For our ancestors, the laws of nature have always been important and revered. One of the most special holidays was the winter solstice. It will come on December 22, 2018 at 01:23 Moscow time. After it, the duration of subsequent days will begin to increase, and the nights will begin to shorten.

Winter solstice is the day when the daylight occupies its lowest position relative to the earth's horizon. In 2018, this event will occur on December 22 at 01:23 Moscow time and December 21 at 22:23 Western European time. In addition, on December 22, another important astronomical phenomenon awaits us - the Full Moon.

It was previously believed that the birth of a new Sun took place on the winter solstice, so this event played an important role in many cultures. The ancient Celts celebrated Yule on this day, and the Eastern Slavs celebrated the New Year. Also during this period, it was customary to honor the Sun God, or Kolyada. According to tradition, the celebration of the Slavic New Year was fun and noisy. To appease the god of the new Sun, people lit fires, held festivities and exchanged gifts.

However, this phenomenon also has its dangers. Bioenergetics experts believe that the influence of the Sun during the winter solstice can have a detrimental effect on the energy field of people. For this reason, many may experience weakness, headaches, and other physical and mental ailments. The full moon, which also falls on December 22, can further aggravate your condition.

Initially, the length of daylight hours will increase slightly, and then the intensity will increase. Astronomers even compiled a special table:

Winter solstice different peoples the world is celebrated in its own way. IN different cultures it is associated with the rebirth of the Sun, with the advent of the new year. The pagans called this day Karachun and believed that “evil spirits” could make sure that the Sun did not rise, so they performed rituals so that it would definitely be “born.”

At dawn, fires were lit, built with oak and pine logs, and gifts were presented to the forest gods. At dawn they celebrated the rebirth of the Sun and began to guess. At the solstice they engage in spiritual practices and meditation. You can start doing important things, implementing projects - they will be profitable. Your wishes will definitely be fulfilled.

By the winter solstice, it is customary to do a general cleaning of the house, throw away all unnecessary rubbish, and decorate the premises for the New Year. In the center of the room you need to put something that resembles the Sun, for example an orange.

Many rituals are recommended to be performed on the day of the solstice. The fact is that this is the shortest and most mysterious day of the year. When a colossal amount of energy is generated in nature, but it does not manifest itself clearly, but is hidden in the dark corners of the longest night.

Before carrying out any rituals (several days before the holiday), it is necessary to carry out a thorough cleaning of the entire apartment or house:

1. Wash everything, even the most secluded corners.
2. Put things in order, put things in their places.
3. Clear out your closet and decide what you need and what you don't.
4. Collect unnecessary items and distribute them to those in need.

Thanks to such actions, you will clear space in your life for something new and joyful.

Ritual of letting go

• Write down on paper everything negative and bad that happened during the year - what you want to get rid of or forget.
• Say the appropriate words that you must choose for yourself. For example: “I forgive and let go of everything that happened” or “I leave these events in the past, let them go away and never return.”
• Now burn a piece of paper, imagining how your sorrows are burned in the fire. And problems disappear with the smoke.
• Feel liberated.

Ritual to fulfill a wish

A wish is made at dawn:

• Stand facing east - look in the direction where the reborn Sun rises.
• Thank the Sun for all the good things in your life and ask for help in the coming season.
• Make a wish - try to mention as many details as possible.
• Imagine that your wish has already come true. What do you feel? Let your imagination paint happy pictures.

On this holiday, it’s good to make wishes that involve renewing your life and attracting something new. It is also recommended to drink ginger tea throughout the day.

If your desire involves accumulating money, then ideal option will open a bank savings account on the solstice or the next day. By doing this, you will not only conceive what you want, but also take the first step towards realization. Which is very important.

Ritual for cleansing

Carried out in the bathroom:

• Fill the bathtub with warm water.
• Be sure to add sea ​​salt, because she takes on all the negativity. But it’s better to avoid foam on this day.
• Place several candles in the bathroom (an odd number), turning off the electric lights.
• Prepare some pleasant music for relaxation. These can be sounds of nature, religious chants, ethnic music, and so on.
• Lie down in the bath. Imagine that your body is heavy, filled with the worries of the passing year.
• Now visualize that water and salt are taking away all your problems. And every moment your body becomes lighter.
• Drain the water, imagining that everything bad goes away with it. Rinse off in the shower.

After performing the ritual, you will feel a true renewal at the level of body and soul.

