Urshanabi leads Gilgamesh to the Deep Underworld. And so for nine hours Gilgamesh has to out run the sun.
And he does out run the sun, though how I do not know.
Continued
After nine exhausting hours with the sun hot on his heels Gilgamesh emerges from the underworld into the garden of the Gods.
The garden is a place that even, the mighty King of Uruk has never seen the like of. He was dazzled by trees and plants that have flowers and blossom of precious and semi precious stones and gems. It was quite amazing.
Then Gilgamesh is confronted by an ordinary man, Utanpishtim. The king of Uruk is surprised he was expecting a God that he would have to fight.
Weaponless Gilgamesh has to talk to Utanpishtim who asks him why he looks so tired and wan. Gilgamesh tells him how he has spent his last nine hours outrunning the sun. He also tells of the loss of his dear brother Enkidu and how he King of Girt – Walled – Uruk wants Immortality for himself and his people .
Utanpishtim says he has wasted his time venturing to these shores and all he has done is bring himself one day closer to death.
You can run but you cannot hide
Death reachs across the divide.
Immortals and men do not mix
All men die it’s written in stone, fixed.
Now Enlil had gathered the Gods together after the Flood and granted Utanpishtim and his wife Shiduri immortality. The question now arose who would grant this to Gilgamesh, what deeds would he do to gain his goal.
Utanpishtim set Gilgamesh the task that he must stay awake for seven days and nights with no sleep. The big ego that is Gilgamesh agreed to this blindly.
The task is set
Gilgamesh accepts and yet
In seconds he is asleep
Unable to his boastful words to keep.
He will lie says Utanpishtim
He is man as duplicitous as all his kin.
Shiduri will bake for everyday he sleeps a loaf.
He will lie, for all his mighty ways he’s just an oaf.
Shiduri bakes a loaf each day for the seven day and lays them infront of the sleeping Gilgamesh when the seventh day arrives Utanpishtim wakes Gilgamesh.
Of course he lies and tells Utanpishtim and Shiduri that he had not slept a wink.
He does not fool the wise couple who knew the outcome would always be a fail compounded by a lie. Shiduri shows Gilgamesh the seven loaves and gets him to feel the rock hard first and the soft warm last one.
Death around Gilgamesh creeps
Fear and failure into his soul seeps.
Lies from his mouth have made him fail
The useless the efforts of his travail
Will he be banished empty handed.
As a hopeless fool branded.
To be continued….
The story of Gilgamesh is one older than time and one that is repeated in all ancient and modern religious books and stories ..though the names and places change the stories do not.
Here is a clip from one of a trilogy of films called The Chronicles of Riddick. The characters in the clip have to outrun the sun, which waits for no man.
As I am nearing the end of my account of my feelings and experiences at The Silent Eye Spring Workshop I find I want to linger with the memories and stop time.
After we had returned from ancient Sumeria that Saturday night we all, everyone of us, got changed and fought the biblical weather the thankfully short distance up the hill to the local pub.
We all deserved a break, I was there, just behind the lense. The cosy warmth in the bar was matched by the warmth of these beautiful people who had been traveling along the same path with me. This was every bit as important as a learning curve as the entire workshop itself. Different but just as important.
*******
Sunday dawned bright dry and no wind. We had weathered the flood. Today way the last day of The Silent Eye Workshop.
Had the weather really been that bad that we could not climb the hill and greet the dawn. Had it lashed with rain and wind since our arrival Friday afternoon. Mm ..Yes.
I got up early and sat in the temple for a chance to meditate on where I have been for the last two days. Strangely as I thought over the story I found it difficult to comprehend I had only been here two days. It felt like eons.
After breakfast we had the Triad Ritual which I found very moving, we were asked to speak for voices that are not often heard. Everyone spoke for someone or something, I chose to speak for Mother Nature.
And so In to The Deep.
We returned to the temple to witness what was to become of the big ego, Gilgamesh on his last quest.
We, the Fates, had all the way through this journey been alluding to a huge flood, and a boat that was built. It was to me like the story of Noah and the Arc. Though the names were different the story was the same. Instead of Noah and his wife it was Utanpishtim and his wife Shiduri. They were rewarded by being allowed to live for eternity at the source of the rivers. In a place very similar to the garden of Eden.
******
Tired with travel and full of woe
Gilgamesh meets Shiduri who
Asks, where do you go.
Holding fast her brewer’s vat her fear she hides.
