Spiritual Diary, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758], tr. by Bush, Smithson and Buss [1883-9] at sacred-texts.com

Spiritual Diary

When the sirens arrive, they constantly mutter something, and, at the same time, they observe whether the muttering becomes fixed anywhere. They at once note that there must be spirits in that place [where the sound becomes fixed]; and, forth with, by means of their execrable arts, they thrust themselves into their thoughts, and thus bind them. At first, they openly follow their thoughts, then they attempt to lead; and thus they obsess them. The spirits are then in a deplorable state, without the freedom of thinking; and, unless liberated by the Lord, they would spiritually perish; for they [the sirens] do not desist from their arts before they enter openly into the thoughts. This it was granted me to know from much experience, and I wondered how it could happen; but it was unavoidable, nor could they be expelled thence, because not approached, as was said, except by the Lord. When they have occupied the thought, then, in order that anyone who is not willing to follow them, may be without power to think except in agreement with them and also from them, they have certain cowbells into which they compel the spirit to speak, and this continuously, until he falls down as if hardly master of his own mind. In this manner they make the spirit to die, as it were; for they are most vicious.

CONCERNING INFLUX. ((That there is an influx from the spiritual world into the natural world, and that the natural world subsists thence, as it had come into existence, is at this day utterly unknown, because it is not known what the spiritual is, and because [men] are not willing to know anything else than the natural, and, therefore, they, and especially the learned, deny it [i. e., the spiritual]. Wherefore, it cannot be known that there is influx thence, and that thence is the life of the thought and of the will.

Man was created according to the type of each world - his interiors after the type of the spiritual world, and his exteriors after the type of the natural world - to the end that they might be conjoined in him. Hence it is, that his natural world, or microcosm, cannot continuously live, save by means of an influx from the spiritual world, and that there is, with everyone, a continual endeavor that each of these worlds may be conjoined [with the other] in him.))

CONCERNING INFLUX. ((It is according to all appearance that the external senses of the body, as for instance sight and hearing, inflow into the thought, and there call forth ideas; for it appears as if objects first stir the external senses, and thus the internal; and speech likewise. But, no matter even though this appearance is so strong that it seems hardly possible to be got rid of, yet is it a fallacy all the while; for the external, which is gross, can never inflow into the internal, which is purer; this is contrary to nature; but it is the internal sense, which, by means of the external sense, feels, and disposes the sensorium for receiving [the feeling] according to its nature. Wherefore, the sensorium - for instance of sight - adapts itself in a moment to all objects, which it does not from itself, but from influx out of the interior; and, moreover, thought and affection, which belong to the internal sense, determine the sight to objects, which that sense fully grasps, and which are coordinate with it. Other objects [i. e., those not co-ordinate, or on the same level with the sensorium involved], transcend it and do not appear.

Moreover, the externals of man, in like manner with his internals, are directed by the Lord. The direction of the Lord is in first principles and in ultimates: hence flow mediates, in their order. That ultimates are directed, equally with first principles, may be evident from very many things, concerning which [see] where I have spoken concerning fortune.

There was often discussion amongst the spirits concerning that appearance. I heard: and it was constantly decided, by the angels, that influx by no means takes place from externals to internals, but from internals to externals, and that it would be contrary to order, and thus contrary to nature, for the exterior to inflow into the interior, but vice versa. I also saw a certain one, who had fallen down from a certain heavenly society, for the reason that he believed, according to the appearance, reciprocal influx to exist. From these things it is apparent, how much we are ignorant of, and how much appearance dictates, as it were, that is different to the truth itself, so that fallacies carry us away.))

INFLUX. ((((Man was created after the entire image of the macrocosm - after the image of heaven, and after the image of the world. His internal is after the image of heaven, his external after the image of the world. Wherefore, it was thus provided, by the Divine, that the Divine may pass over, by means of man, from the spiritual world into the natural world, and be terminated in the ultimate of nature, to wit, in the corporeal [of man], and thus, through man, there should be connection of the spiritual world with the natural world; so that, by means of man, universal nature may glorify the Lord the Creator.))))

