Table of Contents
Journey to the Dark Goddess 1
Part 1 Preparing for Descent 9
Preparing for Descent 10
Who is the Dark Goddess? 15
Mapping the Underworld 19
Inanna's Preparation for Descent to the Underworld 22
My Own Inanna Story: Preparing 26
Preparation for Descents in Other Myths 28
Persephone 29
Psyche 31
Preparing Yourself for Descent 34
Ritual: Placing Your Ear to the Ground 38
Part 1 Your Past Times in the Underworld 39
Part 2 Listening to the Underworld 41
Moving into the Sacred Realm 42
Ritual: Honoring the Dark Goddess 53
Part 1 Honoring the Dark Goddess 53
Part 2 Organizing Your Back-Up 54
Making a Map of the Journey 56
Part 2 Descending into the Underworld 61
Descending into the Underworld 62
Innanna's Descent to the Underworld 71
My Own Inanna Story: Descending 73
Descents in Other Myths 78
Persephone 78
Psyche 80
Ritual: Surrendering to Your Life 82
Part 1 Saying Yes 82
Part 2 Seeing the Whole: Making a Mandala 85
The Ways of the Underworld 89
A Sample Descent: Going Down 92
Ritual: A Seven-Fold Descent 99
Preparation 100
The Ritual 106
Making a Map of the Journey 115
Part 3 In the Underworld 119
In the Underworld 120
Inanna in the Underworld 128
My Own Inanna Story: In the Underworld 131
The Underworld in Other Myths 133
Persephone 133
Psyche 136
Ritual: Listening to the Dark Goddess 138
Preparation 138
The Ritual 139
A Sample Descent: In the Underworld 142
What to do in the Underworld 145
Getting at the Truth 145
Secondary Gains and Taking 100% Responsibility 149
Speaking with the Voice of the Dark Goddess 154
Recognizing the Turning Point 156
Ritual: The Turning Point 161
Preparation 162
The Ritual 163
Making a Map of the Journey 166
Part 4 Coming up from the Underworld 171
Coming Up From the Underworld 172
Inanna's Ascent 183
My Own Inanna Story: Ascending 186
Ritual: Gazing into the Mirror 189
Preparation 189
The Ritual 190
Ascents in Other Myths 193
Psyche 193
Persephone 194
Initiation by the Dark Goddess 195
A Sample Ascent 200
Ritual: A Seven-Fold Ascent 205
Preparation 206
The Ritual 208
Integrating Your Journey to the Dark Goddess 215
Making a Map of the Journey 219
Afterworld: The Cycle Continues 221
Resources 225
About the Author 228
