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| My Thunder candle |
You are invited to a
" Baltic/Pagan gathering"
for
Perkuno Diena
Day of Perkunas, the mighty God of Thunder
An open invitation is extended to the Pagan Community to come and celebrate the following Baltic Winter tradition. Even if you know little or nothing about this Feast, come along anyway and join in. You'll be in for a new wonderful Pagan experience with a great group of friendly people. These events are organised to foster the Pagan community no matter what path/tradition you follow and just might add to your own awareness of this divine and beautiful world in which we live.
Event:
Day of Thunder/Perkunas the mighty Thunderer
Perkuno Diena (Pair-koon-oh Dee-en-a)
Description:
Perkuno Diena (Pair-koon-oh Dee-en-a)
Description:
This gathering will honour mighty God of thunder, Perkunas. Perkunas is the Lithuanian God Of lightning, thunder and storms. Perkunas symbolises the creative forces (including vegetative), courage, success, the top of the world, the sky, rain, thunder, Heavenly fire (lightning) and the all celestial elements of creation.
It is from this time that people eagerly await for sound of the first thunder of the Year. It is believed that Perkunas wakes up all nature from winter slumber by shaking the earth with his thunder. We joyously celebrate this event! The Cosmic Mother Goddess, Lada is reborn the young fair maiden to bless us once again with abundant harvest.
Special Candles will be made and blessed in the name of Perkunas.
Perkunas Heavenly fire will be honoured by many burning candles.
Candle blessing and drumming around the fire altar in honour of Perkunas. (Photo above of my Thunder candle wrapped in linen thread.)
Location:
· The same person or another volunteer then addresses Gabija, the Goddess of Fire, saying:
· The elder or another volunteer then addresses Zemyna (Mother Earth); after kissing the earth, offerings to Zemyna, Mother Earth are then poured/placed into the fire. All participants then are free to make their own offerings to Mother Earth by placing flowers, bread, beer or whatever each participant chooses.
· A ritual called “Strengthening by Fire” is carried out; where, one at a time, each person draws the heat from the fire to their face (like splashing water on the face).
· The Ancestors are honoured and also, are honoured; one by one each person makes an offering of grain to the fire altar.
Everyone walks around the altar 3 times while chanting/singing
“Gabija is burning,Toota,toota”
· The Fire Rite is concluded and all participants may find a chair and place around the aukuras Fire altar.
NB No one may put out the fire during the gathering and care must taken to treat it with honour e.g. no spitting or urinating on the Fire (not that anyone would) or putting garbage in it.
· Once settled, Steve will share with you some folk stories* that will reveal the true character of Perkunas followed by a short talk and discussion on his relevance in Baltic moral culture and the rite performed to him.
· Candle making and adorning activity.
· All participants return to the Aukuras fire altar with their candles and drums. The rite will be performed to Perkunas and his four sons from the four directions. Candles will be blessed by fire.
· Rite concludes with a traditional Lithuanian hymn to Perkunas.
· Light refreshments/ supper
· All participants are welcome to continue to socialise and have a few drinks
· The fire is extinguished at the end of the gathering, after the last person leaves.
* Read the post titled,"Talk on Thunder Day-Perkuno Diena"
It is from this time that people eagerly await for sound of the first thunder of the Year. It is believed that Perkunas wakes up all nature from winter slumber by shaking the earth with his thunder. We joyously celebrate this event! The Cosmic Mother Goddess, Lada is reborn the young fair maiden to bless us once again with abundant harvest.
Special Candles will be made and blessed in the name of Perkunas.
Perkunas Heavenly fire will be honoured by many burning candles.
Candle blessing and drumming around the fire altar in honour of Perkunas. (Photo above of my Thunder candle wrapped in linen thread.)
Location:
Steve’s house - Sanctuary of Romuva, Charmhaven
Date:
Date:
Sunday, 2nd August, 2010.
Time:
Time:
meeting 4pm.
Duration:
Duration:
No fixed time.
