IN Lent It is necessary to avoid eating certain foods, and one should not indulge in fun. And from time immemorial, Maslenitsa has been considered the most cheerful, noisy worldly holiday, jokingly calling it the week of “pancake eaters.” And its name did not arise by chance. After all, according to Christian traditions Before the start of Lent, eating meat products was no longer advisable, but eating dairy products was encouraged. So they baked butter pancakes, reminiscent of a solar circle, with which they appeased the dormant Yarilo-Sun!

The days of Maslenitsa week change annually depending on the celebration of Easter.

Celebrating Maslenitsa always began on Monday. On Sunday evening - on the eve of the holiday, the younger generation went out onto the ice slides to greet her with ringing, cheerful songs with which Maslenitsa was invited to visit.

Maslenitsa rituals are unusually interesting, because they combine festive rituals dedicated to the end of the boring winter period and the opening of the long-awaited spring period. Therefore, the meeting and farewell that became the basis of Maslenitsa can be traced in all rituals, from puppet comedies to baking pancakes.

Among them, the following rituals are especially relevant:

• marriage and family
• agricultural
• funeral

Marriage and family rituals

Judging by the names of the days: "Gourmet" on Wednesday, sister-in-law's gatherings on Saturday, mother-in-law's party on Friday - Maslenitsa was regarded as a women's festival. Every housewife wanted to surprise her family with unique pancakes, the recipe of which she did not tell anyone. But one thing was common in their baking: they certainly had to be loose, fluffy, yellow, and tasty.

Ethnographers consider marriage and family customs to be the first most important set of Maslenitsa rituals. They explained that friendly family relationships help the earth to awaken from winter hibernation and the growth and flowering of plants, which was the basis for a future good harvest.

The newlyweds were given a viewing party. They were placed at the gate near a pillar and forced to kiss many times in front of the entire crowd. Peasant women married for only a year were subjected to more difficult tests. Harnessed to a sleigh, loudly singing songs and telling jokes, they were forced to ride their friends around the village.

On Friday, the mother-in-law invited her young son-in-law to visit “for pancakes.” She treated him, affectionately saying “butter,” lubricating his head with cow butter so that he would be gentle with his wife and obedient to her.

Another traditional one Maslenitsa ritual- punishment of single guys. Guys who were not married before Maslenitsa had stocks hung around their necks. Those punished had a log tied around their necks, symbolizing the “half” sitting on the neck. They walked with this missing “couple” all day until the evening and were subjected to endless ridicule.

And on the day of forgiveness - on Sunday, Maslenitsa was completed with a marriage and family ceremony, the purpose of which was to reconcile quarreling relatives and consolidate ideal relationships. On the day of forgiveness, they tried to finish everything they had cooked and distribute it to the poor. On this day, the ashes of relatives were worshiped in cemeteries, leaving pancakes on their graves.

Funeral rites

They are associated with burning the Maslenitsa effigy, baking pancakes and preparing various funeral foods. Traditionally they prepared fish, which folk culture commensurate with the souls of the dead through her muteness. Snow was used for fortune telling, considering it also the personification of the souls of the deceased, and melted snow water was poured into buckwheat flour for pancakes.

The funeral rituals were associated with prohibitions on female species works such as weaving, spinning, etc.

These strange prohibitions in ancient times were observed out of fear of accidentally causing harm to the intangibly present nearby souls of relatives of deceased ancestors. These prohibitions were especially believed in the evening; because of this, all evening hours during Maslenitsa week were considered holy.

Failure to comply with the prohibitions could lead to a lot of misfortunes and misfortunes.

The Maslenitsa bonfire also refers to funeral rite, because on the eve of Lent it serves as a kind of invitation to a rich dinner of deceased ancestors

That is, the purpose of the ancient Russian Maslenitsa was to appease the spirits for all subsequent days of the year.

Agricultural rituals

Agricultural rituals belong to the third set of Maslenitsa rituals.

The ancient Slavs always took the first baked pancake out into the courtyard as a gift to Vesna and Yaril. It was laid on the ground so that Spring would not linger, and the Sun would warm up the fields faster.

The rituals were carried out with the aim of growing and collecting a lot of flax and hemp. At the moment, it is better not to grow hemp. Punishable by law.

