The sabbat of Mabon, being the Autumn Equinox, marks a pivotal turning point in the wheel of the year. Today is one of the two days in the year where day and night are of equal length, and from here on out the darkness will outmeasure the light until the Vernal Equinox. The descent into the dark half of the year mirrors the classical descent into the Underworld found in various spiritual systems as well as world mythologies. The Underworld is a rich tapestry upon the spiritual landscape with vast lore filled with gods, goddesses, romance, adventure, power, challenges, fantastical creatures, and noble guardians. Throughout world cosmologies, we see various accounts of descent into and back from this mysterious lower realm, bringing wisdom back to our world along with spiritual gifts, and even, by some accounts, seasons.
Probably one of the best known stories among modern Pagans regarding descent to the Underworld involves Greek goddess Persephone. Her story is intimately tied to the seasonal shifts that occur at the equinoxes and is heard inside many a Mabon sabbat circle. A highly synopsized version of the tale is as follows. Persephone, daughter of Demeter, was strolling along enjoying nature’s beauty one day when she finds herself drawn to the unique beauty of a particularly dazzling flower. Upon picking the flower, set as a trap, Hades swiftly appears and whisks her away to the Underworld, of which he is ruler. Demeter, logically being not only concerned but angered that her daughter was nabbed, becomes scornful and withholds growth and fertility from the earth, causing crops to wither and darkness to fall upon the land. (If Mama isn’t happy, nobody’s happy!) Eventually, all the gods decide that enough is enough and hold council. A deal ends up being struck with Hades for Persephone’s return. However, before she leaves the Underworld, Persephone consumes an enchanted pomegranate. This enchantment from Hades insured that she’ll return to spend half of each year with him. Each year at the Autumnal Equinox, Persephone descends to the Underworld to spend her time with Hades, ushering in fall. Hades releases her at the Vernal Equinox, ushering in spring.
Perhaps another of the notable tales of descent to the Underworld is that of the Mesopotamian goddess Inanna. While the reason for her descent isn’t definitively determinable because accounts vary, some cite her original attempt to pass through the gates of the Underworld as stemming from a desire to attend the funeral of her sister Ereskigal’s husband. Ereskigal also happened to be the presiding goddess of the Underworld. A lot of focus is given in Pagan culture to Inanna’s descent through the seven gates of the Underworld. It is this that Inanna is predominantly known for. Modern Pagans equate the symbolism of these seven gates with the seven chakras and levels of consciousness. We can pass through gates of consciousness just as Inanna passed through the gates in her descent. Of course, part of Inanna’s Underworld tale also includes a seasonal connection. When she left the Underworld, Ereskigal sent demons to follow her (the two sisters were not on great terms), and the demons would not allow Inanna to leave unless someone was offered up to take her place. After several candidates were explored and rejected, they came upon Inanna’s husband, Dumuzi. Dumuzi was caught dressed in finery and enjoying himself, instead of mourning the absence of Inanna like others were. This of course did not go over well with Inanna, and Dumuzi’s fate was sealed. Dumuzi was offered up to the demons to take her place in the Underworld. To Dumuzi’s credit, he did have his sister in his corner, who loved him so much that she arranged for herself to be Inanna’s replacement for half the year, and for Dumuzi to take the other half of the year. Despite casting Dumuzi to the Underworld in her fit of frustration, Inanna mourns the half of the year they are now separated. During this time, she withholds her power of fertility from the land, resulting in the arrival of autumn and the darker half of the year.
Of course, deities are not the only beings who make descents to the Underworld. Practitioners of shamanism make regular journeys to these realms. In shamanism, there is a near universal cosmology that includes three worlds, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Worlds. The Lower World is but another term for the Underworld. The Middle World is the alternate or Non-Ordinary Reality version of the plane we live in now, and the Upper World is yet another geographic layer of existence in the shamanic Otherworlds. As mentioned, all three of these worlds are seen to exist in an alternate reality, accessible through altered states of consciousness. Practitioners of shamanism have been visiting and traversing these realms for thousands of years. While details and accounts of the spirits and landscape of these worlds vary from culture to culture, the similarities between the accounts are too alarming to deny. Additionally, because of this, many differences are thought not to be contradictory, but rather accounts of different areas or locations within these worlds. The Lower World is often seen as a place of healing, lush natural landscapes, and home to powerful personal guardians—often in animal form. It is said the spirit of all species that ever existed—living, extinct, or so-called mythological—can be found in the lower world. Some cultures prescribe the realms of the ancestors and the dead to the Lower World, while others attribute them to the Upper World. Those who journey to these lower realms often do so to glean spiritual wisdom and bring back answers to questions relevant to the their own lives and those of their people. Gloriously, through shamanic techniques, if desired, we can all learn how to visit these realms for ourselves.
It is worth addressing the rather bleak and dark reputation that has been painted about the realms of the Underworld, which has seemed to permeate a lot of Western mainstream thought and culture. With the influence of Abrahamic religion came the permeation of those faiths’ concept of “Hell.” Most of us are familiar with the concept of this place being less than hospitable to say the least—a fiery realm of punishment, torture, despair, evil malicious entities, and a point of no return for those cast into its bastions. The good news is, as we have seen already in this essay, those viewpoints don’t hold the monopoly on perspectives of the Underworld. Earlier we visited the story of Persephone, Hades, and the Greek Underworld. The Greek perception of these realms, in fact, was not at all a place of punishment or torturous despair. This realm that Hades ruled was in fact the afterlife, where all souls went after death. As just examined, the various views of the shamanic Lower World also have almost no resemblance to the Abrahamic view of “Hell.” In fact, many shamanic peoples will tell you that all three worlds are Heavens in their own right and are realms of great spiritual healing and wisdom. So, in my opinion, when we speak of the Under and Lower Worlds, we are not speaking of the place that the Abrahamic traditions are speaking of as “Hell.” Therefore, feel free to cast any undue apprehensions or anxiety about these realms aside!
The Underworld is a celebrated cosmological location with its own rich lore, beauty, and power worthy of our explorations. As we slide into the unique energetic current of introspection and contemplation following the equinox where the darkness each day outweighs the light, I’m reminded of an old piece of shamanic wisdom: “The darker it is, the better you see.” This Mabon, won’t you join me in the growing darkness, and descend to the Underworld?
Bibliography
Dugan, Ellen. Autumn Equinox: The Enchantment of Mabon. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2005.
Grimassi, Raven. Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft: 2nd Edition Revised & Expanded. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2000 & 2003.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. Boston, New York, and London: Little, Brown and Company, 1942.
Illes, Judika. Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses. New York: Harper One, 2009.
University of Pennsylvania. “Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus. Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses—Inana/Istar.” Accessed September 12, 2014. http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/listofdeities/inanaitar/.