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

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Belbog is the embodiment of light, the god of goodness, luck, happiness, goodness, the personification of the daytime and spring sky. His sanctuary was on a hill open to the sun, and Belbog’s numerous gold and silver decorations reflected the play of rays and even at night illuminated the temple, where there was not a single shadow, not a single dark corner.

Veles is one of the greatest gods ancient world, son of Rod, brother of Svarog. His main act was that Veles set the world created by Rod and Svarog into motion. Veles - “cattle god” - master of the wild, master of Navi, powerful wizard and werewolf, interpreter of laws, teacher of the arts, patron of travelers and merchants, god of luck.

Dazhdbog is the god of the Sun, the giver of warmth and light, the god of fertility and life-giving force. His name is heard in a short prayer that has survived to this day - “Grant, God!”

Dogoda is the god of quiet, pleasant winds and clear weather, the complete opposite of his fierce brother, the patron saint of the winds, Pozvizd.

Kolyada is the ancient god of merry feasts; it is believed that his name is derived from the word “kolo” (circle). Teacher of the Third Law of Life. He told people about the Great Kolo of Svarog, about the Day and Night of Svarog, and also established the first calendar
Kryshen, the son of the Almighty and the goddess Maya, was the brother of the very first creator of the world, Rod, although he was much younger than him. He returned the fire to the people, fought on the shore Arctic Ocean with Chernobog and defeated him.
Lel is the god of love passion in the mythology of the ancient Slavs, the son of the goddess of beauty and love Lada. The word “cherish” still reminds us of Lela, this cheerful, frivolous god of passion, that is, undead, love.
Ovsen is Kolyada’s younger twin brother. He got the role of putting into practice the divine knowledge that Kolyada taught people.
Perun is the god of thunderclouds, thunder and lightning, the most famous of the Svarozhich brothers. Perun is the patron saint of warriors and princely squad, god-manager, god punishing for non-compliance with laws, protector of Reveal, giver of male power.
Rod is the creator god of the visible world. Everything born by Rod still bears his name: nature, homeland, parents, relatives. The clan gave birth to Svarog, the great god who completed the creation of the world.
Svarog is the creator god of earth and heaven. Svarog is the source of fire and its ruler. He creates not with words, not with magic, unlike Veles, but with his hands, he creates the material world. He gave people the Sun-Ra and fire. Svarog threw a plow and a yoke from the sky to the ground in order to cultivate the land; a battle ax to protect this land from enemies, and a bowl for preparing a sacred drink in it.
Svyatobor is the god of forests and woodlands. He predetermines the fate, life and destiny of all inhabitants of the forest, ensuring harmony and agreement in nature.
Svyatovit is a deity identical to Svarog among the Western Slavs.
Semargl is the god of fire and the moon, fire sacrifices, home and hearth, keeper of seeds and crops. Could turn into a sacred winged dog.
Stribog is the god of the wind in East Slavic mythology. He can summon and tame a storm and can turn into his assistant, the mythical bird Stratim. In general, the wind was usually represented in the form of a gray-haired old man living at the edge of the world, in a dense forest or on an island in the middle of the ocean.
Triglav - in ancient Slavic mythology, this is the unity of the three main essences-hypostases of the gods: Svarog (creation), Perun (law of Rule) and Svyatovit (light). Among the Aryans, the idea of a triune deity was embodied in the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva).
Horse - the ancient Slavic god of the Sun - luminary, son of Rod, brother of Veles.
Chernobog - god of cold, destruction, death, evil; the god of madness and the embodiment of everything bad and black. Chernobog is the ruler of Navi, Darkness and the Pekel Kingdom.
Yarilo - god of spring, spring light and warmth; young, impetuous and uncontrollable force; deity of passion and fertility. Symbol of the holiday of the rebirth of life.

Great goddesses of the ancient Slavs
Bereginya is the great ancient Slavic goddess who gave birth to all things. She is accompanied everywhere by luminous horsemen, personifying the sun. She was especially often addressed during the period of ripening of bread - this indicates that the goddess belonged to the supreme patrons of the human race.
Devana is the goddess of hunting in Slavic mythology, the wife of the forest god Svyatobor. The ancient Slavs represented Devan in the guise of a beauty, dressed in a rich marten fur coat, trimmed with squirrel; with a bow and arrows drawn.
Dolya and Nedolya are goddesses of fate and luck in Slavic mythology. IN decorative jewelry even on Orthodox churches depicted two women in labor - happy Dolya and dashing Nedolya (Church of the Savior on Ilyin, Veliky Novgorod, etc.)
Alive - in Slavic mythology, the personification of fruitful strength, youth, beauty of nature and man. Presumably she is the mother of Perun, Bodan and Peklenets (patron of hellfire).
Lada is the Slavic goddess of love and beauty. By the name of Lada, the ancient Slavs called not only the original goddess of love, but also the entire system of life - lad. Information has been preserved that in pre-Christian times, in the lower part of Kyiv, on Podol, there was a majestic Lada temple.
Lelya is the goddess of spring, the daughter of the goddess of beauty, love and fertility Lada. According to myths, it was inextricably linked with the spring revival of nature and the beginning of field work. The goddess was imagined as a young, beautiful and slender girl.
Makosh - Great Mother, goddess of fate and fertility. The goddess of magic and sorcery, the wife of Veles, in this lower form is the famous Yaga. Mistress of wildlife, protector and patroness of women.
Morana is a powerful and formidable deity, the goddess of winter and death, the wife of Koshchei and the daughter of Lada, the sister of Zhiva and Lelya. Morana among the Slavs in ancient times was considered the embodiment of evil spirits. Its symbols are a black moon, piles of broken skulls and a sickle.
Syra Zemlya is an important deity in Slavic mythology since ancient times. The earth seemed to the imagination of the pagan Slavs, who deified nature, as a living divine and at the same time human-like creature.

In modern historiography, the question of the origin of the ancient Slavs - our ancestors - is one of the most frequently discussed. This article does not claim to be scientific research. But it contains 10 very interesting and many unknown facts about the ancient Slavs.

1. The Slavs are almost the same age as the current era

The appearance of archaeological cultures, recognized by most archaeologists as Slavic, dates back only to the 5th-6th centuries. However, recent archaeological data indicate, according to some researchers, the formation of a noticeable mass of Slavs as part of a single ethnic group in the area of the Kyiv archaeological culture back in the 2nd-4th centuries. The entire process of formation of the ancient Slavic ethnos on the basis of the continuity of successive archaeological cultures lasted from the 1st millennium BC. e. until the 6th century, when the ancient Slavs were recorded in epigraphic monuments as an already formed cultural and linguistic community.

2. The Slavs lived in prosperity and abundance

This is what Bishop Otto of Bamber writes, who visited Rus' twice in 1124-1127. “The abundance of fish in the sea, rivers, lakes and ponds is so great that it seems simply incredible. For one denarius you can buy a whole cartload of fresh herrings, which are so good that if I were to tell everything I know about their smell and thickness, I would risk being accused of gluttony. Throughout the country there are many deer and fallow deer, wild horses, bears, pigs and wild boars and various other game. There is an abundance of cow butter, sheep milk, lamb and goat fat, honey, wheat, hemp, poppy seeds, all kinds of vegetables and fruit trees, and be there again grape vines, olive trees and fig trees, one could take this country as a promised land, there are so many fruit trees in it ... "

3. The ancient Slavs were not pagans

More precisely, they were not pagans in the original sense of the word. In those days, “pagans” were people who spoke a different language, carriers of a foreign culture and religion. The ancient Slavs were people of Vedic culture, therefore it would be more correct to call the Dreneslavic religion not paganism, but Vedism. The word “Vedas” is consonant with the modern Russian “to know”, “to know”. This is a peaceful religion of a highly cultured agricultural people, related to other religions of the Vedic root - Ancient India, Iran and Ancient Greece.

