courtesy of the Executive Pagan
Friday, June 26, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Litha...midsummer solstice
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place around the 24th of June and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between cultures.
Background 
Solstice fire in Montana
Background
European midsummer-related holidays, traditions, and celebrations are pre-Christian in origin. They are particularly important in Northern Europe - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden - but are found also in Ireland, parts of Britain (CornwallFrance, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, the Ukraine, other parts of Europe, and elsewhere - such as Canada, the United States, Puerto Rico, and also in the Southern Hemisphere (Brazil), where this imported European celebration would be more appropriately called Midwinter. especially),
Midsummer is also sometimes referred to by Neopagans and others as Litha, stemming from Bede's De temporum ratione in which he gave the Anglo-Saxon names for the months roughly corresponding to June and July as "se Ærra Liþa" and "se Æfterra Liþa" (the "early Litha month" and the "later Litha month") with an intercalary month of "Liþa" appearing after se Æfterra Liþa on leap years. The fire festival or Lith- Summer solstice is a tradition for many pagans
Solstice celebrations still center upon the first day of Summer according to the calendar. However, there are some who still choose to hold the rite on the 21st of June, although this is not always the longest day of the year.
As a Christian holiday, Midsummer day (June 24th) is the day of the nativity of John the Baptist. It is six months before Christmas because Luke 1:26 and Luke 1.36 imply that John the BaptistJesus. It is observed by both the Catholic, Orthodox and some Protestant churches. This even though it doesn't say in the bible that Jesus was born in December. [1]
was born six months earlier than
In Estonia and Latvia, the traditional Midsummer day, June 24th, is a public holiday. So it was formerly also in Sweden and Finland, but in these countries it was, in the 1950's, moved to the Saturday between June 20th and June 26th.
Canada (Quebec)
In Quebec, Canada, the celebration of June 24 was brought to New France by the first French colonists. Great fires were lit at night. According to the Jesuit Relations, the first celebrations of St John's day in New France took place around 1638. In 1834, Ludger Duvernay, printer and editor of La Minerve took the leadership of an effort to make June 24 the national holiday of the Canadiens (French Canadians). In 1908, Pope Pius X designated John the Baptist as the patron saint of the French-Canadians. In 1925, June 24 became a legal holiday in Quebec and in 1977, it became the secular National Holiday of Quebec. It still is the tradition to light great fires on the night of the 24th of June.
United Kingdom
See also: A Midsummer Night's Dream
In Great Britain from the 13th century, Midsummer was celebrated on Midsummer Eve (St. John's Eve, June 23rd) and St. Peter's Eve (June 28th) with the lighting of bonfires, feasting and merrymaking.
In late fifteenth-century England, John Mirk of Lilleshall Abbey, Shropshire, gives the following description: "At first, men and women came to church with candles and other lights and prayed all night long. In the process of time, however, men left such devotion and used songs and dances and fell into lechery and gluttony turning the good, holy devotion into sin." The church fathers decided to put a stop to these practices and ordained that people should fast on the evening before, and thus turned waking into fasting (Festial 182).
Mirk adds that at the time of his writing, "...in worship of St John the Baptist, men stay up at night and make three kinds of fires: one is of clean bones and no wood and is called a "bonnefyre" [bonfire]; another is of clean wood and no bones, and is called a wakefyre, because men stay awake by it all night; and the third is made of both bones and wood and is called, "St. John's fire" (Festial 182)." These traditions largely ended after the Reformation, but persisted in rural areas up until the nineteenth century before petering out.
Other Midsummer festivities had uneasy relations with the Reformed establishment. The Chester Midsummer Watch Parade, begun in 1498, was held at every Summer Solstice in years when the Chester Mystery Plays were not performed. Despite the cancellation of the plays in 1575, the parade continued; in 1599, however, the Lord Mayor ordered that the parades be banned and the costumes destroyed. The parade was permanently banned in 1675. Many people state that fairies dance at midnight on midsummer's eve. You just may see one if you stay up and watch for them.
Traditional Midsummer bonfires are still lit on some high hills in Cornwall (see Carn Brea and Castle an Dinas, St. Columb Major). This tradition was revived by the Old Cornwall Society in the mid 20th century. Another Cornish midsummer celebration is Golowan, which takes place at Penzance, Cornwall which normally starts on the Friday nearest St John's Day. Golowan lasts several days and culminates in Mazey Day. This is a revival of the Feast of St John (Gol-Jowan) with fireworks and bonfires.
Midsummer festivals are celebrated throughout Scotland, notably in the Scottish Borders where Peebles holds its Beltane Week. The Eve of St. John has special magical significance and was used by Sir Walter Scott as the title, and theme, for a pseudo-ballad poem. He invented a legend in which the lady of Smailholm Tower, near Kelso, keeps vigil by the midnight fires three nights in a row (see above) and is visited by her lover; but when her husband returns from battle, she learns he slew that lover on the first night, and she has been entertained by a very physical ghost.
June 24th, Midsummer Day, the feast of St. John the Baptist, is one of the quarter days in England. In recent years on the Summer Solstice, English Heritage has run a "Managed Open Access" to Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice celebrations.
