According to the wedding ritual, the groom must carry the bride into the house in his arms. This means that the wife, upon entering the family, becomes one of her own.

The fact that white dress considered a symbol of the bride's purity and modesty is incorrect. This outfit is considered mourning for a girl leaving her clan. Ancient Slavic brides used a thick scarf as a veil, which completely covered their face. This is due to the fact that until the end of the celebration, the bride’s face must be covered from prying eyes. Throughout the wedding, the newlyweds held hands through the cloth.

Unlike modern weddings, many sad songs were sung at such ancient Slavic rituals. The reason for the bride's sadness during the ceremony was the realization that she was moving to another clan, leaving her own. After the wedding, a young Slavic wife was forbidden to braid one braid, which was a sign of girlish beauty. A married woman had to hide her hair under a headscarf.

Divination

The ritual of fortune telling is a whole series of special actions using various objects in order to find out your future. At the same time, it is possible to find out how living and dead forces relate to the fortuneteller’s way of life.

Most fortune telling is aimed at obtaining the main answers related to a person’s life: about the health of family members, the harvest, the weather, the household and the fate of relatives. Questions were asked about such natural elements as the sun, water, fire, air and earth.

Housewarming

The construction of a new house began with the selection of a suitable and safe location. To do this, they released the cow and watched where she lay down. Such a place was considered the most suitable for the construction of a future home.

After completion of construction, the first to enter the new house was a cat or a rooster in order to deceive the evil spirits. Following the animals, the owners entered with an icon, bread and salt. The best time to move in was considered to be night, when the evil spirits rest.

In every Slavic home, the brownie was considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Leaving the old home, the owner invited the brownie to move with his family to a new house, inviting him to climb into an open bag. At the new place, greeting the brownie, the hostess cut off a slice of bread and left it under the stove. The brownie was also invited to the barn so that the cattle would take root in the new place.

Caroling

A ritual such as caleding has its origins in ancient times. The pagans used this ritual to conjure evil spirits, performing it several times a year. And Christians dedicated this ritual to the Christmas period. During it, groups of teenagers went from house to house and sang carols, carrying a six-pointed star with them.

The text of the carols expressed wishes to the owners for a rich harvest, health, happiness, and abundant offspring of livestock. The hospitable hosts generously thanked the singers, giving them pastries, sweets, food, and money.

Harvest

During the ripening period of cereals, the Slavs performed rituals associated with the harvest. The purpose of such rituals was to express gratitude generous land for the harvest.

This tradition had both magical and practical significance. The first sheaf was called the birthday boy, and the right to reap it, tie it with a ribbon and place it under the icons was given to the eldest woman in the family. After the harvest was over, the sheaf was given to the animals to eat.

Funeral rite

The fact of death among the ancient Slavs meant the transition of the deceased to another world, invisible to the living. For life in the afterlife, they tried to provide the deceased with food, money, jewelry, dishes, weapons, putting all this with him in the grave. Before burial, the deceased was subjected to a ritual of purification and remembrance. To win over the deceased, his relatives left food and alcoholic drinks. On the memorial day, separate dishes intended for the deceased were placed on the table.

The relatives of the deceased, taking a steam bath for the first time after the funeral, invited the deceased to their place for the first steam. To do this, they brought a set of clean linen and a separate broom to the bathhouse. The most suitable day for a funeral was considered Friday, which is also called Mokoshi Day. In general, any ritual in honor of the deceased is also called Trizna. This ritual represents the glorification of the Gods so that they accept the soul of a deceased relative.

Trizna is based on a ritual in which qualities such as mercy and justice, as well as the greatness of the Slavic Gods, are glorified. In addition, glorious deeds can be glorified folk heroes, who defended their native land from the encroachments of enemies. In every appeal of the living to the Gods, there is a request to give a worthy life in the kingdom of the dead, as well as to forgive all earthly sins. Today, most of the ancient Slavic traditions have been preserved, which have acquired a modern interpretation.

In this article:

In Rus', pagan beliefs were widespread. 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 minds of the Russian people. However, Christianity never managed to completely destroy Slavic paganism, and in a modified form it has survived to this day.

Today pagan beliefs and related ones magical rituals are becoming increasingly popular among ordinary people. The rituals of the Slavs were very diverse, but they were all based on the worship of the Gods of nature, which Christianity equated with demons.

Our ancestors worshiped nature and the basic elements; they sincerely believed in the kinship of man with animals and the Gods. Each Slavic community in Rus' 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 rituals

Our ancestors had a huge number of different rituals, as they say, for all occasions. But special attention The Slavs paid special attention to burial rites. On the territory of Rus' there were two main methods of burial: burning and corpse placement. Everything is clear with the burning ritual; it is still used by people today in the form of cremation. Corpse deposition is the oldest type of burial used by the Slavs. It involved giving the human body the position of an embryo in the mother's womb.

This ritual was associated with the belief that after death a person experiences a rebirth. 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 ascends to heaven to the Gods. To help the soul free itself from its corporeal 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.

