As so many are already aware, today marked the midpoint in Venus’ retrograde cycle, as she basks in the heart of the Scorpio Sun. She is as deep in the underworld and as close to earth as she can possibly get, and now begins making her ascent to rise as the morning star, and ultimately, go direct in Libra, near the fixed star Spica.

As Austin wrote of so beautifully in his Scorpio season piece, the stories of Inanna and Ereshkigal are very much at play in this cycle. The Light sister, Queen of Heaven, and the Dark sister, Queen of the Underworld, are often positioned at odds with one another, when in our lived realities all women have the experience of both, and are unfairly cast in the eyes of society as one or the other.

Every woman is at times Inanna — the shiny, the desired, the powerful and triumphant.

And every woman is at times Ereshkigal — the muddied by scandal or blighted by traumatic experience, the derided, the powerless and trompled over.

Inanna critiques her dark counterpart: Maybe if you weren’t so consumed by negativity, people would like you more!

Ereshkigal seethes: Maybe if everything didn’t come so easily to you, you would understand how hard it is to suffer, and the heart wrenching pain of loneliness!

Though their points individually aren’t wrong, and could even be constructive, that’s not the intention. They’re used to wound, and to elevate or demean the other’s position in order to reinforce their own way, their own role in the story.

In which, their struggle is finally resolved through a show of compassion.

Pain — in order to heal — must be acknowledged.

Ereshkigal must be given a safe space where her pain is understood, and be allowed full ownership of the place she currently resides, which is the deepest and darkest in all the world, without judgment or condemnation. She deserves love, and isn’t given it freely or often.

Wash her with it.

Inanna must be allowed to shine, free of the resentment of others who curse her shoes, on the basis that they’re not wearing them. She shouldn’t have to make herself smaller so other people feel big. She deserves not to be shot down out jealousy or sensations of inferiority.

Exalt with her, not against her.

These dynamics have played out in my relationships with my literal sister and even mother, and relationships with many women. It’s something that affects all of us, because of the way our society is structured, and how we’re conditioned to compete with one another.

These themes have been coming up acutely in the last few months as I’ve gained more spotlight. Some people have me pegged as Inanna, and others, in a horribly traumatic and devastating way (that only those closest are privy to), have cast me as Ereshkigal.

I want to say — thank you to those who have cast me as a PERSON. With flaws and strengths and moments of personal triumph and devastation, and allowed me those without gunning for me, or withdrawing their love and support.

Because we’re all just trying our best.

We want happiness, health, and success for the ones we love, and we’ve been tempered by the sensation of scarcity, fear, and competitiveness of our times. It can be very hard to break out of that, but I’m trying every day to become less judgmental of others, and find constructive ways of contributing to the elevation of us all, as individuals, as women, as a community, as business owners, as what have you.

The way onward and upward is the restoration of our humanity. Archetypes can be helpful for understanding dynamics, but we can’t let ourselves or society shoehorn us into such roles for narrative convenience.

We should strive toward chunking up, sharing common ground for the greater good, and not fracturing ourselves and our communities.

None of us are Inanna, and none of us are Ereshkigal.

We are whole women, making our way through our own stories.

We are whole people, who deserve love and understanding, who shouldn’t have to avoid or self-sabotage our own success, just so others don’t feel small — or wish and try to make us fall.

And as often as it happens on the outside, it happens on the inside, so much more…

Inner-Innana reacts: Why is everyone so into that girl? She’s not that great, and certainly not better than me. I deserve more recognition!

Inner-Ereshkigal questions: You REALLY think you’re deserving of unconditional love and personal success? You’re right where you belong, and don’t even think of trying to improve yourself or your surroundings, because good things aren’t meant for ugly, dirty people like you.

Shut
the FUCK
UP!

All of this is a meandering way of asking, please —

Set yourself free from the ping pong of light and dark sisterhood, within and without.

Set other women free from suffering the unfair treatment of the archetypes they resemble, however those happen to be manifesting in the moment.

We don’t know the struggles of others, and shouldn’t contribute to them without just cause. Life is hard enough as it is.

Be kind.

For what kind of world would it be if the only shiny thing was our one Sun (as much as it would love that!), and there weren’t millions of others out there to gaze upon, and find meaning in?

We all deserve to be celebrated and admired for our unique gifts, our own brilliant light.

And I for one, would love to shine together ☀️☀️