I won't even begin to suggest I get all of this stuff... but:

"if we were ephemeral shadows of a greater Nature, then we could show due awe of that Nature (which would be very paganistic of us) and try to conform to it."

sounds very close to how I see the biblical teaching. IE: we are created male and female in the IMAGE of God... having a nature like His... and it is to this nature that we seek to aspire... that we grow up into the fullness of Christ and may be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.

Blessings
Cat