How many of you have heard of, Count Alessandro di Cagliostro?
The Count, who was given the name, Giuseppe Balsamo, at birth. He was born in a place called, Palermo, Sicily, during the year,1743. While the details of his life are a bit of a mystery, he was, without a doubt, moving in Pagan circles. Having studied Alchemy, in addition to the Kabbalah with the Knights of Malta, Count Alessandro di Cagliostro was known for being an Alchemist, a Freemason, and an Adventurer.
Today is the Count’s Birthday.
Now, for those who love to delve into the realms of Prophecy, Mother Shipton, who’s real name was Ursula Sontheil, is also remembered on this day. In 1488, Mother Shipton was born in a cave, which was beside the river Nidd, in Yorkshire.
For those who haven’t a clue as to who she was, Mother Shipton was infamous for writing down poetic prophecies. Some of which was said to have come to pass–
- Henry VIII victory over France in 1513
- The Famous London fire of 1666
- The Victory and defeat over the Spanish Armada in 1588
- And her own death…in 1561
Ishtar of Babylon, who stood for love and fertility, would have been honored with a festival on this day. Myth has it, Ishtar was known for countless lovers. A bit of a player, she was notorious for taking a consort and then soon after, tossing them to the side.
There are many tales concerning Ishtar and her love life. Some concerned a god named, Tammuz, and then one called, Gilgamesh, who happened to be a King of Uruk, (The Knight’s Tale?). Gilgamesh was said to have turned her down, though, and his reason was rather to the point—he didn’t like the way she plucked up Lovers like a girl did flowers from a field, then carelessly tossed them away becoming bored so easily.
So why was Ishtar frowned upon for doing no more than what other Gods did with praise and favor?
We can find the answer through Author, Barbara G. Walkers, who reserched the matter quite extensively in her book, The Women’s Encyclopedia of Myth’s and Secrets.
According to her, Ishtar’s ruin may have not come from her own doings but possibly from the men who later wrote about her.
Ishtar is the same as the biblical, Ashtoreth, Anath, Asherah, Esther, the Queen of Heaven in (Jeremiah 44: 19), and of course, the Great Whore of Revelations 17: 5. And let’s not forget this fancy and rather eternal title, the Mother of all Harlots.
Ishtar, which may have been originally named after or actually represented a star, according to Babylonian scriptures, was known as, the Light of the World. According to some more – feminine translations, Ishtar did not chase Tammuz into the Underworld like some lust-driven harlot dead set on making him one of her many-toss-to- the- side- lovers. Instead, she did it to save him.
Another false truth could also be, according to, Gilgamesh, the one who became rather famous for turning her down, she was cruel to her lovers.
However, this seems to have also been a misunderstanding by those who set out to translate and re-write Ishtar’s history.
Maybe the answers as to why all the tale tells stem from who her lovers were…each representing a sacrificial god who refreshed the fertility of the earth with his blood. That would mean her stories were meant to represent the seasons and a much needed renewal in order for Nature and Earth to go on. A classic theme we see repeated throughout Ancient Cultures and its’ deities.
The fact was, Ishtar, was a woman, a Goddess, who the other Gods or perhaps men, feared, because if they didn’t walk a straight line, Ishtar could deny them their sacrificial meals. Because of the power factor, it could be, that Priests of later Gods, and more organized and dominate religions, decided to lessen her image, and as time went on, the image of the Great Goddess and her purpose, was slowly destroyed.
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