What to bring:
What to bring:
*1 white candle (pillar or tapered, scented optional.),
*Drum if you have one
*Flowers for the alter.
*Light refreshments and snacks will be provided but
*BYO-alcoholic drinks optional
· All participants meet at the front to perform the ritual cleansing with water and linen.
· A greeting is given by the host who briefly explains why we have gathered.
· The Fire Rite is performed where an elder or volunteer fire woman or fire a man or woman, lights the fire on the altar. Meanwhile, without speaking everyone just observes and watches as the fire grows strong. In the ancient Baltic faith, fire was not from this earth but from the heavens in the sky and through fire we may communicate with our Gods, Goddesses and the Ancestors. Most of us know the mesmerising effect of fire, this is surely a great aid to meditation and connection to the Divine, which can be found in the leaping flames. While the fire is growing traditional hymn of Romuva will be sung where the participants are encouraged to join in on the refrain.
· When the fire is strong an elder or a volunteer help mate approaches the altar and sprinkles salt into the fire three times each time saying:
· The same person or another volunteer then makes an offering of water to Gabija, the Goddess of Fire, saying:
*Drum if you have one
*Flowers for the alter.
*Light refreshments and snacks will be provided but
*BYO-alcoholic drinks optional
Gathering program outline
· All participants meet at the front to perform the ritual cleansing with water and linen.
· A greeting is given by the host who briefly explains why we have gathered.
· The Fire Rite is performed where an elder or volunteer fire woman or fire a man or woman, lights the fire on the altar. Meanwhile, without speaking everyone just observes and watches as the fire grows strong. In the ancient Baltic faith, fire was not from this earth but from the heavens in the sky and through fire we may communicate with our Gods, Goddesses and the Ancestors. Most of us know the mesmerising effect of fire, this is surely a great aid to meditation and connection to the Divine, which can be found in the leaping flames. While the fire is growing traditional hymn of Romuva will be sung where the participants are encouraged to join in on the refrain.
· When the fire is strong an elder or a volunteer help mate approaches the altar and sprinkles salt into the fire three times each time saying:
“Hearth Goddess be satiated”.
· The same person or another volunteer then makes an offering of water to Gabija, the Goddess of Fire, saying:
“here is some water for you to cleanse yourself, if needed”.
· The same person or another volunteer then addresses Gabija, the Goddess of Fire, saying:
”we make a bed for you here, please do not wander about this house (area)”.
· The elder or another volunteer then addresses Zemyna (Mother Earth); after kissing the earth, offerings to Zemyna, Mother Earth are then poured/placed into the fire. All participants then are free to make their own offerings to Mother Earth by placing flowers, bread, beer or whatever each participant chooses.
· A ritual called “Strengthening by Fire” is carried out; where, one at a time, each person draws the heat from the fire to their face (like splashing water on the face).
· The Ancestors are honoured and also, are honoured; one by one each person makes an offering of grain to the fire altar.
Everyone walks around the altar 3 times while chanting/singing
“Gabija is burning,Toota,toota”
· The Fire Rite is concluded and all participants may find a chair and place around the aukuras Fire altar.
NB No one may put out the fire during the gathering and care must taken to treat it with honour e.g. no spitting or urinating on the Fire (not that anyone would) or putting garbage in it.
· Once settled, Steve will share with you some folk stories* that will reveal the true character of Perkunas followed by a short talk and discussion on his relevance in Baltic moral culture and the rite performed to him.
· Candle making and adorning activity.
· All participants return to the Aukuras fire altar with their candles and drums. The rite will be performed to Perkunas and his four sons from the four directions. Candles will be blessed by fire.
· Rite concludes with a traditional Lithuanian hymn to Perkunas.
· Light refreshments/ supper
· All participants are welcome to continue to socialise and have a few drinks
· The fire is extinguished at the end of the gathering, after the last person leaves.
* Read the post titled,"Talk on Thunder Day-Perkuno Diena"
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