Logopraxis

Arcana Coelestia 7385. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt. That this signifies the effect of the power of internal truth through external truth against falsities, is evident from the representation of Aaron, as being the doctrine of truth and good, thus external truth (see n. 6998, 7009, 7089); from the signification of “hand,” as being power (n. 878, 4931-4937), here the power of internal truth through external (as above, n. 7382); and from the signification of “the waters of Egypt,” as being falsities (n. 6693, 7307). The effect is signified by “stretching out the hand and the frogs coming up.” From all this it is evident that by “Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt,” is signified the effect of the power of internal truth through external truth against falsities.

7381. Say unto Aaron. That this signifies the influx of the internal law into the external law, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752); and from the representation of Aaron, as being the doctrine of good and truth (n. 6998, 7089); the doctrine of good and truth which Aaron represents is nothing else than the external law coming forth from the internal law, that is, through the internal law from the Divine; and from the signification of “saying,” as being influx (n. 6152, 6291, 7291). That “to say” here denotes influx is because Moses was to say to Aaron, and Moses is the internal law, and Aaron the external, and influx from the Divine takes place through the internal into the external. The internal law is the truth Divine itself such as it is in heaven, and the external law is the truth Divine such as it is on earth; thus the internal law is truth accommodated to angels, and the external law is truth accommodated to men.

[2] As the internal law which Moses represents is truth accommodated to angels, and the external law which Aaron represents is truth accommodated to men, I may here say something about them. Truth accommodated to angels is for the most part incomprehensible to men, as is evident from the fact that things are seen and said in heaven such as eye has never seen, nor ear has ever heard. The reason is that the things said among the angels are spiritual things which have been abstracted from natural things, and consequently are remote from the ideas and expressions of human speech; for man has formed his ideas from the things in nature, and indeed in grosser nature, that is, from those which he has seen in the world and upon the earth, and has touched by sense, which things are material. The ideas of interior thought with man, although they are above material things, nevertheless terminate in material things, and where they terminate, there they appear to be, and from this he perceives that which he is thinking. Hence it is evident how the case is with that truth of faith, and what is its quality, which falls into the thought of man, and is called the external law, and is represented by Aaron.

[3] To illustrate this by an example: man cannot possibly think without the idea of time and space, which idea adheres to almost everything which he thinks; if idea from time and space were taken away from man, he would not know what he is thinking; and scarcely whether he is thinking. But in the ideas of the angels there is nothing from time and space, but instead of these there are states, and this because the natural world is distinguished from the spiritual world by time and space. The reason why there are time and space in the natural world, and instead of these there are states in the spiritual world, is that in the natural world the sun seems by apparent revolutions to make days and years, and to divide the days into four times, night, morning, noon, and evening; and the years also into four times, winter, spring, summer, and autumn; and also to do this by means of variations of light and shade, and of heat and cold. From this come the ideas of time and of its variations. The ideas of space arise from measuring by times, and therefore where the one is, there is the other.

[4] But in the spiritual world, the sun of heaven, whence come spiritual light and spiritual heat, does not make apparent rotations and revolutions, and thus induce ideas of time and space. The light which is from that sun is truth Divine; and the heat which is from that sun is good Divine. From these arise with the angels ideas of states; states of intelligence and faith from truth Divine; and states of wisdom and love from good Divine. To the variations of these states with the angels correspond the states of light and shade in the world, and also states of heat and cold, which are from the sun when it makes times and measures spaces. From this example it may to a certain extent appear what is the quality of that internal truth, or truth accommodated to angels, which is called the “internal law;” and also what is the quality of that external truth, or truth accommodated to men, which is called the “external law;” also whence it is that the things which the angels speak among themselves are to man incomprehensible, and also unutterable.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7398. Only in the river shall they be left. That this signifies that they should remain with the falsities where these are, is evident from the signification of “river,” here the river of Egypt, as being falsity (see n. 6693, 7307); and from the signification of “being left,” as being to remain. With this the case is that whatever enters with man, remains with him, especially what is received from affection. It is believed that the things which enter have been completely obliterated and cast out when the man no longer remembers them; but they have not been obliterated or cast out, but they stick fast either in the interior memory, or in the exterior, among things which have become familiar. For the things which become familiar, are as it were natural, which flow of their own accord, and are not excited by a conscious recalling from the memory; like man’s speech, the words of which flow spontaneously from thought, as also do the gestures and actions, and even the steps; and also the thought. These enter successively from infancy, and in time become familiar, and then flow spontaneously. From these as well as from other similar facts, it is evident that all things which enter with man, remain, and that the things which have become habitual, that is, familiar, are no longer noticed as being in the man, although they are in him. Such is the case with the falsities and evils that enter with man, and also with the truths and goods. Such are the things that form him and determine his quality. (That all things which a man has seen, heard, thought, spoken, and done, have been inscribed on him, (see n. 2474-2489.) From all this it is now evident how it is to be understood that the reasonings would remain with the falsities where these are; for after falsities are being removed, they are allotted their places elsewhere in the natural, and together with the falsities the endeavor and cupidity of reasoning; but not as before in the midst directly under the mind’s view. Hence it is that, as related in what follows, the frogs were gathered together in heaps, and the land stank by reason of them, whereby is signified that these reasoning falsities were arranged in bundles in the natural, and there was what was foul and loathsome therefrom (see below, n. 7408, 7409).

