Book reviews

“You have given the world a delightful and deep examination of Baba Yaga from your insightful and learned perspective. Thank you. In a world where uncertainty and fear are the currency of the day, we can become enchanted by a sort of artificial lightness that ultimately only makes us more anxious. We become terrified of the dark. Yet it is in the dimness of our own souls that we find refuge from the harshness of life.  If we are able to peer into this darkness we may see a peculiar little house governed by a curious figure. Baba Yaga, crone of legend, greets us with a glint in her eye, and a question on her lips. “Who are you?” she inquires with a cackle. Natalia Clarke answers this question, while exploring the stories and characteristics of Baba Yaga through traditional lore and personal insights. Merging together her Slavic origins, training in depth psychology, and natural spiritual practices, she is our companion as we venture into the mysteries of this face of the crone. Beautifully written with journal entries, dream explorations, and ways to connect with Baba Yaga, I highly recommend this delightful book for anyone who wants to go deeper into her mysteries.”

Cyndi Brannen, the author of Keeping her keys 

“I’ve felt for a long time that there must be more in the call to Baba Yaga’s cottage than the fairy tales tell us. Natalia Clarke has drawn on her Siberian heritage and personal insights to show us how we might approach this powerful Goddess. This is a book for anyone drawn to dark Goddesses and Crone Goddesses. It’s also the first map I’ve seen that explores the forests in search of wild Gods who will not make themselves comfortable in our homes or on our altars. It’s ground breaking stuff.”  Nimue Brown

“A truly fascinating book that opens up our understanding and knowledge of this perhaps misunderstood Goddess.  Natalia Clarke shares personal experiences mixed with folklore and practical information to guide seekers to find their own connection with Baba Yaga.” Rachel Patterson

This is an impressive work, clearly written, exploring Baba Yaga as Earth Goddess and laying out what an apprenticeship with her might look like. In a culture that tends to categorise everything – emotions, actions, people – as either wholly good or wholly bad, this book brings some much needed nuance and an exploration of a healthy darkness through this fantastic, visceral deity. Meredith Debonnaire

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Are you a witch? A mighty Crone?

Aren’t you? Don’t you have the mothering buried within you; instinctual knowing how to heal and be with? Don’t you hold a wise Crone within yourself ready to step forward? Have you not been dismissed, put down, devalued, and feared? Has your heart not broken over and over for the planet and humanity? This is what a witch is, and all women belong to that tribe. 

I am not concerned with titles, labels, and names even though I understand one’s yearning for identity in a world that seeks belonging. We look outwards to be given an identity rather than knowing who we are from inside out. We take on external labels gladly as it makes us feel safe and of a tribe. 

WHO ARE YOU? This is the question Baba Yaga asks as all that matters is you knowing yourself.
Once you do, you can make a difference to absolutely everything.

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The Crone and I at Samhain

I heard her say ‘Get on a horse’ and without hesitation I got into my car and drove to the woods that called me. She was all around and Samhain felt near. I felt calm and ready to commune with her.

The woods kept changing atmosphere from grey and wet to light and shimmering. Autumnal light streamed through the golden tops of blackened tree bodies. I felt a sense of intention and joy within. She was near and I was reassured. I realised her confidence-building purpose and quality as I developed my own inner hearing. She is and always has been on the side of the feminine and healing of the wounded maiden was just one intention she carried. Today I truly felt that having been through the maiden and mother stages.

Cronehood is a stage I truly look forward to and even more so with her by my side. I am excited and curious about things to come. Today she was full of lessons and the more I engaged with her the more I felt I could truly understand the symbology and meaning behind her one-sentenced phrases. She doesn’t say much and very intentional with what she discloses.
She spoke of the importance of our bodies, physicality and how our disconnection from the animal-selves caused discord and imbalance in many areas as a result. She spoke of nature and landscape as essential parts to any life as they hold the animal-self within offering us to connect back to the earth, the self and spirit of things. Only through deeply feeling into the physical and matter-like within us we can encounter the spirit. It is all interconnected.

