scroll from the editor
Welcome to the February 2023 edition of The Midnight Sun!
Personally, I am not sure where January went. I don’t know about you, but 2023 has swept in and tap-danced right by so far. Between the bananas weather across the country (and other places in the world), and personal experiences thus far, allow me to take a moment and say that I hope you are safe, well, and taking care of yourself.
We have some lovely articles this month! Buck Tarot is all self love-themed, Suz has given some advice on how to Stop Giving Your Love Away, and there’s an article by yours truly titled My Chemical Romance; Romance as a Spectrum, Stef talks about Self Love in What’s Love Got To Do With It?, Tea, With Hex is SPICY this month, and Hex is actually our member spotlight as well! You will also find a new Contemplations by Izlude, a new excerpt from the Tome of the Dark Side Ritualist by Abri, and Meghan brings us to Ancient times with The World’s Oldest Love song.
In some very exciting news, we are introducing the House Kheperu Resource Hub, where techno-necromancy resurrects articles from the past written by house members, that were on the verge of being lost to the internet ages! This is an ongoing project you can look forward to growing as the weeks (and newsletters) come!
Of course, our playlist this month HAD to be love themed.
So scroll on, and enjoy!
Whatever shape, plans, self love, shared time, partnerships or magic your February is geared up to hold, from our House to yours, I hope you have a safe, lovely and satisfying month, friends.
There’s always more to learn!
Miranda (Frick)
Curator and Editor of TMS
Stop giving your love away on Valentine's day! Reclaim it!
By Suz
Valentine's Day is no longer just about expressing love for another person - it's about expressing love for yourself! Let’s reclaim the day and forge new meaning into the old cliche!
1. Meditation- Me time! Give yourself permission to take five or ten minutes just for you and center yourself. Sit with your back supported and clear your mind. Close your eyes and move through each of your senses, noticing what you hear, feel, see, taste, and smell. Tapping into your senses is a great way to ground yourself in your body and the present moment. Just five minutes in the morning before you get out of bed. Five minutes at the office when you can take a moment and breathe! You will be amazed at the difference it can make!
2. Plan a play date with a friend, or go shopping. Go have that lunch or try that new bakery down the street you keep passing by. Connection is important, even if it’s virtual. Sit down on Zoom or Facetime and share a sandwich with someone you miss. Laughter releases endorphins (a.k.a. feel-good hormones) so benefit from those giggles and strengthen those relationships!
3. Get some natural vitamin D- Take a walk. Getting some exercise is obviously beneficial, but exposure to sunlight and the world outside may also help regulate your circadian rhythm and help with exhaustion. Not into exercise? Find a nice spot to sit and soak up some sun. Turn your face up to the sky and drink it in like a flower in bloom!
4. Indulge in a long hot shower or bath before bed. Water is a way to ground the stress and negativity of the day. Wash that crappy day away and uncoil those tired muscles for a better night’s sleep! This is also a great way to incorporate number 5.
5. Aromatherapy- Light that scented candle, get out your favorite essential oil or light that incense or Kyphi you've been saving. You are the special occasion! Aromatherapy reduces stress, agitation, and anxiety and can improve sleep quality.
6. Plant something! Research shows that people who get their hands in dirt are generally happier and healthier. You don't have to spend a lot of money to do it, cut the end off that celery stalk and see if the rumors are true! Plant that baby in some dirt and reconnect with the earth and your food sources on an energetic level! No green thumb? Who says? Get that cactus you've been eyeing at the grocery store, they've survived more harrowing things than you!
7. Give yourself permission to make ugly art! Creativity stimulates the brain in ways we haven't allowed ourselves since childhood. Cut, paste, and glue pictures out of those magazines you cannot bring yourself to throw away into a spiral notebook. Choose the pictures and colors that catch your eye! Color in that fancy grown-up coloring book you got two years ago. Fingerpaint! Enjoy the process and spark some joy! You don't have to be Picasso to enjoy the time to play! "But Suz, I cannot just DO things without purpose, that’s wasting time!"
8. Volunteer some time at the local food bank, or make it a point to make friends with an Elder in your neighborhood. Make them a card, or take them a bouquet of flowers. Loneliness is universal and all too often they are forgotten, especially around the holidays.
