Slavic Wisdom Revival

05/06/2024

Poludnitsa, who makes herself evident in the middle of hot summer days, takes the form of whirling dust clouds and carries a scythe, sickle or shears; most likely the shears would be of an older style, not akin to modern scissors. She will stop people in the field to ask them difficult questions or engage them in conversation. If anyone fails to answer a question or tries to change the subject, she will cut off their head or strike them with illness. She may appear as an old hag, a beautiful woman, or a 12-year-old girl, and she was useful in scaring children away from valuable crops. She is only seen on the hottest part of the day and is a personification of a sun-stroke.
According to some northern Russian regions, Poludnitsa has a giant frying pan in her hands, with which she either blocks the rye from the scorching sun's rays, or burns the rye along with the herbs during the flowering period.She may also appear at midnight and show a person how to find a flower that can make them invisible, as was believed in the Arkhangelsk Governorate.

by
Manfred Lurker, The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons



Poludnica - noonwraith by Daniel Gütl

03/04/2024

My ex-husband used to famously joke that Polish people can create a 5 course meal out of two potatoes.

We do have a way of stretching out food recourses and living sustainably. It isn’t out of being frugal, although I’m sure it is the case in some families.
It comes from historical hardships but also from truly utilizing all the gifts Mother Nature provides.

Almost every Polish family enjoys Sunday rosół (chicken soup) followed by pomidorówka (Polish version of tomato soup based on previous day’s chicken broth).

Last weekend I made my usual traditional chicken broth:

Chicken on bone without skin
Carrot
Parsnip
Celery root
Celery
Onion
Garlic
Leek
Parsley
Dill
Bay leaf
Black peppercorns
Allspice whole
Lovage if available
Salt

I cooked it on low for nearly 7 hours. Strained, poured into jars and froze for future use. The broth is almost jello like from all the narrow that cooks out of the bones. In addition to a full tray of bone-in skinless thighs, I added a full large tray of chicken necks.

Broth can be served clear with pasta, carrots and chicken as soup or used as base for other dishes.

The meat, carrots, parsnips and celery root then go into the grinder, mixed with sautéed diced onions, salt, pepper and marjoram and become a filling for either pierogi or paszteciki. Paszteciki are also known as pierozki. It is yeast based French style dough stuffed with variety of fillings.

Today I made pierogi but might serve them as dumplings inside soup. Pierozki will be made tonight (the photo here is borrowed from Google until I replace it with mine)

So I guess it’s partially true that we find ways to stretch a meal for days.

01/04/2024

Growing up in my Aunt’s house this was my favorite day. My Uncle and I would outdo each other creatively in water pranks and such. The house was soaked and the family had a great laugh. Being a 45 year old woman, I don’t know if I’d put up with our shenanigans like my aunt did.

Hope you enjoy this blog post I wrote this morning, sharing our cherished tradition of Wet Monday.

Growing up in Poland, one of my favorite Easter customs was śmigus-dyngus, also known as Wet Monday. This ancient tradition, deeply rooted in Slavic pagan practices, holds a fascinating history that reflects the cultural...

31/03/2024

Happy Easter my friends!

29/03/2024

In Polish: PISANKI

What is a pysanka?
Simply put, it is an Easter egg decorated using a wax resist (aka batik) method. Its name derives from the Ukrainian verb “pysaty,” meaning “to write.”
But it is much more than that. Ukrainians have been decorating eggs, creating these miniature jewels, for countless generations. There is a ritualistic element involved, magical thinking, a calling out to the gods and goddesses for health, fertility, love, and wealth. There is a yearning for eternity, for the sun and stars, for whatever gods that may be.
The design motifs on pysanky date back to pre-Christian times–many date to early Slavic cultures, while some harken to the days of the Trypillians, my neolithic ancestors, and others to paleolithic times. While the symbols have remained through the ages, their interpretation has changed, in an act of religious syncretism. A triangle that once spoke of the three elements, earth, fire and air, now celebrates the Christian Holy Trinity. The cross which depicted the rising sun is now the symbol of the risen Christ. Sun and star symbols once referred to Dazhboh, the sun god, and now refer to the one Christian God. And the fish, which spoke of a plentiful catch and a full stomach, now stands in for Christ, the fisher of men. Even so, under this Christian veneer, there still lurk the berehynia and the serpent, the sun and the moon, the old gods, the old ways, and the old beliefs.

by pysanky.info

27/03/2024

Last week we officially said Good Bye to winter. I have gifted my workshop attendees these little mammoth sunflower sprouts.