4. All Kievan Rus spoke the same language

All East Slavic tribes who inhabited Kievan Rus used only a single ancient Slavic language. If in that era a resident of Galicia came to Kyiv, Smolensk or Novgorod, then his language could differ only in dialect and accent. The Chronicles give many examples when Kiev ambassadors and princes spoke at the veche meetings of Novgorod, and Novgorodians or the Rulers of Suzdal and Smolensk addressed the people of Kiev.

5. The ancient Slavs did not know the vegetables we are used to

No one in Russia had even heard of cabbage, carrots and beets, not to mention tomatoes and cucumbers, seemingly such primordially “Russian” vegetables and root vegetables. Moreover, even onions, our ancestors did not know. The main food of the ancient Slavs was porridge, as well as meat and bread. The porridges themselves were somewhat different, not what we were used to seeing. Rice was a great curiosity, it was also called “Sorochinsky millet”, and it was incredibly expensive. Buckwheat (a grain brought by Greek monks, hence the name “Buckwheat”) was eaten on great holidays, but Rus' always had plenty of its own millet. They ate mostly oats. But oatmeal It was prepared from whole refined grains, after steaming it for a long time in the oven.

6. In Rus' they did not take prisoners into slavery

At the beginning of the 6th century, the Slavs began to attack Byzantium. Slavic tribes lived north of the Eastern Roman Empire. The Byzantines considered them freedom-loving, courageous, and hardy. were excellent warriors. They were noble, did not take prisoners into slavery, but offered either to become members of their tribe or to return to their own. The relations of Byzantium with the Slavs, and then with Ancient Russia, formed an important part foreign policy empires.

7. The Slavs could repel any enemy who came to their land

Moreover, this applies not only to warriors, but also to everyone in general: farmers, hunters, everyone who lived in Rus'. This is what the Byzantine Emperor Mauritius Strategus writes about this in the 6th century. “They like to fight their enemies in places covered with dense forest, in gorges, on cliffs. They take advantage of ambushes, surprise attacks, tricks, day and night, inventing many methods. They are also experienced in crossing rivers, surpassing all people in this regard. They courageously withstand their stay in the water, so that often some of those remaining at home, being caught by a sudden attack, plunge into the abyss of the waters. At the same time, they hold specially made large reeds in their mouths, hollowed out inside, reaching the surface of the water, and themselves, lying supine at the bottom, breathe with their help. They can do this for many hours, so it is absolutely impossible to guess their presence. Each is armed with two small spears, some have shields, strong but difficult to carry. They also use wooden bows and small arrows soaked in a poison special for arrows, which is potent. They are masters of doing all this in a variety of ways they come up with in order to lure the enemy.”

8.“Slavs” - not from “glory”, but from “word”

Slovenes - people who speak “with words”, i.e. in understandable language. In contrast, there are the “dumb” - the Germans, those who are impossible to understand. Later, during the time of Peter I, foreigners who came to Russia were called Germans, and since most of the visitors were from Germany, our Russian - German - stuck to the Germans. A similar situation was in Ancient Greece, where initially those who spoke were called barbarians, it is incomprehensible, as if they had put porridge in their mouths and instead of words the Greeks only heard: “bar-bar.”

9. All men in Rus' were trained in military affairs

In Rus', all men were considered warriors; this tradition has been going on since the era of the so-called “military democracy”. Of course, there were also specially trained knights who devoted their whole lives to war, but all young men and adult men, be they townspeople, farmers or hunters, had to master military skills.

10. The Christianization of Rus' was difficult and very cruel

The baptism and subsequent Christianization of Rus' was accompanied by the destruction of everything previous, Slavic, “pagan”. All cultural centers of the pagan Slavs were destroyed - temples, sanctuaries, sacred groves, idols, idols. Temples and churches were built in these places. In accordance with the provisions of the Nomocanon and its Russian version, laws were born that were against all magic, superstition, and even against healers. The princes officially granted the church the rights to try certain types of crimes. People were now tried for divorce, for witchcraft, for herbalism (herbal medicine), for heresy against Christianity, for foul language, for insulting the “purity and holiness” of the temple, for the veneration of pagan gods.

Slavic Gods- an embodied idea of the World and world rules. When getting acquainted with the Slavic faith and traditions, of course, one cannot ignore the Slavic Gods. A deep understanding of the faith of our Ancestors begins with knowledge of their characters.

Today there are various ideas about who the Slavic Gods are. Some sources list many Gods, and even those who are known to us from the myths of India or Egypt are classified as Slavic. In other sources, on the contrary, only a few Slavic Gods are named, believing that our ancestors did not develop a developed mythology. We will talk about mythology and Slavic Gods the way they talk about it in the Russian North. Many ancient traditions, tales, fairy tales, Slavic myths have been preserved here, from which we know this.

Division of Slavic Gods into light and dark

Northern legends say that Rod, the Creator God, created the Slavic world and divided it into three parts: Rule, Reality and Nav. The bright Slavic Gods live in Prav. In Reveal there are people and elemental Gods. In Navi there are dark gods.

This division is simple, however, modern people often misunderstand it. We are accustomed to correlating “light” with “good” and “darkness” with “evil”. Therefore, many mistakenly believe that only the Slavic Gods of the world of Rule deserve veneration. The ancient Slavs treated the Gods of Navi with no less respect than the Gods of the world of Rule, although they were afraid of them. However, in the Slavic picture of the world, Navnye, Dark Gods are needed; one cannot do without them.

Slavic Gods of the world Rule

Among the Slavic Gods of Rule we include, first of all, Svarog, Heavenly Father, and Lada, Heavenly Mother. Their children, Svarozhichi- one of the main characters of Slavic mythology. However, not all of their children live in the world of Prav. For example, Stribog and Semargl appear more often in the world of Reveal, among people.

Of course, one of the significant Slavic Gods of the world is Rule - Belobog, God of White Light, God of Creation. Twin brothers Belobog and Chernobog symbolize the forces of creation and destruction, the balance of which is necessary for the development of the Slavic world, moving forward.