AC 7370. That man is in the love of self who despises his neighbor in comparison with himself, who regards him as his enemy if he does not favor and reverence him; he is still more in the love of self who therefore hates and persecutes his neighbor; and he still more who therefore burns with revenge against him and desires his destruction. Such persons at last love to rage against their neighbor; and the same, if they are also adulterers, become cruel.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

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7488 Exodus 9

THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY

From all that has been said about the loves of self and of the world, it is evident that all evils spring from them, and because all evils spring from them, so do all falsities; and on the other hand, from love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor spring all goods, and because all goods spring from them, so do all truths.

7489 This being the case, it is evident that insofar as a man is in the loves of self and of the world, so far he is not in love toward the neighbor, still less in love to the Lord; for these are opposites.

7490 It is also evident that insofar as a man is in the loves of self and of the world, so far he does not know what charity is, until at last he does not know that it exists; also that so far the man does not know what faith is, until at last he does not know that it is anything; and that so far the man does not know what conscience is, until at last he does not know that it exists; nay, that so far the man does not know what the spiritual is, nor what the life of heaven; and finally that he does not believe there is a heaven and a hell; consequently he does not believe that there is a life after death. These are the effects of the loves of self and of the world when they reign.

7491 The good of heavenly love and the truth of its faith continually flow in from the Lord, but are not received where the loves of self and of the world reign; but on the contrary where these loves reign, that is, are continually in the thought, are the end, are in the will, and make the life, the good and truth which flow in from the Lord are either rejected, or extinguished, or perverted.

7492 With those with whom they are rejected, the good which is of love and the truth which is of faith are held in contempt, and also in aversion. With those with whom they are extinguished, the good of love and the truth of faith are denied, and the contrary evils and falsities are affirmed. But with those with whom they are perverted, the good of love and the truth of faith are misinterpreted and are applied to favor evil and its falsity.

7493 The loves of self and of the world with man begin to reign when he comes to years of discretion and self-government; for then the man begins to think from himself or from his own, and to appropriate these loves to himself, and this the more as he confirms himself in a life of evil. Insofar as a man appropriates evils to himself, so far the Lord separates the good of innocence and charity which the man has received in infancy and childhood and at times afterward, and stores them up in his interiors; for the good of innocence and the good of charity can in no wise abide with the evils of these loves; and the Lord is not willing that they should perish.

7494 They therefore who either pervert or extinguish or reject in themselves the good of love and the truth of faith, have no life in them; for the life which is from the Divine is to will good and believe truth. But they who do not will good but evil, nor believe truth but falsity, have what is contrary to life. This contrary to life is hell, and is called death, and they are called dead. That the life of love and faith is called life, also eternal life, and that they who have it in themselves are called living men; and that the contrary of life is called death, also eternal death, and such men dead, is evident from many passages in the Word (as in Matt. 4:16; 8:21, 22; 18:8, 9; 19:16, 17, 29; John 3:15, 16, 36; 5:24, 25; 6:33, 35, 47, 48, 50, 51, 53, 57, 58, 63; 8:21, 24, 51; 10:10; 11:25, 26; 14:6, 19; 17:2, 3; 20:31; and elsewhere).

EXODUS 9

1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh, and speak unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and if thou still withhold them,

3 Behold, the hand of Jehovah shall be on thy cattle which is in the field, on the horses, on the asses, on the camels, on the herd, and on the flock; a very grievous pestilence.

4 And Jehovah shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of the Egyptians, and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to the sons of Israel.

5 And Jehovah appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow Jehovah shall do this word in the land.

6 And Jehovah did this word on the morrow, and all the cattle of the Egyptians died; and of the cattle of the sons of Israel died not one.

7 And Pharaoh sent, and behold there was not so much as one of the cattle of Israel dead; and Pharaoh's heart was made heavy, and he did not let the people go.

8 And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you in the fullness of your fists ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven unto the eyes of Pharaoh.

9 And it shall be dust over all the land of Egypt, and it shall be upon man, and upon beast, a sore breaking forth in pustules in all the land of Egypt.

10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it toward heaven; and it became a sore of pustules breaking forth on man and on beast.

11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the sore; for the sore was on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.

12 And Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken unto Moses.

13 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

14 For this time I will send all My plagues into thy heart, and into thy servants, and into thy people; that thou mayest know that there is no one as I in the whole earth.