USA
Midsummer celebrations are held throughout the US. The NYC Swedish MidsummerBattery Park, New York City, attracts some 3,000-5,000 people annually, which makes it one of the largest celebrations after the ones held in Leksand and at the Skansen ParkStockholm. Sweden Day, a Midsummer celebration which also honors Swedish heritage and history which has been held annually on the sound in Throgs Neck, in New York City since 1941. Swedish Midsummer is also celebrated in other places with large Swedish and Scandinavian populations, such as Chicago, Minneapolis, and Lindsborg, Kansas. The Swedish "language village" (summer camp) Sjölunden, run by Concordia College in Minnesota, also celebrates Midsummer. celebrations in in
Geneva, Illinois, hosts a Swedish Day (Swedish:Svenskarnas Dag) festival on the third Sunday of June. The event, featuring maypole-raising, dancing, and presentation of an authentic Viking ship, dates back to 1911.
The Seattle, Washington neighborhood of Fremont puts on a large Summer Solstice Parade & Pageant, which for many years has controversially included painted naked cyclists. In St. Edwards Park in Kenmore, Washington, the Skandia Folkdance Society hosts Midsommarfest, which includes a Scandinavian solstice pole.
A solstitial celebration is held on Casper Mountain in Wyoming at Crimson Dawn park. Crimson Dawn is known in the area for the great stories of mythical creatures and people that live on Casper Mountain. The celebration is attended by many people from the community, and from around the country. A large bonfire is held and all are invited to throw a handful of red dirt into the fire in hopes that they get their wish granted.[5]
Neo-Pagansim
As forms of Neopaganism can be quite different and have very different origins, these representations can vary considerably, despite the shared name. Some celebrate in a manner as close as possible to how they believe the Ancient Germanic Pagans observed the tradition, while others observe the holiday with rituals culled from numerous other unrelated sources, Germanic culture being only one of the sources used. In Neo-druidism, the term Alban Hefin is used for the summer solstice. The name was invented by the late-18th century Welsh Romantic author and prolific literary forgerer Iolo Morganwg.[6]
Sunday, June 14, 2009
How To Annoy Wiccans
from the Baron
How To Annoy Wiccans
| 1. Preach to them about the "True Religion". 2. Borrow their eyeliner and then don't give it back. 3. Snicker when the fat ones go skyclad. 4. Be considerate. Arrange their Altar so it looks neater. 5. Clean their "tools." 6. Untie the knots in their cords. 7. If they mention Magick, ask them to explain... you never understood that dumb card game... 8. Step into that drawn circle and ask them what their doing. 9. Sharpen that dull knife of theirs. 10. Claim to be a non-Wiccan witch. 11. Ask if they can wriggle their nose like in Bewitched. 12. Put on your best Judy Garland voice and ask "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" 13. Throw water on them and expect them to melt. 14. Explain how adding "an it harm none" completely misses the point of Thelema. Then explain what Thelema is. 15. Lend them a copy of Liber OZ. 16. Take them to a Catholic mass or, better yet, a fundamentalist revival meeting. 17. Turn their pentagrams upside down. 18. Recite good poetry during ritual -- backwards. 19. Cast that circle counter-clockwise. 20. Tell the goddess to put up or shut up during the invocation. 21. Ask if they can do those things like in that movie...what was it?... oh yeah, "The Craft!" 22. When they start talking about "the Goddess" start chanting things in Ouranian barbaric or Enochian. Explain later that you have a subconsciously wired bullshit-cut-off switch. 23. See if they know any Hebrew attributions for, say, Tarot. Then ask them why they know. 24. Ask them who Gerald Gardner was. Ask them which degree rites they've been through. Ask them why they haven't, if it's part of the authentic Celtic tradition. Duck, and remind them about the "an' it harm none" bit. 25. Talk to their cat. Tell them the cat says it wants human sacrifices. 26. Scream "KALI YUGA!" when they invoke the Goddess. 27. Ask them who you have to sleep with in order to get initiated to the 3rd Degree. 28. Ask why so many Wiccan rituals bare a striking similarity to Golden Dawn rituals. 29. Half way through a ritual, ask the high priestess to wake you when the sex starts... 30. Edit their book of shadows, inserting material from one of the assorted Necronomicons or the Satanic Bible. 31. Ask them to recommend a good book on the subject of Wicca. When they respond, repeat that you wanted a good book on Wicca. 32. When one tells you that s/he is a Witch, tell them not to be so hard on themselves. 33. Explain the difference between 'skyclad' and 'houseclad'; 34. Remind them the moon has four phases, not three; 35. Men - wear amber and jet. 36. Wear a white rob and hood to the summer solstice. Say your swastika is just a rune. 37. Worship the devil and call yourself a 'real witch'. 38. Tell them that the green ray only appeals to people that like having their brain shut down. 39. Tell them the story about how Gardner coined the phrase 'Blessed be' after he 'hired' a West Country priestess from a local brothel who gasped it during the five fold kiss. 40. Point out that you can't meaningfully be a Kabbalist unless you're Jewish. No, wait, that's for annoying Hermeticists... 41. Ask "You're not going to turn me into a frog are you?" 42. Put fire wood around the maypole. 43. When they tell you they're a Wiccan, nod and say, "Oh, ok, so you worship Satan, right?" When they get upset and try to explain that they're not Satanists, they're Wiccans, say, "Did Satan tell you to say that?" As they get more upset, ask them if they're going to sic their Satanist friends on you. 44. When they paint their nails, ask if them if they are tuning Goth. When they say no, ask them if their goddess likes them to be pretty. 45. Hide their Athame, and then when they ask you, tell them that "Santa, the Dyslexic Demon" told you to steal it. Later Explain that "Santa, the Dyslexic Demon" is really Satan. 46. During ritual stand up and scream, "The Devil, I see the devil! You brought him here!!" Then start laughing as they look around. 47. Ask if they fly on their brooms. If they say no, accuse them of not being "true" witchs. 48. Ask them to do anything you've seen on "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch." 49. Tell them to "Be gone, before somebody drops a house on you." 50. When asked how you enter the circle answer "With perfect love and perfect lust." 51. Carry a copy of LaVey's book The Satanic Witch around with you and watch the fun happen! 52. Ask them to do a love spell for you. 53. Ask them if you can borrow their book of shadows for new material for your stand-up comedy act. 54. Ask if they could tell you what really happened to Elvis. 55. Ask them if Wicca will save their souls and go to heaven. 56. Ask them if they like it hot cause they are going to hell and it's HOT down there! 57. Ask a difficult-to-know question and, when they cannot answer, say "I thought you witches were psychic or something!" 58. Tell them that the Horned God is really Satan. 59. If they are wearing a pentagram, start asking about what it's like to be Jewish |
Monday, June 8, 2009
I am a Pagan
I am a Pagan.
