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In northern russian folklore Mokosha-Mokusha is a female figure with giant head and long hands, shearer of sheep, weaver of flax. „In time of lent she walks from house to house, disturbing the weaving women. She also guards the sheep, which she shears herself, and for her they put away strands of wool, leaving them at night next to the shearing scissors”. Sources from Rus’ other from Tale of Bygone Years list her among demons and vilas. One mention implies some connection to sexual transgressions, to onanism. A weak trace of her can pehaps be found in Czech Republic, in a persona appearing on 13th December, St. Lucy’s Day. She is accordingly nicknamed Luca or Lucke, dressed in white, carrying a distaff and scissors; she scares children, visits spinning women and either praises them or beats them with a huge wooden ladle.

Most scholars assumes great proximity between Mokosh and the earth, called in Old East Slavic „mat’ syraya zemlya”, a figure very deeply rooted in russian folklore. Untill very recently some people would still confess their sins to the earth rather than to a preacher, a tradition which the Church strongly fought.

For this understanding of Mokosh we find a beautiful Iranian analogy. She would be Aredwi Sura Anahita „Moist Bright Untouchable”, female divinity of the waters flowing through the earth, protectress of children, fertility and sheep breeding. The vision of earth as a Mother is one of her oldest religious depictions, but it doesn’t hold the same degree of importance among all indo-europeans peoples. Other cults may outshine her, push her to the edges of religious consciousness, as it happened with Greek Gaia. Paired with the skies, earth is depicted as passive, even in cosmogonic myths that present it participating in creation or birthing of the world. Etnographers and specialists in the field of religious studies identified three very distinct and long lasting rituals stemming from those ancient beliefs:

Laying a newborn child on the bare ground for a while,

Laying the sick and the dying on bare ground,

Burying the body a deceased rather than burning it.

Those are also well known to Slavic folklore. However they didn’t seem to stimulate mythological imagination. More inspiring was the personalization of fertile earth as a fertile woman, encountered in agricultural societies. Plowing of the fields was seen as a symbolic sexual act performed with the earth.

According to Kazimierz Moszyński the most beautiful manifestation of this belief can be found in a Polish myth from Polesie, where it was believed that „the Earth is pregnant in the spring and so it’s a grave sin to strike her. She gives birth and the grain sprouts, flowers boom, grass starts growing”. From there stem numerous folkloric prohibitions: until 25th of march or 7th of april (day of Annunciation) one cannot plow, drive demarkation poles into the ground or put up fences. Children are warned against hitting the earth with sticks, pulling out grass or any similar actions. Tripping and falling to the ground results in a respectful plea for forgivness, same goes for spitting on the earth. We can see the reverence shown to what is perceived as greater powers.

If calling the Earth „mother” has been best preserved in Russia, calling her a „Saint” is universal for all Slavs. Oftentimes she was also called „rich”. Her religious significance shows in the act of swearing „on the earth” and cursing „on the earth” (or while holding a nugget of dirt in your hands), in ritual kissing of the plowed ground. Traces of sacrifices for the earth can be found: burying of breads, eggs, hens, leftovers of foods that have been blessed in church. Other folkloric practices meant to provide the fertility of earth include having intercourse on bare ground or rolling an egg on it. Chthonic aspects of the earth were also known. One of the folk tales written down by Oskar Kolberg in Lesser Poland speaks of God’s injunction for the earth: „You will birth people and you will devour them; whatever you will birth you will also consume, for it belongs to you”. Once we pass away we are all returned to the earth.

Andrzej Szyjewski Chapter 5: The lost gods Subchapter: In search for the divine feminine

In search for a central, feminine divinty we turn to the Eastern Slavic pantheon, to Mokosh. We know from North-Russian folklore that she rules over the feminine sphere of life: shearing of sheep, spinning of flax, sexual activity. Her name could originate from a stem „mok-” signifying moisture, wetness, athough among the scholars there are strong tendedncies for associate her with a finnish tribe called Moksha or Moksh.

It seems that, just like iranian Anahita, Mokosh is associated with the idea of fertile wetness, she is likely an ancient female deity, a hypostasis of Mother Wet Earth ( Mat’ Syra Zemlya), the spouse of supreme heavenly god. There may also be a connection to sanscrit „makha” means rich or august - and that same root was used to create the word „magic”: Iranian „maghti” and later Greek „mageia”, all the way to Slavic „magia” and „moc” (moc=might).

Russian scholars Ivanov and Toporov would see in Mokosh the punished wife of supreme thunder god, penalized for her infidelity by being expelled from heaven and sent to earth. In moscovian slang „mokosia” means „a woman of easy virtue”.

