Water Blessing Festival (Bulgaria)

Water Blessing Festival (Bulgaria)

KUPALA

Themes: Joy; Health; Cleansing

Symbols: Water; Flowers; Fern; Birchwood

About Kupala: The Slavic goddess of springs and water, Ku-pala, whose name literally means "to bather washes us with happiness and longevity. Oddly enough, she has a fire aspect too, which likely alludes to purification, protection, and transformation. Wildflowers, birch trees, and ferns were sacred to her.

To Do Today: To bring a year filled with joy, contentment, and health, leave a natural-fiber cloth outside today to gather dew. Use it tomorrow to bathe in Kupala's magic!

Take some flower petals to any moving water source (even a hose) and toss them on the stream. As you do, make a wish for something that will make you really happy. Let Kupala, in the form of the water, carry your wish toward manifestation.

To rid yourself of sickness, negativity, or a bad habit before the year really gets rolling, find a safe fire source (such as a candle that's self-contained in glass). Put this on the floor and jump over it. As you do, say,

Old bums away; only the good, tlie good shall stay. Old to new, old to new, Kupala, my heart renew.

This symbolically leaves the old behind and invokes Kupala's aid in your efforts for positive change.

By Patricia Telesco~From "365 Goddess"