Hymn to Inanna by D'vorah

Inanna by John Singer Sargent 

 Inanna-Ishtar-Lilith-Shekhinah

She of all knowing, dark wisdom....She of the deep abyss, snake’s descent, owl’s knowing...woman of the dark, the light:  We praise you, we stand in awe marveling at the myriad surprises you hold in store for us.  Your power, your mystery.

Lilith-Ishtar-Shekhinah, we worship you, in all your aspects; we sing your name.

Walk with us as we yearn to understand you... Never let us forget your presence in, around and through us, as we seek to proclaim and praise you in every corner of the world, in your many guises, by every name.

Walk with us as we love you, when we are angered by you, when we fail to comprehend you and when we renew our resolve to serve...

Be patient with us as we must be with ourselves, and each other... holding your presence even when we doubt or despair. Let us continue to walk in this new millennium as healers, casting new roles for ourselves and others, weaving new threads of oneness and wonder Ishtar-Lilith-Shekhinah, keeper of the mystery:

Be with us through ecstasy and harmony through death and destruction

And You, Inanna, who were given the setting up of lamentations, the care of children, the rejoicing of the heart, the giving of judgments,  the stirring of sexuality, the making of decisions.

In the eye of this wisdom, rising forth from the power of your being, your foresight, your intent...how is it we ever got lost, taken over, subsumed?

How did we ever become convinced we were not worthy to serve you, that you were the god/not the goddess? How did you, or we, allow ourselves to be 

sidetracked

trampled

silenced

and burned?

As we build a new world, allow us always to remember our inner strengths, to come from a place of understanding and compassion.  Yet let us not be swayed from our goals, and never let our kindness become weakness.  Help us to remember the lessons of our strongest foremothers and so defend ourselves when necessary, without apology,

speak for what we believe in,

take unpopular action, 

take what is rightfully ours with or without “permission.”

Work with us, inspire us, protect us as we weave your work - our work.

Help us, sweet dark lady of the night, holy winged figure of the light—rageful, wise judge, warmest heart, soulful visionary... highest priestess of the Temples to whom every knee must bend and every tongue give homage.

It is your word we write now upon the doorpost of our house and upon our gates…

Your word, acts, images and thoughts we share, rage at, weep with and learn from.

For It is You who makes rise our greatest laughter and love, happiness and peace, passion, tenderness and compassion.

You who sees and gives us our greatest anger and storm, temper and venom, jealousy and vengefulness; You from whom and with whom we learn to combine these things in the best ways possible...  as we embody and become You, in Our divine selves.

Sweet, dark Goddess/es of the earth and sky, river and mountain, night and day, Heaven and  Hell.

We seek to embody your passion, your wisdom, your strength.

Be with us now.

D’vorah bat Rita  2008

   

           (Adapted from a liturgy written in 1999)

Inanna Mask

INANNA:  The Great Goddess of Sumeria

I am the morning and evening star 

I go down into darkness and arise dancing

I mount the sky to my high throne

The starry heavens are the robe upon my shoulders

I am the loud-thundering storm

The rain upon the land,

The shimmering midday heat

The welcome floods that feed the thirsty land

At the end of day, all creatures lift their eyes to me,

Make love in my name. 

And when sweet sleep has ended

I fill the bedchamber with day.

Once,  I went below

To my sister, Ereshkigal

To the the Queen of Death.

She took my  lapis measuring rod

She took my life into herself

She hung me to rot upon the wall.

But Ereshkigal could not bear the pain of living.

She traded my corpse away

For the promise of healing.

But I arose reborn:

And I returned to the above world.

I took back my rod

And  my crown and my lapis sceptre.

Every year my lover  Dumuzi

Leaves me grieving

to return to the halls of my sister.

The land mourns for Dumuzi.

But he is too is reborn, 
the shepherd of the fields and the  soil

To plough his seed into the Queen of Earth and Sky.

I bring you many gifts:

I bring the arts  of allure and delight,

And flax and cream and barley for your table,

I give you paper and pen, the book, the art of speech.

Oh, my people!

Parade before me in your finest robes,

Sing to me with your drums,

Make offerings to me,

Of incense, sweet-smelling cedar,

Fine, fat sheep, long-haired sheep,

Butter, cheese, and dates.

Return with Me from your shadow lands.

Use my gifts with honor.

Enter My House,

Eat from my table,

Sleep in my bed.

Take unimagined pleasures.

By Mary Kay Landon

painting by John Singer Sargeant