Inanna is the Lady who Ascends into the Heavens, the One who Descends into the Underworld. The immortal cycle driving her on through the seven veils, the seven layers, the seven gates. As Inanna stands naked before the Death Crone to save her own soul, we must also be-come naked before Inanna, leaving pretense, artifice, and ego behind in order to behold our own infinity, our immortality. Inanna dances the Seven Veils, sending us into the Underworld. Our fears about the descent are a result of our attachments to our mortality; we have forgotten our Immortality, we have forgotten about Love. Is there anyone who wanders this earth who loves you enough to be your Ninshubur? Someone who would lament, search and seek, someone who would drum for you? Someone who would tear at their eyes, at their mouths, at their thighs for you? Is there anyone who will ensure that your corpse will be taken off the hook on the wall behind Ereshkigal's throne, fed the food and water of rebirth and brought to the surface again? Yes, whispers Inanna, yes. I will come for you over and over and over until your immortal soul no longer needs me.
• by Julia Thompson