15 For now I would put forth My hand, and smite thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou wouldest be cut off from the earth.

16 But yet for this cause have I made thee to stand, that thou mayest see My power, and that My name may be told in the whole earth.

17 As yet thou exaltest thyself against My people, in thy not letting them go.

18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.

19 And now send, gather in thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; every man and beast, that shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought to the house, and the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

20 He that feared the word of Jehovah of the servants of Pharaoh, made his servants and his cattle flee unto the houses.

21 And he that did not set his heart unto the word of Jehovah, left his servants and his cattle in the field.

22 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven, and there shall be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field in the land of Egypt.

23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and Jehovah gave voices and hail, and the fire walked unto the land, and Jehovah made it rain hail upon the land of Egypt.

24 And there was hail, and fire walking at the same time in the midst of the hail, very grievous, such as had not been like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

25 And the hail smote in all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, from man and even to beast, and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.

26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, was there no hail.

27 And Pharaoh sent, and called Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time; Jehovah is just, and I and my people are wicked.

28 Supplicate ye unto Jehovah, for there hath been enough of voices of God and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

29 And Moses said unto him, As I go out of the city, I will spread out my palms unto Jehovah; and the voices shall cease, and there shall be no more hail; that thou mayest know that the earth is Jehovah's.

30 And thou and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the face of Jehovah God.

31 And the flax and the barley were smitten; for the barley was a ripening ear, and the flax was a stalk.

32 And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten, because they were hidden.

33 And Moses went out of the city from before Pharaoh, and spread out his palms unto Jehovah; and the voices and hail ceased and the rain was not poured out upon the earth.

34 And Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the voices had ceased, and he sinned yet more, and made heavy his heart, he and his servants.

35 And the heart of Pharaoh was made firm, and he did not let the sons of Israel go; as Jehovah had spoken by the hand of Moses.

7495 THE CONTENTS.In this chapter the subject of the vastation of those who infest the men of the spiritual church is continued; and in it in the internal sense is described the sixth, the seventh, and the eighth state or degree of their vastation, which are described by the pestilence, the sore breaking forth in pustules, and the rain of hail, whereby is signified vastation in respect to the things that belong to the church among them.

7496 THE INTERNAL SENSE.Verses 1-7. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh, and speak unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, Let My people go that they may serve Me. For if thou refuse to let them go, and if thou still withhold them, behold, the hand of Jehovah shall be on thy cattle which is in the field, on the horses, on the asses, on the camels, on the herd, and on the flock; a very grievous pestilence. And Jehovah shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of the Egyptians, and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to the sons of Israel. And Jehovah appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow Jehovah shall do this word in the land....

And Pharaoh saw that there was breathing, and he made heavy his heart, and heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, and it shall become lice in all the land of Egypt. And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the land, and there was louse on man and on beast; all the dust of the land became louse in all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, and they could not; and there was louse on man and on beast. And the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; and Pharaoh’s heart was made firm, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he goeth forth unto the waters; and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if thou let not My people go, behold I send against thee, and against thy servants, and against thy people, and into thy houses, the noisome fly; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with the noisome fly, and also the land whereon they are. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, upon which My people stand, that no noisome fly be there; to the end that thou mayest know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land. And I will set redemption between My people and thy people; unto the morrow shall this sign be. And Jehovah did so; and there came the grievous noisome fly into the house of Pharaoh, and into the house of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt; the land was destroyed from before the noisome fly.

Exodus 8: 11-20

Arcana Coelestia 7417.... The reason why before the Coming of the Lord the things done within the church by Divine command were done by means of representatives, was that all things and each represented the Lord and His kingdom in the heavens, and His kingdom on earth, that is, the church. 

AC 7418. And smite the dust of the land. That this signifies that he should remove the things in the natural that had been damned, is evident from the signification of “smiting,” as being to remove; from the signification of “dust,” as being that which is damned (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “the land,” here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 7409). That “dust” denotes that which is damned is because the places where evil spirits are, at the sides beneath the soles of the feet, appear as land, and in fact as land untilled and dry, under which are certain hells. This land is called “damned land,” and the dust there signifies that which is damned. It has sometimes been granted me to see that the evil spirits shook off the dust there from their feet, when they desired to give anyone to damnation. This was seen to the right a little in front, in the border toward the hell of the magicians, where spirits are cast into their hell who during their life in the world have been in the knowledge of faith, and yet have led a life of evil. From this then it is that by “dust” is signified what is damned, and by “shaking off the dust” damnation.

AC 7444. To the end that thou mayest know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land. That this signifies a noticing that the Lord is the only God of the church, is evident from the signification of “knowing,” as being to notice; and from the signification of “the midst of the land,” as being where truth and good are with those who are of the Lord’s church; the inmost being where truth from good is (n. 3436, 6068, 6084, 6103); thus by “the midst of the land” is signified the church, the same as by “the land of Goshen” just above spoken of (n. 7443); by “I am Jehovah” is signified that He only is the I AM, thus that He only is God. (That “Jehovah” in the Word denotes the Lord, see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956.) Hence it is evident that by “that thou mayest know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land” is signified a noticing that the Lord alone is the God of the church.

