Pagan holidays - Disting (Festival of the awakening of vitality)

The last winter month, February, is rich in all kinds of holidays The first thing that comes to mind when we remember the date of February 14 is, of course, Valentine's Day But in the pagan tradition, one of the most important moments is celebrated on this day - Disting A holiday of dis, that is, female supernatural beings, ancestors and goddesses This day is mentioned in many ancient sources - the Hervarar saga, the Víga-Glums saga, Egils, Heimskringl) To this day, a tradition has been preserved in Sweden in the form of an annual fair called Disting (Disæþing) During Distign, the turning point is celebrated when winter loses its strength and the gradual arrival of warmth begins On this day, the sun conquers winter frost and darkness, symbolically awakening the vital forces that have been dormant throughout the winter There is no clear theory of where the holiday comes from It is found in Viking mythology in the Scandinavian countries The day associated with it, Disablot, is dedicated to the feminine principle and the origin of life During Disting, the first timid breath of warmth and preparation for spring were celebrated First of all, they prepared the fields for sowing, and also counted the cattle It was believed that calves born on this day would bring great wealth to their owners the following year Today, this holiday has remained more of a tradition, although fairs are still held in Scandinavian countries Many people give each other gifts in honor of the awakening of spring For those wishing to get married, this time is considered very favorable They say that the happiest families were created during this period A few adherents of paganism are trying to continue the tradition and revive the holiday again This symbolic time is remembered and celebrated in many cultures, the victory of warmth over winter has always been considered a special time of year Ancient civilizations believed that at certain times supernatural forces helped their earthly brothers