Love God, but do not make the Devil angry

Here I am, making a post that will require more further elaboration than I can possibly imagine.

Comparing to Slavic mythology, demonology and the idea of the Devil are both very developed in Ukrainian mindset and culture.

On this territory, pagan beliefs continued existing, merging with Christian tradition and producing a special flavour of so-called folk Christianity that still revolved around the cult of death and ancestors. Minding the idea that in life people belong to God, and to the Devil after death, it is quite relevant to the matter dicussed here: everything that is not God’s is Satan’s, and it is considered to be, first and foremost, normal. Here comes the trait reflected in the title: in past (or, mostly in past, before the forced atheism of Soviet era) a regular person, despite being a truly good Christian, would see no problem in performing a ritual honouring or banishing spirits and demons, if it will ensure well-being for their household.

Similarly, the consumption of tobacco and horilka has always been widespread, even though it was believed that the first to introduce them to people was Chort. Also, interactions with Chorts, which are essentially demons, are a frequent theme in folk fairy tales and legends, where common people outsmart them as a rule (hence the saying, “Chort is not as scary as people paint him to look”).

There has never been a single opinion, but generally people prefered to be friends, rather than enemies, with such a power, although most of them by no means were seeking the contact.

The matter also requires a brief overview of the underworld, or the realm of the dead, according to Slavs and, more specifically, Ukrainians, who were overwhelmingly Orthodox Christians. After death, which can be easy an natural to violent, a soul can go several ways. In the first option, if the person was righteous, they go to Heaven. This process is reflected in legends, where the soul is followed by their guardian angel, the angel that has the book of the good they’ve done, and a demon that has books (note the plural) with the bad. The soul goes through trials regarding every sin they might have commited, where the demon and the angel compare what is written in the books, and if the person has done more good than bad, the soul goes to Heaven. If not, there are several options: they either go to Hell, or become a spirit, or a demon, and inhabit Earth. This way, the realm of the dead is not as much of a place as it is a state of being, a life without end, place dangerous for it has its own ways, but full of wisdom, as those who belong to it can see the life from the outside.

Naturally, it includes sinners, and the sin is often blamed on the Devil, but it also means keeping in mind that sin, negativity, darkness, shadow, Satan normal, and potentially take part in every aspect of life – which still does not mean that protection against evil and an effort to be a good person mean nothing: it has always been about doing as much as you can.

The idea of unity is reflected in the traditional celebration of New Year and other winter holidays, during which, according to folklore, souls of the deceased return to their families. Some of them, however, never leave at the first place, becoming, among other things, Domovyks (more commonly known by their Russian name, Domovoi), which, while being household spirits and protecting the house, were still associated with the Devil and had the darker side. Thus, people would leave offerings for them in order to ensure support of a being that could easily both make the house the wealthiest in the village or destroy any wealth the family might have gained.

Officially, the Church did not condone such beliefs and practices, but obviously there was not much it could do but pray, and to this day the Ukrainian prays along, keeping a Chort in their pocket.

Just in case.

Antique Anatomy Tarot (Major Arcana)

My friends are horrible enablers when it comes to obsessions of mine. This time, I was gifted with the Antique Anatomy tarot deck. Now, I do know the full deck exists, but, in all honestly, this version is quite perfect as it is.

First things first, I can not help but picture the deck as a young amateur scientist from the 18th century. He is full of enthusiasm and love for everything there is and belief that magic and science are one and genuine care for all there is. No, he doesn’t have a name. Yet. Doesn’t make him any less of a charming, gentle mess.

Now, gentle as it is, it is also accurate as hell. Well, it is the case with all the decks I am actually able to use (not with all the deck I like visually, because those are very different categories), and yet, this one has a manner of delivering messages quite straighforwardly. “Oh, this does not look well. See? Quite disappointing. Worry not, though, there is a bright side, too. There always is!”. Not sure if I agree with you, deck, but you do you.

Now, to the technicalities. The cards are 7 by 12 cm, which is perfect for the tiny hands of yours truly.The stock is ideal, apparently, given I never even think about it (what was that quote, something along the lines of “If a girl impressed you with her beauty, but you can not remember what she was wearing, she was dressed perfectly”?) – I have no idea, howeveer, whether it is the case with the full deck. Not glossy, shuffles like a dream, design adds to the eerie effect.

What more would you ever want.

Cassian's Day in Ukraine

Cassian’s day happens once every four years, on the 29th of February (as preferred by many people, by old style, that is on the 13th of March).

In folk tradition, he is seen as a moody, angry man. Animals and sometimes people born on this day are seen as “unfortunate” in some way, as “Cassian has looked at them”. They even say "to look at somebody/something like Cassian" in Ukraine about a child with an angry, displeased expression.

In legends he is described similarly to fictional Viy: having long eyelashes and eyebrows that cover his eyes. Once every four years, he opens his gloomy eyes, sending bad luck to everyone he looks at. People would not go outside before dawn, and generally tried to do as little as possible on that day. Cassian’s reputation is such that some people do not even consider him a saint.

On the other hand, in other stories he is that way exactly because he does not get the same veneration as other saints – or because he fights devils with no help all night before the 29th, which does sounds like a good reason to be irritated.