Slavic

Romuva- the Old Baltic Religion

Lithuanian folklore as a source of Baltic religion: the fire ritual
by Inija Trinkuniene

Presented at the First International Gathering and Conference of Elders of Ancient Traditions and Cultures in Mumbay, India.
Presentation sponsored by the Infinity Foundation.

Baltic religion is based on local mythology, folklore and ethnic heritage. The heritage of different ethnic and linguistic groups in Lithuania is rich, full of holiness and faith. This faith survived in many forms, regardless efforts of the Christian Church, until these times: nation's traditions, songs, language and morals.

Romuva – Old Baltic religion – is the revival of the Baltic spiritual tradition that expresses the religious world concept of Old Europe and the Indo-Europeans. This culture survived in many national cultures of the Baltic region. Historically, in the Middle Ages, Romuva was one of the last important European Pagan temples. Today, the place is located in the Kaliningrad region, formerly known as East Prussia, and originally – the ancient Baltic Prusa. Besides the central Romuva, there were many local Romuvas that thrived in the wide region of the Baltic.

The goal of the Romuva movement is reviving and continuing the ancient Lithuanian faith.

Dainos (chants) in Romuva rituals

In Romuva's worship rituals, Dainos (chants) play a special part, and like other traditional customs and symbols they take on holiness, power and meaning. Daina – song, to the Baltic nations has always been the most important means of spiritual expression. Balts, a land of songs, have their own holy scripture – songs "dainos". Our kinsmen, the aryans, in their holy text the "Avesta", use the word "daena", just as the word daina, song, of the same origin, – its meaning – "faith, inner essence and the spiritual me". Daina, song is life giving to the essence of man and shows man's vitality. Old and young, men and women, all sang while working, merry making and grieving. Songs have been handed down from one generation to another as the greatest treasure, as the eternal fire.

Romuva rituals are often begun with a special type of song called sutartine. A Sutartine is a uniquely Baltic type of polyphonic canon, which produces unusual harmonies. It is a genre of ritualistic chants that often contains mystical texts, with archaic symbolism. Sometimes they include strange words of incantation, such as dobylio, tuta, lylio, chuta, chutyta, sadula, gadula. The manning of these words is not always known.

Holiness, worshipping ancestors – moral principles of faith

Holiness – is that unnamed vital power and spiritual strength, which occurs in people and nature. Baltic traditions preserved the ancient concept of holiness which differs considerably from the Christian concept. Holy are the rivers, springs, trees, stones and others – all part of the ancient prechristian legacy, connected primarily with nature and not so much with the people. The mysterious, creative strength is personified so that through visible feeling and understanding, it shapes man to draw him nearer to divinity.

God, the creator, as written by famous Lithuanian historian S.Daukantas, had many names among the Balts. Owing to this holy, world creating force – the world spreads, grows, taking forms which do not loose the link with their source, thus the world resembling a tree. Thus a tree – a significant sign and image of ancient religion explains the world's structure. In Lithuanian harvest time songs, it is sung:

A poplar stood by the roadside,
Oh glorious plant of rye (refr.)
From below the roots – the ringing kankles,
In the middle – the buzzing bees,
At the summit – the falcon's children,
A group of brothers rides by,
Please stop, young brothers,
Behold the falcon's children,
Listen to the buzzing bees,
Listen to the ringing kankles,
The kankles rings for our dear father
The bees they buzz for our dear mother
The falcon's children – for our brother

This is the main hymn of Romuva – Old Baltic Religion community. It is sung about the mythological world-tree and its three most important parts, which symbolize the three levels of the world. Roots – underground, death, the past, water – beginning and spring of life. The ringing of kankles at the roots – the world of the old, the wise, and the dead. The buzzing bees in the middle – the world of working, toiling people. The falcon's children at the summit – the heavens, the world of warriors and heroes. Death and life – an uninterrupted linking of evolution. A tree, even though it drops its leaves in the autumn, goes into sleep in winter, but its life goes on and its soul remains alive. Such is man's path – through birth, death and rebirth. The central meaning of this hymn is the equal importance and harmony of these three levels.

