RED ~ The Spirit of the Divine

Goddess of the Month : Baba Yaga

'Baba Yaga & Vasalisa'

For more by this artist, click here

Baba Yaga (pronounced: bah-bye'yegg-ah) is, in Slavic mythology, the wild woman, the dark lady, and mistress of magick. She is also seen as a forest spirit, leading hosts of spirits. The word baba in most Slavic languages means an older or married woman of lower social class or simply grandmother.

In Witch tradition, she is the crone, the Keeper of Wisdom.

When She appears, it is said a wild wind begins to blow, the trees around creak and groan, leaves whirl through the air. Shrieking and wailing, a host of spirits often accompany Her, guiding Her way.

In Russian tales, Baba Yaga is portrayed as a witch who flies through the air in a mortar, using the pestle as a rudder and sweeping away the tracks behind her with a broom made out of silver birch. She lives in a log cabin that moves around on a pair of dancing chicken legs. The keyhole to her front door is a mouth filled with sharp teeth; the fence outside is made with human bones with skulls on top -- often with one pole lacking its skull, so there is space for the hero's. In another legend, the house does not reveal the door until it is told a magical phrase: Turn your back to the forest, your front to me. There are 3 horsemen who ride to and from Baba's hut each day, one white, one red and one black. They represent dawn, midday and midnight respectively and demonstrate Baba's control over time itself.

Few other people visit her, but those who do can have their questions answered by the wise crone, provided that they are honest and pure of heart. But more often, visitors to Baba Yaga's hut are eaten by her (adults and children alike).

The most popular tale of Baba Yaga is ‘Vasalisa the Beautiful’: Vasalisa wanders into the forest, seeking fire for her evil stepmother. Baba Yaga comes across her, and demands she perform seemingly impossible tasks (such as separating poppy seeds from a pile of dirt) in exchange for the flame. Vasilisa's magick doll completes the tasks for her.

On a symbolic level, Vasilisa portrays the innocence of maidenhood and her doll represents the intuitive spirit, while Baba Yaga represents the strength and wisdom of age. For a more in-depth interpretation of the myth, read Women Who Run With the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

Baba Yaga is the eternal Wild Woman, the Hag, the Crone, who has seen it all, and has experienced it all. She calls to us, demanding we leave our innocence and naivety behind, and use their lessons to ease into the power of our womanhood.

Invoke Baba Yaga to embrace menopause, wisdom, freedom, the dance of the mysteries, evolvement, time, ecstasy, birth and death, banishing rituals, and empowerment ceremonies.

For more information on Baba Yaga, visit Mystic Arts and MoonLit River Galleries.



	Goddess of the Month : Baba Yaga 'Baba Yaga & Vasalisa' For more by this artist, click here Baba Yaga (pronounced: bah-bye'yegg-ah) is, in Slavic mythology, the wild woman, the dark lady, and mistress of magick. She is also seen as a forest spirit, leading hosts of spirits. The word baba in most Slavic languages means an older or married woman of lower social class or simply grandmother. In Witch tradition, she is the crone, the Keeper of Wisdom. When She appears, it is said a wild wind begins to blow, the trees around creak and groan, leaves whirl through the air. Shrieking and wailing, a host of spirits often accompany Her, guiding Her way. In Russian tales, Baba Yaga is portrayed as a witch who flies through the air in a mortar, using the pestle as a rudder and sweeping away the tracks behind her with a broom made out of silver birch. She lives in a log cabin that moves around on a pair of dancing chicken legs. The keyhole to her front door is a mouth filled with sharp teeth; the fence outside is made with human bones with skulls on top -- often with one pole lacking its skull, so there is space for the hero's. In another legend, the house does not reveal the door until it is told a magical phrase: Turn your back to the forest, your front to me. There are 3 horsemen who ride to and from Baba's hut each day, one white, one red and one black. They represent dawn, midday and midnight respectively and demonstrate Baba's control over time itself. Few other people visit her, but those who do can have their questions answered by the wise crone, provided that they are honest and pure of heart. But more often, visitors to Baba Yaga's hut are eaten by her (adults and children alike). The most popular tale of Baba Yaga is ‘Vasalisa the Beautiful’: Vasalisa wanders into the forest, seeking fire for her evil stepmother. Baba Yaga comes across her, and demands she perform seemingly impossible tasks (such as separating poppy seeds from a pile of dirt) in exchange for the flame. Vasilisa's magick doll completes the tasks for her. On a symbolic level, Vasilisa portrays the innocence of maidenhood and her doll represents the intuitive spirit, while Baba Yaga represents the strength and wisdom of age. For a more in-depth interpretation of the myth, read Women Who Run With the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Baba Yaga is the eternal Wild Woman, the Hag, the Crone, who has seen it all, and has experienced it all. She calls to us, demanding we leave our innocence and naivety behind, and use their lessons to ease into the power of our womanhood. Invoke Baba Yaga to embrace menopause, wisdom, freedom, the dance of the mysteries, evolvement, time, ecstasy, birth and death, banishing rituals, and empowerment ceremonies. For more information on Baba Yaga, visit Mystic Arts and MoonLit River Galleries.