Such fortune-telling rituals included girls and young women sliding down snow slides. In ancient times there was a persistent sign that those who rolled down the hill the most and whose sleighs traveled the farthest would have the most flax. Therefore, Slavic peasant women said that they were going to roll long flax.

On the seven-day Maslenitsa, people did not skimp. Her most remarkable feature was “gluttony.” The tradition of celebrating Shrovetide in a rich way had an underlying basis. After all, well marked holidays symbolized a well-fed life during the whole year. A poorly marked Shrovetide week led to bitter misfortune and poverty.

Maslenitsa! This ancient one is good Slavic holiday- farewell to winter - with tables laden with pancakes and other food and drinks. These days, not only the Slavic soul is wide open, but also the curtains between worlds are opening, the great ones are awakening magical powers. And if you carry out a number of rituals these days, you can provide yourself and your entire family with health, well-being, good luck and happiness for the whole year.

Treat this matter carefully and carefully and do not forget to thank higher power and Mother Maslenitsa herself for her help, for the abundant food and for the whole week of fun and joy given.

Cleaning the house on Maslenitsa

Broom spell for witchcraft

Hang on a nail on Wednesday front door there is a broom in the corridor (amulet against witchcraft) and read the plot:

“Sweep, broom, from my yard a dashing thought, a dashing sentence, a dashing man. Witchcraft and the evil eye are a cesspool, goodness and mercy are a wide road. Whoever comes with good will find shelter with us, whoever brings evil will disappear beyond the threshold.”

Conspiracy for a good neighbor

Hang a pancake on the fence (or balcony) with these words:

“I give some blush and smoothness to the fence, to such an agreement that you don’t quarrel with your neighbors and remain in good friendship.”

Treat your neighbors to pancakes.

Conspiracy for peace in the house

On Pancake Week Thursday, place a jug of milk on the table. Having dropped boiled wheat grains into it, according to the number of residents in the house, pronounce the spell:

“Just as the wheat is not crowded in this jar, so we are not crowded in our house. I whisper, I call, I conjure all the saints to send us peace and harmony. Let our home be rich in love and understanding. So that everyone here becomes related to each other and never scolds another.”

Conspiracy against fire, elements or thieves

This amulet for housing is placed on Friday during Shrovetide Write on a piece of paper:

“My house is about four corners, about light walls, about a beautiful roof, above all others, in a good hour, placed in a good place. Neither fire, nor wind, nor stone, nor water, nor to an evil person. My house will stand for another century - all troubles will be gone. Let it be so! Amen!"

Then burn the note on a white plate and scatter the ashes in the yard to the wind.

Keep death away from home

On the second day, we drive death and illness away from home. We give treats to any pet with the words:

“A tasty morsel for the living soul, a special mention for the deceased. The dead may rest in peace - the living will escape from illness and death. Everyone should live in joy and don’t worry until the next Maslenitsa.”

If he doesn’t finish the treat, we throw the leftovers outside the house (and garden).

Cleansing the house with snow (done only on the waning moon)

Bring snow into the house and wait for it to melt. Take melt water and wash the floor in the house, saying:

“Water flows along the rapids and roads, the water is melted, the water is clean. It washes the steep banks, helps me, the Servant of God (name), washes away all my misfortunes and troubles. I will wash away curses and damage, bad luck and poverty, dark evil and misfortune with melt water. I will cleanse my house of everything bad and evil. Amen".

To enhance the effect, you can add to the water Thursday salt. After cleaning, the water should be poured onto the street, preferably at an intersection. When returning home, walk without looking back and without talking to anyone. When you come home, light three candles:

• green for money;
• gold for health;
• pink for love.

Rituals and spells for health

Plot against smoking on Maslenitsa

On the last day of the holiday - Forgiveness Sunday, before going to bed, put an empty cigarette pack under your pillow and say:

“Abandoned and forgotten, gone from me, overgrown with grass. He won't come back to me again. Truly"

At conception

If a woman wants to conceive this year, on Shrovetide week she needs to treat nine people (not relatives) (according to the number of months she carries the child) with pancakes. While baking such pancakes, she must say three times:

“A pancake in the oven - a child in the house. Whatever is wished for over the pancake will come true.”

Moreover, if a woman treats a man with such a pancake first, then she will expect a boy, and a woman - a girl.