Honoring of ancestors – is a link with dead family members and relatives, remembering them on special days. Family, kinfolk, tribe – without contrasting the living and dead, has a perpetual, indivisible connection. Language, songs, customs, feelings, thoughts, is all just a part of this connection. After death, the deceased finds himself among his dead relatives, and during religious and traditional rites, the living and the dead meet. It is a strong field of unity, and oneness, for which the link with earth and native land is very important. In Lithuania it is said "the souls of the dead are the guardians of their living relatives, or their close ones, especially dead parents, who are guardians of their orphan children". Ancestors are important; whom in honoring we refer to as the original mother, forefather and others. The dead become caretakers of fields and farmsteads. The living and the dead interrelate, unite through nature and earth. Funerals used to take place in nature. Only later they were moved indoors. Emigrants, who left their native land, should return to it and in doing so they will rebuild the most important connection. The life and death ring of family turns in such manner that the roads of both living and deceased create one, single path.

The fire ritual

The Fire Ritual is the most important ritual in the Baltic religion.

"To this very day fire is sacred to all Lithuanians. No other phenomenon fits religion so well as fire. Only the flame turns wisdom to the path of spirituality" wrote the prominent Lithuanian philosopher, Vydunas.

During every traditional Baltic holiday a fire (ugnis) is lit, whether such is in an altar or bonfire, or by candle. Fire is the most important symbol of Lithuanian traditions. During ancient times, the Baltic people were known as fire worshipers. The Eternal Flame burned at Sventaragis Valley at the very center of Vilnius. Every household had a hearth, which was particularly respected by each member of the family, but cared for and safeguarded by the mother. The fire had greater meaning than merely the source of light and warmth. It symbolized the unbroken lifeline of the family and its ancestry. The Eternal Flame of the community served to unify not only its immediate members, but was also the unifying link with ancestors who had long since died and were now with the Gods. It was believed that numerous generations of the dead continued to live on at the hearth of the fire.

"Throughout all of Lithuania, people held fire to be sacred. Thus it was required to honour it and behave before it with respect. Coals had to be closely accumulated. Fire could be extinguished only with cold and clean water. Fire was not to be insulted. It was not to be harmed nor polluted. People were not to spit into fire, nor was it permitted to kick it or to stomp upon it. All that was considered sinful, and any such actions were sure to invite punishment, either while the person was still alive or after their death" (J. Balys, Lietuviu Tautosakos Lobynas (Treasure Chest of Lithuanian Folklore), 1951, pg.39).

"No live coals nor smouldering ashes were to be extinguished on holiday days for that was considered a sin – it was necessary to wait until the fire burned out on its own accord."(Salakas). "When salt is sprinkled on the fire and it begins to crackle, it is said: 'Sacred Gabija, be nourished.' " The expression "to make the bed for the fire" – meant that it was to be carefully edged and ashes poured around delicately (Laukuva).

"When the fireplace was being lit at home, everyone had to remain quiet and were not to turn away, even in the event they were to hear someone calling" (1854 by A. Kirkoras). A cup of clean water was to be placed near to the fire, in order that "the beloved little fire would have the means to wash itself." Ugnis, the fire, is honored in all Lithuanian celebrations and rites. When Ugnis is fed salt, it is said: "Sacred Gabija, be satiated."

To "make a bed" for the fire – means to set her up nicely, surrounded by stones, and cover her in ashes – "Sacred Gabija, forged – may you lay, kindled – may you shine!" A cup of pure water is placed near the fire, so that "Ugnis may wash herself." "Ugnis Gabija, gathered – may you sleep, uncovered – may you shine, and always be a helper of mine." "Ugnele, Ramute, sacred Gabija, help us." (Marijampole) "Ugnute, Ramute, sacred Gabija, our calmer, be still, be rapid. For ages and forever." (Marijampole) Here are the words of prominent Lithuania phylospher Vydunas:

"Blessed is the man, who seeks the way to the eternal Romuva,
And desires, in the light of everlasting fire
To live forever. Naught will stand against him.
May we see, what is eternal and sacred.
Throughout the ages, it will bless us all!"

The sacred cult of Gabija (the fire Goddess) with its prehistoric roots has survived to our present day. She has evolved through ornithomorphic, zoomorphic (the cat) and anthropomorphic portrayals (a woman clothed in red, sometimes winged). She is tended solely by women, traditionally the head woman of the household or clan.