Our distant ancestors relied on natural phenomena and the movement of the Sun when calculating time periods. The winter solstice point was significant for the construction of such historical structures as:

• Stonehenge in the UK;
• Newgrange in Ireland.

Their main axes are oriented along the sunrise and sunset on the solstices.

Ancient Roman Saturnalia

In ancient Rome, on the solstice days, the festival of Saturnalia was celebrated in honor of the god Saturn. The celebration lasted from December 17 to 23. By this time all agricultural work was completed. And people could indulge in celebration and fun.

It was customary to temporarily stop public affairs and send schoolchildren on vacation. It was even forbidden to punish criminals.

Slaves sat at the same table with their masters and were freed from daily labor. There was a symbolic equalization of rights.

Crowds of celebrating people walked in the streets. Everyone praised Saturn. On the days of Saturnalia, a pig was slaughtered as a sacrifice, and then they began to have fun. A tradition of exchanging gifts arose, which later moved on to modern Christmas and New Year.

Yule among the ancient Germans

This is a medieval holiday, one of the main ones of the year. It was celebrated on a grand scale. The word “Yule” was used to describe the longest night of the year, which fell on the winter solstice.

It was believed that on this day the Oak King was reborn, he warmed the frozen ground and gave life to seeds in the soil, which were stored during the long winter, so that by spring they would germinate and give a harvest.

People lit fires in the fields. It was customary to drink the alcoholic drink cider. Children went from house to house with gifts. Baskets were woven from branches of evergreens and ears of wheat, and apples and cloves were placed in them, which were sprinkled with flour.

Apples are a symbol of the sun and immortality, and wheat is a symbol of a good harvest. Flour meant light and success.

Houses were also decorated with tree branches: ivy, holly, mistletoe. It was believed that this helped to invite the spirits of nature to join the celebration. Spirits could bestow happy life household members.

On the Yule holiday, a ritual log was burned, the Yule tree was decorated (a prototype of the New Year's tree) and gifts were exchanged. The image of the log has been preserved in many countries to this day.

Holiday in Christianity

In Christianity, these days celebrate the Nativity of Christ. IN Catholic tradition it comes on December 24, when the Sun, after passing its lowest point, is again “reborn” and rises higher.

It is believed that when Christianity replaced paganism, new Christian holidays merged with the pagans. This is how Christmas appeared in his modern form with a decorated Christmas tree and gifts for relatives and friends. After all, in fact, this is the celebration of the birth of Christ, but it is celebrated very similar to the medieval Yule.

In Orthodoxy, due to the use of the Julian calendar, the date is 2 weeks behind the solstice; Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. However, historically it is the same date. It’s just that over the course of two thousand years the solstice point has shifted by half a month.

Holiday in Slavic culture

The Slavs celebrated the day of Karachun - the harsh deity of winter. They believed that Karachun brings winter cold to the earth, plunging nature into winter sleep.

Another name for the deity is Korochun - which means “the shortest”. The winter solstice precedes the rebirth of the Sun.

Bonfires were burned everywhere, which were designed to help the Sun gain victory over death and be reborn. After Karachun, the nights waned and the daylight hours became longer.

Subsequently, this deity turned into Frost - a gray-haired old man, from whose breath bitter frosts begin and rivers become covered with ice. The Slavs believed that if Frost hit the hut with his staff, the logs would crack.

Frost does not like those who are afraid of it and hide, complain about the cold and quickly get cold. But to those who are not afraid of him, he bestows rosy cheeks, strength of spirit and good mood. This is reflected in the fairy tale “Morozko”.

Since ancient times, our ancestors called this event in nature the rebirth of the Sun. All celebrations on this occasion took place on the eve of the winter solstice at night, until the celestial body appeared over the horizon. Afterwards, people went home to restore order in their homes. After all, this particular holiday was considered the most successful moment for cleaning before the onset of the new year.

In addition to general cleaning in the house, people also tried to throw away everything unnecessary from their thoughts, that is, it is necessary to create cleanliness not only materially in everyday life, but also morally in the head from dirty thoughts. The best way This is what prayer has always been considered for. And then you can also ask the Sun to fulfill your most cherished desires. In order for December 21 to be as close to a holiday as possible, children received gifts in the form of various sweets when this date arrived.

The day of the winter solstice coincides with the Nativity Fast, so on December 22 the church does not approve of various fun, consumption of fatty, meat foods and alcohol. It is advisable to spend this day with your family; being alone is not a good sign for this day. national holiday. Also, before this day, it is worth completing all the work started and it is necessary to pay off debts. A dirty house is another taboo of this holiday.

