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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Imbolc 2016 – Crone/Maiden exchange

Today is Imbolc. Celebration of light, poetry, creativity, home, feminine energy, first signs of spring. Nature is beautiful when the Earth is beginning to move around yet it is still sleepy and stretching covered with seasonal blankets. Imbolc is the festival that I FEEL most of all. It is a feeling more than anything else for me.

Maiden Goddess waking up – Imbolc

I saw the Crone and the Maiden today, both energies flowing through me interchanging and communicating with each other. I take on one and then the other as I begin my journey towards the woodland. I was called to visit a different place and I listen carefully in which direction I need to go. A small village comes to my awareness and fond memories come back to me of that place, which I used to really love and every time driving past I wished I could live there one day. It came back today and the woods surrounding the village called me. Without hesitation I took off in that direction feeling rather mischievous and playful. Driving I began to sing out loud some Celtic songs feeling very young within myself. Maiden energy very present.

My woodland walk this morning was full of energy. I felt my hair going wild with receiving so much around me and I was unable to sit still and meditate. There were so many things trying to talk to me, birds, tress, Earth – very busy. Life is definitely coming back into the sacred woods. It is cold or fresh, as I like to call it, which is invigorating to all the senses. I am aware of how much I love the chill in the air and wind on my face and in my hair. I take a few deep breaths and continue off the path deeper into the woods. 

My grandmother comes to me first and I am instantly taken back to when I was a young lady growing up in Siberia taking walks in the woods in very cold mid-winter weather with razor sharp winds for company and frost on my eyelashes. I was taken into that space and time, as if it happened only yesterday. Not only it connected me to my grandmother, who lived nearby, but to the fact that I took these walks for a long time now whenever I needed to connect to the Earth, connect to myself. It is a beautiful synchronicity that these woods welcomed me with pine trees mirroring perfectly that time in a place I was born. Pines are very soft to me, they are strong, calm and gentle. I feel very much at peace with myself and protected when in the pine forest and of course, its wonderful smell, which I love.

As I continue my ‘feminine’ feeling increases and I walk into the ‘Army of Ladies’ – whoa. This is the only description I can give this spot. It is strong, but vulnerable, a little scared and cautious and almost prepared to fight should anyone threaten its safety. I never came across anything like this and had to stop for some time holding on to one of the Ladies to see what comes. As I stand still I feel a bit uneasy with rather over protective sort of grip this place has and then the Sun comes in – the male energy, and its warmth brings reassurance and balance to the place. It makes me think just how necessary elemental balance really is in our lives, in our surroundings/environment and how different a place may feel when one or more elements are missing. It always makes me think of a desert, which is the most unpleasant landscape to my senses as it is so unbalanced elementally to me. Constant heat is suffocating to me.

I literally felt the tree relaxing in my embrace and stretching towards the Sun calling on her sisters to do the same.  Beautiful experience.

Female Army

The Sun comes in

The Lady/Goddess archetype remains strong with me for the rest of my very ‘female/Goddess’ walk and I am feeling very much again in my Maiden energy, but aware of the Crone not far behind. She appears irritated, grumpy even one minute and the next she sends out energy of protection and a close relationship to the Maiden. The Crone watches over her, but she tolerates no foolishness, or too much of it anyway. I feel, as I collect pine branches and cones and go off the path even more into hidden places in the depth of pines, The Crone’s steps are getting heavier, as she tries to follow me with a grumpy sort of posture and annoyance in her voice. The next thing I know I am slapped in the face with a branch and ouch… On reflection it makes me laugh and embrace the Crone with her holding me tight. Oh, I love her wisdom, warmth and necessary harshness sometimes. She literally ‘slapped’ me into action, into focusing on what I need to do, on ‘waking’ up and going steady on the path on guiding the Earth, as she continues to stir into growth. Oh, we laughed and laughed and left the woods together. The Crone handed over to the Maiden and the Wheel turns again.

Blessed Imbolc!

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa The Crone and the Maiden