Uspienski claims that over time the images of St. Paraskeva and St. Anastasia have been layered over the ancient image of this goddess. As a chthonic deity Mokosh-Paraskeva is an adversary of the Thunderer. Friday, the day sacred to Paraskeva (Paraskeva means Friday) finds other Indo-European counterparts, it is for example the sacred day of Freya. There are many folkloric prohibitions conected with that day: you are not allowed to plow and spin yarn on Fridays lest you throw soil into the eyes of mother Piątnica (trans. note: „She-Friday”) or stab her with a spindle (obvious sexual conntations). Those who do not follow the prohibtions are punished with blindness sent by the goddess. There is a recorded tradition from Bryansk Oblast that on a „chosen holy day” a women without a headdress, addressed as „Piątnica” is being marched around the church in a procession. People give her praise and offer gifts to her „hoping to benefit from it later”.

Almost untill the end of XX century Mokosh features in Russian stories as a woman with long free-flowing hair (trans. note: wearing a headdress was the norm at the time), with giant head and long hands, walking into the houses at night to spin yarn on abandoned distaff.

I would say its more risky to associate Mokosh with fate - other Indo-European deities with that function seem to appear in triple form which corresponds more with Slavic Rozanitse.

Art 1: Mokosh by Vladislav Dzalb

Art 2: Spinning Mary by Piotr Stachiewicz

About Mokosh

Today I present you my amateur translation of fragments of „Mitologia Słowian” by Aleksander Gieysztor and „Religia Słowian” by Andrzej Szyjewski. My own comments will be indicated by a „trans. note” disclaimer. I accept constructive suggestions for improving the translation.

Intro:

“And Vladimir began to reign alone in Kiev. And he placed idols on the hill outside the palace: a Perun in wood with a silver head and a gold moustache, and Khors and Daždbog and Stribog and Simargl and Mokoš. And they offered sacrifices and called them gods, and they took their sons and daughters to them and sacrificed them to the devils. And they profaned the earth with their sacrifices, and Rus’ and that hill were profaned by blood.”

- Tale of Bygone Years

“Men who have forgotten the fear of God from neglect by renouncing baptism, approach idols and start to make sacrifices to the thunder and lightning, the sun and moon, and others, to Perun, Khors, the Vily and Mokoš, to vampires and the Beregyni, whom they call three times nine sisters. And others believe in Svarožic and Artemid, to whom ignorant men pray. They sacrifice cockerels to them.”

- Sermon by the Holy Father Saint John Chrysostom

Mitologia Słowian by Aleksander Gieysztor Chapter 9, subchapter „Mokosz”

Some seek to explain the name „Mokosh” through association with an Ugro-Finnic tribe, and an Ugro-Finnic demon, both called Moksha, though I tend to believe they may have picked her name up from the Slavs.

Two other possible etymologies originate from ancient Indian language and beliefs: „makha” meaning ”rich””noble””august” and „meksha” although that one is masculine, signifying „darkness”, „death”, „release” (and oddly also plant sap).

And then of course very appealing is the strictly Slavic etymology of „mok-“, polish „moczyć”, „mokry” - to wet, to be wet - with a bit of a sexual undertone as well (to which conclusion I am led also by other evidence). There is quite a lot of toponomastic evidence for the importance of Mokosh among the Eastern Slavs: the settlement Mokoš near Pskov (as early as 1585), Mokszany, Moksza, Moksze, Mokszy Błoto, Mokuszów. This evidence is much meagerer among Western Slavs: Mokošin in Czech Republic.

Keep reading

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I want to dive into Russian textiles, which it doesn’t make sense telling you this since Tumblr format will show that post first but here we are. I wanted to first explore the Russian embroidery and its symbolism, since packing meaning into textile is such a wonderful concept. 

Adoration of the Goddess:

These pieces can often be view as cloth scriptures in a way. They feature the old pagan beliefs and portray a female figure thought to be a to the ancient deity slavs, a goddess by the name of Mokosh, sometimes called the great earth mother. These pieces are normally ritual clothing.

Gifts of Love and Remembrance:

It’s common in Russian culture to gift a hand woven and lavishly decorated gift towels. Commonly given and used in weddings, they are a symbol of good fortune, and will often be given specific symbolism by the person weaving them.

The Tree of Life:

19th century art historian Vasili Stasov wrote, “In Russian embroidery, one can see the depictions of ancient Slavic rituals, like tree worship, and mermaid festivals.” In northern Russia, trees were a pretty important life source. They provided building material and firewood.

Thats all for now!

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Any marginalized person on tumblr: yeah so that’s been my experience as a marginalized person

Five hundred people who can’t read: ummm OP don’t you know that there are OTHER people who are MORE oppressed and marginalized than you? Suspicious that you didn’t even mention that — I will now consider you one of their oppressors.

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year oh the 🐍 ⁕ the symbol of personal transformation

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‼️happy lunar new year 🌙

🤲🧧may the bag be bountiful🧧 for those reading this🧧🤲

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Altar placement by Ukrainian tradition

The information I will share in the post is mainly about the Christian home altar, but it may provide some ideas for individuals interested in Slavic paganism, as well.

