Inanna – Sumerian Goddess of Love and Fertility
Shop Lapis Lazuli to honor Inanna
Inanna is the Sumerian goddess of love and fertility. Similarly, like for Aphrodite and Venus, love attracted war. However, unlike Venus and Aphrodite, Inanna didn’t fall in love with a god of war but rather has a warlike side to her. She is a bit more persuasive, wild, and free minded than most goddesses.
An example showing how wild she is, is when she went to visit her sister, Ereshkigal, the goddess of the underworld, in the underworld. It may not seem crazy but no one ever returns from the underworld, not even, the only logical reason for anyone to go there is if they are dead or wanting to be dead. But she went anyways to see her sister. It was a long journey into the underworld and even longer in the underworld because in order to go to her sister’s palace she had to go into the farthest depths of the underworld. When she finally got there her sister was busy, so while she waited she decided to sit on her sister’s throne, not thinking anything of it. When her sister arrived, she was furious. Inanna was confused why she was angry at first. Ereshkigal screamed at her and said she couldn’t believe she was sitting in her throne. It was the most disrespectful thing Inanna could have done, or at least according to Ereshkigal. They fought over it like children. Inanna was still confused why she was outraged but this, and Inanna kept saying it was no big deal and that she meant nothing by sitting on her throne, she was only waiting for her there. Her sister couldn’t be calmed and, in a fit of anger, Ereshkigal sentenced her to an eternity of being hung by her hands, naked in the depths of the underworld with no food or water. It took three days before anyone rescued her, or rather for her to rescue herself. She was able to convince the good spirits in the underworld to each take her place for one day, as long as someone took her place she could leave. Inanna left the underworld, thankful for all the kind souls.
Inanna created a legacy, being the only person, man, goddess or anything to go into the underworld and return. However there is more to Inanna. She is honest and doesn’t like hiding things. When she was a young women in love, she told her lover she would not make love to him until he proposed. She didn’t want to hide their relationship from her mother. Her lover, Dumazi, had a record of being with women but not staying with them because he could not commit himself. At night they would sneak out to see each other, but after a while when they would see each other at night all it would be was fighting. Until one day Dumazi showed up at her house, and asked her parents if he could marry their daughter. Inanna’s parents were impressed that he even asked that with his record and agreed. Inanna was so over-joyed by this news. Dumazi had given in for her.
In their married life, Dumazi and Inanna were a happy couple. Although they fight a lot, they always make up. They agreed to always speak their minds and be honest to each other because you are happiest when you let things out. As gods/ goddesses you live forever, and when you choose a lover it is forever. What is the point in being with someone for that long if you can’t be honest with them or speak your mind? Love are war will always go together because in order to have harmony you must let out whatever thoughts that have been balled up. Love is give and take, when Dumazi proposed he gave Inanna what she wanted and in return she made wonderful love to him. As they fought, they would always listen to each other, there is no point in fighting if no solution is made. However getting into the habit of thinking, “there is no point in saying it, he/she will never listen anyways” is bad too because communication is so very important. Love, like water, if it is contained or damned can’t flow, don’t damn your love.
This goddess fights with her lover but always makes up, because their love flows through time- it’s endless. Sometimes having tentative ears and listening to words you don’t want to hear is what you need. This goddess can help make your love endless. Understanding and comprise is important, when facing a big problem, a big compromise is needed on both ends. Lapis lazuli can help bring this goddess and her teachings into your life. If your are stuck in a situation where you are hearing those words that you just don’t want to hear, look at the lapis lazuli and just remember to stay calm. Love needs flow, understanding, compromise, and communication.
Sometimes a good fight to let out emotions and thoughts is all that is needed for love to flow freely.