Descent of the Goddess

A few people have asked me about the myth I referred to in Tuesday's post, so I decided to do a little followup.

First, The Descent isn't really just one myth, but rather a theme that occurs in several myths and myth-inspired stories. The oldest example may be the Sumerian myth relating the descent of the Goddess Inanna into the land of the dead. There's also a specifically Wiccan gloss of the story which can be found in Gardnerian sources. At NCPCOW's Samhain ritual this year we presented our own version in the form of a narrated pantomime, combining elements from both of these.

The story touches on some important points. The start of the seasonal cycle that I mentioned in my original post is one, of course. The integration of Divine powers is another, represented in the Sumerian account by the twin Goddesses Innana and Erishkigal. The structure of initiation is a third, and this is especially evident in Gardner's version. All of these motifs overlap and reinforce each other.

The Descent, in essence, is the Goddess's own initiation. She is stripped down to Her core, experiences the death of the self, and is reborn with greater knowledge and deeper purpose. Because symbolically She is the Earth, The Descent can be seen as the planet's initiation as well.

From that angle, The Descent represents a paradigm shift in the way life itself functions. Endless summer is replaced by a seasonal cycle, which reflects a maturing biosphere. At the same time, Divine powers of life and death are reconciled and another cycle starts: the all-important cycle of rebirth.

All this reminds me that the word "Initiate" has more than one meaning. It can mean "To induct into membership by special rites" or "To instruct in the rudiments or principles of something " but those are secondary meanings (thank you, Webster's).  It doesn't just mean to induct or instruct, it primarily means to get things started.

Questions for future posts: When we undergo personal intiation into our spiritual paths, what  new cycles and processes does that  start in our lives? What parts of ourselves do we confront and integrate during our rites?