The name Gabija is derived from the verb apgaubti, to cover up. This refers to the process of putting Gabija to bed by carefully banking the coals and ashes for the night and uttering prayers that entreat her to "stay put" and not to wander. This was an important duty of the mistress of the home, each evening. Repeating the prayers taught to her by her mother, she would carefully and lovingly cover the coals. To be neglectful or careless in this task would mean disaster for her home and loved ones, for under no circumstances was Gabija to be treated with disrespect or neglected. If angered, she would go "for a walk" leaving destruction in her path.

Gabija is "fed" traditionally with salt and numerous food offerings. If a bit of salt or food falls into fire while woman is cooking, she will say: "Gabija, be satisfied".
Prayers ask Gabija to live with us in peace and to stay put. It is customary to leave a bowl of clean water by the hearth, in case Gabija feels inclined to wash, saying: "Bathe and rest, Fiery One".

Should it be necessary to extinguish the flames, it can only be done by using clean water. Fire has eyes; thus no impurities can be thrown into the flames. Much folklore attests to the dire consequences for those who spit or stomp on her. Stray coals must be carefully retrieved and placed again in the hearth or stove.

The hearth fire was the focus of all family rituals and rites of passage with the head woman or male elder presiding. Lithuanians begin each ritual invoking her presence without which the rites would not be possible. She accepts the sacrifices and acts as a mediator and messenger to other deities. Her healing, protective and purifying powers are well documented in many other Indo-European societies. Here is not the reserved, passive, maiden aunt archetype of Vesta or Heslia. Gabija is the vital centre if each temple, grove and home. She is the flaming symbol of all that is truly alive on that planet and a deity and power to be treated with the utmost respect.

As population grew, a class of priestesses, known as vaidilutes, attended to the sacred eternal flame that burned for the family, for the tribe and, entirely, for the nation.
A set of days at the beginning of February are dedicated to the Goddess and the renewal of fire, the awakening of homestead gods.

February 2nd is the day of Perkunas. Visinski wrote about the Samogitian customs on this day. They would wrap a small wax candle, "perkunine", (candle of Perkunas), made with a thick linen thread with wax, wrapping it about the peace of wood. This type of "wrapped candle" can be made by simple wrapping a linen thread. It symbolizes the life (the linen thread), the power of the everlasting fire. The candle of Perkunas is lit near dying person, during funerals, or for protection from thunderstorms and other perils.

February 5th is the day of Gabija. Gabija is the guardian of the home hearth. Sacrifices of power to Gabija are bread, salt, water. To bless by fire – a "Perkunine" candle is carried thrice around the table and around the hearth. Then each family member is blessed with fire in the shape of a cross (sign of Perkunas) – holding it at the forehead, the back of the head, and under each ear. Such a ritual is known as strengthening by fire.

The fire for rituals was lit either on a hearth of stone or on an altar. Good oak logs were to be selected with care for the fire. A sutartine (archaic round refrain song) was chanted while lighting the fire:

The Fire is burning, tuta tuta
Gabija is burning …
On the mound
On the high hill
Fire Gabia
Shine as lit
Moulder as covered
Zemynele, dear earth
We are your children
Saule – sun, dear mother
We are your daughters
Menuo – moon, dear father
We are your sons
Stars, dear sisters
We are your sisters
Fire, Gabia
Shine as lit
Smoulder as covered
Give us strength
Unite us
Zemynele, dear earth
Help us prosper
Laima, destiny-giver
Bless us

The words can be improvised to express both desires, as well as wishes for others. All the participants to the ritual can approach the fire one by one, express their good will and offer their Contact with Gods and with one's ancestors is sought through the fire. Sacrificial donations to the fire can be bread, grains, beer grasses and flowers. Circling the Fire clockwise, three times, strengthens the ritual. All those who have gathered can also walk in a circle around the hearth

Fire in calendar holidays

The worshiping of fire, the fire rituals are observed in calendar and family holidays. Two important holidays – Kucios and Kaledos – mark the end of the year – when the world returns to darkness and non-existence. However, as death begets birth, the two holidays also herald the rebirth of nature and the return of the sun. The Lithuanians distinguish the two subsequent days, now celebrated on 24 and 25 December with a variety of ritual customs.

Indo-European cultures traditionally greet the New Year with rituals and tales that reenact and relate the creation of the world.

Adults begin their preparation for Kucios and Kaledos by placing a cherry twig in water on the day when bears start to hibernate, which is the first day of winter according to folklore. The twigs sprout roots in time for the holiday. Children play games symbolizing the planting of crops such as the one wherein girls imitate sowing, by strewing hemp seeds, which prompts dreams about future husbands.