The altar is called “червоний кут”, which translated to “red corner” (here is another post on red colour in the Slavic tradition that I made). It used to be the most important part of the house that usually contained items valuable from cultural and religious point of view: icons, the Bible, books of prayers, candles, pictures of deceased relatives, all decorated with beautifully embroidered cloths. The table was placed in that corner, too. As a general rule, it was across the room from the oven, well-lit, which would make it South or East.

The person to sit in that corner was the master of the house or the most important guest; in times of death, forty days after, the person who passed away - they also get a plate and a cup of their own, of course. Due to the importance associated with the red corner, it was said that if you hear cracking in the walls on that side, the master may soon die.

Ukrainians say, “у своїй хаті й кути помагають” - “at home even corners help”, which was true in the more literal sense for women giving birth back when doing it at home was the usual practice for most. People believed that, should the process be especially difficult, the woman should be led around that very table every now and then.

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Mokosh - Slavic goddess of fate, earth, fertility. She lives in the black soil, in the skilled hands of weavers, in the warm embrace of mothers. Ink on hot pressed cotton paper.

This acrylic ink original is available today through Every Day Original. Behind the Scenes on ℘atreon. An alternative version of this design will be included in the upcoming book "Slava!", written by Anna Urosevic-Applegate and published by Llewellyn Worldwide.

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illustration from the book "Pogled u Slovensku botaničku mitologiju" (A look at Slavic botanical mythology)

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Inspired by a friend's folk pride art, I wanted to try my hand at making versions of some Calabrian embroidery in my pride colors 🌈🌈! The pattern I referenced was from this ozaturu.

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NIEDŹWIEDŹ ✷ THE BEAR ✷ (Ursus arctos) ✷ "Jak mawiano niedźwiedzie mają duszę, a duch drapieżnika mści się na swoim zabójcy, np. prowadzi go na bezdroża lub w przepaście." "Niedźwiedź był również zwierzęciem demonicznym, symbolem płodności, urodzaju, sił wegetacyjnych, a z racji swojego trybu życia (sen zimowy) - odwiecznego zmagania się zimy-śmierci z życiodajną wiosną." ✷ "As they say, bears have souls, and their spirit takes a revenge on it's killer, for example, leading it astray or into the precipice." "The bear was also a demonic animal, a symbol of fertility, harvest, vegetative forces, and due to its lifestyle (hibernation) - the eternal struggle of winter-death with life-giving spring." - From "Góralskie czary. Leksykon Magii Podtatrza i Beskidów Zachodnich" by Katarzyna Ceklarz i Urszula Janicka-Krzywda. published by Tatrzański Park Narodowy -

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My mom wanted a custom version of this illustration and I had to obey

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I’m making stickers :3

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🩷or💚?

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pomegranate tile commission ❤️‍🔥

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Plants are treated in a magical way, which is confirmed by the second statement of the participant: You don’t give potted flowers, grafts to somebody, and once you get them, you can’t thank for them. The flowers don’t grow then. So you should steal them. My mother’s neighbour, when she likes a flower, asks my mother to put it on the staircase, then she will steal a twig and graft the flower. (Milena Krajewska, 2019) Superstition seems to be quite archaic if we look at its mythical layer. It indicates the magical treatment of words, as well as the magical, mediatorial properties of theft. As myths, fairy tales or healing formulas state, an object found by chance or stolen is more powerful (Wasilewski 1979: 80-81). (…) The plant, in order to live, bloom, and multiply further in another place, must remain in the situation of an open, symbolic connection with its source, in a way deceived, deceitfully transferred. (…) It is a “theft”, but in this case it is done in a specific way because the person who is “robbed” knows about it; only the plant is “cheated”. The second peasant principle – “what’s found, is not stolen” (finders keepers) makes the found object become the property of the finder, frees him or her from a rematch, as well as from saying the word “thank you” crowning the transaction. In one statement only, the numerous principles of extensive peasant magic logic have been preserved, allowing the graft to be passed on without any gestures that would symbolically seal the transaction and deprive it of its connection with its original place of growth.

Plants, Women, Magic. Contemporary Polish (Kuyavian) Folklore Based on Herbal Medicine by Sara Orzechowska (via slavicafire)

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read a paper that i dont necessarily love but they had an point which caught my attention. the author argues that in various slavic pantheons, the phrase “supreme god” “the higher” or just “god” (Бог, Bog) is just used an epithet for different deities depending the hierarchy.

thought it would be an interesting viewpoint to those who are dual faith or folk practitioners who use the bible/apocryphal prayers in their worship, or just utilizing the christian names as epithets for deities and spirits in your practice

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Girl in an Embroided Dress, Mykhailo Bryansky, late 19th century

Kherson Art Museum