Logopraxis

Arcana Coelestia

5952. And [Joseph] gave them carts, according to the mouth of Pharaoh. That this signifies that from the internal they had doctrinal things as was pleasing, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who is he that “gave,” as being internal good (of which above); from the signification of “carts,” as being doctrinal things (see n. 5945); and from the signification of “according to the mouth of Pharaoh,” as being as was pleasing, namely, to spiritual truths, which are the sons of Israel; because these truths are in the natural which is represented by Pharaoh (n. 5160, 5799), and the carts, by which are signified doctrinal things, were placed at their disposal. It is said “as was pleasing,” because the doctrinal things which are signified by the “carts of Egypt” are from the literal sense of the Word (n. 5945), which without the internal sense can be applied to any good whatever.

For the Lord does not openly teach anyone truths, but through good leads to the thinking of what is true, and unknown to the man He also inspires the perception and consequent choice that such a thing is true because the Word so declares, and because it accords therewith. Thus the Lord adapts truths according to the reception of good by each person; and as this takes place according to each person’s affection, thus in freedom, it is here said “as was pleasing.”

 

John: 6: 9-14   Concordant Literal Translation

There is a lad here who has five cakes of barley bread and two food fishes. But what are these for so many? Yet Jesus said, Make the people lean back.Now there was much grass in the place. The people, then, lean back, the men in number about five thousand. Jesus, then, took the bread, and, giving thanks, He distributes it to those lying back. Likewise also of the food fish, as much as they wanted. Now as they are filled, He is saying to His disciples, Gather the superfluous fragments, lest some should perish. They gathered them, then, and cram twelve panniers with fragments of the five cakes of barley bread which are superfluous for those who were fed. 

The men, then, perceiving the sign which Jesus does, said that This truly is the Prophet Who is coming into the world!

 

Arcana Coelestia

5975. The reason why “to see” denotes to be conjoined is that in the spiritual world interior sight conjoins. For interior sight is thought, and in a society there when many act as a one (and also in choirs), what the one thinks the other also thinks; thus thought conjoins.

 

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.

Heaven and Hell

358. For a man is such as his affection and thought are, or such as his love and faith are, and from these all his outward acts derive their life, since acting is willing, and speaking is thinking, for he acts from the will, and speaks from the thought. So where it is said in the Word that man will be judged according to his deeds, and will be rewarded according to his works, it is meant that he will be judged and rewarded in accordance with his thought and affection, which are the source of his deeds, or which are in his deeds; for deeds are nothing apart from these, and are precisely such as these are.  It is evident from this that man's external accomplishes nothing, but only his internal, which is the source of the external.

 

156. Together with the state of the angels' interiors which pertain to their love and wisdom, the states of various things outside them appearing before their eyes are changed. For the things outside them take on an appearance in accordance with the things within them.

 

Arcana Coelestia

7366. It was said above that the loves of self and of the world make hell with man; and now the quality of these loves is to be told, in order that a man may know whether he is in them, and consequently whether hell or heaven is in him; for in man himself is either hell or heaven. That the kingdom of God is within man, the Lord teaches in Luke 17:21; consequently hell also is within him.

 

Luke 17:20-21

Jesus was asked by the Pharisees, When is the kingdom of God coming? He answered them and said, The kingdom of God is not coming with observation, nor will people say, Behold, here it is! or, Behold, there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 

 

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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170. REPRESENTATIVES AND APPEARANCES IN HEAVEN.

The man who thinks from natural light alone is unable to comprehend that there is any thing in heaven like what is in the world; and for the reason that from natural light he has previously thought, and established himself in the idea, that angels are nothing but minds, and that minds are like ethereal breaths, having no senses like those of men, thus no eyes, and if no eyes no objects of sight; and yet the angels have every sense that a man has, and far more exquisite senses; and the light by which angels see is far brighter than the light by which man sees. That angels are men in the most complete form, and enjoy every sense, may be seen above (numbers 73-77); and that the light in heaven is far brighter than the light in the world (numbers 126-132).

