Sumerian Underworld Brain Game
Let's play a game of word association! So I'm going to put some bits about each line and please give back a word or some words that come to your mind. I'm looking to get vibes/ideas for meanings for these positions (some other vantage points). Don't shy away from psychological concepts, this will be applied for shadow work. This is just points, I am working on layout as I ponder things.
These are the obstacles to get to the gates. Probably baggage you are carrying with you or need to overcome.
1. Mashu: Twin mountains that are guarded by two scorpion men. Once past the guards, you go through the tunnel and a dark forest to find the River of the Dead).
2. Id-lu-rugu: The river of the dead that must be crossed before entering the land of the dead.
3. Ur-Shanahi: The ferryman on the river
The next 7 are the gates into the Underworld. At each one you have to leave an article of clothing (clothes, jewelry, armour, weapons) which disempowers you, by the 7th gate you are naked before the judges. I need things for people to shed, mostly psychological aspects. It could be something like "Jewels of vanity; this gate shows your superficial nature." I will also be going through the various deities in my deck and assigning guardian types to the gates who don't have one at them.
4. Neti stands at Gate 1: Neti was ordered by Ereshkigal to take Inanna's clothes before she could enter the Underworld. So she took her Lapis Luzi rod. Inanna lost an article of clothes at each gate.
5. Gate 2
6. Gate 3
7. Gate 4
8. Gate 5
9. Gate 6
10. Ninnghizhidda stands at Gate 7: Ninnghizhidda is a lord of the Underworld. Some books put him at the first gate, others place him just within the UW has a head. Sometimes he gets called a she. Since there is no agreement on his or her place, I placed him as the final gate challenge as "prove your worth to one of the lords of here before entry." So whatever is removed here has to be big and soul bearing.
Next are the Judgments. Anunnaki as 7 judges to stand in judgement over you. I am going to use this as judging your shadow work so far (challenges/baggage plus challenges/shedding at the gates).
11. Anunnaki: 1 card preferably, but can use up to the full 7 judges if needed. They judged Inanna and stared at her with eyes of death, she shriveled into a corpse and was hung on a meat hook.
12. Ereshkigal: Empress of the Underworld, Inanna's sister who is in torment, like a woman in perpetual labour pains. She promises desires fulfilled if you can cure her (via the food and drink of life).
13. Nergal: Emperor of the Underworld, the Plague Lord, not an overly kind man.
Now for the advice givers. There are only 3 who got to leave the Underworld after Nergal decided that they had to get replacements for their absence. I also included ancestors for advisers even if it doesn't seem part of the religious scheme so far in my research.
14. Inanna: When she was rescued it was required that she chose a replacement for her in the Underworld. She saw that her husband did not mourn her passing so she chose him. She was not all ruthless; when his sister requested mercy, Inanna agreed to a compromise to split the year between the two siblings. As a fertility goddess, when her husband is below ground, her lament for him causes the fertility of the land to wane (creating seasons).
15. Dumuzid: While his wife was in the Underworld he made himself cozy on her throne, being attended to by sacred whores. When this was discovered, Inanna sentenced him to replace her. The demons of the UW where sent after him to drag him down. He is a grain and beer deity, a shephard, and spends spring and summer below).
16. Geshtinanna: Dumuzid's sister, goddess of the heavenly-vine (grapes) and wine. A mother goddess in rural areas. She spends fall and winter below with Ereshkigal for her brother after pleading with Inanna for him. In some sources she is known as the scribe of the Underworld who writes your name in the book of death.
17. Lalartu: The Spirits, the dead. I left this open for any insight you may glean from the dead, your ancestors, or perhaps even your own soul. 1 or more cards can be used here.
These are the obstacles to get to the gates. Probably baggage you are carrying with you or need to overcome.
1. Mashu: Twin mountains that are guarded by two scorpion men. Once past the guards, you go through the tunnel and a dark forest to find the River of the Dead).
2. Id-lu-rugu: The river of the dead that must be crossed before entering the land of the dead.
3. Ur-Shanahi: The ferryman on the river
The next 7 are the gates into the Underworld. At each one you have to leave an article of clothing (clothes, jewelry, armour, weapons) which disempowers you, by the 7th gate you are naked before the judges. I need things for people to shed, mostly psychological aspects. It could be something like "Jewels of vanity; this gate shows your superficial nature." I will also be going through the various deities in my deck and assigning guardian types to the gates who don't have one at them.
4. Neti stands at Gate 1: Neti was ordered by Ereshkigal to take Inanna's clothes before she could enter the Underworld. So she took her Lapis Luzi rod. Inanna lost an article of clothes at each gate.
5. Gate 2
6. Gate 3
7. Gate 4
8. Gate 5
9. Gate 6
10. Ninnghizhidda stands at Gate 7: Ninnghizhidda is a lord of the Underworld. Some books put him at the first gate, others place him just within the UW has a head. Sometimes he gets called a she. Since there is no agreement on his or her place, I placed him as the final gate challenge as "prove your worth to one of the lords of here before entry." So whatever is removed here has to be big and soul bearing.
Next are the Judgments. Anunnaki as 7 judges to stand in judgement over you. I am going to use this as judging your shadow work so far (challenges/baggage plus challenges/shedding at the gates).
11. Anunnaki: 1 card preferably, but can use up to the full 7 judges if needed. They judged Inanna and stared at her with eyes of death, she shriveled into a corpse and was hung on a meat hook.
12. Ereshkigal: Empress of the Underworld, Inanna's sister who is in torment, like a woman in perpetual labour pains. She promises desires fulfilled if you can cure her (via the food and drink of life).
13. Nergal: Emperor of the Underworld, the Plague Lord, not an overly kind man.
Now for the advice givers. There are only 3 who got to leave the Underworld after Nergal decided that they had to get replacements for their absence. I also included ancestors for advisers even if it doesn't seem part of the religious scheme so far in my research.
14. Inanna: When she was rescued it was required that she chose a replacement for her in the Underworld. She saw that her husband did not mourn her passing so she chose him. She was not all ruthless; when his sister requested mercy, Inanna agreed to a compromise to split the year between the two siblings. As a fertility goddess, when her husband is below ground, her lament for him causes the fertility of the land to wane (creating seasons).
15. Dumuzid: While his wife was in the Underworld he made himself cozy on her throne, being attended to by sacred whores. When this was discovered, Inanna sentenced him to replace her. The demons of the UW where sent after him to drag him down. He is a grain and beer deity, a shephard, and spends spring and summer below).
16. Geshtinanna: Dumuzid's sister, goddess of the heavenly-vine (grapes) and wine. A mother goddess in rural areas. She spends fall and winter below with Ereshkigal for her brother after pleading with Inanna for him. In some sources she is known as the scribe of the Underworld who writes your name in the book of death.
17. Lalartu: The Spirits, the dead. I left this open for any insight you may glean from the dead, your ancestors, or perhaps even your own soul. 1 or more cards can be used here.
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