On what is real inner marriage (real self) and false

Conjugial Love 21. The husband represents wisdom, and the wife the love of his wisdom. This, however, is not a prior but a secondary love which the wife has from the Lord through the wisdom of her husband.

CL 211{ii}. The ability to be wise grows in people who have real married love, but for those who do not have real married love it shrinks. The reason the ability to be wise increases for people who have real married love is that married partners have this love on account of, and in keeping with, wisdom, as many demonstrations in earlier passages have shown. Then, too, the sense that belongs to this love is touch, which is common to all the senses and also full of delights, so it opens the inner reaches of the mind as it opens the inner reaches of the senses and with them the organs of the whole body. This means that people involved in this love, love nothing more than being perceptive, since people are perceptive to the extent that the more inward reaches of their minds are open. This opening, in fact, lets intellectual thoughts rise into a higher light and voluntary responses rise into a higher warmth. The higher light is wisdom, and the higher warmth is a love for wisdom. The spiritual joys that people with real married love have, united with earthly joys, make for a pleasantness that in turn brings an ability to be wise. This is why angels have married love in keeping with their wisdom, and it is why this love, with its joy, increases in keeping with the growth of their wisdom.

CL 224 {xv}). Where there is real love in marriage the wife (practise of truth) accepts this aura, and the husband (understanding of truth) accepts it only through his wife (practise). It is unknown today that among those who have real married love the husband receives this sphere only through his wife, and yet it is no secret in its own right, because a bridegroom and newlywed can know it. Everything that comes from a bride or a new wife nurtures a love of marriage, does it not? But at that time what comes from others of her sex does not. It is like this with people who are living together in real married love. Besides, since both men and women are surrounded by the sphere of their life - thickly in front and thinly in back - we can see why husbands who love their wives well face their wives and look at them fondly during the day. On the other hand, men who do not love their wives turn away from them and look at them with narrowed eyes during the day. You can tell real married love by the husband's accepting the sphere of marriage only through his wife, and this distinguishes it from counterfeit, false, or frigid married love(belief in one's self, love of self).

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

The whole land is covered with frogs

Arcana Coelestia 7387. And covered the land of Egypt. That this signifies that the natural mind was made such, is evident from the signification of “covering,” which, being said of the natural mind, denotes that it was filled with falsities and reasonings therefrom, thus that it was made such.

AC 7367. The love of self reigns with a man, that is, he is in the love of self, when in what he thinks and does, he does not regard his neighbor, thus not the public, still less the Lord, but only himself and those who belong to him; consequently when he does all things for the sake of himself and those who belong to him; and if for the sake of the public and his neighbor, it is merely for the sake of the appearance.

Supplication

AC 7391. And said, Supplicate ye unto Jehovah. That this signifies humiliation from weariness, is evident from the signification of “to supplicate unto Jehovah,” as being humiliation; for he who supplicates is in humiliation, and likewise he who requests another to supplicate for him. The reason why “to supplicate” denotes humiliation is that the angels do not attend to the supplication, but to the humiliation in which the man is when he is supplicating; for supplication without humiliation is only a vocal sound which does not come to the hearing and perception of the angels.

The relocation of falsities

AC 7398... after falsities are being removed, they are allotted their places elsewhere in the natural, and together with the falsities the endeavor and cupidity of reasoning; but not as before in the midst directly under the mind’s view. Hence it is that, as related in what follows, the frogs were gathered together in heaps, and the land stank by reason of them, whereby is signified that these reasoning falsities were arranged in bundles in the natural, and there was what was foul and loathsome therefrom (see below, n. 7408, 7409).

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

The Life Group as a Human Form or Collective Person

The human form is the Divine form, and is that which comes into being as the only possible expression of the Lord’s life within those He is creating. This means that on the largest or smallest scale of creation all is organised or strives towards a more complete and thereby perfect, human form.

In Heaven and Hell 73 it’s explained that

“Heaven in its whole complex resembles one man, as does any one society in heaven. From the sequence of reasons there set forth, it follows that this is equally true of each angel. As heaven is man in the greatest form, and a society of heaven in a less form, so is an angel in the least form. For, in the most perfect form such as that of heaven is, there is a likeness of the whole in the part and of the part in the whole”   

Although we can relate to being supported by the Text at the level of our personal work, the idea that we are part of a collective human being that takes form as we meet together can be rather abstract, and difficult to grasp. The descriptions of heaven as a Grand Human composed of countless societies, with each society being a fully functioning human form composed of individual angels, provides an illustration of how the group can be, and of our function and use in it. This requires a perceptual shift where our sense of person expands from being limited to a single individual to incorporate many individuals functioning as one, in support of a common use. Expanding our sense of what actually constitutes a human being is important to contemplate and asks where our sense of self sits in relation to that.