Sign of God Svarog “Konegon”

Sign of the Goddess Lada “Star of Lada”

Lada

Slavic Goddess Lada- Mother of the Gods, wife of God Svarog. For the Slavs, this Goddess became the embodiment of all the brightest, kindest things that can be in a family - harmony between spouses, good children, harmony and well-being of all home life. The sweetest, most merciful and understandable Slavic Goddess. When we think about a Slavic woman - a wife, mother, sister - the most appropriate image will be the face of the Divine Mother Lada. Do you want to know more about the Goddess Lada, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Goddess Lada - Slavic Goddess of love and beauty»

Sign of God Belobog "Light"

Belobog

Slavic God Belobog- twin brother of God Chernobog. Our world stands on this love and struggle of two brothers, as our ancestors believed. This idea is similar to the global idea of the unity and struggle of opposites. Belobog is the one on whom the entire white light rests (this can be seen even from his name). Not the Sun, not the Moon, but a comprehensive idea of life, growth, development, movement. God Belobog, thus, is the personification of everything that forms the basis of obvious life. Do you want to know more about God Belobog, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Belobog - Patron God of the Slavs»

Sign of God Chura “Watchman amulet”

Chur

Slavic God Chur familiar to everyone, even those not interested in Slavic mythology. A well-known expression is a talisman: “Keep away from me!” calls upon our ancient Guardian God, God Chur. It is believed that this God preserves what belongs to a person by right, draws the line between “mine, ours” and “someone else’s”. Turning to this God helped to preserve one’s possessions, protected one from wrong actions, and protected one from troubles and enemies. “To come to your senses” in our language still means “to come to your senses from something incorrect and not useful.” God Chur is sometimes considered the First Ancestor, from whom all Slavic clans descended - in the pantheon he is not revered as the son of God Dazhdbog, but is a common unifying symbol. Do you want to know more about God Chura, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Chur - Guardian God of Slavic clans»

Sign of the Goddess Alive “Summer Oblique Cross”

Alive

Slavic Goddess Alive- wonderful daughter of the Goddess Lada. The wife of God Dazhdbog, from her children descended Slavic generations. The Goddess is Alive for the Slavs - like a sip of living water, pouring into a person the opportunity to live, love, and give birth to their own kind. This personifies the flow of vital forces that allow a baby to grow up, a boy and a girl to become a father and mother. By turning to the Goddess Alive, wounds heal, health returns, and the joy of life infuses. In a word, this is the Goddess who brings Life. Do you want to know more about the Goddess Alive, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Alive - the great Goddess of Life, Goddess of Summer»

Sign of the Goddess Lyolya “Lelnik”

Lelya

Young and beautiful Slavic Goddess Lelya- the one who embodies for the Slavs all the charm of a young smile, a ringing voice and a light tread. Goddess Lelya is the spring that descends to earth along with the Yarilo-Sun. The embodiment of these blossoming natural forces that restore man after a long and dark winter has been preserved in our culture in the form of the Guardian Goddess. The sign of the Goddess Lelya is often found in traditional embroidery and is called “bereginya”. All spring chants, round dances and sonorous songs are dedicated to her - the smiling and affectionate Goddess Lelya. Do you want to know more about the Goddess Lela, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Slavic Goddess Lelya - Goddess of Spring»

Sign of God Lel and God Polel “Palm Amulet”

Lel and Polel

Many people know the Slavic God Lelya based on the fairy tale “The Snow Maiden”, where he, in the form of a shepherdess, played melodies of love on a simple horn. And this is perhaps the only image that is allowed by official culture. Meanwhile, for centuries, the image of God - a beautiful young man who kindled love in the hearts of people - was preserved in people's memory. God Lel is beautiful as the image of a loved one in the eyes of a woman in love. What is important is that God Lel is at the same time God’s twin brother Polelya. This God reigns in the hearts of already engaged people who have created their own family and patronizes a happy marriage. Thus, the brothers embody those relationships that contribute to happiness: God Lel is the God of love, God Polel is the God of a happy family. Do you want to know more about the Gods Lele and Polele, about their symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Lel and Polel - two Gods, without whom happiness is unthinkable»

Sign of God Kvasura “Oberezhnik”

Kvasura

Slavic God Kvasura embodies the now forgotten culture of fun without alcohol intoxication, eating without gluttony, holidays without “massacre”. A moderate attitude towards bodily pleasures while maintaining the joy of life is what is embedded in the image of God Kvasura. Be healthy, be cheerful, lead healthy image life without the use of amusing and intoxicating substances - this is what the Slavic God of fun reminds us of. It is this image that is easiest to turn to when you want to straighten your life, get health and freedom from addictions!Do you want to know more about God Kvasura, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Kvasura - Slavic God of Fun and Temperance»

Sign of God Kitovras "Kolohort"

Kitovras

Slavic God Kitovras- an amazing creature from old myths. A representative of the fairy-tale people that we know from Greek myths, God Kitovras is described as a centaur, half-man, half-horse. It would seem that all this is far from our lands, but it is in the north that the Kargopol clay toy “Polkan” is still made. This figurine, oddly enough, represents a centaur. About Polkan, or, in other words, about Kitovras, this is what people say: they say, he was such a storyteller that people and animals, listening to him, went with their thoughts, and then with their bodies, into the world about which this bayun sang. That, they say, before Kitovras was a great warrior - a magician and even a commander, and won many battles and did not lose a single one; but suddenly, at the zenith of his glory, he dropped everything and walked through the lands and villages, crossing paths, and began to tell fairy tales. And his tales were so heartfelt and reasonable that they gradually began to call Polkan the God of Wisdom. XWould you like to learn more about God Kitovras, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Kitovras - Slavic God of Wisdom»

Slavic Gods of the World of Reveal

Slavic Gods also live in the world of Reveal! First of all, the elemental Gods: Agidel, Goddess of Water; Semargl, God of fire; Stribog, God of Wind, his children and grandchildren, such as a warm breeze Dogoda; Mother of Cheese Earth, one of the most revered Slavic Goddesses.

There are other Slavic Gods who appear most often in the world of Reveal. Sun God Horse and his sister Divya, Moon Goddess. Tara- Slavic Goddess of the Guiding Star (North Star), it was her bright light in the old days that prevented travelers from going astray. We often see lightning in reality Perun and the rich rains that his wife sends Diva-Dodola.

Sign of the God Horse "Ognivets"

Horse

Slavic God Horse- God Rules, whom, fortunately, we see in our world in the firmament. When you look at the Sun, at its luminous image, you see the manifestation of the Slavic God Khors. There are other solar Gods (Kolyada, Yarilo, Kupala, Avsen), and God white light Belbog, and the God of reflected light Dazhdbog, but only God Khors is the same Sun in its manifest physical form. Beautiful fairy tales about God Horse they say that once upon a time the Creator Rod gave the day under his control, and every single morning God Horse rides out on his sparkling chariot to the sky, and every evening he ends up returning in a black boat along a black underground river to their mansions - in order to shine again in the morning and give warmth to all living things on earth.Do you want to know more about God Horse, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Horse - Slavic God of the Solar Disk»

Sign of the Goddess Divia “Lunnitsa”

Divya

Slavic Goddess Divya - our beautiful friend Luna. It is the manifestation of this Goddess that we see in our world in the form of either a thin sickle or a full circle. Goddess Divya-Luna is the embodiment of mystery, changeability and predictive power. This Goddess is the patroness of Fortune Tellers, Sorcerers, and all Knowers. In the obvious world, its influence extends to women, determining the rhythms of life. The Beautiful Goddess is the twin of God Khorsa, who, by the will of the Creator Family, was given control of the night time. Every night the Moon Goddess rides into the sky on her white chariot and every morning she returns to herself, giving way to her brother in the sky. But, according to legend, she asked the Sky God Dy for permission to sometimes see her brother - so sometimes we see them meeting above our heads.Do you want to know more about the Goddess Divya, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Divya - Slavic Moon Goddess»

Sign of God Dyya “Wealth amulet”