I am a part of the whole of Nature.
The rocks, the animals, the plants, the elements are my relatives.
Other humans are my sisters and brothers, whatever their races, colors, ages, nationalities, creeds, or sexual preferences.
The earth is my Mother and the sky is my Father.
The sun and moon are my Grandparents, and the stars my ancestors.
I am part of this large family of Nature, not the master of it.
I have my own special part to play and I seek to play that part to the best of my ability.
I seek to live in harmony with others in the family of Nature, treating others with respect, not abuse...
I am a Pagan.
I pay attention to the seasons within myself - of beginnings, growth, fruition, harvest, endings, rest, and beginnings again.
Life is a Circle with many cycles...
I am a Pagan.
I acknowledge that the Divine is everywhere in the energy of life.
I am Animistic. I sense the life force in the oak tree on the hill, in the herbs in the garden, in the birds singing at my window, in the boulders on the hill, in myself, and yes, even in "things" such as my car and computer.
I understand that everything has its physical and non-physical aspects. The physical and spiritual are deeply intertwined, not separate, and one is not better than the other.
I am a Pagan.
My worship is one of communion, not groveling.
I share my views with others when I sense it is right, but I do not proselytize - there are many ways, not one way, of spiritual growth.
My holy places are under the open sky … in the ..Stone Circle in the oak grove on the top of the mound ... on the Vision Rock on the high cliff … in the Garden in the fields … in the Sweat lodge by the stream … by the clear pool of the Sacred Spring … in the Rainbow Cave in the valley.
I am a part of the whole of Nature.
The rocks, the animals, the plants, the elements are my relatives.
Other humans are my sisters and brothers, whatever their races, colors, ages, nationalities, creeds, or sexual preferences.
The earth is my Mother and the sky is my Father.
The sun and moon are my Grandparents, and the stars my ancestors.
I am part of this large family of Nature, not the master of it.
I have my own special part to play and I seek to play that part to the best of my ability.
I seek to live in harmony with others in the family of Nature, treating others with respect, not abuse...
I am a Pagan.
I pay attention to the seasons within myself - of beginnings, growth, fruition, harvest, endings, rest, and beginnings again.
Life is a Circle with many cycles...
I am a Pagan.
I acknowledge that the Divine is everywhere in the energy of life.
I am Animistic. I sense the life force in the oak tree on the hill, in the herbs in the garden, in the birds singing at my window, in the boulders on the hill, in myself, and yes, even in "things" such as my car and computer.
I understand that everything has its physical and non-physical aspects. The physical and spiritual are deeply intertwined, not separate, and one is not better than the other.
I am a Pagan.
My worship is one of communion, not groveling.
I share my views with others when I sense it is right, but I do not proselytize - there are many ways, not one way, of spiritual growth.
My holy places are under the open sky … in the ..Stone Circle in the oak grove on the top of the mound ... on the Vision Rock on the high cliff … in the Garden in the fields … in the Sweat lodge by the stream … by the clear pool of the Sacred Spring … in the Rainbow Cave in the valley.
Yet my worship can be anywhere … my magick circle is portable.
I can call to the four quarters, to the earth and sky, and to the central spirit point wherever I may be.
I am a Pagan.
I journey to the Otherworld in my dreams, my meditations... I fly with my consciousness through time and space.
I return with insights.
I go between the worlds for healing, growth, and transformation.
Psychic perception is a natural, not supernatural, part of my daily life.
I am a Pagan.
I attune myself to the four elements of Nature - Earth, Air, Fire, Water - and to the fifth element, Spirit, which is the force that connects all.
I see these elements as parts of my self - my physical body is my earth, my intellect my air, my will my fire, my emotions my water, and my inner self is my spirit.
I endeavor to keep myself healthy and in balance in all these parts of Self.
I am a Pagan.
I hear the cries of Mother Earth.
I see the pollution of the air, the soil, and the waters.
I see the games being played by nations with the fire of nuclear weapons.
I see spiritual pollution, too - selfishness, hatred, greed for money and power, despair.
I sense these things, but I sense, too, a cleansing, healing energy manifesting on the planet at this time.
I know that I can help bring the planet into greater balance by seeking balance in my own life.
I know that my attitudes and my way of living can make a difference.
I endeavor to be a channel for healing and balance.
Author Unknown (borrowed from Danae Dunning's FB page)
I can call to the four quarters, to the earth and sky, and to the central spirit point wherever I may be.
I am a Pagan.
I journey to the Otherworld in my dreams, my meditations... I fly with my consciousness through time and space.
I return with insights.
I go between the worlds for healing, growth, and transformation.
Psychic perception is a natural, not supernatural, part of my daily life.
I am a Pagan.
