Click here to listen to Quest for new metaphors: Sumerian myth of Inanna part 1 in the season 2 archives on buzzsprout
“Symbol systems cannot be simply rejected, they must be replaced. Where there is no replacement the mind will revert to familiar structures at times of crisis, bafflement, or defeat.” –Carol Christ
The corruption of the old forms, of old institutions and ways of thinking, continues to be revealed. The need for a new paradigm, myth, or metaphor that carries new values is clear. This involves working with our mythological inheritance, to reclaim or renew truth in the images and stories that inspired our predecessors, and sort through to find what is of value in the present.
This is the first in series of four programs exploring the Sumerian myth of the goddess Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth. What might Inanna offer to our times?
Transcript of Quest for new metaphors: Sumerian myth of Innana part 1
Hello, and welcome to Myth Matters, storytelling and conversation about mythology and why myth matters to your life today. I’m your host and personal mythologist Dr. Catherine Svehla. Wherever you may be in this wide, beautiful, crazy world of ours, you are part of this story circle.
I hope that you had a good holiday, however you chose to acknowledge or celebrate it. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be with you in this space, and for your participation as a listener, and co-creator of our world shaping stories. Thank you so much also for your comments, ideas, poems, and dollars. This past year has brought a new definition of hard times for many people, and a new calculus of need. And I want to give special thanks and acknowledgement to my patrons and supporters for their monthly donations in support of Myth Matters. It’s gone a long way to mitigate my current challenges.
And now, for today’s podcast. The feminist scholar Carol Christ writes, “Symbol systems cannot be simply rejected, they must be replaced. Where there is no replacement, the mind will revert to familiar structures at times of crisis, bafflement or defeat.” A valuable insight for this time. As 2020 draws to a close, you may be feeling a sense of opening, lightening, relief. I know that many people are experiencing this. We have a new year coming, the prospect of a vaccine, changes in leadership, and this is revealing a very deep need for rest. And yet in the calls for a return to normal that are starting to percolate in the collective, there’s a hidden temptation to return to the old complacency as well, and to release the tension of our collective transformation, which is not yet complete.
Events over the last number of years have shown us the deep corruption of the old forms of our societies and of our thinking. And we clearly need a new paradigm, a new myth or metaphor, a new symbol system, as Carol Christ says, to carry new values. This process begins with what we have, the reclamation or the renewal of truth in the images and stories that inspired our predecessors. We need to sort through these to find what is a value in the present.
So today is the first in a series of four programs, exploring the Sumerian myth of the goddess Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth. This is one of my favorite myths, and it’s one that I’ve worked with quite a bit. One of the things that I appreciate about this set of stories is the many paradoxes and contradictions that they offer. This myth also reflects the cultural conversation going on in those ancient days, more than 4000 years ago, that the earlier civilizations were having with peoples who were bringing in a new form, specifically patriarchy, and monotheism.
So, in the spirit of both our shared need to enjoy the unique form of rest and rejuvenation that we can find in a story, and the need to continue holding space for deep transformation, I offer you this story. I think it’s beautiful, and funny, and provocative and wise. I constructed my version of these old myths from a book titled Innana, Queen of Heaven and Earth, which was the result of a collaboration between the storyteller, Diane Wolkstein and Sumerian scholar, Samuel Noah Kramer.
I invite you to sit back and relax and let the story take you where you need to go right now. Note the moments or the details that catch your attention. Attending to what speaks to you is one of the ways that stories can help you, teach you or heal you. The old myths and stories are mirrors, and even the themes or the figures that you may reject illuminate your present moment. We begin at the beginning with Innana and the Huluppu Tree.
Inanna and Huluppu Tree
The first days, in the very first days; in the first nights, in the very first nights; in the first years, in the very first years; when everything needed was brought into being. The Sky God An took the heavens for his kingdom and Enlil, the Air god took the earth as his realm, and Ereshkigal, the Queen of the Great Below was assigned the underworld.
At this time, the God of Wisdom and the Waters, Enki, set sail for the underworld. The underworld fought back. A great storm arose. His boat was pelted with stones and hail.
At this time, a single tree was planted by the banks of the Euphrates. The whirling South wind arose and pulled at its branches and tugged at its roots and tore it from the bank. The tree was carried away by the river—until Inanna discovered it.
Inanna pulled the tree from the river. “I shall bring this tree to my city of Uruk” she said, “and plant it in my holy garden. I’ll tend it and when it is grown I will make from it a throne and a bed.”
She planted the tree and tended it and wondered how long it would take. Five years passed, then ten, and the tree grew thick. But a serpent who would not be charmed took up residence in its roots. Then the Anzu bird, who craves knowledge and power, set his young in the branches of the tree. And the dark maid Lilith made a home in the trunk. Inanna wept. She implored them to leave but they would not.
