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Click here to see List of Swedenborg's Writings || Please e-mail me with your reactions

Related articles on spiritual geography:Spiritual Geography--Part 2: Jacob's Ladder and Other Psycho-Dynamic Applications ||Dual Citizenship || Spiritual Psychology || Spirit ual Time and Space || De HemelscheLeer || Theistic Science || Religious Psychology

Spiritual Geography--Part 1--Graphic Maps of Consciousness for Regeneration

CONTENTSOverview--How is Spiritual Geography Useful to Consciousness Raising?Basic Premises of Spiritual Geography--Perception of Distance and Time in the SpiritualWorld (Matrix 1)RECEPTION OF INFLUX PROPORTIONATE TO DEGREE OF CONSCIOUSNESS(Matrix 2)How the Mind's Consciousness is Opened--The Order of InfluxThe Spiritual Psychobiology of MarriageRegeneration Is Through the Vertical CommunityPsychobiology of the Second Advent--The Birth of the As-of-SelfHow the Mind's Consciousness is Opened--The Order of InfluxI would be delighted to know your reactions. Please e- mai l me now.

Overview--How is Spiritual Geography Useful to ConsciousnessRaising?

Spiritual Geography is the phrase I used to mark in the margins when I was studying ArcanaCoelestia and realized the obvious, namely that this inspired work is revealing to us adetailed map of the mind. It reveals the astonishing awe inspi ring r inging reality that

the spiritual world=the mind

Many many authors have written about the spiri tual and the mind, but how many havestated this equation? Only Swedenborg. And if I'm wrong factually or historical ly, I'll co rrect

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this s tatement. Still, the point is that it is not an equation that is well known by the veryexperts of the mind and theology or religion. And now that this has been revealed 250 yearsago, it is stil l not generally kno wn. Moreover, when experts or non-experts hear about it orread this equation, they either deny it, disconfi rm it, want to deny it, want to disconfirm it, orare unexcited intellectually about it, thinking, What's th is? So what?

One reason is that in our generation, civil ization, and level of consciousness, science andreligion have not crossed the Inversion point d iscussed in previous articles (see charts inDe Hemelsche Leer article). Our generation remains unregenerate as long as science andeducation remains atheistic or theist ic but fundamental. Both of these prevent thedevelopment of a rational consciousness which has it s beginning point immediately afterthe Inversion. When science is atheistic , scientis ts operate in their research and theory atsensual degree of consciousness (Descending Pathway in charts ), all theory or proposal orexplanation that is based on rational consciousness being rejected as worthless or non-serious. An outstanding example is the Word or Sacred Scrip ture. Basic , important, and

fundamental scientific revelations are made in the Old Testament, New Testament, and theWritings of Swedenborg. Especially in Swedenborg this is obvious because the ThirdTestament covers text in over 50 volumes and is a modern work by a famous sc ientist of the18th century who had an especially well developed genius for reconstructing the harmonybetween modern rational science and ancient religion. In the Writings we have clearscientific and religious proof of t his amazing equation: the spiritual world=the mind.

What does the equation mean and why is it important?

Even when we are willing to assent to this equation from within, as a kind o f insight we areinclined to favor, it takes several steps in sequence to understand its s ignif icance andimpl ications . It has taken me years when I compare my re-readings of the Writings,especially the dated marginal and other notes I write. Now I can see that every concept oridea we acquire that is in rational consciousness evolves in its sequence of interiorization.

As we continue to regenerate we step through the series o f s ix stages repeatedly sinceevery step has its embedded recurs iveness as explained (see charts in De Hemelsche Leerarticle). Similarly w ith this idea that the spiritual world and the mind overlap. The firs t timepeople hear about this idea is from religion and especially in the New Testament whenJesus declares " the kingdom of heaven is within you:"

From Sedenborg'sArcana CoelestiaIn the universal sense, 'the kingdom of God' is used to mean the whole of heaven, in the lessuniversal sense the Lord's true Church, and in particular every individual who has truefaith, that is, who has been regenerated by means of the life that inheres in faith. For that

reason the individual is also called 'heaven', for heaven is within him, and 'the kingdom ofGod', since that too is within him. This the Lord Himself teaches through Luke,



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J esus was asked by the Pharisees, When is the kingdom of God coming? He answered themand 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. Luke 17:20, 21.

In other words, the spiritual world Swedenborg " traveled to" is within him, but not justwithin him for that would hardly be really important news to the world! But it is also w ithinyou, and me, and every human being. This is what makes the idea so amazing andimportant. What Jesus said "the kingdom of God is within you" applies to every humanbeing by creation. We are created and are born dual citizens of the two wor lds--the body i nthe physical universe of time and space, and the mind in the spiri tual world ofomnipresence and eternity . The two--the body and the mind, in teract and are tied to eachother perfectly by discoverable rational laws called "correspondences" (as referred to inmany articles). Our dual ci tizenship is remarkable and amazing given the many impl icationsof the formula "the spiritual world=the mind." For instance,

since there is no actual "space" in the spiritual world--as proven bySwedenborg in many ways, and

since myriads of human beings from all the planets pass into thespiritual world when the mind is freed from the physical body,

therefore it f ollows that we all "overlap" mentally within the same human boundaries of

consciousness.

The entire human race--past, present and futu re, evolves in an overlapping mental o rspiritual space. There is no "d ivision" across individuals in their consciousness. Every

indiv idual from the present or the past (not the future), is available for contact andcommunication at any time or in any place. This universal co-presence of the human race iswhat I call our "Vertical Community." For me, this scientific revelation is a shock fromwhich I'm st ill trying to recover, years after I firs t read it in the Writings. There is no suchthing as " being alone" or " by oneself" as an indiv idual. No more than a branchlet or littl eleaf from a giant tree can be alone or by itself. It is easy to see and acknowledge this withthe branchlet or leaf because we have phys ical sensuous evidence that when it is snatchedoff, it falls to the ground , dries quickly, and decomposes away into non-existence. But moredifficult to see and acknowledge in the case of ourselves since we are in the illusion o fapparent individuali ty and independence of the self or conscious awareness. We feel totally

private in our feelings, thoughts, and sensations, no matter what show we make with ourbody or who is present physically to observe it--what we can call our "horizontalcommunity.". But when we cross the Inversion i nterspace from sensuous consc iousness torational consc iousness, we face our true reality --the Vertical Communi ty.

So the formula "the spiritual world=the mind" includes the idea of the vertical community,or the co-presence to each other of all individuals present and past from all regions of theuniverse irrespective of birth of origin on any planet in any generation of its history. The



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actual use of this co-presence and our abilit y to perform these communicative acts will bediscussed in the next section. Swedenborg has described his abundant communications for27 years with indiv iduals we all know from histo ry and literature on this planet, and manycommunications with indiv iduals born on planets close and distant from our star system(see the summary of these communications in his Earths in the Universe).

What is equally astonishing is t hat we have been given a map of the mind or the spiri tualworld in an astonish ing way, namely the li teral of the Word or Sacred Scripture (see thisarticle on the characteristics of the style of writ ing in the Word). Think of the Old Testamentfor instance. It is composed of comprehensible histor ical narratives and of lesscomprehensible visionary and figurative description of old prophets. We read about thethree patriarchs journeying fr om here to there, about their adventures and children acrosslands and landmarks they give names to as commemoration of some event. And they alsotalk to God and angels. What is astonish ing is t his next formula:

the characters, events, names, places, landmarks, and numbers in the Word=events in our consciousness as we develop and grow as individuals in any generationof the human race

Truly amazing to th ink that these histor ical events are both accurate histor ically andapplicable universally to the consciousness of every human being in the universe. Theremarkable property of the style of writing of the Word is that only those historical detailshave been written down and preserved that form a rational series of properties and eventsabout the regeneration of human consc iousness in every individual ever born. The Wordthus makes up a detailed scientifi c handbook laying open the human mind, the spiritual

world , and all that happens in it , and how. As we read and study the Writings , which I callthe Third Testament, we can follow the systematic analyses found there of the OldTestament Books of Genesis and Exodus and many other parts of the Old and NewTestament books. The literal of this text allows us to extract or construct maps of thehuman mind or charts of the regeneration process as our consciousness is raised fromsensual to rational degrees, all the way to the in ternalizing celestial degree which alone isthe fully human way of being and living (see charts in De Hemelsche Leer article). Theprocess of creating and using these methodological instruments is what I call spiritualgeography, a branch of theist ic sc ience.