Dyy

Slavic God Dyy in our mythology - an ambiguous personality. Most likely, different attitudes towards wealth gave rise to a variety of explanations for the properties and incarnations of this God. We know from myths that God Dyy is the twin brother of God Viy, one of the darkest and most mysterious Gods of Navi. It is believed that God Dyy was born by the bright God at the dawn of time and is the embodiment of Heaven above our heads. It is believed that God Dyy is at the same time the Patron of Wealth and Prosperity - and we can understand this, since for our ancestors what happened in heaven directly affected the lives of people and the well-being of each family. Do you want to know more about God Dye, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Dyi - Slavic God of Wealth and Prosperity»

Sign of God Svyatogor “Godnik”

Svyatogor

Slavic God Svyatogor known according to myths as the God-hero of enormous stature. Late mentions of him are found even in epics about Ilya Muromets. Probably, in the image of this God we find some memories of a former race of people of enormous stature - the mythologies of many peoples tell of giants. In the Slavic epic, God Svyatogor is known as the one who holds the heavens on his shoulders. In Greek mythology, he is known as Atlas - the same one to whom Hercules came to accomplish his next feat. Do you want to know more about God Svyatogor, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Svyatogor - Slavic Guardian of Heaven »

Sign of God Stribog “Bird amulet”

Stribog

Slavic God Stribog- the elemental God of Air, the embodiment of the winds blowing over Mother Earth. According to Slavic mythology, Stribog is the son of the mighty Svarog, born to him during the first battle of Prav and Navi. This famous battle occurred when Rhode planned to separate the Gods for different tasks. At that time, Svarog hit the Alatyr stone with his hammer, and from these sparks two twin brothers were born: Stribog, the God of Wind and Semargl, the God of Fire. God Stribog is thus one of the oldest Gods, the Father of the winds. God Stribog is addressed as a clear element that helps man live in harmony with Nature.Do you want to know more about God Stribog, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Stribog - Slavic God of the element of Air, God of the wind»

Sign of God Semargl "Rarog"

Semargl

Slavic God Semargl- the elemental God of Fire, the embodiment of the forces of earthly fire and heavenly fire. According to Slavic mythology, Semargl is the son of the mighty Svarog, born to him during the first battle of Prav and Navi, and the twin brother of the God of the wind Stribog.God Semargl is thus one of the oldest Gods, the owner of all fire. God Semargl is addressed as a clear element that helps man live in harmony with Nature.Do you want to know more about God Semargl, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Semargl - Slavic God of the element of Fire»

Sign of God Perun "Gromovnik"

Perun

Slavic God Perun- the formidable son of Svarog the blacksmith, the mighty defender of Reveal, God the Thunderer and Lada, the Heavenly Mother. God Perun is one of the most famous Slavic Gods; he is revered as the patron saint of warriors and protector of the World of Revealing. They tell stories about various deeds of God Perun, one of the most important is the battle with the creature of Chaos, Skipper Serpent. There are many known signs with the power of this Slavic God; the holiday of Perun is now celebrated as a day of military prowess. We see the appearance of Perun during a thunderstorm - flashing lightning and heavenly thunder.Do you want to know more about God Perun, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Perun - Slavic God of Thunder and Justice»

Sign of the Goddess Diva-Dodola “Perunitsa”

Diva-Dodola

Slavic Goddess Diva-Dodola, also known as Perunitsa, is the Slavic Goddess of the Thunderstorm, wife of the warlike Perun. According to the Slavs, it is during a thunderstorm that this Goddess appears in the sky, surrounded by her priestesses, her bright progress across the sky is accompanied by downpours and bad weather, but it always leads to a clear sky and a rainbow bridge. This Goddess manifests as a natural phenomenon and as a world cleansing force leading to calm through the storm.Do you want to know more about the Goddess Diva-Dodol, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Diva-Dodola - Slavic Goddess of Thunderstorms»

Sign of God Yarilo "Yarovik"

Yarilo

Slavic God Yarilo (Yarila)- Slavic God of the spring Sun, son of God Veles. Many mythological ideas have been preserved about God Yaril, mainly because among the people his veneration was hidden under the cult of St. George. God Yarilo thus appears as spring sun, giving rise to seedlings, as the life-giving force of Nature and, what is important, as a protective force, male rage, as the embodiment of the power of love and life. God Yarilo is known as the patron of men and, interestingly, as the ruler of wolves.Do you want to know more about God Yarilo, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rituals of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Yarilo - Slavic God of the spring Sun»

Sign of God Dazhdbog “Straight Cross”

Dazhdbog

Slavic God Dazhdboga (Dazhboga) many know from the famous statement in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”: “We are the grandchildren of Dazhdbog!” It is believed that from the marriage of the God Dazhdbog and the Goddess Zhiva, Arius was born, from whom the Slavic families descended. They revered God Dazhdbog as the progenitor of the Slavic family, as a warrior-defender, but most of all - as the deity of light, fertility and, as a result, the blessings of life. It is in the manifestation of solar reflected light that we see God Dazhdbog in Reveal. Some believe that the name of the Slavic God Dazhdbog is associated with rain, but this is not true. The name of this God is a derivative of “God willing.” Do you want to know more about God Dazhdbog, about his symbols, signs, holidays and glorification rituals? Then welcome here to the big articleDazhdbog - Slavic solar God»

Sign of the Goddess Tara "Vaiga"

Tara

Slavic Goddess Tara considered the twin sister of Dazhbog, who is sometimes called Tarkh Perunovich. Just like the twins Khors and Divya, who appear in the form of opposite phenomena (Sun and Moon), so Dazhdbog and Tara appear in different time days: Dazhdbog owns the reflected sunlight, and Tara appears in the night as the guiding North Star. The goddess Tara was revered as the patroness of travelers, opening roads and helping to choose a direction. Since the roads of travelers can pass through forests, at the same time the Goddess Tara was considered the patroness of sacred oak forests. Do you want to learn more about the Slavic Goddess Tara, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Slavic Goddess Tara - Goddess of the guiding star »

Sign of God Dogoda "Vratok"

Dogoda

Slavic God Dogoda little known among the great Gods of the Slavic pantheon. Nevertheless, this slightly frivolous, active and cheerful son of Stribog was revered as the God of Good Weather. The life of our ancestors depended on nature and weather conditions, so this natural manifestation of God's mercy delighted the people. There are few legends about him, but today, more than ever, we are ready to welcome the beautiful God Dogoda! Do you want to know more about God Dogod, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Slavic God Dogoda - God of good weather, let's call him together!»