I attune myself to the four elements of Nature - Earth, Air, Fire, Water - and to the fifth element, Spirit, which is the force that connects all.
I see these elements as parts of my self - my physical body is my earth, my intellect my air, my will my fire, my emotions my water, and my inner self is my spirit.
I endeavor to keep myself healthy and in balance in all these parts of Self.
I am a Pagan.
I hear the cries of Mother Earth.
I see the pollution of the air, the soil, and the waters.
I see the games being played by nations with the fire of nuclear weapons.
I see spiritual pollution, too - selfishness, hatred, greed for money and power, despair.
I sense these things, but I sense, too, a cleansing, healing energy manifesting on the planet at this time.
I know that I can help bring the planet into greater balance by seeking balance in my own life.
I know that my attitudes and my way of living can make a difference.
I endeavor to be a channel for healing and balance.
Author Unknown (borrowed from Danae Dunning's FB page)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Full Strawberry Moon
This name was universal to every Algonquin tribe. However, in Europe they called it the Rose Moon. Also because the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries comes each year during the month of June . . . so the full Moon that occurs during that month was christened for the strawberry!
Strawberry moon' which rises each year in the same location over the Remarkables Mountains of Queenstown, New Zealand
Strawberry moon' which rises each year in the same location over the Remarkables Mountains of Queenstown, New Zealand
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Why do people bless us
when we sneeze?
from Wikipedia: Sneeze:
Onomatopoeia
Some common English onomatopoeias for the sneeze sound are achoo, atchoo, achew, and atishoo, with the first syllable corresponding to the sudden intake of air, and the second to the sound of the sneeze.
A similar linguistic approach has been taken with several other languages; in French, the sound "Atchoum!" is used; in Finnish "Atsiuh!"; in Icelandic "Atsjú!"; in Swedish "Atjo"; in Danish "Atju!"; in Dutch "Hatsjoe!" or "Hatsjie!"; in Hebrew and Lithuanian "Apchi!"; in German "Hatschie!"; in Estonian "Atsihh!" and "Aptsihh!"; in Hungarian "Hapci!"; in Polish, "Apsik!"; in Russian , "Apchkhi!"; in Turkish, "Hapşu!"; in Italian, "Etciù!"; in Spanish "¡Achís!"; in Portuguese, "Atchim!"; in Romanian "Hapciu!" ; in Malayalam "Thummal"; in Filipino "Hatsing!"; in Japanese, "Hakushon!"; in Tamil, "Thummal"; in Kannada, "Akshi"; in Korean, "Achee!" and in Vietnamese, "Hát-xì!!". In Cypriot Greek, the word is "Apshoo!", incidentally also the name of a village, which is the cause of much mirth locally.
In Howards End, by E.M. Forster, a sneeze in polite society is "A-tissue" - a literary allusion to its respective remedy.
Historic instances and practices
In the Hellenistic cultures of Classical Antiquity, sneezes were believed to be prophetic signs from the gods. In 410 BC, for instance, the Athenian general Xenophon gave a dramatic oration exhorting his fellow soldiers to follow him to liberty or to death against the Persians. He spoke for an hour motivating his army and assuring them of a safe return to Athens until a soldier underscored his conclusion with a sneeze. Thinking that this sneeze was a favorable sign from the gods, the soldiers bowed before Xenophon and followed his command. Another divine moment of sneezing for the Greeks occurs in the story of Odysseus. When Odysseus returns home disguised as a beggar and talks with his waiting wife Penelope, she says to Odysseus, not knowing to whom she speaks, that "[her husband] will return safely to challenge her suitors"". At that moment, their son sneezes loudly and Penelope laughs with joy, reassured that it is a sign from the gods (Od. 17: 539-551).
In Europe, principally around the early Middle Ages, it was believed that one's life was in fact tied to one's breath - a belief reflected in the word "expire" (originally meaning "to exhale") gaining the additional meaning of "to come to an end" or "to die". This connection, coupled with the significant amount of breath expelled from the body during a sneeze, had likely[citation needed] led people to believe that sneezing could easily be fatal. This theory, if proven conclusively, could in turn explain the reasoning behind the traditional "God bless you" response to a sneeze, the origins of which are currently unclear. (see "Traditional Responses To A Sneeze" below for alternative explanations). Sir Raymond Henry Payne Crawfurd, for instance, the late registrar of the Royal College of Physicians, in his 1909 book "The Last Days of Charles II", states that, when the controversial monarch was on his deathbed, his medical attendants administered a concoction of cowslips and extract of ammonia to promote sneezing.[4] However, it is not known if this promotion of sneezing was done to hasten his death (as coup de grace), or as an ultimate attempt at treatment.
In certain parts of Eastern Asia, particularly in Japanese culture and Vietnamese culture, a sneeze without an obvious cause was generally perceived as a sign that someone was talking about the sneezer at that very moment - a belief that is still depicted in present-day manga and anime. In China, Vietnam and Japan, for instance, there is a superstition that if talking behind someone's back causes the person being talked about to sneeze; as such, the sneezer can tell if something good is being said (one sneeze), something bad is being said (two sneezes in a row), or if this is a sign that they are about to catch a cold (multiple sneezes).
Parallel beliefs are known to exist around the world, particularly in contemporary Greek, Celtic, English, French, and Indian cultures. Similarly, in Nepal, sneezers are believed to be remembered by someone at that particular moment.
In Indian culture, especially in northern parts of India, it has been a common superstition that a sneeze taking place before the start of any work was a sign of impending bad interruption. It was thus customary to pause in order to drink water or break any work rhythm before resuming the job at hand in order to prevent any misfortune from occurring.