Removing damage to Maslenitsa

To remove damage, on Maslenitsa, collect clean snow (preferably melted) in a basin, bring it into the house and roll it over yourself from head to toe (moving from top to bottom). During this, read the plot:

“Come out, pour out all the bad things from the body of the Servant of God (name). From a zealous heart, from a violent head, from a white body, from a clean belly, from red blood, from legs, from hands, from veins. It’s not I who drive out damage and the evil eye, but Holy Mother of God with your archangels, angels and patrons every hour, every day, from now until forever! Amen!".

From the remaining snow you need to sculpt a little man, draw his nose, mouth, eyes, navel and write your name on it backwards. Then read the plot 33 times:

“Let the one who brought damage to the servant of God (name) return her. Let all his wishes be reflected in him. I have never wished harm on anyone, and let the one who wished me harm get his harm back. Amen".

After the ritual, wait until the snow man melts and pour out all the remaining water at the crossroads on the same day.

Rituals and spells for love

Love spell (love spell) for Maslenitsa

To bewitch your lover, bake pancakes every day of Maslenitsa week. Stir the dough clockwise three times and say:

“As people love Maslenitsa, so do you (name) love me, (your name). Pancakes reflect the sun, bringing you (name) closer to me. So be it, amen!”

Cut the last pancake in half: eat half, crumble the other half to the birds near your beloved’s house with the words:

“Just as birds love a pancake, so do you (name), love me (your name), fly and run to me from everywhere, wherever you are. As she said, so it will be. Truly!

And go home without turning around or talking to passersby.

To attract love (for a girl)

If there is a girl of marriageable age in the house, on the first day of Maslenitsa she should bake the first batch of pancakes, saying the following:

“Damn on Maslenitsa is hot, he can see for every sign. Damn tell me if I’ll get married this year.”

If the first pancake did not stick to the frying pan, but jumped off easily, it means that the girl will soon get married. If the pancake stuck, then she will have to wait a little longer for her betrothed. But, despite the result, the girl must bake even number pancakes This will attract love.

So that the husband does not walk (conspiracy)

If you are not sure of your spouse's fidelity, perform this ritual. On the last day of Maslenitsa, knead the dough and read the spell over it three times:

“Let the servant of God (name) eat, eat, drink and get drunk, and when he has eaten, let homesickness overcome him and not let him go beyond the threshold. Let (name) yearn for his lawful wife and only have mercy on her. And he won’t even look at others. Amen".

Bake pancakes from this dough. Before serving them, read some more spelled words for drinking:

“Let the servant of God (name) drink this drink and not notice anyone but me. Only I will be the only one in his heart and thoughts, and all other women against my background will fade and fade. Let it be so. Amen".

Rituals and conspiracies for profit and prosperity

Conspiracy for profit (for fire)

If you have the opportunity to be outside the city these days, you can use the old Maslenitsa plot to attract profit and prosperity in the new season.

To do this, you need to make a big fire and burn some old unnecessary things in it (the more, the better). By getting rid of old unnecessary property, you thereby symbolically make room for new things. At the same time, looking at the fire, repeat:

“I burn the old, unnecessary things,
I invite you to new good things.
Let everything that has become obsolete go away.
Let the new one bring profit.
Let the unnecessary turn into ashes,
From the ashes he will be reborn with new successes!”

Amulet for a well-fed life

On the first day of Maslenitsa, make a talisman for a well-fed life within the walls of your home. Under the container in which you put the dough or knead pancakes, place 5 coins, saying:

“Maslenitsa has come and brought satiety and prosperity to the house. Keeping the coins under the table will provide us with enough food all year round. Prosperity will come and my home will be free from troubles.”

These coins must be kept in the house until the next Maslenitsa.

Ritual at the place of celebration (for a coin)

Attract cash flows It is possible through a ceremony that takes place at the site of the festivities. Must visit the venue national holiday the next day, that is, Monday. You need to walk around there until you find a coin, and this will definitely happen in a public place.

The coin should be lifted with the left hand and the following magic words should be spoken:

“I, the Servant of God (proper name), walked and found money on my way. Just as I, the Servant of God (my own name), came to this money, so let the money come to me in the future on its own. Just as there were a lot of people in this place on Holy Maslenitsa, may I always have a lot of money. Amen".

