Brigitte Dörner

I’m German with Slavic roots, living in Bavaria, Germany, and I’ve been wearing many hats already – I’m not a spring chicken anymore, after all, but the ones I consider worth mentioning about me are: Budding author, puppet & mask creatrix, props designer for theater, stones & bones collector, spiritual crafter, bookbinder & bookseller (pre-previous life), Reiki practitioner, tree whisperer & Über-Lebenskünstlerin (survival-artist, clumsily translated).

I think Baba Yaga and Wild Mother Hulda decided to adopt me, when my world as I have known it for the last eleven years before (living in Prague, Czech Republic), fell apart. We were already acquainted for many years, but in that fateful summer 2021, when I got diagnosed with a life threatening illness the two venerable crones decided that it was about time they took me under their wings and on a journey. A journey back home to myself. The self that has been waiting deep down in Hulda’s well to be found and redeemed by me. Back then I almost died. Still in recovery from all the long term side effects I continue to re-group and re-align with my life’s purpose.

Animist by birth, this year I fulfilled my heart’s desire of starting to get trained as a Völva and Seidkona. Although I feel more comfortable with terms like hedge rider, evening rider (Kveldritha), like Hagazussa and such, since in the end of my education it will be the spirits, who will decide if I will have proven myself worthy of bearing the staff.

My book: How can the ‘Dark’ Goddesses, like Holle (Mother Hulda), Baba Yaga, Cailleach, etc, support women (re-)writing their own myths in the second half of their lives to (re-)create a deep sense of belonging. It wants to become a magical book, wherein a warm, golden glow is shining from deep within the earth.