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Winter Solstice Day is long-awaited event, completing a series of gloomy Brrr months (October br, But I br, Deca br). This day may be surrounded by the longest nights of the year, but after it we will see more and more daylight! This is precisely what is remarkable about the Winter Solstice Day, that there is a turning point towards warmth and sunlight.

Different cultures interpreted this event differently, but most peoples perceived the winter solstice as revival, setting a new beginning. At this time, festivals, holidays, meetings were organized, appropriate rituals were carried out, and mass celebrations were organized with songs and dances.

The time of the winter solstice occurs when the axis around which our planet rotates reaches its maximum point in the direction from the Sun. The greatest angle of inclination of the Earth's axis relative to the Sun is 23° 26′.

On this day the Sun reaches its lowest position. Then, at the end of December and January, it rises higher above the horizon, making daylight longer.

Holiday dates:

• December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere (these are all countries above the equator);
• June 20 or 21 – in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia, most countries Latin America and etc.).

At this moment the following events will occur:

1. Astronomical winter will come;
2. The sun will be at its zenith at the latitude of the Tropic of Capricorn;
3. According to the zodiac calendar, the Sun will move into the zodiac sign Capricorn;
4. The length of the day begins to increase;
5. The sun will rise and set below the horizon at the southernmost points of sunrise and sunset;
6. The current day will be the shortest day of the year;
7. Accordingly, the night coming from December 21 to 22 will be the longest night of 2019.

Winter Solstice Traditions

Of course, in the 21st century no one celebrates this day, but in ancient times it was considered important. It was celebrated in many cultures and, most importantly, they followed traditions. It is possible that modern man will be able to find something useful for himself among them.

On the day of the winter solstice, the house was decorated with Christmas tree branches. Living trees improve the energy of a home. An orange was always placed in the center of the home. In this way, people celebrated the birth of the Sun and the beginning of a new solar year.

It was customary to light fires and perform rituals with them. Thanks to this tradition, people tried to accelerate the birth of the Sun and initially support its strength.

How to spend the winter solstice

The end of the solar year and the beginning of a new one - good time for carrying out various practices, ceremonies and rituals. At this time it is recommended:

Conduct meditations

A good effect will come from cleansing meditations that help you free yourself from something unnecessary and outdated. It is also recommended that after cleansing, move on to visualizing plans for the new solar year. It’s worth preparing yourself a list of planned things to do in advance. Before meditation, you need to read this list and, closing your eyes, imagine that everything has already happened. If these plans are truly worthwhile and strong vibrations of the energy plan were sent at the moment of visualization, everything planned will be realized in a short time.

I offer you a choice of several meditations:

Make a wish

Traditionally, on the day the calendars change, they make a wish. Asking for something cherished and hidden on the day of the winter solstice is akin to making a wish on a falling star on New Year's Eve.

When your desire is formed into an intention, it will definitely come true!

Desire and light

Listen to part 1 of the algorithm for making a wish come true on video.

Carry out magical work

The following practices are perfect for these purposes:

Get out

For something good to come into life, you need to clear the space for it. You should clean the room, throw away all old, broken things. All things that were not useful during the year should be collected in boxes and taken to people in need. It wouldn’t hurt to wash the doorways, thresholds, and most importantly the windows. It is through them that flows of power enter the house. A cluttered space interferes with the implementation of plans and the fulfillment of desires.

Reiki sessions will help you perform energy cleansing:

Letting go of the past that has become obsolete

Right at sunset, you should go outside or open the window wide. Bring a piece of paper and a pen with you. While the old sun goes below the horizon, you need to try to remember everything bad and everything negative that happened this year. This could be relationships with people, the people themselves, illness, litigation, job changes, loss of money, unpleasant conflict situations. You need to write about all this on paper, and then burn this paper with fire. Leave to burn just before the setting sun. All the bad things will go away along with the old sun. And the next morning, along with the new sun, the long-awaited cleansing and relief will come.

Perhaps you understand that you also need to let go of your destructive states:

Good day. The magician Azal is with you. A special day is approaching - the winter solstice. The ancient Slavs called it Kolyada or the Winter Solstice holiday. This same holiday with the same meaning, but under different names, was celebrated not only by our Slavic ancestors, but also by almost all other peoples.