Logopraxis group life is concerned to provide an environment that leads us towards an ever-deepening sense of the Lord in our collective midst, as the Word. The more conscious we are of working - not only for ourselves, but for others in the group, and for the group as a whole - the deeper will become our sense of spiritual community; and the spiritual literacy skills and methods discussed throughout the Workbook are very much part of this shift in environment.

The Lord is looking to be present in our midst, and He is present when the things of the Word are made the basis for our being together. The collective human that forms when a Life Group meets together is brought into being as we share our direct experience of the Word working in our lives; forming a sacred space where the Word can be known as the Lord.

              “By the Lord’s name is meant the Word, for the Lord is the Word”

(Arcana Coelestia 5502; John 1:1)

In the very act of meeting, what we bring from our experience of the Word’s operation in our life becomes a live conjoining presence, creating connections:

Between individuals in the group

Between the group and the spiritual world

Between the group and the Lord

It is this lived experience of the Word, when shared with others, that serves as the soul or life of the group. It’s what connects each to the other.

Arcana Colestia 7359 Spirits from thence came to me, and applied themselves to my left temple, and there breathed on me with their speech, but I did not understand it. It was soft in its flow, nor do I remember ever to have perceived a softer, it being like the softest aura. It breathed first upon the left temple, and the left ear from above; and the breathing extended thence to the left eye, and by little and little to the right, and then flowed downward, especially from the left eye, to the lips; and when it was at the lips, it entered through the mouth, and by a way within the mouth, in fact by the Eustachian tube, into the brain. When the breathing came thither, I then understood their speech, and it was given me to talk with them. While they were talking with me I observed that my lips moved, and my tongue also a little, because of the correspondence of interior speech with exterior. Exterior speech is that of articulate sound falling toward the external membrane of the ear, and thence by means of little organs, membranes, and fibers, which are within the ear, being conveyed to the brain.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7357. Be it known that they who are in hell, and who have been deprived of the truths which they had known in the world, cannot do otherwise than speak falsities; and therefore when any such infernal speaks, as when they appear in the world of spirits, it is at once known that what he speaks is false. This is known to the upright in the other life from common experience. That they speak nothing but what is false, is clear also from the words of the Lord in John: Ye are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father ye will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stood not in the truth, because the truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh from his own; because he is the speaker of a lie, and the father of it (John 8:44); for everyone speaks according to the affection of his love, and no one can speak contrary to it, except from dissimulation, hypocrisy, fraud, and deceit, as is the case with the evil when they speak truths. But these truths which they so speak, are nevertheless falsities with them. But on the other hand, they who are in truth from good cannot but speak truths.

AC 4151[3] Speaking generally, the case is that no one ever has good and truth which is his own, but all good and truth flow in from the Lord, both immediately, and also mediately through angelic societies; and yet it appears as if the good and truth were the man’s, to the intent that they may be appropriated to him, until he comes into a state to know, and then to acknowledge, and at last to believe, that they are not his, but the Lord’s.

AC 3246 [2] From what has already been shown in several places (as n. 3235, and elsewhere) concerning those who constitute the Lord’s spiritual kingdom and are called the spiritual, it can be seen that they are not sons born of the marriage itself of good and truth, but of a certain covenant not so conjugial; they are indeed from the same father, but not from the same mother; that is, they are from the same Divine good, but not from the same Divine truth. For as the celestial are from the very marriage of good and truth, they have good and thence truth; wherefore they never inquire what is true, but perceive it from good; and they discourse not about truth beyond affirming that it is so-according to what the Lord teaches in Matthew: Let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, Nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil (Matthew 5:37); whereas the spiritual, because they are from a covenant not so conjugial, do not know from any perception what truth is, but call that true which they have been told to be so by parents and masters; and therefore in them there is not the marriage of good and truth; but still the truth which they thus believe is adopted by the Lord for truth when they are in the good of life.

AC 141. Countless things can be said about the proprium - about what the proprium is like in the case of the bodily-minded and worldly man, what it is like in the case of the spiritual man, and what in the case of the celestial man. With the bodily-minded and worldly man the proprium is his all. He is unaware of anything else but the proprium. And, as has been stated, if he were to lose his proprium he would think that he was dying. With the spiritual man the proprium takes on a similar appearance, for although he knows that the Lord is the life of all, and that He confers wisdom and intelligence, and consequently the ability to think and to act, it is more a matter of something he says and not so much something he believes. The celestial man however acknowledges that the Lord is the life of all, who confers the ability to think and act, because he perceives that this is so. Nor does he ever desire the proprium. Nevertheless even though he does not desire it the Lord grants him a proprium which is joined to him with a complete perception of what is good and true, and with complete happiness. Angels possess a proprium such as this, and at the same time utmost peace and tranquillity, for their proprium has within it things that are the Lord's, who is governing their proprium, that is, governing them by means of their proprium. This proprium is utterly heavenly, whereas the proprium of the bodily-minded man is hellish. But more about the proprium further on.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

