Anyone with knowledge of ancient Sumerian cults?

I've never posted on here before, though I've been reading for about a week or so (I found the site looking for more information on the John Titor story). There seems to be several people on here who are quite knowledgable about various subjects, so I figured I'd pose this question to you, more as a curiosity than anything else, but I'd still be quite interested to learn more information.

Several years ago (I suppose I was around 18 or so), I was contacted by a spirit during a meditation. He told me he needed some help that I could offer him. In exchange for his help, he offered to help me in any way he could. Upon asking what help he needed, he simply said he needed protection, and that I'd know exactly what he needed when he needed it. A bit more prying into what exactly he needed protection from was fruitless.

Figuring that I wasn't going to get any more information about what he wanted, I started inquiring as to who he was (after all, if it was a spirit that I was about to have a long-standing relationship with, I wanted to know a bit about him). He revealed that his name was Jocund (I know he's male from his manner of speaking and the way he presents himself, yet the form I've always seen him in has been human in shape, but completely featureless beyond that), and that he was the high priest of an ancent Sumerian cult of a god named Jocundi (he says he took his name in honor of his god). He claims that Jocundi was a god devoted mostly to the balance of the universe, a fairly neutral god. I haven't, however, been able to find any reference to this Jocundi through historical or religious texts (at least not anything I've been able to find in English - I know about as much about the ancient Sumerian language as I do about physiology of lesser life forms on Alpha Centauri ) nor through anything I've been able to find through extensive web searches (I'm not sure the name is even spelled right - I've been spelling it phoenetically).

If anyone might be able to dig up something on this spirit, god, or the cult, I'd be more than interested to hear what you find. If you have any further questions, I'll be happy to answer, if I can.

(Edit due to spelling errors)

[edit on 28-1-2005 by obsidian468]

Beware of spirits with unclear motives.

Originally posted by Kronn
Beware of spirits with unclear motives.

Oh, I've been communicating with spirits long enough to know that. At this point, a good 12 years later (and still being in communication with him), I'm pretty sure he's safe. I forgot to mention in the first post (I suppose mainly because he's been an integral part of my life for 12 years now), that I do have a somewhat better idea of his motives now. Something was hunting for him (I have an idea, but that's probably a different post for a different thread), and now doesn't really bother him, since this thing probably isn't strong enough or isn't willing enough to face two entities (Jocund and myself) for the price of one.

Honestly, I'm more interested in the history of this "Cult of Jocundi" rather than the motives of the spirit itself at this point.

Then let the spirit educate you on his culture,post it on this discussion board,so we can understand and research accordingly.

Don't you think, that after 12 years of contact with this entity, that if it was that simple, I'd even be posting this question? He seems rather tight lipped about his life, beyond what he's already told me.

Dont you think it is very rude to investigate the background of the spirit,when the spirit doesnt want to reveal it to you?Nobody can give you an accurate answer to his actual background,only the spirit himself can do that.Anyone attempting to do that can only speculate on his background since we did not actually meet the spirit in person.

As I stated earlier, I am not looking for information on the background of this praticular entity. However, I am looking for information on the god Jocundi, and the cult that this spirit claims to be affiliated with when alive. I was just wondering if someone with perhaps more knowledge about ancient Sumerian cults than I have (I'm far from an expert on that particular subject) may have heard about this god or the cult. Just a little personal research. I find it an interesting subject. If nobody has information, then that's quite alright, and I'll quietly close the thread.

What form of meditation do you happen to practice? I've tried various types but have never been contacted by a spirit. Sorry for going off topic, I really never heard of this cult before.

I have done a good deal of research into Sumerian Mythology and I have never heard the name Jocundi. I did find something which cross referenced that name though,

links.jstor.org...
A Newly Discovered Sixteenth-Century Motet Manuscript at the Biblioteca Vallicelliana in Rome
Edward E. Lowinsky
Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Autumn, 1950) , pp. 173-2

Also on a side note, the word jocund is an adjective meaning happiness or joy, but hardly a reference to anything I know of in Sumerian mythology. I don't claim to be an expert though.