Inanna went to her brother, the Sun God Utu. She told him the story of the early days and how Enki set sail for the underworld and how it attacked him, and about three that was torn from its banks until she replanted it in her garden. She told him about the creatures living in the tree but he would not help her.
The second morning, Inanna went to the hero Gilgamesh and told him the story too. When she finished, he strapped on his armor that was so heavy it took 10 normal men to lift it, and he took up his great ax that was so heavy that it took ten normal men to lift it, and went with Inanna to her garden.
He struck the serpent who would not be charmed. The Anzu bird and his young flew away. Lilith smashed her home and ran out to the wild places. Gilgamesh loosened the roots of the tree and cut off the branches. He carved a shining throne for Inanna and made her a bed. Inanna made a gift for her brother from the roots of the tree, and a gift for Gilgamesh from the branches of the tree.
Now Inanna had her shining throne and her bed.
Inanna and Enki the God of Wisdom
Inanna placed her crown on her head and went to the apple tree. Leaning back against the tree, her vulva was wondrous to behold. Inanna rejoiced in herself. In her ripening was readiness. She said, “I am the Queen of heaven and I will go visit Enki, the God of Wisdom and the waters, in his holy temple and honor him.”
She set out by herself. Long before she arrived, Enki perceived her arrival and called his sukkal, that is his minister, ally, and friend, Isimud. “Isimud,” he said, “The young woman Inanna is on her way here. When she arrives, give her refreshments and treat her as an equal.” When Innana arrived, Isimud did so. He gave her butter cake to eat, and cool water to drink. He offered her beer.
Enki came to join Inanna and he poured himself some beer. The two filled up their great bronze cups time and time again, toasting each other. They drank more and more beer together. Now Enki, god of wisdom, was swaying on his feet. He toasted Inanna and said, “In the name of my power, I give my daughter Inanna the high priesthood, and the godship. I give her the crown and kingship. I give her the holy staff and scepter!!”
“I’ll take them,” Inanna replied.
Enki toasted Inanna again. “In the name of my power, I give my daughter Inanna the truth. Descent into the underworld. Ascent from the underworld. The art of lovemaking and the kissing of the phallus, the colorful garment and the loosening of the hair!”
“I’ll take them,” Inanna replied.
Enki raised his cup to Inanna a third time. “In the name of my power, I give my daughter Inanna the powers of the high priestess, the setting up of lamentations and the rejoicing of the heart. The giving of judgment and the making of decisions. The art of forthright speech. The art of treachery. The art of kindness!”
“I’ll take them,” Inanna replied.
Enki raised his cup to Inanna 14 times and every time he gave her 5, or 6, or 7 mé, that is the powers and ordering principles of life and civilization. And every time, Inanna accepted them. She accepted the mé from Enki.
Now Enki said it was time for her to go home to her city of Uruk. He told Isimud to load the mé onto the Boat of Heaven and to make sure that she got him safely. The boat was loaded and Inanna set sail. After a time, the beer started to leave Enki. His head began to clear and he looked around his holy temple for the mé.
He called Isimud to him. “Where is the high priesthood,” he asked, “and the godship, the crown and kingship?” “You gave these to Inanna,” said Isimud. “Where is the truth,” asked Enki, the descent and ascent from the underworld, the art of lovemaking and the kissing of the phallus?” “You gave them to Inanna,” said Isimud. “And where is the power of the high priestess, the setting up of lamentations and the rejoicing of the heart and the giving of judgments and the making of decisions? Where is the perceptive ear and the power of attention?” asked Enki.
“You gave them to Inanna, said Isimud. “My king, you gave all of the mé to your daughter Inanna.”
“Where is the Boat of Heaven with the holy mé now?” asked Enki. “About a mile away,” said Isimud. “Take some of my smaller monsters, the ones like scorpions,” said Enki “and go get the boat and the mé back.”
Isimud took the scorpion-like small monsters and went to Inanna. “Enki sent me to you with a message,” he told her. “You have to give the mé back and I am here to retrieve them.” “What!” said Inanna. “Enki gave them to mé and he gave me his word. He promised them to me in the name of his power. No!”
The scorpion like monsters seized the boat. Inanna called her sukkal, her minister, spiritual ally and friend, Ninshubur. “Ninshubur, you were once Queen of the East. Your hand has not touched water and your feet have not touched water. Save the Boat of Heaven and the holy mé for me.”
Ninshubur sliced the air with her hand and let out a cry and the monsters ran away. They rowed on.
“Where is the Boat of Heaven with the holy mé now?” asked Enki. “About two miles away,” said Isimud. “Take some of my wild haired monsters,” said Enki, “and go get the boat and the mé back.”
