As the imagery keeps expanding in the Garden of Eden, we are presented with several new key elements for how the relationship between the soul and the Heavens/God can grow and deepen, once the capacity has been developed.
Behind the seven lights moving we now see coloured bands that form a rainbow of seven colours, the symbol of the Covenant. This is essential for understanding the nature of the relationship – a “pact” and a coherent deeper reality we can align with, rather than more ancient ideas of Divinity as unpredictable and more anthropomorphic like for example the old Greek Gods or the Norse traditions.
So there is a focusing here on the spiritual, with the transformed life symbolized with Matelda, and a closing towards the threshold experience – with the river and the bank.
Dante then again evokes the symbol of God and the soul as the sun and the moon (now as Delia/Diana) – and indicates an amplified state of the moon as having a glowing “halo”, likely suggesting your soul in a elevated state of intensity and perception.
Then the 24 people symbolizing the old biblical stories gradually appear, in part as medium, channels or instruments for deeper spiritual wisdom and connection with God.
But perhaps the strongest symbol at this point is the invocation of Mary, as the human soul and the birthgiver of spirit. At this very moment it all comes together as a radiant symbol of the connection itself – the elders in the procession give her blessings – and we are now again suddenly at the core of the whole Comedy: preparing your soul for communion with God.
None of this imagery will make any sense unless you have already developed and transformed your soul and your internal being, through the seven terraces. A rebirthed soul and dual perception are simply required. And in addition, just like Mary’s acceptance of the message from Gabriel, her “γένοιτό μοι” – “may it happen it to me” – when the opening to the Divine presents itself, is also essential. This is exactly Dante’s guiding to the reader as well; at this point in the journey you have developed the capacity, and the opening will eventually present itself; the test is then whether you will accept this or not. The fuller relationship and incarnated spirit can only happen, if you internally say the same: “γένοιτό μοι” (genoito moi) – let it happen.
The moon has always been a favorite part of Paradiso for me, so the image of the halo around the moon, reflecting the divine light and shining all the more brilliantly for it, is beautiful! A good bit of foreshadowing (“forelightening,” if I may coin a word?) for what is to come in Paradiso while symbolizing the state of the soul in Eden is lovely.
Exactly! Love the word “forelightening”/”fore-illumination”! 😀
And yes it’s indeed lovely, and enriches the experience of gazing at the moon too at night. A little portal into a spiritual philosophy!