In ancient times, many peoples attached mystical significance to hair. Exactly long curls were a symbol vitality in women and men. Mentions of the power of hair can be seen even in the Old Testament, which tells of the treacherous Delilah, who dared to cut Samson’s hair so that his enemies could defeat him. Having lost his hair, the hero lost his indestructibility and was captured.
In ancient Germany, men also did not cut their hair or beard until they had killed their first enemy. The French heirs to the throne did not have the right to cut their hair; such an action on their part was considered as an abdication of the crown.
In Rus' there were many different beliefs and signs associated with hair. Many of them have survived to this day. How should you handle this mysterious part of yourself so as not to harm, but rather, avoid negative consequences, and bring love and happiness into your home?
Beliefs associated with combing hair
One of the most sacred actions in Rus' was considered to be combing hair with a comb made of natural wood. This ritual was given special significance, because it was at these moments that a woman could fully feel the mystical connection between the energies of heaven and earth. Until the girl got married, only her parents or close relatives could comb her hair. After marriage, this procedure was entrusted to the spouse. It was believed that if a husband combed his wife’s hair, then love and fidelity would forever exist in such a family, and no adversity would be scary for her.
Girls, combing their long locks and braiding them, often sang simple songs, similar to charms:
I’ll braid my hair, I’ll braid my hair,
I weave, weave, weave - I say:
You grow my braid, grow my maiden beauty,
Well done, he'll take you down the aisle right away.
Hair was combed twice a day - morning and evening. The evening ritual helped women get rid of daytime worries and worries, clear their minds and hearts of everything bad, while morning combing set them up for positive thoughts. If a husband helped his wife comb her hair in the morning, then this action filled him with energy to accomplish new things and protected him from the evil eye and diseases.
The magical effect was valid only if the comb was made of natural wood. Often the men did the cutting themselves. Trees that grew nearby were selected. The most solid ones were juniper, oak or birch.
It was necessary to go through the hair at least 40 times. The comb, which a woman constantly used, became a real amulet for the family. Previously, it would never have occurred to anyone to use someone else’s comb, since it contains the energy of its owner. For love spells and fortune telling were often used.
It was bad luck to comb your hair before sunrise and after sunset. To fill the comb with feminine energy, it was placed at night on the windowsill, where there is access to moonlight. This was done during the waxing moon, and after the full moon the comb was removed from the window.
Let it loose or braid it?
A beautiful and thick braid was considered the main advantage of a girl in Rus'. This meant that the girl was healthy and strong. But not everyone was lucky with their hair; sometimes a girl of marriageable age resorted to a little trick: she wove strands of horsehair into her locks to make her braid look rich.
Little girls and unmarried girls wore one braid made of three strands. But as soon as the groom appeared, who received the blessing for marriage from his parents, one braid was divided into two. This was an external signal that the beauty had already decided on her betrothed, or was already married. Paying close attention to a girl with two braids was considered indecent and was strictly condemned by society.
Before the wedding, the bridesmaids unraveled the bride's braid and braided it in a new way - two braids were placed on top and covered with a headdress. Covered hair served as an indisputable “document” that a woman was married. From that moment on, only her husband could see all the beauty of her hair. Often the chosen one carved a new one with his own hands hair comb as a gift to his wife.
Loose hair on marriageable girls was allowed only on special occasions, such as great holidays or communion in church. Didn't fall under general rules only sorceresses (witches), whose hair was constantly loose.
How does cutting your hair affect your life?
In the old days they believed that cutting your hair meant changing your destiny. They only cut their hair when something bad happened. Cutting one's locks of hair was considered a ritual that helped relieve suffering and pain. People believed that cutting hair would take away grief and sadness.
Pregnant women were also not supposed to cut their hair, so as not to cut off the invisible connection with the child in any way and not harm him. Born babies were tonsured only after they began to walk independently. The child's first lock of hair was cut off at the age of seven months and carefully stored in case he became seriously ill. Then this lock of hair was placed in an amulet and hung around the patient’s neck and prayers were read.
Only close relatives could cut the ends of girls' hair. Under no circumstances should you do this on your own, so as not to “shape your mind.” To make hair grow faster, they cut it during the waxing moon.