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7450 Verses 21-28. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. And Moses said, It is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God; lo, we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians unto their eyes, and will they not stone us? We will go a way of three days into the wilderness, and will sacrifice to Jehovah our God, as He hath said unto us. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, and ye shall sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: supplicate for me. And Moses said, Behold, I go forth from thee, and I will supplicate unto Jehovah that He may remove the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh mock any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses went out from before Pharaoh, and he supplicated unto Jehovah. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there was not one left. And Pharaoh made heavy his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron signifies the presence of the law Divine; and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land, signifies that they would not oppose their worshiping their God, but it must be done in their neighborhood; and Moses said, signifies the answer; it is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God, signifies that infernal foulness and filthiness would flow in; lo, we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, signifies that Divine worship would be infested by such if done in their presence; and will they not stone us? signifies that thus they would extinguish the truths of faith which are of worship; we will go a way of three days into the wilderness, signifies that they would utterly depart so as to be in freedom; and will sacrifice to Jehovah our God, signifies that in this way there would be worship; as He hath said unto us, signifies as He has commanded; and Pharaoh said, I will let you go, and ye shall sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness, signifies that they would leave them, and not infest them, so that they may worship their God in freedom; only ye shall not go very far away, signifies although they are in the neighborhood; supplicate for me, signifies that they should intercede; and Moses said, Behold, I go forth from thee, signifies the removal of the appearance of truth Divine among them; and I will supplicate unto Jehovah, signifies intercession; that He may remove the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people signifies that there may be an end of this state in respect to the falsities of malevolence; tomorrow, signifies forever; only let not Pharaoh mock anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Jehovah, signifies provided he does not deceive by a lie, and does not [fail to] leave them to worship their God in freedom; and Moses went out from Pharaoh signifies the removal of the appearance of truth Divine among those who are in falsities of malevolence; and he supplicated unto Jehovah, signifies intercession; and Jehovah did according to the word of Moses, signifies that it was so done according to the word of the Lord; and he removed the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, signifies the end of this state of falsity; there was not one left, signifies a full removal; and Pharaoh made heavy his heart this time also, signifies obstinacy again; and he did not let the people go, signifies that they would not leave those who were of the spiritual church.

7451 And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron. That this signifies the presence of the law Divine, is evident from the signification of calling, as being presence (see n. 6177, 7390); and from the representation of Moses and Aaron, as being the law Divine; Moses the internal law, and Aaron the external law (n. 7381, 7390).

7452 And said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. That this signifies that they would not oppose their worshiping their God, but it must be done in their neighborhood, is evident from the signification of he said, Go ye, as being that they would not oppose; from the signification of sacrificing, as being to worship (of which above, n. 7393); and from the signification of in the land, that is, in the land of Egypt, as being in their neighborhood. That in the land denotes in their neighborhood, is plain from the answer of Moses, that it was not meet to do so, for they would sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, but that they would go a way of three days into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Jehovah their God; and also from the reply of Pharaoh, that they should not go very far away (verses 21-23). Thus by the land in the internal sense is meant where they are who are in falsities and infest, concerning whose nearness see n. 7090.

7453 And Moses said. That this signifies the answer, see n. 7103, 7394.

7454 It is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God. That this signifies that infernal foulness and filthiness would flow in, is evident from the signification of it is not meet to do so, as being that it cannot be so done; from the signification of abomination, as being infernal foulness and filthiness; and from the signification of sacrificing to Jehovah God, as being to worship their God (of which above, n. 7452). Hence by sacrificing to Jehovah God the abomination of the Egyptians is signified that they would worship God with a worship which those would abominate who are in falsities from what is infernal contrary to this worship, and which would infest it.[2] How the case stands with this matter is very evident from things that show themselves clearly in the other life. Every spirit, and still more every society, is surrounded with a sphere of the faith and of the life of that spirit or society. This sphere is a spiritual sphere, and by it is known the quality of the spirit, and even better that of the society. For the sphere is perceived by those who have perception, sometimes at a considerable distance; and this although the spirit or the society is in hiding, and does not communicate by thought or by speech. This spiritual sphere may be compared to the material sphere which encompasses the body of a man in the world, which is a sphere of effluvia exuding from him, and is smelled by keen-scented beasts. (Of the spiritual sphere which encompasses spirits, see n. 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504, 1519, 2401, 2489, 4464, 5179, 6206.)[3] From all this it can be seen that if infernal spirits were near where they are who are in Divine worship, they would infest them by their sphere, for in this way they who are in Divine worship would perceive what is shocking and abominable. All this shows how it is to be understood that infernal foulness and filthiness would flow in, if they were to worship God in that neighborhood. From what has been said about the spiritual sphere, or the sphere of faith and life, which exhales from every spirit, and still more from a society of spirits, it can also be seen that nothing whatever is hidden of that which a man in the world has thought, spoken, and done, but that it is in the open; for it is these things which make this sphere. Such a sphere also pours forth from the spirit of a man while he is in the body in the world; and from this his quality is also known. Therefore believe not that the things a man thinks in secret and that he does in secret, are hidden, for they are as clearly shown in heaven as are those which appear in the light of noon, according to the Lord's words in Luke:There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; or hidden that shall not be known; therefore whatsoever ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in bed-chambers, shall be proclaimed upon the housetops (Luke 12:2-3).

