Irkallu Spread-Finished!

I was working through the month of Ne-Izi-Gar to complete this spread for my Sumerian Oracle. I compiled the epics of Gilgamesh and Descent of Inanna with a few of the Sumerian "demons" who appear in my deck as gate guardians. On Kin-Inanna I unveil this huge task for others to use. appt as this echos her descent. 

Since this is a huge shadow self spread I figure there are two ways to use it: 1. do the spread and take notes for pondering upon later or 2. pull a card a day to walk through the process over a couple weeks of daily meditations (this is what I'm doing as I do my daily prayers to the dead). 

I put the meditations for the positions in italic and dark blue. 

1. Mašu (twin peaked mountains) with scorpion-men guards: Reason to take the epic quest.
   You come to the twin peaked mountain known as Mašu. Between the peaks lies a tunnel, as you get near the tunnel, two scorpion-men emerge and challenge you to find out why you have come there. Pull the card to discover why you are embarking on the shadow self quest. 
2. Id-ur-rugu (river): The challenge to conquer
   Once you make it through the tunnel and through a dark forest, you come to the river of the dead, Id-ur-rugu. Sit along its shore and the card here will reveal the challenge for you to conquer. Contemplate upon it until the ferryman appears. 
3. Ur-Shanai (ferryman): Your guide through this
   Ur-Shanai is the ferryman to the land of the dead. The card here will be what/who will guide you through your journey within. 
   
   (The cards pulled at the gates will be the answers to these questions--- ponder the relationship between the question, card, and even the attribute of the deity for your meditations)
4. Neti @ Gate 1: Strips your defense- What are you guarding against?
   The first guate guardian takes whatever you brought with you for defense. She wants to know what are you so scared of that you must guard yourself.
5. Uridimmu @ Gate 2: Strips your food/supplies- Are you nourishing or harming yourself?
   Uridimmu is one of the guardians of Shamash. He is one of the most vicious destroyers, but has a healing aspect. He takes your food and all supplies. He wants to know have you been nourishing or harming yourself? Self harm? Eating foods that hurt you? Are you working towards health or letting yourself waste? 
6. Kusarikku @ Gate 3: Strips your clothes- What are you repressing?
   Kusarikku is often paired with Uridimmu when guarding Shamash. He is also capable of great destruction, but is more concerned with protection. He wants to know what you are repressing? 
7. Mušuššu @ Gate 4: Strips your jewels- Why do you need to conform?
   Mušuššu is a fearless killer and harbinger of death. She deals with necrophilia and all taboo forms of vampirism (normal vitae is not good enough for her it seems). She also has dominion over the dead. She wants to know why you feel the need to conform to society? (it is possible to pull a card that says you don't conform, this is great)
8. Girtablullû @ Gate 5: Strips your headdress- Where are you misusing your intellect?
   Girtablullû he could easily be the patron god of the COBM, he uses pain and pleasure to expand consciousness. He also uses poison in various ways: harming, fortifying, or transforming the person who requested his presence. He wants to know how are you misusing your intellect? Are you rationalizing? Intellectualizing? Being Dull-wited? Intentionally naive? 
9. Ugallu @ Gate 6: Strips your mask- Who are you behind the mask you wear for society?
   Ugallu is the spiritual storm goddess. She not only uses storm for fortification or malice work, but also can appear as a gateway into the Void so practitioners can work within the creative 218 energy current if they don't already have their own access. She is curious to know who you are behind that mask worn for society? We all wear one.
10. Ninnghizhidda @ Gate 7: Strips your flesh- With your soul laid bare, what is your deepest fear?
    Ninnghizhidda is interesting; he could be a she, depending on who you ask. S/he is also either a god of Irkallu or the initial gate guardian. Some even say that she was the geneticist who took her DNA to make humans (for ancient alien theorists). In whatever capacity s/he plays, s/he would like to know, what are your deepest fears? 
    
    (The Judges)
11. Anunna (1-7 cards): 7 of the Anunna sit as judges in Irkallu. If they deem you unworthy; they glare at you with eyes of death, your flesh rots, and you are hung from a flesh hook to be tormented. If you are found worthy of a better afterlife, you join the lalartu (spirits). Use this place to see how your soul weighs. Pull 1 to 7 cards, however many feel right or until you get a definitive answer. 
12. Ereškigal: She is Inanna's sister, sometimes viewed as Inanna's dark side. She reigns as Queen of Irkallu, but is in perpetual torment like a women in constant labour. She would give the heart's desire to the person who could quench her pain with the food and water of Life. She judges your compassion.
13. Nergal: The plague god and King of Irkallu. He is ruthless and demanding. He judges you harshly on your shrewdness and worthiness to be among them.
    
    (The Advisers- as the only ones to have left Irkallu, they are in a position to give advice on what you need to do in order to improve your position and heal your shadow self)
14. Inanna: When she went down to see her sister after the death of Ereškigal's husband she was judged negatively, turned into a corpse, and hanged on a hook. She was later retrieved but under the contingency that someone take her place. She is as loving and fair as she is ruthless. Her advice comes from her heart and is just, but will not spare your feelings if you need tough love.
15. Dumuzid: Husband of Inanna. When Inanna came back from the Underworld, he was found on her throne surrounded by temple maidens. He was the only one not lamenting her absence. She decided that he be the one to replace her. Demons were sent after him, after much evasion attempts and others trying to help him via shape-shifting, he was caught and dragged into the Underworld. Inanna still loves him, so while he is below, the world slowly decays and fertility returns when he comes back in the Fall. He is an arrogant, self-absorbed, hedonist. He will give you advice that will be self-serving, but it may bite you in the rear (much like his actions did to him).
16. Geštinanna: Sister to Dumuzid, she lamented when her brother was sent to the Underworld. She pleaded with Inanna for mercy. Inanna came up with a compromise that meant the two siblings split the year in half below. She is full of sympathy, compassion, and sense of fairness used in mediation. Her advice will be one from a place of compassion and mediation. If you consult her while she is in Irkallu, during the Fall and Winter, she could be persuaded to give you a hint if your name is coming up to be added to the Book of Dead. She is the Scribe while she is there.
17. Lalartu: If you have specific ancestors that you feel connected to, this is where you commune with them. Give them the food and water of Life. If you do not, then bring the offerings and sit for one of your ancestors to come. The spirits. I put this position to give your ancestors a voice if they wish to speak.

Altar to the Lalartu, blessings to my ancestors. 

May they find favor now that I found our history.