After many days travel Gilgamesh meets Shiduri who asks who he is and where he is going. He tells her is the king of Wall-Girt-Uruk and he is seeking Utanpishtim to gain some of the Herb of Immortality, so his people may live forever.
Shiduri asks why is he so sad, he tells her the sad story of his brother Enkidu.
Shiduri tells Gilgamesh that none but Shamash are brave enough to traverse the sky. Immediately the ego kicks in and Gilgamesh sites his triumphs, which I as a Fate see only as failure.
Gilgamesh is then told by Fate Ash that he may gain help from Urshanabi, Utanpishtim’s boatman. He is in the forest cutting wood in the company of the Stone Men who are very fearsome.
So very wearily Gilgamesh enters the forest in search of the boatman.
It is not long before the Stone Men begin to question and threaten Gilgamesh, who cannot land a blow on any of them before the next distracts him. Eventually he collapses ..
Urshanabi, tells him that the journey is not a simple ferry ride. He must out run Shamash, the sun, for nine hours through the deep of the underworld.
The ego that is Gilgamesh says he can do this… Despite warnings that Shamash is fast and will not slow for any man be he king or not.
Urshanabi leads Gilgamesh to the Deep Underworld. And so for nine hours Gilgamesh has to out run the sun.
After breakfast we met in the the temple to first to discuss and then to perform Ritual Drama Two. A second self.
“Aruru moistened her hands She pinched off clay She kneaded it… She shaped her idea into it Then she threw it into the wilderness…”
Does that remind you of anything, it does me. Yes it truly reminds me of how “God” made Adam. ..
Steve read the above verse to us before we entered the temple. It was only the second time I had entered the temple as Limma but somehow I didn’t need the script I was guided in. First in line with Fate Ia to my left with the other four fates behind us, we followed Gilgamesh in, bowing to the temple guardian on entering. We walk towards the throne bow, to the king of Urk and the East and peel off to our spheres.
We are seated Anu and Aruru carry out the Cencing of the temple. The Guardian seals the temple.
As Anu and Aruru sit Enkidu stands and faced East. I as Limma rise also to face the East. I hold the mask of the voice destiny infront of me. I introduce Enkidu. I explained who he is and what he is. I tell how he is one with the animals of the wilderness.
One day he is seen by a trapper who is terrified by what he sees. He runs off to the great city to tell the king of this man beast.
To the music of the planet moon.
I with the other fates move around the Hexaflow we pass the mask of the voice of destiny to eachother and exchange spheres.
Fate Min takes up the story of the trapper who saw Enkidu at the watering – hole.
She tells how the trapper is in fear of Gilgamesh and how Gilgamesh enjoys the poor man’s fear. Almost ridiculing him, then finally threatening him that there will be consequences if he is not telling the truth.
Gilgamesh (seated on throne, is deep in thought, recalling his dream and the prophecy of his mother. He says, ( quietly…)My twin, eh? Uncivilised, is it?(Then decisively…) Very well, let us see what civilising influence can be brought to bear upon him. Go to the temple of Ishtar. Instruct the Priestess Shamhat, by my command, to accompany you. Take her into the wilderness. When the wild-man approaches the watering-hole let her employ all the arts of love to seduce him. When he succumbs, the animals will leave him forever. He will no longer be a part of the herd. Go now and do as you have been instructed.Gilgamesh stands and points towards the West over the Trapper’s head.
And so the trapper leaves to do as he was bid.
To the music of Mars
I and the other fates move around the Hexaflow exchanging places and the mask of the voice of destiny.
Fate Issu takes up the tale. She tells us how the Trapper has arrived at the temple and goes straight to speak with the high priestess Shamhat.
The trapper tells Shamhat about the wild-man and Gilgamesh’s demands.
The priestesses is not best pleased, saying that the king has no right to command her ..no one but her Divine Council may do that.
The trapper points out he is only the messenger.
Shamhat consults with the Devine Council. Anu informs her she must do the king’s bidding.
To the music of the planet Mercury. I join the other Fates and we walk the Hexaflow exchanging places and the mask of the voice of destiny.
