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Greetings! I would like to welcome everyone to the Papers in the Attic blog page. If this is your first time here, please feel free to review some of our previous articles and express your insights, questions, and experiences by posting a comment. Stay blessed!
Shortly after the Oracle of Enheduanna was released, I spent quite a bit of time reflecting on the Necronomicon Tradition and the efforts of the Asaru Clan. It is definitely a blessing to see newcomers and the advancement of those who have taken these studies very seriously. Recently, we were quite delighted to announce the addition of three new members to our administration team. It is indeed a blessing.
On the other side of the coin, I have observed some mishaps by those participants in our tradition who ignorantly use the Tradition as a means of gaining power and in the event of such things the system backfires on them. Everyone who has walked the Gates or works with the rites contained in the Urilia text will experience such on a lesser level. This is due to the adjustments that we have to make in life to obtain a “divine standing” in the universal scheme of things. To put it bluntly, a gate has been broken!
Prior to the time that the Oracle of Enheduanna was released, some of older subscribers may recall an experience in which I interacted with a spirit from the realm of Ishtar who was upset about how the rites were being enacted. At first, I thought this may have had something to do with the Simon Necronomicon’s approach to the Sumerian Mysteries and it blend of Thelemic and Lovecraftian concepts with such. This message perplexed me for some time, as I received a lot of benefit and insights by use of the Simon Necronomicon and becoming a Practitioner of such. Today, when I reflect on the message that came to me, I see that it has nothing to do with the structure of the Simon Necronomicon. It is a perfect initiatory tool; the “uncleanliness” that the genii from the realm of DinGir Ishtar was referring to in the “actions” of those participating in the rites. It is these things that many walking through the Gates, Initiates of the dark hall, have fallen short on.
“Remember, always, in every empty moment, to call upon the Gods not to forget thee, for they are forgetful and very far away.”
The passage cited above appears in the First testimony of the Mad Arab. It admonishes us to ‘call upon the Gods in every empty moment.” This means that instead of giving way to “imagination” use the time to pursue divine thought and action. Remember, the divine work can only be carried out in day-to-day life. Notice what is written by the Mad Arab:
“The passing of the Gates gives the priest both power and wisdom to use it. He becomes able to control the affairs of his life more perfectly than before,..”
Whatever activity the Mad Arab engaged in he was mindful of his place in the divine order of things. During his writing, he would interject “may Anu have mercy upon my soul.” In every moment he called upon the gods. It is unfortunate that many in our Tradition have turned away from such activities and seek not true transformation. Let us look at one example of how a gate has been broken.
“Know, first, that the Power of the Conquerors is the Power of the Magick, and that the stricken gods will ever tempt thee away from the Legions of the Mighty, and that you will feel the subtle fluids of thy body moving to the breath of TIAMAT and the Blood of KINGU who races in your veins. Be ever watchful, therefore, not to open this Gate, or, if thou must needs, put a time for its closing before the rising of the Sun, and seal it at that time; for to leave it open is to be the agent of CHAOS.”
From the above passage we see the Mad Arab mention that ‘The Power of Magick is the Power of the Conqueror.” Yet, often times I have seen many act like in a manner that is just the opposite to the admonition given here. “The Conqueror” in this case is the true self fighting against the false persona. Later, in the Magan Text,we are told ‘know that our years are years of war.’ Outer conflict is only a manifestation of internal conflict. The reason why some in the Tradition are facing such conflicts is because they have not rectified their internal self. They have not worked upon themselves while they were walking the Gates.
I have observed how some would employ a gate and then feel uncomfortable and then want to rush to another Gate. These sort of desires are desires of wanting to go back to sleep and feel comfortable. They are not the desires of personal transformation and must be shunned. Anytime an Initiate has a rough time in a “gate” it means that they have things to work on in that sphere of life. If they avoid working on themselves in relation to these things, they are only deceiving themselves. Do you know how many times I’ve heard Initiates say: “I don’t like that Gate! I don’t like that side of the system!” What do they do when faced with such ordeals? They run to another Gate. There are times when planets may be in retrograde or going through a “negative” astrological aspect. We are not speaking of such things for even retrogrades teach us many things. Instead, on working on themselves, truly becoming Conquerors, they seek only to feel good emotionally, so as to appear comfortable. For an Initiate to say that “they don’t like a particular gate,” it means they feel uncomfortable about working in that aspect of life. Yet the said passage has also a practical application.
“and that the stricken gods will ever tempt thee away from the Legions of the Mighty, and that you will feel the subtle fluids of thy body moving to the breath of TIAMAT and the Blood of KINGU who races in your veins.”
