New beginning: Ice Fortress Fight and jumping above the fire to celebrate spring arrival as well as new life path
Ever since I grew enough to understand rituals and their mining I was fascinated by them. I remember reading “The little mermaid” story and spending hours thinking about how a witch would know what exactly to give to the mermaid so her tail would turn into feet? A separate character that attracted my attention was Baba-Yaga - Russian folk tales character. And how did this old ugly lady manage to fly on a broomstick and send curses to all? It seemed that they would know somehow a ritual or formula which brings magic into the world.
I grew up and started travel a lot being even more interested in other rituals and ceremonies I get to know - from the Ashrams of India to the Amazon forests, from remote villages in the heart of the Altai region in Russia to sacred mountains and enclosed settlements across the world. Life gave me many incredible opportunities to encounter what was of great interest to me.
Yet today my article about a simple ritual I have encountered being a child. In late February - early March (it varies from year to year) in Russia we celebrate the so-called Maslenitsa - quite a fun and interesting event taking place the whole week starting from Monday and ending on Sunday.
Welcome to Maslenitsa
Source:Wikipedia
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In Russia people generally, like to celebrate. It could be anything really - I assume it is just a part of our culture and a chance to drink vodka Russians are so famous for. Thus, on New Year we have holidays from 1- 8 or 9 January to celebrate it. In May there is few off-day to celebrate - the World War II victory, which ended in the distant 1945, but still close to the heart of every Russian because it affected every family in the country, you barely find anyone whose relatives were not involved. Yet for me, Maslenitsa has always had its charm and would be considered on my personal scale of events in the highest range. The week we celebrate Maslenitsa is a special thing. Although it is not official holidays we still manage to celebrate it on a big scale.
During the week it is not a big deal I guess - it is just a lot of pancakes. We bake them every day (nowadays I guess a bit less) and them with different flavors - jam, butter, chocolate, and caviar - you just choose what you want.
So all the last week Russia сelebrated Maslenitsa. For me, who has been for a long time living outside of Russia, it was not that of interest anymore, but this time I decided to join the final celebration which takes place on Sundays and called “Forgiving Sunday.” I had so much fun and was so busy celebrating that completely forget to take any pictures so the ones above are from the Internet to give you the sense of it.
Traditionally the first thing you do in the morning on Sunday(the last day of Maslenitsa) is to ask forgiveness. I believe nowadays it became just part of the habit with very little people really meaning what they say. At the same time, I think it is really nice tradition and personally use it as a chance to get one sending messages or calling close people. You never know.
The rest of the day we spent outside. Usually, people bother on the main square or in a part where the special arrangements are done. That huge fun with lots of pancakes being served, games played, ice castle fights, jumping across the fire and it all finishes with stripping the Lady Maslenitsa and burning her in a bonfire. The ashes are buried in the snow afterward with a belief that they will fertilize the soil and help plants to grow. I believe one of the interesting rituals I have ever come across.
Standing there and whacking the Malenitsa figure burning I thought that some thousand years ago some people would also watch the flames eating it. Would they think that years will pass, but their ancestors would do the same?
I think they would not do it, they would just watch it burn, collect the ashes and spread it around. For them, it would mean that one season is over and the new is coming. They would hope that the new one will bring them abundance. They would celebrate it with open hearts, respecting the Nature and the gift it gives them, seeing in this action nothing more than just a natural process - one dies to give birth to a new. It was their symbol of joy, fun and huge love and understanding of Life. At the same time in some mysterious way, it survived centuries to remind us of the same. So standing there and watching it burn I thought of my own life and its new beginning and somehow feeling of calmness and happiness overcome and settled inside. I knew all will be fine and Life will continue. It just was the beginning of a new path for me. As the spring will come after winter, as my life will move and next spring I might be standing here again and whatch the other Maslenitsa burn to smile to the Wonders of Life.
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I support @ecotrain project, which also use #ecotrain. I want to believe that more and more people will start to think about things that help to make the world a better place. (с)@ecotrain. I also hope that more and more writers on Steemit will support the movement started by @eco-alexand @icmultitudes . As I truly believe that we are one and helping others means you are helping yourself.
