How did a common man “read” nature in Russian folk traditional culture

The article sets the problem referring to ecology of culture, particularly its Russian national type, that is Russian folk traditional culture. The research has several levels: how the man got adapted to nature surroundings by means of traditions, customs and folklore; what the nature-surviving actions are included into the forms of Russian folk traditional culture; how contacts and perception of nature perfected and developed spiritual content of life; where and how archaic form of mentality and universal meaning met in Russian folk traditions and customs; when this universal meaning de- serves inclusion into modern ecological mentality. The ecological mentality of a common man is presented in various forms of folklore; material forms, particularly clothes, interior of houses, labor tools and crafts. The ecological mentality is firmly interwoven in behavior, where poetic feelings in perception of nature stand in dialogue with playing activity. The main conclusion of analyzing ecological mentality in Russian folk traditional culture is that any artificial intermediate objects between man and nature were removed. The contemporary way of life interpreted it as archaic. In “folk book of nature” man's attention to nature tokens, including all members, big and minute, in surroundings is very important. This part of ecological mentality in Russian folk traditional culture can be defined as “folk meteorology”, transferred by oral tradition; partly it gave folklore items, partly got lost due to changes in nature because of human activity; but there is still a portion that keeps true.