Journey of Inanna
15 cardsCategory: Mysteries & the Unconscious
A deep mystical spread about the soul's journey through the mysteries of the subconscious.
Overview
This spread is based on one of the magnificent myths of Sumer. It tells us about the depths of our soul. What is hidden in our subconscious? What deep forces and events lie dormant in our 12th house? It presupposes great intuitive abilities and deep sensitivity. The meaning of the myth reproduced in this spread is as follows: on her path into the dark depths, Inanna must leave behind and discard much of what she previously considered important and valuable. To meet her shadow, she must come to it completely naked (unprotected) and humble. And this encounter will mean her death. She must free herself from her former Self. After this, with the help of her faithful ally, she will return to life and re-enter the world of light as the new Inanna. Liberation from former ideas about oneself, from one's shadow, means renewal, wholeness and healing. But for this she must also make a (thanksgiving) sacrifice in the upper world, parting (at least for a time) with something important.
Spread Diagram
Card Positions
Inanna, Queen of Heaven
The light (or presumably light) side of the personality, which can only be freed or restored by meeting one's dark side (card 10) and accepting it.
Neti, Chief Guardian
How you will be met at the gates of the Underworld. This card shows what your first contact with the dark side of the subconscious will be like — hostile, neutral, or even welcoming.
Gate 1 — Shugurra (Royal Crown)
The first gate of the Underworld, where Inanna leaves her royal crown. Values, behavioral patterns, habits, desires, and ideas related to power and status that must be relinquished.
Gate 2 — Measuring Rod and Rope
The second gate, where Inanna leaves her turquoise measuring rod and rope. What must be given up: the urge to measure, control, evaluate, and compare everything.
Gate 3 — Lapis Lazuli Necklace
The third gate, where Inanna leaves her lapis lazuli necklace. Letting go of beauty, attractiveness, charm — everything you use to 'adorn' yourself for others.
Gate 4 — Numuz Stone Ornament
The fourth gate, where Inanna leaves her Numuz stone ornament (necklace) on her chest. Letting go of emotional armor, the 'shield' you use to protect your heart.
Gate 5 — Golden Bracelets
The fifth gate, where Inanna leaves her golden bracelets. Letting go of habitual ways of acting, your 'grip' and ability to manipulate the world with your hands.
Gate 6 — Tablet 'Come to Me'
The sixth gate, where Inanna leaves her tablet (brooch) with the inscription 'Come to me, man, come to me'. Letting go of sexuality, seduction, the desire to attract and enchant.
Gate 7 — Queen's Mantle
The seventh gate, where Inanna leaves her queen's mantle. The last covering — letting go of all identity, all roles and masks. Inanna enters Ereshkigal's presence completely naked.
Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld
The shadow side that needs to be worked through, the 'dark sister', the black gold that must be brought to the surface. This is the core of the spread — the part of you that you have suppressed and hidden.
Ninshubur, Inanna's Vizier
Help, your ally in the Underworld. The one who will not forget about you above and will come to your aid. This can be a person, a quality, a resource, or a spiritual practice.
Living Food
The first resurrecting force. What will bring you back to life after meeting the shadow. Nourishment for the soul — a specific action, realization, or event that will begin the healing process.
Living Water
The second resurrecting force. Spiritual cleansing and renewal, complementing the 'living food'. Together they bring Inanna back to life — emotional and spiritual rebirth.
New Personality
The new Inanna who returns to the world of light. Who you will become after integrating your shadow. This is the fusion of the light side (card 1) and the dark side (card 10) — a renewed, whole personality.
Sacrifice (Dumuzid)
What the person must give up for now. Dumuzid — the deity of spring, god of the calendar year, sacrificed every autumn and reborn every spring. This sacrifice is not necessarily painful — sometimes the querent even feels relief, having stopped thinking about something and finding peace of mind.
How to Read
Shuffle the deck while focusing on a question about the deep processes of your psyche. Draw 15 cards. Lay them out according to the diagram: card 1 (Inanna) and card 14 (New Personality) at the top side by side. Card 2 (Neti) below on the left — the beginning of the descent. Cards 3–9 zigzag downward — the seven gates of the Underworld. Card 10 (Ereshkigal) at the very bottom — the point of meeting the shadow. On the right: card 15 (Sacrifice) at the top, card 11 (Ninshubur) in the middle, cards 12 and 13 (Living Food and Living Water) at the bottom. The key to understanding is cards 1, 10, and 14: meditate on them until you understand the contradiction between the light side (1) and the dark side (10), and how their fusion occurs in the new personality (14). Only then proceed to interpret the descent cards (2–9). Note: everything that cards 3–9 speak about represents things you should let go of, regardless of whether they are favorable or challenging cards.
Tips & Advice
If, for example, the Ten of Swords appears in positions 3–9, it means you should not interrupt something yourself — you must walk your path to the end without giving in to the temptation to abruptly stop everything. The Nine of Swords advises not to repent, and the Five of Cups — not to despair, but to continue your journey. Kings and Queens mean the querent must free themselves from the influence of certain people, or from fixating on their own problems if these cards point to themselves. Then analyze cards 11–14, representing the ascent, and finally determine what sacrifice card 15 speaks of — what attachments or actions should be given up for a time. The sacrifice does not have to be painful — sometimes the querent even feels relief, having stopped thinking about something and finding peace of mind.
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