Comments on: Spring with Snowdrops- Enjoy the Romanian Martisor Tradition and Wordsworth’s Poem

By: Elsie

Elsie — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:25:51 +0000

Martisor is a tradition older than Christianity. It was started so many centuries ago and yet it has significance that it continues in Romania. There is love and beauty evident in the picture of the young girl tying the red and white ribbon on the tree. The ritual announces the coming of spring, when once again the earth comes to life again. The power of Love and Life over death reveals itself in the constant waning of winter and renewal of life in the plants that spring out of the earth. Energy (Kundalini) brings the life force to the plants.

Wordsworth in his poem writes that the Snowdrop monitors the fleeting years referring to the ongoing cycle. He refers to the white snowdrop announcing the coming of spring.

By: Tumpa

Tumpa — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:56:55 +0000

.. it was a loved by me very pure desire to share

By: Claudia

Claudia — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:06:38 +0000

I loved learning of the burst of innocence and pureness of the MARTIE. Yes, Spring is a beautiful thought to have !

By: saiede

saiede — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:58:27 +0000

Thank you dear sister, i didn’t know nothing about this beautiful festival , my husband is from Romania and he offered to me before in his country this beautiful white flower and told me this is a first flower of mother earth that’s come from snow and is a symbol of spring time and traditionaly we offer this to each other but i didn’t know this history with so much details, i’m from Iran and our New Year in Iran is same time with Shri Mataji’s birthday and we have alot traditions for spring time, but this one was really new for me, and i learned alot, now i have 1 more nice things that i can enjoy that

By: geri

geri — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:35:50 +0000

Christians tell the story that many years ago, when people were merry they dressed in white clothes.
Thus on an early morning of 1st of March, in the year when Jesus was to come among the people, Virgin Mary, dressed in white, stood in the middle of the room in front of the fire, cut a strip of her skirt and dyed it with her virgin blood. Then she twisted it with another white strip and decorated her breast. She went out on the verandah to meet the first rays of the sun and announce to the universe the expected fertility and to bless it…
And Jesus Christ was born, consubstantial with God the Father, incarnated by the Holy Ghost and Virgin Mary – the Holy Mother. Since then the twisted white and red is called “martenitza”.
On the first day of March all Bulgarian women, all children and the domestic animals are decorated with it to be healthy, to be fertile and bring happiness to the family.
According to Christians living along the river Tonsos, this Bulgarian custom is unique and expresses homage to the Mother of God.

By: geri

geri — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:28:22 +0000

Thanks Ioana for making this beautiful post reminding our custom traditions and the wisdom inside them.
Here is the story from bulgarian folklore tales collection i wish to share with you.
Hope you’ll enjoy it!

Many, many years ago, Khan Isperih (the most famos bulgarian ruler known with establishment of the 1st Bulgarian Empire in 680/681)left his home in the far away Tibetan mountains and went in search of fertile land for his people, the proto-Bulgarians. He crossed many mountains and rivers until finally he stopped in the land of the Slavs who met him cordially. Slav women, dressed in white, brought him cups of wine and the tables were piled with food, the fruits of this blessed land.

But the khan was not happy for he was sick for his family – his mother and his sister Kalina. He sat on the bank of the big river and tears like pearls dropped down his masculine cheeks. His eyes looked in prayer towards the sun and the gods. And then the miracle happened.

A swift swallow alighted on his shoulder, and Isperih told her of his grief. The swallow flew away to the lands from which the Bulgarians came and told Kalina in a human voice that her brother has a new kingdom, that he grieves about her and sends her greetings.

Kalina was very happy to hear that and decided to send a message to her brother. She made a nosegay of green plants, tied it with white woolen thread, made some knots on it meaning best regards and sent it back with the swallow.

The bird flew like thunder and very soon was on the shoulder of Isperih again. But after the long journey, its wing was wounded and its bright red blood had tinted the thread. The khan took the nosegay with joy, read in the knots his sister’s greetings, put the nosegay on his breast and the martenitza shone bright.

Since that moment, Isperih ordered his people to make a bunch of twisted white and red thread and wear it on their breasts on this day – for health and blessing from heaven.

This happened on 1st of March and the tradition has remained until this day.

By: geri

geri — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:25:34 +0000

It is an East European tradition. In Bulgaria for example is one of the most celabrated traditions during the year, welcoming the Spring. It is giving or tiding on the hand as a raki “Martenitza” – the best way to wish a good helth and long life to a person…
it is like raki-ing everybody, even the animals, trees(symbol of Mother Earth, Nature)
The red(girl) and white(boy) colours used to make Martenitza rapresents the women&male power of Creation which always work together – in Sahaj culture we have Left and Right channel of Shri Mahakali (puer desire) and Shri Maha Saraswati ( pure action/creation). Only when those two living powers are working together, then auspisciousness and wealth will reign on Earth.
Wishing you all mostly Health(of the Spirit) and Happiness! May Matreniza keep you safe and brings Luck to you.
View here how to make Martenitza and share with all people you Love.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1929236/martenitza_bulgarias_traditional_gift_of_spring/

Much Love, Geri

By: Sudhakar Shukla

Sudhakar Shukla — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:25:09 +0000

Thanks Ioana,
The photograph in a way represents the innate desire of the Kundalini to rise and meet with the creator of the universe. The winter and ice is symbolic of the mire and ‘maya’ around us! Beautiful, pl keep the good work going. Sudhakar Shukla

By: Shivangi Mankad

Shivangi Mankad — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:08:09 +0000

Beautiful like a Martie!