"As to Gaia being about feral human-nature - I like this idea, but don't think it would fit with my interpretation. As humanity have always been homo sapiens (at least in the Prison), and evolution was a lictor-lie, then our primal basis is actually our repressed divinity (desire, violence, etc), not evolutionary instinct. Gaia is something alien, humans aren't of nature - its why they build cities and seek to subdue, conquer and exploit nature (I'd like to say this at the Johannesburg summit! *L*).
Then again, if DU used Gaia (as well as Met.) in the creation of the Illusion, DU may have used elements of Gaia to repress humanity - their very flesh might be the stuff of Gaia. This might explain why Gaia is encroaching into Met. - humanities ex-home. But this would mean Gaia is still part of the Prison and an alien Emanation which must be escaped, used, destroyed (and humans have had lots of practice at that!)."
This is all true. I really like the idea of Gaia (and the characters own bodies!) as something alien and threattening. Its a bit lovecraftian when you think about it.
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When i think about this i like it more and more. Gaia is a wholly alien creature that the Demiurge and Astaroth conjured up from Beyond human kosmos in order to create the prison. They neaded to free humanitys many individual counsciouss minds from their divinity and therefore locked them up inside a dumb and limited beast.
What if our bodies are actually some sort of parasite creatures that encapsule our minds? Straightjackets of flesh! This gives a lot of oportunities for grousome scenes with magical rites involving torture and selfmutilation. (as if that never happened before in kult...)