The wild haired monsters seized the boat. But Ninshubur sliced the air with her hand and let out a cry and the wild haired monsters ran away. They rowed on.
“Where is the Boat of Heaven with the holy mé now?” asked Enki. “About three miles away,” said Isimud. “Take some of my huge sea monsters” said Enki, “and go get the boat and the mé back.”
The huge sea monsters seized the boat but Ninshubur sliced the air with her hand and let out a cry and the huge sea monsters swam away. They rowed on.
This happened six times. And every time Ninshubur saved the boat. Now she said to Inanna, “We are almost to your city of Uruk. When we arrive, let the life-giving waters flow into the city and let our boat sail swiftly to the docks. “Yes,” said Inanna, “and there will be a big party too! All of the people will gather and laugh and dance and sing.”
And so, it was. Inanna made the life-giving waters flow into the city and the boat sailed swiftly to the docks and all the people gathered to celebrate. Enki called Isimud to him the 7th time. Where is the Boat of Heaven now?” he asked. “Inanna has landed at her dock in her city of Uruk,” Isimud said. “
“Queen Inanna has aroused wonder,” said Enki.
The holy mé were being unloaded and presented to the people. A funny thing happened. More mé appeared, more than Enki had given Inanna. She said “This place will be known as the Lapis Lazuli dock.” Enki spoke to Inanna and said, “In the name of my power, I bless you and your city of Uruk.”
I’m going to stop there for now. As I say, I will tell you the rest of the myths that form Innana’s key story over the next few podcasts. Now I want to share a few reflections with you about this shared quest for a new myth, our collective quest for a new metaphor for a living symbol that inspires multiple meanings, opens us to wonder, connects us to the mystery. Let’s talk about a metaphor at work in this myth, the tree.
I love the way that Innana tends to the tree that is torn from the banks of the Euphrates, replanting it in her own garden and ultimately using its body as the material for her specific powers and ambitions, her throne and her bed. In the language of story, and in the mythology of Inanna at that time, you understand that Inanna herself is the tree. She identifies with it, and she becomes it. This equivalence between Inanna the goddess, and the tree, will reappear in myths that I will share with you later. In the words of Judy Grahn, Inanna is the mind inside nature.
Now trees are very interesting, very interesting beings. And so then, very rich metaphors. For one thing, trees unite. They unite the three realms, as we often think about the cosmos, you know, we commonly think of the heaven and the earth and the below, all of whichever appeared in this story: the spirit, the material, and the soul realms, air, earth, water, the heights, the visible material manifestation, and the depths.
The tree unites, and so too, does Inanna. She makes the emblems of her specific powers from it, that is from her own self, the bed and the throne. We hear her celebrate her flowering, just as a tree flowers or puts out leaves. The reference to the apple tree is a foreshadow of the next podcast.
In making her bed, she celebrates the power of her sexuality, which is her fertility. But it’s also more than that. To reduce female sexuality to fertility, well, we see the problems inherent in that right? We’ve been living them in Western culture at least, for thousands of years. It’s also about joy and connection, about beauty and about self-expression, expression of the animal self, the soul self and the spiritual self. In that act, in that expression, the realms are united. And when she makes her throne, again, we see this unity because Inanna brings the holy mé of the gods to her people on earth. She’s the vehicle.
I want to say something else about what is unified. There’s a dynamic harmony expressed in the story of Inanna, in her being and in the tree, in the male and female. The yin and the yang, let’s use the terminology from the Tao, whose complex, dynamic, creative relationship brings all into being. We hear the necessity for this partnership symbolically in the story, first in the form of Gilgamesh, who comes to help Inanna clear the scary beings out of her tree. And then in the encounter with Enki and the complexity of their exchange. I love that he didn’t give her the mé in some sober ceremony and then go on about his business. Because if he had the ability to do that, then he would be more powerful than her, right? But in the way that he subverts himself and turns back on himself, and in what’s required of her– the acquiescence, the trickery, the refusal– there is the establishment of a real equality, which Enki honors then in calling her “Queen” at the end.
She couldn’t make herself queen. So, in the same way that she needed Gilgamesh, she needed Enki. Male and female, the yin and the yang. In this spirit, I want to draw your attention to one other little detail at the end, where Inanna names the dock, the “Lapis Lazuli dock.” In this way, she honors Enki and herself, because lapis, and this will show up again in the myths that I’m going to tell you in the coming weeks, lapis symbolizes water and wisdom, Enki’s realm. It also symbolizes the energies of the king and the queen in balance, the king and the queen inside and out. It’s been used to bring awareness of soul and stimulate imagination, and also to connect to one’s spiritual purpose in life. It unifies the realms, like the tree, like Inanna herself as the Sumerian goddess. It is a symbol of the unity of these three realms and energies.
