"..for the Race of Draconis was ever powerful in ancient times, when the first temples were built in MAGAN, and they drew down much strength from the stars, but now they are as Wanderers of the Wastelands, and dwell in caves and in deserts, and in all lonely places where they have set up stones. And these I have seen, in my journeys through those areas where the ancient cults once flourished, and where now there is only sadness and desolation..."
Many of the debates about the authenticity of the Simon Necronomicon has a lot to do with the Gate-Walking Initiation in itself. many critics of our Tradition believe that these rituals were just made up by the editors of the world’s most controversial tome. This subject was covered in a previous article entitled, The Ancient Art of Gate-Walking. Recently, I came across a few pieces of material that was written before the Simon Necronomicon was published to provide further proof that Gate-Walking in not a modern invention.
Basically, the idea of Gate-Walking was practiced by ancient adepts from all over the world. The ritual in the Simon Necronomicon instructs the Initiate to prepare the Gate, as well as some other preliminary steps, then walk around the Gate itself in a clockwise direction the number of times that is attributed to the said star that the Gate represents. Here are a few example that demonstrate the same practice in various cultures.
1. Hajj is one of the necessary actions that adherents of the Islamic religion must perform at some time in their life. Wikipedia makes the following statement concerning the subject:
“Pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: Each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building which acts as the Muslim direction of prayer,”
This practice is almost identical to the Gate-Walking ritual presented in the Simon Necronomicon. Another interesting feature about Hajj is that the “initiate” must walk around the “Kaaba” seven times. The Kaaba is the black stone that was once said to 360 idols of various deities, some of these are Arabian renditions of the deities appearing in the Simon Necronomicon. It seems to be quite interesting that Kaaba must be circled seven times. Sound like ancient Necromantic rite, indeed! However, we soon learn that our opinion is quite correct when we analyze the word Kaaba in itself.
The Ka’aba is nearly cube like in shape, and the name is said to derive from the Arabic word for cube muka’ab, but this is not altogether known because Ka’aba is not an Arabic word. Although scholars try to present an easy origin of the term, we really don’t know the meaning of the term Ka’aba, until now. I took a little time to phonetically break this term down in two parts and define these based on the Sumerian equivalent. The meaning is quite astounding to say the least.
The term KA in Sumerian actually means gate. Peter C. Patton, in the book, Computing in the Humanities, makes this point very clear. In this work Patton states:
“Hence, the cuneiform sign with the meaning “gate” is ka2 , and the sign for ” mouth” is ka, that is ka,”
Here we see that the term KA means gate and also mouth in Sumerian. it seems probable that the way of opening a sacred gate was through an incantation or prayer, which is done during the act of Hajj, as well as, Gate-Walking. In the classic work, written by Charles James Ball and published in 1913, the book; Chinese and Sumerian, defines the Sumerian term KA, as “part of a door or gate.” Now that we have discovered that KA is a Sumerian term meaning gate. Let us now look into the Sumerian term ABA.
The Sumerian term ABA, sometimes rendered ABBA, means father. Sandor Nagy in the work, The Forgotten Cradle of Hungarian Culture, states:
“There is a village called Aba in the county of Feher. This is a very old name, because it comes from that time when the present word “Apa” meaning ‘father’ was “aba”. The Magyar word “apa” was aba in Sumerian, and abu in Akkadian. …”
The Sumerian term ABA, sometimes rendered ABBA, means father, but also in terms of a class of divine beings, like the Anunnaki. Proceedings of the British Academy-Volume 7 states:
“In Sumerian AB, ABBA, ‘ father ‘ (Assyr. a-bu), appears as an honorific designation of divine beings..”
We present the previous references before going into the work of the controversial scholarship of L.A. Waddell for obvious reasons. However, we find in a work written by him, The Sumer Aryan Dictionary, a meaning of the term ABBA that is quite consistent with the references we have already provided. On page 3 of the said work, we find the Sumerian definition of ABBA is rendered as “Father, old man, leader, also a title of the Father-god Bel.”
So far in our discussion we have discovered that the Islamic practice of Hajj actually originated from an ancient Mesopotamian practice of Gate-Walking since the term Ka’aba in Sumerian can be translated as gate of the father, or gate of divine beings. It is interesting to note that both of these definitions would conflict with the doctrines of Islamic teaching, but it is clear that the word Ka’aba, in Sumerian, illustrates an ancient rite of initiation. Simon states the following in the book Dead Names, page 193:
“The number of idols in the Ka’aba is invariably given as 360, which is suggestive of a Gnostic influence to say the least, if not a Sumerian and Babylonian influence, for 360 is a number derived from Sumerian mythology…That the seven circuits around the Ka’aba are representative of the seven Gates and the seven stages of the Sumerian ziggurats is confirmed by the simple fact that all of these result in communion with ineffable forces and bring the aspirant into contact with the Divine.”
We find that within the mysteries of Mithra practices identical to those who are initiated into the Necronomicon Tradition. Published in 1827, The Correspondent: Volume 1, page 258 states:
“In the mysteries of Mithra, besides the seven gates intended to represent the seven planets, there was an eighth door corresponding to the firmament or heaven of the fixed stars. In conformity with this system we find the author of the Apocalypse entering by a gate open to see what was to pass….The ancient Persians revered four principal stars placed at the four angles of the heavens, and the Chinese have always had a great veneration for the four constellations that fixed the four seasons in the time of Emperor Iao.”
Further evidence of the authenticity of the Gate-Walking initiation rites is found in a book by Ramesh Chopra entitled, The Academic Dictionary of Mythology. Page 46 states:
“The inner meaning of the Tower of Babel,as a device so that the “worshippers could move into the presence of the gods” It is a house of initiation, a gate, portal, opening, or entrance to the divine.”
It is interesting to that the author associates the term “gate” with a “house of initiation.” This is the context used to describe a gate in the Simon Necronomicon. It seems evident that many of magical tradition of remote times, find their origin in the ancient Mesopotamian including Taoist thought.Some of our Readership may be familiar with a Taoist practice known as the “pace of Yu.” The “Pace of Yu” are dance-steps that transported the shaman mystically to the stars, where he received guidance from the deities – is practiced even today in certain Taoist traditions. The pace of Yu is associated with the number 15, which is Ishtar’s number. The Encyclopedia of Religion: Volume 10 by Lindsay Jones states:
“Fifteen is the key number in the Daoist liturgical dance known as the Pace of Yu ; the nine stations, or “gates,” of the dance follow the sequence of a magic square whose rows, columns, and diagonals all add to fifteen.”
Indian Temple by Trimurti Sairam, states:
“For, here it was believed that the higher self of the devotee is reborn through initiation. … stupa of Sanchi the ritual of circumam- bulation was performed by entering the precinct through the east gate and walking clock-wise.”
The rites of Gate-Walking are ancient as much as they were practiced by shamans from various cultures around the world. Stay blessed!
Very interesting, my friend! I do believe that the very fact of this System dating back to times of remote antiquity is what makes it so powerful. The very power and importance of our System is evident in the fact that it still exists today and that it is still actively practiced. It is a silent testimony of the powers behind the System. It shows that there are hidden Guardians who make sure that the System survives even the darkest of times, and is bestowed upon those that are deemed worthy of its practices, which is another insurance of its survival.