7455 Lo, we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes. That this signifies that Divine worship would be infested by such if done in their presence, is evident from the things just unfolded above (n. 7454).

7456 And will they not stone us? That this signifies that they would thus extinguish the truths of faith which are of worship, is evident from the signification of stoning, as being to extinguish and blot out falsities; but in the opposite sense, when done by the evil, as being to extinguish and blot out the truths of faith. If the infernal foulness and filthiness spoken of above (n. 7454) were to flow in with those who are in the holy of worship, the holy of worship would be extinguished; for the reason that when man is in the holy of worship, he is withheld from such things, and they who are in the good of faith and of life are elevated from the sensuous where such things are; but when such objects flow in, there are then excited the filthy things which are in the sensuous mind (and from which, as just said, the man is withheld when he is in the holy of worship, and they who are in good are being elevated), and thereupon the holy of worship is extinguished. This may also be plain from experience, for if when a man is engaged in Divine worship a filthy object appears, and is not removed, so long as it remains, the worship perishes and is extinguished. This is what is meant by the truths of faith which are of worship being extinguished by those who are in falsities from evils if these were in the neighborhood.[2] As regards the signification of stoning, be it known that there were two death penalties among the Israelites and Jews, with whom the representative of a church had been instituted

And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments, and caused frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Supplicate ye unto Jehovah, that He remove the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Have thou honor over me, till when shall I supplicate for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to cut off the frogs from thee, and from thy houses? Only in the river shall they be left. And he said, Unto the morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word; that thou mayest know that there is none like Jehovah our God. And the frogs shall be removed from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; only in the river shall they be left. And Moses and Aaron went out from before Pharaoh and Moses cried unto Jehovah upon the word of the frogs which He had laid on Pharaoh. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. And they gathered them together in heaps and heaps; and the land stank.

Exodus 8: 1-10

Arcana Coelestia 7376. From all this it can now be seen that these two loves( love of self and love of the world) are the origins of all evils, for they are diametrically opposed to love toward the neighbor, and to love to the Lord; thus diametrically opposed to heaven, where love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor reign. Consequently it is these loves, namely, the love of self and the love of the world, that make hell with man, for these two loves reign in hell.

AC 7379. “And Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies instruction; “Say unto Aaron,” signifies the influx of the internal law into the external law; “Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod,” signifies the power of internal truth through external truth; “over the streams, over the rivers, and over the pools,” signifies against falsities; “and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt,” signifies reasonings from mere falsities; “and Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt,” signifies the effect of the power of internal truth through external truth against falsities; “and the frogs came up,” signifies reasonings from mere falsities; “and covered the land of Egypt,” signifies that the natural mind was made such; “and the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments,” signifies the abuse of Divine order, whence there was the like in the outward form; “and caused frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt,” signifies in respect to reasonings from the natural mind; “and Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron,” signifies the presence of the law Divine; “and said, Supplicate ye unto Jehovah,” signifies humiliation from weariness; “that He remove the frogs from me, and from my people,” signifies that they should not be driven to reasoning from mere falsities; “and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Jehovah,” signifies that they would then leave those who were of the spiritual church so that they may worship their God; “and Moses said unto Pharaoh,” signifies the answer; “Have thou honor upon me,” signifies that the law Divine ought to be trusted; “till when shall I supplicate for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people,” signifies intercession for those who are in falsities and infest; “to cut off the frogs from thee, and from thy houses,” signifies that the reasonings may cease; “only in the river shall they be left,” signifies that they should remain with falsities where these are; “and he said, Unto the morrow,” signifies forever; “and he said, Be it according to thy word,” signifies confirmation thence; “that thou mayest know that there is none like Jehovah our God,” signifies that there is one God, and none besides Him; “and the frogs shall be removed from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people,” signifies that they should not be driven to reason from mere falsities; “only in the river shall they be left,” signifies that they should remain with falsities where these are; “and Moses and Aaron went out from before Pharaoh,” signifies separation from those who had reasoned from mere falsities; “and Moses cried unto Jehovah upon the word of the frogs which He had laid on Pharaoh,” signifies intercession; “and Jehovah did according to the word of Moses,” signifies that it was so done according to the word of the Lord; “and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields,” signifies that reasonings from mere falsities ceased with them everywhere in the natural; “and they gathered them together in heaps and heaps,” signifies that these reasoning falsities were arranged in bundles in the natural; “and the land stank,” signifies what was foul and loathsome therefrom.

