Lithuanian Reverence for Water

This blog is an extract of a talk that I gave for our local Pagans. The Talk was Titled "Sacred Waters" The talk covered many different indigenous Faiths but for the sake of keeping this Blog short,I have only included mostly Lithuanian references for those who know little or nothing of Lithuanian World view.

Lithuanian Cosmology

Many, many world cosmologies feature water and a "Diver motif" and Lithuania also has a creation myth which tells a story that in the beginning there was darkness and chaos: land was mixed with water. In the vast expanses of chaos wandered the Sky God Dievas, who commenced dividing the Universe into the separate elements of Water, Earth, Air and Fire. Almost all Lithuanian legends feature two Divinities, the highest God and assisting him, the younger, in some legends called his brother, in others Velnias (a Devil).Water seems to be the first element which was isolated from chaos and formed lagoons. By orders of the Highest God, the younger God dived many times to the bottom of the lagoon and brought to the surface the seeds from which the Earth grew.

In another Lithuanian legend, Dievas, washed his face with the falling raindrops which fell to Earth nourishing the ground and creating man.

Yesterday-Festival of Rasa(Dew)/Today-Festival of St John the Baptist(Midsummer)

Midsummer in Lithuania is a festival of herbs, Dew and hopes for a good harvest. Honour is given to Kupole (Goddess of herbs) and Rasa her daughter Goddess of the Dew.(Interesting note: Most of us are aware of healing with water with teas and brews and even baths but in the process of the work we tend to focus in the herbs and minerals that do part of the work but consider on the spirits that the water embodies. Together water and herbs would make your workings successful and special more so than either ingredient could do alone.)

Stones with holes where rain water gathered would be considered sacred and was used for healing through out Great Britain  and Lithuania.) Lithuanian people also believed that Raganai (witches/Goddesses of witchcraft) also collected the dew and used it to make women barren, men impotent and cows to stop milking. Ragana is not the same as in neo pagan beliefs but Ragana is an old European Goddess of witchcraft, regeneration and able to foresee the future. She represents a necessary evil, lest living things never die and balance and harmony would not exist. Ragana is whole other study. All Chthonic deities are related to Earth, water and fertility in many ways, The drowned dead are also honoured in water.

Ritual Bathing

Ritual washing in water, or immersion in a pool, has been part of various religious systems since the dawn of time. In the Lithuania ritual washing of the hands and face before major festival and also following a wedding, the couple bathe in a spring, blessing their union. Lithuanian people Saunas followed by bathing is a common cleansing ritual before the Velines feasts(Samhain to some) for the Ancestors. The Sauna/bathhouse is then reheated so that the Ancestors Spirits may bath also. The meal is postponed for a while to give them enough time to bathe. At the meal table, an extra plate is set for the Ancestors to also partake. It is believed that if you look close enough you may see the ancestors in the steam (another form of water), arising from the hot food prepared for Velines. Saunas or bath houses are generally the place where women go through the birthing ritual and sometimes the sauna is turned on so that the bath house fairies can bathe.

Waters of the Sky versus Waters of the underworld

Perkunas is the Lithuanian God that represents thunder lightning rain and storms. As a sprit of the Sky, he represents creative forces including vegetation He represents the fertile energy that creates life on Earth through the rain that falls from the clouds. Legend ha it that he shakes all nature waking her up after winter slumber with the first thunder of Spring, the rains melt the snow to reveal the green bloom of Spring, the celestial water in the form of rain. Nature abounds and the waters of the sky

Both the Waters of the sky replenish nature from above and the Waters of the underworld sustain nature and the cycle of life is completed.

The World Tree is a cosmic model common to many European pagan traditions. The Tree has many meanings for every Pagan Faith but for the Lithuanians, the tree is a model of the Universe where the  roots that travel deep into the Earth, give us connection to our Ancestors and all Earthly subterranean Waters. The Branches that stretch out to the sky represent the realm of the Gods/Heroes and the Waters of the Sky(Perkunas-Thunderer) and so the cycle of life continues from eternity, through eternity, and beyond eternity. Praamzius.

Conclusions

From this study, it is obvious that Ancient Peoples across the World venerated Water before any other aspect of the Divine Universe. It can be seen in the through the archaeology and anthropology that legends of folk stories, creation myths and worldview of the structure of the cosmos as a Tree recycling the waters of the underworld chthonic energies/Deities and to the celestial waters of the Sky. Traditional practices still observed by present day Paleopagans and NeoPagans still venerate Water. Water was the first element to be venerated before even the Sky Deities. The element of Water permeated every aspect of mans life, even today we see the current concerns over conservation of Water and supply throughout the world.

Across the world, Water was related to women, perhaps the breaking of the waters at the commencement of child birth, was a reminder of the creation myths. Ritual bathing in this primordial element of water was considered to have magical regenerative, curative and purifying powers in pagan faith and tradition. Showering daily, I believe, perpetuates this practice although hygiene is the main reason these days in our rational science based view of life.If you've enjoyed this blog, leave a comment. :)