The ancient calendar feast days are special because they help man experience the main segments of life: birth – maturity – old age – death. Such calendar helps man realize and live through the circle of life, all the while preparing for the trip to the other side. Folk calendar songs and rites reveal the secrets of the circle of life. Creation of the world and its dispersion, is celebrated in an ancient Lithuanian Christmas song:

A pear tree stands in the middle of the field, Kaleda
Oh! And a spark fell, Kaleda
Oh! And the blue sea spilled over, Kaleda
On that sea – a ship is sailing, Kaleda
In that ship – a chair stands, Kaleda
On that chair – a girl sits, Kaleda

This is a Southern Lithuanian winter solstice song. The word kaleda refers to the time of Winter solstice. A candle burns in a pear tree – in the world tree. The fire of the candle is the sacred altar fire. A spark fals, creating the sea – moving the sacred waters, awakening the universal force of life. The song is usually sung during Winter Solstice, when lighting a new fire for the new year.

The solemn feast of Kucios unites the living with the dead as well as all forms of life: people and animals. The house requires special preparation. The family hangs up an iconic "grove:" birds made of wood- straw or egg shells surrounding a straw sun. This grove as well as a multitude of burning candles invokes the souls of the dead (vele) who sit at a small table with bread, salt, and Kucia on it. The Kucia contains many traditional grains which symbolize regeneration: cooked wheat, barley, peas, beans, rye, poppy seeds, hemp seeds, etc. mixed with nuts and honey water. The Kucia feeds the souls of the ancestors. as well as the living. The living sit at another table, covered with hay and a table cloth. In earlier days, hay also used to cover the floor. Symbols of the life force, which sustain the human world, decorate the main table. This includes a bundle of unthrashed rye, which the family used the next day to bind around its apple trees.

Kucios, an exclusively nocturnal celebration, begins when the evening star appears in the sky. Before gathering at the ritual table, everybody bathes in saunas, makes up with their neighbors, and forgives their enemies. In olden days, the head of the household, wearing high black boots, a large black sash (juosta), and a prominent black hat – used to circle the farmstead three times. He would approach the house door after evervbody else had entered. To the question "Who is there?", he answered "Dearest God (Dievulis) with the Kucia begs admittance".

Once the family gathers, the eldest member (man or woman) says a traditional invocation and breaks the Kucia bread, which everybody gives to each other. According to the sixteenth century historian Praetorius, every member of the family, placing a loaf of bread on the floor, prayed: "Zemepatis (God of the homestead), we thank you for the good bread you give us. Help us work the fields while blessing you, that Zemynele (Mother Earth Goddess, sister of Zemepatis ) would continue to give us your good gifts." Then everyone, raising the bread to the sky, concluded with: "Nourish us".

After the exchange of the Kucia bread, each person sips some beer, spilling few drops onto the floor for the vele, the souls of the dead. Dinner follows. Kucios traditionally required 13 different foods, which echoed the 13 lunar months of the year. Under the influence of the solar calendar, the number changed to 12. The foods may not contain any meat or milk. The meal consists of Kucia (mixed grain dish described above), Kisielius (a type of cranberry jello), hot beet soup, mushroom dumplings, cabbage, fish, and seafood.

Animals partake in the ceremony by eating the same food that people eat. When people and animals used to live under one roof, everybody fed their household and farm animals from the table. On farms. families still feed their animals with the leftovers from Kucios. The families also share the food with bees and fruit trees.

After dinner, while everyone remains at the table, the children and young people pull straws of hay out from underneath the tablecloth. A long straw represents a long and prosperous life. The adults too would tell their own fortunes im a variety of ways.

Participants exchange wishes for each other by pouring grains into the hearth fire. The hearth becomes the sacred fire of the home. Each single grain sown in the fire grows and prospers. The family also ritually burns a birch wreath, stump, or log in the hearth, representing the old year The participants can also destroy evil by burning splinters they invest with meaning.

Kaledos

The merry rituals of Kaledos celebrate the rebirth of the sun, called Saule, Motule (Mother Sun).

People carry images of the sun through the fields and the towns, wishing everybody prosperity.

Greetings and wishes, expressed during Kaledos, posses a potency which guarantees their fulfillment.