The practice among certain Islamic cultures, in turn, has largely been based on various Prophetic traditions and the teachings of Muhammad. An example of this is Al-Bukhaari's narrations from Abu Hurayrah that the Islamic prophet once said:
When one of you sneezes, let him say, "Al-hamdu-Lillah" (Praise be to Allah), and let his brother or companion say to him, "Yarhamuk Allah" (May Allah have mercy on you). If he says, "Yarhamuk-Allah", then let [the sneezer] say, "Yahdeekum Allah wa yuslihu baalakum" (May Allah guide you and rectify your condition).
Traditional responses to a sneeze
In English-speaking countries, the common verbal response to another person's sneeze is "(God) Bless You" or the lesser common "Gesundheit" (the German word for "healthiness"). There are several proposed origins for the use "Bless you" in the context of sneezing:
Various alleged but conflicting superstitions relating the sneeze to evil spirits. This includes beliefs that a sneeze could release one's soul, thus leading to its possible capture by lurking evil spirits (as explained in the "Historic instances and practices" section above), or that the evil spirits could enter the body though the open mouth of a sneezing individual, or that the individual is sneezing out sins or evil spirits which had taken residence within the body and is thus in need of the blessing to prevent the exorcised spirits from re-entering the body. Some proponents of this last theory have further suggested that it was bad luck to open the mouth again to thank the person who uttered "Bless you" for fear of circumventing the original purpose of the blessing.[citation needed]
Some say it came into use during the plague pandemics of the fourteenth century. Blessing the individual after showing such a symptom was thought to prevent possible impending death due to the lethal disease.
Attempting to bring the sneezing individual back from the brink of death in the brief moment during the sneeze when the heart skips a beat, which otherwise leaves the sneezer momentarily in limbo between states of life and death
A polite way of congratulating the sneezer for his or her impending good luck as signaled by the sneeze.
In various other cultures, words referencing good health or a long life are used instead of "Bless you":
In Albanian, one says Shëndet (shuhn-det), to which typical responses are Faleminderit, meaning "Thank you", or Shëndet paç, meaning literally "May you have health".
In American Sign Language, it would be appropriate to do the Excuse-Me sign.
In Arabic (Levantine Arabic), the response is صحة (Sahha), which likely evolved from the word صحة (Sihha), meaning "health", or نشوة (Nashweh) which means "ecstasy". The response is either thank you شكراً (Shukran) or تسلم (Tislam/Taslam) which means "may you be kept safe".
In Arabic, the typical response to a sneeze is يرحمكم الله (yarhamkom Allah) and the answer is يهديكم الله و يصلح بالكم (Yahdeekom Allah wa yousleh balakom) or شكراً (thank you). However, it is more common to say Alhamdo lel lah i.e "All praise is for Allah (God)", to which people will respond Yarhamokomo Allah, meaning "God Bless you".
In Armenian, one says առողջություն (aroghjootyoon).
In Azeri, sneezing is usually followed by the response Sağlam ol, which means "be healthy". Sometimes, Afiat is used, similar to the Persian response.
In Bosnian, one says Nazdravlje, meaning "To your good health". The person who sneezed usually responds with Hvala, meaning "Thank you".
In Bulgarian, one says Наздраве (Nazdrave), which means "[to your] health" or "cheers". The person who has sneezed can then say Благодаря (Blagodarya), which means "Thank you".
In Chinese, one says (bù hǎo yì si) (Standard Mandarin) or (Standard Cantonese), meaning "excuse me" or "sorry".
In Croatian, Na zdravlje (almost always pronounced nazdravlje) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For sneezer it is polite to reply Hvala meaning "thank you."
In Czech, one says Pozdrav Pánbůh, meaning in colloquial Czech "Bless God" or "Greet God".
In Danish, one says Prosit, from the Latin meaning "to your benefit". Originally used when toasting, today it is used only when someone sneezes.
In Dutch, one usually says Gezondheid (literally translated as "health") or Proost (which means "cheers", see Latin below).
In Estonian, one says Terviseks, which means "[to your] health".
In Ethiopia, one says Yimarih/Yimarish, which means "[May God]have mercy on you".
In Finnish, one says Terveydeksi, which means "[to your] health".
In French polite speech, after the first sneeze, one says à vos souhaits which means "to your desires". If the same person sneezes again, the second response is à vos amours, which means "to your loves." Santé ("Health") is the informal response.
In German, Gesundheit ([to your] "Health") is often said after a sneeze. This is also common in parts of the United States.
In Greek, γίτσες (jitses) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze.
In Hebrew, one says לבריאות (livri'ut), meaning "to health".
In Hindi, one says Satyam (sat'yam), meaning "truth".
In Hungarian, one says Egészségedre!, which means "[to your] health".
In Icelandic, one says Guð hjálpi þér! ("God help you!"). There is also an old custom to respond three times to three sneezes like so: Guð hjálpi þér ("God help you"), styrki þig ("strengthen you"), og styðji ("and support").[5]
In Irish, one says Dia linn!, which means "God [be] with us!"
In Italian, one says Salute, which means "[to your] health".
In Japanese, a sneezer might apologize for the outburst, by saying ｷﾝﾜｹ (Sumimasen) or ｸｵﾜｵｽ (Shitsurei shimashita), meaning "Excuse Me". In formal occasions and less often within the family, after one sneezes, someone else blesses them by saying ｨｾ｢ｶﾉ (O-daiji ni), meaning "Take Care" in informal contexts and something along the lines of "Get Well Soon" in a more formal situation.