From Sedenborg'sArcana Coelestia1408. These and the things which follow occurred historically as they are written; but thehistoricals are representatives and all the words are significative. The case is the same withall the historicals of the Word, not only with those in the books of Moses, but also withthose in the books of J oshua, J udges, Samuel, and Kings. In all these, nothing is apparentbut mere history; but although it is history in the sense of the letter, still in the internalsense there are arcana of heaven, which lie stored up and hidden there, and which can



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never be seen so long as the mind, together with the eye, is kept in the historicals; nor arethey revealed until the mind is removed from the sense of the letter. The Word of the Lordis like a body that contains within it a living soul; the things belonging to the soul do notappear while the mind is so fixed in corporeal things that it scarcely believes that there is asoul, still less that it will live after death; but as soon as the mind withdraws from corporeal

things, those which are of the soul and life become manifest. And this also is the reason, notonly why corporeal things must die before man can be born anew, or be regenerated, butalso why the body itself must die so that he may come into heaven and see heavenly things.



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See als this article: Bible Correspondences Illustrated

From Sedenborg'sArcana Coelestia1273. CHAPTER 11 CONCERNING THE SITUATION OF THE GRAND MAN; ANDALSO CONCERNING PLACE AND DISTANCE IN THE OTHER L IFE

Souls newly arrived from the world, when about to leave the company of the spiritualangels to go among spirits, and so at length to come into the society in which they had beenwhile they lived in the body, are led about by angels to many mansions or abodes, that is, tosocieties which are distinct and yet conjoined with others; in some of which they arereceived, while in other cases they are led to still other societies, and this for an indefinitetime, until they come to the society in which they had been while they lived in the body; andthere they remain. From this moment they experience a new beginning of life. If the man is



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a dissembler, a hypocrite, or deceitful, who can assume a fictitious state, and a seeminglyangelic disposition, he is sometimes received by good spirits; but after a short time he isdissociated, and then wanders about, without the angels, and begs to be received, but isrejected, and sometimes punished, and at last he is carried down among the infernals.Those who are taken up among angels after being vastated, also change their societies, and

when they pass from one society to another they are dismissed with courtesy and charity,and this until they come into the angelic society which accords with the distinctive qualityor genius of their charity, piety, probity, or sincere courtesy. I in like manner have been ledthrough such "mansions," and those who dwelt there conversed with me, that I mightknow how the case was in regard to this matter. It was given me at the time to reflect on thchanges of place, and to see that they were nothing else than changes of state, my bodyremaining in the same place.

4236. And J acob said when he saw them, This is the camp of God. That this signifiesheaven, is because the "camp of God" signifies heaven, for the reason that an "army"signifies truths and goods (n. 3448), and truths and goods are marshaled by the Lord in

heavenly order; hence an "encamping" denotes a marshalling by armies; and the heavenlyorder itself which is heaven, is the "camp." This "camp" or order is of such a nature thathell cannot possibly break in upon it, although it is in the constant endeavor to do so. Hencalso this order, or heaven, is called a "camp," and the truths and goods (that is, the angels)who are marshaled in this order, are called "armies." This shows whence it is that the"camp of God" signifies heaven. I t is this very order, and thus heaven itself, which wasrepresented by the encampments of the sons of Israel in the wilderness; and their dwellingtogether in the wilderness according to their tribes was called the "camp." The tabernaclein the midst, and around which they encamped, represented the Lord Himself. That thesons of I srael encamped in this manner, may be seen in Numbers 1 and 33:2-56; as alsothat they encamped around the tabernacle by their tribes-toward the east J udah, Issachar,

and Zebulun; toward the south Reuben, Simeon, and Gad; toward the west Ephraim,Manasseh, and Benjamin; toward the north Dan, Asher, and Naphtali; and the Levites inthe middle near the tabernacle (2:2-34).

[2] The tribes signified all goods and truths in the complex (see n. 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939,4060). I t was for this reason that when Balaam saw Israel dwelling according to theirtribes, and the spirit of God came upon him, he uttered his enunciation, saying:

How good are thy tabernacles, O J acob, thy dwelling places, O Israel, as the valleys arethey planted, as gardens by the river (Num. 24:5-6).

That by this prophecy was not meant the people named J acob and Israel, but that it wasthe heaven of the Lord that was represented, is very manifest. For the same reason theirmarshallings in the wilderness, that is, their encampings by tribes, are called "camps" inother passages of the Word; and by a "camp" is there signified in the internal senseheavenly order; and by "encamping" a marshalling in accordance with this order, namely,the order in which goods and truths are disposed in heaven (as in Lev. 4:12; 8:17; 13:46;14:8; 16:26, 28; 24:14, 23; Num. 2; 4:5-33; 5:2-4; 9:17 to the end; 10:1-10, 28; 11:31, 32;



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12:14, 15; 31:19-24; Deut. 23:10-14).

[3] That the "camp of God" denotes heaven may also be seen in J oel:

The earth quaked before Him, the heavens trembled, the sun and the moon were

blackened, and the stars withdrew their brightness, and J ehovah uttered His voice beforeHis army, for His camp is exceeding many, for numerous is he that doeth His word (J oel2:10-11). In Zechariah:

I will encamp at my house from the army, on account of him who passeth by, and onaccount of him who goeth away, lest the extortioner should pass over them (Zech. 9:8). InJ ohn:

Gog and Magog went up over the plain of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saintsabout, and the beloved city; but fire came up from God and consumed them (Rev. 20:9);"Gog and Magog" denote those who are in externalizing worship that is separated from

internal and made idolatrous (n. 1151); the "plain of the earth" denotes the truth of thechurch (that a "plain" is the truth which is of doctrine may be seen above, n. 2450; andthat the "earth" is the church, n. 556, 662, 1066, 1067, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355); the "campof the saints" denotes the heaven or kingdom of the Lord on the earth, which is the church.

[4] As most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so likewise has a "camp,"which then signifies evils and falsities, consequently hell; as in David:

Though the evil should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear (Ps. 27:3). In the same:

God hath scattered the bones of them that encamp against me; thou hast put them to

shame, because God hath rejected them (Ps. 53:5).

By the camp of Assyria, in which the angel of J ehovah smote a hundred and eighty-fivethousand (Isa. 37:36), nothing else is meant; and the same by the camp of the Egyptians(Exod. 14:20).

Some characteristic and general relations between repeated themes in the Word and theirreference to the mind:

From Sedenborg'sArcana CoelestiaNumbers 1252, 1802, 1895EXPRESSIONS IN WORD (literal) REFERENCE TO REGENERATION (inner sense)

nativity REFORMATION(begin regeneration)

families & nations MORALS or CHARITY tongues & lands OPINIONS & FAITHShem INTERNAL CHURCH & WORSHIP



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(genuine or true)Ham INTERNAL CHURCH & WORSHIP

(falsified or corrupted))Father CELESTIAL SPIRITUAL DEGREESon RATIONAL DEGREE(externalizingizing & interior)Mother NATURAL CORPOREAL Mistress or Lady TRUTH ADJ OINED TO GOODEgyptian handmaid (Hagar) AFFECTION FOR MEMORY-KNOWLEDGES1895. And she had a handmaid, an Egyptian. That this signifies the affection of memory-knowledges [scientiae], is evident from the signification of a "handmaid," and from thesignification of "Egypt." Sarai, who was the mistress or lady, represents and signifies truthadjoined to good, as already said. Truth adjoined to good is intellectual truth in the genuinsense, but rational truth is beneath this and therefore is lower; and this rational truth is

born from knowledges [scientiae et cognitiones] vivified by the affection that correspondsto them, and this affection, being of the exterior man, ought to serve the intellectual truththat appertains to the inmost man, as a handmaid serves her lady, or a household servanther mistress; and therefore this affection is what is represented and signified by the"handmaid Hagar."