Spring starts with the day of Perkunas (the Thunder God). On the first day that Perkunas strikes, the whole earth is shaken, awakening nature. The grass begins growing. As do the crops, the trees, and all life. Girls, desiring that their rue plants would grow luxuriant and beautiful, would plant them right after the first thunderstorm.

It is said, that if you bathe, after the first thunder, in a river, or lake, you shall be healthy and strong. Drinking water, unblessed by Perkunas, may make you sick. Before Perkunas blesses the land, it is not allowed to walk the land barefoot, lay on the Earth, nor sit upon rocks. Burning fire on an unthundered land is also forbiden or else Perkunas will burn down your home." (B. Buracas, "Jaunasis ukininkas", 1939, nr.15)

This is just a part of the old beliefs, showing how important Perkunas is in the spring – youthful, powerful, and always a bringer of rebirth.

The old fire of the winter is extinguished, and a new spring fire is lit up. The fire is brough home from the fire of a sacred altar (spring Perkunas' fire).

From the woods, verbos are brought home. Branches of osier and willows are tied with a red thread or an ornamented tape. Verba is the magical branch, which gives one the power of life and growth, protects him from diseases. Homes are decorated with verbos.

During Velykos, when visiting gravesites, verbos are placed on the graves. Verba is used as a means of protection, rejuvenation, and purification. Even the water of a stream can be improved – by sticking a verba into the ground on each side of the river.

Verba is the people's deep belief in the sacredness of the green branch. When the verba, at home, dries up, they remove it, leaving only the branch. The thorns are then stored in a bag, and are later burned as insence for Perkunas, or upon someone's death.

During the holidays, everyone tries to get up early and whip the sleepy ones with a verba, for which they must repay with a margutis. That, which is touched by a verba, receives the force of life.

Margutis is a symbol of nature's rebirth, has a sacred force of life. Eggs are painted during ceremonies and celebrations up until Jore. The first marguciai are red – during Lyge. Later – marguciai are decorated with meaningful ornaments – for rites, gifts, games, rolling. Velykos fir trees are decorated with marguciai. The old woman, Velyke brings an egg for the child, early in the morning, and puts it on the window sill.

Towards the end of June, at the time of the summer solstice, when night is the shortest and Nature bursts with blossoms and growth, we celebrate the Holy Day of Rasa.

Rasa, which means dew, was regarded as a fundamental manifestation of life force in ancient times. It has divining qualities on solstice morning.

S.Daukantas wrote "Before that holiday, everything under the sun went to the sacred rivers and lakes to bathe, to become young, and if one followed the rites carefully, he would become wise and clairvoyant. There was no happier holiday than Rasa, because, as they say, on that morning the sun dances."

At this time, most healing herbs are possessed of great strength and potency. On the eve of Rasa, young women engage in the holy gathering of herbs (kupoliauti). The specific herbs for this day, or Kupoles, as they are called are: daisies, St. John's Wort, bilberries and any yellow blossoming herb (melampyrum nemorosum). "Kupeti" – means to grow healthily, to sprout through the earth.

The kupole is a branched pole is placed in the center of the ritual area. The top of the pole is triple branched (which is reflected in the rune ascribed to this feast day). In eastern Lithuania it is explained that this is a miraculous growth with three branches, one of which blooms like the Sun, the other – like the Moon, and the third – like a Star. Young women who wish to wed, play a divinition game: standing with their backs to the kupole, they throw a wreath over their heads and hope that it will land on the kupole. The number of tries that it takes to get the wreath on the Kupole indicates the number of years until marriage.

Rasa is a wreath-making holiday. Maidens make wreaths from magical herbs (kupoles) and place them on their brows. Wreaths decorate homes, doors and gates. The men adorn themselves with wreaths of oak leaves. During the night, everyone goes to sacred rivers and lakes and cast these wreaths in the water. Candles are attached to the wreaths. If the wreaths of a woman and man float together, it is a sign that they will wed.

Gates are constructed from poles with the appropriate rune atop and decked in greenery. Each person that enters through the gates becomes a participant in the Rasa rites. Around one pole of the gate, maidens circle and around the other – young men. They bow and greet each other as they pass, circling through the gate while a daina is sung. One strives to greet the summer solstice partner of choice.

According to our custom, the "old fire" is extinguished with pure water and a new, holy fire is kindled. The sacred "aukuras" (ritual fire) is addressed. We bid goodbye to the setting Sun and honour nature by the placing wreaths near the fire. Newlyweds carry the new kindled fire to their homes. This fire is sacred and blesses their home.