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171. The nature of the objects that are visible to angels in heaven cannot be described in a few words. For the most part they are like things on earth, but in form far more perfect, and in number more abundant. That such things exist in the heavens is evident from things seen by the prophets, -as by Ezekiel in relation to the new temple and the new earth (as described from chaps. 40 to 48); by Daniel (from chap. 7 to 12); by John (from the first chapter of the Apocalypse to the last); and by others, as described both in the historic and the prophetic part of the Word. These things were seen by them when heaven was open to them, and heaven is said to be opened when the interior sight, which is the sight of man's spirit, is opened. For what is in the heavens cannot be seen by the eyes of a man's body, but are seen by the eyes of his spirit; and when it seems good to the Lord these are opened, and man is then withdrawn from the natural light that he is in from the bodily senses and is raised up into spiritual light, which he is in from his spirit. In that light the things in heaven have been seen by me.

172. But although the things seen in heaven are in large part like those on the earth, in essence they are unlike them; for the things in heaven come forth from the sun of heaven, and those on the earth from the sun of the world. The things that come forth from the sun of heaven are called spiritual; those that come forth from the sun of the world are called natural.

173. The things that come forth in heaven do not come forth in the same manner as those on the earth. All things in heaven come forth from the Lord in correspondence with the interiors of the angels. For angels have both interiors and exteriors. All things in their interiors have relation to love and faith, thus to the will and understanding, since the will and understanding are their receptacles; while their exteriors correspond to their interiors. That exterior things correspond to interior things may be seen above (numbers 87-115). This is illustrated by what has been said above about the heat and light of heaven, that angels have heat in accordance with the quality of their love, and light in accordance with the quality of their wisdom (numbers 128-134). The like is true of all other things that present themselves to the senses of angels.

174. When I have been permitted to be in company with angels, the things there appeared precisely the same as those in the world; and so plainly that I would not have known that I was not in the world and in a king's palace. I also talked with the angels as man with man.

175. As all things that correspond to interiors also represent them they are called representatives; and as they differ in each case in accordance with the state of the interiors they are called appearances. Nevertheless, the things that appear before the eyes of angels in heaven and are perceived by their senses appear to their eyes and senses as fully living as things on earth appear to man, and even much more clearly, distinctly and perceptibly. Appearances from this source in heaven are called real appearances, because they have real existence. There are appearances also that are not real, which are things that become visible, but do not correspond to interiors.[1] These will be treated of further on.

[1] All things that are visible to the angels are representative (see numbers 1971, 3213-3226, 3342, 3457, 3475, 3485, 9481, 9457, 9576, 9577).

The heavens are full of representatives (see numbers 1521, 1532, 1619).

The representatives are more beautiful as they are more interior in the heavens (see number 3475).

As the representatives there are from the light of heaven they are real appearances (see number 3485).

The Divine influx is turned into representatives in the higher heavens, and therefrom in the lower heavens also (see numbers 2179, 3213, 9457, 9481, 9576, 9577).

Those things are called representative that appear before the eyes of the angels in such form as are in nature, that is, such as are in the world (see number 9457).

Internal things are thus turned into external (see numbers 1632, 2987-3002).

What representatives in the heavens are; this made clear by various examples (see numbers 1521, 1532, 1619-1628, 1807, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 2299, 2601, 2761, 2762, 3217, 3219, 3220, 3348, 3350, 5198, 9090, 10276).

All things seen in the heavens are in accordance with correspondences and are called representatives (numbers 3213-3226, 3342, 3475, 3485, 9481, 9457, 9576, 9577).

All things that correspond also represent and likewise signify what they correspond to (see numbers 2896, 2987, 2989-2991, 3002, 3225).

176. To show what the things are that appear to the angels in accordance with correspondences, I will here mention one only for the sake of illustration. By those who are intelligent, gardens and parks full of trees and flowers of every kind are seen. The trees are planted in a most beautiful order, combined to form arbors with arched approaches and encircling walks, all more beautiful than words can describe. There the intelligent walk, and gather flowers and weave garlands with which they adorn little children. Moreover, there are kinds of trees and flowers there that are never seen and cannot exist on earth. The trees bear fruit that are in accordance with the good of love, in which the intelligent are. These things are seen by them because a garden or park and fruit trees and flowers correspond to intelligence and wisdom.[1] That there are such things in heaven is known also on the earth, but only to those who are in good, and who have not extinguished in themselves the light of heaven by means of natural light and its fallacies; for when such think about heaven they think and say that there are such things there as ear hath not heard and eye hath not seen.

[1] A garden or park signifies intelligence and wisdom (see numbers 100, 108, 3220).

What is meant by the garden of Eden and the garden of Jehovah (see numbers 99, 100, 1588).

How magnificent the things seen in parks are in the other life (see numbers 1122, 1622, 2296, 4528, 4529).

