sdi

God is the Intellect. The Garden of Eden is the Intellectual Realm. Adam is the soul. Eve is sensual desire. Adam following Eve rather than God is the soul "looking down." The skins they put on as they leave the Garden is the soul taking on body.

The sons of God are the soul. The daughters of men are the body. The lusting of one for the other causes the soul to be cast out of Intellectual Realm onto the earth and produces a the race of giants (humankind, of a dual nature and a giant among animals).

The father is the Intellect. The father's house is the Intellectual Realm. The prodigal son is the "downward-looking" soul. The faithful son is the "upward-looking" soul. The prodigal son's debauchery is the soul trapped in the body. The prodigal son's turning away from debauchery is how the soul returns to the Intellectual Realm.

Inanna is the soul. The underworld is the earth. The seven gates of the underworld are the seven spheres of the planets through which the soul descends on its way to the earth. The clothes and jewels taken off of Inanna at those gates are the lost beauty of the Intellectual Realm hidden in the reflection of the earth. Inanna's death is life in the material world. The hook that Inanna is hung upon is the body. Enki is wisdom. The mercurial beings that Enki sends to fetch Inanna back from the underworld is philosophy.

Osiris is the soul. Set is strife. The feast of the gods is life in the Intellectual Realm. Osiris trusting Set is the soul "looking down." The sarcophagus in which Osiris fits exactly is the body. Isis is love. The magic Isis uses to resurrect Osiris is philosophy.

Olympus is the Intellectual Realm. Zeus is the soul. Alcmene is the body. Heracles is the union of soul and body. Hera is the divine Law, punishing the union for the sin of the soul "looking down." Heracles' labors are the many lives (encompassing an entire Great Year) the union of soul and body undergoes in order to satisfy the Law and return the the Intellectual Realm.

Orpheus is the soul. Eurydice is the body. The earth is the Intellectual Realm. Hades is the material world. The marriage, Eurydice's death, and Orpheus following her is how the soul is bound to the material world. Orpheus' song is philosophy, and Hades' admonition is how the soul can return to the Intellectual Realm.

Narcissus is the soul. The pool is the material world. Narcissus' reflection is the body. Narcissus drowning from gazing at his reflection is how the soul gets locked up in body.

Dionysus is the soul. The Titans are the material world. The toys they lure Dionysus with are sensual desires. The Titans eating Dionysus is the soul being consumed by the material world. That Dionysus is split into many pieces is the soul being lost in the body. Rhea is love. The magic Rhea uses to resurrect Dionysus is philosophy.

Demeter is the Intellect. Persephone is the soul. Hades is the body. The kidnapping of Persephone is the soul being trapped in body. The pomegranate is sensual desire. Persephone eating the pomegranate is how the soul becomes trapped. Persephone only being able to visit Demeter for a few months of the year is the cycle of reincarnations.

I'd mention the Epic Cycle, but Thomas Taylor already did that for me at length.