INFLUX. ((Such as man is in his organic principles, such is he in the whole; for the whole is continuous from those principles just as are the fibrillae, which flow forth from his principles and spread themselves throughout the whole body. As those principles are, so are all things which are from them, thus the whole man; hence the man, however great his bulk, is such; and hence there is a spiritual sphere around him, not only from the ideas and affections of the thoughts in the brain, but from all parts, to wit, from the whole body; for the minutest particulars make one, by derivation from the principles.))

CONCERNING IDEAS. Possibly, some wish in themselves to know what and whence ideas are. To tell it in few words, they are nothing else than the changes and variations in the interior substances of which the internal man [is composed]; thus they are modifications and variegations there [i. e., in the interior substances]. When the Lord's life inflows into them, there are presented ideas, which are called thoughts. He who does not comprehend that the interiors of man are real substances, and more real than his exteriors, cannot take in any perception of ideas.

In the entire body, there is nothing else that constitutes the life than the changes and variations of the forms in the substances there: as, for example, when man speaks, then is varied, according to every word, or sound of articulation, the form of the glottis, of the trachea, of the lungs, of the throat, of the tongue, of the mouth, and of the plane about the mouth. Untold numbers of such variations of form are established there within a minute, although this is in the body. Hence is the speech of man. What may there not be in the interiors of man, where all things are more perfect, and thousands and myriads of variations exist in the time when there is but one in the exteriors, or corporeals!

CONCERNING INFLUX. ((There is a continual influx from hell, through emissary spirits; but, on the other hand, there is a continual influx from heaven, through angels. These constantly restrict the influx from hell, and endeavor to turn it aside. But the angels especially inflow into the truths of faith, and into the goods of his [the man's] charity, which are impressed upon him. Wherefore, if a man has not such things, and does not care for them, no assistance can be rendered him from heaven, but, as regards his thoughts, he is carried away like a stream, by hell. And then the Lord operates, through angels, into his externals, what are called external bonds, to wit, that he may live well, and not do evil to the neighbor, lest his wealth should perish besides his honor, life, reputation, and so forth. Thus he is ruled by external means.))

((Spirits were observed a little to the left, in the plane of the crown of the head, who were there clandestinely, and who drew away the influx which came from the angels. They were subtle, so that they were able to do this. Then those things which inflowed, appeared very hard. But they were detected, and were driven away to the front. There, also, they practiced the same thing. Afterwards, they were cast into hell. They were subtle, of insignificant appearance, but malignant.

That the case is thus - that hell injects evils and falses, and they pervert goods and truths and assail man by a thousand modes and arts; and that the Lord, out of heaven, through the angels, averts, carries away, mitigates, and checks those things, in an instant - I know by many years experience. This has happened to me constantly for several years. But the truths of faith must be joined to the goods of charity, into which they [the angels] inflow: otherwise, they have not any plane.))

CONCERNING THE TONGUE. BY WHOM IT IS AFFECTED WITH PAIN AND RENDERED RIGID. [THEIR] INFLUX. There are spirits, nearly invisible, to the left, in the plane of the upper part of the head. They make their appearance in consociation; and these, when they flow near, which is [done] from a far-distant hell, -when these are present, they immediately affect with pain the top of the left part of the tongue; and, if they operate more fully, it is still deeper into the tongue, which, at the part [on which they operate], they at length make rigid, so that I could not have eaten anything on account of the pain which existed when the tongue was folded at that part; and it also flowed into my speech, so that I could hardly speak articulately. They operate into that part of the tongue from which there is a communication from the left ear, upwards, into the left side of the head, as far as the skull there, also to the left eye, and, downwards, into the left side of the breast, right on to certain toes of the sole of the left foot, which depend on the thigh.

These are such as in the life of the body spoke much, in external form, concerning faith and charity, and as feigned piety in every manner, to the end that they might persuade others that they were [really] of such a character; and yet, inwardly, they were criminal, inclined to everything nefarious, and destitute of all conscience. And, if those external appearances could not be produced, or would not remain, they would then rush into those nefarious and criminal deeds without any piety, and without any conscience. Such is their true quality.