So, there’s a theme weaving through here of how what’s in the depths, feeds and lends power to what is visibly, materially manifest. And how the above, so to speak, also feeds that material manifestation, which as the middle realm is the realm of growth and maturation and transformation, all of which are themes in the myths of Inanna.
Now, Inanna has a problem with her tree initially, right, because three beings have taken up residence in the tree: the snake who would not be charmed, the Anzu bird, and Lilith. These are metaphors for aspects of Inanna’s shadow. She is meant to be queen, queen through the dispensation of law through the powers of the mé, and also through her sexuality. The snake that will not be charmed, the Anzu bird which by the way, was a symbol of a cruel and impersonal quest for knowledge and power, and Lilith, are shadow aspects of her being. I want to say a word about Lilith.
Lilith is commonly understood to be the first wife of Adam, who is thrown out and relegated to the land of demons, because she will not submit to Adam. The appearance of Lilith in the Inanna myth, as part of Inanna’s shadow, doesn’t negate that. It’s a matter of context. From the perspective of the patriarchal, Judeo Christian tradition in which women are supposed to submit, that would be the fatal flaw in this first woman named Lilith. But in a culture where that wasn’t a concept, where that kind of domination had not achieved at least, religious and sacred status, Lilith represents something a little bit different. She represents a voracious kind of sexuality. Something that is impersonal.
There is a way in which each one of these figures, and I will leave you to delve into them a little bit more on your own, represents a self-aggrandizing aspect, a self-aggrandizing use of particular kinds of power. Power for its own sake, and for the self, and not in service to life and to love.
I want to connect this to something that I said at the outset of this podcast, which is that Inanna is typically seen as a transitional myth, one that still carries the energies and images of the earlier goddess based polytheistic culture, but has already started to be influenced by the concepts of patriarchy and monotheism. Now, patriarchy is more than a struggle between the sexes. It brings with it a concept of power, of power as the central value, the central cultural value, and power in service to power. The idea that the point of acquiring it, is to continue to amass it. Power as both a means to an end and the end, itself. We see the corruption that this creates. And it’s also a gross oversimplification of the notion of power itself. It limits our view of the sources of power.
Power is the ability to do something, to make something happen. Sensitivity, for example, is a source of power. It brings with it the ability to understand, connect, respond, the ability to be empathetic, and therefore bring about certain kinds of transformation, and develop certain kinds of wisdom. Inner strength, the ability to stay true to yourself, enables you to survive hardship and loss, and to inspire others. These are other types of power. But then they bring with them different ideas, don’t they, about how it can be used, and what it can serve? I think these are important questions for each of us to consider right now, as we move together through this necessary transition, if it’s about to bring renewal and the new. Not only who has power, but what is power, and what is it for.
A word now about monotheism. Monotheism, a world in which there is only one God. This lacks complexity. It creates an attachment to dualisms. The first one being “God,” and everything that’s not “God.” And it changes the nature of the conversation then, with the divine, with others, and with the self, because it becomes a dialogue, which is, as we see, frequently dominated by the voice with the most power. It also tends to produce a very simple view of the truth. And we are having a lot of problems right now with truth and lies and sorting them through. We have people literally living in different worlds. And this can only be bridged by a return to complexity, and acceptance of ambiguity. It’s a matter of nuance, which doesn’t mean that you don’t take a moral position. That is your responsibility. And yet this requires much more reflection and is much more challenging, than we are taught to believe or encouraged to practice these days.
In a polytheistic world like the one that Inanna inhabits, the dialogue and the choices and the pressures, they reflect a multiplicity and a diversity between the gods and within them. That is much closer to real life, is it not?
So, let me leave you with this. Our images of the Divine, and of the source of order than in our societies, are fundamental to our culture. Fundamental. And if our images of the Divine are metaphors for the gods that reflect us, and carry insight into the nature of our own being, well, can you see yourself as a tree? As a living container for these diverse energies? And if you try this, ask yourself, what are you conducting? What is moving through your trunk? What are you feeling with your roots, in the depths? And with your branches in the air, in the heavens? What is living in your branches? What is supported by your presence? And is there anything unwanted that has taken up residence?
And that’s it for me, Catherine Svehla and Muth Matters. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or comments about today’s program. If you are new to Myth Matters, I hope that you will subscribe. You can do that from a variety of podcast platforms. You can also head over to my website, mythic mojo.com and subscribe via email. Then you will receive announcements from me every time I release a new episode. On the website, you will also find a link to my Patreon site. If you are finding value in the podcast and you are able, I would very much appreciate it if you would join my patrons there and support the podcast.
Thank you so much for listening. Take good care of yourself. And until next time, happy mythmaking and keep the mystery in your life alive.