[2] How these things stand cannot well be stated to the apprehension, for it must first beknown what intellectual truth in the genuine sense is, and also how the rational is born,namely, from the internal man as a father, and from the exterior or natural man as amother, for without the conjunction of these two nothing rational can possibly come forth.The rational is not born (as is supposed) of knowledges [scientiae et cognitiones], but of the

affection of these knowledges, as may be seen from the mere fact that no one can everbecome rational unless some delight or affection of these knowledges aspires thereto. Theaffection is the maternal life itself; and the celestial and spiritual itself, in the affection, isthe paternal life; therefore in proportion to the affection, and in accordance with thequality of the affection, in the same proportion, and in the same quality, does the manbecome rational. In themselves these knowledges are nothing but dead things, orinstrumental causes, which are vivified by the life of affection; and such is the conception ofthe rational man in everyone. The reason why the handmaid was an Egyptian, and thereason why this fact is stated, is that "Egypt" signifies memory-knowledges [scientiae], asbefore shown (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462).

Basic Premises of Spiritual Geography--Perception of Distance and Timein the Spiritual World (Matrix 1)

BASIC PREMISES OF SPIRITUAL GEOGRAPHY (Matrix 1)"These things are incredible, but yet they are true." AC 1274



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DEGREESof

consciousness

GEOGRAPHICREFERENCES INLITERAL OF THE

WORD

INDIVIDUALBEHAVIOR

COLOR CODEDCONCEPTUAL

MEANING

IWHITE

SENSUALexternalizingCELESTIAL

places, count ries,lands, landmarks,

directions, journeys,outings,

peregrinations,wanderings,

displacements

STATES OF MINDOR

CONSCIOUSNESSAND THEIR

VARIATIONS IN ASERIES

NOMINATIVE,DEFINITIONAL,

PROPOSITIONAL,PREDICATIVE

IIYELLOWSENSUAL

externalizing

SPIRITUAL

location, direction,elevation

ORIENTATIONTHROUGH BODY

ANATOMY

STRUCTURAL,RELATIONAL, PART-

WHOLE

IIIGREEN

SENSUALexternalizing

NATURAL

distanceCONSCIOUS

FOCUS

FUNCTION,VARIATION,PROPERTY

I N V E R S I O N

IVBLUE

RATIONALinternalizingNATURAL

co-presence

THINKING ABOUT

OR THINKINGALIKE

COMMUNITY,

COMMUNICATION,CONTACT, HISTORY

VBROWN

RATIONALinternalizingSPIRITUAL

timeSUBJECTIVE OR

RELATIVEDIVERSITY, GENIUS,

BIOGRAPHY

VIBLACK

RATIONALinternalizingCELESTIAL

relation to God

FIXED AXISRELATIVE TO THE

DIVINE HUMAN (seediagram below)

REALITY,APPEARANCE,

UNITY, ACTUALITY,EXPERIENCE

externalizing=Sensual=DescendingPathway=Light Trigram (Pre-topical) (I,

II, III)

Interior=Rational=Ascending Pathway=DarkTrigram (Topical) (IV, V, VI)



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Inversion=Double Line=Origin ofContention Point

For more explanations see matrix 17 inrelated article

The above chart (matrix 1) gives the six basic premises of spir itual geography arranged in

the series of degrees defined in the charts of De Hemelsche Leer article.

The first rule (I) pertains to the externalizing celestial degree of sensual consciousness

(WHITE segments). It has a "nominative" conceptual role, meaning that from it all o therimplications fol low: PLACES IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD REFER TO STATES OF MIND.Whenever count ries, lands, landmarks, places, or directions are mentioned in the ThreeTestaments they have reference to states of mind or consciousness. Similarly, journeys,outings, peregrinations, wanderings, or displacements refer to changes in states of mind orconsciousness.

The second rule (II ) pertains to the externalizing sp irit ual degree of sensualconsciousness (YELLOW segments). It says that locations in the spiritual world are fixedand pinpointed with reference to our body parts . For ins tance, whatever is at our rightremains there no matter which way we turn. Or, whatever is in f ront , like the Spiritual Sun,remains in front no matter wh ich way we turn. Whatever is "beneath the feet" remains nomatter which way walk or travel. This ru le thus has a " structural" conceptual role aboutdefining perspective.

The third rule (III ) pertains to the externalizing natural degree of sensual

consciousness (GREEN segments). It says that distance in the spir itual wor ld does not

impose any limit on v isib ility or contact. For instance, we can read a piece of paper at anydistance-- all we need to do is to " focus in" on whatever we want to see, at any detail. Thisrule thus has a "functionality" role with reference to conscious intent.

The fourth rule (IV ) pertains to the internalizing natural degree of rational

consciousness (BLUE segments). It says that communication, contact, or co-presence isreferenced in relation to thinking about something or somebody, or thinking alike aboutsomething . Contact between people in the spiri tual world is referenced with regards tosimilarity of thinking--differences or contradictions separate, while agreements,sympathies, or harmonies unite. The conceptual role for this rule defines what constitutes a

community in the spiritual world.

The fifth rule (V) pertains to the internalizing spiritual degree of rational consciousness

(BROWN segments). It says that time in the spiri tual world i s relative or subjective and isdetermined by mental parameters such as invol vement and mood. Positive involvementslengthen time while disinterest or negativity slows time. This rule defines spiritual"diversity" in terms of differences in genius and mental make-up.



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The sixth rule (VI) pertains to the internalizing celestial degree of rational

consciousness (BLACK segments). It defines fixed axes in relation to God seen as theDivine Human who appears visually to angels in the center of the Spiritual Sun, being the allin all in heaven and the spiritual world. Its conceptual role is the definit ion of " reality." Forinstance, see diagram below.

For mnemonic reasons, let us have President Lincoln in this diagram represent the DivineHuman who is seen in the midst of the Spiritual Sun looking out at the created universe andthe human race. To the Divine Human the entire human race, past present, and future,appears as one individual. Swedenborg was permit ted to obtain a "long d istance" view of

the entire inhabited lands of the heavens, and he actually saw how they fo rm and coalesceinto the shape and form of a human which he called the "Grand Human" ("Grand Man"). ToGod, that is, the Divine Human, this is not on ly a visual appearance but an actualfunct ioning reality, almost as it were that He is interacting and taking care of one individual.Such is God's Infinity and Omnipotence that infin ite things in God make one. The diagramabove portrays f ixed locations where the organic forms we call individuals or spirits, areactually located in reality and to eternity. The genius and character out of wh ich an



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individual is formed and exists, determines the fixed location each is allotted in the spiritualworld of eternity. Every individual is "alloted a constant s ituation in the Grand Human" (AC1381). These fixed and real locations are equivalent to the quality or degree of ourfunctioning consciousness, for this quality and functioning is an organic structure andfunction construc ted out of spiritual substances during growth. All our feelings, thoughts

and sensations are bundled into rational series and located permanently in the spir itualworld according to their relation to the Divine Human, that is, according to their relation togood and truth from Him (Spiritual Sun).

But we also undergo changes of mental state, that is, our conscious awareness orexperience of self varies within the parameters of our personali ty and knowledge. Althoughwe are tied to our fixed location through unchanging basic character, we also vary in ourmoods and involvements within ou r basic structure, otherwise it would be dull indeed!These mental variations have no limit and cons titute our cumulative, endless and immortalbiography as ind ividuals. As these biographical variations or experiences occur, we appear

to ourselves and others to displace ourselves in apparent space--just like in a dream worldwhere the displacements co-occur with the content of the dream. These disp lacements andappearances make up the quickening drama that is life in the spirit ual world , as describedby Swedenborg. They are discussed below throughout this art icle.

From Sedenborg'sArcana Coelestia1377. That in the world of spirits place, change of place, and distance, are an appearance,d3has been evidenced from the fact that all souls and spirits whatever who have existedfrom the first creation, appear constantly in their own places, and never change theirplaces except when their state is changed; and that as their state is changed, so are the

places and distances with them varied. But as everyone has a general state which isregnant, and as the particular and individual changes of state have regard to the generalstate, therefore after these changes all return to their own situation.

