Ishtar // Truths Revealed
The stories, the lineage, & practices for modern use.
Contrary to common beliefs, many spirituals think that Easter is specifically named after Ishtar. This alone diminishes the honor that Ishtar deserves, so here I am, holding her divinity in high regard, to teach the truth behind her.
Ishtar is the great mother Goddess of ancient Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, but as we continue you will see how she can connect lineage throughout history. She is goddess over fertility, war, sex & protection against evil. She was also revered as goddess of fate, childbirth, marriage, and storms.
Ishtar, said to be the daughter of the sky god, Anu, or the moon god, Sin, absorbed characteristics of other goddesses. Worship of her spread rapidly throughout the middle East, Greece and Egypt. I personally connect with her through my work with Ancient Egyptian practices & magick.
She was a known & powerful oracle. As the Opener of the Womb, she was the giver of all life; as the Destroyer and Queen of the Underworld, she also was the taker of all life. As her role of goddess of the moon, her waxing & waning ruled the cyclical birth and death of the planet.
Her son, Tammuz, became her lover upon his reaching manhood. Ishtar descended to the realm of the dead to rescue Tammuz. Here is where the lineage comes into play - as this is held as a myth that is nearly identical to an earlier Sumerian myth of Inanna and Damuzi. You can also find it similar to the myth of Demeter and Kore. When Ishtar descended into the realm of the dead, both fertility and sexual desire went dormant, awaiting her seasonal return.
Ishtar entered the cave that leads into the Underworld. The Underworld was surrounded by seven walls, each with its own gate that had to be passed to get to where the dead reside. At each gate Ishtar was required to give up one of Her possessions:
At the First Gate, She gave up Her crown.
At the Second Gate, She gave up Her necklace, the eight pointed star.
At the Third Gate, She gave up Her golden bracelets.
At the Fourth Gate, She gave up Her shoes.
At the Fifth Gate, She gave up Her veil.
At the Sixth Gate, She gave up Her outer robe.
At the Seventh Gate, She gave up Her dress.
Ishtar entered the Underworld naked and powerless, Her love for Tammuz and Her previous life was forgotten and She was covered in feathers and dust. The light of the world was completely gone, and Ishtar was in darkness.
As soon as Ishtar entered the Underworld, life on Earth changed. Love and desire, birdsong, animal procreation and love-making between husbands and wives stopped, and the Gods were unhappy. The Great God Ea created a creature that was fearless and sent it to the Underworld to rescue Ishtar. The Goddess was returned to Earth and was even stronger than before.
As Queen of Heaven, Ishtar replaced Sin as the moon deity; she rode through the sky at night in a chariot drawn by goats or lions. The Zodiac was known as the “girdle of Ishtar,” which also refers to the ancient moon calendar. She was the giver of omens and prophecy through dreams, and through her magic, others could obtain secret knowledge.
If you follow these stories closely starting with the Sumerian Goddess Inanna, which is at least 4300 years old, you can see a connection & parallel between the ancient, sexual ceremonies of sacred marriage - suggesting the lineage from Sumerian Goddess Inanna, to Ishtar (in Assyria) and Isis (in Egypt).
[to save you some reading Inanna was the great granddaughter of the gods An and Ki]
The other versions of this story between Isis, Horus and Osiris. & in Ancient Greece, in the story of Persephone and Demeter (mother and daughter), complete with the same ending and partial resurrection.
So how can I work with Ishtar? & what can she aid with?
Call on the Goddess Ishtar to guide you in your personal journey to understand and assimilate your Shadow Self. She will support you with Her radiance and give you the courage to face down your hidden demons. She will help you to strip away the veils of illusion so that you may see the truth and allow the light to enter.
When working with Ishtar, it is important to know she is associated with the planet Venus. Her symbols are all symbols of immense power - the lion, the morning star, and eight or sixteen pointed stars.
To honor Ishtar give Her offerings of food and drink, make love - channeling the cosmic energy in her divinity, sing joyful songs & surround yourself with beauty. If you have moon or star jewelry, wear it in honor of Ishtar. Wear your loveliest clothes; apply make-up and perfumes to align yourself with the Goddess. Another simple yet powerful practice is to meditate on the aspects of Ishtar.
If you are looking for deeper work with her you can find detailed rituals, spellwork & practices within my goddess grimoire or within advanced private training with me. For more information on either leave me a comment below, or you can find the grimoire in my shop.