MEETING THE
BABA JAGA ORACLE

A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY THROUGH STORY MEDICINE AND SLAVIC MYTH

100% HUMAN-MADE WITH LOVE AND INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED

Venture deep into the birch forest to stand before the Baba Jaga, and answer her question: Are you here by choice or by chance?

Stories and folktales are at the heart of what it means to be human, and maybe today we need their medicine more than ever. Based in Slavic folklore, the Baba Jaga-Oracle deck explores the topic of transformation, and serves as a tool
to guide you through the different stages of change. 

ORACLE CARDS

The deck contains 40 professionally printed cards on 350gsm card stock. The cards measure 70 mm x 120 mm (2.75”x 4.75”), and will be housed in a tuck box with matte lamination on the outside. A magnetic closure-box and luxurious matte card eges are potential upgrades that may become possible through a successful crowdfunding campaign.

HUMAN MADE

The Baba Jaga Oracle is 100% human made. All artworks, texts, and designs, (and all marketing materials) were dreamed up by human imagination and created by human hands.

No generative AI was used in the making of this deck.

GUIDEBOOK

The extensive guidebook contains folklore based in scholarly sources, divination messages, keywords, and journal prompts. Furthermore, ideas and suggestions on how to work with the Baba Jaga Oracle, card spreads, as well as a chapter on spirit work, and a bibliography are included.

THE BABA JAGA ORACLE IS AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON KICKSTARTER.

THE BABA JAGA

Baba Jaga is the great witch of Slavic folklore. Since the eighteenth century, she has appeared in hundreds of Russian and Eastern European tales. To this day, she is one of folklore’s most popular characters, yet she remains enigmatic and ambivalent, a mysterious figure whose source is unknown. She may be a single entity, a type of local spirit, an archetype, or everything all at once. Baba Jaga has a multitude of meanings unique to every individual storyteller and tale-listener.

She is the one who (re-) creates from that which has died, and thus always a double-sided archetype, and a deeply ambiguous figure. She developed from a force of nature to an animal to a humanoid folktale character. At her core, Baba Jaga is deeply intertwined with the human experience. She unites the eternal contradictions of life and death, male and female, nature and culture. There is a lot of truth and wisdom in her, which is arguably why she is so powerful in herself, and in her impact on the collective spirit.

Baba Jaga is a boundary-crosser and a shapeshifter reminding us that freedom lies beyond the border of social conventions. She is both healer and destroyer, unapologetic in her authentic and untamed nature.

In this deck, I use the term “Slavic” for better word flow. However, it is important to remember that there is no single unified “Slavic culture”. The word “Slavic” describes a large body of distinct ethnic groups and nationalities in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe who share ancestral roots, historical ties, and closely related languages.

Slavic mythology is a broad and complex subject. I am not a scholar, and I don’t claim to be an expert on Baba Jaga-folklore in any way.  While I try to base all of my work in academic research, the goal of this oracle deck is not to create an over-intellectualised summary of scholarly writings, but an artistic interpretation of the character of Baba Jaga.

At its core, the Baba Jaga Oracle is a spirit deck developed through my personal work with her. Rooted in folktales and scholarly sources, it is ultimately inspired by how I experience Baba Jaga in my personal witchcraft practice.

I invite you to take what resonates, and leave what does not. 

THE DECK

THE JOURNEY

We are living in a time of great transformation. It is no surprise that Baba Jaga,
a figure of change and initiation, is experiencing a surge in popularity.

Stories and folktales are at the heart of what it means to be human, and maybe today we need their medicine more than ever. Folktales are a living tradition developing in response to the known, observable world around us. 

The stories we tell about ourselves and the world matter. They shape our lives, our experiences, and our future. The systems we are trapped in are built on narratives that keep us small and obedient. They derive their power directly from us. It is time to reclaim what is ours. We can change the story, because we are the ones telling it.

No book or oracle deck can tell you what has to be learned through first-hand experience. You have to meet the Baba Jaga yourself to get a glimpse into her wisdom.

My hope is that this oracle deck becomes your trusted companion on your journey of transformation. May it assist and guide you, as you venture deep into the birch forest to meet the witch within and without.

The deck is suitable for beginners and advanced readers alike.

There are multiple ideas and suggestions on how to work with the cards included in the guidebook. Since the Baba Jaga deck is an oracle it does not follow a strict system like the tarot for example. Instead, it is designed to encourage the reader to work with the cards in an intuitive way, focusing on exploration and curiosity.

The Baba Jaga Oracle was conceived as a spirit deck, however you do not need any prior occult knowledge or experience to engage with the cards in a meaningful way. It is a deck for open-minded people - practising witches, card enthusiasts, and folklore lovers alike.

ORACLE CARDS OVERVIEW

BEHIND THE SCENES

TEST PRINTING & PRESS PACKAGES

In this video we take a look at what’s been going on behind the scenes of the Baba Jaga Oracle Deck creation leading up to the Kickstarter campaign. I show you the test printing of the cards, a prototype of the guidebook, and how I handmade press packages.

WATCH HERE

CARD OF
THE WEEK

Take a peek into the guidebook of the Baba Jaga Oracle by reading excerpts for free on my Patreon. I’m pulling one card as a sort of collective reading, suggesting the energy for the week ahead, and giving you something to ponder over.

READ MORE

FREE DOWNLOAD
BABA JAGA ZINE

I have created a free Baba Jaga-zine that is both a basis for my upcoming deck, as well as a standalone offering. The zine contains three hand-picked folk tales featuring the Baba Jaga, as well as some of my original artwork, and a bibliography.

FREE DOWNLOAD

MENTAL HEALTH & SHIPPING ISSUES

I give you some insight into my work (and mind) as a solo artist with mental illness. I also talk about the issues I am facing in regard to the global shipping situation, and how I am hoping to resolve them for this upcoming Kickstarter campaign.

WATCH HERE

LET’S CREATE A CARD TOGETHER

In this video I show you how I plan, design and finally hand-draw one of the cards for my upcoming Baba Jaga oracle. Join me for a casual and cozy time in my studio!

WATCH HERE

ANNOUNCING THE BABA JAGA ORACLE

I’m talking about my upcoming Baba Jaga-Oracle, folklore, and the motivation behind this project. I’m also sharing a lot of card artworks and previews of the deck for the first time.

WATCH HERE

FAQs

  • The deck will be available through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. The campaign starts in mid October 2026 will run for 30 days. During this time period you can pre-order the deck.

    If the Kickstarter doesn’t get funded, the deck will not go into print.

  • The Baba Jaga Oracle will be available exclusively on Kickstarter.

    This means that pre-orders will only be possible during the four week-long campaign.

    I cannot promise you that the deck will become available for purchase again after the campaign ends. Of course, I would love to offer the deck in my shop afterwards, however due to the current shipping regulations in both the EU and the US I am currently not able to ship my own products. 

    I am working on solutions for this problem and looking into different options for retail, but if you want to make sure to get a copy of the Baba Jaga Oracle, you will have to order the deck during the Kickstarter campaign.

  • No generative AI was used in the creation of this deck. All illustrations, texts, layouts, and designs are created by Johanna Polle. The artwork was drawn by hand and refined in Procreate. The layouting of the packaging, the cards, and the booklet was done in Adobe Photoshop and Scribus without the use of any AI features. All photos used in the marketing material were taken and edited by Johanna Polle.