Episode 12

The Descent of Inanna, with Pearl Gregor | Ep 12

Published on: 13th April, 2022

Our Story

Inanna, Goddess of the Upperworld, is at the core of a 6,000 year old myth from ancient Sumer. Upon the request of her sister Ereshkigal, Inanna pays a visit to the Underworld. As she passes through each of the seven gates, more of her symbols of power, intellect, and wealth are stripped away. Upon arrival, Inanna is sentenced to death by her sister Ereshkigal. As is the way of myth, death is intricately connected to rebirth. Through the intercession of her father, Enki, God of Wisdom and Light, Inanna is revived and ascends to the Upperworld, renewed and transformed. At least… those are the basics. Pearl’s retelling of the story is a deep dive into contemporary dreams and timeless truths about the emerging of the feminine and the merging with the masculine.

Our Guest

Pearl Gregor is an explorer and a seeker. She is a writer, dream coach, story teller, author of the three books in the series Dreams Along the Way, and an international public speaker.  Pearl is a farmer, grandmother, a blogger, and a Crone of wisdom. 

Join Pearl to explore the deep mysteries of dreams, psyche and soul. You can read her books, or join her in her latest passion, a Dream Readers’ Myth Circle.

Find Pearl at www.DreamsAlongTheWay.com and on Facebook  and Instagram

Our Conversation

This story of Inanna is woven with seven years of dreams that came to Pearl at midlife. We explore:

  • Pearl had never heard of Inanna when images from this myth came to her in dreams. The book Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women Sylvia Perera appeared as a guide and confirmation. 
  • We need both the light and the dark, the masculine and the feminine, though the patriarchal mindset has shaped our perspective of what the feminine should be
  • The role of “strange women” in a woman’s dreamlife; the integration of the “strange” parts of the self and the movement into circles of women
  • The process of “birthing a new world,” as described by Jean Shinoda Bolen in  Moving Toward the Millionth Circle
  • A perspective on “intersectionality”: Pearl’s experience with a diverse group of folks in one of her dream groups in which they explored the universal language of dreams
  • The power of “collective dreaming.” “Were we living in an aboriginal community in these difficult times, we’d be getting together over the breakfast table to discuss our dreams.” Talking about dreams and mythology can guide the way.
  • Learn more about Marisa’s online community, the Sovereign Writers Knot
  • More of Pearl and Marisa in the conversation series, Dream, Sovereignty, and Wise Woman Ways
  • As Pearl says, “Skip Descartes and what you learned in school, there is nothing logical about rebirthing an entire universe.” 

Our Music

Music at the start of the show is by the wonderful Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves. Find out about their music and shows at: billyandbeth.com

Connect With Your Own Stories and Work with Marisa

Book a Healing for Heroines session: a unique blend of energy medicine, intuitive guidance, and the language of archetypes and mythology to help you work through the tangles of life so you can weave a new story.

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About the Podcast

KnotWork Storytelling
Myths Retold, from Ireland and Beyond
In each KnotWork Storytelling episode, we'll explore a different story from mythology, folklore, or history, particularly from Ireland and the Celtic World. Then, my guest and I dive deep into why these ideas and characters still resonate today.

Your host is Marisa Goudy, author of The Sovereignty Knot: A Woman’s Way to Freedom, Power, Love, and Magic. She is a Myth Worker, a Story Healer, a Writing Coach, and a has an MA in Irish literature from University College Dublin.

Join us as we wander through these ancient storylines as we set out on a quest to learn from the past, better understand the present, and craft a sustainable future.

Every episode reminds us that age-old stories are medicine for this modern moment.

About your host

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Marisa Goudy

Marisa Goudy is a story healer, a writing coach, and a word witch. Her book, The Sovereignty Knot: A Woman’s Way to Freedom, Power, Love, and Magic, was released in 2020.
Marisa nurtures writers and storytellers in her long-running online writing community, the Sovereign Writers’ Knot.
On this show, Marisa combines her passion for story with her love of Irish literature, culture, and folklore and her fascination with the Celtic world. She has a particular love of stories of heroines, goddess, and women whose tales were forgotten by history.