1277. The case is the very same with men, as to their souls, which are constantly bound tosome society of spirits and of angels. They too have a situation in the kingdom of the Lordaccording to the nature of their life, and according to their state. I t matters not that theyare distant from each other on earth even though it were many thousands of miles-still theycan be together in the same society-those who live in charity in an angelic society, and thosewho live in hatred and such evils in an infernal society. In like manner it matters not thatthere be many together on earth in one place, for still they are all distinct in accordance

with the nature of their life and of their state, and each one may be in a different society.Men who are distant from each other some hundreds or thousands of miles, when theyappear to the internal sense may be so near each other that some of them may touch,according to their situation. Thus if there were a number of persons on earth whosespiritual sight was opened, they might be together and converse together, though one wasin India and another in Europe, which also has been shown me. Thus are all men on earth,both generally and individually, most closely present to the Lord, and under His view and



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providence.

1376. CONTINUATION CONCERNING SITUATION AND PLACE,AND ALSOCONCERNING DISTANCE AND TIME, IN THE OTHER LIFE.

I have frequently conversed with spirits concerning the idea of place and of distance amongthem-that it is not anything real, but appears as if it were, being nothing else than theirstates of thought and of affection, which are thus varied, and are in this manner presentedto view in the world of spirits; but not so much so in heaven among the angels, since theseare not in the idea of place and time, but in that of states. But the spirits to whom bodilyand earthly ideas adhere, do not apprehend this, for they suppose that the case is exactly asthey see it to be. Such spirits can hardly be brought to believe otherwise than that they areliving in the body, and are not willing to be persuaded that they are spirits; and thusscarcely that there is any appearance, or any fallacy, in relation to the matter, for theydesire to live in fallacies. Thus do they preclude themselves from the apprehension andacknowledgment of truths and goods, which are as far as possible from fallacies. I t has

been shown them many times that change of place is nothing but an appearance, and also afallacy of sense. For there are two kinds of mutation of place in the other life; one is thatwhich has been spoken of before, when it is said that all spirits and angels in the GrandMan constantly keep their own situation therein; which is an appearance. The other is thatspirits appear in a place when in fact they are not there, which is a fallacy.

The location of spirits in the spiritual world has both fixed and variable elements. Spirits areorganic bod ies and by the time we arrive in the spiri tual world at the death of the phys icalbody, this sp irit body is well developed and serves as the foundation for cont inued eternaldevelopment that is based on this foundation. Without this foundation acquired during lifeon earth there can be no afterlife in the spirit ual world. This foundation is our character andinternal genius and as explained in the charts, this foundation can be opened all the way tothe internalizing celestial degree. If the foundation is not developed beyond the sensualdegrees of consciousness (the Descending Pathway), we have a miserable sensual andcorporeal existence (see matrix 2 below or the matrices in this article). But if thefoundation is developed to the rational consciousness degrees (Ascending Pathway), weenjoy a heavenly life. Since our character or spir it body is a fixed construc tion made ofimmortal substance it automatically has its appropriate fixed place in the spiritual world,and this will never change. It is our regnant loves that gives us th is assigned location andwe always appear to others and to ourselves in this permanent location in relation to God(see the "Lincoln" diagram above). But we also have variations of state that are consistent

with our regnant loves and affections . When these variations occur we appear to ourselvesand others in a dif ferent location than the usual, reflecting in correspondence thesemomentary states of thoughts and affections.

There are three conditions to consider in relation to our location in the spiritual world:



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FIXED PERMANENT LOCATIONS: these are real dis tances due to"general states" (character, regnant loves)

REAL APPEARANCES OF DISPLACEMENT: these are temporary butreal appearances due to actual f luctuations in mental states.

FALLACIOUS APPEARANCES OF DISPLACEMENT: these are il lus ionscreated by " counterfeit states" induced by magic, hypocrisy , delusion(e.g., appearing in several places at once, or appearing in the upperregions while the spirit body is actualy in hell, etc.).

The Writings reveal that when people enter the afterlife they are called "novit iate spirits "and are so recognized by the others there. Some novitiate spirits are conveyed directly toheaven or to hell, if their character interiorly , and their personali ty in the externalizing,already are united and perceptible to the individual. But some require additionalexperiences during which that which is mixed in and not consis tent in their character, isrejected by the person when it appears in their perception or understanding. During this

transition phase they are called "wandering spir its" and they appear to others andthemselves in various places. After "being conveyed" to various places, communities,cities, where the experiences and choices take place, they are eventually transferred to theirfinal fixed location in the company of those who are like them. In these assoc iations withspiri t societies their character can often be perceived by those whom they approach:

From Sedenborg'sArcana Coelestia

1396. A certain spirit who whi le he lived in the world had desired to arrogate to himself merit for hisacts and his teaching, went away to t he right and came to those who were not of such a character.In order that he might be associated with them, he said that he was nothing, and that he desired toserve them; but instantly, on his firs t approach, and indeed while he was still far away, theyperceived what he was; and they at once replied that he was not what he professed to be, but thathe desired to be great, and therefore could not be in agreement with them, who were little. Beingashamed at this, he withdrew, wondering that they knew him so far away.



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The diagram above portrays the equality between the spiritual wo rld and the mind. All of thespiritual world is in every indiv idual but our consc ious awareness is restricted to the growthwe undergo to eternity . When we are restric ted in our awareness to the lower regions ofconsciousness while the upper regions are closed to access, we live in a state of hell withothers who are also in a simi lar state of consc iousness. When we undergo regeneration allthe way to the upper regions of consciousness, we are inhabitants of the heavens forming

celestial communities with those who are most like us. The process by which thesevariations in consciousness are brought about i s dependent on our reception of goods andtruths from the Spiritual Sun or the Divine Human. It is the same indivis ible and infini tesubstance flowing into every indiv idual, but the reception is according to development andgrowth. The higher our consciousness is opened while in the life of the physical body, themore truths and goods we can receive in an internalizing way, hence in a purer way, with



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less distortion. In the lower regions of the mind this same influx is received, but withdistortions and adulterations that turn into fallacies and evils.

The diagram below (matrix 2), shows the characteristics of reception of Divine inf lux as afunction of the level of consciousness in which we operate.

RECEPTION OF INFLUX PROPORTIONATE TO DEGREE OF CONSCIOUSNESS(Matrix 2)

DEGREESof

consciousnessMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS AT EACH LEVEL

CELESTIALREGIONOF THEMIND

THIRD

HEAVEN

** we see the Divine Human continuously, existing in His presence** we hold on to loves from which we have wisdoms

** we occupy ourselves with teaching, nurturing, overseeing affectionsof human race

** we attend individuals on the earths in t heir conceptions, births,regeneration, etc.

** we recognize all truths immediately by insight or enlightenment** we perceive Divine influx and can distinguish it f rom our own

feelings and thoughts

** we perceive all the feelings, thoughts, and memories of others

** we can remove sadnesses and anxieties in others by internalcommunication** our greatest delight is to communicate happinesses to others by

psychic transmission

** in our present we contain all of our past and all of our future** in our sensual externalizing life we perceive unparalleled felicites

and blessings

SPIRITUAL

REGIONOF THEMIND

SECONDHEAVEN

** we see the Divine Human cont inuously, but from a greater distance

** we hold on to wisdom to which we adjoin loves** we occupy ourselves with managing and administering the thoughtsof human race

** we attend individuals on the earths in their temptations, instruction,regeneration, etc.

** we recognize truths not immediately but by reflection and



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discussion

** we somewhat perceive Divine influx d istinguish ing it from our ownfeelings and thoughts

** we perceive the feelings, thoughts, and memories of others but lessinteriorly

** in our present we contain all of our past and all of our futuresomewhat obscurely

** in our sensual externalizing life our vibrancy dwarfs all lowerdegrees

NATURALREGIONOF THEMIND

FIRSTHEAVEN

** we see the Spiritual Sun continuously, at some distance** we focus on externalizing uses from which we have wisdom and love** we occupy ourselves with business or sports inspiring humans on

the earths

** we attend individuals on the earths in their temptations, instruction,regeneration, etc.

** we have insights into truths that deal with our preferred activities** we acknowledge and attribute all power to Divine in flux

