RITUALS
Reconnect with the past and go gently into the future, with Zuza Zak’s simple Slavic-inspired rituals
The old ways are calling us back, gently yet convincingly. Too long have we been disconnected from the earth and its rhythms, our ancestors and ourselves. This is my journey of remembering and reconnecting with the nourishing rhythms of life through the lens of Slavic lore: ancient mythology, sacred plants, and kitchen tables past. I believe that we have much to learn from this forgotten world.
There’s no need to sugar-coat the past – the old Slavs lived extremely difficult lives. I don’t want to go back in time, to where I work the fields from sunrise to sundown, while rearing 12 children with no access to modern medicine. Yet in our speedy quest for ease, we are in danger of losing some fundamental life wisdom. Therefore, we are now faced with a choice: what do we choose to take with us into the future and what do we choose to let go?
I choose to preserve the ancient wisdom of my ancestors, to use the gifts we have been given on this earth to nourish myself and my family, and to live in balance with the rhythms of nature. It has taken me a long time to get here, for while those instincts have always resided in me, I was too busy and distracted to embrace them. Then, I realised that my goal to be more in touch with that part of myself didn’t require some huge change of lifestyle; it’s all about the small changes and the everyday connections. I focus on simplicity because this shouldn’t be a difficult journey. By exploring the old ways, we can make our own modern lives feel more connected, more vital.
I believe that many of us are already turning towards the past (or thinking about doing so) in order to understand how we should move forwards. The world around us, the climate, the politics, are tricky to navigate, so perhaps we should be looking to a simpler time.
Perhaps we can even bear to give up some of our modern-day conveniences for the good of the whole and a slower, more conscious pace of life. This is what I am attempting in my own life.
Autumn transforms; an ordinarily green tree can turn the most dazzling combination of colours as they start to let go of their life. Every leaf will need to be released and it seems that, before they go, they want to have their moment in the spotlight. Autumn is the ideal time for us to let go, too. I use this time to transform myself from within. I slow down, take extra time to meditate and contemplate what is and isn’t working in my life. I perform rituals and pick herbs to help me take care of my health.
Once we are prepared for winter and the earth is beginning to fall asleep, it is a magical time when the veils between the worlds are thin. A time to connect to our ancestors. These days in Poland, we celebrate All Saints by walking around the cemeteries where our prede
