Goddess Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga, Black Crone Goddess

Submitted by: swampy

“Mortar, pestle, time to fly! Lift me up into the sky!”

Baba Yaga is also known as the Black Goddess and the White Lady of Death and Rebirth. She has Her roots in the Slavic countries of Eastern Europe. The word “Baba” means “grandmother” in Russian, and is a term of respect for elder women in general. Baba Yaga is the ArchCrone Goddess and therefore represents the third aspect of the Triple Goddess. Baba Yaga is often feared since She assumes a horrible appearance – usually as a wrinkled and ugly old crone.

Baba Yaga lives in a hut in the deepest, darkest part of the forest. It is surrounded by a fence made of human bones and the hut itself stands and walks around on chicken legs. It is dangerous to visit Baba Yaga’s hut, since it is said that Her appearance alone often will scare passerbys to death. She is said to then devour Her victims, which is why Her picket fence is topped with skulls.

Baba Yaga also has at Her command a number of otherworldly servants. These include a Red Knight who is the day bright sun, a White Knight who represents the dawn, and a Black Knight who signifies the night. Black, red, and white are the three colors most commonly associated with the process of personal transformation, black for the dissolution of the personality, white for its purification after darkness, and red for solar power and the vital life force that follows.Yaga is further served by six pairs of dwarves, who represent elemental spirits.

Baba Yaga rows through the air in a mortar, and uses a pestle for Her oar, sweeping the traces of Her flight from the air with a broom. Baba Yaga also has a herd of flying horses, and flies around the world once each day on the back of Her flying mare.

Baba Yaga is a good Goddess to call upon when we experience darkness, a depression, or a spiritual emptiness. She forces us to examine ourselves in the dark mirror of the soul and to seek new beginnings for ourselves.

Baba Yaga is associated with the colors red, black and white. She is also associated with mortal and pestles, brooms, horses, the dark of night, the Waning and Dark moon and skulls.