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7408. [2] That forms or substances are recipient of life can be seen from every single thing that appears in living creatures; and also that recipient forms or substances are arranged in the way most suitable for the influx of life. Without the reception of life in substances, which are forms, there would be no living thing in the natural world, nor in the spiritual world. Series of the purest filaments, like bundles, constitute these forms. It is the same with those things therein which are highly modified; for modifications receive their form from the forms which are the substances in which they are, and from which they flow, because the substances or forms are the determining subjects. The reason why the learned have regarded the things belonging to man’s life, that is, to his thought and will, as being devoid of recipient substances or forms, has been that they believed life or the soul to be something either flamy or ethereal, thus such as after death would be dissipated; hence comes the insane notion of many, that there is no life after death. From all this it is evident how it is to be understood that the reasoning falsities were arranged in groups in the natural.

Divine Love and Wisdom 41. But because this is contrary to appearance, it may seem not to merit belief unless it be proved; and since it can be proved only by such things as man can perceive from his bodily senses, it will be proved by these. Man has five external senses which are called touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight. 

The subject of touch is the skin by which man is enveloped. The very substance and form of the skin cause it to feel the things applied to it. The sense of touch is not in the things applied, but in the substance and form of the skin which are the subject. That sense is only an affecting of it by the things applied. 

It is the same with taste. This sense is only an affecting of the substance and form which belong to the tongue; the tongue is the subject. 

It is the same with smell. It is well known that odour affects the nostrils, and that it is in the nostrils, and smell is an affecting of them by the odoriferous things touching them. 

It is the same with hearing. It appears as if the hearing were in the place where the sound originates, but the hearing is in the ear, and is an affecting of its substance and form. 

That the hearing is at a distance from the ear is an appearance. It is the same with sight. When a man sees objects at a distance, the seeing appears to be there, but yet the seeing is in the eye which is the subject and is likewise an affecting of it. Distance is solely from the judgment inferring about space from intermediate things or from the diminution and the consequent indistinctness of the object, an image of which is produced interiorly in the eye according to the angle of incidence. 

From this it is evident that sight does not go out from the eye to the object, but that the image of the object enters the eye and affects its substance and form. Thus it is just the same with sight as it is with hearing. Hearing does not go out from the ear to catch the sound, but the sound enters the ear and affects it. 

From these considerations it can be established that the affecting of substance and form which causes the sense is not a something separate from the subject, but only causes a change in it, the subject remaining the subject as before and afterwards. Hence it follows that sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch are not a something volatile flowing out of their organs, but that they are the organs themselves, considered in their substance and form, and that when the organs are affected, sensation results. 

DLW 363. (i) Love and wisdom, and the will and the understanding therefrom, make the very life of man. Hardly anyone knows what life is. When one thinks about it, it seems as if it were a volatile something, of which no idea is possible. It seems so, because it is not known that God alone is Life, and that His Life is Divine Love and Wisdom; hence it is plain that in man life is nothing else, and that life is in man in the degree in which he receives this love and wisdom. It is known that light and heat go forth from the sun, and that all things in the universe are recipients, and become warm and bright in the degree in which they receive these. So also do heat and light go forth from the Sun where the Lord is; the heat going forth therefrom is Love, and the light going forth is Wisdom, as was shown in Part II. Life, therefore, comes from these two, which go forth from the Lord as the Sun. That love and wisdom from the Lord is life can be established also from this, that man grows listless as love recedes from him, and stupid as wisdom leaves him, and, if they were to recede altogether, he would be deprived of life. There are many things pertaining to love, which have had other names assigned to them because they are derivatives-as affections, desires, appetites, and their pleasures and enjoyments; and there are many things pertaining to wisdom-as perception, reflection, recollection, thought and intention towards a thing; and there are many things pertaining to both love and wisdom-as consent, conclusion and determination to action, besides others. All these, in fact, pertain to both, but are named from the more important and characteristic of the two. 

Finally from these two are derived sensations; they are sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, with their enjoyments and pleasures. It is according to appearance that the eye sees, but in fact the understanding sees through the eye; on which account seeing is attributed also to the understanding. The appearance is that the ear hears, but in fact the understanding hears through the ear; therefore hearing is predicated of attention and listening which are of the understanding. The appearance is that the nose smells, and that the tongue tastes; but it is the understanding that by its perception smells and also tastes; for this reason, smelling and tasting are attributed also to perception. And so in other cases. The sources of all of these are love and wisdom; from which it can be established that these two make the life of man.

For more on the sense of self being a byproduct of consciousness you might like to read/listen to Protection Of The Self

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.