Trees signify perceptions and knowledges, from which wisdom and intelligence are derived (see numbers 103, 2163, 2682, 2722, 2972, 7692).

Fruits signify goods of love and goods of charity (see numbers 3146, 7690, 9337).

177. THE GARMENTS WITH WHICH ANGELS APPEAR CLOTHED.

Since angels are men, and live among themselves as men do on the earth, they have garments and dwellings and other such things, with the difference, however, that as they are in a more perfect state all things with them are in greater perfection. For as angelic wisdom surpasses human wisdom to such a degree as to be called ineffable, so is it with all things that are perceived and seen by angels, inasmuch as all things perceived and seen by them correspond to their wisdom (see above, number 173).

178. The garments with which angels are clothed, like all other things with them, correspond; and because they correspond they have real existence (see above n. 175). Their garments correspond to their intelligence, and therefore all in the heavens appear clothed in accordance with their intelligence; and as one is more intelligent than another so the garments of one surpass those of another. The most intelligent have garments that blaze as if with flame, others have garments that glisten as if with light; the less intelligent have garments that are glistening white or white without the effulgence; and the still less intelligent have garments of various colors. But the angels of the inmost heaven are not clothed.

179. As the garments of angels correspond to their intelligence they correspond also to truth, since all intelligence is from Divine truth; and therefore it is the same thing whether you say that angels are clothed in accordance with intelligence or in accordance with Divine truth. The garments of some blaze as if with flame, and those of others glisten as if with light, because flame corresponds to good, and light corresponds to truth from good.[1] Some have garments that are glistening white and white without the effulgence, and others garments of various colors, because with the less intelligent the Divine good and truth are less effulgent, and are also received in various ways,[2] glistening white and white corresponding to truth,[3] and colors to its varieties.[4] Those in the inmost heaven are not clothed, because they are in innocence, and innocence corresponds to nakedness.[5]

[1] From correspondence garments in the Word signify truths (see numbers 1073, 2576, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9952, 10536).

For the reason that truths clothe good (see number 5248).

A covering signifies something intellectual, because the intellect is the recipient of truth (see number 6378).

Shining garments of fine linen signify truths from the Divine (see numbers 5319, 9469).

Flame signifies spiritual good, and the light therefrom truth from that good (see numbers 3222, 6832).

[2] Angels and spirits appear clothed with garments in

Heaven and Hell

137. [2] Divine Truth has all power in heaven, and without it there is no power at all. All angels are called powers from Divine Truth, and actually are powers just so far as they are recipients or receptacles of it. By it they prevail over the hells, and over all who oppose them. A thousand enemies there cannot sustain one ray of the light of heaven, which is Divine Truth. Since therefore the angels are angels from their reception of Divine Truth, it follows that the whole of heaven is from no other source, for heaven consists of angels.

 

Arcana Coelestia

5954(10). Without truths which teach, it is not known what these things are, nor even that they are. Who from himself knows otherwise than that the good of the love of self and of the world is the only good appertaining to man; for both are the delight of his life? And who can know except from the truths of faith that there is another good which can be applied to man, namely, the good of love to God and the good of charity toward the neighbor, and that in these goods is heavenly life; and also that this good flows in through heaven from the Lord insofar as the man does not love himself more than others, and insofar as he does not love the world more than heaven? 

 

5981. In order that I might know how such things are perceived by the angels, when shameful things presented themselves there was given me the angelic perception, which was such that I felt no horror. The shameful things were turned into a mildness such as cannot be described, but can only be compared to things angular and pungent when the angularity and pungency are taken away from them. In this way the shameful and filthy things of infernal spirits and genii are dulled with the angels.

 

Matthew 16:24-27

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works 

 

 

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

5963... and from the signification of “not contending in the way,” as being to be in tranquillity; for contention with others is intranquillity, because it is a disturbance of the lower mind. The varying states in the other life of which mention has been made just above (n. 5962), are according to the perception of good and truth with those who are there, thus according to their perception of the Lord’s presence. According to this perception they have tranquillity; for they who are in the perception of the Lord’s presence are in the perception that each and all things which befall them tend to their good, and that evils do not reach them; hence they are in tranquillity. 

5954. And to all of them he gave each changes of garments. That this signifies truths initiated in good, is evident from the signification of “garments” as being truths . Thus “changes of garments” are truths which are new; and truths become new when they are initiated in good, because they then receive life. 

