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Arratu; a tradition basaed on the myths and practices of Sumer

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    Arratu; a tradition basaed on the myths and practices of Sumer

    In this thread I will reveal what Arratu is and how it came to be. I will attempt to show the similarities and the differences between what the practices of the Sumerians were, what they became and what we practice in Arratu. Arratu is not a reconstruction of an ancient practice, rather it is an evolution of that ancient faith into a modern resemblance.

    In the southern area of what came to be called Mesopotamia (the land between the rivers) there were, in about 3500BCE, a series of city-states in a land called Sumer.
    These city-states were quite remarkable in that their populations were very large. Some larger than 50000 people. They had progressed from grass huts to living in homes that were made of mud bricks. The homes had several rooms and the larger homes were two stories with a ritual courtyard in the middle of the ring of rooms. The largest constructions by far were the city temples. Called Ziggurats these temples were between four and seven stories high, made of the same mud bricks, and dedicated to the city's patron deity. Each family had a patron deity and every conceivable trade and talent had a patron deity. By 2500 BCE Sumer had changed from what it was in the beginning due to the invention of a written language.

    In the beginning Sumer was a matrilineal society. Women owned all durable goods and men competed for women. (some things never change) Without written records or any concept of marriage a man could not be sure of who his children were. This meant that any durable goods and wealth was held by women and handed down to the first female child. Thereby securing a families wealth over many generations. Their image of the universe was a deep fresh water lake (larger than the oceans of today) upon which the land floated. The heavens were a large zinc dome with holes in it that showed the light of the spirit realm when the sun set. It all make sense when you consider that these were desert people living in a valley between two large and unruly rivers. The civilization invented the wheel, carts to carry goods and roads to travel upon. They are suspected to be one of, if not the, first "international" traders. They had farms and ranches, dams and irrigation, boats, an education system (actual schools), libraries, and made beer and Mead (a wine made from honey). They had enough leisure time to invent board games. They had a rich spirituality that was an everyday part of life. The top seven deities were in charge of the fate of the people, If you were having a bad week you would begin the day with lamentations to your patron deity to intercede on your behalf to the seven to make your life better. When writing their songs and poems people would identify themselves by name, by their parentage, by their patron deity and by their family deity. With over fifty major deities there were enough to choose from. Every invention was thought to be a gift from a deity and so as you can imagine the list of deities got quite long.

    The most important change in the culture and spirituality of Sumer came shortly after the written word. With written records women lost their place of power. Marriage was installed and records of a man's sons could be kept. Men assumed a pivotal role in society and it changed from matrilineal to patriarchal. Many of the goddesses were lost and the names were changed in gender to be gods. Inanna was one goddess that survived because she was so popular. The goddess of the moon Inanna was almost displaced but the replacement became her brother Nanna. It is the male version of Inanna but she was never deposed. Ki, the mother of all the gods, was not deposed either. Ki and her mate, An, remained the head of the pantheon for at least 1500 years before the couple was replaced by a single God, Enlil. As the culture of Sumer changed to patriarchal so did the religion. Women and goddesses lost their importance and men and gods gained importance. Before the written word men and women were of equal importance and even a slave had the right to work for himself to buy his freedom. After the written word women became just slightly better than slaves and slaves were no longer allowed to buy their freedom. Children, especially female children were at the bottom of society. If they were disobedient they could be sold into slavery, beaten and even stoned to death.

    Watching the evolution of this society over the thousands of years that it lasted one can get a feel for the "idealistic" society that might have been. Arratu is based in that ideal. The myths are kept because of the rich lessons they provide. The lamentations were discarded and a partnership with deity replaced it. We have the number 4 embedded in our tradition just as it was in ancient Sumer and the number 7 is another sacred number. Four seasons in the year, four winds that blow and for directions of travel. The four phases of the moon are each 7 days long. we identify ourselves in the four-fold pattern with our name, the names of our parents, the name of our patron deity, and the patron deity of our temple. we celebrate the four phases of the moon and the four seasons of the year. What really separates Arratu from most other neo-pagan paths is that we have an open canon and evolutionary dogma. The only "secrets" are the names of our members and the answers to the tests in the four-fold initiatory system. Anyone can get the rituals we use and use them freely. The names of deity, and all parts of our path can be examined to allow someone to know in advance what is required from the dedicate all the way to the fourth step in the process. The processes and skills that I teach in my open classes are the same classes I teach on those subjects to initiates.

    More to follow
    The Dragon sees infinity and those it touches are forced to feel the reality of it.
    I am his student and his partner. He is my guide and an ominous friend.

    #2
    Re: Arratu; a tradition basaed on the myths and practices of Sumer

    The Canon of Arratu:
    The canon is the ceremonies and rituals that we celebrate throughout our lives. There are thanksgivings offered as each meal is being prepared and at each meal. We give thanks to the animals, vegetables, and minerals that have given us the gift of life. We give thanks to the gods for the bounty in our life.

