Logopraxis

In our society and I guess generally in the world, freedom is defined as having the ability or the right to act, to speak and think as one wants and a state of not being imprisoned or enslaved physically. But as we start to look more deeply into this, questions arise.  This is because we can’t live in a vacuum where we aren't affected by other people‘s opinions, the laws of society and cultural expectations and norms. These all influence our ability to think, act and speak and so one could argue that there is never anything like pure freedom because there are always factors and influences. But this is a view of freedom based on the external world of our physical senses. It is a concept of freedom that is deduced from what we see, smell, touch, taste and hear. Consequently, it is a perspective from the lower self that is based in a reality that isn’t tempered or reformed by spiritual principles or truths. It is an idea of freedom in which the Lord as the higher Self is not what rules or oversees as the law of the land.

The concept of spiritual freedom however, recognises the Divine. It doesn’t try to measure or define boundaries in what make us free or not free by examining the physical, external life. It is based in the principle that all are interconnected because everything living is the Lord, and that therefore, all influences all. Spiritual freedom is more about the idea that we aren’t actually in a state of freedom until we see what opposes the Lord, what opposes the truth and its good. There are passages in the Heavenly Doctrines that speak about the state of temptation being a state of highest freedom because it’s a state in which the person can see the evils and falsities present. Or at least see what they are able to see of them and conversely see the opposite goods and truths.

AC 1937 [5] This is the case most of all during temptations, for in these-when the man compels himself to resist the evil and falsity which are infused and suggested by evil spirits, there is more of freedom than is possible in any state out of temptations-

although at the time the man cannot comprehend this-for there is an interior freedom, from which he wills to subjugate evil, and which is so great as to equal the force and strength of the evil that is assailing him, for otherwise he could not possibly wage the combat.

This freedom is from the Lord, who insinuates it into the man’s conscience, and by means of it, causes him to overcome the evil as from what is his own. Through this freedom, man acquires an Own in which the Lord can work what is good.

Although it can be an extremely difficult time in having to see what opposes the Lord’s life flowing into us, it’s also a time of great freedom because it’s only then that we truly have a choice. If we can’t see clearly what opposes good and truth then the assumption is perhaps good and truth aren’t present in the first place because they are what shines light onto their opposites, the evils and falsities. And thus this is a state in which there are no clear distinctions:

AC 5217

It sometimes appears as if falsities and truths are in one subject; but these are not falsities that are opposite to the truths in him, but are those which are associated by applications. The subject in whom truths, and at the same time falsities which are opposite to them, subsist, is called “lukewarm;” and the subject in whom falsities and truths are mingled is called “profane

AC 5219

for where truths are not, there is obscurity, because the light of heaven flows only into truths; for the light of heaven is Divine truth from the Lord.

Hence the truths with angels and spirits, and also with men, are subsidiary lights; but they have their light from the Divine truth by means of the good in the truths;

When we experience a state of good and truth being present but mingled in with the evils and falsities...

ACV7S19 Click to Print

5250. Verses 15, 16. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and no one interpreteth it; and I have heard upon thee, saying, Thou hearest a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, Not unto me; God shall answer peace to Pharaoh. "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph," signifies the perception of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural; "I have dreamed a dream," signifies prediction; "and no one interpreteth it," signifies ignorance of what was therein; "and I have heard upon thee," signifies the capacity of the celestial of the spiritual; "saying, thou hearest a dream to interpret it," signifies of perceiving what is in the things foreseen; "and Joseph answered Pharaoh," signifies knowledge; "saying, Not unto me," signifies that it was not from the human alone; "God shall answer peace to Pharaoh," signifies from the Divine Human through conjunction.

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5251. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph. That this signifies the perception of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive (as often shown above); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (see n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4592, 4594, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106, 5249). That the perception of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural is signified, is because the Lord is represented both by Joseph and by Pharaoh-by Joseph as to the celestial of the spiritual, and by Pharaoh as to the natural. Hence by "Pharaoh said unto Joseph" is signified the Lord's perception from the celestial of the spiritual in the natural. But what and of what quality this perception is, cannot be told so as to be apprehended, unless there has first been formed some idea of spiritual perception, and of the celestial of the spiritual, and also of the manner in which the natural is distinct from the spiritual. On these subjects some things have indeed been said already, which should now be recalled.

5252. I have dreamed a dream. That this signifies prediction, is evident from the signification of a "dream," as being foresight and hence prediction (see n. 3698, 5091, 5092, 5104, 5233); that a "dream" here is prediction is plain also from what follows, for in the dream the seven years of abundance of provision and the seven years of famine were foretold.

5253. And no one interpreteth it. That this signifies ignorance of what was therein, is evident from the signification of "interpreting" as being what was therein (n. 5093, 5105, 5107, 5141); hence ignorance of what was therein is signified by "no one interpreteth it." In the internal sense by "no one" is not meant no one or none, the expression being merely negative; and here simply not, thus that it is not known, or that there is ignorance regarding it. The reason is, that in the internal sense no person, nor even anything determined to a person, is regarded (n. 5225); and in the expression "no one," or none, something of person in general is implied. There are three things in general that perish from the literal sense of the Word when it becomes the internal sense, namely, what is of time, what is of space, and what is of person. The reason is that in the spiritual world there is neither time nor space, these two belonging to nature; and therefore it is said of those who die, that they pass out of time, and leave behind all that is of time. That in the spiritual world nothing is regarded as determined to person is because directing the attention in speech to person narrows and limits the idea, instead of extending it and making it unlimited. Extension and absence of limitation in speech cause it to be universal, and to comprise and be able to express innumerable and also ineffable things.

