Why does a bride in Russia need a beehive and other conception ceremonies

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

There was no such wedding in Russia where they did not want the young to have a long life together and more children. If today people limit themselves to words, then in ancient times they performed special rituals that were supposed to help to quickly conceive a baby. Some rituals were very strange, but despite this, people believed in them. Therefore, families in the old days had more than 10 children, especially among the peasants. Many of these rites have survived to this day.

What a woman in labor that the girls themselves did and hid

Personal woman in labor. It sounds somehow vague and strange, but actually means a small amulet doll. This is what the young women called her, I who made the woman in childbirth on my own. It was believed that it can help conception, a smooth pregnancy and easy childbirth. But in order for the doll to help, it was necessary to behave correctly. No one should have known that the woman had made the amulet. The woman in labor was made in a secluded place and kept in the same place inaccessible to prying eyes.

And one more thing: it was not just a doll that you want to sew. There were certain rules. The body was made of a wooden block, you could take a bunch of straw or birch bark. A skirt was put on top, and a scarf was wound around the head. By the way, the head had to be necessarily white, made of fabric stuffed with cotton wool. It was also necessary to give the doll a beautiful bust, draped with red cloth (the stuffing material is the same). Under it it was necessary to place a so-called baby, usually a small wooden block of wood played his role. Before hiding the doll, the craftswoman had to sit on it and sit for a while, thinking only about future motherhood.

When to play the wedding and go to the bedchamber: the best months

Today, young people choose the time of marriage registration based on their personal feelings: when all guests can arrive, when the weather is good, it is cheaper to hire a limousine, your favorite restaurant is free, and so on. And before it was different. In ancient Russia, it was believed that there is a better and worse time for a wedding, and, consequently, for conceiving a child. So the best months have always been considered February and March. Most weddings took place at this time. As for the birth of a new life, since the Slavs believed in the god of fertility Yarilu, it was recommended to use just not dark, but light time, morning or day for conception. So that God can see what is happening in the bedchamber. And not only saw, but also further protected the child from troubles and evil spirits.

Conception ceremonies - grain, pregnant women and babies on their knees

To help the young couple get their first child, they were sprinkled with grain. This is still done today, but of course not wheat or oats are used, most often ordinary rice and flower petals. In ancient times, grain was associated with sowing, with entrances. The bride's dress was embroidered with the symbols of the goddess Lada, it was the patroness of motherhood.

Pregnant women have always been invited to the wedding so that they "infect" the bride with their pleasant position. They put a small child in the arms of the bride - this should also have an effect.

By the way, ceremonies with grain were performed not only during the wedding. Childless women used it to get pregnant. Early in the morning they went to the market, bought wheat and oats, but it was impossible to take change from the seller. Returning home, it was necessary to spread the grain on white paper, light a candle (always red) and use it to make peculiar movements in a circle over the grains. At the same time, the woman had to imagine how a small child appears in her womb. Having done this, the woman chose the largest grains, they had to be buried in the yard, and the rest was given to the birds. Then the most interesting thing happened: if three grains germinated, then the woman could relax and prepare for pregnancy. If one or two have sprouted, then there will be pregnancy, but not immediately. And the worst thing is if there were no shoots at all. This meant that the woman was damaged and she was unlikely to be able to get pregnant.

Splash water on the threshold, let willow wreaths down the river, plant your wife in a hive

Childless women were ready to do anything to end up feeling pregnant. For example, there was a ritual on the doorstep. It was this place that was the transition from the world of the family to the outside world. It was necessary to take a full bucket of water, stand on the threshold (always with the right knee) and pray, asking heaven for a child. After that, the woman had to drink a few sips of water, which remained to wash her stomach.

Yes, people believed in rituals, some women were lucky and they became mothers, some did not. Therefore, there was another rite that was performed by those who could not get pregnant in any way. On Friday I had to go to the river and find the most beautiful willow. Why on Friday: this day was considered the day of the goddess Makoshi. And she, as you know, during pagan times, patronized women. It was necessary to weave a willow wreath large enough to crawl through. At this time, the woman whispered a conspiracy in which she convinced herself that she was pregnant, since she passed through the willow circle, prayed to the goddess, and now she had only to wait. The wreath was launched along the river.

The funniest ritual was to sit the barren wife in the bee hive. Husbands firmly believed that after sitting on the buzzing house, inside which the queen bee was hiding, their little wife would certainly get pregnant.

Ropes, eggs and a month in the sky: ancient rites

There were other rituals, for example, the rope. It was necessary to take a string (necessarily made of natural materials), wait until midnight, make a knot on it and say that this is not a knot, this is a fruit being tied. And wish him to hold on and grow. This manipulation should have been done for at least 40 days in a row.

Not without an egg. It has always personified new life. Women used this and performed such a ritual: they had to wait for the growing moon, collect droppings from a chicken that regularly lays eggs. Then the husband was invited, since the ceremony was joint. The spouses had to sit face to face, and with a lit candle, touch the egg with their hands. At the same time, the man and woman whispered a conspiracy, which said that "here it is an egg, it was laid by a bird, and we will definitely have our own kids." An analogy was drawn between the yolk and the baby in the belly. And that is not all. When finished, it was necessary to put an egg under the very chicken from which the droppings were taken. It only remained to wait. According to legend, no more than 3 weeks should have passed (during this time, chickens hatch) and the woman became pregnant.

Women also turned to heaven. They waited for the young month to appear, but it had to be Thursday. When that hour came, the woman ran to the crossroads, bowed to the month and asked the Lord for a child. But the most important thing was not to forget that after that you could not talk to anyone until sunrise.

The official church considers many rituals to be pagan superstition, and throughout history has actively tried to eliminate them. But it didn't work out. Moreover, on the territory of Russia there were peoples who live like real pagans, performing rituals in sacred groves.