Incredible Experience -- Very Excited!, Invite from the Dark Lady Options

Greetings all, I've been away for a while, and had some very exciting experiences while away.

As some of you know, I've posted about how I was working with a woman who is a priestess of Kali, and I had read the Nec and felt an extremely strong attraction to Ereshkigal and that I strongly desired to be one of Her priestesses.

I do believe that I've been accepted by Her in that role!

I'd been reading and praying to Her and started sacrificing to Her, asking for Her to reveal Her will to me and allow me to be Hers.

Last month, on the night of the new moon, while I was burning candles and sacrificing bread on my altar I had a strong vision.

I was in a place, I can't describe what it looked like except that I was in front of a gate, the gate Ganzir. It was large and seemed to be made of silver or something, it was very reflective like a mirror, a very smooth mirror. Sigils were carved ont he outer rim and looked like they were indentations, but weren't indented. It was very hard and cold.
I pushed on it and it wouldn't budge, I knocked and it would not open. I turned around to leave and standing behind me was a man, or at least what looked like a man. He was tall, and bald on top of his head with hair on the sides. For whatever reason he was dressed in a gray suit that looked like coarse tweed or something.
He smiled at me, with a sort of frightening smile and went forward to the gate. He said "Learn." and with his finger scribed a sigil into the center. The gate opened and he asked "Do you now have wisdom?" I said "Yes.", and he walked me through.

We were upon a narrow dirt road. On the side were very large, bare hardwood trees. Looking beyond, there seemed to be only the one layer od trees and beyond nothing but darkness. I felt a foreboding and did not venture from the path. After walking a short way, we came upon a larger road paved with dark grey brick. To the right lay a great city on the edge of a large chasm, to the left the road stretched out,a nd I could see a little shack not too far distant.

The man gestured to the shack, and told me we must go there first. So we walked down to it and in front we were passed by a skeletal warrior. He was nothing but bone and tendon, and wore a gold-fringed purple cloak and had a sword at his side. He showed the man a scroll and said somewhat excitedly that he'd been accepted in the army. The man congratulated him. The skeletal warrior then looked at me and bowed. I returned his bow and he walked on down the road away from the city into the distance.

We came to the shack, and the man told me "Before we enter, you must know one thing and one thing only. You must always be truthful, no matter what. Do you understand?" "Yes," I replied and we entered. Inside, the shack was filled with all manner of intricate and seemingly valuable items. Most I don't know what they were, but they were vivid in color and seemingly trimmed in precious metals and gems. In the center of the entrance room, there was a large gameboard, which looked much like a chessboard. Around it was a myriad of creatures and people. Seated all alone at one side of the board was a short, old man in robes and a funny hat. He said "Ahh, you have brought her." and bade me to sit down. He told me he had something to give me, but I must play a game first. I agreed. the game,as it turns out, was almost identical to chess, and I was getting soundly beaten whent he short man said he had to get up and do something, and not to do anything until he got back.

When he left one of the others watching the game suggested that I could move one piece over one square and win the game in two moves. I said I'd rather lose than resort to cheating and that I thought it to be a bad idea to do so. The guy moved the piece anyway. The little man returned and carefully looked over the board and fixed me with his gaze and asked if I'd moved a piece. I replied in the negative. He then shouted "YOU LIE! The piece was here, and you moved it here. You were warned not to lie in here!" I spoke up and told him "I did not lie, sir. Yes, the piece was moved, but it was not me who moved it." He asked who moved it and the guy hwo moved it laughed and said he did and it was just a joke. What happened next shocked me. Some of the little creatures in the room, what looked a bit like goblins, drew long daggers and drove them through his knees, and two others took what looked like gaff hooks and drove them through his collarbone area and dragged him off, screaming, to another room.

The little man scrutinized me for a bit, and said "You have lost the game, but passed the test. Here is what I had to get." He took out an amulet that looked as if it was made of wrought iron hanging from a leather collar. He put it on me and told me to not let anyone take it from me, except the Dark Lady Herself (I noticed that the inhabitants seemed afraid to call her Ereshkigal).

