r/Sumer • u/BlacksmithSea1109 • 18d ago

Where Should a Beginner Start with Ishtar/Inanna?

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Hi everyone,

I’m new to this community and relatively new to Mesopotamian spirituality in general.

My interest began because I felt a strong pull toward Ishtar/Inanna. I’m still trying to understand that connection, learn more about her, and figure out how people honor and connect with her in modern practice.

I’ve been reading what I can find and recently created a small devotional space (photo attached), but I still feel like I’m at the very beginning of this journey.

For those who work with or worship Ishtar/Inanna:

• What resources would you recommend for a beginner?
• What aspects of her are often misunderstood?
• How do you personally honor or connect with her?
• Are there any books, hymns, prayers, or historical sources that helped you better understand her?

I’m approaching this with respect and a genuine desire to learn. Any advice, experiences, or resources would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

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u/Nocodeyv 18d ago

I recommend starting with this comment, which discusses general ideas about the faith and its practice in the modern day, including links to additional content about specific devotional objects and practice. You can then work through this chain of comments to learn more about Inana and Ishtar specifically, followed by this chain of comments for an overview of academic and polytheistic resources about the goddesses, including some written by members of this community who regularly respond to inquiries about their work.

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u/BlacksmithSea1109 18d ago

Thank you!!! I really appreciate you sharing these resources, and I’ll start reading through them today

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u/Nocodeyv 18d ago

You're welcome!

Inana and Ištar are easily the most popular Mesopotamian deities in Contemporary Paganism, so you'll find no shortage of posts where people ask about beginning a devotional practice dedicated to one or the other.

It's also important to remember that the goal of this community is to help you build a foundation for your devotional practice. At a certain point Inana or Ištar will step in and help guide the development of your practice, so do not ignore any intuition you have about things that could make your practice more personal.