Category Archives: Purgatory

Main Keys to reading the Garden of Eden

As a brief summary: to approach the Garden of Eden in Dante’s Purgatorio as an anagogical/spiritual reading, the following images are essential: The Tree: The relationship between Human-Divine, or your Soul and God. It is discovered withered, but blossoms with … Continue reading

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Ready for the Stars

The ending of the Garden of Eden in Purgatorio is pure bliss and beauty, as we are now ready to finally rise to the stars. We are there with the seven handmaids, Beatrice, Stazio, Matelda and the Pilgrim, all standing … Continue reading

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Eunoe – and Remembering

After the full restoration of soul and relationship – and understanding God’s Grace in the process – there is one last stop in Eden, with the River of Eunoe. The Greek Tradition had five rivers, and Dante here invents a … Continue reading

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The “515” and its role in Redemption

After the vision presented by Beatrice with the Eagle, Fox and Dragon – she presents a new image in cryptic form, which is most likely describing the role of Grace in healing distortions and redemption. Beatrice first says that the … Continue reading

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Distorted perception of Reality

After the vision of the Eagle tearing into the Tree (relationship) and Carro (perception), Beatrice continues her lesson to the Pilgrim about the perils and consequences of losing aligned perception of fuller Reality. In short, after the Eagle (partly seen … Continue reading

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Protecting the Tree and Carro

After the appearance of the Tree of Relationship to God, now revitalized and blossoming again, the anagogical meaning unfolds and enriches even further. Beatrice, in the sense of your soul/inner spiritual life, has descended from the carro and is now … Continue reading

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The Internal Restoration in Eden in 14 Essays

Here are the 14 essays that give a new and more anagogical (spiritual) reading of the Garden of Eden in Canto 28-31 of Dante’s Purgatorio, focusing primarily on the Soul’s Journey to God. Beatrice’s eyes – and smile Dual Perception … Continue reading

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Beatrice’s eyes – and smile

After the vision of the Griffin in front of him and its changing reflection inside Beatrice’s eyes (as his own soul growing), there is just one more step to make the new presence of the Pilgrim’s soul complete. The three … Continue reading

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Dual Perception of the Soul

After the crossing of the river Lethe and the cleansing of old misconceptions, the spiritual vision of the Pilgrim is much clearer and more intense. The very first thing that happens is that Dante redeems his old guiding stars from … Continue reading

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Full confession, and cleansing the Meta-mistake

After the Pilgrim has admitted and realized his deepest mistake; abandoning the spiritual life and falling for lesser replacements, an even harder truth hits him. The things he loved the most in his years of disconnect: secular philosophy, science, Greek … Continue reading

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