CONCERNING THE INTERACTION OF THE SOUL WITH THE BODY. ((Nothing can be known concerning the interaction of the soul, unless it is known what the soul is. It is impossible to speak of the interaction of something known, as is the body, with a thing entirely unknown as to all its quality. Who, at this day, knows anything as to what the soul is? Do not some regard it as a flaming something? some as an ethereal something? others a thinking something, [existing] in some such way as in a subject? others as a pure thinking something, without a substantial form by which [to exist]? What manner of opinion is held concerning the soul, is plainly manifest from this, that they assign it a seat in some part of the body: some in the heart, some in some part of the head, in the corpus striatum in the stomach, in the striated substance, yea, in the little pineal gland! Yea, indeed, from this it is plain, that, at this day, it is entirely unknown what the soul is, since [men] believe that, after death, it remains indeed, but is kept in a certain somewhere (Pu) till the judgment-day. If it should be asked whether it has any form, it is feared to reply thereto consequently, [they believe], also, that it has no quality.

Since, therefore, the soul is such an unknown thing, it is not wonderful that there cannot be known anything concerning its state, and concerning influx, and concerning interaction - as it is called.

As respects the soul, concerning which it is said that it lives after death, it is no other than the man himself, who lives in the body, thus the purer part of the man, which is conjoined with the body, so that, by means of the body, it may perform the functions it ought, in the world. From this the body lives. This, after death, is called a spirit. It likewise appears, then, entirely in a human form; it has the senses, to wit, touch, smell, sight, and hearing, much more exquisitely than in the world. It has appetites, cravings, desires, affections, loves, similar to those which [it had] in the world, but in a less coarse state. It then thinks, as in the world, but more clearly; speaks with others, and is in society; and, this being the case, if [the spirit] does not reflect upon the fact that he is in another life, he knows no otherwise than that he is in the world - as I have heard on several occasions. This is the soul of man; and, because that is the interior man, to whose service was formed the body, which, in the world, is supposed to be, and is called, the man, the interiors of this, also, relate to man, as may be evident from the angels. These are in interiors, and appear in like manner as men do, which is also known from the Word, when they appeared to men. Thence at least, it is evident, that the angelic form is the human form. The reason that souls appear in the human form, is, because the universal heaven does not conspire to another form, and because, in heaven, the case is such, that the universal heaven acts into the least particulars there, and the least particulars into the universal [heaven]; hence it can never be otherwise than that everyone there, whether angel or spirit, is in the form of a man. From these things it is now plain what the soul is; and, inasmuch as, respecting the quality of the soul, and what it is, man is entirely ignorant in his thought, it is preferable that it should not be named soul, but, instead thereof, spirit, since this is the soul of man which lives after death; or, if you prefer, instead of spirit, let it be called the interior man; for it is the man himself, which lives. That the matter is so circumstanced, I ought to know thoroughly, from an eight to nine years almost constant association with spirits and angels.))

INFLUX. ((From the Lord, through heaven, inflows all the good of love to God, because He wishes to conjoin man to Himself out of love or mercy; and [it inflows] by means of the good of love towards the neighbor, wherein He is present, because Himself is in that love, to wit, [love] towards every man. He inflows into the truths of faith, by means of those goods; for all those things are called truths which teach what love is and how it ought to be exercised toward the neighbor, and which confirm these things, consequently, which cause man to be in charity, and thus again, which constitute his eternal salvation.

When angels inflow with man, they inflow into his goods, as far as possible, and, by the goods, into truths, namely, those which man had impressed on himself and convinced himself of. Thus they restrain him from falses, and protect him from evils. When they inflow into his goods, they also inflow into the truths, and when into the truths, they also inflow into the goods, for they are conjoined. The case is thus: they inflow into such things as are with man (for they are unable to call forth others), and, when into the truths, then into the affection of truth - and the reverse. Especially do they call forth truths by means of affection. See No. 5893 [AC].

Evil spirits [inflow] into the affections of evil and into falses, in a word, into his [the man's] cravings and appetites, and into his persuasions and principles of the false; and thus they hold him captive.