Originally posted by faddinglight
What form of meditation do you happen to practice? I've tried various types but have never been contacted by a spirit. Sorry for going off topic, I really never heard of this cult before.

I don't really have a name for it. It's sort of a self-learned style. To describe how I learned it would take a novel (*lots* of background there).

The process however, is reasonably simple. Get yourself comfortable, lay back with your eyes closed (sometimes light, non-vocal music helps as well - when I used music, it was always something along the lines of Enya, Enigma, or Dead Can Dance). Pick a point in the dark, and focus on it. Breathe steadilly, and imagine that with every breath you draw in, you're drawing in serenity and total relaxation. With every breath you exhale, you're letting go of your thoughts and stresses. Eventually, this will lead to a clear mind, focusing on nothing more than a single point in the void.

Now that your mind is clear and your body is relaxed, focus on that point. Draw it closer to you, and it'll start to get larger. It is the doorway you're searching for.

(can you tell I've led people through meditations before?)

Once the point has grown large enough to fit through, let yourself slide through the doorway. Don't force it. I'll come naturally. What is on the other side is not something I can predict for you. It's a very personal thing for everyone. It's a private perception of the otherworld (or astral realm, depending on who you talk to). Even though this otherworld is the same plane of existence for everyone who can reach it, one's perception of it varies greatly for each of us. It is in here that you can find other spirits, or spirits will contact you.

Just a warning though, for the apparent serenity of the otherworld, it can be a very dangerous place. If you have any sort of psychic shielding or other protection that you can use, now would be the time to have it up. Also, be very wary of other spirits that approach you. They're not always as they seem. It's a very "rabbit hole" sort of enviornment. Much like dealing with people, it's always better to be wary, yet non-confrontational with anyone who approaches you, rather than just accepting everything with open arms. Things can follow you back from here. Just be aware of that, and make sure your path is clear for the way home. Be careful not to bring anything through unless you specifically want to bring it through. I've made that mistake....

Twitchy,

Unfortuantely, I don't have access to that site. Is it possible for you to either U2U the text of the article to me, or post it on here (if it's a short one)? I'd be very interested in reading it.

As far as the meaning of the word, I did not know that. Thank you.

puffin.cch.kcl.ac.uk:8080...
This isn't the same as in the link I posted earlier, it's an example though. Apparently being a new discovery it hasn't been added to the digital image archives, it is pretty much a 16th century music book they discovered in a library in Rome.

From what I've been able to find in a brief search on the web (a search on the name itself is something I haven't tried in a while), I find a great many references to Italian literature, namely a book called "Travels through France and Italy" by Tobias Smollett. The book contains a will referencing a son named Jocundus, and telling of the location of the temple of Sylvanus. Now, as far as I can tell, this book is nothing more than a work of fiction, but I may have a better region in which to search for the name. I am coming to realize that this entity may not have been honest with me at all, and may be lying about his origins, playing on my lack of knowledge of the ancient Sumerians (I'll confront the entity himself about that later). I still believe that he was a religious leader of some sort, simply by his words, and his use of them. I still think that his religious group was quite obscure, and may not be easily referenced.

If any of you feel a desire to aid me in reasearch on this, I'd be quite appreciative. I'm following a further search under the name Jocundus, which appears to be Roman in origin.

Okay, I've found a reference to a Cecilius Jocundus who lived in Pompeii during the eruption and seen a photograph of his house (no reference besides the photo caption, simply labelling it as his house). I've also found references to a Jocundus being burned alive along with two others by angels when persecuted for something (what, I have no idea), in Saturus' Dream (evidently a tale of a man on his way to sainthood). I've also found another reference to Jocundus being an early Christian priest who fathered a child who became pope.

So far the references I have found are placing the name in active use in Rome, around the time of the Mount Vesuvious eruption that destroyed Pompeii.

I must away to bed tonight, howver, as I have a long day in the mundane world ahead of me tomorrow.

Interesting leads, though. I must research this further.