Inanna, 3rd Millennium B.C.E. A Winter Tale of Death and Rebirth Her story of death and rebirth, transformation, courage, independence and trust, predates the stories of Persephone, Orpheus, and Jesus, by millennia.

The Queen of heaven and earth, the goddess of fertility, death and rebirth is known in the Middle East as Inanna, sometimes called Ishtar. She is considered the most important deity in Sumerian mythology. Her story of death and rebirth predates the stories of Persephone, Orpheus and Jesus by millennia. It is a tale of transformation, courage, independence, and trust. Here is the story of her journey into the Underworld, a winter tale of death and rebirth, a wonderful metaphor for the inner journey of self-exploration that Winter's stillness provides for those who desire to align themselves with Earth's energy and who are brave enough to search the depths of their true nature-alone.

The Myth of Inanna

Inanna missed her sister, Erishkigal. She longed to see her and decided to visit the dark depths of Erishkigal's Queendom, the Sumerian Underworld. Before embarking on her visit, Inanna asked her husband to preside over her subjects during her absence and then counseled a loyal attendant to send help if she failed to return at a pre-arranged time. She then dressed herself in the accoutrements of her power: bejeweled staff, golden crown, royal necklace and silk robes, and set off on her adventure-alone.

Shortly after leaving her Palace, Inanna was accosted by one of her sister's servants who guarded the first of 7 gates on the descent to the Underworld. He demanded one of Inanna's possessions as payment for her safe passage through his gate. Outraged by his insolence, Queen Inanna protested, but was quickly reminded, "Be quiet, and surrender to the ways of the Underworld for they are perfect and not to be questioned." The guard then took her golden crown, opened the gate and let her through.

Dazed and humiliated, Inanna continued her journey determined, more than ever, to see Erishkigal. At each of the remaining gates on her descent, she was detained by guards demanding bribes and reminding her, "Be quiet, and surrender to the ways of the Underworld for they are perfect and not to be questioned." The guards assaulted and robbed her of all her earthly possessions of power, until finally, naked and vulnerable she reached her destination. Weary and stripped of her identity and power, Inanna sought out her sister to tell her of the sacrifices and atrocities she endured during her journey.

Yet when the two sisters finally met, Erishkigal didn't recognize the woman that stood before her as her Inanna. Thinking she was an enemy, Erishkigal killed her. She chopped her into pieces and hung her torso on a hook in the deepest dungeon of the Underworld. Inanna's lifeless form remained there, dead and dismembered, for three days until her faithful armies stormed the dungeon and rescued her. When Erishkigal realized what she had done she quickly "re-membered" her sister and brought her back to life.

Upon Inanna's triumphant return home her husband and royal subjects noted profound changes in their Queen. Because of her transformational experience in the Underworld where she died to her old ways and was "re-membered" to a new life, she now appeared more wise, beautiful, powerful and compassionate than ever before. Inanna ruled her land and people as a Goddess Queen from that time forward.

This Goddess of fertility, death and rebirth continues to reign over Heaven and Earth to this day. Her story has endured millennia because it speaks to us on the deepest levels of our being. It assures us that after every harsh winter there is a soft spring; that death is not the end of life, but simply part of life; that we must each journey alone to discover and "re-member" our inner, truer selves.

Inanna's triumph over death inspires seekers of wisdom and provides a metaphor for their own death to shortcomings, losses, pains, and years of unacceptable patterns of thought, feeling and behavior.

Although, in ancient times, this tale of the journey of death and rebirth helped to explain the disappearance of the moon from the night sky on her monthly cycle and the biological parallel journey of a woman's menstrual cycle, for contemporary people its impact highlights the tremendous power gained from trusting the process of intuition. Its focus on the triumph over adversity and obstacles that are naturally encountered on the road of life, especially when traversing the path of inner worlds, comforts the soul and heals the heart. Inanna's journey is a psychic map for those who risk the death of the old self, with its beliefs and patterns that no longer serves them, to re-create a new self that "re-members" who they truly are-Divine.

For these reasons, Inanna was chosen as the Goddess In Winter in the seasonal workshop series, "A GODDESS FOR ALL SEASONS." When we move into the stillness and silence of the Winter Season we journey with Inanna. Join us for The Goddess in Winter Workshop and learn to use this metaphoric journey of death and rebirth on your own spiritual path.