Nowadays, there are also signs about cutting hair. For example, it is believed that if you cut your hair before taking exams, you can fail them or pass worse than expected. Esotericists also advise carefully choosing a hairdresser for yourself. This person should be cheerful and appeal to you in terms of character. If you lack worldly wisdom, find yourself a master with experience and interesting life. This will help you find answers to some questions.
If you don’t want quarrels and disagreements in your family, don’t cut your own husband or wife’s hair. This Bad sign. It is better to immediately throw cut hair into the toilet so that it can be carried away by water. There is a belief that if the hairs are blown away by the wind and a bird picks them up to build a nest, the person will suffer from headaches until the bird breeds.
Even according to dream books, seeing hair in a dream foretells changes in life, especially if in your dreams your strands have changed color.
To find mushrooms and berries more successfully, when entering the forest you need to stick small branches from three different trees into your hat or scarf, and put three different blades of grass in your pocket.
If a young tree has dried up for no reason, then it cannot be used for any purpose, since it has dried up from witchcraft, with the help of which a person’s illness was transferred to the tree, and one touch to such a tree can transmit the disease. Only then will touching such a tree become safe when the bark and branches fall off it.
If there is a girl-bride in the house, then you cannot keep an oleander flower, otherwise the girl will not get married.
Flowers donated in pots will not grow unless a symbolic ransom is given for them. A plant simply left in someone else’s house considers itself a stranger here, and if it is bought, it understands that it has a new owner.
If a child has insomnia, you should put a sprig of aspen in his cradle.
If you pour water left after bathing a sick child under a birch tree (or simply take a child, especially a girl, to it), then the disease will spread to the tree.
Melissa flowers attract universal love to the one who wears them on the body.
Overcoming grass is endowed with the properties of protecting people traveling to other lands from various troubles and misfortunes.
He who loves almonds loves his wife.
Things made of oak strengthen the position of their owner in society and contribute to the growth of his authority. Jewelry made from oak wood adds weight to the words of the woman wearing it. Acorns chosen for good luck help in professional growth and protect against financial crises.
Women, hanging beads made of acorns on oak branches, asked: “Give us, great one, the strength to give birth as easily and abundantly as you give birth to your children.”
Sunflowers planted in front of the windows will protect you from minor and major failures. Sunflower flowers in a vase are considered a symbol of prosperity and peace in the family; they cleanse the house of negative energy. Unroasted sunflower seeds have long been sprinkled at the doorstep to protect themselves from spoilage.
According to some beliefs, birch is associated with evil spirits and is sometimes considered an ominous tree. So, they say that when planted close to a house, it causes female diseases among its inhabitants.
In order to protect newlyweds from damage, pieces of alder bark are placed in their pockets.
Lily root, when worn around the neck, helps attract love.
In some areas there is a custom to this day: young people go to the oldest oak tree and circle around it three times. This ceremony is believed to strengthen the marriage.
Thistle gives peace to those grieving for close relatives who have passed into the afterlife. Placed at the head of the bed, it protects against nightmares.
A periwinkle grown in a garden will certainly bring happiness to the owner of the house, and when placed in a bouquet - unfailing love.
Holding ivy means losing your husband.
Cacti in the house indicate drunkenness of the head of the family.
If a plant does not bloom at home, there will be no money in the family.
When a housewife treats someone with her vegetables in the garden, she should not choose, but serve the first one available, otherwise the growth of all vegetables will stop.
It is said that “a person anointed with chicory juice becomes very capable of gaining the favor of high-ranking persons.”
If a flower, especially a gift, has dried up, it means it has warded off illness or trouble.
Hops in a boot saves you from spoilage.
DO NOT "GIVE A NAME TO A NAME"
When choosing a name for a newborn, certain rules and prohibitions were always observed (not always the same, however, in different traditions). Thus, there was a widespread idea that “giving a name to a name” is dangerous, because "one of the namesakes will live together with the other." “You should not name a child after people living in the same house, otherwise one of the namesakes may die.” (For modern high-rise buildings, the task is practically impossible).
This sign was based on the fact that each person has his own guardian angel, depending on his name, and if in one house two people are named after him, then he is simply not able to protect each of them.
