#'Ashuru Shamni

[palmsofourhands]

2020 Goals: Keeping Up with the Iluma - ‘Ashuru Shamni

This year I started off with the Festival of Oil, ‘Ashuru Shamni. Beforehand, I randomly checked the Shanatu Qadishti from Tess Dawson’s (the founder of Natib Qadish) website for the New Moon/Full Moon/Festival dates. I had exactly 7 days from the date (1/2/2020) to prepare for ‘Ashuru Shamni. This is just one solitary Qadish doing what she can to celebrate the Ugarit/Canaanite Gods.

I bought the most expensive bottle of extra virgin olive oil I felt comfortable buying (on sale!). Then every night leading up to the date, I poured about an ounce of olive oil into a larger bottle, followed by about 21 drops of myrrh, then swirled it around. (Alas, extra virgin olive oil smells waaaaaaaay stronger than 21 drops of myrrh, and myrrh is not a weak smell, tbh).

To ritualize it and invite the Ilumas’ blessings, I searched youtube for ‘Canaanite music’ (usually brings up Near Eastern/Middle Eastern musicians) and ran that playlist. I then lit a candle to Choranu, inviting His aid and presence to purify me and the oil of any khat’sa (ritual/spiritual impurity, somewhat akin to the Greek idea of miasma). Then I would leave a drink offering for Choranu to enjoy while His candle burned. I also lit a candle to Ba’lu Hadad, because He is invoked during ‘Ashuru Shamni to bless the oil and to protect the city of Ugarit. Generally I would let the candles, oil and offering sit for at least an hour. I myself would do journaling or other quiet activities conducive to Their presence. Do this 6 more nights and you will have at least one half liter of olive oil and myrrh to have as a magical base for any other anointing oils.

For the actual night of ‘Ashuru Shamni, I fried up some fish fillets and latkes from Trader Joes. Got the music and candles going. Invited the Iluma by Their Names one by one (I invited Ilu, Athirat, Ba’lu Hadad, ‘Anat and Choranu). Blessed Their presence and presented the big bottle of myrrh oil I had been preparing.

I made the first pour (half an ounce) for Ba’lu Hadad, and added essential oils (EO) of myrrh and cedar (cedrus atlantica, smells SO nice). This time around, the EO stood out more than the olive scent. Then presented the fried food, and some pomegranate juice for Them. Lit the candle for Ba’lu Hadad and recited blessing prayers from Whisper of Stone and The Horned Altar (both by Tess Dawson) and my own prayers. 

Then I sat and ate my own fried foods (yum). This next part was impromptu: I planned on saving the first oil I had poured out for Balu Hadad (now considered the Oil of Blessing for me). I had been planning on using the oil to bless and protect the thresholds of my place. I picked up the small dish--and got inspired to anoint every door frame. Just a dab, but at every door. (My roommate wasn’t home, and her door was closed. I dabbed her door anyway; she is understanding of my path and my ‘ways’, so I know she would not mind.) Also anointed every window that is able to open to the outside.

That done, I poured the remaining oil (still a lot) into a new bottle. It was messy and I spilled some in the sink. HOWEVER! I learned a very special protocol while cleaning this up; do not wash the oil away. It is not dirt. For clean up of this holy oil, I instead wiped it carefully with paper towel, then respectfully threw that in the garbage. Why this, I have no idea. I just know that once I needed to clean up, it was downloaded in my head as “do it THIS way, this is important”. 

Thus done, I thanked the Iluma. The Iluma I invited by Name, I bid Them goodbye by Name as well. The ritual was then closed.

I want to be more organized and do more devotional activities for the Iluma this year. And inspiration is either faint, or it just downloads all at once for me, so reading what I do, please take with a grain of salt. I can say that I felt only good vibes/quiet approval of the ritual. 

There were other things I wanted to do that I ended up abandoning; 

crochet a special mat for Ba’lu Hadad (since it is His presence traditionally at the festival to bless the city) but didn’t use bc it wasn’t finished and it was lopsided. 

Make other prayer oils at the time, and with other types besides olive oil. I even tried putting frankincense EO in, but when I tipped it, nothing came out (this is a full bottle btw). I felt that maybe They didn’t want/need it at the time.