The fight for the right cause, justice, satisfaction, perfection, materialization, fertility, control, excess energy.
This is what reflects the aspect of God’s power that appears to us as Perun.
Perun, the son of the creator Svarog, is the ruler of heaven and thus of all the celestial spheres. Thus, it also has the function of fertility, as he fertilizes the earth with rain. With the first lightning in the spring, a new birth cycle begins.
Fights with an underground deity represent a constant search for natural balance and are a powerful indicator of an ancestor’s view of the world; that there is nothing black and white. Nothing is only good or bad, but the gods as a manifestation of natural forces are the bearers of both poles. And such is life too.
Ups and downs and a constant search for balance. If the line of our action were just straight, we would be dead. Be it in material form or spiritual stagnation.
Perun, with parallels of other European brothers – Scandinavian Thor or Greek Zeus, is one of the most important gods of the Slavic “pantheon”. In historical sources we find him as the lord of the sky, lightning, thunder, war. It is also a more prominent deity among the Lithuanians Perkunas, and among the Hindus it is related to Parjanya. The name Perun itself means lightning in Russians and Poles. Its root comes from the word “to strike”, its most famous attribute representing lightning is Perun’s ax.
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Fragments of the tradition about Perun have been preserved in our country – Slovenia as well. Netresk (houseleek) is known to be a Perun’s plant. In the east of our country it was planted on the thatched roofs of houses. So overgrown, according to folklore, it protected the homestead from lightning. And the old people say that “Perun beats a severe hour” when there is a storm, when it flashes and thunders. In the west of the country there’s the famous shrine of “Perunk”.
The six-leafed signs, known in some places as the “flower of life”, which we meet all over Slovenia and the whole world, are called “perunica” in our folklore, sometimes also “svarica” (in a different symbolic sense also as “morca”). The widely spread symbol is found on various buildings, houses, haylofts, that also repels lightning and protects against fires. The Perun tree is an oak.
It is known that black animals were sacrificed for Perun’s day in ancient times. After the adoption of Christianity, Perun was succeeded by St. Elijah. On the Macedonian peak of Peren near Kumanovo, the worship of Perun is obviously still alive, as a black ram, goat or ox is sacrificed to him on Ilinden (Elijah day).
Near the places named after Perun, there is usually a place called “Trebišče”, which indicates sacrifice.
At this point, it is very important to note that the old faith today cannot be the same as the old faith many years ago. Religion is a living organism that changes, adapts according to the values of the historical timeline. Views of the world at a certain time are only a reflection of a certain period, the values in it. Today we know that we must preserve the fire, the flame of tradition, its symbolism, which we carry into everyday life. There is no need to copy the ashes. Physical forms are changing. And above all, it is important to be aware that all rules are set by society at a given time. In the rituals we make our own notion of the gods but not actually gods, not themselves. This is definitely worth considering.
Perun has a strong symbolism of a warrior, a fighter for freedom, justice. It is known that the ancestors swore allegiance to Perun before the battle.
Therefore, the energy of Perun can help us in a variety of battles, which we all fight in everyday lives. The energy of Perun gives us the strength to be able to overcome all obstacles, despite the fear that overwhelms us. Courage never means the absence of fear. Courage is struggle, it is the power to take certain steps despite fear.
We fight every day. With ouselves, with the ideas of others, with diseases. Everyone writes their own battle, each their own novel. Perun’s energy leads us not to despair and to always think of success, to be able to materialize our ideas, first visualize them in our minds, and then put them into action.
written by: Irena Petrič (maiden name Urankar)
www.svarunica.com
slovenian version: www.veles.si
the artwork: © Irena Petrič
The artwork can distributed freely online but please display the authorship.
If you wish to use it for your commercial purposes please contact us: irena.svarunica@gmail.com.