If man does not possess truths of faith proceeding from the goods of charity, angels cannot inflow, because they have no plane. But they inflow, then, by means of spirits, into his externals, into his regard for others, proceeding from fear (on account of honors and on account of gain) lest he lose his reputation, and into his fear of the law and his life. Thus they hold him in external honorable conduct. This is the plane into which heaven inflows at this day; but this plane is nothing in the other life. Man is there in a spiritual world, and, therefore, in the sphere of his interiors. He is, there, such as he was inwardly, not as he was outwardly. Externals are there removed. It is thus plain of what quality a devil was, or of what quality an angel was, in the world.))

CONCERNING THE HELL THERE THEY WORSHIP EACH OTHER. There is a hell, at a medium distance on the left side, where appears an opening, and, therein, certain ones from that hell. They there mutually compel one another to worship each other as gods. He who is superior exacts this, and those who are inferior yield it, and thus, in turn. Occasionally, some have come thence into the world of spirits, and when they would do evil to anyone, they suggest that they should make supplication, and then they would be liberated: but such are cast out with the greatest abhorrence, and punished; for, in the other life, it is sacrilege to make supplication to anyone in order that he may not do evil, because this is [to pray] to the devil. The Lord alone ought to be worshipped.

CONCERNING SIRENS. Sirens are distinguished according to the hells with which they have established conjunction; For all sirens conjoin themselves with hells. Among the sirens, are those who do nothing else, when they flow near, than fix upon certain sonorous words, which they compel spirits to speak, and this for a long time. They thus, as it were, mortify the spirit.

CONCERNING THE HELLS IN KIND. Those who are sent forth, from the hells, into the world of spirits, appear there in a constant place, at a constant distance, and in a constant altitude. By this they are recognized, what kind they are, and whence they come.

When any hell is opened, or when any devil from thence appears, he appears deformed according to the quality of the hell. Some, instead of a face, have only a hairiness or beard; some appear only as a bundle of teeth; some very hump-backed; some, as it were, beasts, in various attitudes and gestures. Thence, also, they are recognized.