Yuletide festivities

Many Slavic rituals were associated with various holidays, which were revered by various communities and tribes. Christmastide was considered one of the most revered holidays; at this time, people dressed up in animal-like clothes and danced and had 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 Nativity of the Virgin Mary, they celebrated the holiday of all women in labor.

Paganism and modernity

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

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

Brownie

Pagan rituals

Pagan Slavic magical rituals are an integral and very important part folk traditions. Many witchcraft rituals were timed to coincide with various holidays, and they could only be held at strictly defined times. Magic was most often used at housewarmings, after a 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.

As higher powers could act as Gods and natural spirits, as well as the souls of departed ancestors and various mythological creatures. 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. The 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 the Gods and Souls of the Glorious Ancestors live. The human world must be in harmony with other worlds.

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

Pagan love spell

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

Phenomena such as the loud croaking of a raven, 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 ritual. To do this, go with your two closest friends to a clearing in the forest, light a small fire there and place a pot on it. In this pot you need to boil the water collected from the spring, throw in a rowan leaf, 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 into a clean field, a wide field. On my way I will meet a bright fire and a violent wind. I bow to (name), fire and wind. I will bow low, to the ground itself. I will bow low, and I will ask tearfully:
“Here you are, there is fire, there is a violent wind, and there is fast water. You do not water the green meadows, you do not sink ships in the blue sea, but serve me (name). Do a faithful service, a great service, take out of me the bitter melancholy, the weeping dryness. Carry my melancholy through the forests, but don’t lose me along the way, carry me through the rapids, but don’t let me drop you, carry me across the seas, but don’t drown me. Bring it to my water, and put melancholy into this water, so that melancholy will burn in it day and night. Let this water burn the white chest, let it dry the zealous heart of the one who drinks this water. So that he yearns for the one who will bring him this water. My word is strong. So be it."

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

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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 held, build 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 read the spell:

“I conjure (name), you, mighty forces, the forces that are hidden in the tears of mother earth. I conjure you, the forces that have been collected in centuries of antiquity. I conjure you, the powers that rule over human destiny. I collect (name), moonlight, the whistle of the wind, the whisper of grass, the twinkling of stars, my love and maternal tenderness. I will put everything collected into this water, into the water of the curse, into the water of the curse. I conjure (name), you, Dennitsa, weave for me, braid two threads of fate into one thread, so that the knot is powerful, so that it will last for a lifetime. Tie me threads not to death, but to the love of a strong maiden and a good fellow. I conjure (name). You Mother Goddess. May the grandmothers who give birth, the grandmothers who give birth, help me, help me, protect me from dangers. No one can unravel a braided knot. No one can make one fate go back two, except me alone. I will weave that knot myself, I will unravel it myself, as I wish. So be it."

After this, the performers must pass the charmed water from hand to hand and read the words of the spell eight more times. For the ritual to work. You need to leave a good sacrifice for the Goddess, for example, the fur of a wolf and one chicken. Now the performers must prick their fingers and drop one drop of blood onto the damp ground. Cover the water with a white canvas, extinguish the fires and, without looking back, return home.

This is a very powerful magical ritual that allows you to create love water that is extremely effective. With its help, you can make absolutely any man fall in love with you, while the target will not lose his individuality.

Since ancient times, pagan beliefs were widespread in Rus', placing the relationship between man and nature above all else. People believed and worshiped various Gods, spirits and other creatures. And of course, this faith was accompanied by countless rituals, holidays and sacred events, the most interesting and unusual of which we have collected in this collection.

1. Naming.

Our ancestors took the choice of a name very seriously. It was believed that a name is both a talisman and a person’s destiny. A person’s naming ceremony could occur several times during his life. The first time a newborn baby is named is done by the father. At the same time, everyone understands that this name is temporary, for children. During initiation, when the child turns 12 years old, a naming ceremony is performed, during which the priests old faith washing away their old childhood names in the sacred waters. The name was also changed during life: for girls getting married, or for warriors on the verge of life and death, or when a person did something supernatural, heroic or outstanding.

The naming ceremony for young men took place only in flowing water (river, stream). Girls could undergo this ritual both in flowing water and in still water (lake, creek), or in Temples, Sanctuaries and other places. The ritual was performed as follows: the person to be named takes a wax candle in his right hand. After the words spoken by the priest in a state of trance, the person being named must plunge his head into the water, holding a burning candle above the water. Little children entered the sacred waters, and nameless, renewed, pure and immaculate people emerged, ready to receive adult names from the priests, beginning a completely new independent life, in accordance with the laws of the ancients heavenly gods and their births.

2. Bath ritual.

The bath ceremony should always begin with a greeting to the Master of the Bath, or the spirit of the bath - Bannik. This greeting is also a kind of conspiracy, a conspiracy of the space and environment in which the bath ceremony will be carried out. Usually, immediately after reading such a greeting spell, a ladle of hot water is applied to the heater and the steam rising from the heater is evenly distributed in a circular motion of a broom or towel throughout the steam room. This is the creation of light steam. And in the bathhouse the bath broom was called the master, or the largest (the most important), from century to century they repeated: “The bath broom is older than the king, if the king takes a steam bath”; “The broom is the boss of everyone in the bathhouse”; "There's a broom in the bathhouse more expensive than money"; “A bathhouse without a broom is like a table without salt.”

