My Lady

[qos]

In the course of a conversation on someone else's LJ, this comment was made:

Ereshkigal is Not Nice, At All.

That is, of course, the common opinion of Ereshkigal. I felt compelled to make a substantive rebuttal:


I used to be of that opinion. Since going to to work for Her full time, my perspective has changed.

Inanna is about violating boundaries. Ereshkigal is about enforcing and defending them. Ereshkigal is also about Facing Your Shit, dealing with your shadow, facing the darkness and going through transformation so you can rise again as more than what you were. She's one of the gods who manage the spiritual forges, those who help us be healed by hardship rather than destroyed by it. She and Inanna are the opposing-but-complementary-poles on the Descent-and-Ascent path of transformation.

In my direct experience with Her, She is a tough but supportive boss who doesn't accept excuses or quibbling, but who is willing to answer questions and respond to arguments, and She is quick to give praise when it's been earned. She's not cuddly, but She is compassionate, in a tough love kind of way. She wont blink or flinch as She hangs you up on a hook, but She doesn't do it just for fun.

Do you know the musical Into the Woods? Toward the end, the Witch sings:

You're so nice
You're not good, you're not bad
You're just nice.
I'm not good, I'm not nice
I'm just right
I'm the witch
You're the world

I think they make an appropriate response to any allegation of Ereshkigal not being "nice." Not Her job.

Comments

[nicanthiel.livejournal.com]

I love that musical, especially the way Bernadette Peters pour contempt into every word of that song.

And I would agree. A lot of Gods aren't "nice," but sometimes, They're the best things you could ever have, because niceness only works in certain situations.

Hades either....

[shades-of-nyx.livejournal.com]

It is what it is.
Hades doesn't get a "nice" reputation either.
But the wheel turns.

[watcher457.livejournal.com]

That excerpt from Into the Woods is almost shockingly accurate. I love that song.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

especially the way Bernadette Peters pour contempt into every word of that song

Indeed!

And amen to the rest of your comment as well. Ereshkigal usually gets her bad rep because of her enmity with Inanna -- but Inanna herself isn't exactly sweetness-and-light either!

[die-uberfrau.livejournal.com]

Gods aren't really "nice".

Example: I am oathed to Frey. I get "OH I LOVE FREY HE IS SO NIIIIIICE" all the time.

Except that Frey, being one of the Vanir, values hard work and lots of it, and no, He doesn't let me do anything and everything I want. He appeals to my conscience, and having to think about the greater good rather than my own personal satisfaction. It's a very trying path.

Obviously Ereshkigal being a more "dark" Goddess is going to scare some people. I've found two reactions among Pagans and underworld/death Deities: they either avoid the Deities altogether (example gratis: Heathens and the Jotnar), or they will water down the Deity, hence you have Morrighan as a love Goddess and Kali-Ma as a loving flower-wearing snugglemom.

The Gods are not under any obligation to be "nice" for our sakes. It's, as you said, not Their job. However, being a hard taskmaster/mistress is not the same thing as being mean and nasty.

[freyasman.livejournal.com]

Nice is over-rated -by some anyway. It's certainly not the first word that comes to my mind about Freyja. Not being nice seems like an odd criticism of any god/dess. They are who they are and relate to us as we need them to at the time. That's been my experience anyway. Perhaps some need a nice goddess or god where they are in their life at the time, but that doesn't mean everyone else ought to have a nice god/dess too.

Re: I didn't mean to offend

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

I didn't mean to come across as offended. I felt passionate, but not upset.

I admit that I was surprised by your comment. It seemed a strange thing to say, given your relationship with Odin and the fact that you are a friend - but I guess I figured that if those were the case and you still were of that opinion, I needed to say something. I apologize for missing the intended humor.

I think one of the reasons I wasn't able to discern the joke *is* that I'm self-conscious about Her bad reputation, and perhaps a bit too sensitive on the subject. I'm going to make another post now to clarify my intent.

[vashtivah.livejournal.com]

Nice is such a trite word.

During the time I worked with the Hindu Goddesses I learned rather quickly of the benevolent and malevolent aspects of each one, in a relative sort of way. For example, Durga can kick butt when you need assistance. She knows how to use that machete, but let that machete be on self work and it is a severing. All subtle surgery cuts. Surgery is not nice, but the results are.

I haven't begun any intentional work with Ereshkigal but had an encounter with her a few days ago and was kind of shocked at what she did. She didn't do what I expected at all. The funny part is how shall I define it. I could say it was a nice taunting ;)

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

If it ever feels appropriate to share, I'd love to hear more!

[joyful-singer.livejournal.com]

You're so nice
You're not good, you're not bad
You're just nice.
I'm not good, I'm not nice
I'm just right
I'm the witch
You're the world

I find this strangely applicable to Dr. House.

Chantal