This holiday takes its origins from our ancestors, the Eastern Slavs, and has pagan roots. It was celebrated on July 7th. It has a similar meaning to the Celtic tradition of celebrating Litha (Summer Solstice). Christians celebrate the Nativity of John the Baptist on July 7. However, we all know and remember that Christianity “edited” the main pagan holidays. It gave them its own meanings, adding its own traditions there, changing their meaning. July 7, invariably, remains an energetically strong day in terms of magical work. 

Note: Ivan Kupala in a very general sense is the Slavic Valentine's Day, and accordingly this day is well suited for harmonizing relationships, finding and forming a couple, concluding alliances and starting a family!

Who is Kupailo?

In the tradition of the ancient Slavs Kupaylo is a deity who is the patron of marriage, the union between a man and a woman, love and procreation.

To explain it in simpler terms, in the pagan tradition of the ancient Slavs, Kupaylo acted as Cupid (Roman pagan tradition).

On the day of Ivan Kupala, young men and women looked for a mate and reunited in a union under the auspices of this deity. His blessing was considered very important for building a harmonious family and conceiving healthy and strong children.

Traditions of Ivan Kupala

In addition to the well-known tradition of looking for a fern flower, weaving and throwing wreaths along the river, as well as dancing around a ritual fire and jumping over it for purification and sanctification by fire, there is another less known tradition of forming a union that has survived to this day.

As mentioned above, it was believed that Kupaylo blessed the union (marriage). And this process did not take place at all as is customary in modern society, which gave Christians the opportunity to call our ancestors savages with dirty pagan traditions.

On the night of Ivan Kupala, couples were formed, boys and girls identified with a partner and entered into a ritual union, engaging in love (ritual sex). It was at this moment that the marriage was considered concluded. It was also considered a great blessing to conceive a child blessed with divine power on this night. Naturally, Christian priests, observing what was happening, not being privy to the subtleties of the ritual, perceived and then described these actions as “dirty actions of savages” (orgies).

Note: Slavic love has nothing to do with orgy! The meaning of this ritual was precisely the intercourse of a couple in love who enters into a union. They did not change partners, but formed a family, which Kupailo blessed.

However, Christianity, with its dogmas, has always denied everything carnal, considering it a sin, and instilled in its adherents the idea that sex is needed solely for procreation, and not for pleasure, and condemned and prohibited such ritual actions, including for the purpose of control over his followers.

As for the search for the fern flower and other traditions, they are similar to the Celtic ones, and I have already described them in the material called “Lita 2023: Summer Solstice Festival.”

Modern magic and the holiday of Ivan Kupala

As you already understand, this holiday is dedicated to love, the formation of unions between a man and a woman, clan and family.

Accordingly, using the egregorial and energetic power of this holiday, it is possible to carry out creative, cleansing, harmonizing and strengthening rituals for the family and couples in love (relationships).

To do this, you can use both the long-standing traditions of the Slavic pagans and modern magical rituals aimed at creating, purifying and strengthening love and relationships.

Features of Ivan Kupala in 2023

This year, Ivan Kupala (July 7) falls on Friday - the Day of Venus, the deity who oversees love and relationships.

This is a very good day for carrying out various kinds of rituals that will strengthen, restore and protect your relationships.

On this day, the Waning Moon will be in the sign of Pisces at the age of 19 lunar day, sunrise at 23:55, sunset at 9:41 (Kyiv time).

The length of the day is 16 hours 15 minutes 13 seconds.

The sun will be in the sign of Cancer, sunrise at 4:55, sunset at 21:10 (Kyiv time).

The planets will be visible: Mercury, Venus, Mars.

The Venus watch will be especially valuable for carrying out ritual work on love and relationships. Let me remind you that they can be determined using a special application for mobile phones, which you can download yourself.

The Moon's hours on this day are well suited for working with feminine energy, sexuality, cleaning the lower chakra and removing negativity.

The Sun Hours are suitable for working on igniting male power (increasing potency) and energy and working with birth programs.

I also remind you that Friday, Venus Day, is a day of working with such deities as Eros, Aphrodite, Venus, Freya, Frigg.

Plants of the day: rose, feverfew, wild strawberry, apple tree, violet, bedstraw.

Tarot cards that correspond to Friday: Lovers, Two of Cups, and the Empress.

I wish you successful magical practice and all the best, as well as harmony in love and relationships!

Best regards, Margarita!

May the force be with us!

You can leave an offering here:

“For the Glory of the Higher Powers”! 

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