I often feel called during the All Souls-Tide to render a potent tale depicting an ancient journey - The Myth comes from the land of Sumer, a place that today we call Iraq, just a smidge northwest of Kuwait, where the Tigris & Euphrates meet. This ancient allegory is a precursor to the 3-day Harrowing of Hell at Easter-Tide - & It is a reality that echoes the Cosmic journey that every human soul takes thru the 7 planetary spheres in the life between death & rebirth. Late last night around the bonfire, after our ‘Soul to Soul Festival’, the Story of Inanna came up - a full affirmation to share it today. In this saga, Inanna, the Sumerian Goddess of Love & Light, hears the groans of her sister Ereshkigal, Goddess of the Underworld – So, Inanna, Queen of Heaven & Earth follows her destiny & willing takes the journey into the Dark, to be reunited with the undiscovered & rejected parts of herself symbolized by her sister Ereshkigal. She fortifies herself with the royal power inherent in each of her chakras - but, the 7 gates to the Underworld are narrow & she must leave behind her vestiges of power in order to enter. In this vulnerable state, she faces her sister, token of the collective unconsciousness, & her shadow-self. Out of this alchemical process empathy is born. This compassionate part of Inanna takes to heart the travails of her sister’s painful labor - She hears her pain - & names it back to her. This is the action of Love in Wisdom - which faciliates the rebirth of Inanna thru her sister - Returning the rainbow gifts of her 7 chakras transformed & renewed. Thru her relinquishment, sacrificial death, & resurrection, She becomes more than the Goddess of Heaven & Earth - She has conquered the Underworld - & has now become, Whole… Hear now : The Descent of InannaTranslated by Wolkstein-Kramer, adapted by ~hag
From the Great Above she opened her ear to the Great Below. From the Great Above the goddess set her ear to the Great Below. Our Lady abandoned heaven & earth to descend to the spirit-world. Inanna looked beyond heaven & earth to ascend to the spirit-world. She abandoned her temple to descend to the underworld. She gathered together the seven mai - the blessings of power. She took them into her hands. With the 7 mai in her possession, she prepared herself: She placed the holy crown on her head. She arranged the dark locks of hair across her forehead to adorn her 3rd eye. She tied the small lapis beads round her neck, & from her mouth she vibrated the vowel ‘let him come, let him come’ to let the double strand of beads fall to her breast, opening her heart Self with the ankh. She slipped the ring of gold over her finger, as she wrapped the royal robe around her furnace, anointing herself with musk & holy oils. Fitting her sandals with wings, She took the ruby measuring rod & line in her hand. And so it was, that Inanna set out for the spirit-world. Ninshubur, her faithful servant, went with her. Inanna spoke to her, saying: ‘Ninshubur, my constant support - My soul sister who gives me wise advice - My warrior who fights by my side - I am descending to the Kur, to the underworld. If I do not return, set up a lament for me by the ruins. Beat the drum for me in the assembly places. Circle the houses of the gods. Speak for me with your eyes. Sing to me with your mouth. Remember me to my people. Dress yourself in a single garment & act out my sacrifice. Go to Nippur, to the temple of Enlil. When you enter his holy shrine, cry out: “Oh, father Enlil; do not let your daughter be stuck in death in the underworld. Do not let your bright silver be covered with dust in the underworld/ Do not let your precious lapis be broken into grit for the stoneworker. Do not let your fragrant boxwood be cut into scraps for the woodworker. Do not let the holy priestess of heaven be stuck in death in the underworld.” If Enlil will not help you, go to Ur, to the temple of Nanna. Weep before Father Nanna. If Nanna will not help you, Go to Eridu, to the temple of Enki. Weep before Mother Enki. Mother Enki, the Goddess of Wisdom, knows the food of life, She knows the water of life; knows the secret of life. Surely she will not let me die the 2nd death’ Inanna continued on her way to the spirit-world. Then she stopped and said: ‘Go now Ninshubur - & do not forget the words I have commanded you.’ When Inanna arrived at the outer gates of the Underworld, She knocked loudly. She cried out in a fierce voice: ‘Open the door, guardian, Open the door, Neti! I alone would enter!‘ Neti, the chief gatekeeper of the Kur, asked: ‘Who are you?’ She answered: ‘I am Inanna, Queen of Heaven, on my way to the West.’ Neti said: ‘If you are truly Inanna, Queen of Heaven, on your way to the West, Why has your heart led you on the road from which no traveler returns untouched?’ Inanna answered: ‘I would know the spirit-world. I have opened my ear & heard the moans of my older sister Ereshkigal. Her husband, the Bull of Heaven, has died. I have come to witness the funeral rites. Let the beer of his funeral rites be poured into the cup. Let it be done.’ Neti spoke: ‘Stay here Inanna; I will speak to my queen. I will give her your message.’ Neti, the chief gatekeeper of the Kur, entered the palace of Ereshkigal, the Queen of the Underworld, & said: ‘My Queen, a maid as tall as heaven, as wide as the earth, as strong as the foundations of the city wall, waits outside the palace gates. She has gathered together the seven mai. She has taken them in her hands. With the mai in her possession, she has prepared herself: On her head she wears the holy crown of the temple. Across her forehead her dark locks of hair are carefully arranged. Around her neck she wears the small lapis beads to vibrate the vowel ‘let him come, let him come.’ At her breast she wears the ankh. Her body is wrapped in the royal robe. On her finger she wears the golden ring. On her feet are the winged sandals. In her hand she carries the ruby measuring rod and line.’ When Ereshkigal heard this, she slapped her thigh & bit her lip. She took the matter into her heart & dwelt on it. Then she spoke: ‘Come, Neti, my chief gatekeeper of the Kur - Heed my words: Bolt the seven gates of the underworld. Then, one by one, open each gate a crack. Let Inanna enter. As she enters, remove her royal garments. Let the holy priestess of heaven enter bowed low, that she may know my pain.’ Neti heeded the words of his queen. He bolted the seven gates of the Underworld. Then he opened the outer gate. He said to the maid: ‘Come, Inanna, enter.’