** we perceive the feelings, thoughts, and memories of others but lessinteriorly

** in our p resent we contain all of our past and all of our future but

obscurely** in our sensual lif e our vibrancy dwarfs what can be experienced with

the physical body

SENSUALREGIONOF THEMIND

WORLDOF SPIRITS

** we are blind to the Spiritual Sun seeing only darkness there** we consider only externalizing world as real and are carried away byappearances

** we see only effects believing they are causes and fall into fallaciesof the senses

**we deny Divine influx and rely on our own intelligence and guidance

** we reason about truths but end up rejecting them** we lack rational intelligence so we're led away fr om common sense** we are not willing or capable of struggling w ith temptations, thuscannot be regenerated



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CORPOREALREGION

OF THEMIND

HELLS

** we are blind to every tru th and turn away from all good** we consider only corporeal sensations as real and valuable

** we see nothing rational, even denying that God and heaven exist

** we hold ourselves in fantasies and delusions, excluding all else** we hold on to and are immersed in hatreds towards the entire human

race

** we delight only in evils, lusts, falsities, adulations, and all filth anddegradation

See Numbers 1383 ff. inArcana Coelest ia

When cons idering a listing such as the above (matrix 2), it is important not to fall into the

false assumption that the upper regions of the mind do not con tain the lower regions. Itappears that way by looking at the descript ions of t he corporeal and sensual minds andrealizing that these are outside (or below) heaven in our mind. Yes, these corruptedversions of the lower regions are outs ide our heaven and we are not connected with themwhen we dwell in the upper regions of the mind. But we are connected with the sensualwithin which is the rational. The perverted corporeal and sensual minds do not have therational within them for the rational does not commun icate with the perverted corporeal.However, the rational (or heavenly) cannot reside in nothing as it needs an externalizingsensual as a containant, just like the inner spi ritual sense of the Word needs anexternalizing (corporeal) literal in order to exis t and achieve its function. When we dwell inour heavenly consc iousness , whether natural-spiritual, spiri tual, or celestial, we exis t in twoplanes, as all things do--internalizing and externalizing. Our internalizing heaven must havean externalizing to exis t and this heavenly externalizing is the sensual-corporeal. Thiscorporeal is not physical-chemical corporeal, but spiritual-substantive corporeal. It is thespirit body that we have in heavenly consciousness. This spirit body is capable ofexperiencing the heavenly sensual which is far more perfect and vibrant that what thephys ical-corporeal can experience. In our heavenly consciousness we have all the senses--touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight through the spiri t body, and we enjoy the felici tiesand happinesses of conjugial love far more than in the physical body. As testified bySwedenborg's many visi ts to the inhabitants of t he heavens, the spiri t body and its sensualenvironment of gardens, paradises, animals, and magnificent art, clothes, jewelry, and

architectu re are far superior to what we can produce on earth or imagine in our g reatestexpectations.

From Sedenborg'sArcana Coelestia1387. I have several times conversed about perception with those in the other life who,while they lived in the world, had regarded themselves as able to penetrate and understand



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all things; telling them that angels perceive that they think and speak, and will and actfrom the Lord. But still they could not conceive what perception is, but supposed that if allthings were to inflow in this way, they would be bereaved of all life; because in that casethey would think nothing from themselves, or from what is their own; and in this they hadmade life to consist; and that in that case it would be another who was thinking, and not

themselves; so that they would be mere organs devoid of life. But they were told thatbetween having perception, and not having it, the difference of life is like that between lightand darkness; and that men first begin to feel alive when they receive such perception; forthen they live from the Lord, and also have what is their own, which is given together withall happiness and delight. I t was also shown them by varied experience how the case is withperception, and at the time they acknowledged the possibility of it; but after a while theyagain did not know, doubted, and denied. From this it has been made evident how difficultit is for man to comprehend what perception is.

Regeneration Is Through the Vertical Community

The question many peop le have about heaven and hell is why an omnipotent and lov ingGod refuses to admit everyone to heavenly life in eternity . Why not just fo rget about theirsins , forgive them out of a big heart, and let them in. Isn't t his love? A popu lar answer manypeople give at this poin t is that God hates sin because of His nature, and sin adheres to theperson unt il washed away in a manner that is pleasing to God's nature. Once the cleansingritual has been performed, the sin is washed away, God can forg ive, and the individual canenter heaven and live there to eternity. Different religions have various prescriptions thatspecify what the cleansing ri tual must be. The rituals are typically admin istered andsupervised by professional experts--priests, shamans, sorcerers, holy person or grandmaster, and so on. The ritual is justif ied by doct rinal explanations formulated at a level

consistent with the consciousness level of the group invo lved. Corporeal mentalities areimpressed by magic, the occult , and the fetish --all of which are affirmed as 'bottom realities'to them since they operate on phys ical things: human bodies or body parts , phys ical featslike bending objects at a distance or divining the location of hidden or lost things .

These material appearances strongly affect our corporeal mind but only to the extent thatthis mind doesn't have conscious awareness or contact with higher minds w ithin it (orabove it). Our sensual mind is above the corporeal, thus within it. "Above" or " within" intheistic science refer to disc rete degrees of existence (see Ian Thompson's work on thissame subject from a physicist's point of view). When we regenerate all the way to the

celestial degree our feelings, thoughts , sensations and actions (A/C/S units ), exist oroperate as fixed organic substances having determined structures or shapes--in ananalogous way as the brain exists and operates as fixed material elements having havingdetermined structures or shapes called lobes, clusters, and synaptic networks . In fact, thebrain has these structures solely because it mirrors or corresponds to the structures in thespirit body. These structures begin as consciousness s tructures within the spirit body ormind, that cumulate and develop from each feeling, thought , and sensation that weexperience moment by moment, thus never ceasing, even at sleep. Thus our immortal mind



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grows as the spirit body (or mind) within the physical body. This "within" is acorrespondential relation, not a physical location in space or time. Discrete degrees ofexistence refer to this "with in" relationship, that is, by spiritual correspondence, or by thelaws of spi ritual correspondence--laws which have been revealed in Sacred Scripture.

Because the developing spiri t body, or mind, is made of immortal substances or fibers andfibri ls, it remains fixed in the shape it is evolv ing in an analogous way to many trees andplants. They can compensate with new growth but the result is a permanent twist that cannever be removed except by cutting the tree, which will destroy it if the cutting is extensiveor central. Since we are born with hereditary inc linations that are destruct ive and injurious

to the growth of our spirit body, it has become AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY forevery individual born on earth to be REGENERATED.

Without being regenerated, our injurious hereditary inclinations carry us powerfully andirresis tibly into corporeal consciousness and exis tence. This is hell. Our character is

formed of fib rils that grow in the OPPOSITE direction of what can live in the spi ritualatmosphere of rational consciousness. If we arrive to the borders of celestial inhabitationsin our m ind, we are seized with torture and writ hing, as Swedenborg has observed manytimes, like a serpent thro wn on a very hot plate. The instant we can we cast ourselves down ,down, down, until we feel comfortable, in corporeal consciousness, closing up tight all thatis above. Swedenborg saw them hide in deep dark caves where now windo ws can exist --this because it corresponds to their corporeal appearances. In this sense corporealconsciousness is bottom hell when everything above or within is prevented of flowing inand taking over.

Yes, flowing in and taking over--that's what the higher does to the lower, and that's why thelower resists. But this resistance only lasts until it is vanquished. After that, there isobedience instead. So the higher degrees constantly t ry and urge to inflow into our lowerdegrees. This trying and urging is not from ourselves but from the celestial individuals inour vertical community. One of the "occupations" they have in the heavens is to overseethe regeneration of people on earth, just as they were guided when they were on the earths.It's a perpetual process that populates the heavens, this being the goal of the createduniverse. Those who reside in the higher degrees of the mind (or spir itual wor ld), attend andguide those who are in the lower degrees. For in stance, our experiences (or biography) arearranged by them (from the Lord) in such a way that our decis ions and choices form asequenced arrangement. We are given to s tep through the phases and sub-phases of our

regeneration, struggling daily with our temptations and putting up the effort to develop agood character. These activ ities are accomplished by those who attend us by occupy ingour internalizing degrees that are stil l non-functional to our own awareness. Our consciousawareness matches the degree we are operative in our perceptions of truths. All t heinternalizing t ruths are not perceived, but the attendants perceive them. They operatedownward (or outward) from the places in our m ind they occupy. As the downward influxproceeds downward (or ou tward) it eventually matches our operative level of



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consciousness. At that precise moment the idea or feeling pops into our awareness. Thisappears to us as spontaneous or coming from ourselves. We do not comprehend as yethow this might come from our spiri tual and celestial attendants. We therefore attribute thethought or feeling to ourselves.