5951 ... the quality of truths with men is according to the state of life of each. The truths that are represented by the sons of Jacob are truths not yet spiritual, because not yet made of the life. But the truths that are represented by them as sons of Israel are spiritual, because from having been made of the life they have been filled with the good of love and of charity.

5952...For the Lord does not openly teach anyone truths, but through good leads to the thinking of what is true, and unknown to the man He also inspires the perception and consequent choice that such a thing is true because the Word so declares, and because it accords therewith. Thus the Lord adapts truths according to the reception of good by each person; and as this takes place according to each person’s affection, thus in freedom

 

The New Jerusalem and the Heavenly Doctrine

194. Temptations are of use in acquiring dominion for good over evil, and for truth over falsity; and further, in confirming truths, and in conjoining them with good, and at the same time in dispersing evils, and hence falsities. They are of use also in opening the internal spiritual man, and in subjecting the natural man to it: and at the same time in breaking the loves of self and of the world, and in restraining the lusts which are therefrom. After these things have been brought about, the man obtains enlightenment and a perception of what truth and good, and falsity and evil are. This is the occasion of intelligence and wisdom for man, which afterwards, increase from day to day.

197. The ruling love of man is assaulted in temptations ...

No one can be tempted unless he is in the acknowledgment, and likewise in the affection of truth and good, because there is otherwise no combat, for there is nothing spiritual to act against what is natural, thus there is no contest for dominion

 

 

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

5962 (2). In heaven this state is that spirits and angels have their morning, midday, and evening, also twilight, and again morning, and so on. It is their morning when the Lord is present and blesses them with manifest happiness: they are then in the perception of good. It is their midday when they are in the light of truths; and it is their evening when they are removed therefrom, and then it appears to them that the Lord is more remote and is hidden from them. All who are in heaven undergo and pass through these alternations, and cannot otherwise be continually perfected, for thereby they have relatives, and from the relatives a more perfect conception, since they thereby know what is not happy, because they thereby know what is not good and what is not true.

[3] It is worthy of admiration that to eternity one state is never exactly like another, and also that one spirit and angel does not pass through the like changes of state as another, for the reason that one is not exactly like another in respect to good and truth; just as neither is one man exactly like another in the face. Nevertheless out of these varieties the Lord makes a one. It is a general canon that everyone that has any quality comes forth from various things which are reduced into such unanimity that by agreement of harmony they all appear as a one. 

 

5963... for contention with others is intranquillity, because it is a disturbance of the lower mind. The varying states in the other life of which mention has been made just above (n. 5962), are according to the perception of good and truth with those who are there, thus according to their perception of the Lord’s presence. According to this perception they have tranquillity; for they who are in the perception of the Lord’s presence are in the perception that each and all things which befall them tend to their good, and that evils do not reach them; hence they are in tranquillity. Without such faith or confidence in the Lord no one can possibly come to the tranquillity of peace, thus neither to the bliss in joy, because this bliss dwells in the tranquillity of peace.

 

Heaven and Hell

156. Together with the state of the angels' interiors which pertain to their love and wisdom, the states of various things outside them appearing before their eyes are changed. For the things outside them take on an appearance in accordance with the things within them.

 

158. I have been informed from heaven why there are such changes of state there. The angels said that there are many reasons.

First, the delight of life and of heaven which they have from the love and wisdom that are from the Lord, would gradually become worthless if they were in it continually, as is the case with those who are in delights and pleasures without variety.

A second reason is that angels as well as men, have a proprium, and this consists in loving self. All in heaven are withheld from their proprium, and in so far as they are withheld from it by the Lord, to that extent they are in love and wisdom. But so far as they are not withheld they are in the love of self, and because everyone loves his proprium and it draws him, 1 they have changes of state or successive alternations.

A third reason is that they are in this way perfected, for they thus establish a habit of being held in love to the Lord and of being withheld from the love of self. Also by alternations between delight and lack of delight, the perception and sensation of good becomes more exquisite. 2 The angels added that the Lord does not bring about their changes of state, since He, as a Sun is unceasingly flowing in with heat and light, that is, with love and wisdom. But the cause is in themselves in that they love what is their proprium and this continually leads them away. This was illustrated by comparison with the sun of the world, showing that the cause of the changes of state of heat and cold, and of light and shade, year by year and day by day, is not in that sun which remains stationary, but the cause is in the earth.

 

159... It was, moreover, stated that the Sun in itself is not thus changed or moved, but it takes on this appearance in accord with the successive progressions of their states since the Lord appears to every one in accord with what his state is, thus glowing when one is in intense love, and less glowing and finally white as his love subsides.