9. Pamper yourself- Who doesn't love a good facemask? Schedule a day for home-done manicures and pedicures with your bestie or partner. Everybody could use a day for paws and claws! Watch a movie and take some silly selfies. It is the smile and relaxation of the company that matters. (Even over Zoom) "But Suz, I don't have any friends." Then do it for yourself, soul! You are worthy of your own time and attention.
10. Take yourself out for an expensive meal- Save up for it and splurge on yourself or go with a friend. Don't count those calories or macros and just reward yourself for getting up every single day and continuing along your path. Not into going out yet? Order that steak and cook it at home, or make that vegan dish you love so much. Youtube is your friend when it comes to those recipes you love but have yet to dare try!
Sometimes, we don't need to add new activities to get more pleasure. We just need to soak up the joy in the ones we already have. Trying to be optimistic doesn't mean ignoring the uglier side of life. It just means we choose to focus on the positive as much as possible. “What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when you bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen.” - Henry David Thoreau. Happy Valentine's Day soul! We see you!
House Kheperu Resource Hub
House Kheperu has been around since 1996 and has maintained an online presence in various forms over the years. Our old website, circa the early 2000s, was a wealth of articles and knowledge, free to the public, and accessible to anyone with an internet connection. When we moved platforms, much of that information was no longer easily accessible and arguably lost to the flickering pixel chasm of time. It was important to us to revive those articles, many written by our founder M. Belanger, in an act of literary necromancy.
HK is proud to present our new Resource Hub. Every month we will post articles that have been lovingly reanimated once again, providing more House Kheperu content that should have never been swept into the great data static of forgotten pages.
This month you can find the articles:
The Egyptian Cult of the Dead - M. Belanger
The Flesh and the Spirit - M. Belanger
Animals and Divinity in Ancient Egyptian Myth - M. Belanger
Who We Are - M. Belanger
Finding a Spiritual Mothertongue - M. Belanger
House Kheperu Member Spotlight
Hex
"Getting what you want isn't the hard part. It's knowing what you want."
What interests you most about energy work?
“My favorite aspect of energy work is interacting with my personal court of spirits. They have become valuable friends and allies, and I know that when I call on them, the situation is handled.
What is one of your favorite movies?
Thirteen Ghosts. It's so cheesy, but so entertaining.
SELF LOVE FEBRUARY
by Buck
We drew TEMPERANCE! I love this card! It’s so pretty! Reminds me of Hermes! Pretty flowers, pretty sun!
OKAY! This person looking real chill… but they are pouring wine from one cup to another.. are you putting too much of yourself into other people? It is easier sometimes to try and take care of other people’s problems and ignore your own..
Guilty myself! Heh sooo please don’t stop caring about others! I love that! But maybe pour a little back into yourself. Find the healthy balance, be patient with yourself and take care of yourself!!! This card screams self love!
SO DO IT! LOVE YOURSELF GOSH DANGIT! YOU’RE AMAZIING!!
by Miranda
ro·mance
/rōˈmans,ˈrōˌmans/
noun
1.
a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love. "in search of romance"
2.
a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.
"the beauty and romance of the night"
It seems fairly clear cut and dry to read the dictionary definition of a word. And yet, for something so simple it can be so different and multi-hued from person to person. Like most things, romance is a spectrum - how you experience it, how you long (or don’t) for it, what you want it to be, and what it actually is for you.
Like all things, romance is a spectrum. What is romantic and heartwarming to one person can feel trite, unimaginative, or constricting to another. Some folks have no desire for romance, leaning more toward a practical application and investment of time and affection in their partnerships. Others eschew romance in their lives for a myriad of reasons but indulge in fantasy such as reading or roleplay.
I personally am a hopeless romantic.
Dirty Bohemian, Moulin Rouge style, baby!
Lay your judgment upon me all you like, your opinions affect me not.
There is nothing in the world that will strike me more deeply, more immediately, or more powerfully than Romance.
And I don’t just mean in movies or literature. I’m actually not a huge fan of RomComs or Valentine’s day as to me, those are industry/company and money-driven means of trying to hail the all mighty dollar and telling people “how they should engage romance”. Not here for that.
Instead, the romance that floors me in the best way, leaving me breathless on the floor with heart eyes on my UwU face, are genuine acts of romance.
