Two Value Systems are locked in contention. For the last 2,500 to 3,000 years we’ve organised society using money which gave rise to competition and the illusion of scarcity. Simultaneously, Families and Small Groups continued to organise themselves, as they had for millennia, on the basis of collaboration and mutual support (FSG methodology). As more and more activities and relationships have become increasingly financialised, the ability of individuals, families or groups to sustain themselves has become progressively contstrained, leading to poverty, homelessness and starvation; and of course conflict, violence and abuse. In many respects we abuse ourselves merely to survive this increasingly hostile environment.
The threat of Digital ID to control every aspect of our existence, is just that, a threat.
Also available on Odysee: https://odysee.com/@Outersite.org:7/UKDigitalIDDebate:8
Why do I say that the plans, to monitor, control and punish free thinking and behaviour, will fail?
We are in the midst of a paradigm shift. The reasons are threefold:
- Structural – as described in the first link, A Tale of Two Value Systems
- Social – Distributed Autonomous Codependent Self-Organisation (DACSO)
- Spiritual – While it is not possible to prove by logic alone, when we are open to the idea of conscious energy and live according to universal law, i.e. for the benefit of others, the rewards are bountiful
The question then arises, how do we tap into the wisdom and love to reap the rewards of so doing? There are myriad routes/methods to expand our consciousness and the Occult or esoteric (hidden) knowledge, described pejoratively by Tony in the interview above, is essential to understand. The rituals and practices described by Tony are very powerful, even in the hands of the unworthy. However, when used for the benefit of others, they are omnipotent.
I’ve been exploring the Tarot for a few years as means to tap into this ancient wisdom/esoteric knowledge.
In our WiseValue discussions, we have been considering two significant books: Kojin Karatani’s The Structure Of World History and Iain McGilchrist’s The Master And His Emissary. Both allude to the evolution of human consciousness and are valuable for their insights into how we’ve got to where we are today.
In contrast, Becoming Baba Yaga by Kris Spisak, describes this ancient mythological woman as a trickster, feminist, and witch of the woods. The journey through Kris’s narrative is captivating, evocative and highly relevant to the challenges we face in the world today, both individually and as a species.
I can’t begin to convey in words this wisdom and relevance because it emerges from the pages subtly and progressively, at least it did for me. Here are a few extracts:
In Spisak’s words, “There is good; there is evil. Then there is Baba Yaga.” Which brings us, I suppose, to today. What is her purpose now?
Her chicken-footed hut, inspired by history and imagination alike, in no way ties her down. Rather, the magic hut instills a sense of possibility. When similarly bound to the confines of necessary domesticity, we could ask Baba Yaga’s familiar question: are you here to do deeds or run from them? Hero’s quests take many forms. What will yours look like today?
Examining how Baba Yaga’s multifaceted role shifted to that of witch gives a greater context to her identity today, whether she is worshipped, studied, or reviled. Like Circe in The Odyssey, no better name existed for what she was, so the label of “witch” fell upon her for the world to remember. Of course, there the similarities end, for Baba Yaga is no enchantress. No, she is a natural force who holds the waters of life and death in her possession, whose flying mortar leads to magic possibilities, and whose horns call all the birds of all the lands for assistance. These tools of magic demonstrate her deep understanding of the world’s secrets. And Baba Yaga’s demonization and shift into “sorcery” is perhaps her most notable tale of all.
Our modern era demands simple explanation after the sound bitequick analysis after a few minutes of research. We read the headlines but not the story. Thus, Baba Yaga is commonly no more and no less than a terrifying Slavic witch, a “boogeyman,” to borrow a highly disputed translation from the John Wick franchise. Yet through it all, Baba Yaga is not only a character colliding with modernity. She has been relevant to contemporary life throughout her entire existence. Her appearance in movies, television, video games, and popular spiritual culture today is no rise from the ashes. Baba Yaga has lurked on the fringes of consciousness for centuries, waiting in her hut deep in the woods for the next hero or heroine to stumble upon her, reminding us always:
Head down, child, as you cut your way through the forest.
Don’t disturb the creatures there or the plants emerging from the soil.
Walk fast, young man, when you stray where you should not go, then return to the path warmed by the light of the sun.
Stop bickering with each other, children and adults, or Baba Yaga will get you.
Don’t agree to those “Terms and Conditions” without reading them for you might be promising away your soul.
Okay, I might have made that last one up. But you have to know what monsters are after you if you want to avoid them. The monsters might hide in the fine print and the deep fake you didn’t spot, but who other than Baba Yaga could really say?
The stories (narratives) we’ve assimilated over the years set our world views and, for many, no amount of evidence and analysis can shift preconceived notions and beliefs.
It is through art, music, literature, movement and many other forms that we begin to assimilate stories that accord with reality – metaphors for life.
As I was drafting my own Baba Yaga–inspired novel, little did I know, but an untold number of other novels featuring old Boney Legs were also coming into being at exactly the same time. We authors were not in communication with each other, or even aware of the others’ existence. I guess there was just something in the air.
If you feel like you’re suddenly seeing Baba Yaga everywhere, you’re not alone. While she never truly went away, the character is definitely “in” right now in a way that she hasn’t been for generations—especially outside the geographical confines of her Slavic origin. As a folklorist, this jolts me awake. I want to know why.
Why is Baba Yaga, quite suddenly, the it girl of the 21st century?from the Forward to Becoming Baba Yaga
Before circulating this post, I offered the opportunity for comments from some of our WiseValue colleagues. and here is the brief correspondence. Tim responded:
Immediate thought: When talking, I liked the pestle and mortar idea and that of grinding down old structures to make way for the new. The part about Baba Yaga left me wanting to know a lot more about her and more specifically her relevance today. This made me want to read the book…but maybe most readers might like to know a bit more about this without buying the book.
To which I replied:
I’ll dig out an extract referring to that in the book. What I didn’t want to do, is try to summarise the book because it speaks best for itself. There are the stories themselves which may be more accessible although I bought the omnibus which I’ve just started. I guess it’s aimed at those who have sufficient curiosity and capacity to buy and read the book.
I couldn’t find a suitable reference that encapsulates the significance of the pestle and mortar but at the beginning of our discussions, Alex circulated a note on how Baba Yaga is an agent of structural change: Baba Yaga is an agent of structural change—an archetype of the wild, cyclical processes of nature.