The man I came with thanked him and lead me out. We journeied to the city. When we came to it, I looked into the chasm. The abyss beyond was black, blacker than black, almost as if it was alive.

The city itself looked like it was built IN a mountain. Not that it was carved from the mountain, but that the center of the mountain was removed and the city was built in the middle. There was no way in except a long stairway that lead up to the top of the city's wall. Going up, was a procession of people in chains being lead by figures in dark armor. We joined the end of the procession at the rear.

After a very long walk, we reached the top. The city was breathtaking, in the frightening sense. It was a thing of horror and beatuy from the outside. The entire city was a single structure. The only entrance was a bridge that was layed out before me. The city itself glowed with an ethereal glow, and in the very center was what looked like giant crystals. At the top was a guard station on this side of the bridge. When I reached the top, I saw two guards, they let the procession of prisoners pass but stopped me. The guards were huge and spoke with voices that sounded like grinding stone. They told me that none may enter Irkalla with anything. They made me take off all I was wearing. I told them I was told not to take off my amulet except for Ereshkigal Herself. At that, they said "You may pass." I started walking and noticed my guide was not with me. i turned around and he was standing at the guard station. He told me he was not to enter, but I would be fine. To tell all I met that I was here to see the Lady and show them the amulet.

I proceeded to cross the bridge. It was very scary to me, the bridge was narrow, and there was no rail, but only torches along the sides. Looking at the torches I saw they were people. people impaled atop tall pikes, burning. The bodies writhed, but made no sound. Looking at the outer structure of the city, I saw corpses hanging from the walls from precipices, and from some I could see new victims being thrown, hitting the bottom of the ropes and swinging, their legs kicking. I nearly threw up, I wanted to turn and run, but was more afraid of what would happen if I'd refused the invitation I'd been given. I was scared out of my mind, and naked, and cold. i will always remember the cold.

At the far end of the bridge were two more guards. They didn't speak to me, in fact, they didn't act as if they saw me at all. I entered inside. Inside was a hallway sloping downwardand another terrace or bridge, not sure how to describe it leading forward. It lead to seven great pikes spaced equidistant about the center of the room. Some of the procession was being led out there, the people begging and weeping, where they were then lifted up by their escorts and heaved upon the pikes, where they slid down past where I could see, screaming.

I did not go that way, I took the left path which lead downward. On my right as I descended were people in windows in a great balcony, nailed in place. Behind some stood beautiful women who were nude except for a belt which held a long dagger and a whip. They had something on their backs, whether it was a black cloak or black wings folded back, I couldn't tell. Some places there were none of these figures behind the victims, but were off to the left, where they were in long alcoves, placing nooses around victim's necks and then throwing them from the window. These must be what i saw outside. I proceeded down further and further, fear bubbling up in my throat.

When I got to the bottom of these balconies, there was but one person in front of me, he was putting up quite a fight and trying to get away. Begging and weeping screaming something about "Not again, not another day!" He was lifted up and more of the goblin creatures appeared, and hammered him into place with big mallets and large stakes. Then another figured walked up the slope towards me and the man. She was taller than the other women I'd seen, but had the same dagger and whip. She had scarlet lips and her body was an eerie bluish/green hue. Her eyes were the brightest shade of blue I'd ever seen. I was completely in awe of her. She came right up to me, and pressed her body against mine. She had to be at least a foot taller and her body was warm, hot even. She grabbed me with one hand around the back of my neck and fixed me with her gaze and asked "What have we here?" I managed to stammer and stutter and ask if she was Ereshkigal. She looked down, picked up the amulet with her other hand and said with mock hurt and a full, beautiful pout "Aww, you aren't for me." She looked toward the center of the room, and said "Go to the dais and do not falter on your way."

I walked to the end of the sloping balcony where there was a great flight of stairs, which I descended. I walked towards the center of the great room. I passed an interesting thing, it was almost like a pipe organ, but was like amass of glass or crystal flutes of pipes that were attached to great crystal tubes that went up beyond where I could see (the crystal tubes/pillars i saw coming in?), and each pipe had a figure standing before it, as if preparing to play.