As the degree of our consc iousness r ises in our awareness the spiri tual inf lux is detec tedearlier and earlier in the downward process. This means that we can become consciouslyaware and understand more and more internalizing truths, or higher and higher truths, ortruths that are nearer and nearer to the Divine. Since truths are tied to loves or goods, bothare raised together, and our quality of l ife reflects it (see matrix 2 above).

The diagram below portrays the structure of the vertical community to which all indiv idualsbelong no matter where they are.



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The diagram above shows that the conscious awareness of ind ividuals anywhere in anystate always depends on its relation to the conscious awareness of other indiv iduals. Thosewho are in the conscious awareness of the celestial degree are called "Angels of the ThirdHeaven." They occupy the inmost (or highest) position in relation to inf lux. They receiveinflux di rectly from the Spiritual Sun into the interiors of their celestial consciousness. They

then send this influx downward in full awareness, seeing the individuals who are in theconscious awareness of the spi ritual degree. They are called "Angels of the SecondHeaven." Those who are in the conscious awareness of the celestial degree perceive, see,understand, and direct the mind of those who are in the conscious awareness of thespiri tual degree, but the latter when looking up (or inward) see nothing. But when they lookdownward, they too can perceive, see, understand, and direct the mind of those who are inthe conscious awareness of the natural degree. They are called "Angels of the First



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Heaven." When they look up they see nothing, but when they look down they perceive, see,understand, and direct the mind of those who are in the conscious awareness of theircorporeal and sensual degrees. They are the individuals on the earths and those in thehells.

Those who are in the celestial degree of awareness can see those who are in the spir itualdegree of awareness, and since the latter can see those who are in the spiritual degree ofawareness, and these can see those who are in the natural degree of awareness, who seethose who on earth and in the hells, it follows fr om this unbroken chain that the highest (orthe inmos t) and see and guide all those that are lower (or outer), all the way. The inhabitantsof the thi rd heaven can therefore see and guide the interiors of those who are on earth andin hell through the intermediary of the individuals who are in the in-between degrees ofawareness. This is the vertical community. It unites all the minds everywhere. No mind canexist that is not in this chain.

When we are regenerating on earth our consc iousness can be opened throughout it s height(or depth) as a foundation for life at some level in the spiritual world. Since our consc iousawareness cannot escape our connection to the physical body, this opening only consistsof the foundation for each degree and sub-degree. Each higher (or more interior) degree isfounded on our connection to those already in a higher conscious life. Our internalizingnatural degree (BLUE segment of the Ascending Pathway) is established as a foundationthrough a connection with the inhabitants of the firs t heaven. Our internalizing spiri tualdegree (BROWN segment of the Ascending Pathway) is established as a foundation th rougha connection with the inhabitants of the second heaven. Our internalizing celestial degree(BLACK segment of the Ascending Pathway) is established as a foundation through aconnection with the inhabitants of the third heaven.

When we pass on, our spiritual body, or mind, is freed from its connection to the physicalbody and we "awaken" in the consciousness of our hig hest degree achieved. If our mentalfoundation was not developed beyond the corporeal degree, we dwell in the hells from thenon. If our mental foundation was not developed beyond the natural degree, we dwell i n thefirs t heaven from then on. If our mental foundation was not developed beyond the spiritualdegree, we dwell in the second heaven from then on. And if our mental foundation wasdeveloped to the celestial degree, we dwell in the firs t heaven from then on. The quality oflife we then have or enjoy in each of these locations has been described in matrix 2 above.

From all this it can now be seen that no one gets admitted into heavenly life by beingforgiven of sins through performing some prescribed ritual. It's not a question of God notforgiv ing us because sin adheres to us and sin is against the nature of God. This is true, butit is not the reason that we are not admitted into celestial life. The reason is that we can onlybe admitted to the degree of consciousness that we came with, that is, that we acquired inregeneration whi le on earth. Once again you can see that nothing can be more important tous than to learn how to cooperate in our regeneration. The vertical community can guide us



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in regeneration but this remains of no effect unless we reciprocate. Then we gain consciousawareness to higher and higher degrees. This cooperation or reciprocation on our part mustbe voluntary and conscious. This is achieved during ou r struggles with temptations and themyriad of choices we make all day long, every day, that form our character or spir it body.

As our consc ious awareness grows from sensual (Descending Pathway) to rational(Ascending Pathway), we reject the idea of entering heaven through perform ing ri tuals thatgain us forg iveness in the eyes of the Divine. We begin to see more and more interiorly orrationally, that God gladly forgives us even before we commit a sin. But that is of no avail.We then begin to see rationally that life in heaven has to do with preparation of one'scharacter. All religions based on Sacred Scripture teach this, though some emphasize itmore than others. When doct rine from Sacred Scriptu re is taught by teachers who are in thesensual degree of awareness of truths, the focus is mostly on ritual worship and blind ormystical faith. This contains heresies such as sectarianism, fundamentalism, literalism,faith alone, salvation by transcription, meritoriousness, holiness, and so on (see this article

for a detailed analys is of this topic). But when doctrine from Sacred Scripture is taught byteachers who are in the rational consciousness, the focus is most ly on regeneration andcharacter formation, what is called charity and works . This is effective for it raises thedegree of consciousness and prepares the individual for heavenly life.

In general, there are six t ypes of activ ities that must occur to make up any event in theuniverse. The first three belong to the Descending Pathway and is made of A/C/S units . Thelast three belong to the Ascending Pathway and is made of S/C/A units. These movementsare explici tly descr ibed and mapped out in matrix 19 and 20 of another article. The symbol"A/C/S" unit stands for Affecti ve/Cognitive/Sensorimotor unit, while the S/C/A unit standsfor Sensorimotor/Cognitive/Affective unit. A/C/S units are externalizing events in sensuousconsciousness, while S/C/A units are internalizing events in rational consciousness. Inorder for an event to occur there must be an internalizing S/C/A unit within the externalizing

A/C/S unit. In developmental sequence it appears that the event goes through the six s tepsserially as a chained sequence, but in reality the six s teps must be simultaneous. Forexample, it appears that age periods are sequential: infancy, childhood, adolescence. Then,young adulthood, adulthood, and old age. But in reality , infancy is a state of celestialconsciousness, and so is old age. Childhood is a spirit ual consciousness, and so isadulthood. Finally, adolescence is a state of natural consc iousness , and so is youngadulthood. A diagram of this can make this more explicit:



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Infancy/childhood/adolescence is a Descending series of externalizingization o f any event.An event occurs in the body o r physical wor ld when those who are in the internalizingcelestial degree of life (BLACK segment) have the desire for that event--this is called LOVEand manifests it self in their internalizing AFFECTIVE organ. Simultaneously, orsynchronously, through the laws of correspondence, a thought occurs in those who are inthe internalizing spiri tual degree of life (BROWN segment). They do not know where thisthought came from. They are aware only that it " occurred to them" on their own. But t hereality is that the thought that occurred to them did so solely on account of its being a

correspondence to the desire of those who are in the celestial degree. There is thus a closeconnection between the celestials and the spiri tuals. The thoughts of the spiritual occur intheir COGNITIVE organ. There is thus a very close connection between the events in theaffective organ and the events in the cogni tive organ. But this would not be enough fo r anyevent to occur unless a corresponding event occurs simultaneously, or synchronously, inthe internalizing SENSORIMOTOR organ of those who are in the internalizing natural degreeof lif e (BLUE segment). There is thus a very c lose connection between affective events,



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cogni tive events, and sensor imotor events . There must be an Ascending pathway of eventswithin the Descending pathway of events, or else the event cannot come into exis tence.