3. 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 dead and a funeral feast. Initially, the trinitsa consisted of an extensive ritual complex of sacrifices, war games, songs, dances and ceremonies in honor of the deceased, mourning, lamentations and a memorial feast both before and after the burning. After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', the funeral feast was preserved for a long time in the form of funeral songs and feasts, and later this ancient pagan term was replaced by the name “wake”. During sincere prayer for the dead, a deep feeling of unity with the family and ancestors always appears in the souls of those who pray, which directly testifies to our constant connection with them. This ritual helps to find peace of mind for the living and the dead, promotes their beneficial interaction and mutual assistance.

4. Unlocking the ground.

According to legend, Yegoriy the Spring possesses magic keys with which he unlocks the spring land. In many villages, rituals were held during which the saint was asked to “open” the land - to give fertility to the fields, to protect livestock. The ritual action itself looked something like this. First, they chose a guy called “Yury”, gave him a lit torch, decorated him with greenery and put a round pie on his head. Then the procession, headed by “Yury,” went around the winter fields three times. After which they made a fire and asked a prayer to the saint.

In some places, women lay naked on the ground, saying: “As we roll across the field, let the bread grow into a tube.” Sometimes a prayer service was held, after which all those present rode in the winter fields so that the grain would grow well. Saint George released dew onto the ground, which was considered healing “from seven ailments and from the evil eye.” Sometimes people rode along the “St. George’s Dew” to get health, it was not without reason that they wished: “Be healthy, like St. George’s Dew!” This dew was considered beneficial for the sick and infirm, and about the hopeless they said: “Shouldn’t they go out to St. George’s dew?” On the day of Yegor the Spring, the blessing of water on rivers and other sources was performed in many places. This water was sprinkled on crops and pastures.

5. Start of construction of the house.

The beginning of house construction among the ancient Slavs was associated with a whole complex of ritual actions and rituals that prevented possible opposition from evil spirits. The most dangerous period was considered to be moving to a new hut and starting life in it. 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. Sometimes a cast iron pot with a spider was placed on the site. And if he began to weave a web overnight, 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 goosebumps climbed into it, the place was considered happy. When choosing a safe place for construction, they often first released the cow and waited for it to lie on the ground. The place where she lay down was considered good for a future home. And in some places, the future owner had to collect four stones from different fields and lay them out on the ground in the form of a quadrangle, inside which he placed a hat on the ground and read the spell. After this, it was necessary to wait three days, and if the stones remained untouched, then the place was considered well chosen. It should also be noted that the house was never built on the site where human bones were found or where someone cut an arm or leg.

6. Mermaid week.

According to popular belief, the entire week before Trinity, mermaids were on earth, settling in forests, groves and living not far from people. The rest of the time they stayed at the bottom of reservoirs or underground. It was believed that the dead became mermaids unbaptized babies, girls who died of their own free will, as well as those who died before marriage or during pregnancy. The image of a mermaid with a fish tail instead of legs was first described in literature. The restless souls of the dead, returning to earth, could destroy the growing grain, send disease to livestock, and harm the people themselves and their economy.

These days, it was unsafe for people to spend a lot of time in the fields and go far from home. It was not allowed to go into the forest alone or swim (this was of a special nature). Even livestock was not allowed out to pasture. During Trinity Week, women tried not to do their daily household chores in the form of washing clothes, sewing, weaving and other work. The whole week was considered festive, so they organized general festivities, dances, danced in round dances, mummers in mermaid costumes sneaked up on the gape, frightened and tickled them.

7. Funeral rites.

The funeral customs of the ancient Slavs, especially the Vyatichi, Radimichi, Severians, and Krivichi, are described in detail by Nestor. They performed a funeral feast over the deceased - they showed their strength in military games, equestrian competitions, songs, dances in honor of the deceased, made sacrifices, and burned the body on a large bonfire - stealing. Among the Krivichi and Vyatichi, the ashes were placed in an urn and placed on a pillar in the vicinity of roads in order to support the warlike spirit of the people - not to be afraid of death and immediately get used to the idea of ​​​​the perishability of human life. A pillar is a small funeral house, a log house, a house. Such houses survived in Russia until the beginning of the 20th century. As for the Kyiv and Volyn Slavs, from ancient times they buried the dead in the ground. Special ladders woven from belts were buried along with the body.

An interesting addition about the funeral rite of the Vyatichi can be found in the story of an unknown traveler, set out in one of Rybakov’s works. “When someone dies among them, their corpse is burned. Women, when they have a dead person, scratch their hands and faces with a knife. When the deceased is burned, they indulge in noisy fun, expressing joy at the mercy shown to him by God.”