Continuing along, I passed rows upon rows of people on their knees worshipping the one on the throne. In the middle of the worshippers were the bases of the seven great pikes, and at the bases of them were six censers of burning incense. The bodies of those thrown upon it were stacked on the pikes as far up as I could see. As I walked by, the pipes behind me sounded a haunting note, and the priests at the censers took great poles with burning incense ont he ends and lit the bodies. They lit afire all the way up, lighting up the room and the balconies I had passed on the way down. At the screaming of the immolated ones, the worshippers chanted something. i couldn't pay attention to the words, I was so horrified by what I saw, but I remember the sound "IA! IA! IA! IA! IA!" repeated twice, then a string of words. After the chant, there was a great thunder coming from all around me, followed by a chorus of screams. I realized these were the cracks of the whips on those nailed in place. At each lash, the worshippers repeated the chant.

I hurried along, making it to the base of the dais. There stood a psoitively frightening figure. He (I assume it was a he) was at least eight feet tall. he was clothed in black armor, with a large helmet on with horns facing forward, and where his face was, there was nothing but eyes that glowed as if they were coals. In his hands, he held a great sword, its tip resting on the floor. He said to me "Do not be dismayed, I smell your fear. What you see are the damned. All who live know they are to seek out the gods and make homage and worship. These that you see are those who gave no homage and would not bow to their gods. As those who worship in truth the gods they serve go to their reward, those who have not done so, come here, tot heir punishment. Be warned and gain wisdom at the words I speak."

I thanked him for his words and told him that I was given this amulet and told to come here, and asked what I should do now. He stood aside and pointed to the top. At the top was a great blue throne and on the throne sat the most magnificent being I've ever seen. She wore a perfect black fringed scarlet gown. Her hair was black and she had high arched eyebrows. To the side of her throne was a sceptre with a smoky orb at the top. She looked down to me and gestured me to come up. I ascended the tall dais and came to the top. When I got there, I could not look at Her. All I could do is kneel and place my forehead on the top of the dais between Her feet. I felt a hand pull at my hair and I rose up to my knees. She held my haed back and looked into my eyes with Her eyes the color of steel. She reached down and pulled the collar from my neck, looked at it and tossed it to the ground. With Her right hand, She drew something on my chest, it was very painful. Her touch burned, but was freezing cold at the same time. When She'd finished, She gave me a name, and bent down and kissed me on the forehead. Her lips were the color blue as someone who was very cold, contrasting Her white skin. The kiss was painfully cold, and I blacked out.

When I awoke, I was resting on the ground near the gate Ganzir. The man who'd brought me was standing by, watching over me. He smiled at me and lead me to the gate. I sttod before its reflective surface and saw what Ereshkigal had scribed on my flesh. It was the same as the sigil that was the amulet on the collar I had been given, but it looked as if it was made out of a blue, burning flame on my skin. He asked me "Do you have wisdom?" I looked from the gate to him, and was about to ask what U should know, but it occurred to me. I put my fingertip to the gate. Instead of cold and hard, it was warm, and soft, it almost felt like skin. I pressed my fingernail in and drew the sigil on my chest onto the gate. It opened up and I went through, almost without trying.

I awoke in front of my altar. This all apparently took some time, as the large pillar candles I had been burning were sputtering nubs, and the black bread I had sacrificed was just ash.

Has anyone else had that powerful of an experience?
I'm, very excited, but it was extremely frightening nonetheless.

I had something like that happen to me once.

It was completely outside of ritual, I was just sitting and listening to a CD and must have slipped into a trance state w/out realising it. I was in this great hall with a sunken pit in the centre--think 'conversation pits' from the 70's, or kindergarten classrooms, and you pretty much get the idea. The hall was white, with pillars round the sides and statues between the pillars where there weren't openings, and everything was carpeted in scarlet plush.