Today this sign has been transformed. It is believed that it is better when a person’s first and patronymic names do not match. Although the advantages of the name in this situation are doubled, the disadvantages are also aggravated, often to a dangerous point. In addition, the different Van Vanychi and Pal Palych carry something derogatory and bureaucratic about them.
True, sometimes children are specifically called the same name for magical purposes. For example, if a woman gives birth to only girls, she must give the latter her name so that the next one will be born is a boy.
DO NOT NAME A NEWBORN BABY after a RECENTLY DECEASED FAMILY MEMBER
Different traditions have different attitudes towards naming children after deceased family members. But still, in most cases, calling children by such names was avoided. It was believed that in this case the child might receive the fate of the deceased or never get married. They were especially afraid of the name of the drowned man, fearing that the child would not drown in the future.
The belief that bearers of the same name have the same fate or similarity of character underlies the prohibition of naming newborns with names that are or were worn by weak-minded people, drunkards, desperate cowards, etc.
You cannot give a newborn the name of a deceased child, so that he does not inherit his fate.
You can name a child after a deceased grandfather or grandmother if they were happy and lucky: fate is inherited through the generation.
HIDING THE NAME
Concealing (tabooing) a name in ancient times was used to protect a person, especially a child, from evil spirits that damage “the name” and are powerless when the real name of the victim is unknown. Hence the sign that has survived to this day: “Revealing the name before baptism is a grave sin that can lead to the death of a newborn.”
In Rus', in order to protect a child from a sorcerer, they hid his “true” name given at baptism and used another, “false” name.
A number of prohibitions are associated with the institution of marriage and family. After the wedding, a woman had to follow strict rules for naming her husband, his parents, sisters and brothers, excluding the use of their real names. The husband also did not call his wife by her personal name. Tabooistic substitutions when naming spouses are still alive today (my, my, man, woman, master, old, old, husband, wife).
NAMES OF THE DEAD - PROTECTION OF THE LIVING
According to popular beliefs, the names of the dead (especially drowned people) have the magical ability to protect a person. There were many beliefs that seem ridiculous today.
And in order not to sleep the child, the woman must remember the names of three drowned people.
The Slavs addressed the drowned people by name with spells and prayers to turn away the hail clouds from the village and to send rain during a drought.
CALLING BY NAME
Calling by name is one of the types of magic that was often used by the ancient Slavs.
Among the Russians, for example, a newborn who showed no signs of life was called by the names of relatives, then by other names. The name with which the child came to life became his name.
U Eastern Slavs In order to quickly forget her late husband, the widow shouted his name into the chimney.
And in order for the cramp to go away, you need to say the name of your father.
CALLING TO THE Evil Spirit
Calling is also attributed to evil spirits, which cannot harm a person if they do not know his name. So, they believed that mermaids attack only those who respond to their call.
If a person finds himself at a crossroads or in a cemetery at night, and is also in a dangerous condition, for example, a pregnant woman, and suddenly hears someone calling his name, he should under no circumstances respond: this voice may belong to evil spirits .
SAMOZOV
Samozov is calling out your own name. Among the southern Slavs, it was considered an effective amulet against snakes.
In the spring, when a person sees a snake for the first time, he must shout out his name loudly so that the snakes will stay within earshot of him all year.
CROSSING
The name in the ritual could be the object and instrument of magic. Crossing, i.e. name change, widely used in folk medicine as a means of “rebirth” of a person, breaking his connection with the disease and deceiving the demonic forces that send the disease. Ukrainians of Transcarpathia, for example, symbolically “sold” a sick child to a family where the children grew up healthy, and at the same time gave him a new name.
Preventively, renaming and calling a child by a false name was also resorted to in families where children died.
The same meaning of “rebirth” had the renaming when a person was tonsured as a monk, at ordination, at baptism.
Russian schismatic runners used crossing themselves before death or “departure from the world.”
Renaming was also widely used in cattle breeding magic. So, to protect cows from evil spirits on Kupala night, peasants gave them new nicknames.
YOU CAN'T CHANGE NEITHER NAMES OR HATS
Changing names is the same as changing destinies.
The name is not changed unless there are serious reasons for it, so as not to lose one’s heavenly patron.
