I’ve been awake for the longest time tonight and all I can think about is Inanna, the Mesopotamian Goddess of love, fertility and war.
She was particularly present in Assyria as one of the main deities.
I know not why I feel so drawn to her right now, but I am sure she is the best to answer that question tomorrow.
My question follows as such - is anyone working with Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses? What are the main themes you have encountered across the board?
I’ve read only a tiny bit on this and theistic evolution from perspective of Babylonian and Assyrian deities seems rather fascinating.
I have only evoked Inanna, and she seens to me very much like a Loa in vodoun, in that, there are protocol you have to follow for a good working relatonship with her. IF your a man anyway, i learned that the hard way. The two rituals i did were not planned so they were very basic, women i know needed protection right away, and there is no spirit better for that than Inanna. She helped they yes, but for me it was a overwhelming sense of dread, the feeling from her was “How dare you call to me in this low way, I AM THE GODDESS and you are NOTHING before me, now get on your hands and knees and love me,BITCH!” Now you’d thank one time would be enough, but no i did it again a few weeks later the same way and got the same thing.And it was because i was a man and not doing things in the right way. I honestly don’t know if a woman did a ritual like that she’d get the same reaction,i do know that she will aid women in rituals in ways that no man will ever get help from her for, ever. There is more to this and her but i need to stop now…i hope this help you some.
You know, it is believed by many that in other cultures Inanna is actually the same Goddess/entity as Ishtar and Isis and those two are thought to be the same entity as Astarte who, is the female form of the demon Astaroth.
Some believe that these entities are just linked like family members,while others believe they are one in the same and just different versions from different cultures.
Do some research and form your own opinion of this, I just thought it was interesting. I have read into these Goddesses a lot. Of course, Astaroth is male though but some say he appears in his female form to them (as Astarte) myself included in that. Actually, he changes form and sometimes he reveals himself to me as male, other times female.
Just wanted to add a few more things.The Simon Necronomicon is an excellent introduction to working with that Pantheon,( i know that book had got gotten a lot of crap over the years, but it’s a good working system and the sigils and symbols work very well, just don’t go about it total half-assed like i did;) Nowadays if i am working with the old gods, the really big ones, i go full out, making an altar to them,getting an idol,offerings,etc,etc,LOL i will never again just call one up on a whim before doing all that. Now it maybe in the simon book, but one thing that’s been working well for me is to resight aloud the epics about them to the idols i use,(that has been true with any pantheon i’ve worked with so far.) for 1 it really help me get a feel for them, who they are and what they represent, 2 it seen to get their attention in a very positive way,that’s important. And 3 maybe more important is “The Old Gods” never seem to get tired of hearing how awesome they are. Any trouble i have found is that some of them demand servitude,and that is hard for me, i’m on the LHP,and that can be a real struggle, a very fine line between “Honoring” something and being “Enslaved” to it or by it. But that can be a discussion all on its own. Sorry if all this had been said before or already known,just throwing out, in hopes it may help someone.
Sigh…“YE GODS OF THE INTERNET!, I call to you now, hear my cry,I pray you add me, that in the future, my posts will not look like total shit, in thine name, and in thine mercy, Amem”
My SoulSpirit was back in Mesopotamia along with The Dragon. There was a war going on there against the 5 great armies. I was of the Dragons Spacecraft/Aerial Craft that unleashed the “Elite Calvary” upon the many masses of ground troops. I was pairing divination and delivering telepathic commands to lead the calvary to victory. This was both dreams and visions I had awhile back in 2007-2008. As for Gods or Goddesses I wasnt working with any specifically but The Dragon was an important spirit and in other dreams I had a special enrollment in a United Kingdoms “Dragon Commanders” school. The enrollment was special because there was different types of enrollment into the school.
Exactly as I said it. “The Dragon.” it can appear as a traditional idea of a Dragon, but its more so minus the idea of what christians and most people would think a dragon is or looks like. If you meant what name or sigil it falls under there is no known public known. Therefore I simply just call it “The Dragon.” Fyi it is not female either, however its energy appears to have balanced male/female polarities and something more.
I called Innanna once because of reasons…anyway she seemed pretty ok with me.
Anyway in terms of Astaroth, the demon identity was one that was sort of plastered onto that being by people during the middle ages, so I’m not sure how well it stuck beyond things tending to appear in a way people expect them too at first.
i’m agreeing with everything i see on this topic, my mistake was no “preparatory immersion” at all really, what was Inanna to me back then, nothing, just another spirit/thing i could call up and tell it what to do, i had no understanding of that archetype, so i had no respect for it, and “she” was not o.k. with that, and i was forced to take a step back, and really look more deeply into it. and really see just how awesome and powerful that feminine archetype is, all the old gods/goddess are. Now not to go too far off topic, but as we are on the subject of archetype, just as an example of what’s gone on in my head, as part of an overall elemental pathworking i’m on, the next big step in that is to begin to cultivate a relationship with “the storm god” archetype, (and before anyone asks,yes i’d love to learn how to shoot lightning out of my fingers, Darkside all the way for me, bitches;) But which one do i pick, i thank there is one for every culture and people that have been on this planet, and yes they may well be the same entity with a different name. but i feel i have to be so what discriminating about it, as i will be working with that entity for months or even years to come, everyday. And how i go about setting up my rituals will depends on which one i go with, working with Zeus will not be the same as working with Thor, they are a lot alike, but not the same entity at all, from the cultural point of view anyway, I’ve tried just working with the generic “god/goddess” archetypes in the past and its never been as intimate or rewarding as working with a name, a cultural background, myths and legends, and i can add all that in ritual and get so much more. Hmmm i don’t know if i have any point to make here, just thought i’d share all that. Anyway Inanna very cool with me, and i hope she can somewhat stand me.
Set’s chaotic dark storm-Lord archetype that appeared in my Temple as a result of contact with Varnaxis, my blood kin, gets my vote - he’s one of the most powerful and anarchic beings I’ve met, totally different to the refined representations in classical Egyptian art - and I yet I see the Set I know now, somehow, in them, even the modern one I posted recently.
The form of Set I contacted through Varnaxis transcends cultural limitations, I’m told (and I believe it, I’ve never seen anything quite like this) and you can access that form through Varnaxis - here are the details on how to do that, including his sigil:
Thought i’d share this.You all may get a kick out of it. This afternoon as soon as i had finished reading Lady Eves’s post on Set i went outside to smoke, thinking if Set was the right choice for me and also wondering if i should wait for any kind of “sign” to see if that was the right way for me to go. Right as that thought left my head, a flock of geese was flying over me, as i was watching them, there formation became a giant “check mark”. And if that was not as big enough hint for me, on its own. At the same time thunder boomed all around me,scared the crap outta me…it was loud… AND i was like (WOW!!..That was…Fast. O.k. i well look into that whirlwind, see where it takes me.Thank you Lady Eve. And thanks Universe,big fan of both your works). Two thumbs up, as i slowly backed away,eyes darting all around me as i go=)
I work with Astaroth who is Inanna the Great Goddess Mother, Queen of Heaven daily and consider myself a high priestess of Inanna. I’m not sure what you would like to know but I’d love to talk about her.
