Inanna and Gilgamesh are an ancient ancestress and ancestor who tell us the story about the „cradle of our civilization“ in an ancient culture. Their stories come from the city of Uruk in Sumer, in what is now southern Iraq, and are more than 4,000 years old. At that time, Uruk was one of the largest cities in the world, where a class society with expansive economic growth and state order had already been established. Its stories were written on clay tablets and have been preserved for us almost in their entirety. This oldest literary heritage is highly topical.
The story of the sun and moon goddess Inanna is testimony to the path of initiation and development that we can follow in a holistic natural religion – from the planting of the sacred tree, the connection with the male god of wisdom, to the sacred wedding, to the descent into the underworld and the return …
… The story of Gilgamesh, magnificent king of Uruk, describes the path of initiation and development that must be traveled in a patriarchal rule, overcoming the matriarchal order of Inanna. In the same time it is a story of a lonely ruler’s fear of being forgotten, finding and losing a companion, with whom he conquers the world. The grief for the loss of his companion Enkidu makes him become more humble and go in search of the secret of eternal life – a true hero’s journey. He is able to have a look at the secret – but it looks totally different from what he expected.
There are 2 workshops in which women can explore the myth of Inanna and men can dive into the myth of Gilgamesh. If both workshops are taking place parallel in the same location, they can share the ritual of descent into the underworld and return together.