A person with a new name is like a newborn, his aura is torn, without any radiance. With someone else's (new) name, new character traits are acquired, which may conflict with the previous ones. The same thing happens when people exchange names.
Here we note that the name has its own energy, which irradiates the fate of a person throughout his life. And when a name is spoken too often in vain, it diminishes and becomes distorted. That is why the repeatedly repeated names of leaders became, as it were, common nouns and thereby demonic.
Take care of your name, pronounce it little and firmly - then you will strengthen yourself in your destiny.
BAPTISM AND CUSTOMS RELATED TO IT
The sacredness of naming, dating back to the ancient mytho-epic tradition, is reflected in folk beliefs and rituals associated with Baptism, and especially in the mythological interpretation of unbaptized children.
Today, in many cases, the desire of parents to baptize their children is explained by superstitious reasons (“so as not to jinx them”) and a tribute to tradition, and not by the desire to introduce the newborn to the church. But even in this case, the rite of Baptism carries a positive ennobling function.
It is believed that the Baptism procedure has a strong and immediate effect on the baby’s condition - he becomes noticeably calmer, sleeps better and gets sick less. It is generally accepted that the fate of a baptized person is characterized by closeness to God, and therefore more strong defense from various kinds of misfortunes.
If the child is unbaptized, without a name, the demon can easily approach him. It was believed that unbaptized children were more likely to drown. Even the grandmothers did not treat unbaptized children - it still wouldn’t help.
Children from the moment of birth until Baptism or those who died “without a cross” were considered unclean and were often treated as animals or demonic creatures; they had no name (“a child with no name is an imp”). To prevent the child from dying nameless, it was customary to call him immediately after birth with his “maternal” or “temporary” name. Before Epiphany, all Russian children were usually called Naiden, Bogdan, i.e. given by God.
They baptized the child and gave him a name according to the Saints, usually on the eighth day, and if the child is weak, then immediately after birth, so that he does not die unbaptized and does not turn into a demon. If such a misfortune occurred, it was necessary to distribute forty crosses and forty belts to the neighboring children.
For any believer, his name was protection and amulet, because it was the name of his guardian angel. Therefore, in the past in Rus', name days were celebrated more magnificently than birthdays, which many forgot about altogether, especially since these events almost coincided in time.
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A fern flower brings wealth if you find it on the night of Ivan Kupala.
A pregnant woman should not borrow if she wants her child to be rich.
You can sweep the floor with only one broom. There should not be two brooms in the house at the same time.
You can't whistle in the house - there won't be any money.
Finding a coin means wealth. But if in the morning and on an empty stomach - to poverty.
In the evening, debts are not returned.
On Monday there should be no settlements - neither pay nor take.
Chipped coins bring good luck; these should always be kept in your wallet.
If you give a handkerchief, you have to pay a ransom, at least a penny.
If you don’t keep an empty bottle on the table, there will be no money.
If you borrowed dishes, you must return them full, otherwise your dishes will always be empty.
Having sold the first thing, touch the rest of the things that are intended for sale with money - then they will be bought quickly.
* First in new house old man enters:
The belief primarily reflects respect for elders. But there is also a mystical meaning in it. It is connected with the fact that starting a new business, a new stage of life requires sacrifice. The role of the victim was taken on by the old man, since it was believed that the one who first crossed the threshold of the new house or spent the night in it would be the first to die.
* The cat is the first to be let into the new house:
In essence, this custom is based on the same thing as the previous one. But another interpretation is added to it: a cat is able to find the healthiest, most comfortable place in the home. They enter the house after the cat has settled down in this place. Usually a bed is placed there for the young, and after the birth of a child - a cradle.
* On the first night in a new house, you need to lock up the rooster:
It is clear that the reason for this belief is the same as the previous ones. The main thing is to make a sacrifice, and it is desirable that it be as “bloody” as possible, not human. In addition, the rooster Slavic mythology the ability to disperse evil spirits was attributed (the rooster crowed three times, announcing the dawn, and the devils fled). A rooster is also allowed into the house for the reason that it was considered one of the symbols of fertility. Consequently, his stay in the new hut provided the new settlers with children and wealth.