The partner that drives all night to surprise their beloved
The flowers you didn’t ask for on a bad day
The clearing of the schedule for an evening of quality one-on-one time
Sure in places like books or stories, the stakes are raised; those can get me too but certainly more in literature than anything.
The Tale of Orpheus
Isis and Osiris (it’s a little weird, but the love is there.)
Penelope’s devotion to Odysseus
The Princess Bride
Pride and Prejudice
Ladyhawk (movie - greatest love story ever. Fight me.)
Yes, most of those are mythology as the ‘off the top of my head’ ones, but there are so many more and the list I could make would be so long you’d get real bored before the end. Tales of love, loss, sacrifice, and love regained will forever have me captivated and sighing.
Hilariously, my primary partner does not care for romance. Finds it to be trite, and thinks that the occasional gesture should mean more if it’s only indulged occasionally. Those have been conversations on and off over the last 22 years, but I’d like to think that we’re living proof that two people who view romance very differently can still have a lovely, healthy relationship. They also know, if I’m down and out for whatever reason, a little act of romance will help me pull myself up by the bootstraps and reinvigorate my heart and mind.
My thought to you is not one of promoting Romance, nor mainstream Valentine’s malarky, nor why you should love it if you don’t. My thought to you here is if you DO find romance pulls at you; how does it pull? Why? For me, it’s the idea that someone loves someone else so very much, they will work, do the hard things, have the hard talks, make the other soul a higher priority in their lives, and find out little things to make them smile or help them keep going out of a force of love so deep that it is not a drain on their existence, but instead nourishes them to do so. Nothing is frightening in the face of that love. Even if hard, nothing is impossible. Your mileage may vary greatly, this is just my hopeless two cents.
And, if romance is NOT for you, what inspires that same drive, initiative, and joy in your heart? Freedom? Accomplishment? Adventure?
Whatever it is, I hope that you will make some time to indulge in it this month. Love is different than Romance, though one can inspire the other, and the two are frequently synonymous. But if they are not for you, do something you love. Spend time with someone you love - not for the romance, just for the love of them.
Love is a many splendored thing
Love lifts us up where we belong
All you need is love! ~Ewan McGregor, “Moulin Rouge”
What’s Love Go To do With It?
by Stef
Welcome back! Before we really dive deep into taking off our masks on this shadow work journey I want to pause and make space for self-love. If you caught last month's newsletter, you might remember “masking” and how we all morph ourselves in small ways to conform to societies and environments we reside in, and to be clear not all of the morphing we do is bad.
There is a link between shadow work and changing or working on the ‘bad/negative/toxic’ aspects of yourself, but Shadow work is not always about finding all the bits and pieces that you hate. It can be about re-acquainting yourself with the bits you love about yourself. So let’s start with a reminder to love yourself.
“Be very very very gentle with yourself. The world is very very hard on you”
-Srividya Srinivasan.
You are going to fuck up while on this journey, there is no way around that. Believe me when I say that is not only hard to write out but also hard to hear, I am a perfectionist in some of the worst ways, and learning there is no ‘right way’ to do shadow work was one of my biggest lessons. People have ascribed labels and expectations on you your whole life, but those expectations are rooted in their own abilities and the expectations they have set for themselves.
This is why shadow work is not straightforward, nor is there one single way to do it. The only thing I have found similar between my journey and others is the need for self-care.
My self-love looks like: baking cookies, taking long showers, getting a massage, going for a walk, or sleeping in. Yours might look similar or it might look completely different and that's the awesome thing about self-love- it’s designed with you in mind. So schedule time for you through this journey. Take yourself out on a date, don’t set an alarm on a morning you can sleep in, stay up all night gaming with friends, and spend all day in your favorite spot reading or creating art.
HK Jams - Love Bites
House Kheperu has curated a lovely little list of heart-shaped songs for February. Here are some of the members’ favorite love-themed songs. Not everything is sweet and sometimes love bites back. Be sure to let us know what you think about this month’s playlist and tag us on your favorite social media platform.
Ethical Interactions and Vampirism
by Hex
Hello friends, and welcome to "Tea with Hex"! As I write this, I'm listening to Florence + The Machine, and sipping some delightful lemon and ginger-infused black tea. As light returns to the world, I find citrus and spiced flavors wake me up a bit more than usual. That extra little zing is so refreshing.
