It is a well-known fact that
the early Slavs worshiped nature above all else. They respected it, loved it,
and worked hard to preserve it. It filled them with awe. Not only were their
divinities and mythological creatures inextricably related to nature, but Slavs
also strived to live their lives in perfect harmony with nature and its laws.
This made their lives so wonderfully simple. They believed that everything happened
simply because it had to happen, because it was natural. A man is no different
than an oak, a donkey, or a frail dandelion. A man is a living being who comes
to this world, grows old, and eventually dies. Unless they suffer from a fatal
illness, they die simply because it’s time to move on, because they grew old
and embraced old age with everything it might or might not bring.
Everything natural was seen
as beautiful. A little lamb and an old sheep alike. Figuratively: because a
lamb symbolizes a new morning, fresh rush of strength and will, and a goat
represents wisdom at the end of the day, the night that brings us dreams,
whatever they may be. Literally: because mutton is delicious, and sheep that
give birth to lambs are to be carefully looked after.
Although this may be
difficult to comprehend nowadays, the early Slavs loved people, too. Regardless
of different personality traits and tempers, they loved and cherished human
life, since life is the most valuable human possession.
Human body was considered
sacred, especially because they believed they were descendants of gods. They
literally worshiped their bodies. They loved the light skin hidden underneath
layers of clothes, perfect abs that were the result of hard work, and deep
lines on the forehead, caused by frowning whilst aiming at prey.
They didn’t need to come up
with No-Shave November in order to have a reason for growing a beard. No 7-day
detox was necessary to keep their metabolisms running. Large female behind may
have been used as a replacement for the timpani, but certainly not as a
leitmotif in songs. After all, it serves the exact same purpose as a little
one, if you know what I mean. An attractive naked girl in a field would perhaps
grab the attention of an entire village, but only if she possessed something
completely different in comparison to others; otherwise, a greater scandal
would be the lack of honey brandy at one of their festivals where they
celebrated life.
To be honest, if one of
today’s promiscuous celebrities happened to wander into the world of the early
Slavs, she would end up burning in a bonfire during the festival of Kupala. On
that holiday, they used to burn a woman-shaped doll that represented Morana.
I’m just not sure if they could deal with the smell of burning plastics, though,
since they used to make their scary dolls out of hay.
During their numerous
festivals, they wore wreaths made of vine and wild flowers and enjoyed the
magic of love, music, and dancing. Happy and free, in accordance with the
greatest law, the law of nature, they were, in a way, the original hippies,
who, unfortunately, had to realize that they would have to learn how to fight
in order to defend themselves, and replace their Woodstock with
battlefields.
Time went by and they became known as brave and
fearless warriors. However, they never gave up on their love for nature. For
the life it gives and takes. They taught their children how to survive and
carry a sword, but there was no need for them to teach their offspring that
they shouldn’t harm nature - they already knew that on their own.
Today I saw two adorable
little girls, singing a pop song and rollerblading past a dumpster. One of them
decided to throw some trash into the dumpster, even though she was obviously
too far from it. After failing to do so, she just went away with her friend,
both of them giggling as if they’d just met Justin Bieber, leaving the entire
content of the bag she threw lying on the sidewalk.
Of course we can’t live our lives the way the early Slavs
lived theirs. However, until scientists find a way to artificially create all
living beings, of until we move to Mars, we should at least try to be like them
in this one respect. In their love and respect for the nature. Our one and only
home. The Earth.
image retrieved fromhttp://enlightenyourday.com/
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