INFLUX, LIGHT [LUX], THE SENSUAL MAN. (He who does not know about the interiors of man, can never know of what nature is the communication of the soul with the body, and this the less, since people have no idea at all of the soul, and know nothing at all of its quality; consequently, it is so entirely unknown that it cannot even be defined, save as being the intellectual and thinking faculty, but of what quality this is, is unknown, whether it is like a something ethereal, or flaming, or vapory, or like a very diminutive living something, as reigning in a hypothetical world of its own, or something else. But very many have no idea thereof, especially when they know theories concerning it; [for] these quite confuse any ideas respecting it. Inasmuch as it is unknown of what quality man is as to his interiors, [let it be stated that] it is the corporeal of man that sees terrestrial things and those things which are of the world, hears those that are speaking, tastes or relishes those things which are eaten, smells those things that float in the air, and that feels by touch throughout the entire body. This is man's corporeal. This dies and becomes a corpse, with those things which most directly concur in establishing those sensations. The corporeal is also every action and gesture, and also speech wherefore, it is, likewise, the muscles, [and that envelope] which is properly denominated flesh. The interiors of man, which do not die, succeed one another in the following order. There is the sensual, there is the natural, there is the spiritual-natural: these are of the external of man. Afterward there is the celestial of the spiritual, the celestial, and the inmost, which, because it immediately receives the good and truth which proceed from the Lord, is destitute of a name: these are of the internal of man. The medium between the external and internal man is called the spiritual of the celestial. All these do really exist in man, and succeed each other; and, with every individual, one of them has dominion: they are, also, distinct from each other. This may be evident, also, from the fact, that, in universal nature, there are perpetual compositions and derivations: so also in man. This is also evident from the heavens, which are similarly divided, and also from the hells: and man is either a heaven in the least form, or he is a hell in the least form; for the universal heaven must consist in the general of such images of itself in particular; otherwise, the particulars do not square with the general; for the general is nothing of itself, but it is made, it becomes, and so it is called, a general, from its parts, as far as they are likenesses of itself.) ((Every division of man's interiors has a distinct light [lumen], and a distinct heat, from the others. The sensual has comparatively a gross light [lumen]; and it was granted me, by much experience, to discriminate this light [lumen] from the interior lights [lumen]; and it was observed, that, as often as I was let down into this light [lumen], just so often there came up, from the hells, filthy and shameful things, so that this light [lumen] is hurtful, because, in this light [lumen], terrestrial, corporeal and worldly things are.)) ((This light [lumen] is set up when such things occur to the thought as are fully seen, heard and felt; so that when a man sees, hears and feels those things inwardly, thus when the shameful deeds which he had seen and about which he had heard, filthy words, and many things which are inwardly perceived, [occur to the thought], they are clearly, and, as it were, outwardly, discerned, by the senses.)) (((But when man is elevated from this light [lumen], so that he is abstracted, or withdrawn, even a very little, from sensuals, he then comes into a more interior light [lumen], which is not of the sensual but of the interior natural. When man is in that light [lumen] he is then in a better state, he is then in discernment concerning sensuals, concerning their quality and concerning causes. If he is able to think still more interiorly, he is then in a light [lumen] still more interior, to wit, in [that of] the spiritual of the natural. This light [lux] is partly from the light [lux] of heaven, within natural light [lux]. The ancient philosophers among the gentiles knew this, and said, as appears by the things in their books, that, if the mind were withdrawn from sensuals, it would come into superior light [lux] and blessedness. It ought to be thoroughly known and considered, that all the understanding, and hence the thought, of man, is from the light [lux] which inflows; for, as the sight of the eye beholds objects which are without itself, by means of the light of the world thrown upon them, so that it may constantly behold the objects, without, not within, itself: so, and in such an order, are interiors in externals.))) Thus, the understanding sees by means of the light [lux] of heaven: the interior understanding by means of the light [lux] of heaven [simply]; the exterior by means of the influx of the light [lux] of heaven into the light [lumen] of the world. ((Everything intellectual is thence; for the intellectual is the internal visual faculty, or understanding is internal sight. Hence it [i. e., understanding] is from the light [lux] of heaven, which is from the Lord, in which [light] is wisdom and intelligence, for that light [lux] is from Divine truth proceeding from the Lord. Hence, from light [lux] exists thought, discernment, reflection, attention, prudence, rational analysis, and the faculty of judging, distinguishing and choosing. All those things exist from light [lux], because they are of the internal sight. Wherefore, whatever man hears, passes over into that light [lux], in order that it may be perceived.)) ((But everything voluntary belonging to man, exists from heat. The voluntary of evil is from the heat of the world, into which the heat of heaven inflows, and in which it is adulterated. But the voluntary of good is from the heat proceeding from heaven; for spiritual heat is of the love which proceeds from the Lord as from the Sun of heaven. That heat is celestial and spiritual heat, which is love. From that heat is everything good, consequently, every affection of good and of truth, and, consequently again, everything of life: and these things pertain to the will. Hence, also, is all the vital heat in man, which is most perceived when his love is active; for, so far as his love is active, so far he grows warm, and so far his life is inflamed, as if with fire.)) (From these things it may be known what heavenly fire is, and what infernal fire, to wit, that heavenly fire is the love of doing well to all, and infernal fire the love of doing ill to all; and, also, that vital fire is not from the solar fire of the world, but from the solar fire of heaven.) ((From frequent experience, I have observed - so that it was granted me to know it thoroughly - that, when I have been let down into the light [lumen] of the sensual, and as often as I came into it, evil spirits infused filthy and disgraceful things, which at once ceased, when I was raised out of that light.)) ((One day, at dawn, it was granted me to see, even by means of sensual light [lumen], some spirits who were in that light in the other life. They appeared in crowds, in a market place, carrying sacks, in which were raw materials, which they weighed and carried away. This was a crowd which is in the light [lumen] of that sensual, as are many of the common people, who have thought no more deeply than on those things which they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears. Certain sirens were then present: they said that they wish to be here, because they see men with their eyes, and it was said that those [sirens] do not see except with an obscure sight, or rather that they observe spirits who are in an interior light [lumen], in such a manner that they, also, were only in the light [lumen] of the sensual, or of the lowest natural.)) (He who is in that gross light [lumen], to wit, in sensual [light], is also in the pleasures of the body and of the sensuals, which to him are the primaries of life; and he is also in such scientifics as conduce to the furtherance of these; and, when he thinks from that light [lumen] concerning the truths of faith, concerning heaven, and concerning Divine things, he accounts them as nothing and rejects them, like such things as are, indeed, asserted, but that do not exist, because he does not see nor touch them. He believes in the senses only. Such sensual men are, now, abundant in the world. Wherefore, the ancients said that if man were withdrawn from sensuals, he would see marvelous things, and would be elevated towards heaven.) ((Wherefore, while man is being regenerated, the truths of faith and the goods of charity are insinuated, by the Lord, into those things which belong to sensual light [lumen] and heat. They are, then, kept in connection with the interiors. Nor do they [the goods and truths] suffer themselves to be withdrawn; for their spiritual light [lumen] is in that [sensual] light [lumen], and leads it, like the soul does the body.)) ((That there is such a sensual light [lumen], is because all who are in the world of spirits from hell, are in such a light [lumen]; and, when anyone is in such light, he is in company with the infernal crew there.))