Speaking of spicy, we're gonna go there this month, for a discussion on consent, vampirism, power, and healthy boundaries. Drink something, and let's get into it because I have a lot to say (surprising absolutely no one).
This is a big subject, but let's tackle it. I field a lot of questions from folks about vampirism and feeding, but these questions are frequently less about metaphysical mechanics and more about ethics and behavior before, during, and after feeding. What's okay and what's not. It's healthy to check oneself like this; most people have the capacity for self-analysis and do this frequently.
So if you've ever wondered what the ethics of psychic vampirism may include, consider the following. Some of this may even be familiar to you, if you've come from an adjacent community that also has rules about ethics and consent.
1. Good communication. In the BDSM (bondage, domination/discipline, sadism, and masochism) community, we refer to a "negotiation" phase where participants in a scene have very frank conversations about what they want to happen, what they might be okay with happening, and what they absolutely do not want to allow. This preliminary conversation forms the cornerstone of a healthy vampire/donor relationship, and should ideally happen before every feeding session. If you're familiar with BDSM, treat it just like a scene. It can even *be* a scene, if that's something all parties involved want. The exchange can be steered in whatever direction everyone is comfortable with. If you don't want it to be sexual, make that rule.
If, at the end of this conversation, any party does not want to proceed, that should be respected. Period.
2. Revocable consent. Consent is fluid, and once given, can be revoked at any point, by either the donor or the vampire. Part of what should happen during your negotiation should be a discussion about "safe words" that, once uttered, should put the brakes on the interaction immediately. It is a guarantee that everything will cease immediately, and no one should get upset if this happens. This can also involve gestures, in case any party involved can't or doesn't want to speak. The physical and emotional safety of everyone involved should be the paramount concern, and if either of those are in jeopardy, that is the appropriate time to safe word. If somebody pushes a boundary, safe word, and deal with it however you choose from there.
Alternatively, some folks use "Green/Yellow/Red" as a system to moderate how close they are to *needing* to safe word, so everyone knows how close they are to a limit.
3. Checking in. Once the activity proceeds, you should ask things like "Are you doing okay?" or "Do you want to keep going?" Constant, ongoing communication is healthy to ensure that the interaction is proceeding in a manner that everyone is enjoying, and to determine if anything needs to change.
4. Aftercare. This is something largely associated with the BDSM community, but as with many of the concepts above, can easily be incorporated into vampiric feeding. We love to see it. Once the interaction has concluded, you shouldn't just get up and walk away. Check in with each other. Hydrate. Get a blanket for anybody who looks cold. Have some actual food on hand for anybody who's hungry.
Practitioners of metaphysics will recognize these things as grounding behaviors. They help transition the participants out of the headspace they're in and back to occupying meatsuits. Aftercare and grounding also allow everyone to check in with *themselves*, as well as everybody else, their emotions, and to initiate any conversations that may be necessary about the experience. Did something go wrong and you need to talk about it? Now's the time. Are you having feels you need to unpack? You can start doing that here, and if you don't get them all unpacked right now, that's absolutely fine. In either case, all parties should hold space for this for each other.
5. People and situations are complex, especially when mingling energy work, physical bodies, etheric bodies, and emotional intensity. It is a heady combination, and depending on what other practices are incorporated into the interaction, this can increase tenfold. We cannot always predict how we, or anybody else, will respond to various stimuli. This makes good communication absolutely imperative, but if you screw up, or something feels weird, don't remain silent. Ask questions. Speak on it. Behavior cannot be corrected or adjusted if nobody knows it wasn't okay. Hold space for these tough conversations, and allow for changed behavior and growth if it's necessary. And anybody who isn't open to these guidelines is probably not a healthy person for you to interact with in this way.
As always, thank you for reading, and I hope that this gives you, dear reader, some insight into healthy vampiric interactions. Happy consensual feeding!
February is usually the season when Seasonal Affective Disorder seems to hit me the strongest, and depression can easily take hold. It’s as if most of the holidays fall in the darkest times of the year, and our ancestors knew that we all needed a boost in these times. Even in the darkest of times, there can be something found to celebrate. That leads me to my contemplation for this month – The Value of Perspective.
Before I get into the revelation that came to me this month, I want to discuss Valentine’s Day. In Roman times it was called Lupercalia, and around February 15th the pagan priests would celebrate and invite Fertility into young women’s lives by sacrificing animals, removing their tails, and using those tails to whip the young women in a playful manner.
