Ecology of the Erotic in a Myth of Inanna

Authors

Judy Grahn, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology

DOI

10.24972/ijts.2010.29.2.58

Abstract

Myths of Mesopotamian Goddess Inanna, planet Venus in the ancient Sumerian pantheon, have

been useful in psychological processes of contemporary women. A lesser-known myth, “Inanna and

Shukaletuda,” includes sexual transgression against the deity and ties the deified erotic feminine

with fecundity and sacredness of fields and trees. Interpretation of Inanna’s love poems and poems of

nature’s justice contextualizes ecofeminist relevance to psychological issues. Deconstruction of rich

imagery illustrates menstrual power as female authority, erotic as a female aesthetic bringing order,

and transgender as sacred office of transformation. Meador’s (2000) interpretation of three Inanna

poems by a high priestess of ancient Ur provides four new archetypes for women that situate an axis

for further understanding of “Inanna and Shukaletuda.”

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Grahn, J. (2010). Grahn, J. (2010). Ecology of the erotic in a myth of Inanna. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 29(2), 58–67.. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 29 (2). https://doi.org/10.24972/ijts.2010.29.2.58