 

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

5867 ( Genesis 45)

21. And the sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them carts, according to the mouth of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

22. And to all of them he gave to each changes of garments; and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of garments.

23. And to his father he sent after this manner: ten asses carrying of the good of Egypt, and ten she-asses carrying grain and bread and nourishment for his father for the way.

24. And he sent his brethren away, and they departed; and he said unto them, Contend not in the way.

25. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father.

26. And they told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. And his heart failed, because he believed them not.

27. And they spake unto him all the words of Joseph, which he spake unto them; and he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, and the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

28. And Israel said, It is much; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.

The Contents.

In the preceding chapter the subject treated of was the internal man, which is “Joseph”—that it initiated into conjunction with itself the external natural, or the ten sons of Jacob, through the intermediate which is “Benjamin.” In this present chapter the subject treated of is the internal man—that it conjoined itself with the external natural; but inasmuch as there is no conjunction therewith except through spiritual good from the natural, which is “Israel,” therefore it first prepares to adjoin to itself this good.

 

5951... What spiritual truths in the natural are, must be told. Truths of faith outside of man, spirit, or angel, are not truths of faith, for they have not been applied to any subject, in which they become such. But when they are applied to man, spirit, or angel as a subject, they then become truths of faith, but with a difference according to the states of life of each one.

With those who are learning them for the first time, they are only memory-knowledges.

Afterward if these persons devoutly reverence them, the truths advance further, and become truths of the church;

and when they are affected with them and live according to them, they then become spiritual truths; for the good of love and of charity, which is solely from the spiritual world, then fills them and causes them to live; for to be affected with them and to live according to them is from this good.

The quality of the truths that are called truths of faith, with those who live according to them, and with those who do not live according to them, has been shown me. With those who do not live according to them, they appeared like white filaments; and with those who had these truths, but nothing of good, they appeared brittle; but with those who live according to them they appeared like fibers from the brain filled with spirit, and soft. Thus these latter truths were animate, but the former were inanimate. From this it may be known that the quality of truths with men is according to the state of life of each.

The truths that are represented by the sons of Jacob are truths not yet spiritual, because not yet made of the life. But the truths that are represented by them as sons of Israel are spiritual, because from having been made of the life they have been filled with the good of love and of charity. These latter truths are here meant, because the subject treated of has been the initiation to conjunction of the truths in the natural (which are the sons of Jacob) with internal good (which is Joseph), through the intermediate (which is Benjamin), and also through spiritual good (which is Israel).

 

5954...When the conjunction is being effected, then truths are changed and become new, for they receive life from the influx of good ...to change the garments was representative of holy truths being put on, and that hence came changes of garments,

(3) the light which is from the Lord is Divine truth; and therefore when the Lord was transfigured, His garments appeared as the light, of which in Matthew:

When Jesus was transfigured His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became as the light (Matthew 17:2).

 

5972... Life becomes new when what is spiritual flows in from the internal and acts from within in those things which are in the natural.

 

 

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

5937.[2] What the perception is that is so often mentioned shall here be briefly stated. There is with every man a capacity of perceiving whether a thing is so or is not so. The capacity of drawing a conclusion within himself, or in his own mind, causes a thing to be perceived. This capacity is utterly impossible unless there is influx from the spiritual world. In this gift one man excels another. They who excel less are they who within themselves or in their own mind conclude and thus perceive but little; but say that a thing is so because others in whom they have faith have said so. But they who excel more are they who see, not from others, but from themselves, that the thing is so; for in very deed the perception which exists with every man is one in worldly things, but not at the present day with anyone in spiritual things. The reason is that the spiritual which flows in and causes perception has been obscured and almost extinguished by the delights of the love of the world and of self; and therefore neither do they care for spiritual things, except insofar as is of duty and of custom; and if fear from duty, and delight from custom, were taken away, they would spurn, feel aversion for, and even deny them.

[3] He who would have perception in spiritual things must be in the affection of truth from good, and must continually long to know truths. Thereby his intellectual is enlightened, and when the intellectual has been enlightened, then it is given him to perceive something inwardly within himself. But he who is not in the affection of truth, knows that which he knows to be so, from the teaching of the church to which he joins his faith, and because a priest, presbyter, or monk has said so. From all this it is evident what perception is, and that it exists in worldly things, but not in spiritual things; as is further evident from the fact that everyone remains in the doctrine in which he was born, even they who were born Jews, and also they who are outside the church, although they live within it. Moreover they who are in any heresy, if told the veriest truths, and if these were also confirmed, they would nevertheless perceive not one whit of their truth: they would appear to them as falsities.