Oh my~ I suppose that’s one way to get folks in the mood! So, no matter what you and your loved ones get up to, I think the Romans have one up on us all in oddity. Take the time to celebrate what makes your relationships unique, indulge in each other’s passions, and enjoy all the flavors that love can bring in this season.
So, weird tangent over, I want to touch on the Value of Perspective, and how our attitudes affect our perspective, and our perspective affects our worldview.
I watched an interesting video on YouTube earlier this week, (A Blind Person Describes What the World Looks Like) and found myself contemplating the message. Lou, the blind person in this story, described a fascinating metaphor that really resonated with me. How spirituality often turns people within to find the answers, and yet how Lou’s perspective of the world led him to often find the same nothingness within that he sees with his waking eyes.
That hit home for me, as I often see the same vast emptiness within myself. Lou said that other people’s perspective was where he found meaning in the world that he cannot see. I realized that I have been looking within for so long that I’d neglected to step outside myself and take in other’s perspectives, not just about the world but also about myself.
That was the realization, that my own perspective of myself and the world I live in is not enough to glean the meanings that I seek. Too often we get focused on how we feel that we can become lost in ourselves, as the Universe within is just as vast as the Universe around us. We need each other, not only for perspective but for comfort, love, and guidance. Nobody has infinite energy, we all have limited perspectives, and only through coming together with open hearts and minds can we find the answers that we all seek.
The Fading Night
Lingering Winter
EXCERPT FROM THE TOME OF THE DARKSIDE RITUALIST
The Kheprian Wheel of the Year continues to turn and we head towards the liminal space of the Spring Equinox. We aren’t quite there yet, but we know it will come. This time and place can feel chaotic during this period before Spring. The weather can never seem to make up its mind if it is hot or cold, there is a growing restlessness so people may feel quick to anger or frustration, and the world is certainly not holding the punches with train derailments, objects in the sky, terrifying and tragic earthquakes, and so much more. It can feel like a lot.
It is a lot.
The chaotic static of so much restless energy can feel overwhelming and it can be difficult to wrangle it, if at all. There are historical celebrations within other spiritualities and cultures that seem to best utilize this energetic shift to their advantage.
The celebration of Lupercalia in Ancient Rome harnessed the energies of late winter to cleanse and purify the city while also sewing seeds for a fertile and healthy harvest both of the ground and of the flesh.
Parinirvana Day, or Nirvana Day which is a Mahayana Buddhist holiday, is a day honoring when the Buddha achieved Parinirvana upon the death of his physical body and is honored with meditations and contemplations.
The Lupercalian Festival in Rome (ca. 1578–1610), drawing by the circle of Adam Elsheimer, showing the Luperci dressed as dogs and goats, with Cupid and personifications of fertility
In Islam, the celebration of The Prophet’s Ascension, or Isra and Miraj, is celebrated by sharing the story of Muhammad’s journey, ascending to heaven to receive special instructions on proper prayers from Allah.
Mahashivaratri is observed at night, usually in lighted temples or specially prepared prabha. Sivaratri Celbrations in Kotappakonda. Photo by Pavuluri Satish Babu.
There is also Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu festival honoring the God Shiva, where those participating observe a complete fast, stay awake through the night holding vigil, and sing the divine glories and chant the mantras of the Lord. The night is one to abstain from distractions and indulgences.
Lastly, this is the season of Mardi Gras, the last big celebration before Lent in Catholicism. Although not a Catholic holiday, the pagan roots of bacchanalian revelries made their way into various Romanized Catholic’s practices, preserving aspects of their culture. Mardi Gras is then an extension of some of these practices, despite the Feast of Bacchus being in September (or March, October, November…I suspect folx looked for amusing reasons to party…) Mardi Gras is the last enthusiastic blowout celebration with drinking, dancing, music, parades, and more.
With all of these various celebrations which harness the energy of this time of the year, consider how you will choose to engage that liminal and chaotic energy. Will you take the energy of celebration like Lupercalia and Mardi Gras? Will you find yourself raucously chasing away the ghosts of winter with joy and a good party? Will you take inspiration from Parinirvana, transmuting the chaotic energy into contemplation and meditation? Perhaps you might find yourself pondering on the divine and communication with it such as Muhammad. Will you take the energies of this time and place and direct them towards vigilance and preparation in the last days of winter, taking guidance from Maha Shivaratri?
