sacrifice and mythology

[Revelation]

Hello all,

I am in need of mythologies dealing with sacrifice as a notion of descent into the underworld, or self knowldge.

So far all I can come up with is Ianna's Descent in which she makes 7 sacrifices to enter the Underworld, and the Christian myth of Easter, where Christ is sacrificed, descends into Hell, and then rises again.

As you cna see, I'm looking at a wide range of sacrifices, and a wide range of "descent" mythologies.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Kaylara]

Ummm how about the story of Kore and her kidnapping by Hades, to become Persephone, Queen of the Underworld...

Kaylara

[Lilu]

There is also the story of Ishtar and how she went into the Underworld to get her lover Tammuz.

The three stories of Inanna, Kore and Ishtar are practically the same though, they are very similar in many aspects.

Lilu

[Lilu]

Aeneas and the Underworld, there might be something you can use with this story... I don't have the time to research it, but the very last paragraph hints at sacrifices Aeneas might have made, and then he was considered worthy of entering the Underworld and returning. http://www.idmon.freeserve.co.uk/zmyth10a.htm

This is an interesting essay on the Underworld you might be able to use: http://www.dccc.edu/frr/HTML/Ouriania.htm

There is a lot of symbolism around fall, and Mabon, and the sacrifice of the Green Man, John Barleycorn, etc. Many pagan religions are familiar with him.

I believe also that the story of Mythril is very similar to that of Jesus, but I'm not sure about whether he was sacrificed or not. You might like to check into that.

"A similar story concerns the journey of the Norse god Hermod, son of Odin, through the black mists of Niflheim into the underworld. His brother Balder, the sun god, had been slain with a twig of mistletoe by the blind god Hoder, guided by Loki, and Hermod undertook to free him from the realm of Hel, Loki's daughter." Source: http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sunrise/49-99-0/4s-schue.htm

And perhaps you can look into the story of Osiris and Isis. ???

I'm not sure if it's relevant, but there is the story of how Odin spent so many days hanging on the Yggdrasil with a self-inflicted wound.

This is another interesting essay talking about the Underworld and roles it's played in many different customs. http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/edu/archive/underworld/underworld4.html

Hope some of this will help! I'm not sure all of it is relevent, but you never know :)

[Revelation]

Lilu:

Many, many thanks :) This is exactly the kind of information I was hoping for.

Thank you!

[Lilu]

:) Anytime! Glad I could help.

If I come up with anything else, I'll let you know.

BB
Lilu

[Sarata]

The story of Odin, already mentioned in this thread is rich in the theme of sacrifice for self-revelation.
Odin hung from the Wind-swept tree (Some believe this was Ygdrassil, the World tree) for nine nights. No food, no water were given him. He was pierced with a spear. This was a classic method for sacrifices dedicated to Odin. The subject generally did not survive the experience! On the 9th night the runes appeared before him and screaming, he fell from the tree and took them to himself. The runes represented deep wisdom. Odin is a Deity of wisdom, inspiration, poetry, and three different "frenzies" or ecstatic states. That of the Poet and musician, that of the warrior (The battle rage or berserker state) and that of the Seer and Shaman.
An interesting side note is that among the Pacific Northwest Coast Indian Folk, it is traditional for a young man who has just achieved his vision quest to systematically starve and whip himself until he reaches a frenzied state, then he climbs to the roof of his family's house or the community lodge,(Where feasting relatives and well-wishers await his arrival) and then enter, falling through the smoke hole, screaming. He then begins to sing his spirit song and dance his spirit dance so that all may know he had gained the spirit wisdom of a man. Symbolically dying to his child self and being reborn again as a man.
Hope this helps.

[EasternPriest]

The Divine Comedy by Dante offers rich imagery.