How can this be useful to you and me? First of all, because many rituals and ceremonies of the ancient Slavs are still relevant today. They can only be held once a year and only on this day. What will we get?

1. Possibility of solving your problems
2. An opportunity to remember your deceased relatives and ask for their help
3. An opportunity to get rid of the series of failures that haunt you all year and redirect your life in a more successful direction

If this is relevant to you, and you do not want to miss such a rare opportunity, then read on. First, I will tell you how the winter solstice holiday was held among the ancient Slavs, what rituals they performed and for what purpose - short excursion into a story with a magical twist. After this, I give specific instructions for performing the same rituals, taking into account our time.

In astronomical terms, this is the day when the Earth's axis of rotation tilts maximum away from the Sun. This day has the shortest daylight hours and the longest night of the year. The exact date of the winter solstice varies from year to year and varies within a few days: from December 21 to December 23.

Slavic god Kolyada

In a magical sense, this holiday occupies a special place. The longest night of the year is also the darkest night of the year. The night, increasing in time, gained its maximum strength on this day. While the sun is at its weakest. Along with the night, the forces that hide in the darkness have gained their maximum strength. It is on this night that many especially dark forces awaken: forgotten dark gods, demons and various kinds of creatures.

The ancient Slavs believed that on this day Kolyada, the son of Dazhdbog and one of his faces, was born. Therefore, it was customary to sing carols on this day. People celebrated in poetic form they glorified and sang Kolyada, and also congratulated each other and wished happiness and goodness. Also on this day, the Slavs performed rituals to “strengthen the sun”: the sun on this day was the weakest of the entire year and could not protect people from those who appeared in the darkness. Therefore, the vast majority of these rituals were actually aimed at their own protection.

Protection from the forces of darkness

In order to protect themselves from the forces of darkness, bonfires were burned on this day. Fire and heat repel these forces. In addition, the vision of these forces is undeveloped, and therefore people tried to deceive them. They stacked the logs in the form of a huge circle and thus lit a large fire, reminiscent of the sun in shape. The fire in such a fire was deliberately maintained all night or even for 21 days. Herbs or compounds were burned in this fire: wormwood, lavender, cream of tartar (the sediment from making wine during straining) and others. Whole villages gathered around such a fire, caroled, drank and ate, and celebrated with all their hearts. After such a fire went out, the village residents took the coals from it, put it in a rag bag and stored it in their house. It was a talisman against dark forces until the next Solstice holiday.

They also made other protective measures for the home, people, households, livestock, and food supplies. If an evil spirit moves in and eats the energetic part of the food stored for the winter for itself and the livestock, then it will physically manifest itself like this. Grain, meat, vegetables and pickles become moldy, “bloom”, rot and become unfit for consumption.

Protection from other forces

In addition to the forces of darkness, other forces could appear to people on this night. The power of the sun has weakened, and the sun is one of the guardians of the thresholds. About other guardians of the thresholds and annual rituals with them - in the article “ New Year's magic to attract money and love" Due to the “weak sun”, roads are opened for restless souls on this night.

Therefore, the Winter Solstice holiday can rightly be attributed to one of the days of special remembrance of the dead. First of all, they commemorated those dead who died an untimely death as a result of an accident or were killed and after death were not buried with dignity. For example, he went missing, was torn apart by animals in the forest, fell into a cliff, drowned, burned, and other events. They also commemorated those who were buried according to customs, but still did not find peace in the other world. These are inexperienced souls or souls with some important matters unfinished for them until the moment of death, stuck “between worlds” closer to our physical world.

On this night such souls could come home to their relatives or look for their home and relatives. At the same time, it must be said that a restless soul does not always come in peace. Sometimes all the pain of her martyrdom and despair for her untimely taken life leaves an indelible imprint on her condition after death. Tormented, restless, and without shelter, such souls with their mere presence brought troubles and misfortunes to the living. In order to soften them, appease them, remember them, give them refreshment, warm up, and gain strength for further travel through the worlds, a treat was always made for them on this day.

In addition to remembering and pleasing such dead people, offering them treats, you can receive news from them that night either about themselves, or about some important issues for the family, as well as enlist their support and help. The Slavs remembered that hungry ghosts burden a person’s life, and also that if you help them, then they will help you.

The dead, especially those who are constantly near the living, are able to influence situations. This is actively used by magicians when working with the dead (see article “ Necromagic or intelligent interaction with the dead"). The dead can create “non-random accidents.” On the one hand, they can protect you from injury or even certain death - after such situations they usually say “miraculously survived,” “lucky,” “got away unscathed.” On the other hand, they can bring about this kind of “accident”, which leads to critical or even tragic consequences.