In this, I *was* the goddess Sekhmet. Isis led me to the pit where the other gods were sitting, she sat down with me, and gave me what looked like a set of dolls with a symbol carved into their foreheads. After a second or so, I realised that the 'dolls' she handed me were the images (or perhaps souls? I dunno) of my friends, relatives, and acquaintances. I looked them over, and she said, 'You are one of us. These I give you are your creations and you are responsible for them. Do you understand?'

And then it was over. It still counts as one of the strangest experiences I've ever had, and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it.

Well DarkGoddess, it is crystal clear by ur story that u have been accepted by the Dark Queen as a priestess to serve her. She marked u as one in her service. It is interesting of the man who guards the Dark Queen---it may have been NAMTAR. His words rang of truth though. I get the impression that GANZIR is not aweful if ur heart is pure. Well it is, but if u r pure the time there can be had w/o un-needed punishment. Well, I am speaking from the ignorant standpoint though. But like I said, u did become marked by the Dark Queen herself, so U r subject to her from now on.
You, the priestess of the DARK QUEEN ERISHKIGAL.

Wait... I thought Inanna defeated Ereshkigal? Doesn't this mean that Inanna, Queen of Heaven, is enemies with Ereshkigal? Can Ereshkigal be considered "evil"? Enemy of humanity?

I think I need some clarification...

I suppose you could think of them as well .....divine siblings. But I'll let someone with a little more experience explain.

Wait... I thought Inanna defeated Ereshkigal? Doesn't this mean that Inanna, Queen of Heaven, is enemies with Ereshkigal? Can Ereshkigal be considered "evil"? Enemy of humanity?

I think I need some clarification...

Some say that Ereshkigal was the darker alter ego of Inanna. It is all in how you interperate the myths.

here is one interpt of it...

Inanna (Ishtarin in some translations), who is the queen of heaven and earth. Inanna made a disastrous trip to the place of the dead. The beautiful and vain Inanna decided to travel to the Aralu to mock and shame her sister, Ereshkigal, for having such a lowly position as that of being queen of the damned. Inanna dresses herself in her most glamorous clothes and jewelry before setting out to the Great Below.

Ereshkigal is warned of her sister's plot and decides to take revenge. She orders her guard, Neti, to take one garment from Inanna at each of the seven gates as payment for entrance to Aralu. When Inanna arrives naked, humiliated and enraged, a heated argument erupts between the sisters. The vengeful Ereshkigal has Inanna impaled on a hook where her body quickly turns green and rots. Ereshkigal then displays her sister's withered corpse as a trophy in the halls of Aralu. Upon hearing this, a number of Sumerian deities intervene on Inanna's behalf due to the protests of her handmaiden who warned them of Ereshkigal's plot. Reluctantly, Ereshkigal hands over Inanna's body to the gods who revive her with water and the grass of life.

The Anunnaki, the judges of the dead, refuse to let Inanna leave Aralu until she finds a substitute to take her place. Inanna then agrees that she will send a replacement, and she is escorted back to the land of the living by a demon.

While Inanna was in Aralu, her husband, Dumuzi, was celebrating her absence with wine, women and song rather than mourning her loss. In a jealous rage, Inanna chooses him as her replacement in her sister's kingdom. Later on, she regrets her harshness and works out an arrangement with Ereshkigal to require that Dumuzi must stay in Aralu for only six months out of every year. This myth is often used as an explanation of how the seasons of the year were derived.

So you see it sounds alot like a jerry springer episode. Ereshkigal is called on plenty of times by preists in the maqlu text to destroy witches(and believe me she will, so will Nergal). Ereshkigal is def seperate from the acient ones.

This post has been edited by distillate: Nov 26 2006, 03:18 PM

If we consider that the underworld is still a part of that which was created then underworld deities can be considered Elder Gods. The Ancient Ones come from that which was not created and seek to erase this world which would include the underworld.

The underworld seems to be a buffer Zone or grey area. Certainly there has to be a halfway point between light and darkness.

Some of these underworlds I have experienced will attack you. Azag-Thoth, Nammtar and Pazuzu from my experience have been anything but nice.