CONCERNING THE SOUL. ((It may be evident how much the perceptions of the learned differ from the perceptions of the unlearned, concerning the life after death. The learned, that is, they who are instructed in the sciences, have, from hypotheses concerning the soul, and from their own thought, thence, concerning it, made the soul either a something ethereal, or a something flamy, or a something fiery, or a something cogitative, and thus [they have made it] to be able to reside in some part of the body, or in a little gland, or in the corpus striatum, or in the ventricles, or in the heart. Hence they have taken up an idea concerning the soul, from which idea they can never acquire for themselves a faith that it is going to live after death, but a notion that it will be dissipated; and this they confirm with themselves, by their science. The unlearned who are in good, however, care for nothing of this sort, but say they are going to live after death; for they exercise no thought touching the soul. Into this thought [that they are going to live after death], not entangled and defiled by such ideas, is secretly insinuated [the truth] that they are going to live there with a body like the angels; for into such perception, there is such an influx. But into the perception of the learned there is the influx, that the soul, because of such a nature, can by no means live after death; and, if it should live, that it would be again in the material body. That the learned are of such a nature, is because they learn the sciences for the sake of a reputation for learning, in order that they may be promoted to honors and so to gain, but not that they may grow wise by means of the sciences: for the sciences are means of becoming wise; but, to those who thus learn them they are the means of becoming insane. And when they [i. e., such learned men] are exalted to honors, they live sensually, wholly like others; hence it is, that very many of the learned, if you except a few, attribute all things to nature, and believe that they are going to die like the beasts, and are going to have no life after the death of the body: for sensual men, imbued with sciences, can confirm themselves in such things; for they apply fallacies [to their confirmation].))

CONCERNING INFLUX. (The influx into the universal heaven is from the Divine Human of the Lord. Hence, inasmuch as the Divine Human is there the all in all, the universal heaven represents a man; and, to all the societies there, the most minute particulars with man, correspond.) ((The universal heaven in general, and the Lord in particular, inflows into every single angel - hence his human form; and, since he is in heaven, he is in the most splendid and beautiful form, so that, if you saw, you would be amazed, and say that such beauty surpasses all belief: and he has such a human form, because the Lord inflows, in particular, into everyone, and heaven in general into everyone, and everyone reciprocally into heaven. This happens from union, through mutual love, which belongs to charity, and through conjunction, thence, with the Lord. Hence it may be clearly apparent, that the Human of the Lord is Divine; and, in respect to that by virtue of which He is the Lord, and as to His being the Lord, He is Divine even as to the Human; and that He put on the Human in order that He might make it like the Human of Jehovah was previously, to wit, such that when He passed through heaven, He should be a Divine Man - still more so is He, now. The influx thence is into every man; for his interiors are formed according to the image of heaven, his exteriors according to correspondence. Wherefore, the interiors of man are heaven in the least form. Influx from the Lord, into him, as into a very little heaven, is into every single part and into the whole man: heaven also [inflows], in a general and in a particular manner. Hence, now, it is, that evil spirits and genii, because they do not correspond, appear, in the light [lux] of heaven, as monsters, some so dreadful that they cannot be described, some manifesting the forms of brute animals, and so forth.))