The Slavs performed two important rituals on this day especially for the dead. During the day on Kolyada day, in Slavic villages they usually slaughtered some kind of livestock for the holiday (pig or ducks, for example). The life of an animal or bird and its blood were sacrificed to Kolyada. When cutting up a carcass, some pieces of it were also thrown into the fire for the same purpose. After which the carcass was baked, and two parts were separated from it to treat the dead. One part was taken to the wandering dead before sunset, and the other part was separated for a specially set “white table” - this is for those dead who came to their relatives for a feast.

I give specific rituals for the dead on this holiday and how to do them yourself in the continuation of this post about the winter solstice - the link will be at the end of this article.

Other magical properties of the December solstice

The change in the astronomical cycle, when after this night the earth's axis begins to turn towards the sun, leads to a change in energy cycles on earth. The ancient Slavs spoke about the “birth of a new sun,” or rather a new cycle, in which the power of the sun and its influence on the earth and people grew. This change of cycles provided another opportunity to carry out a special kind of rituals on this night - a change in life paths for a person who was not satisfied with his fate.

For example, over the past year a person had a lot of problems, a continuous black streak. He wants to stop this ongoing series of problems and troubles in his life and turn his life path along a less thorny road. It is on this night once a year that he has such an opportunity.

Again, a specific technique with a full description that anyone reading these lines can implement in the article “ Winter solstice: rituals, ceremonies and fire spells" That's all for today. Did you like it or find it useful? Click the social media buttons and share with your friends. Subscribe to the news so as not to miss the continuation of this article. I also look forward to your questions in the comments. Sincerely, magician Azal, author of articles and owner of the site “

Most of the holidays of the ancient Slavs were magical rituals (rites) that realized the unity of man and nature.
The key holidays for the ancient Slavs were those with which the seasons were associated (spring, summer, autumn and winter), that is, the transition from one season to another. On such days, people laid down tasks or some kind of program for the entire next astronomical year. In addition, these days served as a fulcrum for the beginning of harvesting or sowing crops, and the construction of important buildings began.
Ancients Slavic holidays were pagan, after Christianity spread to these lands, many of these rituals were slightly transformed into Christian holidays.
The ancient tribes of the Slavs lived according to the solar calendar, as a result of which all the rituals of the Slavs were connected and focused on the activity of the Sun.

Pagan holidays

The main pagan Slavic holidays were:
– Kolyada or the birth of the Sun, celebrated on the day of the winter solstice;
– Christmastide– coped after December 21;
– Maslenitsa served as a symbol of the wire of winter time;
– Great day– the day of the vernal equinox and the beginning of spring;
– Mermaid Week– farewell to spring, held before June 21;
– Ivan Kupala Day- summer solstice;
–Indian summer– farewell to summer;
– Harvest Festival– autumnal equinox;
And now it is necessary to consider each of the holidays of the ancient Slavs in more detail.
The Kolyada holiday played a special place.

Kolyada

December 21 has long been considered to this day the day of the beginning of astronomical winter. After December 21, the god Kolyada was born and on his day a holiday was organized, accompanied by rituals. The people sang songs and glorified the deities. The ancient Slavs rejoiced that starting from December 21, the Sun would shine longer and longer, for which they thanked him. When Christianity became the state religion, Christmas began to be celebrated on this day. In the pagan circles of the ancient Slavs, this day began to mark the birth of the gods.
On December 21, the ancient Slavs got rid of everything old, all remnants and made wishes on New Year. The three days before the winter solstice and the three days after were considered especially energetic, therefore, on this day, desires played a special force, it was believed that they could be fulfilled with a greater probability.

Other pagan holidays

Christmastide

Christmastide was celebrated immediately after the winter solstice; in total, they lasted for two weeks. During Christmas time it was customary to tell fortunes.
Kolyada and Christmastide were winter holidays Slavs

Maslenitsa

The the holiday was considered a farewell to winter, and is held from March 12 to 20 (the week before the Great Day). Throughout the week, people prepare pancakes with honey and other sweets.
In pagan mythology Maslenitsa is a character symbolizing death, as well as cold winter. Maslenitsa is the last week when winter still has power over the world. The forces of darkness are having fun for the last time.
We greeted the day with singing on the hills and hills. The Slavs made a stuffed animal from straw, which represented the character Maslenitsa, then the stuffed Maslenitsa was dressed up in women's clothing. Next to this scarecrow, the Slavs baked pancakes and had fun, moving down from these hills.
Throughout the week, people visited guests and spent evenings at the table. For entertainment, they also organized fist gods, various staged performances, skated on ice, threw snowballs, went and had fun at fairs. In recent days, people have used clay whistles to invite spring. These sounds were something like birdsong, arriving with the onset of warmth, that is, in early spring.
The children made small stuffed animals from straw, although they were more likely dolls; in the last days they were thrown into the fire. A large effigy of Maslenitsa was burned on the last day.

