Baba Yaga- The witch in the forest

Baba Yaga is one of the most enduring figures in Slavic Folklore, but she was never just a monster. In this episode I explore three different tellings of her tale and uncover what she reveals about the darkest corners of psychology. I trace her origins from ancient Slavic tradition to modern psychological theory, examining her through Carl Jung's Crone archetype, Arnold van Gennep's concept of liminality, and Albert Bandura's research on moral disengagement. Why does she appear at moments of desperation? What does her ambiguous morality tell us about the line between good and evil and why that line moves? And what happens when you get exactly what you asked for?

This episode features three original folklore stories including a Baba Yaga tale exploring obsession, grief, and the true cost of a granted wish. Whether you're here for the dark folklore, the psychology, or both this one will stay with you.

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Psychology of the Strange is part of the Dark Cast Network. New episodes every week. Find me on Instagram and TikTok at @psychstrangepod.