Dante’s Inferno Part 1, The Meaning of Descent

The Divine Comedy by Dante is one of the great spiritual works of
the Christian tradition. But how can it be read and what does it
mean? In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues, Rupert
Sheldrake and Mark Vernon discuss the first part of Dante’s
cosmic pilgrimage. It takes Dante through the circles of hell,
until he reaches the lowest point of reality, the region furthest
from God. It becomes clear that descent into darkness is a key
part of personal transformation because it helps the individual
discern the dark side of experiences such as love, anger and
fame, in order that the light they also bring might be discerned.
This also explains why the Inferno can comfort as well as
disturb: troubling experiences and spiritual emergencies can be
as much a part of enlightenment as those that are delightful and
satisfying. Rupert and Mark will talk about the Purgatorio and
Paradiso in future discussions.