    As I prepare a meal I clean the fruit and vegetables I ponder their gift of life and cleanse them for our consumption. I clean the meat and ponder its life and thank the animal for its gift of life. As I season the food I thank the herbs and minerals for their gift of flavor that enhances our lives. As I cook, I thank the natural gas that heats our food for its gift of heat and ponder its cycle of life to energy. I thank the water in which the vegetables steam and ponder the water cycle. When we sit at the table to eat we give thanks again to the animals, vegetables and minerals for their gift of life to nourish our bodies, minds, emotions and spirits bringing us health, wealth, and happiness. We then thank the gods and goddesses that are patron deities to the food and ask them to "stay if they will, go if they must, but to remain ever near, in love and trust".

    It is a simple thing but it connects us to the cost of the food we eat. Whether it is bought in a store, raised in our garden or killed by our hand it has given its life to keep us well. Life must be respected and we do that by honoring each life whether it is animal, vegetable or mineral.
    The Dragon sees infinity and those it touches are forced to feel the reality of it.
    I am his student and his partner. He is my guide and an ominous friend.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Arratu; a tradition basaed on the myths and practices of Sumer

      This is a wonderful and enlightening read. Thank you for taking the time to write it. Now I'm curious to learn the direct impact these men had on the religious shaping of that region.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Arratu; a tradition basaed on the myths and practices of Sumer

        Many of the gods and goddesses were duplicated by other cultures due primarily to the trade and the written language. Anki (the primal universal source) was almost identical to the Hebrew El. Both were considered to have multiple aspects and Anki is transliterated to mean "All that Is" and El is referred to as Elohim which transliterates to "the many "faces" or "identities" of El. Another example is Inanna. She was the goddess of love, war, moon, and the wild places and the animals that were wild. You find the same goddess in the Egyptian, Greek and Roman pantheons by different names.
        In magikal activities you see similarities in the "holy numbers" that were used. 3,4,7 and the combinations of those numbers. The Sumerians had both a lunar calender and a solar calendar. The two calendars were "reset" to be in "sync" with a holiday at either the summer or winter solstice. They studied the stars and made note of the roaming stars (planets) as well as comets and eclipses. They used earthen vessels to trap demons and the statues they made were hollow so the spirit they represented could inhabit them. The Egyptians used earthen vessels to preserve the vital organs of the Pharaohs.
        The Cuneiform written language was used long after Sumer ceased to exist but was dropped from use around the "Golden Age" of Greece.
        The Dragon sees infinity and those it touches are forced to feel the reality of it.
        I am his student and his partner. He is my guide and an ominous friend.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Arratu; a tradition basaed on the myths and practices of Sumer

          Wow, thanks for sharing. I'm so disconnected from non abrahamic religion in that region.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Arratu; a tradition basaed on the myths and practices of Sumer

            An important part of the canon of Arratu is our Lunar celebrations. The myth tells us that they came into existence after the solar rites were written. Here is a short version of the story behind the practice:

            One evening while Adapa is in deep meditation he hears a whining complaint from a new source. She introduces herself as Inanna and is whining that four celebrations, revolving around the solar cycle is too little time to spend in communion with deity. She tells Adapa that the Moon is a force on earth that should also be celebrated. Explaining to him that it is Her Moon that causes the tides four times a day. First the low then the high and repeating that cycle again each day. She reminds him of the sacred numbers of four and then of seven. The cycle of the Moon, She reminds him, is four times seven days long and divides the year into thirteen parts. Thirteen is also one of the sacred numbers and so should also be celebrated. Her whining ceases as she leaves and is replaced by the voices of An and Ki. Together they tell of the cycles of the Moon as representation of the same solar cycles which together form the agricultural year. The day of the dark Moon is like that of the Winter Solstice, the first quarter is like the Spring Equinox, the full Moon is akin to the Summer solstice, and the last quarter is similar to the Fall Equinox. Over the next weeks They give to him ceremonies with which to celebrate these times and he writes them down.

            This is the myth of the founding of the Lunar Rites which we practice. The first and last quarters center on the equilibrium of the predator and the prey and the balance that relationship brings to the world.
            The full moon is a celebration of the wealth which permeates our lives. The bounty of out relationship as partners with deity, the wealth of love within our family, the diversity of and within our spiritual family and our health and monetary position. The new moon it a period of rest and to ponder ourselves and our relationships. When we work toward a magical goal we celebrate on the first bit of new moon (commonly referred to as Diana's Bow. In this way the magik can increase in strength until the full moon when it is directed and released.
            The Dragon sees infinity and those it touches are forced to feel the reality of it.
            I am his student and his partner. He is my guide and an ominous friend.

            Comment

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