I reside deep within the forest in the Three Nine Kingdom (land of the living dead) of Nav (Underworld). I am a Volkhvy (majikal healing) Tsarevna (princess). Koshenya is my name, given to me by my Babushka (grandmother), Baba Yaga. My friends are the Vorozhit' (the predictors of a person's fate), the Rusalki (water spirits) , the Lesoviki (forest spirits), and of course all Beregini-zashchitnitsy (spirit protectors). The basic rules to my kingdom is to ask no questions or favors and accept no gifts, to mind your manners, and, most importantly of all, to never stray from the path.

If you choose to come into the three nine world to visit me or my Babushka, there are things you may want to bring with you: an ancestral doll who can advise you; a dozen blue roses for Baba Yaga; oil, bread, and ham wrapped in a kerchief and tied with a ribbon; extra pieces of meat or jerky for the various spirit animals you will encounter. If you actually find the cabin that Baba Yaga and I live in, it will appear to be spinning before you. You will need to know the spell to make it stop, so you may enter. The spell is:

'Little hut! Little hut!
Turn your back on the forest floor
And turn to face me with your door!
I want to rest and break some bread
I want to sleep and rest my head!'

Baba Yaga will then challenge you. She will ask:

Why are you here? Did you come of your own free will? Or did someone send you?

The correct answer is the correct answer. Not particularly one answer over the other, but what is true for you.

Be careful where you sit and how you sit, because Baba Yaga's chairs are actually spatulas and if you sit in such a way that she can fit you in her oven, she will lead you to a complete transformation thru rebirth...gestation in the womb. Don't go into this unconsciously, be aware of what is happening to you.

If you go out into the garden, there is a woman there who holds the key to the seven doors. After opening the first six doors, the seventh door will release an eagle who will let you ride it deeper into the kingdom or out of the kingdom. Make sure you have meat for this eagle, she is always hungry.

Some of the other spirit animals you may encounter are the hedgehog, hare, goose, cat, dog, mouse, deer, chicken, bees, lions, horses, birds, fish, swan, frog, and bear. If you encounter a wolf or a crow, this is Baba Yaga disguised. Don't be fooled.

There are magickal tools that you can obtain in the three nine kingdom.

Mortar and pestle, in which you can blend healing herbs. Baba Yaga flies in her mortar.

Broom made of silver birch.

A towel that can be turned into water and a comb that can be turned into trees. Both can be used for quick get aways, if you need.

There are magical black sunflowers and mushrooms, when eaten will give you vision.

Babushka keeps a jar of 1000 eyes and the mirror of reality in her cabin. Be careful how long you look at either.

There are several gifts that Baba Yaga may personally give you. There is a silver spindle and golden spinning wheel that spins golden thread. She may give you a spool of thread that will guide you along your path. Baba Yaga also has a silver dish and golden egg that she may offer; or a golden embroidery frame and needle that embroiders itself.

Be aware that my Babushka has access to both the water of death which heals wounds, and the water of life which gives life.

It may also be helpful to know that if you wave a handkerchief 3 xs with your right hand, a bridge will appear to cross over to the three ten kingdom, the land of the truly dead. When in the three ten kingdom, wave the kerchief 3 xs with left hand and a bridge will appear to cross back.

Oh, one last secret...the blue roses you give Baba Yaga? For every blue rose you give her, it makes her a year younger. She appreciates this and offers you a wish or the answer to a question in return for each rose. For every wish or question you ask of her, she ages a year...so don't ask any questions unless you have some blue roses for her to counteract her aging...otherwise she'll get angry with you over the questions that are aging her...be thoughtful, not forgetful.