1. When she entered the first gate - From her head, the Holy crown of the Temple was removed. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?‘ She was told: ‘Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They may not be questioned.’ 2. When she entered the second gate - From her forehead the lock of hair was removed. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They may not be questioned.’ 3.When she entered the third gate - From her neck the small lapis beads were removed. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?‘ She was told: ‘Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They may not be questioned.’ 4. When she entered the fourth gate - From her breast the Ankh was removed. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?‘ She was told, ‘Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They may not be questioned.’ 5. When she entered the fifth gate - From her furnace the robe was removed. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They may not be questioned.’ 6. When she entered the sixth gate - From her finger the gold ring was removed, & the perfume wiped away. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They may not be questioned’ 7. When she entered the seventh gate - From her feet the winged sandals were removed. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?‘ She was told: ‘Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They may not be questioned.’ Naked & bowed low, Inanna entered Ereshkigal’s throne room. Queen Ereshkigal rose. Inanna started toward her throne. But the Annuna, the Judges of the Underworld, surrounded her. They held up the mirror & passed judgment against her. Then Ereshkigal fastened on Inanna the eye of death. She spoke against her the word of wrath. She uttered against her the cry of guilt. The truth of her unbalance struck her dead.
Inanna was turned into a corpse, a piece of rotting meat, & was hung from a hook on the wall. When, after three days & three nights, Inanna had not returned, Ninshubur set up a lament for her by the ruins.
She beat the drum for her in the assembled places. She circled the houses of the gods. She spoke of Inanna with her eyes. She sang to Inanna with her mouth. She remembered Inanna to her people. She dressed herself in a single garment & acted out Inanna’s sacrifice. Alone, she set out for Nippur and the temple of Enlil. When she entered the holy shrine, She cried out: ‘O Father Enlil, do not let your daughter be stuck in death in the underworld. Do not let your bright silver be covered with dust in the underworld. Do not let your precious lapis be broken into grit for the stoneworker. Do not let your fragrant boxwood be cut into scraps for the woodworker. Do not let the holy priestess of heaven be stuck in death in the underworld.’ Father Enlil answered angrily: “my daughter craved the Great Above. Inanna craved the Great Below. She who receives the maIi of the Underworld does not return. She who goes to the Dark City stays there.” Father Enlil would not help. Ninshubur went to Ur & the temple of Nanna. When she entered the holy shrine, She cried out: ‘Oh Father Nanna, do not let your daughter be stuck in death in the underworld. Do not let your bright silver be covered with dust in the underworld. Do not let your precious lapis be broken into grit for the stoneworker. Do not let your fragrant boxwood be cut into scraps for the woodworker. Do not let the holy priestess of heaven be stuck in death in the underworld.’ Father Nanna answered angrily: “my daughter craved the Great Above. Inanna craved the Great Below. She who receives the maIi of the Underworld does not return. She who goes to the Dark City stays there.” Father Nanna would not help. Ninshubur went to Eridu & the temple of Enki. When she entered the holy shrine, She cried out, ‘O Mother Enki, do not let your daughter be stuck in death in the underworld. Do not let your bright silver be covered with dust in the underworld. Do not let your precious lapis be broken into grit for the stoneworker. Do not let your fragrant boxwood be cut into scraps for the woodworker. Do not let the holy priestess of heaven be stuck in death in the underworld.’ Mother Enki said; ‘What has happened? What has my daughter done? Inanna, Queen of All the Lands! Holy Priestess of Heaven! What has happened? I am troubled, I am grieved.’ From under her fingernail Mother Enki brought forth dirt. She fashioned the dirt into a kurgarra, a creature neither male nor female -From under the fingernail of her other hand she brought forth dirt. She fashioned the dirt into a galatur, a creature neither male nor female - She gave the food of life to the kurgarra. She gave the water of life to the galatur, saying: ‘Go to the underworld; enter the doors like flies. Ereshkigal, the Queen of the Underworld, is moaning with the cries of a woman about to give birth. No linen is spread on her body. Her breasts are uncovered. Her hair swirls about her head like leeks. When she cries,’Oh! Oh! My Inside!’ Cry also, ‘Oh! Oh! Your inside!’ When she cries: ‘Oh! Oh! My outside!’ Cry also ‘Oh! Oh! your outside!’ The queen will be pleased. She will offer you a gift. Ask her only for the corpse that hangs from the hook on the wall. One of you will sprinkle the food of life on it. The other will sprinkle the water of life. Inanna will arise.’ The kurgarra & the galatur heeded Enki’s words. They set out for the Underworld. Like flies, they slipped through the cracks of the gates. They entered the throne room of the Queen of the Underworld. No linen was spread on her body. Her breasts were uncovered. Her hair swirled around her head like leeks.
