Has the old haggard crone come to visit you?
Baba Yaga, the goddess of death, transformation, and a representation of “the wild woman” archetype and probably the most misunderstood goddess of them all. No need to fear her wretched glare, it is only a reflection of the deepest parts of ourselves that we pretend aren’t really there, hidden deep behind the layers of expressions with sparkly eyes and a soft smile.
“She we will become if we’re lucky enough to survive our fears and move mountains with our magic.” ~ unknown
Andreas Johns describes the Baba Yaga as the ambiguous mother and witch of the Russian folktale. Traditionally found in East Slavic folklore dated back to the 18th century, but there are also parallels similar to this character throughout many cultures and storytelling, each representing their own version and associated name. No doubt the Baba Yaga’s image provokes questioning and yet there is something so intriguing that calls us in wanting to know more. I believe there is a lot we can learn from this questioning and possibly a relationship with the unknown if we dare look towards her and the wisdom she has to offer.
As one of the most well known versions of the story of Baba Yaga tells of this ogress or “old hag, crone” who steals, cooks, and eats her victims, often children. She lives in the forest in a hut supported by chicken legs. Baba Yaga travels through the air in a mortar that she drives with a pestle, creating tempests along the way. She lives with her sisters all known as Baba Yaga, and some parallels can be drawn in connection to the Three Norns in Norse Mythology. Also the story of Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm and the wicked witch of the East from the Wizard of Oz comes to mind. This highlights some of the negative versions of Baba Yaga, however there are positive attributes beyond the perceived villain. She also brings forth the element of transformation that comes from a death of sorts, similar to Goddess Kali from the East Indian culture who also represents the mother archetype. The Earth Goddess who is deeply connected to nature and the change of the seasons (similar to Persephone, the Greek Goddess of spring). The nice old woman who helps out the hero. The wise old woman who offers her wisdom through teachings and experiences for those willing to look deep into their shadows of the self, a place that is within all of us regardless of gender. A place that has much to reveal and similar to how we may look upon the face of Baba Yaga with judgement.
Image source from book: Baba Yaga-The Wild Witch of the East in Russian Fairy Tales by Sibelan Forrester
“She doesn’t feel like a grandmother or an old Crone with terrifying features. She’s a master shapeshifter, and her essence is that of nature itself. She’s the changing seasons, the leaves in the forest in the autumn and a smell of the coming snow storm. She’s footsteps on the ice and a cold mountain brook. She is like the wind as she flies and in the whooshing sound of a breeze she’s gone. She’s the smoke in the dark and she can be found in animal bones. She is the smallest insect and the highest tree, the snake hiding in the undergrowth. Illusive, unobtrusive, hardly ever visible and fiercely private. Her dwelling is her own and, on her terms, where everything is just so. It is for no else to make sense of.”
Passage from: Pagan Portals-Baba Yaga, Slavic Earth Goddess by Natalia Clarke
Johns continues to share that, “the complexity of Baba Yaga and other folktale characters derives in part from the fact that they are, on one hand, the products of tradition, of collective history and psychology, a collective fantasy; on the other hand, they provide material for the fantasies of individuals. It is clear that there can be no single correct interpretation or understanding of Baba Yaga. Potentially she can have a multiplicity of meanings for every individual tale-teller and listener.” So however “taboo” the topic of Baba Yaga may be, it is still a fascinating and entertaining story to partake in…at least this is from my belief which is only one of many perspectives.
I feel like she has been with me my whole life, guiding me, and waiting for me to invite her in and show me her wisdom. Only wisdom comes at a price. I have faced my nightmares, sat in the darkness as the nothing filled my soul, and wathced my reality take form. Only when I acknowledged the old hag and was willing to face the shadows of my life, did the real transformation take place. It only took being stripped of everything to see the true story... I have been calling her in this whole time!
As far back as I can remember, I have envisioned and told others my story of growing old in the forest in a wooded house with a wrap around deck, I would sit out front on my porch in my rocking chair, dog by my side and shot gun on the other…. and perhaps smoking a pipe or a joint. I would sit here gazing out into my corn field, waiting for children to cross my property and then scare the living shit outta them. I would joke about wanting to be that old hag that all the kids were afraid of and would double dog dare each other to come and ring my door bell. Now this may sound odd for retirement aspirations, but for me this is my humour and imagination at play with a little trickster energy added in because I too like to do things for my own shits and giggles. And to declare, I love children and have no actual intentions of ever owning a gun but who knows what my retirement home will hold, and nor do I enjoy smoke of any kind. But what I do find interesting is that I have no idea where this idea came from and yet it has stuck with me my entire life. As I reflect on my own relationship with the Baba Yaga, I imagine this coming from her whispers to grab my attention. Whenever I have seen images of woman coming into their own skin, aging, being provocative, independent, and fully loving themselves in all of their expressions, coming into their magic, mastery, and wisdom through hard truths, this is what I see as the Baba Yaga archetype coming into our awareness and teaching us her ways.
I have felt her presence more than ever as I claim my own power and transformation, although I did not know it was her until recently. My only knowing of the Baba Yaga came from the reference to that name from the movie “John Wick”, so you can imagine how limiting that might be. Prior to this I felt very connected to the Goddess Kali whom I have felt her energy come alive inside of me. Upon learning about the Baba Yaga I draw connections across all parallels or interpretations of this ambiguous character that I feel I have much to learn from. To know her is to step into the unknown, the things that scare us, that we cannot control, and an acceptance of the parts of us that we have kept hidden in the shadows.
What my journey into the unknown has taught me?
Simply put, everything and nothing! I have traveled all over the world and have had many experiences and yet the most profound journey was travelling inwards into the places dark and scary. Only when all is acknowledged did I see the true wisdom behind my judgement. The Wild Woman archetype has been guiding me this whole time, and when the time is right I will be met with a new version of her.
“Prayer To Self
“May you always see between the cracks, seek to find a way when you are lost on your track, touch the depths of the sea within every soul, don’t take the easy path but know there is ease in the difficult, remember to embrace the ALL of life and then to let it all go with dignity and grace.””
Baba Yaga Invitation:
“Invite the inner woman to speak in her language of poetry, bones, clouds, dreams, red shoes, fairy dust, ravens, and fissures of the heartland. She who dwells in the wild within will help to navigate the cliffs and valleys. She will show you the passage through – give you eyes to see in the dark. And then, when you are able, she will give you wings to fly out from that both nurturing and devastating abyss into divine light.”
~ Shiloh Sophia McCloud
My inspiration for writing this comes from many but to name a few, the cover artwork is by She Who Is Art, and I first came across this mysterious image on Facebook and that started my exploration of the Baba Yaga archetype. During my counselling program with Rhodes Wellness College in Spiritual Wellness class, where I learned of the many archetypes that we all may embody throughout our life as a way of understanding the complexities of being human and the grace and wisdom from my teacher sharing the art of storytelling and allowing my spirit to be touched with mystery and awe. In researching Baba Yaga I came across the website Musing Mystical with a beautiful write up about this goddess that inspired me to share the same passage from Natalia Clarke’s book.
I hope you have enjoyed learning a brief introductory to the many facets of the Baba Yaga and she inspires you to explore your own inner wisdom while viewing it through the whimsical eyes of storytelling ✨.
With much love & gratitude, thank you for tuning in,
Vicki xo.