In Korean, a sneezer might say ?(Nuga nae yaegi hatseo), meaning "Did someone talk about me?" after a sneeze.
In Kyrgyz, one says Акчуч! [aqˈʧuʧ] (which may be based on an onomatopœia of the sound of a sneeze, like English "atchoo" discussed above), to which one may respond Ракмат!, meaning "thank you", if the person who said "акчуч" is liked.
In Lithuanian, one says Į sveikatą, which means "to your health". And person which sneezes answer Ačiū that translates as "Thank you".
In Macedonian, one says На здравје(na zdravje), meaning "[To Your] Health". The person who sneezes usually says Здравје да имаш (zdravje da imash) which means "Have Health [yourself]", or just says Благодарам(blagodaram) "Thank You" or Фала(fala) "Thanks".
In Maltese, one says Evviva, which comes from the Latin for "[He/She Is] Alive!".
In Norway, Sweden and Denmark, one sometimes says Prosit - Latin for "[May It] Advantage [You]".[6]
In Persian, if the sneeze is especially dramatic, Afiat Bahsheh (عافیت باشه) is said, "[May] Cleanliness/Purity be bestowed [upon you]".
In Polish, Na zdrowie ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze as is Sto lat ([I wish you] a hundred years [of health]).
In European Portuguese one says Santinho, which means "Little Saint".
In Brazilian Portuguese, one says Saúde, which means "[to your] health".
In Romanian, one says Sănătate ("[To your] Health") or Noroc ("[To your] Luck").
In Russian, the appropriate response is будь здоров(а) (BООD' zdah-ROV - to a male sneezer, or BООD' zdah-RO-va - to a female sneezer), which means "be healthy". For the sneezer it is polite to reply спасибо (spah-SEE-bah) meaning "thank you".
In Serbian, Na zdravlje (almost always pronounced nazdravlje) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For the sneezer, it is polite to reply Hvala meaning "Thank you."
In Slovak, Na zdravie ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For the sneezer, it is polite to reply Ďakujem meaning "Thank You."
In Somali, one says Jir, which means "Live Long".
In Spanish, one says Salud, which means "[to your] health" and Jesús (in Spain) referring to Christ (similarly to God bless you in English).
In Tamil, one says Nooru aayisu for the first time, which means "(Have a life of) 100 years", for the second time it would be Theerga-aayisu which means "(Have) a Long life" and for the third time it would be Poorna-aayisu which means "(Have) a healthy long life".
In Telugu, particularly around the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the phrase is Chiranjeeva, which translates to "(May you be blessed with a) Life without death".
In Turkish, a sneezer is always told to Çok Yaşa, i.e. "Live Long", which in turn receives a response of either Sen De Gör ("[and I hope that] you see it") or Hep Beraber ("all together"). This is to indicate the sneezer's wish that the person wishing them a long life also has a long life so they can "live long" "all together". For more polite circles, one might say Güzel Yaşayın, i.e. "[May You] Live Beautifully", which may be countered with a Siz de Görün ("[And may You] witness it").
In Urdu, the response is traditionally Al-hum-do-lillah, i.e. "All praise is for Allah (God)".
In Vietnamese, the response is traditionally Sống lâu, i.e. "Live long" which, like "Bless You", is an abbreviation of "Wish you a long life" or "Lạy Mụ" /layh-moo/, from the culture of Middle Vietnam, meaning "Mother Nature blesses you."
from Wikipedia: Sneeze:
Onomatopoeia
Some common English onomatopoeias for the sneeze sound are achoo, atchoo, achew, and atishoo, with the first syllable corresponding to the sudden intake of air, and the second to the sound of the sneeze.
A similar linguistic approach has been taken with several other languages; in French, the sound "Atchoum!" is used; in Finnish "Atsiuh!"; in Icelandic "Atsjú!"; in Swedish "Atjo"; in Danish "Atju!"; in Dutch "Hatsjoe!" or "Hatsjie!"; in Hebrew and Lithuanian "Apchi!"; in German "Hatschie!"; in Estonian "Atsihh!" and "Aptsihh!"; in Hungarian "Hapci!"; in Polish, "Apsik!"; in Russian , "Apchkhi!"; in Turkish, "Hapşu!"; in Italian, "Etciù!"; in Spanish "¡Achís!"; in Portuguese, "Atchim!"; in Romanian "Hapciu!" ; in Malayalam "Thummal"; in Filipino "Hatsing!"; in Japanese, "Hakushon!"; in Tamil, "Thummal"; in Kannada, "Akshi"; in Korean, "Achee!" and in Vietnamese, "Hát-xì!!". In Cypriot Greek, the word is "Apshoo!", incidentally also the name of a village, which is the cause of much mirth locally.
In Howards End, by E.M. Forster, a sneeze in polite society is "A-tissue" - a literary allusion to its respective remedy.
Historic instances and practices
In the Hellenistic cultures of Classical Antiquity, sneezes were believed to be prophetic signs from the gods. In 410 BC, for instance, the Athenian general Xenophon gave a dramatic oration exhorting his fellow soldiers to follow him to liberty or to death against the Persians. He spoke for an hour motivating his army and assuring them of a safe return to Athens until a soldier underscored his conclusion with a sneeze. Thinking that this sneeze was a favorable sign from the gods, the soldiers bowed before Xenophon and followed his command. Another divine moment of sneezing for the Greeks occurs in the story of Odysseus. When Odysseus returns home disguised as a beggar and talks with his waiting wife Penelope, she says to Odysseus, not knowing to whom she speaks, that "[her husband] will return safely to challenge her suitors"". At that moment, their son sneezes loudly and Penelope laughs with joy, reassured that it is a sign from the gods (Od. 17: 539-551).
