20 Days of Goddesses til’ Imbolc
Day 9 — Baba Yaga(Goddess of cycles, of death and rebirth, of Wisdom, Mistress of Time, The Grandmother Witch)
Baba Yaga is the Slavic Goddess of birth and death that has devolved into the russian myth of a child-eating boogie-witch whose name was used to threaten children into obedience. “Be good or Baba Yaga will eat you!” She is the goddess of the Underworld, guardian of the of the Fountain of Life, and grandmother to all.
She lives in the heart of a deep, birch forest in a little hut named Izbushka (which means little hut) that stands on stilt-like chicken’s feet. The house moves through the forest, screeching and groaning, with a spinning motion that imitates the spinning of the earth. The fence surrounding it is made of 12 bones capped with skulls whose empty eye sockets glow in the dark. The twelve fence posts correspond to the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Wherever the house is located, it is always at the border of the realms of death and the afterlife.
She is accompanied by three horsemen who are her servants, representing dawn, sun, and night. In this aspect, she is the Mistress of Time who measures the Turning of the Wheel.
Baba Yaga rides through the woods perched in a mortar, pushing herself across the forest floor with a pestle. The mortar is also capable of carrying her through the air and is then steered by the pestle. Like all witches, she has a broom, but she never rides it, instead, she uses it to sweep away all traces of her presence. BabaYaga’s broom is made of birch twigs.
Though Baba Yaga is mostly seen as a terrifying old hag, she can also be a helper and wise woman. She sometimes gives advice and magickal gifts to heroes and the pure of heart. To those who dare to ask, she will sometimes impart wisdom, knowledge and truth. In her aspect as Primal Mother, she rescues, nurtures and destroys.
Baba Yaga is an excellent helper for magick dealing with banishing, empowerment, and healing. But it all comes at a price. One of the things that Baba Yaga the goddess has in common with Baba Yaga as a character is that she’ll give you what you want — but you have to prove that you want it. Usually, this means giving something up in return for her help.
She is the spirit of nature who brings wisdom and death of ego through spiritual death and rebirth. Her awesome power is to be feared and respected, but if you have the courage to confront her, you will be rewarded with the wisdom and power of the grandmother/ crone aspect of your life.
Baba Yaga is a representation of the Crone in the Triple Goddess symbolism. She is the Death that leads to Rebirth. It is curious that some Slavic fairy tales show Baba Yaga living in Her hut with Her two other sisters, also Baba Yagas. In this sense, Baba Yaga becomes full Triple Goddess, representing Virgin, Mother, and the Crone.
When you find yourself in need of true wisdom, when you find yourself being too nice, too polite in the face of ongoing boundary violations, when you find yourself stagnated by the expectations of others, it might just be time to retrieve your Wild Woman
ASSOCIATIONS:
Colors: White, red, and black
Gemstones: Garnet, bloodstone, tourmaline, smoky quartz
Festival Date: January 20
Symbols: Mortar and pestle, broom
Animals: All animals but especially horses, hedgehogs, snakes, cats, crows, ravens, and owls which are not only hunting birds but are also Psychopomps who bear a dead soul on a journey or a living person to the Underworld.
Plants: Birch, Poppies, black sunflowers, medicinal herbs, rye, Patchouli, sandalwood, geranium
Offerings: Traditional Russian foods, the more difficult to make the more she will like it, corn, Tobacco, black Russian Caravan tea, and vodka.
References:
https://khalheyokha.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/on-baba-yaga-being-a-baba-devotee/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Yaga
https://journeyingtothegoddess.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/goddess-baba-yaga/