Fate Ia (faces the East, holds the Voice of Destiny mask before her face and she tells us. Then Shamhat called upon the Divine Council. She summoned the Priesthood of the Seven to aid her in what must be done. The Divine Council come forward from the East, with their veils plainly visible, draped at the waist from their cordeliers. They stand in an arc before and around Shamhat, with right to left, Nanna, Gugalanna, Enki, Enlil, Inanna, Ninurta, and Utu. Shamhat rises to stand before them and bows her head. During the following interchanges Ninsun acts as an intermediary between the Divine Council and Shamhat. Ninsun walks around the back of the arc of the Divine Council from the left, to stand in front of each of them in turn.Priestess of Nanna opens the vesica around Ninsun, and ‘passes’ the white veil…Ninsun My service is to he who sends the dreams of Men to sail the moonlit night. He gives you greeting. (Bows to Shamhat) You must follow the Trapper into the wilderness in search of Enkidu. On the first night, give him this gift. (Takes white veil) Drawn from the very substance of the lunar seas, this veil will give Enkidu the vision of the tides of life. He will see how they ebb and flow, ever seeking a point of rest,
Ninsun My service is to he who guides the hand of Man to strike or withhold. He gives you greeting. (Bows to Shamhat) Of his substance, my god offers this gift. On the second night, you must give it to Enkidu. (Takes red veil) In war and in peace, Man must know when to act and when to be still. No more must the wild man react from instinct; this veil will bring him the gift of discrimination, the freedom to choose his own path. Priestess of Gugalanna closes the vesica around Ninsun… Ninsun Steps forward to attach veil to Shamhat’s cloak. Bows and moves to the next position along the arc of the Divine Council, in front of Enki. Priestess of Enki opens the vesica around Ninsun, and ‘passes’ the grey veil… Ninsun My service is to he who bears the Word twixt the earth and the heavens. He gives you greeting. (Bows to Shamhat) The Word of the gods is echoed in the speech of Man. On the third night, you must give this gift to Enkidu.
So Ninsun, brings greetings and instructions for Shamhat from each of the Devine Council.
The devine Council through Ninsun has given Shamhat a different coloured veils to give to Enkidu.
So Shamhat takes her cloak and the veils and leaves with the trapper to find the wild man.
It takes them three days to reach the watering-hole, then they have to wait for two days more until the wild man arrives .
The trapper tells Shamhat to catch the wild man’s eye and he will succumb to her charms.
The two hold eachother’s gaze.
The to music of Jupiter I join the fates as before.
Then we all speak in turn.
Fate Imin (turns to face the east) and says For six days… and seven nights… the dance was joined.
Fate Ia The glories above were un-named…
Fate Limma The word for that world beneath, unuttered…
Fate Ash Source and time, unfettered, merged…
Fate Ussu From the mingling waves-of-water came mud and slime…
Fate Min Enshar and Kishar, twin global halves, shone out of them.
Shamhat dances the dance of seven veils, Fate Ia explains what each coloured veil represents.
Enkidu falls deeper under Shamhat’s spell.
Again I join the other fates to walk the Hexaflow.
After a while Shamhat and Enkidu sleep.
The Divine Council in the East, led by Anu and Ninsun, perform the Communion,serving Gilgamesh first. After finally serving themselves Anu and Ninsun take the Platter and Chalice to Sphere 9/0. The Divine Council and other characters in the East are seated simultaneously. All the Fates rise from their seats to stand, simultaneously Anu sounds Chime… and Enkidu and Shamhat ‘awake’ and turn to face each other… Enkidu (who can now speak) A strange vision have I beheld whilst we slept. Shamhat (laughing) A dream, my love? Enkidu (leaps to his feet and begins to pace the Enneagram space) A dream, it was, of High and Noble Forms moving in well-ordered sequence, and sharing… a meal? Shamhat (rising to her feet also and moving towards the Sphere 9/0) It is a final act of civilisation, my love. How we share the means and manner of our existence here, together. I shall show you. Shamhat adds her blessing to the bread and wine and passes the platter to Enkidu. Together Shamhat and Enkidu share the host with, the Guardian, the Fates and all remaining characters who have not yet received it. Finally, they serve themselves. They return the Platter and Chalice to the table in the East and are seated .
To the music of the Sun I with the other fates move around the Hexaflow we pass the mask of the voice of destiny to eachother and exchange spheres. When we are finished I am left standing facing East and holding the mask of the voice of destiny.
I tell of how Shamhat and Enkidu stayed out in the wilderness for days. Enkidu was puzzled when he could no longer join the animals, they ran from him and his speed was gone.
Shamhat explains that now he has united with a woman he is no longer a beast he is now a man. God like.