In Europe, principally around the early Middle Ages, it was believed that one's life was in fact tied to one's breath - a belief reflected in the word "expire" (originally meaning "to exhale") gaining the additional meaning of "to come to an end" or "to die". This connection, coupled with the significant amount of breath expelled from the body during a sneeze, had likely[citation needed] led people to believe that sneezing could easily be fatal. This theory, if proven conclusively, could in turn explain the reasoning behind the traditional "God bless you" response to a sneeze, the origins of which are currently unclear. (see "Traditional Responses To A Sneeze" below for alternative explanations). Sir Raymond Henry Payne Crawfurd, for instance, the late registrar of the Royal College of Physicians, in his 1909 book "The Last Days of Charles II", states that, when the controversial monarch was on his deathbed, his medical attendants administered a concoction of cowslips and extract of ammonia to promote sneezing.[4] However, it is not known if this promotion of sneezing was done to hasten his death (as coup de grace), or as an ultimate attempt at treatment.
In certain parts of Eastern Asia, particularly in Japanese culture and Vietnamese culture, a sneeze without an obvious cause was generally perceived as a sign that someone was talking about the sneezer at that very moment - a belief that is still depicted in present-day manga and anime. In China, Vietnam and Japan, for instance, there is a superstition that if talking behind someone's back causes the person being talked about to sneeze; as such, the sneezer can tell if something good is being said (one sneeze), something bad is being said (two sneezes in a row), or if this is a sign that they are about to catch a cold (multiple sneezes).
Parallel beliefs are known to exist around the world, particularly in contemporary Greek, Celtic, English, French, and Indian cultures. Similarly, in Nepal, sneezers are believed to be remembered by someone at that particular moment.
In Indian culture, especially in northern parts of India, it has been a common superstition that a sneeze taking place before the start of any work was a sign of impending bad interruption. It was thus customary to pause in order to drink water or break any work rhythm before resuming the job at hand in order to prevent any misfortune from occurring.
The practice among certain Islamic cultures, in turn, has largely been based on various Prophetic traditions and the teachings of Muhammad. An example of this is Al-Bukhaari's narrations from Abu Hurayrah that the Islamic prophet once said:
When one of you sneezes, let him say, "Al-hamdu-Lillah" (Praise be to Allah), and let his brother or companion say to him, "Yarhamuk Allah" (May Allah have mercy on you). If he says, "Yarhamuk-Allah", then let [the sneezer] say, "Yahdeekum Allah wa yuslihu baalakum" (May Allah guide you and rectify your condition).
Traditional responses to a sneeze
In English-speaking countries, the common verbal response to another person's sneeze is "(God) Bless You" or the lesser common "Gesundheit" (the German word for "healthiness"). There are several proposed origins for the use "Bless you" in the context of sneezing:
Various alleged but conflicting superstitions relating the sneeze to evil spirits. This includes beliefs that a sneeze could release one's soul, thus leading to its possible capture by lurking evil spirits (as explained in the "Historic instances and practices" section above), or that the evil spirits could enter the body though the open mouth of a sneezing individual, or that the individual is sneezing out sins or evil spirits which had taken residence within the body and is thus in need of the blessing to prevent the exorcised spirits from re-entering the body. Some proponents of this last theory have further suggested that it was bad luck to open the mouth again to thank the person who uttered "Bless you" for fear of circumventing the original purpose of the blessing.[citation needed]
Some say it came into use during the plague pandemics of the fourteenth century. Blessing the individual after showing such a symptom was thought to prevent possible impending death due to the lethal disease.
Attempting to bring the sneezing individual back from the brink of death in the brief moment during the sneeze when the heart skips a beat, which otherwise leaves the sneezer momentarily in limbo between states of life and death
A polite way of congratulating the sneezer for his or her impending good luck as signaled by the sneeze.
In various other cultures, words referencing good health or a long life are used instead of "Bless you":
In Albanian, one says Shëndet (shuhn-det), to which typical responses are Faleminderit, meaning "Thank you", or Shëndet paç, meaning literally "May you have health".
In American Sign Language, it would be appropriate to do the Excuse-Me sign.
In Arabic (Levantine Arabic), the response is صحة (Sahha), which likely evolved from the word صحة (Sihha), meaning "health", or نشوة (Nashweh) which means "ecstasy". The response is either thank you شكراً (Shukran) or تسلم (Tislam/Taslam) which means "may you be kept safe".
In Arabic, the typical response to a sneeze is يرحمكم الله (yarhamkom Allah) and the answer is يهديكم الله و يصلح بالكم (Yahdeekom Allah wa yousleh balakom) or شكراً (thank you). However, it is more common to say Alhamdo lel lah i.e "All praise is for Allah (God)", to which people will respond Yarhamokomo Allah, meaning "God Bless you".
In Armenian, one says առողջություն (aroghjootyoon).
In Azeri, sneezing is usually followed by the response Sağlam ol, which means "be healthy". Sometimes, Afiat is used, similar to the Persian response.
In Bosnian, one says Nazdravlje, meaning "To your good health". The person who sneezed usually responds with Hvala, meaning "Thank you".
In Bulgarian, one says Наздраве (Nazdrave), which means "[to your] health" or "cheers". The person who has sneezed can then say Благодаря (Blagodarya), which means "Thank you".