CONCERNING INFLUX. (Those who are in sensual light [lumen], can very rarely, if ever, be in good and truth, or have for their end good and truth, consequently, not their country nor justice, but only themselves, their own profit and their own honor. In sensual light [lumen], are all those adulterers who have taken pleasure in adulteries. These reject all things of faith and charity, yea also such things as are wont to introduce to any interior light [lux]. In such light [lumen], also, are the voluptuous; and in such light [lumen] the avaricious, likewise, are. I was let into that light [lumen]; and, as often as I came into it, there inflowed evil and falsity; abominable things against the Lord, against heaven, and against good and truth; and impure and foul things, especially the lascivious things of adulteries. The reason is, because spirits of such a character, are in that light [lumen]; and then [when a man is in it] they inflow - and there are few [only] who have suffered themselves to be regenerated, even as far as the sensual, or exterior natural, degree. As soon as I was withdrawn from that light [lumen] into the light [lumen] of the interior natural, which occurred at a time when very many foul things presented themselves, then was I removed from them, and I came into thought and faith concerning good and truth; but man is, to a great extent, in sensual light [lumen]. Those, however, who are in the light [lumen] of the interior natural, alternately with the former, and who are evil, are led by interior evil spirits. Those who are deceitful, approach still more interiorly, and the whole natural is infected; for thoughts are conducted from their sensuals towards interiors, where are goods and truths, and these they cast out or profane. Amongst the vile crew, are very many who have never elevated the thoughts above sensuals, and these are they who fear neither God nor men. They regard murders, adulteries, and such things, as of no account. But, amongst those who are in good, who have elevated their thoughts by means of such things as pertain to civil and moral and also to spiritual life, some of them are less sensual than the learned. They perceive interiorly, which the learned do not do.)

INFLUX. ((The correspondence of all the organs, members, and viscera, has been treated of at the end of chapters [27-42 of Genesis] in Arcana Coelestia, to the end that it may thence be known that there is influx from the spiritual world, not only into the interior man in general, but also into his separate parts, even to the corporeals; for the influx is into the functions and uses of the corporeals, and since into them, it is also into their forms, for uses and their forms make a one, just as the principal and the instrumental; for these two must be together in order that anything may be effected; and when anything is effected, they both make one cause. Thus, when influx from the spiritual world into the use of an organ takes place, it takes place into the organ itself; for this is wholly formed for the sake of the use, as is the instrumental for the sake of its principal, as, for instance, the eye for the sake of sight. When influx into sight takes place, it also takes place into the eye, or its organ, and so forth. In order that man might be convinced that there is influx from the spiritual world into a man's separate parts, therefore these correspondences have been there treated of; and, moreover, for the reason that the exteriors of the Word are significative of spiritual things, whereto they correspond.))

((CONCERNING THOSE WHO PROJECT THEMSELVES INTO THE RESPIRATION. There were many of the evil spirits, who injected things subject to them [subjecta] into the respiration.))

CONCERNING THE HELLS. There is a hell in front, at a distance a little to the left, where are those who plot against conjugial love, and study, by indescribable arts, to separate minds [animus]: they also make their attempts with those who are united. When they are away from their own hell, they appear directly over the head, above the fontenelle there, and they look, when closely regarded like serpents. To help them they have genii, who are directly under the buttocks, who also inspire lascivious things, in indescribable ways. There appear, as it were, coarse points, which are raised upwards from the head, and which they extend. I have seen these spirits cast down into hell, nor could they be cast down, until those coarse points were turned downward. Those points, which are not sharp, but blunt, are representative of the greatest lasciviousness. It must be observed, that, in all the hells, are deeper and deeper regions. Those who are worse are in the lower regions, and those who are still worse, are in regions still deeper. I have seen them cast down from one depth to another, and this frequently. It was, likewise, observed, that the deeper they come, so much the denser is the cloud which surrounds them. That cloud is an exhalation from them; it is also a proof of the dense light [lumen] in which they are, because they are more remote from the light, [lux] of heaven. The former light [lumen] is darkness and fogginess.

