Inanna: Descent, Rebirth, and the Power of the Feminine Shadow
Long before Lilith whispered her rebellion into the sacred texts, there was Inanna—Sumerian Queen of Heaven and Earth. Also known as Ishtar in later Mesopotamian mythology, Inanna is one of the oldest recorded goddesses, her stories carved into clay tablets over 4,000 years ago. She is not just a goddess of love and fertility, but also of war, justice, and transformation. Inanna is wild, complex, and unapologetically whole.
The Descent: A Journey Into the Feminine Underworld
Among the most powerful myths of Inanna is her Descent into the Underworld, an initiatory tale of death and rebirth. Unlike other ancient deities who reign from lofty heights, Inanna dares to go down—deep into the shadowy realm ruled by her sister Ereshkigal, Queen of the Dead.
To pass through each of the seven gates of the underworld, Inanna is stripped of her royal robes, jewels, and symbols of power—until she stands bare, vulnerable, and fully herself. There, in the dark womb of the underworld, she dies.
But she does not stay dead.
With the help of allies and divine intervention, Inanna rises again, transformed. Reborn.
This story is more than myth. It mirrors the journey many of us take as women—facing the darkness, surrendering ego, embracing the parts of ourselves we’ve buried or been taught to fear. Inanna teaches us that descent is sacred, that the feminine includes not just light and love, but death, rage, sexuality, and renewal.
Inanna and Lilith: Two Faces of the Untamed Feminine
Often viewed as a rebellious "dark goddess," Lilith tends to dominate conversations about feminine liberation. But Inanna predates Lilith by centuries, and her myths reveal a powerful, sovereign goddess who embodies both the shadow and the light long before dualistic notions of good and evil emerged.
Where Lilith refuses to be dominated, Inanna chooses to journey deep into her own darkness. One challenges patriarchy with rage and refusal; the other dismantles ego through surrender and descent. Both are vital. Both are sacred.
They are not opposites—but reflections of the same whole: the wild feminine in all her complexity.
Reclaiming the Feminine Archetype
Inanna’s story reminds us that transformation requires descent—that in order to rise, we must first fall. She invites us to peel away the layers we’ve used to define ourselves—titles, roles, expectations—and meet the truth of who we are beneath them.
At Casa Vulva™, we honour these archetypes not as distant myths but as living energies within us. Our workshops and creations draw from these ancient symbols to help women reconnect to their inner Inanna—to move through the gates, reclaim their sensuality, and emerge radiant.
Because like Inanna, you are both the storm and the sunlight. The descent and the rise. The darkness and the light.
Join the Journey
Let Inanna be your guide as you navigate your own depths. Whether through creative expression, sacred ritual, or sisterhood, Casa Vulva™ is here to walk beside you.
Welcome home to your own divine cycle.
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