Great day

Celebrated on March 21, it is at this time that day is equal to night - the vernal equinox. On March 21, it was customary to conduct round dances, various games, praise the pagan gods; on this day, a wheel engulfed in flames was launched from a mountain or any high point in the landscape. It was considered symbol of the Sun, and tongues of flame carried out tongues of light.
Birds on March 21 had a special meaning, since it was believed that the souls of the departed were infused into the birds. To appease their ancestors, the birds were fed cereals and bread crumbs. Towards evening, people gathered on the hills and feasted with the souls of their ancestors.
The holiday played a special role for those who decided to get engaged. In ancient times, March 21 was considered the most popular day for a wedding. In addition, even now this day is the most popular for tying the knot. There is one old Russian proverb about this, which reads as follows: “He who gets married on Great Day will never get divorced.”
The holiday was also called Red slide. Most likely, this name was due to the fact that the ancient Slavs celebrated rituals exclusively at various heights: hills, hillocks, hills.
On March 21, no one worked, people rested throughout the day, work was considered a sin. The whole day had to be spent outdoors with a cheerful company.

Mermaid Week

It is believed that the period from June 14 to June 20 was the time for the rampant forces of darkness, which meant fortune telling. They guessed mainly about the future and about the betrothed/betrothed. In addition to fortune telling, the ancient Slavs made wishes and prayed to the forces of nature to give generous gifts. This week was special specifically for girls, because it was the most favorable for fortune-telling about their marriage.
During this week it was strictly forbidden to swim in lakes and rivers. The reason for this is that these days were dedicated to sea deities: mermaids and other small gods.
Mermaid Week was celebrated cheerfully, mainly on the banks of rivers, lakes, and also in forest groves.

Kupalo

June 21 is considered the beginning of astronomical summer; in addition, this day is the longest of the year, and the night is the mildest. After Kupalo, the day shortens in favor of night.
Celebrated day summer solstice quite magnificently, with many pagan rituals. They made a big fire, which they jumped over all night, and danced around the fire.
By jumping over the fire, people were purified, and in addition, such a ritual served as a talisman against evil forces.
On June 21, it was already allowed to swim - such bathing had a ritual character. For unmarried girls Kupala was a special day, since right now you could find your betrothed. The girls wove wreaths from flowers and sent them down the river. The guy who caught the wreath must become the husband of the girl who launched the wreath.
Swimming in rivers and lakes was allowed. It was believed that the Kupala night was magical, at that time the line between real world and otherworldly was the most subtle. People believed that on this night animals talked with other animals, just like plants with plants. They even believed that trees could walk that night.
The sorcerers on Kupalo prepare special potions, mostly love potions. The grasses in Kupalo were especially strong.

Babino's summer

This holiday lasts from September 14 to 20. At this time, the ancient Slavs collected the harvest and counted it, and also made supplies for the next year.

Harvest Festival

September 21st was the autumnal equinox. The ancient Slavs celebrated rituals on this day, lit large bonfires, and held so-called autumn round dances around them. People welcomed autumn and saw off the warm summer. We whiled away the day with great fun and prepared delicious dishes. Mostly there were big pies; they meant a good harvest next year.
People wished each other all the best and hoped that all their wishes would come true in the new year. In addition, the Slavs renewed the fire in their huts: they completely extinguished the old one, raked out the ashes and lit a new one.

Other holidays of the Eastern Slavs

Solar holidays were described above, but besides them, the Eastern Slavs also celebrated other significant days. They were dedicated to pagan gods. On these days, pagan rituals and ceremonies were carried out.
Rituals and rituals were performed for the following gods: Veles, Yarilo, Perun and others.
The Eastern Slavs always celebrated such holidays in the open air. Mostly the Slavs gathered in forests and on lawns. Elevations - hills, small hills, hillocks - were considered special places for holding such holidays.
Rituals served for the Slavs as a kind of means for conversation, communication, communication with deceased relatives, ancestors and with the spirits of nature.