* Don’t leave the copy out of public view for Fedora:
In every hut there is a “grandfather”, an “owner” - a brownie. He lives wherever he wants - behind the stove, or in the closet, or under the threshold. His favorite item in the house is a broom. On Fedorin's Day, the brownie does not come out from under the broom, so the housewife must be careful not to throw out the “grandfather” with the garbage, otherwise he will be offended and start doing dirty tricks.
* When moving to a new house, take an old broom with you:
This belief, like the previous one, is due to the fact that a brownie can live under a broom. But, in addition, people have developed a difficult attitude towards the broom due to its mystical duality. On the one hand, a broom and a broom are the favorite tools of witches, who fly on them, shake off dew with them, cause damage, and send diseases (throw the broom after them or throw it under the threshold - and you’re done!). On the other hand, since a broom is used to get rid of dirt, it is also credited with the ability to get rid of evil spirits (they sweep the path in front of newlyweds, etc.). If a broom was used to sweep away the straw on which the deceased was washed, such a broom must be thrown away. But when moving to a new house, they always took an old broom with them: firstly, to move the brownie; secondly, so that they don’t step on the discarded broom and thereby cause trouble for the owners.
* Don't whistle in the house - there won't be any money. You can’t whistle in the house, otherwise it will be empty:
People generally have a negative attitude towards whistling. Whistling is the pastime of idle people. In addition, by whistling sharply, you can scare a child or a pregnant woman, so this fun is dangerous. And mystically, this is associated with the whistle of the wind, which can take money and property away from the house. But the closest thing in this case is an everyday explanation: how can everyone else in the household like it when one of them constantly whistles? So they let him know: if you whistle, you will bring misfortune on everyone, including yourself.
* Washing or sweeping the floor immediately after the departure of a loved one or guest is the same as washing it out of the house:
A belief, the essence of which is the mystical perception of a person and “traces from him.” The man has left, but the atmosphere in the house where he stayed for some time still remains, as does a certain “spiritual trace” of the food on the dishes from which they just ate. There is no need to destroy these mystical traces immediately (unless, of course, we are talking about the “traces” of the enemy).
* Forgetting something in someone else’s house means returning there soon:
I think it’s clear here, even without any mysticism: if you’ve already forgotten something, then willy-nilly you’ll have to come back. And since they usually carry things necessary for every day with them (in our time - a telephone book, an umbrella, etc.), it is logical that they will need to return as soon as possible.
* A brick falls out of the oven - don’t expect any good:
This is due to the attitude towards the stove as one of the most important symbols of the house (not to mention the everyday danger of such damage). The stove in the minds of the people is not only warmth and hot food, but also a place through which the house is connected with outside world(we remember stories about witches flying out of chimney). Previously, people also slept on the stove, so dreams and the image of the stove were also combined. A fallen brick violates the integrity of the stove as the boundary between the house and open world. Through the resulting hole, evil spirits, the soul of the deceased, illness, damage sent, etc. can enter the house. Some beliefs connect the falling brick with the penetration of the mythical fiery serpent into the house. It seems that there is also an everyday meaning hidden in this, since we're talking about about the increasing possibility of fire.
* Saying hello and goodbye on the doorstep means a quarrel:
The meaning of this belief goes back to the special role of the threshold in the house (like the stove) - the mystical boundary between the outside world and the home (which we have already discussed). But the everyday meaning is also quite clear: it is inappropriate to start greetings before inviting the person to enter, or to continue the conversation when the guest has already left. That is, we are talking about the rules of decency and politeness.
* The broom should stand in the corner with the handle down: this saves you from the evil eye:
A broom is perceived not only as an object for cleaning the house, but also as one of the important mystical symbols. Garbage was associated with the restless souls of the dead, and a broom was in constant contact with garbage. The broom is also one of the brownie’s shelters. At the same time, witches fly on a broom (on a broom), evil spirits cover their tracks with them, and with the help of a broom left somewhere by a careless housewife, one can cause damage and send illness. Based on all this, the attitude towards the broom is ambivalent. Placing it with the handle down means using its protective function, namely, calling on the brownie for help and showing the enemies of the house that you are ready to sweep them out. In essence, thrifty housewives always hold the broom with the handle down for the simple reason that it lasts longer this way. And finally, only a clean broom can be placed with the handle down, which is what this custom implicitly suggests.