 

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.

Genesis

Verses 14-15. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s necks and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his necks. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them; and afterward his brethren talked with him.

 

Arcana Coelestia

5934. In the natural there are memory-knowledges of various kinds: there are memory-knowledges about earthly, bodily, and worldly things, which are the lowest, for these are immediately from the things of the external senses, or of the body; there are memory-knowledges about the civil state, its government, statutes, and laws, which are a little more interior; there are memory-knowledges about the things of moral life, which are more interior still. But the memory-knowledges which belong to spiritual life are more interior than all the former.

These latter are truths of the church, which insofar as they are only from doctrine with a man, are nothing but memory-knowledges; but when they are from the good of love, they then rise above memory-knowledges, for they are then in spiritual light, from which they look at memory-knowledges in their order beneath them. By means of such degrees of memory-knowledges a man mounts to intelligence, for by means of these degrees memory-knowledges open the mind so that light from the spiritual world can flow in. From all this it is now evident what is meant by the presence of truths in the natural.

 

5937. [2] What the perception is that is so often mentioned shall here be briefly stated. There is with every man a capacity of perceiving whether a thing is so or is not so. The capacity of drawing a conclusion within himself, or in his own mind, causes a thing to be perceived. This capacity is utterly impossible unless there is influx from the spiritual world. In this gift one man excels another. They who excel less are they who within themselves or in their own mind conclude and thus perceive but little; but say that a thing is so because others in whom they have faith have said so. But they who excel more are they who see, not from others, but from themselves, that the thing is so

 

 

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 

2990. It is also known, or may be known, that there is a spiritual world, and also a natural world. In the universal sense the spiritual world is where spirits and angels dwell; and the natural world is where men dwell.  

In particular, there is a spiritual world and a natural world with every man:  his internal man being to him a spiritual world, and his external man being to him a natural world.  The things that flow in from the spiritual world and are presented in the natural world, are in general representations; and insofar as they agree they are correspondences. 

 

Heaven and Hell

90. Since man is both a heaven and a world in least form after the image of the greatest (see above 57), there is, therefore, with him both a spiritual and a natural world. Interior things which belong to his mind and relate to the understanding and the will, make his spiritual world, while exterior things which belong to his body and relate to its senses and actions make his natural world. Consequently, whatever in his natural world, that is, in his body and its senses and actions, comes into existence from his spiritual world, that is, from his mind and its understanding and will, is said to be a correspondence thereof. 

92. From these observations may also be seen what the internal man is and what the external man. Namely, the internal is what is called the spiritual man, and the external, what is called the natural man; also that the one is distinct from the other as heaven is from the world; and further, that all things that take place and come into existence in the external or natural man, take place and come into existence from the internal or spiritual. 

 

Divine Love and Wisdom

260. It has been shown in the preceding chapter that as the natural mind is in the outmost degree, it envelops and encloses the spiritual mind and the celestial mind, which, in respect to degrees, are above it. It is now to be shown that the natural mind reacts against the higher or interior minds. It reacts because it covers, includes, and contains them, and this cannot be done without reaction; for unless it reacted, the interior or enclosed parts would become loosened and press outward and thus fall apart, just as the viscera, which are the interiors of the body, would push forth and fall asunder if the coverings which are about the body did not react against them  … It is the same thing whether the terms natural and spiritual man or natural and spiritual mind are used.  

 

True Christian Religion

706. The Lord's blood means His Divine truth and the truth of the Word, because His flesh, spiritually understood, means the Divine good of love, and in Him these two are united. It is known that the Lord is the Word, and there are two things to which everything in the Word has relation,-- Divine good and Divine truth, if therefore, instead of the Lord we say the Word, it is clear that these two are meant by His flesh and blood.  That blood means the Lord's Divine truth or the truth of the Word is evident from many passages, as, for example, where blood is called the blood of the covenant, covenant meaning conjunction, which is effected by the Lord by means of His Divine truth; as in ( Zechariah:-- By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit (Zechariah 9:11).

 

John 3:8

The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the spirit.

 

 

For more on substituting the word WORLD for MIND and MAN for MIND see Emmaus Road Workshop: The Word is a sacred text which describes the life of the mind

 

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.