Shamhat decides that they will go and live with the shepherds outside Wall -Girt Uruk. Before they enter there. So they do.
Then one day Enkidu meets the trapper all dressed in his finest clothes. Curious, Enkidu asks him why is he dressed so. The trapper explains he is on his way to a wedding to celebrate.
He tells Enkidu that after the priest has blessed the couple, and the guests have rejoice it is the custom that the groom stands aside because Gilgamesh is first to mate with every new bride. This the trapper adds is what the Gods have decreed.
This angers Enkidu his own first taste of love fresh in his mind. He vows to stop Gilgamesh. He sets off for the city.
I then put down the mask of the voice of destiny and walk to the centre of the Enneagram and read from a scroll I was given earlier.
Listen, I will tell you a mystery… A secret of the Gods… King of Shuruppak, quickly, quickly You must tear down your house and build a great vessel… Leave your possessions, save your life. The vessel must be round so that its length equals its width. Build a roof over it just as the Great Deep is covered by the earth. I understood the words of Ea. My Lord, I will obey your command as you have spoken it. But what shall I say when the people ask why I am building such a vessel. “Tell them that you can no longer live in their city, that it is your fate to go down into the Great Deep, tell them that an abundance of rain is coming…”
(And all the time back in Huxlow 2019 the rain is pouring, unknown to us )
When I have finished I return to my sphere, meanwhile the Temple Guardian unsealesq the temple.
Following my lead all the fates turn to the East then I lead them out, bowing to the Guardian as we leave. Then everyone else leaves.
***********
Well, there I was in the hallway with all the others, again Sue Stuart and Steve were telling us all how well we had done.
I could not grasp the time shift we had all made. Time and space laws defied.
Apparently it was time for a break, we were to meet in the library in fifteen minutes for a talk from Jan Malique entitled The offspring of silence.
Then Lunch… Goodness was it still the morning on the first full day of The Silent Eye Workshop, surely I had been in the wilderness outside Uruk for weeks?
I am confused. I have tried to give you a taste of the story and how we lived it. I have used different music to show that the story is timeless. The music in the temple was so beautiful too. Thank you to everyone involved.
Our prompt for JusJoJan 2019, January 10th is brought to you by Toortsie! Click here to find her last post and say hi while you’re there! Toortsie’s word for our prompt today is “Sunrise.” Use it anywhere in your post or make it the theme of your post. Have fun!
I have used Imogen Heap’s video of Xizi because it encapsulates Sunrise.
Sunrise
Oh! glory greets the dawn
Gold, and blue colours born.
A ring of stones ages old
Awaits the Sunrise shrouded in cold.
We stand expectant hand in hand
We lean the lessons from the land.
Chanting words we close our eyes
Joining with companions and strangers we send our message to the skies.
In early December I was on a course with The Silent Eye. On the last day of the course we were up before Sunrise to drive a short distance from our guests house to Castlerigg.
We arrived at the stone circle shortly before dawn. Although it was freezing I was buzzing and warm. I was excited to greet the new day, I felt electric.
We were eight but we were not alone. There were three men there dressed for hill walking and wrapped up well. We spoke with them and they seemed like kindred spirits.
In my mind I christened them “Hobbits”, only because they seemed so at one with the surroundings and on a quest too.
There were also two young women tourists taking photos. They were a little bemused by us.
As Sunrise grew closer we invited the Hobbits to join us in our circle to join hands and greet the dawn. They did so willingly saying they were always glad to join a circle.
As we greeted the sunrise we chanted holding hands with companions and strangers. I felt an inner warmth filling my while being.
As we left I thanked the Hobbits for their company, they said they had been happy to share the moment with us and that our paths would definitely cross again.
One our way back to our breakfast we saw the sunrise in all its glory.
We did return to Castlerigg stone circle later that morning to finish the course. It is a stunning place.
Strangely Sue mentioned that she and Stuart had returned to the same circle at sun set and had met the three gentlemen again (my Hobbits) so they had indeed crossed paths once more.
More thoughts from The Silent Eye‘s : The Full Circle : Finding your way home, weekend in Cumbria. For Just Jot it January.
#jusjojan
You will learn a great deal from her knowledge. I can’t match that wealth of knowledge but I can tell you what I experienced.
Little Meg
Permission sought from those who went before. We entered the field following the line of the hedge to avoid the deep mud. Again I felt the rush and crush of those who had had passed this way before.
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