* Storing broken dishes is bad luck:
Broken dishes symbolize damage, lack of integrity (one can recall the custom of breaking dishes at a wedding, associated with the fact that the bride loses her virginity). Consequently, keeping broken dishes in the house can lead to discord and disagreement. From a household point of view, broken dishes are simply dangerous - you can get hurt. And therefore it is better not to provoke misfortune by gluing together shards, but to get rid of them. It’s not for nothing that the old belief has been preserved: “Dishes breaking are good luck.” Everyone has forgotten that this has to do with the bride, and repeats it just so as not to darken their mood because of a broken cup.
* The doors began to creak - unfortunately:
This belief can be explained in the same way as the beliefs about the stove or threshold. The door is not only a real protection from strangers, but also a symbolic obstacle to evil spirits. Naturally, its creaking is perceived as a kind of warning. In reality, the creaking of the door escalates the situation more than any mystical interpretation of it. And the longer the door remains unlubricated, the greater the likelihood of mutual claims and a possible quarrel, which is one of the manifestations of “misfortune.”
Perhaps there is no people who do not have a whole arsenal of beliefs and beliefs that have been stored up since time immemorial. These beliefs have been carefully carried through the centuries and even in our enlightened age are closely connected with everyday life. Superstitions and beliefs relate to various aspects, such as weather, clothing, food, people, etc.
It is likely that with the help of beliefs our ancestors tried to protect themselves, because there was so much frightening and inexplicable around. Slavic folk signs and beliefs deserve special attention. Everyone is familiar with the beliefs about a black cat crossing the road, about spilled salt, which supposedly leads to a quarrel, about mirrors that cannot be broken. In addition to the above, there are many beliefs that cannot be explained from the point of view of logic and science, but nevertheless, we continue to follow them with superstitious fear.
They say that if birds fly low, it means rain. This sign can be explained by the fact that insects are pressed by atmospheric pressure and are “pressed” to the ground, which is why birds fly closer to food. And such beliefs as, for example, “don’t kiss a child’s heels, he will grow up naughty and spoiled”, “don’t stroke a child’s head, he will become an orphan”, “for an easy birth you need to wear your husband’s outerwear”, “meeting a shoemaker means trouble, troubles” cannot be explained using science.
The most interesting and widespread Slavic beliefs and signs
1) Wedding related:
Both the bride and groom must go to the wedding completely healthy, otherwise they will suffer from illnesses for the rest of their lives;
The one whose candle burns longer in church will live longer in the world than his spouse;
When the bride left the house, her parents washed the floors so that she would never return to her father's house;
The bride is not allowed to show herself to the groom in a wedding dress before the wedding.
2) Related to the bath:
Women should not take a bath before men;
You cannot wash in the bathhouse after midnight;
When leaving, you need to leave behind a handful of water.
3) Related to bread and salt:
You can’t clean the house until the bread is baked;
You can't stick a knife into a loaf of bread;
Bread should not be thrown away, it must be thrown to the birds;
Scattering salt means a quarrel, and if it is spilled, you need to sprinkle sugar on top of the salt.
4) Housing related:
The broom should be stored in the corner with the whisk facing up;
You cannot clean the house immediately after guests leave, otherwise you can sweep away their traces;
You can't whistle in the house, it leads to poverty.
5) Related to mirrors:
Don't look in the mirror at night;
You cannot use a mirror that belonged to someone, it can carry negative energy;
In a house where someone has died, mirrors should be covered with linen so that the soul of the deceased does not get stuck in them;
It is not advisable to look in the mirror to several people at the same time;
You cannot look at the shards of broken glass; they must be immediately buried in the ground.
6) Related to money:
You need to count the money as often as possible in order to lure them;
In order to have more of them, you need to store money in a red wallet;
You cannot lend money on Monday;
Leaving money on the table means tears;
Keeping money under the tablecloth means wealth and prosperity.
There are a great many beliefs, superstitions, and beliefs, and everyone chooses for themselves whether to follow them or ignore them as relics of the past.
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