Sign of the Goddess Agidel “Heavenly Abyss”

Agidel

Slavic Goddess Agidel, granddaughter of the God Svarog, is known in the north as the Goddess of Water. Our ancestors depended on reservoirs; in the north, fishing was one of the main industries, so different kinds waters were endowed with various divine properties. Slavic mythology knows Vodyany, Mermaids, even the sea king, the Goddess Dana and the Gods of large rivers (for example, God Don). The goddess Agidel is, first of all, the mythological savior of the earth from drought, who discovered the world's waters, a girl who turned into river water. Thus, the Goddess Agidel is not the goddess of a specific body of water, but rather a manifestation of the divine properties of the water element that are merciful to humans. Do you want to know more about the Slavic Goddess Agidel, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “ Agidel - Slavic Goddess of water»

Sign of God Avsen "Tausen"

Avsen

Slavic God Avsen known primarily as the God of the Autumn Sun. Autumn holiday harvest, thanksgiving to the Gods for the harvest, farewell to summer - for our ancestors this meant the arrival of autumn and Avsen. God Avsen was endowed with calm wisdom - he is the eldest (and oldest) of the solar Gods, ruling the world for a quarter of the year. On the day of the winter solstice, God Avsen hands over the reins of power to his brother Kolyada, the young Winter Sun. Thus, God Avsen manifests himself as the autumn annual period, as the Sun and as the law of withering of what was once young. What is surprising is that at the same time God Avsen is a builder of bridges to the future. Do you want to know more about God Avsen, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Avsen (Ovsen) - Slavic God of Autumn"

Sign of God Kupalo "Fern Color"

Kupalo

Slavic God Kupala (Kupala) manifests itself in our world on the shortest night of the year. God Kupalo takes control of the world and is the God of the Summer Sun, ruler of the annual period until the autumn equinox. The manifestation of God is a natural fall from its very limit, from the greatest height to a state of calm “reaping the fruits.” In Slavic mythology, God Kupala is the brother of the Goddess Kostroma, who experienced a terrible spell in childhood, which determined the subsequent difficult circumstances of life. Do you want to know more about God Kupalo, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “God Kupala or Kupala - Slavic God of the Summer Sun"

Slavic Gods of the world Navi

Lord Navi - Chernobog, brother of Belobog. This dark God is not at all at war with his brother, he is only doing his job, very important, but unappreciated by many: Chernobog destroys what there is no longer a place in the world of Reveal.

Other Slavic Gods of the world Navi also exist in order to not let the world stop developing. In addition, it is the Naval Gods who guard the world of the dead and stand on the border between the ordered world and chaos. We include Navi among the Slavic Gods Morenu, Koshcheya, Viya. Even the Slavic God of the Winter Sun Kolyada spends most of his time in the world of Navi.

Sign of God Viy “All-Seeing Eye”

Viy

Slavic God Viy known from the work of N.V. Gogol, where Viy is a chthonic monster, an all-seeing monster. It must be said that this literary character has almost nothing in common with the Slavic deity that our people remember. According to ancient Slavic myths, which we are recreating at the present time, God Viy is one of the oldest Gods created by the Creator Rod at the dawn of time. God Viy prefers Nav - the world of Spirits, where Souls go and from where they come to Reality. God Viy is a powerful wizard, gloomy, but striving to restore order. Slavic myths consider God Viy to be the “shepherd of souls” - the very force that forces souls to be cleansed of obvious hardships, undergo purification by fire and be reborn again. Do you want to know more about God Viya, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “God Viy - Guardian of Souls among the Slavs”

Sign of God Chernobog “Navnik”

Chernobog

Slavic God Chernobog perceived by some as a villain and enemy of humanity. It is believed that the twin brother of the light God Belobog, who embodies everything light and good, Chernobog embodies the opposite principle - darkness and evil. This is too simple and an incorrect idea of two opposing principles. So in the pair Horse-Divia, or Dazhdbog-Tara you can find light and darkness. But who said that this is good and evil? The idea of Chernobog will be correct if we think of him as the destructive principle of our worlds, of the one who takes on the role of the destroyer of the old and outdated. Chernobog is the governing force in the World of Navi, and that is why he was revered by our ancestors on a par with Belobog. Do you want to know more about God Chernobog, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “God Chernobog - Slavic God of Destruction”

Sign of the Goddess Morena “Winter Oblique Cross”

Moraine

Slavic Goddess Morena (Madder, Mora)- many people are familiar with the Maslenitsa holiday, where they drive away “Morena-winter” and burn a straw effigy. The Goddess of Winter Morena is also the Goddess of Death, which is understandable. This is the Goddess Navi, considered the wife of the ruler of this world, God Chernobog. You should not imagine the Goddess Morena in the image of a scary old woman - on the contrary, in Slavic myths she is a young black-haired beauty, full of strength and plans. Also, one should not simplify the perception of this Goddess - from Slavic myths it is known that she is the daughter of Svarog, the Supreme God of the world of Rule and the beautiful and kind Lada. Do you want to know more about the Slavic Goddess Morena, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “Goddess Morena - Slavic Goddess of Winter and Death »

Sign of God Koshchei "Koshchyun"

Koschey

Slavic God Koschey is often perceived as the same “Kosha” from the Soviet fairy tale film. Slavic mythology is much deeper and wiser than mass cliches. God Koschey is an associate of God Chernobog, who left with him during the battle of Light and Darkness, which took place in time immemorial. God Koschey is the commander of the army, whose task is to cleanse those who live unrighteously; every night he leaves Navi for Yav to restore justice and take souls so that they have the opportunity to start living again. The Slavic God Koschey is a just, punishing God of Death. Do you want to know more about God Koshchei, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Koschey the Immortal - Slavic God of Death"

Sign of the Trojan God “Healer”

Trojan

Slavic God Trojan arouses both interest and bewilderment. The “three-faced idol” on the island of Rügen (Ruyan) is known, but this is not about him. From Slavic myths we know the son of the God Veles and a human woman, who so strove for knowledge of healing that in the end Troyan was compared with the Gods. After his departure to Nav, Troyan was reborn and was recognized as God. Since that time, the new God Trojan has been known as the God of healing. Do you want to know more about the Trojan God, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “God Trojan - Slavic God of Healing”

Sign of God Kolyada "Kolyadnik"

Kolyada

Slavic God Kolyada Many people know it for the holiday of carols, which is celebrated on the winter solstice. The symbolism of this holiday coincides with the image of God Kolyada in the minds of the Slavs. God Kolyada is the God of the young winter sun, leaving Navi at this time. God Kolyada in mythology is the light of the sun and the light of knowledge (the word “enlightenment” gives this image of the sun, light, knowledge, growth). God Kolyada is the brother of Avsen, from whom he takes the reins of government for a quarter of the year, in order to then give them to the bright Yaril on the day of the spring equinox. Do you want to know more about God Kolyada, about his symbols, signs, holidays and glorification rituals? Then welcome here to the big article “God Kolyada - God of the Winter Sun”

Sign of the Goddess Kostroma “Cross”

Kostroma

Slavic Goddess Kostroma known from Slavic mythology as the sister of God Kupalo. Because of her quarrelsome character in childhood, there was a misfortune with her brother Kupala, and the curse that Kostroma brought upon both of them, in adult life led to an even greater tragedy. These difficult events led to spiritual rebirth of both brother Kupala and sister Kostroma. Once in the world of Navi, Kostroma has changed and is now the embodiment of the forces that support love in this world. Goddess Kostroma for the Slavs is the Patroness of lovers. Do you want to know more about the Slavic Goddess Kostroma, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “Goddess Kostroma - Slavic patroness of lovers »

Sign of the Goddess Devan “Star amulet”

Devana

Slavic Goddess Dewans known as the Goddess of the Hunt. Like many Slavic Gods, she had a difficult history - as is known from myths, this proud and headstrong daughter of Perun wanted to become the most important in the world of Rule and rebelled against Svarog. After Perun pacified his unreasonable daughter, she became the wife of God Svyatobor, but their marriage was unsuccessful. Devana left her husband and began to commit robbery on long roads. The gods decided to stop Devan and sent her to Nav. Rebirth in Navi led to the fact that after this the Goddess Devana became wise, careful, but still loved traveling and hunting. Do you want to learn more about the Slavic Goddess Devan, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “Slavic Goddess Devan - Goddess of the Hunt” »

Sign of the God of Perplexity “Spiral”

Pereplut

Slavic God Pereplut little known among the Western Slavs, but in the Pomeranian north, on the contrary, it is one of the revered and famous Gods, the Patron of sailors. It is his influence in the world that creates a fair wind and opens the paths along which sailors can return home. God Pereplut is the God of Navi, and that is why he can help sailors who risk crossing the border between worlds, setting off on a long sea voyage. Do you want to know more about God Pereplut, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “God Pereplut - God of Travelers”

Slavic Gods that stand apart

A special story Veles, God of the Three Worlds. The name of this Slavic God suggests that paths to all three worlds are open to him, therefore we cannot attribute him to any of them. Veles is especially revered in the Russian North, amazing story this God is definitely worth knowing. The Goddess also stands apart Makosh, Goddess of Fate and Magic.

