Ascension Day

Beforehand, I would like to apologize to the readers of this blog for not writing as often as I used to. I've been very busy - and there is no need to make a list of the things that keep me occupied - so I don't have the free time I used to have to come here and write about something. I will seize these few moments of free time that I have today, to write about subjects I wanted to write before. Lets go straight to the subject of this post before my free time runs out.
The Ascension Day is a subject I wanted to write at the end of the month of May, but as I've stated before the reason why I couldn't have posted something as often as before, now I'll just have to squeeze in this May celebration in the month of June.

Once in awhile a celebration is at our doorstep. We enjoy the feasts which have been in our communities and/or country traditions for generations. But how much do we know about the origins of such celebrations? How deep do the roots of a tradition goes?

According to the christian tradition, Jesus Christ ascended into heaven after his resurrection on a Sunday during Easter - ascension Day is the universally celebration of this happening. Just like many other Church celebrations and feasts, incorporating folk traditions and pre-christian pagan beliefs, Ascension Day isn't different and has a past which was changed and given a new "look" by the Church. One of these ancient traditions during this day is beating the bounds, which is quite possible the origin of the Ascension procession (which is still carried out today in some church parishes).

When communities beat their bounds, which means going round the boundaries, the whole village would process from marker to marker (often standing stones) that determined the limits of the parish. In most cases, the stone marking the boundery was beaten with willow or hazel twigs and marked with chalk as a sign of the passing of the people. The beating reinforced the rights of the parishioners, setting the boundary of who belongs to that church, as such, could also be married and buried in the that same church and its grounds. This process marked the boundaries between the  parishioners and those who were outsiders, meaning, those living out of the village or in other villages, and those who did not participate in this process.

This tradition dates from a period before the Norman Conquest of Great Britain, so it is quite possible that it has pagan roots. The beating of the twigs in the stones, or maybe another objects, afforded the bounds between the communities and the outside wild world which was seen as the realm where gods and magical creatures dwelt. This was a process of driving out evil spirits before the land was blessed. In economical and political affairs, the procession itself may have been a means to demarcate a place of power, notifying neighbours that the boundary must not be breached just as the standing stones in prehistory did; along with many other religious and spiritual meanings, it was also to mark the boundaries of a community. Indeed, small boys often took the beating on behalf of the stone, ritually suffering to confirm the pact with the local spirits of the land. Some trees in the landscape still bear names such as Gospel Oak, showing they were part of the annual round as soon as the Church became involved in local traditions and ancient celebrations. 

As part of the church services nowadays during this celebration, the first fruits are blessed, presumably in anticipation of the harvest. This certainly replaces the earlier prayers and blessings offered to the spirits of the land at the beating of the bounds, ensuring that the soils will be bountiful in the year to come and that the next harvest will be plentiful. There are indications that the custom of blessing the land and its produce was widespread across early medieval Europe.

The modern Ascension Day feast, presumably celebrating Christ's ascending to heaven, has far older roots involving the communities' connection to the land around them, acknowledging the local spirits, and also offering thanks for the anticipated harvest to come to them and quite possible to the old gods of harvest and fertility. The spirits of the land and/or the deities, have been replaced by the son of the christian god. Ascension Day certainly has pagan roots which have been adapted and embraced by the Church.

The Blindness of Humankind

Note: The Drawing was made by me, you can watch my works at my Deviantart

What i am about to write it is the truth about the blindness and ignorance of our humankind and the christian church and its lies, and their true aim, their true purpose in spreading their religion. I am certain that my words will shock some, but also will open the mind and hearts of others.

To begin i would like to tell you all, how it is important to embrace some of the pagan virtues and values ( i am not telling you to change your religions ) to a better understanding about the world that surrounds us and to respect Nature, most of the people in the world, because of the growing of societies and other aspects that i am about to write in this Post, their minds have turned to a complete ignorance in terms of everything out of their little worlds in the city, their tiny minds and the weak taste for life. People usualy think that they can control the nature and they are good at it, with all their tecnologies, their arrogance blinds them and they often dream with the increasing control of humankind over the forces of nature. The biggest problem of humans is this, to forget that its us who are subject to nature's laws and powers, we are so addicted to our city life and routine, that we dont want to belive that the world it self is alive.
Another problem that we have to face, are the effects of the propaganda, highly effective, that the Roman Church launched against the pagan religions, sinse it has began till nowadays. All the religions and churches based on christian beliefs, have attempted to "clean" and to let it be forgotten all the other religions and beliefs prior to them, considering "paganism to be ignorant" and whole its reality of the peoples whose territories were invaded by them. In terms of invasion i mean all about that word, not just the invasion of their territories but also their freedom and their way of living.
The objective of the church was always to "build" an ideology that would unify all the people of the roman Empire ( when the roman Empire was at its ending and decay ), all those who have been conquered and submited to others laws, their concerns were in political terms and not religious ones, something that so far has been something characteristic of the church. When the roman empire has fallen, the church tried to replenish it through the ideological achievement and not the military one. When the church tried to do so, they have conveniently forgotten almost all the real teachings of christ. They preferred the rigid authoritarianism, they were and still are nothing but a voracious political frame in fast expansion, working on a light cover of religious concerns. Their concerns in the conversion of the pagan people seems to be only to increase their income and not for the "salvation of souls".
The free people of the world dont need "salvation", all we need is the freedom to face our destiny with courage and honor. We are connected to all our ancestors. They are a part of us. We in turn will be a part of our descendants. We are also linked to all our living kin - to our families and to every man and woman rooted in the tribes of europe. They are our "greater family". We are connected to nature and subject to its laws. The holy powers ofen express themselves in nature's beauty and might.
NOTE: Since i have received many comments telling "Not all christians are like that! There is only one true God! You are wrong! " i suggest you should open your hearts and minds and read it all again, it is not my aim for you to forget your belifs, or to be pagans or become pagans, just to understand and accept some of its values and virtues, i am NOT talking about the followers of the christian belifs, i am NOT speaking of a specific God nor jesus, i am talking about the church, this organized group whose only concerns are not religious ones. They "use" others fears, faith and belifs for their own profit, you can have all the religions you please, all the belifs, you are all free to do so, but open your eyes, hearts and soul, this group are not Gods, nor Saviours, they are just mortals, they dont speak for any deity, they speak for them selfs, this is not religion, it is politics.
My real concerns here ( and it should be yours to ) are the way this world is turning to, the denial of the living nature in the world, the ignorance that surronds us daily, the lack of respect about the world and it's living nature and lack of respect to our selfs, to forget that we are a part of nature, not it subcjeted to us. It is not my aim to change your belifs, spirituality or faith, it is my aim to open your eyes, hearts and soul, to a better understanding of the world all around you.


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