Those who are regenerated in this l ife to the celest ial degree pass on in to an eternal life inthis degree. They form celestial communities wi th each other called the heavens or the

heavenly societies. Swedenborg vis ited these inhabitations and described their lifestyle.Those who dwell in the internalizing celestial degree of consciousness are fully rational andmost fully human. They consti tute " the First Heaven" and are called LOVES. Their characterand power was discussed in matrix 2 above. Those who dwell in the internalizing spi ritualdegree are called WISDOMS, also discussed above. They consti tute " the Second Heaven."Those who dwell in the internalizing natural degree of the mind dwell in the "Third Heaven"and are called USES. These three heavens are tied to each other by correspondence sincethey form a vertical community w ith one another. Thus, LOVES init iate correspondingWISDOMS, and they in itiate cor responding USES. The inhabitants of the internalizingcelestial degree could not have any loves or affections unless there were corresponding

events in the form of thoughts or understandings in the internalizing cognitive degree, andcorresponding uses in the internalizing natural degree. The exis tence of the verticalcommunity thus insures that the three corresponding events can occur synchronously inthe three heavens.

The Descending pathway is called a process of externalizingizing because it is made of thesequence LOVES/WISDOMS/USES (which is an A/C/S unit). The internalizing celestials areabove (or within) the internalizing sp irituals, and these are above (or within) the internalizingnaturals. In spir itual geography, what is above is also within, and what is below is also onthe outside. This is according to the laws of correspondence. What is within o r above isprimary, and what is outside or below is secondary. The primary initiates and is the cause,while the secondary reacts to it as an effect. In the perspecti ve of time, or sensualconsciousness, there is the appearance that the cause precedes the effect, but in rationalconsciousness, the cause is seen within the effect, and simultaneously wi th it. TheDescending sequence of externalizingizing is the sequence of creation or generation ofevents. From the inmos t of the universe, which is t he highest degree of consciousnesscalled LOVE (affective mind), there is an apparent "descent" into the more externalizingspiri tual degree called WISDOM (cognitive mind), which is intermediary in sequence. Fromthis there is a descent, or further externalizingization, into the still more externalizingdegree called USE (natural mind). The A/C/S unit o f descent (externalizingization) is thegenerative sequence that synthesizes the existence or occurrence of any event in the

natural mind, and from there, in the body and the world.

The Ascending pathway is inductive and requires the rational consciousness degree to beopened. It is constructed out of S/C/A sequences. The SENSORIMOTOR segment (seematrix 2 above) of the Ascending sequence is in the internalizing natural degree ofconsciousness. This begins the climb back up into heaven. An event is generated throughthe Descending pathway of the vertical community in the spiritual worl d, as just explained.



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The events that we witness or experience in the physical body and through it, in thesurrounding world, are created or generated by the three heavens. We are not consc ious o fthis at all. To our everyday sensual consciousness these internalizing events are hiddenfrom ou r awareness and they are unconscious. Events just happen seemingly in a chain ofeffects we call " fate" or " chance" or they happen "spontaneously." We are totally ignorant

of the Descending pathway and the vertical communi ty that ties the heavenly inhabitantstogether. But when we begin the journey of regeneration our rational consciousness isdeveloped consciously and voluntarily. This gradual development is accomplished throughthe Ascending pathway. First we become internalizing natural when our mind comes intocorrespondence with the natural angels, that is, those who dwell in the internalizing naturaldegree of consc iousness (First Heaven--USES). While we are still in the physical body, ourspiri t body, or mind, develops through experiences and character choices we make. Thefirst step of this developing rational mind is to put ourselves in voluntary and consciousagreement with the internalizing natural angels (BLUE segment). This is accomp lishedthrough natural temptations duri ng which our conscience and prudence strengthens and

becomes consc ious.

When this phase is consummated or accomplished, our rational consciousness is openedfurther to the internalizing spi ritual degree (BROWN segment). This is accomplishedthrough spiritual temptations in company with the internalizing spiritual angels (SecondHeaven-- WISDOMS). When this phase is consummated, our rational consciousness isopened to the internalizing celestial degree (BLACK segment). This is accomplishedthrough celestial temptations in company with the internalizing celestial angels (ThirdHeaven-- LOVES). Thus, at the completion of the Ascending pathway we have gone throughnatural, spir itual, and celestial temptations, by which our mind was opened more and more

fully.

The Ascending pathway appears to follow a sequence of periods, each one of which mustbe consummated before the next step in the sequence can be taken. This appearancehowever is the externalizing reality (sensual consc iousness) and the not the internalizing oractual reality , as perceived in rational conscious ness. In order for us to take the firs t step ofinternalizing natural activit ies, we must arrange our mind in accordance with the naturalangels, and this we are consc ious of as we struggle with our conscience and the rules andregulations involved in character reformation. But we are not consc ious that the spir itualangels must be within the natural angels in order for us to undergo the first step. Moreover,we are even less conscious of the actuality that the celestial angels must be within the

spiri tual angels in order for us to make this f irst step. So all three heavens are involved allthe time in our regeneration steps, but we are only conscious of the step we are in, and allthe steps below that. We are not conscious of any step above the one we arc in. As wemove from the internalizing natural consc iousness to the internalizing spir itual, we are nowconscious ly aware of both the spi ritual and the natural angels, but not yet the celestial.Finally, when we are opened to the inmost degree, we become consc ious of the full seriesinvolved in the Ascending pathway.



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Psychobiology of the Second Advent--The Birth of the As-of-Self

From Sedenborg'sArcana Coelestia1399. Every spirit has communication with the internalizing and with the inmost heaven,

though he is wholly ignorant of it, and without this communication he could not live. Whathe is inwardly, is known by the angels who are in his interiors, and he is also ruled by theLord by means of these angels. Thus there are communications of his interiors in heaven,as there are of his exteriors in the world of spirits. By means of internalizingcommunications he is fitted for the use into which he is led without his being aware of it.The case is the same with man: he likewise communicates with heaven by means of angels-although of this he is wholly ignorant-for otherwise he could not live. The things which flowin therefrom into his thoughts, are only the ultimate effects; all his life is from this source,and from this are ruled all the endeavors [conatus] of his life.

The basic principle of spiritual geography was stated previous ly as the equality between"mind" and "spir itual world." The mind=the spiritual world and both overlap completely. Nopart of the mind exists that is not in the spiritual world and no part of the spiritual worldexists that is not in the mind. This leads to the astonishing conclusion that every mindoverlaps with every other mind . The entire human race is mutually overlapping andtherefore accessib le to each other for contact and communication. Of course, as discussedthroughout this article, there is no consc ious awareness of this overlap except to the extentthat an indiv idual's m ind has been opened or made operative through regeneration. Whenwe lay the foundation for our celestial degree to be opened, we live as angels in the afterlife.The angels of the first heaven are the most consc ious or aware, and they have effectiveaccess to any individual anywhere through the interiors of the individual. In general, an

indiv idual has access to any indiv idual in the universe who has a lower degree ofconsciousness. An inhabitant of the first heaven (internalizing celestial rationalconsciousness) has access to all the people in the hells through their interior, as well as toall the people in between--the second heaven (internalizing sp iritual rationalconsciousness), the third heaven (internalizing natural rational consc iousness), and peopleon earth.

There are two known major evolutionary steps i n human consciousness since humankinddeparted from its pris tine state of c reation. This departure is called The Fall and it was agradual process of decline due to hereditary transmission of self-destructive inclinations.

The restoration of the human race to its former state then took two major evolutionary stepsthat amount to a new creation. The first step is called the Incarnation, which is also knownas the First Advent. This is an his torical event described in the New Testament. The secondmajor step is called the Second Advent and is described in the Writings of Swedenborg(1688-1771). The First Advent was the sensual consciousness of God " in f lesh," t hat is, Godin a Natural Body. This development was eventually neutralized and made to no effect dueto heresies, especially the notion that there were three Divine Persons , not just One. Since



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this is an irrational and imposs ible event, the heresy put a complete stop to the evolution ofrational consc iousness. The Second Advent was then brought about th rough the greatestmiracle since the firs t creation, namely, the introduc tion of a well known and respectedscientist of the 17th and 18th century into the spiritual world while still living in the physicalbody. Swedenborg's mind was opened all the way to the internalizing celestial degree in ful l

conscious awareness for 27 years continuously , so that he was given access to the entirespiri tual world. The Writings in some 50 volumes const itute the record of his experiences.Moreover, Swedenborg was taught immediately f rom the Lord what lay hidden in SacredScriptu re so that he could compose the Third Testament in the style of the Word.

