Author Archives: Richard Emerson

Beatrice – Love as the deeper Reality

After the channel to God opens, it finally happens: Beatrice emerges out of the chariot, in a rain of flowers and with the angels singing with blessings. The key here is very simple: Love is the deeper reality of God, … Continue reading

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Opening the channel to God

With the pageant of the Scriptures stopping and focusing on the chariot, the spiritual “charge” is sharply intensifying, as the fuller connection to God is about to erupt. One of the elders then starts to chant: “Come, spouse, from Lebanon” … Continue reading

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The Chariot in the Night Sky

After Dante has established the chariot as a deep metaphor for both your soul and ultimate reality, he opens up the next canto by lifting the sights into the night sky, and recognizes the chariot (carro) once again. The poem … Continue reading

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The Chariot – the Deepest of Reality

After the four gospels have appeared on the other side of the river, as a deepening vision and experience of spiritual wisdom – the Pilgrim sees something more: in the “midst of” or “inside” the four gospels there is a … Continue reading

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Gaining more eyes to see

After the appearance of the 24 elders in the wake of the light of the Covenant, they slowly pass by and there are new and fresh flowers visible on the other side of the river – in part meaning new … Continue reading

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Receptivity as key for the Soul’s relationship to God

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 … Continue reading

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Discovering the “bank” between the Spiritual and Earthly

The revelations of Eden deepen as the Pilgrim looks beyond the Seven Lights. After the Divine Light intensifies above the seven candle sticks, a new cascade of insights are happening for the Pilgrim. First, Virgil admits with his facial expression … Continue reading

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The Soul as Reflecting Divine Light

A new relationship between the soul and the Divine, as we enter the Garden of Eden. After the combined experience of Heavenly and Earthly is to some extent established in the Garden Eden – as grounded in the Earthly but … Continue reading

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Sordello’s Poem “Blacatz”, and its echo in The Valley of Princes.

A look at the Sordello’s most famous Provençal Poem “Blacatz” (c. 1240), and how Dante draws inspiration from this poem in his description of the Valley of Princes in Canto VII of the Purgatory.

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Some highlights from the Aeneid

Here’s a 20 minute Introduction to the “Aeneid Series” on the Ancient World Podcast – with a brief overview and the final battle scenes with Turnus.

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