Sign of the Goddess Makosh “Rodovik”

Makosh

Slavic Goddess Makosh known and loved like no other. This is the Goddess of Fate and Magic, who owns the threads of destinies of both men and women, people and Gods. Due to its great action and influence on the well-being of people, the veneration of the Goddess Makosh mixed with the cult of the Goddess Mother of Cheese-Earth, also the giver of blessings. But Makosh is a giver of blessings in a great sense, for the entire family line, and the Mother of Cheese Earth is a more “down-to-earth” well-being for a specific period. In mythology there is no mention of the fact that God Rod, who created our Motherland, Worlds, Gods, ever created the Goddess Makosh. This silence may indicate that the Goddess Makosh is a force that came from outside. Do you want to know more about the Slavic Goddess Makosh, about her symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the great article “Slavic Goddess Makosh - Goddess of Fate and Magic »

Sign of God Veles “Bull Head”

Veles

Slavic God Veles known also to those who are little familiar with Slavic mythology in general. The veneration of God Veles is due to the fact that he simultaneously embodies all the powers of the three Worlds - this was precisely the plan of the Creator Family for him. That is why the influence of God Veles is great on human life and death. God Veles is revered as the Patron of nature, the manager of wild and domestic animals, in a word, the obvious well-being of people depends on his power. In addition, it is believed that it is God Veles who helps the Souls of the dead get to white Nav and then transfers the Souls of children across the Berezina River to be born in Yavi. By all accounts, God Veles, who is the God of Wisdom and Magic, stands especially in the pantheon of Slavic Gods. Do you want to know more about the Slavic God Veles, about his symbols, signs, holidays and glorification rituals? Then welcome here to the big article “Veles - Slavic God of Three Worlds »

Sign of the God of the Family "Svaor"

Genus

And the last one we remember here will be the First God, Rod-Creator, who created the Motherland in the middle of Chaos, creating order in the world order. According to Slavic mythology, God Rod is not exactly the Supreme Creator of the universe; he is the one who created the three worlds in which our bodies and souls exist. God Rod is the one who created the world order and maintains the rules, he is the force that gives meaning to our existence. It was he who created the Gods and gave them various manifestations, organizing a sequence of development and cessation, light and darkness. Do you want to know more about God Rod, about his symbols, signs, holidays and rites of glorification? Then welcome here to the big article “God Rod - the Slavic God-Creator »

Paganism is a huge layer of ancient culture, which from the depths of centuries merges with our modern life. And this in itself suggests that paganism cannot be “new or reconstructed.”

Sometimes we, without noticing it ourselves, prove that we are under the influence of centuries-old pagan beliefs: we believe in omens, tell fairy tales to children, bake pancakes for Maslenitsa, tell fortunes for Christmastide, although at the same time we consider ourselves atheists or believing Christians and go to church, we read prayers. The churchmen themselves talk about this: Archbishop Macarius (Bulgakov), the author of the multi-volume “History of the Russian Church,” wrote that “many of the Christians practically remained pagans: they performed the external rites of the Holy Church, but preserved the customs and superstitions of their fathers.” Also, Academician Viktor Nikolaevich Lazarev said that: “The Byzantine contribution lay on a powerful layer of pagan culture.”

Did our ancestors agree with the baptism of Rus'? More likely no than yes. After all, we ourselves know a bunch of funny and interesting things about paganism in our modern life: we break plates at weddings for good luck, we believe that it is forbidden to say hello or pass something over the threshold, we often let the cat into a new house first, tie a red thread around the wrist, spit left and right, and at every opportunity we sprinkle proverbs...

The ritual side of many twelve Christian holidays, a reverent attitude towards nature, belief in talismans, amulets, omens - all this and much more testifies to the amazing vitality of our pagan cultural traditions even today, in the third millennium. In fact, today we are two-believers: both Christians and pagans at the same time, and pagans to a greater extent, because paganism has become integrated into our everyday life and our way of life.

In fact, all the twelve Christian holidays celebrated in Holy Rus' are Christian in essence, but on the ritual side, many of them are tightly connected with pagan traditions: Christmas (Christmas of whom? - God Kolyada, of course; that’s why the name - Carols , not “Christovka” or “Isusovka”), Candlemas, Maslenitsa, Annunciation, Krasnaya Gorka, Trinity, Intercession, etc. It is significant that all these holidays have long been associated among the people with one time or another of the year, a natural phenomenon. Where does this reverent attitude towards nature come from, if not from paganism, from its worship natural phenomena? Isn’t it from paganism that multi-domed temples in Kievan Rus(Kiev Sophia - about 13 chapters, the Church of the Tithes - about 25), animal style in architecture, plant relief in the design of religious buildings, tent style of Russian architecture of a later time?

It has been established that at the very beginning of the construction of the city of Novgorod, where the Volkhov flows from Lake Ilmen, there was a pagan sanctuary of the ancient Slavic Gods - Perun and Veles, who were worshiped by Russian pagan warriors. In the Perynya tract there was a special sanctuary located in the open air, round in plan, with a sacrificial place and an idol in the center. Eight fires burned around him in separate recesses. Adam Olearius, who visited Novgorod in 1635, describes the legends about the eternal fire from oak wood around the idol of Perun. Thus, back in 1635 (and according to the official version, six hundred years after the baptism of Rus') there were still pagan sanctuaries in which the sacred fire burned.

Here are the official archaeological data from the Novorod excavations.

Small wooden figurines of bearded people were associated with the domestic cult. In them you can see images of brownies, ancestors or forefathers. Brownie figures were more common in the layers of the 10th-11th centuries, however, they are also present in the layers of the 12th-13th centuries.

An important indicator of a mixture of traditions can be called wands. The most ancient rods, an attribute of Perun, of the pagan era ended with a human head. With the introduction of Christianity, the heads of eagles, ducks, dogs, and moose appeared in their place. At the turn of the XII-XIII centuries. a final change in shape occurs: the wands end only with a large ball with geometric cutting. And in the 16th century. bearded people reappear human heads. In addition, at the same time there were manifestations of anti-clerical views and even a return to pagan ideas. This is the 16th century.

Moreover, the Russian village was pagan for a long, long time after that. There are very few items related to Christianity in the materials of rural mounds of this time. But there are numerous decorations based on pagan symbols.