The Third Testament is a scientific t reatise that describes the orderly opening of thedegrees of consciousness. This knowledge is necessary fo r the regeneration, or newcreation, of the human race. Without the Second Advent, humankind would have graduallyperished, that is , be unable to be regenerated. Even the regenerate in the highest heavencould no t have been saved without the Second Advent through the Writings of Swedenborg.

This is because the vertical community is so closely tied together that all depend on allmutually . If people born on earth cannot be regenerated, those who are regenerate in theheavens cannot continue in their integrity . So the Heavenly Doctrine in Swedenborg'sWritings had to be given to humankind to insure the cont inued regeneration of the race. TheSecond Advent or Heavenly Doctrine rests on an architecture of three rational ideas, whichare these:

1. The idea of the as-of-self as the basis o f human freedom2. The idea of the Doctrine of the Church from the literal of the

Word3.

The idea of salvation by means, and not by forgiveness

The firs t idea belongs to the affective domain, the second to the cogn itive, and the thrid tothe sensorimotor. These three will now be discussed.

1) The idea of the as-of-self as the basis of human freedom

There are two ideas we have about our relation to the omnipotent God: the idea of "self"and the idea of " as-of-self." The second is rational whi le the first is irrational. The idea of theself is f irst in order and is based on the appearance that when we think of something we doso from our own self, and when we choose something, we choose from our own self. This is

the basis of our sensual consc iousness and rests on appearances. This idea that we havefreedom to think, do, and feel as we choose from ourselves is irrational when you view itfrom the rational idea of God as omnipotent and infinite. Indeed, if we have freedom to actfrom ourselves, God is not omnipotent but shares power with us. This is a contradiction anda fallacy. If we hold on to this idea, and base all our other ideas on it, we effectively preventthe development of our rational consc iousness and we cannot be regenerated.



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The second idea of freedom which comes to us through the Writings is that the self is anappearance, not a reality . Therefore, ins tead of the self, the Writings reveal the idea of "as-of-self." God does not give us the power to live and act as our own power to l ive and act.This is not possible for God is indivisib le and cannot give some of the Divine power away toa created thing. Therefore all laving things were created to to be "receptacles" of life, that is,

biolog ical organs of life. The organs are formed by the divine to be able to receive influxfrom the Divine. This influx is why we are animated and can think and move. If the influxstops , our powers and our li fe stop. We would then be like minerals and stones and otherphys ical objects we call inanimate. The influx returns, and we are animated again. This ruleor reality applies to all the things we have by infl ux, things called uncreate and Divine: life,feelings, thoughts , sensations , intelligence. These things are Divine and come to us fromthe Divine by continuous influx. They are received in the spiritual organs of the mind. Eachorgan specializes in reception of one or another type of power or ability. Once the influxanimates and activates the receptive organs we become consc ious of this activity . It feelslike it is something happening within us, withi n our self. We feel something, or we think of

something, or we hear something, or we react spontaneously by blurting out some words.We feel it is our self doing these things. We feel free to think this or to think that, even undercoercion and threat by other people. This is the certitude of sensual consciousness. It is anappearance. Without this appearance or sensation of inner freedom cou ld we be happy?Would we not lose all incentive or motivation to do anything? Would God's world andheaven not be a shambles and nightmare, instead of a paradise?

So it is out of kindness and love that the Divine from c reation allots us this sensation ofinner freedom and continually grants us this sensation of freedom. In the Writings if isrevealed that the details of this element of c reation is given in the Genesis story of t he

Creation, which refers to the steps of our regeneration and salvation as a human race. Thepart of the story where the creation of Eve is described refers itself to this granting of aproprium or sensation of inner freedom and selfhood. The rest of the story must be knownby all who would be regenerated and enjoy eternal lif e in heaven. Both Adam and Eve, thatis, our intelli gence and our selfhood, colluded to eat of the forbidden tree of Knowledge.This tree represents our self-intelligence. We are forbidden to eat of this tree because thattree represents self-intelligence and to eat of it means to convince yourself that it is yourown. Self-intelligence was given to give us the motive and happiness of s triv ing for goalswe choose from inner freedom, and achieving them. Freedom is this activ ity. Without self -intelligence we do not have this f reedom. The tree of Knowledge is there in our mind, but wemust not attribute it to ourselves but to God's in flux. That's all it takes. Just don't eat it. Use

it, enjoy it, be happy with it, but don't convince yourself it's your own.

Why not?

Because as soon as you do, you die. To die means to stop your p rogress of regeneration.You then eventually arrive in hell and exist there forever. This is called being dead incomparison to those who live in heaven. We must be regenerated because of our inherited



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inclinations to evil, which refers to our ties to hell. Our mind o r spirit is tied to the societiesof hell in ou r vertical community. These inspire in us the evil inclinations. Unless westruggle to get rid of these through conscience, we play out o ur evil incli nations and lovethem. Once we love evil, we are in hell and wil l li ve there at the death of the physical body.So it's of t he utmost importance that we regenerate. But if we convince ourselves that our

self-life is our own from itself, just as it appears to be when we feel free, then we arrest theposs ibili ty of regeneration. This is because to be regenerated we must develop our rationalconsciousness. Only this rational consc iousness is capable of being regenerated. this isbecause regeneration is accomplished through t ruths , and these truths must be rational.We destroy our rational when we convince ourselves that the life and freedom we feel is ourown. Instead, we need to adopt the rational idea of the as-of-self. This means not to eat ofthe tree of knowledge.

The specific purpose of the Second Advent was to create a Third Testament that describedin rational and scientif ic language what the as-of-self is. By studying this knowledge we

begin to understand what is the rational and what it has to do with God, regeneration, andour salvation . What is amazing is that the rational is something we immediately recognize.It's not something like algebra or a foreign language that we have to painstakingly bui ld onmore and more practice and study until we gain minimal and basic skills. The rational isrecognized as soon as it is read, heard, or thought of. It is a new sense. Before the rationalis developed conscious ly we only rely on the sensual consciousness for our reality.Whatever is not physical or material feels and appears to us as less real, less bottom line,more abstract, less fundamental. But the opposi te is the reality. For the rational is real andpermanent, while the physical is an appearance and vanishes l ike a dream. The rational iscreated from spiritual substances whi le the physical is made of material stuff that has

limi ted duration and existence. Whatever is made of spiritual substances is permanent,immortal. Our mind (or spirit body) for instance is made of spiritual substances, and so weare immortal creatures made to receive influx of l ife to eternity. But this lif e can be inheaven or in hell. The difference is that between the rational and the sensuousconsciousness. Sensual consciousness without the rational within it, can only l ive in hell.Sensual consciousness with the rational animated within i t, can only live in heaven.

We must therefore see to it that we develop our rational consc iousness. This is donethrough the acknowledgement of t he as-of-self. That is, we acknowledge that our feelings,motives, desires, thoughts , decisions, sensations, and actions are not from our self butonly appear to be of our self. This is the idea of the as-of-self.

By acknowledging this, and constructing all our mental edifice in harmony with it, ourrational is activated and grows through the various steps. This birth of rationalconsciousness is called the Second Advent. It grows through several steps, as descr ibedin these charts, at last is ready for eternal life in heaven. Then the transit ion is effectedthrough the loss of the physical body, whereupon the spirit body is set free and beginsexistence in eternity .



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To recap:

We are not free from ou r own power but God grants us the sensation that we are free. Thisappearance was necessary for without it we would not be able to become human. We wouldbe born animal-like, without the possibi lity of acquiring knowledge as-if by ourselves,

through experience and effort. If we did not have the sense that we act from ourselves whilewe are still in sensual consciousness, we would not be motivated to learn, to acquireknowledge, to become intelligent and interact with our envi ronment. While we have thesense that we do this from ourselves, we continue to be motivated to learn, to evolve, toimprove, to change--and so to st ruggle to become a better person, a true human being. Ahuman being acts from love through in telligence. We make our desired choices on the basisof our i ntelligence, and thus we grow and become more in telligent. We can r

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