Yesterday was celebrated as the birthday of Inanna, one of the great Sumerian goddesses. Amazingly enough, she came to me today.
On the beach, doing a releasement & re-integration, I called to the Goddess. Many came to my mind, but eventually, Demeter led to Inanna.
Having only heard of Inanna/Ishtar once, I was hesitant to call upon her. But She called upon me. So, in my ritual, Inanna became the powerful one. Rather than retype what I found when I came home to research her, I'll just give you the links at the end of this rant.
My intention for the ritual was to release anger, guilt, shame & regret for past actions done by me & to me, making way to re-integrate pieces of my soul/spirit that had wandered into other realms for shelter from pain. Then, I needed to bring these parts of me back to the present & incorporate them into my current self.
In retrospect, as I type this, I probably should have had a cohesive plan for this ritual. But, as usual, I was winging it.
Here's how it went:
- Ground & Center
- Relax & Focus
- Write feelings, behaviors,etc. on light-weight paper (I used organic rolling paper)
- Place papers into my hands at the seashore
- Visualize all the actions, behaviors, feel all the feelings until that harmful energy is built up to a crushing force
- Send all that energy into my hands where the papers are
- Release the papers with this chant
Into the Wind!
Into the Sea!
Be gone forever!
Away from me!
Then, I went & began to meditate on how to invite parts of my split-apart spirit/soul back from their places of refuge.
As I meditated, goddesses with whom I am familiar came to mind. Persephone was especially present, because she represents my habitual return to dark habits of self-destruction. All at once, I recognized the need for her mother, Demeter, who had worked tirelessly to rescue Persephone from Hades.
Briefly, I called to Demeter...She deferred to Inanna, Queen of Heaven & Earth. Immediately, I knew that the parts of me from this life & past, were within Inanna's reach. Upon calling to her, I asked her to guide these parts back to my present self.
Soon, I was in tears. Tears of reconciliation, tears of forgiveness for self & others. I continued calling, openly to Inanna...I continued to be filled with love & a sense of wholeness.
It is difficult to explain how powerful this connection to an ancient goddess became. How she & I communicated. How I felt her warm embrace when the temperature on the beach was 60 degrees and the wind was whipping wildly.
Inanna came. She comforted. She blessed.
Now, I search for an offering. She needs it not. She is ancient & without need. I need to offer in thanks.
Some will wonder, as do I, at times, how praying to a host of gods & goddesses is different than praying to the Christian God. Aren't we giving over our power to an imagined force that cannot be proven? I question myself when I pray to Ra or Isis, Brigid or Inanna. I question, "am I deluding myself?" And then, I experience days like today.
The power was not of this world. The love & protection I felt from an ancient Sumerian goddess was the fierce love of a mother/sister - a love I have not experienced in any human form.
Maybe this love is me. Maybe goddess is an archetypal form inherited generation to generation; a part of the human brain that needs to believe.
Or maybe...just maybe...Inanna came to me today, held me close & brought with her pieces of me she had been holding for safekeeping all along.
Wild & Bright Blessings,
~*Rhi*~
)O(
INANNA
Journey to the Dark Center
I am the daughter of the Ancient Mother,
I am the child
of the Mother of the World.
I am your daughter
O Ancient Mother,
I am your child
O Mother of the World.
O Inanna! O Inanna!
O Inanna!
It is you who teaches us
to die, be reborn and rise again.
Die, be reborn, and rise!
Herstory/Lore
Queen of Heaven and Earth
by Mary Scarlett Moon and Callista Deep River
Entrance to the shrine of Inannna
Library of Halexandria
Pagan Pages