Pendant amulets are of particular interest. They are associated with spell magic. Pendants in the form of stylized birds and animals. The image of teeth and claws of predators served to protect against evil. Comb amulets were amulets against illness and were often worn on the chest along with a blessed cross.

The ritual folklore of the Slavs was closely connected with calendar and non-calendar holidays. We celebrated the welcoming of winter - Kolyada and farewell - Maslenitsa. The holiday of Krasnaya Gorka and Radunitsa meant the welcome of spring, which was seen off during the seventh week. There were summer holidays - Rusalia and Kupala. Among the spring and summer holidays Three were especially revered by the people - Semik, Trinity and Ivan Kupala. Trinity is still celebrated on the 50th day after Easter, and Semik was celebrated the day before - on Thursday. Since it was the seventh post-Easter week, the holiday was called “semik”. He was associated with the cult of nature. Houses, courtyards, and temples these days were decorated with flowers and tree branches, mainly birch. Trinity week in Rus' was called “green”. Girls these days are wearing best outfits, went to birch grove, they found a young beautiful birch tree, curled its branches, decorated them with ribbons and flowers, danced in circles, sang songs praising the birch.

There are certain myths about paganism in general, and Slavic paganism in particular, let’s look at them in more detail.

Myth: Paganism as a whole concept does not exist.

On the one hand, in paganism there really is no single center or leader, like the Pope for Catholics, and there is no generally accepted code of sacred texts, like the Bible or the Koran. However, such polymorphism can be perceived not as weakness, but as flexibility and strength. After all, to any, even the most complex question of the changing world, one of the currents of paganism will certainly find a worthy answer. Unified ideological currents with an unshakable structure are good for periods of stability that are in the past.

Myth: Paganism is a rejection of the possibilities of a developed civilization, a slide into the Stone Age and its values.

Some conservative and ecological strands of paganism are indeed wary of progress. But this view can be understood - society is destroying nature and the planet. But these people advocate for the preservation of the environment, at least in its modern form, and the return of man to a tried and tested way of life. In general, paganism does not deny the achievements of science; on the contrary, this value system may turn out to be ideal for the cosmic future of humanity.

In modern paganism, the positions of progressors are quite strong. They understand that someday the construction wooden house together with iron forging were high advanced technologies.

Myth: Paganism is stupidity. Who in our time worships Perun and prostrates himself before wooden idols?

Modern pagans themselves will not argue with part of this statement. Worshiping Perun is indeed stupid, but no more stupid than worshiping pop idols and stars of show business, cinema, and modern religious systems.

Pagans have a common point of view that their gods should not be worshiped, but simply honored. And the strong, brave gods would be disgusted by the sight of people humiliating themselves for their sake. After all, we are their continuation, students, not slaves. The pagans see in each of their gods not a tyrant who must be given gifts and prostrate before him, but an ancient relative and ancestor.

The gods are our ancestors

In this regard, the faith of the pagans is in perfect harmony with the materialistic point of view of the emergence of religions from worship real people who lived at one time or another on the planet.

So what’s wrong with honoring ancestors, of whom not even a trace remains in the form of graves, but an ancient culture has been preserved?

So if someone prostrates himself before wooden idols, then this has to do with the person’s personal psyche. There are individuals who simply need to worship someone in this way, but what does paganism have to do with it? Here it is customary to glorify the gods with creativity, knowledge, friendship, love, raising children and fun games.

Paganism as a whole concept does not exist, since we're talking about about individual perceptions. On the one hand, in paganism there really is no single center or leader, like the Pope for Catholics, and there is no generally accepted code of sacred texts, like the Bible or the Koran. However, such polymorphism can be perceived not as weakness, but as flexibility and strength. After all, to any, even the most complex question of the changing world, one of the currents of paganism will certainly find a worthy answer. Unified ideological currents with an unshakable structure are good for periods of stability that are in the past. And for a polymorphic world there is nothing better than a polymorphic ideology.
Paganism is a rejection of the possibilities of a developed civilization, a slide into the Stone Age and its values. Some conservative and ecological strands of paganism are indeed wary of progress. But this view can be understood - society is destroying nature and the planet. But these people advocate for the preservation of the environment, at least in its modern form, and the return of man to a tried and tested way of life. In general, paganism does not deny the achievements of science; on the contrary, this value system may turn out to be ideal for the cosmic future of humanity.

Don't think that conservatives dominate among pagans. But their point of view is important, because on the path of progress it will be possible to assess possible difficulties. And being a supporter of progress, one cannot but deny that we use many of its achievements extremely ineffectively. What would be better for a schoolchild - to kill his time on the computer or to live the old fashioned way in a hut in the fresh air? In modern paganism, the positions of progressors are quite strong. They understand that once upon a time, the construction of a wooden house along with the forging of iron were highly advanced technologies. If the Vikings had lived to this day, they would have gone on their campaigns in powerful submarines.

Pagan reenactors are trying to recreate those examples of ancient material culture, and progressives accept reality. In the modern world, they are trying to cultivate in themselves the spirit and philosophy of life that was present among our ancient ancestors. In this way, we pay our predecessors by continuing the relay race they started. It is worth noting the fact that there are many specialists in paganism who, by virtue of their profession, move science forward. These are programmers, physicists, and engineers.

Paganism is stupidity; who in our time worships Perun and prostrates himself before wooden idols? Modern pagans themselves will not argue with part of this statement. Worshiping Perun is indeed stupid, but no less stupid as worshiping pop idols and show business and movie stars. Pagans have a common point of view that their gods should not be worshiped, but simply honored. And the strong, brave gods would be disgusted by the sight of people humiliating themselves for their sake. After all, we are their continuation, students, not slaves. The pagans see in each of their gods not a tyrant who must be given gifts and prostrate before him, but an ancient relative and ancestor. In this regard, the faith of the pagans is in perfect harmony with the materialistic point of view of the emergence of religions from the worship of real people who lived at one time or another on the planet. So what’s wrong with honoring ancestors, of whom not even a trace remains in the form of graves, but an ancient culture has been preserved?

The main thing for paganism is the understanding that there is no insurmountable and fundamental difference between man and the gods. This faith calls not so much to fulfill the will of higher beings, but to realize oneself by cultivating the qualities that the gods possess. So if someone prostrates himself before wooden idols, then this has to do with the person’s personal psyche. There are individuals who simply need to worship someone in this way, but what does paganism have to do with it? Here it is customary to glorify the gods with creativity, knowledge, friendship, love, raising children and fun games.

Myth - Foreigners who could not speak our native language were called pagans

For such people there was a completely different word “German” (Mute, unable to speak). The word “Language” itself can be disassembled into the components “I” and the adjective “Language” (loud, sonorous, sharp).

How are people different from animals? A person walks, eats, sleeps and reproduces in the same way as happens in the animal world; people also have sense and instinct and in this way they are also similar to animals. But besides all this, people have a Language of the Mind, consisting of letters, words and sentences.

How does language affect the world from a physics point of view? Let us consider not “written language”, but “oral” language, which comes out of our mouths and turns into sound. Sound is a physical phenomenon that is the propagation of mechanical vibrations in the form of elastic waves in a solid, liquid or gaseous medium. In a narrow sense, sound refers to these vibrations, considered in relation to how they are perceived by the senses of animals and humans. Sound waves can serve as an example of an oscillatory process. Any oscillation is associated with a violation of the equilibrium state of the system and is expressed in the deviation of its characteristics from equilibrium values with a subsequent return to the original value.