The charmed coin must be hidden in your own home and stored all year. It will attract money like a magnet and improve your well-being. A year later, on Maslenitsa, the coin must be lost again in the same place.

Ritual for financial well-being (on the waxing moon)

Collect snow, preferably melting, that lies at the intersection. When picking up snow, leave a coin yellow color as a ransom. Having brought the snow into the house, light a green candle and read the plot:

“The white snow in the field is melting, and the water is rising in the river. And I, the servant of God (name), will go and find a job for myself, sweet for the heart and useful for the wallet. My word is a knot that cannot be untied. As she said, so it will be. Amen".

When the snow melts, wash your face with melt water and pour the rest out the window.

Ritual using snow

The magic of this holiday will definitely help the material sphere. On the waxing moon, read the plot on financial well-being using snow. In this case, it is better to take the snow for the ritual at the crossroads, and leave a yellow coin there as a ransom.

Having brought snow into the house, you need to put it on a dish, then light a green candle.
Then say the following magic words:

“As soon as the white snow melts in a wide field, the water in the stormy river rises. As soon as I, the Servant of God (proper name), walk down the street, I will immediately find a job for myself, useful for both my soul and my money. My word is strong. Every word is tied in a knot - no one can untie it. Amen".

After the snow melts, you need to touch the melt water with your lips, after which you throw the melt water out onto the street.

Rituals and spells for good luck and prosperity

Pancake charms for good luck

On Sunday, bake a small pancake as a good luck charm for all family members. Everyone should start their meal with this little pancake, saying to themselves:

“Maslenitsa will go away, it will bring me happiness and good luck. For me and my family to live, don’t worry, avoid evil, hold on to good luck.”

And the wish you make after eating such a pancake will definitely come true.

Plot for happiness

On the last Sunday before Maslenitsa, you need to review all the dishes in the house and take out all the cracked cups and plates, saying:

“The broken and evil are in a bundle, the new and good are on the threshold. Don’t break the dishes in the house; happiness will happen.”

Eating from cracked dishes during Shrovetide means breaking your own happiness.

Conspiracy (amulet) against enemies, envious people and cunning people

On Sunday before Maslenitsa week, retire to your room at 11 pm and read the spell 3 times:

“In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Theotokos Lady and you, the four evangelists: Luke, Mark, Matthew and John the Theologian. Save and preserve me, (name), protect me from dashing thoughts, from devilish thoughts, from secret destruction, from the evil eye and the blind eye, from the envious eye, who hears and who does not hear, who curses out loud and who writes denunciations. The Alatyr-stone lies in one place, does not hear, does not see, is not afraid of knocking or sound, and is not hiding from anyone. So no sound, knock or word would touch me. I didn’t trip over any damage. My words cannot be denied, they cannot be reprimanded. Neither the first in the family, nor the last. Key. Lock. Language. Amen."

To fulfill a wish

To make it come true cherished wish, during Shrovetide Week, you need to hear the rooster crowing three times in the morning. If you hear three crows in one morning, it means your wish will come true faster than you might expect. If you have to make several attempts, you need to wait some time for the wish to come true. For every crow you need to say:

“Rooster rooster, smell the buttery spirit, wake up luck, let’s go with what we have in mind.”

For change for the better

In order for changes for the better to take place in the house, and for the owners to make new, profitable acquaintances, during Shrovetide Week you need to invite a new person into the house, someone who has not been with the owners before that moment. As you sit him down at the table, say to yourself:

“We come to you with a pie, you come to us with kindness. Let our success triple, let our profitable acquaintances multiply.”

After this, you can definitely count on influential patrons who can help in business.

Ritual to fulfill a wish

On Maslenitsa, you can carry out a conspiracy that will help make your cherished wish come true.

The ceremony takes place late on Sunday evening. It is advisable to attend the festive festivities before this to recharge yourself with positive energy. On the same day, before going to bed, you should say the following conspiracy:

“Light up, bright star, in the high sky, to the joy of the whole baptized world, light up with clear light and unquenchable fire for the joy of the Orthodox. Look into the house of the Servant (s) of God (proper name) with your rays. Consecrate, O festive star, my dwelling with bright fire. I voice to you, star, my deepest desire, hear it. (You need to briefly formulate your cherished desire). Amen".