Apart from regular campfires, fires are lit upon poles made with naves, birch-bark, tar, etc. The flaming "sun wheels" are set loose to roll down hills.

Throughout the night everyone feasts and rejoices. Then everyone addresses the dawn, the rising Sun and delight in Her dancing.

The revival of traditional Lithuanian ethnic religion is connected with the sign of fire as well. The sacred fire was lighted as aukuras (the special name for fireplace, derived from aukoti – to sacrificed) in1967 during the celebration of summer solstice festival in Kernave. The group of young Vilnius University students and professors started celebration of Rasa – dew – summer solstice in Kernave. It is called the start of new reviving Lithuanian Pagan or Baltic faith tradition. This year we'll have the anniversary – 35 years of celebration. The sacred fire according ancient customs is lit.

The Romuva of today – is the total of several Baltic traditions, continuing the universality of the ancient Prussian Romuva and exploring folklore surviving in Lithuania up to the 21st century as the most important source of Baltic spiritual wisdom.

The Romuva movement is part of the movement of rebirth of ancient spiritualities in Europe. This renaissance is occurring very naturally and regularly, because its time has come. We can rejoice that the Baltics and other European nations have preserved the richest resources for this movement – their ethnic cultures, which will serve faithfully in the movement of nature worshipers in Europe. The main action, which Christian church had made in Baltic land to destroy the Baltic religion was the extinguishing the holy fire. The rebirth of ancient Baltic religion and tradition means the lighting and keeping burning the holy fire of our ancestors.

Inija Trinkuniene
The leader of Vilnius Baltic Religion Community
Research fellow, Institute for Social Research
Lithuania

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/h_es/h_es_trink_i_fire_fr...

Slavic Paganism

The Slavic peoples are not a “race”. Like the Romance and Germanic peoples, they are related by area and culture, not by blood. Today there are thirteen different Slavic groups divided into three blocs, Eastern, Southern and Western. This includes the Russians, Polish, Czechs, Ukranians, Byelorussians, Serbo-Croatians, Macedonians, Slovenians, Bulgarians, Kashubians and Slovakians. Although the Lithuanians, Estonians and Latvians are of Baltic tribes, we are including some of their customs as they are similar to those of their Slavic neighbors.

Slavic Runes were called “Runitsa”, “Cherty y Rezy” (“Strokes and Cuts”) and later, “Vlesovitsa”. The Cyrillic system (“Cyrillitsa”) was created in the 9th century by Sts. Cyril and Methodius based on a combination of the Greek alphabet and the Slavic Runes. Vlesovitsa continued to be used by the Pagans, while Cyrillitsa was used by the Christians. During the “war” against Paganism, the Christians destroyed each document that contained Runic instead of the Cyrillic writing, usually along with its owner. This was done so effectively that according to most sources, the ancient Slavic peoples had no written language at all. Therefore the nearly all records of the rituals, temples and idols/gods of the ancient Slavs come from the very people sent to destroy them. This, along with the fact that very little information on Slavic Mythology and Magick has been translated into English, makes studying the subject extremely difficult.

Research must then be done through the study of folklore and folk customs. Fortunately, the medieval Slavic peasant did not embraced Christianity on any more than a surface level. This gave rise to what the Russians call dvoeverie (dvoh-ev-VAIR-ryeh) or “double-faith”. According to one historian, Christianity so shallowly masked the surface of the true Pagan beliefs, many a peasant did not know the name of the man on the cross to whom he prayed.

Dualism & The Origins of Slavic Belief

The origins of Slavic belief, like that of the rest of the world’s, rest in animism and ancestral worship. The first two types of spirit were called the beregyni – female spirits that bring life and are the forerunners of the Rusalki, and Upyr – the spirits of death who eventually became our modern Vampire (Wampyr). From this original dualism sprang belief in all of the nature spirits, and eventually in the Rod and Rozhenitsa, the God and Goddess who imbue the newborn child with a soul and his/her fate. Although nearly all deities were originally ancestral, Rod and Rozhenitsa eventually pulled the Slavic mind out of that way of thinking and opened the doorway for the later “Indo-European” way of thinking, although the original “Old European” way of thinking kept a stronger hold on the average Slav.

