I started the descent portion of my initiatory journey through Rod and Ring last month. This ritual was the most intense part of this working so far, as one would expect continuing deeper down the path.
In the week or so before beginning my descent, I noticed a couple of strange signs/coincidences that seemed to coincide with my upcoming descent into the underworld. For maybe a week or so, a bunch of big flies got into the house somehow. I never did figure out where they were coming from. According to the Seek app, these were blue blowflies, which are commonly associated with death and decay. Apparently forensics experts can use this species to identify how long a body has been dead and that sort of thing. I think I counted 7 by the time they stopped appearing in the house.
Then I found a dried up worm on the floor inside the closet of my temple room. I have no idea how it could have gotten there. I do have a worm bin downstairs in the laundry room, but there is no reasonable way that one could have gotten all the way through the house, up the stairs, and into the closet. I was a bit grossed out, not gonna lie, so I put the worm in my compost bucket and took it outside to perform the funerary rite I use for the mice that the neighborhood cats like to bring to me in my garden. It’s very simple, I created it before I was comfortable enough to be open about my religious practices, so it is very low-key so as not to draw attention from neighbors. I simply bury the subject in a specific area of the garden that I have dedicated for this purpose, and I light a few incense sticks as an offering (and to hide the smell from scavengers – though this isn’t really an issue with the worm). In more seasonable times of year, I’ll also lay fresh flowers over the grave for the same reasons. Then I just quietly say a quick prayer to Ereshkigal to welcome the creature into her realm. I don’t know if the Sumerians actually had any kind of beliefs about animals in the afterlife, but this feels like the right thing to do, so its what I do.
Anyway, when I got back inside, I realized that the worm and the flies were probably connected to the descent ritual I was about to undertake, so I felt less creeped out. It is always nice to receive a warm welcome when arriving somewhere new (or returning to a place, as the case may be).
I prepared a black garment/robe to use in the rituals, as prescribed by the book. I also made a black veil to incorporate into the rituals. I felt like Ereshkigal was pushing me to add that. The robe I’m using exclusively during the Rod and Ring rituals, whereas I’m using the veil in the main R&R rituals as well as in supplemental rituals I’m adding in throughout the journey. It really adds something to the atmosphere of the ritual to help me get into the headspace of going down into the underworld.
I was at Kalahari for a few days before the new moon because my husband’s job sent him to a conference there, meaning I got a free mini-vacation. I used this as an opportunity to prepare for my journey across the River Huber. I essentially spent three days mentally collecting water-based imagery and physical sensations to use during the ritual experience while meditating in the lazy river/wave pool/hot tub bar. For the first time, I really figured out how to use alcohol for entheogenic purposes – it’s actually really great for finding the sacred within the profane if you don’t over do it. I try not to drink too much nowadays after the whole breast cancer thing, but when in Rome! I sort-of turned my free mini-vacation into my own little private spiritual retreat (all those fake shamans who run those expensive “spiritual retreat” things would hate me!), which culminated with doing the actual rituals after we got home.
As far as the ritual itself, it was such an intense, emotional, and beautiful experience. I was literally trembling as I put on my black garment, and again as I crossed over the river. What struck me the most was that traveling to the underworld felt in no way scary to me. I was overcome with a profound sense of peace, love, and awe. I got this feeling like everything was just perfect and as it should be, and that as long as I didn’t try to fight it everything would be just fine. The underworld isn’t something to fear. Ereshkigal is often portrayed as “scary” and “cold,” but believe that is simply the human fear of the unknown being projected upon her. There is no escaping death, but at least She is there to care for you when you do get there. I got a sense that she is more nurturing and loving, if misunderstood, than she is often given credit for. I’m sure I’ll get a clearer sense once I proceed through the gates and meet her face-to-face.
The rituals in the descent section are meant to be performed three months apart, so I won’t be proceeding through the gates until April’s new moon. I am planning on working through the rituals from Samuel’s other book, The Red Shepherd during the months that I’m not actively working on Rod and Ring.
Since beginning my descent, I have set up a shrine to Ereshkigal. I’ve also moved Geshtinanna’s statue to Ereshkigal’s shrine for the time being, as this is the time of year when Geshtinanna is in the underworld.
I’ve also started veiling as a way of symbolically reminding myself of my current place in the underworld, and that I belong to Ereshkigal just as much as I belong to Inanna. I’ve been wearing lacy headscarves to do this, like those triangle ones that were popular in the early 2000s. It’s a subtle enough style that it doesn’t draw too much attention, but is still true to what I believe the gods want of me. When I want to wear a different hat or hair accessory, I also consecrate it in the same way as the scarves/veils so they can be used in the same way. I’m using mainly lacy black scarves because they kind of remind me of a less conspicuous version of Victorian mourning veils. I’m planning on continuing to do this until I depart the underworld and have left my clay replacement.
Apparently veiling is already a thing in the pagan community, though I haven’t seen anyone say they’re doing it for quite the same reason. I don’t think I’ve heard of any other Mesopotamian polytheists doing it for any reason, though I haven’t spent a whole lot of time researching the subject.