This is so beautiful and I truly enjoyed it. I really appreciated the slant you took on it- looking from cultures all around the world to focusing on your homeland culture of the transition to spring. Also looking from your child self to now and then from the eyes of the ancestors really made me think, too.
Coming from a place with what I consider empty holidays largely (in mainstream USA), I sooo have a longing to incorporate these holidays into my life and am slowly starting to with my local friends and community.
You can see that these people were close to the land and wasted nothing as evidenced by the fact that they use the ashes from the figure to fertilize their gardens. I am in love with this.
Also, on another note, I've always had an interest in the Baba Yaga and would love to read more about her from a Russian's perspective. If you ever feel inspired to write anything, please tag me in your post :D
Welcome to the #ecotrain!
My dear @mountainjewel, it is a real pleasure and honor meet you. From the articles I have read and this beautiful initiative you just started @the-hearth I really felt connected to all what you do. Thanks again for @eco-alex and #ecotrain bringing us together. It is a real joy to share the common interests and vision to the world. In my turn I would really love to see how you make your celebrations meaningful and hope to read about it one day. And of course, I will write about Baba Yaga from Russian perspective and from the spiritual perspective as well as for me it represents much more just a fairy tale character%) Thanks for the inspiration to it! Be blessed and much love!
We all live in one beautiful World!
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Thank you for writing such inspiring earth-centered content that ties the modern age in with traditions of the past. We always love to hear of past rituals that continue to this day with an earth-centered focus. And you had us at butter week! :D
Ceremony and ritual are so important, I like to celebrate the seasonal changes myself which are very similar all around the world, it is about our connection to the earth, allowing it to teach and guide us and seeing ourselves as part of this great planet. It is about bringing people together and celebrating, being mindful and giving back to the earth. There is such a need for it today, as so many people feel isolated, yet we are all so similar. our one connection being with the earth. It really warms my heart to hear of these celebrations that do not forget the true meaning of ritual. Thank you so much for sharing this xxx
Yes, I think it is so important to celebrate life and rituals such a great tool for it. they are needed yet forgotten in many cultures. It just happens that Russians celebrate some of them. At the same time, I assume not a lot of people really think of their true meaning and it makes me sad. On the other hand, what makes me happy is people around who do understand its importance and moreover use them in his/her life. Let's celebrate Life through rituals!
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Like @trucklife-family said, ritual is so important to human beings. We desperately crave it from small daily rituals to celebrations of seasons, years, relationships, and growth. Yet, so many western cultures are so desperately lacking any of it. Malidoma Some and his ex wife Sibonfu Some have written beautifully about the human need for ritual and the negative impact the absence of it is having on us, especially our children. Thanks for sharing.
Hey, @solarsupermama. I am terribly sorry to answer so late for such a wise comment! I agree with you 100%. Lucky for me I have been introduced to such rituals from childhood and I should say they really form a very large part of my vision to the world. I would really love to read about the importance of rituals by Malidoma Some and his ex-wife Sibonfu Some.Big thank you for introducing them to me! I think I appreciate knowledge as the biggest gift in this world and always blessed with people like you sharing it will me. I wonder if one day we can all meet somewhere and make our own ritual or perhaps we even do not need to meet - we can think and organize one being in the different parts of the planet. I guess the upcoming International women day could be a perfect spot. I hope all is good with your documents now! Much love, dear!
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No worries.Keeping up with Steemit is a lot sometimes! So nice that some cultures still have ritual going. I hope you will like Malidoma and Sibonfu. It's beautiful stuff. One of her books was the basis of the birth blessing we did for my daughter. I would love to all get together. I mentioned at one point we could take a train trip together. A ritual would be lovely.
That looks like a beautiful and fun custom to take away the dark and cold of winter!
Your post has been featured in this week's earth-centered curation @the-hearth.
Thanks for writing such fantastic and inspiring content!