Dualism permeates all of Slavic Pagan spirituality and actually seems to be the basis for most of it. This should not be confused with the dualistic good against evil beliefs of the Christian religion which have unfortunately seeped into the Slavic spirituality of today. It is a system of complimenting opposites such as darkness and light, winter and summer, female and male, cold and hot more similar to the yin/yang. The God-brothers Bialybog “white-god” and Czarnebog “black-god” who rule the light half and dark half of the year respectively, are further illustrations of this polarity. Unfortunately, because of the introduction of Christianity, these two gods later became confused with “God” and Satan.

Other examples of dualism are – the two Rozhinitsy, the mother and daughter fates, the spirits of midnight, Polunocnitsa and noon, Poludnitsa – both times seen to be equally as frightening, and the Zorya – Goddesses of dusk and dawn. The Elements

The ancient Slavs had a deep sense of reverence for the four elements. Fire and Water were seen as sacred dualistic symbols on the horizontal or earthly plane. Earth and Sky were seen as a more vertical system of duality. High places such as mountaintops or treetops, especially birch, linden and oak, became sacred as meeting places the Sky father and the Earth mother. Where they met, they would join their procreative forces, usually in a flash of lightening and clap of thunder.

The winds were seen as the grandchildren of the God, Stribog. Water was refered to in mythology as the water of life and death and rivers were treated with respect lest they should drown you on your next visit. There are records of human, as well as other sacrifices being made to rivers such as the Dneiper and the Volga. Although many bodies of water had their own deities, most bodies of water were ruled by spirits known as Rusalki or Vodanoi. Fire was personified by the god, Svarozhich and it was considered nearly criminal to spit into a fire. Mati Syra Zemlja or Mother Moist Earth, however, seems to have been given the greatest amount of respect.

No one was allowed to strike Mati Syra Zemlja with a hoe, until the Spring Equinox, Maslenica, as she was considered pregnant until then. Earth was considered so sacred that oaths were sworn while holding a piece of her, sometimes in the mouth and ancient wedding vows were taken while swallowing a small clump of Earth or holding it on the head. The custom of asking the Earth’s forgiveness before death was still being observed far into the 20th century and when a priest could not be found it was considered appropriate to confess sins to the Earth.

Totems

Like the native Americans, each Slavic tribe had a totem animal that the clan was usually named after. It was considered taboo to kill or eat this animal except for specific religious rituals. Each member of the tribe was thought to have an animal twin, and the death of that twin could cause the death of the tribe member. The World Tree

The Slavs believed that the world tree was divided into three parts; The roots existed in the realm of the underworld, “Nav”, and were where the zaltys lived. The main section existed in the mundane world and the uppermost branches reached into the land of the sky Gods. A magical bird was said to live in the branches. Although the Slavs did have Viking influence, the world tree beliefs seem to come more from the native Siberians. These Asian peoples each keep a tree, usually a linden, near their home and see it as a sort of “telephone” to the other realms. Creation Myths

(Russian 1071 CE – the transcript of Lavrentij) – A Slavic magi was recorded as saying:
“We know how man was created: God was washing in the bathhouse and, after sweating,
he wiped himself with a towel that he threw onto the ground; then Satan entered into dispute with God as to who should make man out of this towel; and God breathed a soul into him, therefore after death man’s body returns to the soil and his spirit to God.”

A Christmas Carol from Galica explains:

When there was in the beginning no world,
Then there was neither heaven nor earth.
Everywhere was a blue sea,
And on the midst of the sea, a green plane-trees
On the plane tree three doves,
Three doves take counsel,
Take counsel as how to create the world.
“Let us plunge to the bottom of the sea.
Let us gather fine sand;
Let us scatter fine sand,
That it may become for us black earth.
Let us get golden rocks;
Let us scatter golden rocks.
Let there be for us a bright sky,
A bright sky, a shining sun,
A shining sun and bright moon,
A bright moon, a bright morning star,
A bright morning star and little starlets.

-Drahomaniv p.10

In other recorded versions of this song, there are two doves not three, two oaks instead of a plane tree or blue stones instead of golden ones. Much later versions have God, St. Peter and St. Paul riding the doves as the actual creators.

In the beginning, there were no earth and no people, only the primordial sea. Bielobog flew over the face of the waters in the shape of a swan and was lonely. Longing for someone to keep him company, he noticed his shadow, Chernobog and rejoiced.