She spoke of how we disempower ourselves via covering up by dying our hair, messing about with nails and shaving off what’s intended to be there. And not only that we create a world of shame, unacceptable, conforming and pleasing to the external as a result. We cut off from the natural self by avoiding our own beauty, the natural kind. Our crown becomes dimmed with chemicals and that magic that can be felt in the fingers is dimmed. I can relate to the fingers holding the paper well and am guilty of not looking after myself in that area. I connected instantly to the message of disempowering myself by not being kind and nurturing to myself. It saddened me.

With the crone hood stage we are invited to delve into another stage of coming back to ourselves. I feel excited by it.

Last year she spoke her word to me, which I turned into a book. It comes out in December and I look forward to sharing the message with more women around the world.

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Latest review:

“You have given the world a delightful and deep examination of Baba Yaga from your insightful and learned perspective. Thank you.

 In a world where uncertainty and fear are the currency of the day, we can become enchanted by a sort of artificial lightness that ultimately only makes us more anxious. We become terrified of the dark. Yet it is in the dimness of our own souls that we find refuge from the harshness of life.

If we are able to peer into this darkness we may see a peculiar little house governed by a curious figure. Baba Yaga, crone of legend, greets us with a glint in her eye, and a question on her lips. “Who are you?” she inquires with a cackle. Natalia Clarke answers this question, while exploring the stories and characteristics of Baba Yaga through traditional lore and personal insights. Merging together her Slavic origins, training in depth psychology, and natural spiritual practices, she is our companion as we venture into the mysteries of this face of the crone. Beautifully written with journal entries, dream explorations, and ways to connect with Baba Yaga, I highly recommend this delightful book for anyone who wants to go deeper into her mysteries.”

By Cyndi Brannen, the author of Keeping Her Keys

The book that can change everything

Since the release of Intuitive Magic Practice I have received feedback from many women telling me their stories and how the book turned things around for them. Severe of them read it a couple of times and what has come out of it is an effect that was coded in, but needed the engagement of a reader to unlock the deeper message within. 

You don’t even have to be a magical practitioner although material can change the way of looking at doing magic in a different unique way. You just need to be seeking a reconnection to knowledge that had been dormant within. 

Women have decided to do things differently and began a journey of following intuition, which transformed things for them and brought changes that were needed for a long time in a way the book describes it could. 

Among many things doing your magic and life your way/intuitive way can be a way of healing the internalised ‘shoulds’. Following emotions and your body alone and doing it in private, hidden ways; using an internal natural and healthy space within you can bring contentment and fulfilment to the work and life in general. 

If you are a creature of the ‘dark’ in a good sense, prefer to be invisible and value your privacy and boundaries highly this way of doing magic can be just for you. If externalising your persona, participating in social gatherings and events, ‘dressing’ up, as others do, trigger you, then this is for you. 

Have you always known that what the collective/external does is not something that feels good, then this is for you. 

You can do what you what and how you want using only your inner voice, your body and your emotions. 

There are certain aspects of magic that are important to observe and understand for yourself and I talk about that in the book, e.g. ethics, boundaries, conducting some rituals, etc. and working with others (if you choose to do that).

The way the book is structured is easy to use and incorporate/trial things out. There is information on a topic to start with, e.g. Intuition and Dreams or Intuition and Self-care. That follows up with a real-life example, exercises, a spell or two (listed below) where relevant, and sometimes a tip to make a note of. 

Earth/Fire/Water/Air spells

Prosperity spell

Peace spell

Love spell 

Rhyming spell

Success/business spell

Releasing spell

Healing/health spell

Simple, intuitively weaved spells are powerful, as they manifest from within and your body and emotions always know what is best for where you are at a certain point. Thai work can be taken further into life and create mantras and affirmations, life hacks and psychological healing tools that will never let you down, as they are meant specifically by you for yourself. 

There is potential in this book to change all. Please read and leave me a review or let me know how and what helped you on your way. I am fascinated by women’s stories of self-rediscovery. 

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Women rise up in wisdom

Another review of the book that echoes all the feedback I have received from women. Makes my work truly meaningful and life-changing

http://facingnorth.net/books/witchcraft/intuitive

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