No matter what you celebrate, how you celebrate, or how you transmute the energies around you, this is a time period of great possibility. Despite the buzz of chaos and the stress of the unknown, we are all capable of great change should we choose to put our power there.
What will you choose?
— Cat ‘Abri’ Rogers
Darkside Ritualist, House Kheperu
The World’s oldest love song
by Meghan
Love, sex, and intimacy have always been the beating heart of human existence, infused with a mystical and transcendent energy that permeates cultures and religions across the world. From the exchange of Valentine's gifts to weddings, to ancient love spells, these concepts have always been celebrated through the most significant of rituals. And perhaps unsurprisingly, humanity’s oldest known love song has roots in an ancient ritual from over 4000 years ago.
Enter the Ballad of Shu-Sin, an ancient ode to love that predates even the "Song of Solomon," long regarded as the oldest love poem. This mystical and alluring piece of literature was discovered by Austen Henry Layard during excavations at Kalhu in 1845, and remained untranslated for decades until Samuel Noah Kramer rediscovered it in 1951.
As Kramer described it, "When I first laid eyes on it, its most attractive feature was its state of preservation. I soon realized that I was reading a poem, divided into a number of stanzas, which celebrated beauty and love, a joyous bride and a king named Shu Shin… As I read it again and yet again, there was no mistaking its content. What I held in my hand was one of the oldest love songs written down by the hand of man." The poem tells the tale of King Shu-Sin and his bride, the goddess Inanna, and their deep love and physical passion.
Inanna (Or Ishtar) was the goddess of love, fertility, and war in Sumerian mythology and was widely worshiped throughout Mesopotamia. As the embodiment of femininity and sexuality, Inanna was seen as a powerful and divine force, and her priestesses were believed to be her earthly representatives.
The couple's love was celebrated through a divine marriage ceremony, a lavish ritual that included feasting, dancing, and recitations of love poems. An honored priestess of Inanna, acting as the goddess herself, was adorned in her finest garments, jewelry, and flowers, while the king presented her with gifts symbolizing his love and devotion. The wedding culminated in a sacred sexual union, seen as a symbolic act of union between the earthly and divine realms, ensuring fertility and prosperity for the land. Additionally, the ritual is said to have appeased Enlil, Inanna’s father, who would send gentle rains to the parched earth of Mesopotamia rather than destructive storms. At the time, this act was viewed as the ultimate representation of the love between a monarch and his goddess.
Mysteriously, the Ballad of Shu-Sin is narrated from the perspective of Inanna, potentially authored by one of her priestesses who stood in as the goddess's surrogate during the divine marriage. Not only did the marriage fulfill a religious and societal purpose by ensuring abundance, but the resulting song is a remarkably intimate and sentimental piece, delivered from a feminine perspective, expressing adoration and passion for the beloved.
This ancient love ritual is a powerful reminder of the mystical and transformative power of love, as well as its divine and transcendent nature. As modern-day energy workers, we can draw inspiration from these ancient rituals and perhaps even conduct our own. Let us embrace the energy of love this Valentine's Day, and celebrate the sacred and mystical union between souls.
Bridegroom, dear to my heart,
Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet,
Lion, dear to my heart,
Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet.
You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you.
Bridegroom, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber,
You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you.
Lion, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber.
Bridegroom, let me caress you,
My precious caress is more savory than honey,
In the bedchamber, honey-filled,
Let me enjoy your goodly beauty,
Lion, let me caress you,
My precious caress is more savory than honey.
Bridegroom, you have taken your pleasure of me,
Tell my mother, she will give you delicacies,
My father, he will give you gifts.
Your spirit, I know where to cheer your spirit,
Bridegroom, sleep in our house until dawn,
Your heart, I know where to gladden your heart,
Lion, sleep in our house until dawn.
You, because you love me,
Give me pray of your caresses,
My lord god, my lord protector,
My Shu-Sin, who gladdens Enlil's heart,
Give my pray of your caresses.
Your place goodly as honey, pray lay your hand on it,
Bring your hand over like a gishban-garment,
Cup your hand over it like a gishban-sikin-garment
