The Search of an Image of Wholeness

Musings on Chapter 1.

In Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women, depth psychologist Sylvia Brinton Perera uses the myth of Inanna’s Descent as a framework to explore the psychological and spiritual process of female individuation.

According to Perera, what makes this myth such an important resource for this purpose is that it stems from a time when dynamic female archetypes were central to spiritual and cultural narratives. Also, for the thousands of years they lay buried in the sand before they were rediscovered, they were protected from the patriarchal interpretations that have influenced much of Western mythology and history.

As a result, they offer us a rare opportunity to access archetypes that originate from a more authentic feminine source ground, free from the distortions of later patriarchal cultural ideologies, making them a powerful tool for understanding the deep layers of the feminine psyche that Perera seeks to illuminate.

The myth of Inanna’s Descent to the Netherworld, as translated by Samuel Noah Kramer and Diane Wolkstein in Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth, begins with these words:

From the Great Above she opened her ear to the Great Below.
From the Great Above the goddess opened her ear to the Great Below.
From the Great Above Inanna opened her ear to the Great Below.

Inanna’s journey begins with curiosity and deep listening. She becomes curious about what she hears deep down and intentionally attunes herself to it. This act of listening is the first step on her journey, mirroring the psychological act of tuning into one’s inner life and the deeper layers of the psyche. She abandons heaven and earth and through the seven gates to the Netherworld, she descends.

Unlike the hero’s journey—which often centres on conquest, ascension, and external validation—Inanna’s descent is a deliberate act of surrendering to forces greater than herself. This is not a sacrifice but a conscious relinquishment—an “active willingness to receive”—that allows for her profound transformation.

Her journey exemplifies a key aspect of feminine wisdom: the courage to face the unknown and embrace disintegration as a necessary step toward renewal.

As Inanna sheds the layers of her worldly power and identity, she descends deeper into the Netherworld, mirroring the process of individuation. With each step, she becomes more open to the mysteries of the unconscious, allowing herself to release control and surrender to the depths within.

This descent requires letting go of the ego, offering it to the repressed and undifferentiated core of being. In doing so, she opens herself to the possibility of emerging from the darkness, reborn with a richer, more resonant understanding of herself and the world around her.

This rebirth is not a surface-level transformation but a deep, embodied awareness that resonates through every aspect of being. It restores a profound sense of clarity, authenticity, and connection, realigning her with her true self.

This perspective is pivotal in Perera’s work and challenges patriarchal interpretations of strength and power, which often emphasize dominance and control. Instead, it celebrates the transformative potential of surrender, receptivity, and integration.

By descending into the underworld and confronting her shadow, Inanna retrieves what has been repressed, uniting the upper and lower realms of her being into a new pattern. According to Perera, this integration is essential for female psychological health and the reemergence of an authentic self.

Inanna’s myth offers us a vision of womanhood that values intuition, emotional depth, and the willingness to descend into the unknown to find and reclaim lost parts of the self. She reminds us that true strength lies not in perfection or control but in authenticity, self-awareness, and the courage to transform.