One of my favorite rituals every Spring is to plant flowers with seeds that easy to collect for the next season.

Mammoth variety grow 12 feet so I get to watch from my kitchen window as bees pollinate the flowers while yellow finches love to pick on seeds.

26/03/2024

Seeing stinging nettle everywhere on my walks. There are many varieties of this plant.
Did you know, that the Stinging nettle includes polyphenols and has a high antioxidant value? Antioxidants aid in the body's defense against free radicals, which can cause aging, some forms of cancer, and other disorders.

Nettle tea is a regular in my kitchen.

25/03/2024

Tell me! How many SOAR Symposium attendees planted their ONE seed? I have collected the seeds from three types of flowers: mammoth, teddy bear and dwarf.
These babies don’t like to be transplanted but I’ve learned they sprout better in my bay window than in my outdoor pet’s (squirrels and such) bellies 🙂

21/03/2024

The space for Saturday is ready!

21/03/2024

Nettle tea is popular in Poland. However, nothing evokes memories of childhood days spent in the meadows outside the city, like stinging of these leaves. And the sweetness of the flower.

Stinging Nettles are beginning to thrive, and this is the ideal time to harvest them. Tastiest in spring when they are young and tender, cut them as soon as they get 6 or 8-inches tall; You can harvest them a second time in late spring–some people harvest only the tops (which are the most tender).

Many people are familiar with stinging nettles as a medicinal herb, but did you know you can eat them, too? Nettles lose their sting once they’re cooked and they have a deep, rich flavor.

They’re extremely nutrient-dense, especially when it comes to minerals. Plus, this perennial vegetable is the MOST protein-rich of all leafy greens, to the point where it's comparable to beans or white-meat chicken.

Steaming, sautéeing, blanching and boiling are all good ways to cook nettles. Do keep in mind that their nutrient content (and flavor) are best preserved with light cooking; they’re superior when still bright green and vibrant.

Choose a place to plant nettles carefully, as they spread and can be hard to eradicate once they’re established. They like cooler, part-shade conditions with moist soil (in the wild, they’re found along creeks and streams), but they’ll also tolerate sun and drier conditions.

To read more about this blogpost on some of our favorite edible perennials (which you realize you have growing nearby).

https://www.wildabundance.net/blog/10-perennial-vegetables-we-love/

20/03/2024

Saturday workshop is sold out and I couldn’t be more excited.
Next events in April in Wellness Hub in Red Bank, Calgo Gardens and of course right here in beautiful Little Barn Studios. Kella MacPhee Photojournalist took all these breath taking photos and created these flyers.

How lucky are we to have this authentically magical photographer featured in Martha Stewart, The Knot, Rolling Stone, Brides and New York Magazines and her one of a kind studio right here in our backyard?!

19/03/2024

...Through the Ancient Tradition of Jare Gody

18/03/2024

Good morning! Saturday event has been sold out but Sowing Season has just began.
Stay tuned for the events in April.

16/03/2024

Little Barn Studios right here in Farmingdale is ready for next week’s workshop!

So excited to send off Goddess of Winter with all her darkness and coldness and welcome Goddess of Spring.

We will make Morana (Marzanna) doll, practice releasing the old and welcoming the new.

Seats are limited.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/slavic-pagan-winter-send-off-tickets-863686037187?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios&fbclid=IwAR3K6_bDrdlQgV47CdyyY8VZC3_xyPkpvprbdN3Dsn98AfD83SZp8UXELF0_aem_AcVKkJgReGbLQnZa6_3rtfx_MDge7S90HQDzkAXwLKoFeGAiGgGEEvqlnhp_kl-iVlI

13/03/2024

So excited for this!