ASTRONOMICAL RECURSION.

There are two solstices in the year - winter and summer.

On December 21, 2017 at 19:28 Moscow time the winter solstice will begin. At this moment, the Sun will move from the northern hemisphere of the sky to the southern.

The trajectory of our planet around the Sun is not a perfect circle. The distance between the Sun and the Earth changes - from minimally close to maximally distant, and this is repeated from year to year. On the day of the winter solstice, the Earth occupies its closest position to the Sun, and in our hemisphere at this time there is the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

WINTER SOLSTICE IN Rus' IS THE HOLIDAY OF KOLYADA.

In Rus', on the day of such an important astronomical event as the winter solstice, KOLYADA was celebrated, which speaks of the advanced knowledge of our Slavic ancestors in matters of astronomy and astrology. By the way, the word “Slav” is interpreted as GLORY YANG, YIN, that is, glorify the masculine and feminine principles.

On December 21, the day of the winter solstice, Kolyaden began - the first month of winter. On the same day, in accordance with natural rhythms, they celebrated the Christmas of Kolyada, one of the main Slavic gods, Dazhbog, who embodied the Sun.

In ancient times, even before Christianity, on the day of the winter solstice, the Slavs knew that this was a turning point in nature. At this time, there is an intense struggle between Good and Evil, the End and the Beginning become nearby. Our ancestors believed that on this night worlds open: the world of the gods - heavenly, the world of man - earthly, the world of underground wealth and the dead - underground. On December 22, the sun (Kolyada) died, but then was born again.

The celebration of Kolyada took place in December. The glorification of Kolyada with its joy and optimism personified the faith of our ancestors in the victory of good principles over the forces of evil. To help Kolyada defeat and drive away evil spirits, the Slavs burned bonfires, sang and danced around them.

With the advent of Christianity in our lands, the Nativity of Christ was dedicated to this day and the ancient, optimistic and life-affirming holiday of Kolyada was prohibited, and instead of it the supposed Christian “Nativity” of Christ was introduced... The last patriarchal ban on the worship of Kolyada was issued on December 24, 1684 (A. Strizhev, " Folk calendar"). But the truth is not so easy to eradicate, and the ancient custom simply passed into a different form..., unfortunately, having lost the true meaning to which it was originally dedicated...

It is also known that in ancient times, God Kolyada gave many Slavic clans a system of calculating seasonal time for conducting field work - Kolyada's gift - KOL(a)enDAR - Daariysky Krugolet Chislobog. This calendar existed in Rus' before the introduction of Christianity and carries with it a huge layer of knowledge of our ancient and wise ancestors. In Summer 7208 (1700 AD), our ancient calendar was banned by the false Tsar Peter the Great, who issued a decree on the abolition of all old calendars that simultaneously existed in the Russian lands. He introduced the Western European calendar from the Nativity of Christ, thereby stealing 5508 years of Great Heritage from our people.

Awakening of Rus', ours with you Genus other, begins with rebirth and understanding with genus s and genus new traditions.

Reviving the truth about the true meaning of our folk traditions and customs, we establish a connection between times, awaken the ancestral memory of the Rus, and revive the culture of Great Rus'. Let us together revive the truth about the past of our Motherland and celebrate our native holidays! IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW the true history and traditions of your people. Know to save. And pass it on to your children!

Solstice

The sunrise on December 22 heralds the beginning of the next life cycle, and therefore the day will be filled with powerful mystical meaning.

This day is also called “Solstice”.

In ancient times, people who celebrated the day of the solstice believed that it erased all sorts of boundaries between the worlds of spirits, people and gods, and also made direct communication between them possible.

According to legend, on these nights all worlds intersect in Midgard (in ancient times, our Earth was called Midgard), Goddesses and Gods descend to people.

Signs of ancient rituals are still observed today. Thus, the spruce turned into an attribute of the New Year and Christmas holidays. On these days, people sing carols and treat guests to various treats and exchange gifts. Christmas lights and lit candles represent the sparkles of ancient bonfires. Fire is protection and also an assistant in communicating with representatives of other worlds.

Kolovrat or solstice is one of the oldest ancient Russian symbols, personifying the Sun and the solar gods Svarog, Dazhdbog and Yarila.