Ereshkigal was moaning: ‘Oh! Oh! My inside!’ They moaned. ‘Oh! Oh! Your inside!’ She moaned: ‘Ohhhh! Oh! My outside!’ They moaned: ‘Ohhhh! Oh! your outside!’nShe groaned: ‘Oh! Oh! My belly!’ They groaned: ‘Oh! Oh! Your belly!’ She groaned: ‘Oh! Oh! My back!’ They groaned: ‘Oh! Oh! Your back!’ She sighed: ‘Ah! Ah! My heart!’ They sighed: ‘Ah! Ah! Your heart!’ She sighed: ‘Ah! Ahhhh! My liver!’ They sighed: ‘Ah! Ahhhh! Your liver!’ Ereshkigal stopped. She looked at them. She asked: ‘Who are you, moaning - groaning - sighing with me?’ If you are gods, I will bless you. If you are mortals, I will give you a gift. I will give you the water-gift, the river in its fullness.’ The kurgarra & galatur answered: ‘We do not wish it.’ Ereshkigal said: ‘I will give you the grain gift, the fields in harvest.’ The kurgarra & galatur said: ‘We do not wish it.’ Ereshkigal said: ‘Speak then! What do you wish?’ They answered: ‘We wish only for the corpse that hangs from the hook on the wall.’ Ereshkigal said: ‘The corpse belongs to Inanna.’ They said: ‘That is what we wish.’ The corpse was given to them. The kurgarra sprinkled the food of life on the corpse. The galatur sprinkled the water of life on the corpse. Inanna arose. Inanna was about to ascend from the Underworld, when the Annuna, the Judges of the Underworld, seized her. They said: ‘No one ascends from the underworld unmarked’. But Ereshkigal, after having been heard, had given birth, she was changed, & wished to know more about the life above, that she might be awake to the above & the below. She spoke her wish to Inanna…”You will come to the underworld half the year; & I, your sister, Will stay the other half. On the day you are called, That day you will be taken. On the day Inanna is called, That day Ereshkigal will be set free.”
The sisters embraced. And great was Innana’s rejoicing in her chance to rule as Queen in the underworld... When the midnight hour had passed & Inanna was called to return, Neti, the chief gatekeeper of the Kur, asked: ‘Who are you?‘ ‘I am one to be reborn’ replied the Queen. And so Inanna was led back thru the dark into the light. 7. She passed through the seventh gate - And on her feet the winged sandals were restored. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘This you now know, the ways of the Underworld are perfect. They must be questioned.’ 6. She passed through the sixth gate - And on her ring finger the golden ring was restored. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘This you now know, the ways of the Underworld are perfect. They must be questioned.’ 5. She passed through the fifth gate - And the robe to her furnace was restored. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘This you now know, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They must be questioned.’ 4. She passed through the fourth gate - And the ankh to her breast was restored. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘This you now know, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They must be questioned.’ 3. She passed through the third gate - And on her neck the small lapis beads were restored. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘This you now know, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They must be questioned.’ 2. She passed through the second gate - On her forehead the locks of hair over her 3rd eye was restored. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘This you now know, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They must be questioned.‘ 1. She passed through the first gate - And on her head, the holy crown of the Temple was restored. Inanna asked: ‘What is this?’ She was told: ‘This you now know, the ways of the underworld are perfect. They must be questioned.’
Inanna, the initiate queen, now had a new name, & was restored. The gate was opened from the great above to the great below - & from the great below to the great above. The gate is opened for all who can proclaim: Holy Ereshkigal! Great is your sacrifice! Holy Ereshkigal! Divine are your secrets shared! Holy Ereshkigal! Sister of Inanna, I sing your praises! And what was divided was united, in the great above & in the great below. & so it is.  
a glimpse of The life between death & rebirth - 
How do we look at the karmic connections that shape current events? Our work with those on the “Other-side of the Threshold” can give us clues about the causes and purpose of epidemics and the ways of healing ourselves, our beloved dead and the Earth. 
To honor & foster the Christian Community of Southeast Wisconsin, we gather for ‘Devotional Services’ in-between Priest Visits. All are welcome to join in this opportunity to come together for devotion, reflection, & sharing. 29 November - 13 December Please arrive by 10:15 am so that we can be ready to begin promptly at 10:30 am– when the Consecration of the Human Being is being celebrated all over the country 11:30 am - Optional Potluck-Social Time (food contributions welcome) Families welcome - Children can play downstairs during the service. RSVP hazel@CogRite.com
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