“Let us make land” said Bielobog.

“Let us,” said Chernobog, but where will we get the dirt?”

“There is dirt under the water, go down and get some,” answered Bielobog, but before you can reach it, you must say ‘With Bielobog’s power and mine’.”

The devil dived into the water, but said “With My Power”, instead of what he was instructed to say. Twice he dived down and neither time did he reach the bottom. Finally, the third time he said “With Bielobog’s Power and Mine” and he reached the dirt. Scraping some up with his nails, he brought it to the surface but hid a grain of dirt in his mouth in order to have his own land.

God then took the dirt from him and scattered it upon the water. The dirt became dry land and began to grow. Of course, the land in Chernobog’s mouth also began to grow and his mouth began to swell. Chernobog was forced to spit and spit to rid himself of all the earth and where he spit, mountains were formed.

Angered that he was cheated out of his own land, he waited for Bielobog to fall asleep. As soon as the god was sleeping peacefully, Czernobog lifted him up to throw him in the water. In each direction he went, but the land had grown so much, he could not reach the ocean. When Bielobog awoke, Czernobog said “Look how much the land has grown, we should bless it.”

..And Bielobog said slyly, “I blessed it last night, in all four directions, when you tried to throw me in the water.”

This greatly angered Czernobog who stormed off to get away from Bielobog once and for all. In the meantime, the earth would not stop growing. This made Bielobog very nervous as the Heavens could no longer cover it all, so he sent an expedition to ask Czernobog how to make it stop.

Czernobog had since created a goat. When the expedition saw the great god Czernobog riding astride a goat, they couldn’t stop laughing. This angered the god and he refused to speak to them. Bielobog then created a bee, and sent the bee to spy on Czernobog.

The bee quietly alit upon Czernobog’s shoulder and waited. Soon, she heard him say to the goat “What a stupid god! He doesn’t even know that all he has to do is take a stick, make a cross to the four directions and say ‘That is enough earth’. Instead he wonders what to do.”

Hearing this, the bee buzzed off in excitement. Knowing that he’d been heard, Czernobog yelled after the bee, “Whoever sent you, Let him eat your excrement!”.

The bee went directly to Bielobog and said “He said All you need to do is make a cross to the four directions and say ‘That is enough earth.’ And to me he said ‘let whomever sent you eat your excrement’.

So god stopped the earth from growing and than said to the bee “Then forever after, let there be no excrement sweeter than yours.”

This myth is a combination of myths from Bulgarian and Ukranian sources. Although the
versions of these myths use God and Satanail as the dual creators, Slavic scholars agree that the myth is a later form of the original dualism of Czernobog and Bielobog. Because of this I have replaced the names.

The World Tree.

Some Slavs believed that the Earth was an Island floating in water that the sun was immersed in every evening. At the center of this Island stood the world tree or mountain. The roots of this tree extended deep into the underworld and the branches reached high up into the realm of the sky gods, Irij.

Nav was the underworld, realm of the dead from whence it gets its name. Weles/Wolos, the God of cattle and wealth and Lada, Goddess of springtime were also said to reside here. This is not really surprising, considering that most cthonic deities, such as Pluto, Saturn and Ops were also associated with wealth and that the crops are pushed upward from inside the Earth. Also, Lada would return from the underworld in the spring, much like Kore, Persephone and Ostara of the Teutons did.

Origin of Witchcraft – a story

Long ago, when the world was still fairly new, a young woman ventured into the woods to pick mushrooms. In no time at all, the skies opened up upon her and narrowly escaping the rain, she ran beneath a tree, removed all of her clothing, and bundled them up in her bag so they would not get wet. After some time, the rain stopped and the woman resumed her mushroom picking. Weles, Horned God of the forest happened upon her, and asked her what great magick she knew in order to have kept dry during the storm.

“If you show me the secret to your magick, I will show you how I kept dry.” she said. Being somewhat easily tempted by a pretty face, Weles proceeded to teach her all of his magickal secrets. After he was done, she told him how she had removed her clothing and hid under a tree.

Knowing that he had been tricked, but had no one but himself to blame, Weles ran off in a rage, and thus, the first Witch came into being.

Back to the Slavic Paganism & Witchcraft home page.

Copyright 1999 to Ainsley Friedberg

For further reading:
http://www.circe-argent.com/slavic_paganism.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/sfs/index.htm

No comments:

Post a Comment