Hailed as: “Goddess of Incantation”, “Mistress of Exorcism”, “Mistress of Snakes” , “Mistress of The Sacred Waters”, “Mistress of Purification”

Pray to her for:  Cleansing of self and others, purification of the home and surroundings, dispelling negative atmospheres, awakening the inner power, making chants and spells more powerful and infusing a strong will into wishes.

Invoke her with: A small stone bowl of clear water kept on a fresh green leaf at sunset. The next morning, pour the water into clean earth and put the leave to earth too. If you wish, you may keep the leaf pressed between the pages of a book which is sacred to you.

Ningirima was the patron goddess of Girima, most likely a cult centre in the district of Uruk-Kullaba. She was associated with water, fish, snakes and incantations. Her constellation was Scorpio.

The mongoose, commonly found in southern Mesopotamia was associated with Ningilin (Ninkilim). Ningilin may at an early date have been confused with Ningirima, who was invoked in spells to drive away snakes.

Ningirima was one of a triad of goddesses, who were invoked as primary purificatory deities before any important ceremony and without whom the rituals would not begin. The other two goddesses invoked with Ningirima were Nisaba and Kusu.

In the major rituals where a new cult image was installed at a temple and in the creation of its divine aspects, or the mīs pî ‘washing of the mouth’, these goddesses had a vital role. These are the rituals where an image made of wood, perhaps covered with precious metals and gems, is first cleansed of human contamination and then infused with supernatural powers. There are rituals, offerings, incantations, and sacred processions. References are made to the “holy-water-vessel of Kusu and Ningirima”. Nisaba is called “The Opener of the Mouth of the Great Gods”.

Ningirima was both feared and revered. She could control and wield magic. She could also undo dark magic which was sent upon a victim, to cause him bodily harm or befuddle and craze his mind. If someone was acting strange and out of character, she could remove malignant influences which shadowed him. In this way, she was a healer and exorcist in equal parts.

If an adept invoked Ningirima and her magical powers, the dark powers of the goddess would work for him. Incantations, spells and chants would assume potent form with the blessings of Ningirima.

 

Invocations to Ningirima

Speak these words of invocation from the old days to invoke the power of the goddess:

“May Ningirima make the darkness go away from there!

May Ningirima make the spell go out from the enclosure!”

References

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