I found this lovely Spring ritual on a Slavic Pagan list and asked permission of the author to create a page for it on my website.  She has graciously agreed.  I hope you will be as moved by it as I am.......

Subject: [leszi] Strinennia
    Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 13:37:50 EST
    From: garnetcat@aol.com
Reply-To: leszi@onelist.com
      To: leszi@onelist.com
From: garnetcat@aol.com

(((All!)))

I was inspired by Joseph Andrejchak's and Ruzhena's posts abourt Strinennia and the goddesses of Spring to put together a ritual in the spirit of Lada and Lelya.  This is what I came up with:

I am going to set up a sacred space - a small altar with a candle, whatever spring flowers I can find either in my yard or at the florist woven into a wreath, and either clay or wooden birds - their heads smeared with honey and decorated with shredded tinsel.  Also a small plate with honey cake (if I can't find or make honey cake then I will take some plain cake and put honey on it).

I will sit on the floor by the altar (it's low) and breathe out the winter and breathe in the spring, renewing myself and my soul (one and the same, right?).  Then I will light the candle (and probably also light a fire in my fireplace), and say the following invocation that I put together:

Lada!  Lelya!  Dearest goddesses of spring -
We have for you bread and cakes and honey -
Come and warm the snow-covered earth
And bring the first flowers of spring with you -
Come to the birch forests, come to the pines -
Come to the fields and meadows -
Bring with you the sweet bird-songs of spring.
Lada, Spring Mother,  Lelya hidden in your womb,
Like the snowdrops and the crocuses
Hidden in the snow -
Give birth to Lelya, give birth to Spring -
And we will give you bread and cakes and honey -
And for Lelya a wreath of flowers.

I will sit quietly by the altar and hopefully, I will feel the presence of Lada and Lelya, and perhaps in my mind's eye see Lada, pregnant with Lelya, dressed in a light green dress, a wreath of purple and white crocuses in her hair, stepping barefoot over the snow and where she steps the snow will melt and the flowers will bloom.  She will be accompanied by birds who will sing to her and her daughter songs of spring.

I will then thank Lada and Lelya for once again giving us the gift of Spring, of life renewed, and then I will share the honey cake with them.

----

Perhaps not even close to an authentic Slavic ritual, but I will do it with the spirit of my ancestors and our gods in my heart.

Blessings, Garnet, who on this occasion wants to sign with her real name,

Regina Laskowska.