Suomenusko

• Ukko: This is the chief God. He was the God of sky and thunder (Greek paganism: Zeus)
• Jumi: that was a very important diety for the paleo pagans. However this God is not as significant in the neo paganism. He was representing a monotheistic God. (jumala: monotheist God)
• Ahti: king of the water
• Tapio: the king of the forrest
• Akras: God of fertility
• Mielikki: Godeess of hunt (Artemis in greek mythology)
• Kuu: the goddess of the moon;
• Lempo, the god of wilderness and archery.

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I've always thought that Finnish paganism was curious, especially in comparison with Norse/Germanic paganism. Thank you for posting this. I'd love to see more on it, as I'll admit I don't know a whole lot about it. A lot of the Finnish deities that I've looked into seem to have many similarities and parallels with the Norse deities I work with, so I'd love to hear more about that.

Thank you very much. I shall expand more. However the information on Finnish paganism is very limited and hard to learn if you are not finnish or haven't lived in finland as I did. There are very few books and limited information online.

Part 2

More about the Finnish Gods

The purpose of this post is to better understand the Finnish paganism by learning more about their Gods, Sabbats and practices.

Ukko and Akka

*Ukko : This is the chief God. He was the God of weather, sky,thunder and harvest. He is the leader of all Gods. He is similar to the Greek God Zeus, and to eshonian mythology to Uku. Ukko was the most significant diety for the finnish people. Even though finnish paganism is a polytheistic religion its followers seem to show a significant ammaount of respect and worship to Ukko.

The most important (****) sabbats are dedicated to this God.

The midsummer festival is still the most important festival in finland. In that festival today finnish people celebrate the big days and small nights. In this time in finland the sun is up for more than 12 hours. The celebration lasts all day. I took part in that celbration once and I can say with certainty that is a celebration of joy. Before christ this celebration was dedicated to the God Ukko which is not surprising if we consider that many religions represent their God with light, sun (source of creation) the sun element is powerful that day and this could be why it is dedicated to Ukko (even though Ukko usually was related to weather conditions, rain and thunder is still the main God, therefore the sourse of creation, and that is why this festival was dedicated to him_see 25 of december meaning ***)

Another festival dedicated to Ukko isVakkajuhlat which takes place in May and is the beggining of the spring and therefore the spring rain (Ukko) which helps in the harvest.

Akka : The first Akka was name Maderakka and she was the mother of all and protector of women and children. also she was the Goddess of fertility and family. She was considered to be the one who gave humans their bodies. Also the one who made a home for the soul. She later had three daughters:

Sarakka she was the goddess of sexuality, fertility pregnacy and child birth. Pregnant women would pray to her. She is very popular to finnish women and highly worshiped by them. Uksakka she can be also considered Goddess of fertility since according to finnish beliefs she is the one who forms the fetus and determines the baby's sex. Women used to pray to her too during their pregnency or try to get pregnant. Juksakka she was simply the protector of children very loved by the finnish pagans.

So basically her powers were divided and shared within her three daughters.

In finnish mythology Akka is also the Goddess of the underworld.-made home for the soul- she didn't only give the bodies to humans but also guides their soul after their bodies death.(** The perception of the underworld in finnish paganism is that people continue their lives there forever.)

Also she was the wife of Ukko and therefore mother of all as I said previously.

Notes:

* Part 1

** Part 3

***http://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=368421

Glossary;

(****) sabbats:

religious festivals,

online dictionary: any of eight neo-pagan religious festivals commemorating phases of the changing seasons

A good blog on finnishshamanism

in which I will reffer to later on:

http://spiritboat.blogspot.gr/2011/04/practicing-finnish-shamanism-spirit.html

(I mostly use that for protection before I cast my circle for rituals or spell work.) Items for the spell;

sea salt

lavender

water

Herbs of your taste/ or some tobacco

This particular proccess only has an effect in full moon (most likely to have an effect)

Simply mix the water with the salt (**) and add some lavender oil if you wish. The salt water is used in this case because it has cleansing properties. Then you simply take the bowl under the moon and chant as many times you feel right the following:

Kehotan teit

Goddess Kuu lhett

autuus minulle

After that you simply meditate and imagine light entering from the moon to the water and ask for something in particular if you wish.(***) Then wash your body with it visualising the light covering you.It's a simple ritual to connect with the deity and pray.

Notes: (*)http://www.spellsofmagic.com/spells/spiritual_spells/banishing_spells/16128/page.html(less detailed version)

(**)you don't need to do that if you use sea water, sea water is highly reccomended since it is a natural source of water

(***) I never ask for something unless I really need it. You have to be exteremly respectful to do this otherwise it will simply turn against you

(****) Propper discription from wikepedia, Creation of the world (part 3, 2. )

Since the tow last parts did no have a responce I will pause for a while since I am exteremely busy this week. So if anyone is interested in more should say so and I will find time to post.