Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa (масленица) is the oldest of all Russian holidays. It began as a spring equinox festival called Jarilo, named for the Slavic god of the vegetation and spring. Later it became a Christian holiday, starting on the Monday one week before the Eastern Orthodox Lent. 

Carnival season starts on Epiphany (January 6) and ends at Lent. This is the Russian version of Carnival, with eating, drinking, sledding, games, and costume parades. Even though it's now Christian in theory, all of its events still focus on driving away the winter and re-awakening nature.

In Russia, Maslenitsa lasts the entire week before Orthodox Lent, which starts next Monday, March 11. Since the Western Lent starts a week earlier (this Wednesday, March 6), I sometimes celebrate Maslenitsa a week earlier, but this year I'm just going to have a shorter version of Maslenitsa.

Agenda this week:

1. Journal queries
2. Make an effigy doll
3. Make blini pancakes
4. Spring cleaning

1. Journal queries:
In keeping with my theme this month of strength and vigor, I will take some time today to consider things to take vigorous action on in the coming season of Lent.

What compassionate action can I engage in to prepare for the joy of spring?
What might I fast from, or do without, in order to engage more fully in compassionate action?

2. Make an effigy doll:

On the first day of Maslenitsa, the young people of each town make a straw effigy doll, dress it in bright clothing with ribbons, and take it around with them all week, for sledding and parties. The party atmosphere grows from day to day, and from Thursday through Sunday no one is allowed to work.

On Sunday evening, the whole town gathers to throw the effigy doll onto a huge bonfire. The doll symbolizes winter, and they hope that all their problems will leave along with winter.

The Maslenitsa doll is a representation of Jarilo's sister, named Morena or Marzanna, the goddess of death, winter and nightmares. The symbolism is of death and rebirth: Burning away the winter so that spring can return.


The effigy can be any size, from a small doll to a life-sized statue. Last year I decided to make a small doll to carry around with me in my pocket. 

My doll rode in my pocket last year.

(Instructions for the large doll seen above are here and instuctions for the small doll are here.)

3. Make Blini Pancakes:

The name Maslenitsa comes from the word maslo, which is Russian for butter. 

During this week, Russians fast from meat, but eat a lot of rich, buttery blini (pronounced blee-NEE) pancakes. Once Lent begins people will eat even simpler foods, so this is the last chance for feasting!

In Russia, blini are eaten for remembrance of the dead, and also as a symbol of the spring sun.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 c. milk
• 1/3 c. butter
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 package of active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 c. white flour
• 1 c. buckwheat flour
• 3 large eggs
• oil
• toppings: berries, sour cream, whipped cream, jam, maple syrup, or caviar

Yeast getting bubbly.

1- Scald the milk. Add butter and stir until it melts. Cool to lukewarm.

2- Pour warm water into a large bowl, and sprinkle yeast over it. Stir, then let it sit for about 5 minutes, until it gets bubbly.

3- While the milk cools, combine the salt, sugar, white flour and buckwheat flour.

4- Divide the eggs. Add yolks to the milk and butter, and beat for 2 minutes with a spoon. Combine the milk mixture and yeast, and stir in the flour. Beat for 2 minutes.

5- Cover the bowl, and put it in a warm place until double, about 30 minutes.

6- Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Stir the batter down, and gently fold in the egg whites. Let stand 10 minutes more.

7- Lightly oil a griddle or frying pan, and heat to medium. Pour in a 1/4-cup of batter and spread it out with a spoon (good blini must be very very thin). Cook until the top is bubbly, then turn and cook the back.

8- Serve with berries, sour cream, whipped cream, jam, maple syrup, or caviar. Place the filling in the center of the pancake and roll it up.

4. Spring cleaning:

For the past two months I have been keeping the house basically clean, and doing a few extra cleaning projects when I have the time. In January I cleaned mold and mildew. In February I did some clearing of clutter.

In March each year I take the first steps of spring cleaning- those big jobs that get put off through the winter months. As I begin this process, I consider the symbolism of the cluttered and dirty areas of my home:

If my desk is messy, is my thinking very orderly? Do ancient jars of food on the kitchen shelves connect to undernourishment of my soul? 
Do dirty windows impede my view of the celebration of life? 
What muddled parts of me need reorganizing, resurrecting, recycling, and regeneration?

The big job I'd like to tackle this week is to clean under and around the bed... we had a comforter malfunction and so have tiny feathers everywhere! (What, I wonder, is the symbolism of that?)