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.

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.

ACV7S18-Click to print

5226. Verses 9-13. And spoke the prince of the butlers unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my sins this day. Pharaoh was wroth upon his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the prince of the guards, me and the prince of the bakers: and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each one according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was with us there a Hebrew boy, servant to the prince of the guards; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each one according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he brought back upon my station, and him he hanged. "And spoke the prince of the butlers unto Pharaoh," signifies thought from the sensuous subject to the intellectual part; "saying," signifies perception therefrom; "I do remember my sins this day," signifies about a state of disjunction; "Pharaoh was wroth upon his servants," signifies when the natural turned itself away; "and put me in custody in the house of the prince of the guards," signifies rejection by the things that are primary for interpretation; "me and the prince of the bakers," signifies both sensuous parts; "and we dreamed a dream in one night," signifies what was foreseen in obscurity; "I and he," signifies concerning both sensuous parts; "we dreamed each one according to the interpretation of his dream," signifies what would be the event to both; "and there was with us there a Hebrew boy," signifies that because of temptation the guiltlessness of the church was rejected thither; "servant to the prince of the guards," signifies wherein was truth that might serve primarily for interpretation; "and we told him," signifies that there was perception therefrom; "and he interpreted to us our dreams," signifies what was in the things foreseen in obscurity; "to each one according to his dream he did interpret," signifies from truth; "and it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was," signifies that such was the event; "me he brought back upon my station," signifies that the sensuous of the intellectual part was received; "and him he hanged," signifies that the sensuous of the will part was rejected.

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5227. And spoke the prince of the butlers unto Pharaoh. That this signifies thought from the sensuous subject to the intellectual part, is evident from the signification of "speaking," as being to think (see n. 2271, 2287, 2619); and from the representation of the prince of the butlers, as being the sensuous subject to the intellectual part (n. 5077, 5082). What thought from the sensuous is, may be seen above (n. 5141).

5228. Saying. That this signifies perception therefrom, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being to perceive (see n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509). What perception "therefrom" is, or perception from thought, cannot be unfolded so as to be understood, because at this day it is wholly unknown what spiritual perception is; and what is unknown does not enter into the apprehension, however it may be described; for perception is nothing else than the speech or thought of the angels who are with man. When this speech or thought flows in, it becomes the perception that a thing is so, or is not so, but only with those who are in the good of love and of charity, for it flows in through good. With these this perception produces thoughts, for to them what is perceptive is the general of thought. Yet perception from thought is not actually given, but only apparently. But no more can be said regarding this mystery, because, as already said, it is unknown at this day what perception is.

5229. I do remember my sins this day. That this signifies about a state of disjunction, is evident from the signification of "sins," as being what is of inverted order (see n. 5076); and from the signification of "remembering,

Gospel of John Chapter 3:1-21 (Concordant Literal New Testament)

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, a chief of the Jews." 2 This one came to Him by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we are aware that Thou art a Teacher come from God, for no one can be doing these signs which Thou art doing, if God should not be with Him."

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Verily, verily, I am saying to you, If anyone should not be begotten anew, he can not perceive the kingdom of God."

4 Nicodemus is saying to him, "How can a man, being a veteran, be begotten? He can not be entering into the womb of his mother a second time and be begotten!"

5 Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I am saying to you, If anyone should not be begotten of water and of spirit, he can not be entering into the kingdom of God." 6 That which is begotten by the flesh is flesh, and that which is begotten by the spirit is spirit." 7 You should not be marveling that I said to you, 'You must be begotten anew.'" 8 The blast is blowing where it wills, and the sound of it you are hearing, but you are not aware whence it is coming and where it is going. Thus is everyone who is begotten by the water and the spirit."

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said to him, "You are a teacher of Israel, and these things you do not know? 11 Verily, verily, I am saying to you that of that which we have perceived are we speaking, and to that which we have seen are we testifying, and our testimony you are not getting." 12 If I told you of the terrestrial and you are not believing, how shall you be believing if I should be telling you of the celestial?

13 And no one has ascended into heaven except He Who descends out of heaven, the Son of Mankind Who is in heaven."

of faith in his death

14 And, according as Moses exalts the serpent in the wilderness, thus must the Son of Mankind be exalted, 15 that everyone believing on Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian."

the great love of God towards the world

16 For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian." 17 For God does not dispatch His Son into the world that He should be judging the world, but that the world may be saved through Him."

and the condemnation for unbelief

18 He who is believing in Him is not being judged; yet he who is not believing has been judged already, for he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God." 19 Now this is the judging: that the light has come into the world, and men love the darkness rather than the light, for their acts were wicked." 20 For everyone who is committing bad things is hating the light and is not coming to the light, lest his acts may be exposed." 21 Now he who is doing the truth is coming to the light that his acts may be made manifest, for they have been wrought in God."

Divine Providence 126

When the Lord has implanted a heavenly life's love in place of the infernal one then there are implanted affections of good and truth in place of the lusts of evil and falsity; and in place of the delights of the lusts of evil and falsity there are implanted the delights of the affections of good; and in place of the evils of infernal love there are implanted the goods of heavenly love. Then instead of cunning there is implanted thoughts of wisdom. Thus man is born again and becomes a new man.

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We've spoken previously about the impermanence of the self and it coming under the spiritual law that states that, "creation is constant coming into being". The implications of that law for our sense of self is that it is continually being re-created from moment to moment. We are constantly being brought into, and held in being.