Ereshkigal and Nergal on the other hand have been quite cool. I would think that faced with erasure and destruction of the underworld these deities would join the fight with the Elders against the Ancient Ones. Of course I could be wrong. These Gods seem to be on the shady side of that neutrality.

Wait... I thought Inanna defeated Ereshkigal? Doesn't this mean that Inanna, Queen of Heaven, is enemies with Ereshkigal? Can Ereshkigal be considered "evil"? Enemy of humanity?

I think I need some clarification...

"Defeated her plans" maybe. I assume you're talking of the story in The Descent of Inanna"?
But remember Inanna did so only with the help of outsiders, she had a contingency in place before she descended.
I'd not say they are enemies, as much as rulers of opposite spheres. Ereshkigal is, after all, Inanna's elder sister.

Ereshkigal was miffed at the goddess of another sphere entering her sovereign domain. Not that she so much hates her, more of a stepping on her toes situation.

Ereshkigal is not an ancient one, though she may be viewed as evil, depends on your perspective. The mere fact that she is Inanna's elder sister makes her one of the Elder Gods (else Inanna would also have to be an Ancient One).

The Underworld serves two purposes.
1.) It is the domain of it's Queen, Ereshkigal, and where her followers serve her after this life is done.
2.) It is a place for those who are rejected by the other Gods/Goddesses. Naturally, since these folks would not serve any of the other Gods, and did not serve Ereshkigal, they should not expect a pleasant experience in the underworld. it is a place of punishment and torment for those who are too arrogant to serve. Which is why the underworld and its queen are seen as evil. Fact is, if beign with your god/goddess int he afterlife is such a great reward, why would you expect the punishment for not doing so to be of lesser magnitude?

Ereshkigal is often painted as evil as well because she presents a rather fearsome presence. She tends to get her way. An example is when Nergal first visits the underworld, gets what he came for and leaves as she slept. She threatened the Elder Gods that she'd unleash the dead upon the earth if they didn't send him back.

Now, HUMWAWA, PAZUZU, XASTUR, KUTULU, LALASSU, LALARTU, GELAL, AZAG-TOTH are described as offspring of the Ancient Ones, and are not of the Elder Gods.

Should it come about that the Ancient Ones rise, then Ereshkigal would no doubt rally to the sides of her brothers, sisters, father, etc and unleash the dead from the gates of Irkalla to fight on the side of the Elder Gods.

If we consider that the underworld is still a part of that which was created then underworld deities can be considered Elder Gods. The Ancient Ones come from that which was not created and seek to erase this world which would include the underworld.

The underworld seems to be a buffer Zone or grey area. Certainly there has to be a halfway point between light and darkness.

Some of these underworlds I have experienced will attack you. Azag-Thoth, Nammtar and Pazuzu from my experience have been anything but nice.

Ereshkigal and Nergal on the other hand have been quite cool. I would think that faced with erasure and destruction of the underworld these deities would join the fight with the Elders against the Ancient Ones. Of course I could be wrong. These Gods seem to be on the shady side of that neutrality.

lol I wouldn't wish Pazuzu on my worst enemy.

Dark Goddess, I have of late, begun to think along ur lines. The underworld--GANZIR, seems to be the place where all the Hubris filled assholes tend to end up--to be "punked out" so to say. ERISHKIGAL seems to be the deliverer of truth to these idiotic souls. But I still hold INANNA as my queen--as I look towars infinity--but The Dark Queen is part of the restoring of equillibrium if u ask me! Heaven and Earth---Light and Dark.........

Dark Goddess, I have of late, begun to think along ur lines. The underworld--GANZIR, seems to be the place where all the Hubris filled assholes tend to end up--to be "punked out" so to say. ERISHKIGAL seems to be the deliverer of truth to these idiotic souls. But I still hold INANNA as my queen--as I look towars infinity--but The Dark Queen is part of the restoring of equillibrium if u ask me! Heaven and Earth---Light and Dark.........

Don't forget about Nergal!