After pronouncing the words, cross yourself three times, bow three times, turning to the east. Then go to bed, and it is important to fall asleep as soon as possible, discarding all extraneous thoughts.
The dream you have this night will be prophetic. It is by its content that you can judge whether your wish will come true. Therefore, when you wake up, try to remember the dream you saw and analyze it. The more positive there is in a dream, the higher the likelihood that the wish will come true. Negative feelings from sleep indicate that, most likely, your request was not heard.

Protective spell for Maslenitsa

If you feel that you have become a victim of someone’s damage or the evil eye, or suspect that this may happen in the near future, use a protective spell for Maslenitsa.

At dawn on the first day of Maslenitsa, turn your face to the rising Sun.
Then say:

“Maslenitsa will protect you from all evil,
Everything evil and bad will turn away from me.
On the first day, every evil eye will be reflected from me.
On the second day, all corruption will disappear from me.
On the third day, the evil conspiracy will be broken into pieces.
On the fourth day, everything will respond to the offenders.
On the fifth day, evil thoughts will turn to dust.
On the sixth day all my troubles will cease.
On the seventh, luck and strength will return to me ».

Repeat this spell at dawn every day of Maslenitsa. This plot should become your magical armor, protecting you from other people’s malice and deceit.

Ritual against evil spells (with salt)

This ritual can be performed on any day of the Maslenitsa week, except Sunday. To do this, go outside and say, looking at the sky, magical
words:

"By force magic word I, the Servant of God (my own name), conjure that you, witches, branded evil devils, will be able to harm me and my home only when you count all the stars in the bottomless sky and all the grains of sand on the sea coast.”

Then sprinkle three pinches of salt on the outer sill of an east-facing window that is also near the front door.

On Sunday evening (the last day of Maslenitsa), sweep the salt into a black canvas bag. While doing this, recite the Lord’s Prayer. Then the bag should be taken away from the house and buried in a deserted place.

Ritual with pancakes to ward off misfortune

Take the smoothest and most beautiful pancakes you have baked. Cut it strictly in half, and then slowly move the halves away from each other.
At the same time, read the conspiracy for pancakes:

“Like sunrise and sunset do not coincide,
This way all my troubles will pass by.
There will be troubles far from me,
I will live freely and easily.”

Customs for Maslenitsa

First damn. The first pancake on Maslenitsa is always eaten in honor of the memory of deceased ancestors.

Bird whistles. Children on Maslenitsa whistled into whistles that were made in the shape of birds, thereby inviting migratory birds back.

Father-in-law and son-in-law. In past times, there was a custom that has now been completely forgotten: at the end of Maslenitsa, the father-in-law always invited his son-in-law to “finish the lamb,” i.e. the last meat day before the start of Lent.

Signs for Maslenitsa

Pancakes - quality. If the housewife’s pancakes turn out beautiful and fluffy, then the year will be prosperous and rich in harvest, but if they stick and don’t turn out well, then there will be troubles in the year.

Pancakes - quantity. The more pancakes are baked in the house for Maslenitsa, the richer the house will become, and if the housewife bakes few pancakes, then there will be no harvest. It was believed that every baked pancake was associated with the sun, i.e. one pancake – one sunny day, and the more pancakes, the more sunny days. But at the same time, too many pancakes are also bad, since there will be a drought, and if there are too few, then there will be bad weather and the harvest will not be harvested, that is, there must be a golden mean.

A rich treat. According to the tradition of our ancestors, Maslenitsa should be very rich and fun, people should not skimp on treats, i.e. As you spend Maslenitsa, the year will pass.

Swing. In the old days, swings were always built on Maslenitsa. They swung on a swing, and whoever flew the highest, that family would have more harvest than others. It’s the same with downhill skating; whoever goes down the hill the farthest will grow the longest flax.

Unexpected guests. Anyone who skimps on treats during Maslenitsa will go broke within a year. It is believed that it is unexpected guests who bring happiness to the house on Maslenitsa.

Weather before Maslenitsa. If it rained on the eve of Maslenitsa, then autumn promises to be full of mushrooms, and if there is frost, then the summer will not be hot and the harvest will be good.

Forgiveness. On Maslenitsa, if a person can forgive, then he can introduce new things into his life.

Old things. If you throw away old things on Maslenitsa, then this year there will be new things.

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