Our bodies are made up of water for the most part, and sound greatly affects its structure. Science has conducted experiments that have proven that negative words have a negative effect on water molecules, destroying their structure and shape, and vice versa, positive words have a positive effect. This can be seen very clearly in the video.

To summarize, we can conclude that the Pagans are people who understood and knew the nature of language, and were in this sense “programmers” and not “users.” Language is a code with which we can write the programs of our lives. We are now just “users”. The difference between a “user” and a “programmer” is that the first one acts unconsciously, repeating after others, while programmers create their own reality themselves because they know and understand the language.

Myth: Paganism is not necessary to modern man, since this system of beliefs was formed in a completely different historical era.

If this were really so, then how would the number of followers of paganism increase? Recently, young people admired robots and astronauts, but today everyone is interested in elves, gnomes, magicians and hobbits. Tolkien, who stood at the origins of such a culture, himself did not suspect how widespread the interest in his work would be.

Slavic paganism is especially close to us. We all grew up on fairy tales about Baba Yaga and the Gray Wolf; as a result, the cultural tradition is close to us from childhood, without requiring additional interpretations or learned books to understand. For modern Russian people, Slavic myths, which contain ideas about the universe, are natural. Paganism was created by ardent lovers of life who liked our world and existence in it. These people appreciate the beauty of nature and are ready to glorify it here and now, and not hope for happiness after death. In the images of the gods, truly human traits are personified, albeit brought to a high standard in legends. In the pagan world, a person finds examples of how to behave in life situations, which is rich modern world. In addition, there are so many gods in the pagan pantheon that everyone can choose the one who is personally close to him.

The last century has become very significant for civilization. Humanity survived two world wars, mastered flight in the sky and in space, and reached other planets. The man was dumbfounded by the surging changes, not understanding how to live in the new conditions. That is why it is time to think about who we are and where we are going. It’s worth stopping and looking back at the landmarks invented and tested by our ancestors. Even if the times were different, the methodology is worth paying attention to. To master the gifts of science, it is worth becoming a philosopher, coloring the idea with colorful images.

The story of the origin of the ancient Slavs is one of the current topics modern science. How many people now remember where the royal family, the Rurikovichs, came from? And the fact that the Russians and Slavs are different peoples. Let's remember the legendary past, pay tribute to the ancient heroes for their exploits, thanks to which Ancient Rus' preserved, and descendants proudly recall their roots, plunging into the depths of centuries.

The Slavs are the same age as the current era. For a long time it was believed that Slavic culture began to take shape at the turn of the 5th - 6th centuries. This was confirmed by archaeological finds. Modern historians have gone further, ancient artifacts have been found indicating that, at the turn of the 2nd - 4th centuries, the so-called new culture, which formed at the beginning of the 6th century.

Solar calendar

Ancient Slavic tribes worshiped the sun; priests closely monitored the main source of life and warmth. The Slavs believed that during the year the sun appeared on earth in four guises:

Carols.
Yarila.
Bathed.
Svetovid.

On the holiday of the Winter Solstice, the “young luminary” - Kolyada - was supposed to appear at dawn. And on the day of the Spring Equinox, the young god Yarilo replaced the carol.

In a day Summer Solstice the “mature” sun appeared Kupalo. On the day of the autumn equinox came wise old man Svetovid - weak sun. On the Solstice holiday, Svetovid died, and at dawn the baby Kolyada appeared.

Gods of the ancient Slavs

The pantheon of gods of the ancient Slavs is diverse; people worshiped natural or cosmic forces. There were tribes that recognized the spirits of deceased ancestors or worshiped animal totems. But there were “official” gods in which all Slavic tribes believed.

The heavenly gods belonged to the highest hierarchy.
The earthly ones were responsible for the forces of nature.
Evil underground spirits.

The Slavs “did not limit” the gods, for example, the same one successfully combined the duties of a “livestock breeder” and was in charge of the afterlife; the latter did not interfere with taking care of a rich harvest.

Few people know that the young sun, Yarilo, illuminated not only the earth. Yarilo is the “Slavic” eros, he was responsible for reproduction, physical love and fertility.

Cult of fire

Svarog revealed to the Slavs the secrets of agriculture and blacksmithing. From Svarog the Slavs received a plow and blacksmith's tongs, people smelted copper and forged iron.

But the most valuable gift was fire. The power of fire, at that time personified life, was the center of the world in which the Slavic peoples lived. The fire drove away evil spirits, but at the same time the flame swept away everything in its path. It was in pagan times that the tradition of jumping over a fire appeared. The lovers took an oath, and Fire was a witness to this communication. When young people, holding hands, jumped over the fire and managed to keep their hands together, it meant that the fire had taken an oath and the lovers would live happily ever after. An interesting fact: historians still have not figured out how the fire was called. Everyone knew the name of God, but pronouncing it out loud was forbidden on pain of death.

Cult of the snake god

Appeared to people in different images:

Hair.
Smog.

It could be a huge fire-breathing Serpent, appearing in the form of a shaggy bear, and generally being a master of disguise.
Perun's eternal partner. In it, he liked to ruin people, sow confusion and chaos. Despite the negative characterization of Veles, he was respected; he was not a “universal” evil. The snake god not only played off neighbors, he cursed domestic animals and patronized trade and wealth. If you divide the Old Slavonic word wealth, you get protected by God. Poor, wretched - abandoned by God.

People tried to appease the “underground master.” They left fresh milk in fields and caves. By the way, one of the many names of the snake god - Smog (Tsmog is Old Slavonic) is translated as “sucker”.

The farmers left Veles the last sheaf of ears of grain in the field “for his beard.” A ritual feast was held in his honor.

Thirtieth Kingdom

Few people know that in the fairy tale about the thirtieth kingdom, familiar from childhood, the Slavs saw something different. The Slavs believed that after death they would live in the “thirtieth kingdom.” As in the fairy tale, you remember far away “far away, beyond the wide rivers and blue seas, where a bird flies, a traveler and a horse cannot reach,” everything is made of pure gold, mountains, trees, and the banks there are jelly and endless rivers of milk flow.

The Slavs did not perform human sacrifices. Who was the first to come up with this legend about the bloody pagan rites of the Slavs? For the first time, Christian preachers spoke about this, opposing the dark pagans.

Scientists have long proven that in some milked wild tribes at the primitive stage of development, bloody sacrifices. But during the period of late paganism such phenomena were no longer observed.

The Slavs sacrificed exclusively “the fruits of their labor” to the gods. Feasts were held in honor of the gods. They dug that during the holidays the gods shared meals with them. By the way, they do something similar today, they commemorate relatives, and place a symbolic treat near the image. By the way, “eat” comes from the Old Slavonic word EAT , translated as sacrifice.

Food of the ancient Slavs

Slavic cuisine could not boast of pickles, but it was full of spices and vegetables. People ate porridge, bread, fish and meat. Ancient porridge differs from modern porridge, for example, simple rice in those days was worth its weight in gold, Sorochinsky millet was served at the boyar table. Buckwheat was prepared only in holidays. Cereals came to Rus' from Greece, and the popular choice was oat porridge.

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