In Chinese, one says (bù hǎo yì si) (Standard Mandarin) or (Standard Cantonese), meaning "excuse me" or "sorry".
In Croatian, Na zdravlje (almost always pronounced nazdravlje) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For sneezer it is polite to reply Hvala meaning "thank you."
In Czech, one says Pozdrav Pánbůh, meaning in colloquial Czech "Bless God" or "Greet God".
In Danish, one says Prosit, from the Latin meaning "to your benefit". Originally used when toasting, today it is used only when someone sneezes.
In Dutch, one usually says Gezondheid (literally translated as "health") or Proost (which means "cheers", see Latin below).
In Estonian, one says Terviseks, which means "[to your] health".
In Ethiopia, one says Yimarih/Yimarish, which means "[May God]have mercy on you".
In Finnish, one says Terveydeksi, which means "[to your] health".
In French polite speech, after the first sneeze, one says à vos souhaits which means "to your desires". If the same person sneezes again, the second response is à vos amours, which means "to your loves." Santé ("Health") is the informal response.
In German, Gesundheit ([to your] "Health") is often said after a sneeze. This is also common in parts of the United States.
In Greek, γίτσες (jitses) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze.
In Hebrew, one says לבריאות (livri'ut), meaning "to health".
In Hindi, one says Satyam (sat'yam), meaning "truth".
In Hungarian, one says Egészségedre!, which means "[to your] health".
In Icelandic, one says Guð hjálpi þér! ("God help you!"). There is also an old custom to respond three times to three sneezes like so: Guð hjálpi þér ("God help you"), styrki þig ("strengthen you"), og styðji ("and support").[5]
In Irish, one says Dia linn!, which means "God [be] with us!"
In Italian, one says Salute, which means "[to your] health".
In Japanese, a sneezer might apologize for the outburst, by saying ｷﾝﾜｹ (Sumimasen) or ｸｵﾜｵｽ (Shitsurei shimashita), meaning "Excuse Me". In formal occasions and less often within the family, after one sneezes, someone else blesses them by saying ｨｾ｢ｶﾉ (O-daiji ni), meaning "Take Care" in informal contexts and something along the lines of "Get Well Soon" in a more formal situation.
In Korean, a sneezer might say ?(Nuga nae yaegi hatseo), meaning "Did someone talk about me?" after a sneeze.
In Kyrgyz, one says Акчуч! [aqˈʧuʧ] (which may be based on an onomatopœia of the sound of a sneeze, like English "atchoo" discussed above), to which one may respond Ракмат!, meaning "thank you", if the person who said "акчуч" is liked.
In Lithuanian, one says Į sveikatą, which means "to your health". And person which sneezes answer Ačiū that translates as "Thank you".
In Macedonian, one says На здравје(na zdravje), meaning "[To Your] Health". The person who sneezes usually says Здравје да имаш (zdravje da imash) which means "Have Health [yourself]", or just says Благодарам(blagodaram) "Thank You" or Фала(fala) "Thanks".
In Maltese, one says Evviva, which comes from the Latin for "[He/She Is] Alive!".
In Norway, Sweden and Denmark, one sometimes says Prosit - Latin for "[May It] Advantage [You]".[6]
In Persian, if the sneeze is especially dramatic, Afiat Bahsheh (عافیت باشه) is said, "[May] Cleanliness/Purity be bestowed [upon you]".
In Polish, Na zdrowie ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze as is Sto lat ([I wish you] a hundred years [of health]).
In European Portuguese one says Santinho, which means "Little Saint".
In Brazilian Portuguese, one says Saúde, which means "[to your] health".
In Romanian, one says Sănătate ("[To your] Health") or Noroc ("[To your] Luck").
In Russian, the appropriate response is будь здоров(а) (BООD' zdah-ROV - to a male sneezer, or BООD' zdah-RO-va - to a female sneezer), which means "be healthy". For the sneezer it is polite to reply спасибо (spah-SEE-bah) meaning "thank you".
In Serbian, Na zdravlje (almost always pronounced nazdravlje) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For the sneezer, it is polite to reply Hvala meaning "Thank you."
In Slovak, Na zdravie ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For the sneezer, it is polite to reply Ďakujem meaning "Thank You."
In Somali, one says Jir, which means "Live Long".
In Spanish, one says Salud, which means "[to your] health" and Jesús (in Spain) referring to Christ (similarly to God bless you in English).
In Tamil, one says Nooru aayisu for the first time, which means "(Have a life of) 100 years", for the second time it would be Theerga-aayisu which means "(Have) a Long life" and for the third time it would be Poorna-aayisu which means "(Have) a healthy long life".
In Telugu, particularly around the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the phrase is Chiranjeeva, which translates to "(May you be blessed with a) Life without death".
In Turkish, a sneezer is always told to Çok Yaşa, i.e. "Live Long", which in turn receives a response of either Sen De Gör ("[and I hope that] you see it") or Hep Beraber ("all together"). This is to indicate the sneezer's wish that the person wishing them a long life also has a long life so they can "live long" "all together". For more polite circles, one might say Güzel Yaşayın, i.e. "[May You] Live Beautifully", which may be countered with a Siz de Görün ("[And may You] witness it").
In Urdu, the response is traditionally Al-hum-do-lillah, i.e. "All praise is for Allah (God)".
In Vietnamese, the response is traditionally Sống lâu, i.e. "Live long" which, like "Bless You", is an abbreviation of "Wish you a long life" or "Lạy Mụ" /layh-moo/, from the culture of Middle Vietnam, meaning "Mother Nature blesses you."
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