There is only “one set of gods in the Necronomicon Mysteries and these are an “Ancient race of Gods and Demons,” as we are told by the Mad Arab in the First Testimony. Both “sides” can be beneficial depending on the attitude and purpose of invoking such. In this case the “stricken gods” would represent primordial emotions and negative thinking, which influences our day-to-day experiences, as these forces are easy to reveal themselves and by such, ‘tempt the Initiate away from the legions of the Mighty.” How does this temptation take place, and what it is it?
In order for us to understand how we are tempted by the “stricken gods” and the nature of such, it is important for us to review the context of the passage in question:
“and that the stricken gods will ever tempt thee away from the Legions of the Mighty, and that you will feel the subtle fluids of thy body moving to the breath of TIAMAT and the Blood of KINGU who races in your veins. Be ever watchful, therefore, not to open this Gate, or, if thou must needs, put a time for its closing before the rising of the Sun,”
A review of this passage illustrates that the way in which we are “tempted” is based on the desire to “open the gate.” The desire to do magick is the very temptation that many are faced with. In the above passage, it is called ‘opening the gate.’ Gates of the Necronomicon by Simon, states the following on page 224:
“To the mad Arab, any act of contacting the Dead, various spirits, or monstrous entities was an act of “opening the Gate”: the Gate to the Underworld, which is perceived by him to exist both below the earth and somewhere in space,..”
Any act of divination is an act in opening the Gate according to the Mad Arab. It is by the foolish “desire” to do such that one becomes weak. This whole idea of “I’m going to do a working because things aren’t going right in my life,” is often a desire from an evil spirit to encroach further in your life.
Recently, I’ve seen such “negative” forces play tricks on some of the newer Initiates by making them think that someone is attacking them so that they can employ these same energies for protection. Meanwhile, these spirits are deceptive and only wish for you to open the Gate and give them life in this world. A spiritual attack would leave certain evidence that the Initiate would no of such. No Necronomicon energy would in =form an initiate of a spiritual attack if it hasn’t already protected the Initiate itself.
I’ve been spiritually attacked before and went to the DinGir asking for protection, and very few times at that. I didn’t return the attack of what have you because that’s an opening for negative forces to enter into the world. The greatest act of magick is to refrain from doing a ritual. This was what the Mad Arab was implying. Once you have passed the Gates and obtained some wisdom from the stars that dwell beyond, you have gained your initiation. Now you spend 90% of your life in building up your virtue by recognizing that every action, thought, and emotion emanating from you is a prayer to the gods. 95% of all ritual working should be about cleansing and banishing, not employing a ritual for every little thing. Learn from the example of DinGir Ishtar in Of the Sleep of Ishtar.
In the Magan Text part 4, we encounter the account entitled Of the Sleep of ISHTAR, similar to the account of Ishtar’s Descent. The Simon account is a modified version of such, as its main focus is to explain some of the steps of initiation. The text begins by saying that she set her mind towards the ‘Black Earth, the Land of Cutha.’ This is interesting because the Simon Necronomicon is described as the Book of the Black Earth.
When Ishtar left the gates of the Underworld she left with the following:
“And the Demons rose
And the Spirits of the Dead
And went with her out of the Gates
Looking neither right nor left
Walking in front and behind
They went with ISHTAR from the Gate of GANZIR”
The “Spirits of the Dead” and the “Demons” that followed Ishtar out of Ganzir are known today as the sedu and the lammassu. Legends of the Fire by Robert Lebling made the following observation on page 224 of this classic work:
“Another Babylonian demon called the sedu was possibly a guardian spirit, like the qarin/qarinah which we shall visit later. But it was also seen as having evil propensities. The sedu and a similar demon called the lamassu.”
In ancient Sumerian texts, DinGir Ishtar is described as having a sedu and lamassu in front and behind her. When Ishtar left Ganzir the spirits that followed her out were looking to bring someone into Ganzir in her place, which led to a lot of grief and sorrow for DinGir Ishtar. She was able to do some very powerful things with the “mes” she gained and her immortality.
We learn from this that any act of divination, specifically, those of a Sumerian nature are nothing to fool around with. Instead of doing numerous and pointless rituals, focus on cleansing. If we are not clean emotionally, mentally, and physically, whatever energy we may draw down from the stars will not reach us as needed.
Another problem that is occurring comes with investigation of other systems. Recently, some have experiment with esoteric prayer with much benefit. While it is useful to learn a few things here and there from another path, it is best to learn these systems in their entirety. The prayers in question, I know well. I am also aware that these “esoteric prayers” are very effective in raising energy both good and bad. Therefore, if one is in need to banish such negative energies that will surely arise, they would have to do so in a way that is appropriate to that paradigm.
It is good to see many grown in this Tradition and make tremendous efforts in various fields of life throughout the years. Let us press on ever forward with the appreciation to use what we have learned in our day-to-day experiences and in our relationships with others. For how we live our life is the greatest ritual of all.
