Pagan Portals Ishtar And Ereshkigal

Ishtar and Ereshkigal are the daughters of the Moon God Sin and sisters of the Sun God Shamash and members of a family of deities called the Anunnaki who arrived from the heavens to the earth many thousands of years ago. Ishtar, as Inanna, was the original goddess of love and the forerunner to all of the fertility goddesses that followed. Ereshkigal was the original ruler of the underworld and the goddess of death. As the queens of heaven and the underworld, Ishtar and Ereshkigal represent the opposing forces that allow life, death and rebirth to occur in the world.

Hail to You, Ereshkigal, Great Queen of Those Below. Mistress of the Shadows. Lady of Bones and Dust. Frightening One of the Far Places Where Men Fear to Go. Strong One Who Builds the Boundaries and Knows How to Tear Them Down. Queen of the Great Below is a collection of poems, essays and personal ritual experiences by modern devotees in honor of Ereshkigal. Once worshipped as Ruler of the Underworld from the shores of the Euphrates to the banks of the Nile, Ereshkigal is now known primarily for her role as the antagonist in The Descent of Inanna. In this unique devotional anthology, however, Ereshkigal is revealed to be a multi-faceted deity of transformation, boundary-keeping, and passion, a teacher of harsh but necessary lessons. You stand at the brink of the Underworld, on the shadowed path that few walk willingly. Those who have contributed to this devotional have walked this road and returned, bearing the blessings of the Queen. We invite you to walk this path, as well. Ereshkigal awaits .... [Editor's Note: This text contains references to BDSM and the ordeal path.]

Ishtar is the first book dedicated to providing an accessible analysis of the mythology and image of this complex goddess. The polarity of her nature is reflected in her role as goddess of sexual love and war, and has made her difficult to characterise in modern scholarship. By exploring this complexity, Ishtar offers insight into Mesopotamian culture and thought, and elucidates a goddess who transcended the limits of gender, divinity and nature. It gives an accessible introduction to the Near Eastern pantheon, while also opening a pathway for comparison with the later Near Eastern and Mediterranean deities who followed her.

On shadowed wings and in raven's call, meet the ancient Irish goddess of war, battle, prophecy, death, sovereignty, and magic. This book is an introduction to the Morrigan and several related goddesses who share the title, including Badb and Macha. It combines solid academic information with personal experience in a way that is intended to dispel the confusion that often surrounds who this goddess was and is. The Morrigan is as active in the world today as she ever was in the past but answering her call means answering the challenge of finding her history and myth in a sea of misinformation, supposition, and hard-to-find ancient texts. Here in one place, all of her basic information has been collected along with personal experiences and advice from a long-time priestess dedicated to a goddess who bears the title Morrigan.

Into the Great Below is a compilation of devotional poems, prayers, and rituals celebrating two magnificent Sumerian Goddesses: Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Erishkigal, Queen of the Underworld. In these pages you will find a map traversing the shadowy places between these two Holy Powers. Here, you will read about Inanna's courage, Her journey and decent into Irkla, and Her vulnerability before Her sister. Here too you will find prayers celebrating the wisdom of Eriskigal, Her power, Her fury, Her mercy. In this book, you will hear from contemporary devotees of these ancient Powers and through their words possibly glimpse the ways in which both goddesses touch Their devotees lives today.

It was said in the beginning, in a garden called Eden, that woman was created at the same time as man, and not from his rib. Lilith, the first female, created equal to stand as a partner. But she proved to be a person so troublesome that she vanishes from her rightful place in civilization’s mythological legends in place of Eve, the first wife. With her younger sister Eve’s story heralding the future of all womankind, Lilith and her story stands alone as a testament to the Sacred Feminine and man’s fear of the mysteries that lie within her. The First Sisters: Lilith and Eve is a gateway to a provocative awakening.

Lugh is a God of Ireland who is also found in other Celtic language speaking cultures, popular historically and just as well loved today. A deity of kingship and battle, he led his people out of oppression. A God skilled in magic, he used his power to bless and curse. Multifaceted and known as the 'many-skilled', Lugh is an intriguing member of the Tuatha De Danann and we can learn a great deal about him through his mythology, by looking at his cognates in other related cultures, and his modern appearances. In this book we will seek a deeper understanding of this well known yet mysterious figure.

Isis has a history spanning millennia and an influence stretching across land and sea. She is a Goddess who transcends time and geography, remaining one of the most popular Goddesses from the ancient world to this day. The book explores Isis' mythic journey and how she became the Goddess we recognise today. Striking a balance between the old and the new, Pagan Portals - Isis provides an historical account of her mythology and worship alongside modern Pagan perspectives and offers the reader tools for Isis' contemporary veneration.