The name of the symbol comes from the word “kolo” - sun. The symbol itself looks like a circle with curved rays, so some uneducated citizens associate it exclusively with the fascist swastika. Although this is fundamentally not true: in Hitler’s Germany they really used this ancient solar symbol. Perhaps this choice was dictated by the centuries-old worship of people of the Sun, and a similar tradition is found in almost every nation. It is also worth noting that the Germanic and Slavic tribes were originally one Indo-European people.

The life of our ancestors was subject exclusively to the solar cycle - all holidays and important events were associated with the sun.

It was believed that the sun plays the most important role in the universe; it is the focus of strength, life, vibrant energy and fertility. That is why the most common symbol used in various jewelry and adorning the clothes of Russians was the Kolovrat, which was considered a male symbol. It was embroidered on banners and lace, carved on wood and metal, and was used in ancient Vedic rituals.

After the Baptism of Rus', this symbol was banned, as were other ancient Russian attributes of faith. Meanwhile, Kolovrat personifies nothing more than Yarilo the sun, without which life itself on Earth is impossible. It was not for nothing that this symbol, embroidered on military banners, terrified enemy tribes and put them to flight. No one and nothing could resist the power of the ancient Russian warriors under the sign of the Solstice.

Currently, we astrologers have been able to fully explain the meaning of Kolovrat. If we look at the location of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor on the star map at 00.00 h/min on December 22 and June 22, as well as March 21 and September 23 (this is the time of the winter and summer solstice, and the time of spring and autumn equinox). If you draw an imaginary line from these constellations to the polar star, you will get elements of the Kolovrat. And if you combine the positions of the constellations December 22, June 22, March 21 and September 23 in one picture, you will see nothing more than an image of the Kolovrat.

It is likely that our ancestors initially used the Kolovrat to determine their location using the stars.

The solstice was made of gold or another yellow metal, such as brass or bronze. This is quite logical, because gold is the solar metal, and silver is the metal of the moon. The Magi used an amulet with the image of the sun symbol as a powerful amulet, and even today such talismans are used for the same purpose.

Wearing such a symbol protects the owner from all kinds of adversity and misfortune, gives strength in difficult situations, and protects happiness. Moreover, the symbol can be executed in the following variations:

- the eight-rayed Kolovrat means the power of solar fire,

The six-rayed Kolovrat is the Perun wheel, a symbol of the god Perun,

The four-rayed Kolovrat means the fire burning on Earth

Our ancestors depicted Kolovrat on clothes, embroidered them on military banners, and cast them on weapons. They believed that the sun would bring them victory and glory. In most cases this turned out to be the case. The sun's rays-symbols can be bent clockwise or counterclockwise, or they can be enclosed in a circle, personifying the universe. In the latter case, the Kolovrat symbolizes the eternal cycle in the Universe.

ASTROLOGICAL AND ESOTERIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE WINTER SOLSTICE

If we consider the traditions of the winter solstice from an esoteric point of view, we can say that this sacred period opens access to the energy-information fields of the Universe. Correctly formulated prayers and correctly expressed desires create certain “programs” that operate over a specific period of time. I think that the upcoming solstice of 2017 will change many destinies of our world. At the same time, a lot depends on us. What needs to be done for personal happiness and the future well-being of the planet? In preparation for entering the unique energy of the period, you need to get rid of all resentments, bad thoughts and petty worries. You should not allow outbursts of irritability. It is important to remember that during the winter solstice, a certain “pure matrix” absorbs all our emotional images, aspirations and desires, in order to then translate them into reality.

Celebrations should be included in the holiday program, which will improve your health. Do not neglect abundant and noisy feasts in a wide circle of family and friends - they attract harmony and prosperity family relations. Don’t forget about remembrance: you need to remember everyone whose memory is dear to you, send them words of gratitude and love.

It is imperative to prepare gifts for loved ones, as well as make donations to the poor. Such gestures will be appreciated by the Universe, which, as a sign of gratitude, will certainly make it easier for you to achieve any goal you set.

It is necessary to emphasize a somewhat dangerous point: during periods of renewal, the world is in an unstable state, which increases the likelihood of accidents, injuries and various business failures. Therefore, people should be careful, not plan medical procedures or long trips at this time, and be more attentive to their health.

From an astrological point of view, the Sun on the day of the winter solstice will be in conjunction with Venus and Saturn and sextile to Mars and the Moon, which will be a very good start for a career, personal and sports achievements, for establishing family and love relationships. for planning children, home improvement, purchasing real estate.