09/03/2024

07/03/2024

Today is the International Dress Day.
Although Polish folk costumes date back only to early XIX century, I incorporate some of the main folk dress components in my pagan inspired lifestyle.

Flowers, white lace, boots and red beads have a special place in my heart and feel authentic to my soul.

Tell me about your roots and what is the dress you associate with your ethnographic origin?

27/02/2024

Today was a good day. Spring in the air.

In less than a month old Slavs would send off Goddess off winter, Morana down the river. Vesna, the patron of Spring arriving with all her gifts of youth, love and harmony.

This morning I walked down the beach, sharing good conversation and love with dear friend, Tammy.

Early afternoon I took a moment of solitude within pine trees of a historic state park.

Tonight I attended an open house at a wellness hub. I had a chance to present my work in front wonderful spiritually nourishing community in a special space that will soon host me as a facilitator of workshops I have been cooking up this winter.

I feel renewed and thankful for all the gifts that Universe keeps sending my way.

23/02/2024

Time really flies. 7 months ago I started working on a big project.
It will take me at least another year.
I work in spurts between work, being a mom and busy life in general.

Tonight I scanned through some pics from a photoshoot I did with Kella MacPhee Photojournalist.

On a sweltering 95 degree July morning, we tried to best capture images of few recipes I created. We were sweaty but had the best time collaborating.

My favorite behind the scenes shot right here. While Kella is capturing the photo you see right here, I’m admiring her eye for compositions midst the culinary madness.

11/02/2024

SLAVIC FOLK BELIEFS WHICH ARE CENTURIES OLD

It is not appropriate to light a fire in the morning unwashed.
You should not whistle near the fire, because the devils are gathering.
It is not appropriate to whistle in the house because then mice gather in it.
Do not throw cut nails into the fire.
It is not appropriate to greet someone unwashed in the morning.
Do not wash clothes on Tuesday and Good Friday because your hands will hurt.
It is not appropriate to lean on the door of the house, sit on the hearth, the threshold and the table, as this portends poverty.

It's not good for a female child to scratch the pans because her wedding dresses will get wet.
It is not appropriate for a guest to leave without being given anything to take with him.
It is not appropriate to urinate under a fruit tree, because it is a sin since the fruit tree feeds man.
It is not good to leave open scissors in the house because the enemies will tear at that house and gossip about it.
Do not whitewash the house on Friday, because the bed bugs will lay down.
During the meal, you should not sit on the corner of the table, because the one who sits will not get married.
Bread should not be kept upside down on the table.

It is not good to cut bread away from yourself, but only towards yourself.


lost info about picture

27/01/2024

A friend just asked if I could explain the Polish amber remedy. I thought this is worth sharing.

Amber can be found in Baltic Sea.
People collect it on the beach , place it in glass bottles and pour very high percentage alcohol over it.
The alcohol releases the substances in amber that have antibacterial, anti inflammatory and many many more properties. It helps with low iodine levels during winter months and lowered immune system. It helps with rheumatoid pains. Etc

I found this article if anyone has access to amber and would like to use a recipe.

Natural Polish remedy made from Baltic amber and high percentage alcohol.

26/01/2024

A three-day process but very little work. Home made ham smells like bay leaf, garlic, fresh cracked pepper and coriander.
So worth it.

15/01/2024

It’s a cold but so far mostly beautiful January here in New Jersey. I’m looking forward to exploring the next four seasons through the prism of Slavic Spirituality.
I am excited to share the upcoming programs, recipes and adventures.

Today we explore a world we aren’t familiar with. A Hindu temple. The natural adventuress in me is squeaking with delight for the prospect of learning and discovering an unfamiliar spiritual world.

What are some things you’d like to learn in 2024?

27/12/2023

What are you releasing? What have you released? What do you hope to invite in?

25/12/2023

We are in the last days of the Slavic pagan calendar, marking the heart of winter.
Winter Solstice, celebrating the rebirth of the sun and the gradual return of longer days.

12/12/2023

Collective receiving. Can you feel it?