What is Grandparent’s Day?
On the 28th October, a celebration of a most special kind takes place – the Day of Grandparents. This holiday has its roots in Ancient Slavic traditions and is not a random choice of date – it was on the 28th October that was held as the day to honor ones family and ancestral line.
Another name for this ancient celebration is Autumn Grandfathers – giving tribute to the elders of the family line. A new tradition has appeared in modern times – to give Grandparents a plant in a pot which is intended to symbolise the eternal life cycle of the family line from the roots of the plant (and family) to the tiny sprouts.
Ancient Tradition
Many Ancient Slavic holidays were lost or absorbed as the area moved over from Vedic/Pagan belief systems to modern religions. Over the years many of these holidays have been revived, much to the delight of many citizens of Russia and Europe.
In Ancient times – celebrations and holidays were used as a means of educating children, almost like an exam, and the children would prepare all year long.
“Exams in the Vedic Russian school resembled a succession of festivities and merry games. The grown-ups used these to teach their children, and they themselves learned from the children, too.
“For example, there’s a holiday called Caroling. During the caroling the children would go around and sing ditties to all their neighbors. They would compose the verses and tunes themselves, and dance steps to go with them.
“The children would prepare their performances long before the start of the festivities, and with unfeigned interest, they would make inquiries, ask- ing the grown-ups, in their families, each other and the sages how they could learn to compose better verses, how to sing and dance.
“Of course, not all children were equally capable. The ones who lagged behind the others in composition would beseech their parents to teach them. And on occasion, the parents would put their children’s striving for know- ledge to good use, as a way to draw them to helping around the house.” – Vladimir Megre, A New Civilization – Rites of Love
Revival of Rites
This revival of ancient tradition is important and significant – it shows us that our ancient knowledge is being remembered and that we are returning to the ways that imbue in each of us the creators that we are. Celebrations with family, honouring our family line and acknowledging their participation in where we are today is incredibly important.
Grandparents
In ancient times, grandparents played a very important role in passing on understanding, skills and knowledge to the younger generation. It is through these methods, that understanding and growth amongst grandchildren took place – they relied on their grandparents to share their experience and knowledge with them in a unique way.
Even today, many of us still utilise knowledge that is passed down from our grandparents, things that they learned from their grandparents. It is thanks to these practices that so many rites, traditions and skills have survived through the ages. Among these are skills such as how to care for the Taiga forest, how to interact with Siberian Cedar trees and how to prepare Cedar Oil according to ancient traditions.
