Saturday, February 20, 2010

WGR 2009 Guided Meditation: Inanna's Descent

Relax yourself and be comfortable.
You are going on a great journey soon.
This journey will lead to initiation and wisdom.
This journey will lead to the underworld and your dark secret self.
Breathe in deeply and feel yourself being gently lifted upward.
Exhale fully and feel yourself sink down deeply, melting into your self.
Breathe in again, rising not so high this time.
And exhale, sinking deeper into the watery darkness of unconsciousness.
Breathe in, barely treading the waters of your mind.
And exhale, diving deep, relaxing fully into the dark.

You see a dazzling starry light, and focusing, you realize that it is a brilliant crown of stars.
You place the crown upon your head, accepting that you are the queen of this domain.
Invisible hands fasten a necklace of beads that shine like a rainbow around your throat.
Your arms glitter with intricate gold bracelets, each carved with a story about your life.
You realize you are wearing a robe of pure white silk that shines like the moon and flows like a river around you.
Your feet are girt with sandals of the softest leather and you move through the world like a gentle wind.
Around your waist is fastened a golden girdle which makes you irresistible to all you see you.
The sweet perfume of honey and myrrh rises from your skin.
Your eyes are painted with kohl and crushed gemstones.
Your garments are sequined with galaxies.
In your hand is your holy weapon of power.

Now armed and and adorned you are ready for your journey.
Westward you travel, to the land where the sun sets.
You approach the dark gates of the underworld.
You knock on the gate, calling out to the gatekeeper.
"Open the gates to the underworld!"
The gatekeeper answers:
"Who seeks to enter the gates of the underworld?"
"I, The Queen of Heaven seek to enter the underworld!"
"Why do you travel to the land from where none may return?"
"I travel to visit my sister and my secret self that I may know wisdom!"
"Then come, Queen of Heaven, and enter."
The gates of the underworld open to you and you pass through them.

As you move through the gates your weapon of power disappears from your hand.
You can feel your inner strength fading away.
"What is this?" you ask.
You are told, "Quiet! The ways of the underworld are perfect and must not be questioned!"

You see a second gate which opens to you as you approach it.
As you pass through the second gates your golden girdle disappears from your waist.
You can sense your inner beauty fading away.
"What is this?" you ask.
You are told, "Quiet! The ways of the underworld are perfect and must not be questioned!"

You see a third gate which opens to you as you approach it.
As you pass through the third gates your soft sandals disappear from your feet.
You can feel your power of swift movement fading away.
"What is this?" you ask.
You are told, "Quiet! The ways of the underworld are perfect and must not be questioned!"

You see a forth gate which opens to you as you approach it.
As you pass through the forth gates your moonlit robes disappear from your body.
You can feel your power of queenly grace fading away.
"What is this?" you ask.
You are told, "Quiet! The ways of the underworld are perfect and must not be questioned!"

You see a fifth gate which opens to you as you approach it.
As you pass through the fifth gates your golden bracelets disappear from your arms.
You can feel the memories of your life fading away.
"What is this?" you ask.
You are told, "Quiet! The ways of the underworld are perfect and must not be questioned!"

You see a sixth gate which opens to you as you approach it.
As you pass through the sixth gates your rainbow necklace disappears from your neck.
You can feel your radiant life force fading away.
"What is this?" you ask.
You are told, "Quiet! The ways of the underworld are perfect and must not be questioned!"

You see a seventh gate which opens to you as you approach it.
As you pass through the seventh gates your starry crown disappears from your head.
You can see the light around you fading away.
"What is this?" you ask.
You are told, "Quiet! The ways of the underworld are perfect and must not be questioned!"

Naked and bowed low you enter the throne room of your secret self.
Your eyes adjust to the dim gloom of the sacred chamber.
You can see rows of judges gathered around the throne.
The judges fix their dark eyes upon you.
They fasten upon you the baleful eye of death.
They speak the word of wrath.
They utter the cry of guilt.
You fall dead at their feet.

Now from the dark throne rises a shadowy figure.
She moves slowly toward your limp corpse.
She bends down over you and strokes your hair.
For only a moment you can see her face.
It is like your own.
She leans down further and places her lips near your ear.
Listen now for her whisper of wisdom.
...

The shadow queen rises from your corpse slowly and walks to her throne lamenting,
"Oh! Oh! My insides!"
You feel a tinge of sympathy for her pain.
"Oh! Oh! My outsides!" She cries.
You long to soothe her.
The shadow queen reaches behind her throne and retrieves a jar.
Bending over your corpse she pours water from the jar onto you.
It is the water of life.

You can feel the life rushing back into your body.
Warmth and light envelop you.
Sense returns to your limbs.
Sight returns to your eyes.
You breathe deeply, breathing in light and life.
You rise standing from the earth.
You look your dark sister in the eye and hold her cold hand.
You embrace her.

As you turn to leave the dark chamber the judges call to you.
"Wait!" they call out. "No one may return from the underworld unmarked."
You reach out your open palms to them.
They place in your hands the sacred mark.
A great rush of wind blows you backwards and upwards.
You can feel your powers returning to you.

Your starry crown reappears on your brow and light shines forth from you.
Your rainbow necklace reappears at your throat and the joy of life fills you.
Your golden bracelets reappear on your arms and you remember your beautiful life.
Your silken robes reappear around you and you can feel your grace returning.
Your soft sandals reappear on your feet and you can feel yourself in control of your movement.
Your golden girdle reappears at your waist and your inner beauty is restored.
Your weapon of power reappears in your hand and you are filled with inner strength.

You stand outside of the gates of the underworld.
You look to the east and see the rising sun.
Breathe it in and rise.
Rise back from unconsciousness.
Rise back to this world.
Rise back into your body.
Awaken, and bring the words of your secret self with you.

Written for the 2009 Women's Goddess Retreat

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