CONCERNING THE HELLS. I saw that sirens descended into the hell which is before the left foot, and wrought wicked things, in order, namely, that a communication might be established between that hell, and the new hell, which belonged to the sirens, behind the left foot. It was then seen, that an angel, from the regions above, looked into that hell, and removed all who were there, who were very many, and reduced them into another order, and this with great force; and that he ejected some of them headlong from thence into other hells. Such power have the angels, from the Lord, and such is providence, that even the hells are kept in order.

Afterwards were seen, as it were, horses and horsemen, interposing, from above, between those two hells, by which was signified separation, and guard, that there might not be any crossing over from one into the other.

CONCERNING THE HELLS OF REVILERS. In a dream, there were two who grievously reviled me, and this without any reason, but out of a depraved nature. They wished not only to beat, but even to injure, even so far as to inflict grievous harm, almost amounting to death; and this, also, one repeated in the company of many who had been in authority, in whose presence he had not any fear or diffidence, etc., etc. When I awoke, I observed that such a spirit was present: I spoke with him; and he was of such a quality as he was in the dream. Then was he delivered to others to be guarded; but he has become acquainted with magical arts, so as to liberate himself from their hands; but he tried in vain to escape: he was restrained. Nor did he, then, have any diffidence in presence of those who were worthier than himself, nor in presence of others. Because he was of such a wild-beast nature, he was dispatched into the hell where such are. The hell of such was in front, before the left foot, at a considerable distance, so that he seemed to be outside the other hells. Thither was he sent; and, in that part is the hell of such ones; for such characters fear neither God nor men, and desire to do evil to everyone, and regard murder as a trifling matter.

Afterwards, others came and behaved abusively without any cause; but they were not of so fierce a disposition as to wish to beat, and inflict harm on the body; but they reviled with words, thus esteeming another as vile, whom they could treat contemptuously with words. They were youthful ones, who have not yet learned the moral and civil life and, being convicted that they were such, they were also remitted forwards, to some distance before the left foot, where also there were such characters. Thus it was not a hell, because not in the deep but above. There, they complained that they were reviled by those there, and that [those] there would hear nothing; but it was said to them that [those] there could not be restrained, until they [the complainers] had laid aside that wild-beast nature, or it should be removed by means of such revilings from others; and that they would remain there a long time, according to their longer or shorter life in those things, and according to the principles embraced, that such things were allowable and almost heroic.

CONCERNING THE SIRENS. It was observed that sirens are of manifold kinds; for, when they passed to their hell, some passed by beneath, some above, some through the province of the stomach, some through the province of the soles of the foot, some through other provinces; and some are imperceptible, who are above: but all those are thrust down into hell, through openings, which I have seen, below and above; and those of them, in their hell, who wished to extricate themselves thence, were thrust down more deeply. In a word, the sirens are the most pernicious of all. They make a league with various hells. They intermix in all evil, and think of nothing else than how they may obsess the interiors. They at once inject themselves thither, and first follow the thought of another, and next lead it; in this way, they take away all freedom of thinking well and truly; thus, they all take away spiritual life. Such are in immense number, at this day, from Europe.

CONCERNING THE HELL OF THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THE INMOST OF HEAVENLY LOVE. There are those who are opposed to those who are in the province of the womb, in heaven, in which province are those who are in the inmost of heavenly love. When those appear in the world of spirits, they are a little in front, above, quite high; and they are in such wickedness, that they induce their respiration on others so that they may possess them. Their hell is in front, a little to the left, deep down. Their operation is directed towards the womb.

CONCERNING THE INFERNALS. Those who appear to lie down, are more obdurate than others, and are with difficulty driven away. Such were with me on several occasions, and could only be ejected after a lapse of time. The Lord can, indeed, cast them forth in a moment; but, inasmuch as it is according to order that contumacy should hold out, therefore that happened. Very many such were the most grievous adulterers.

CONCERNING THE HELL OF THOSE WHO PLOT AGAINST CONJUGIAL LOVE. Their hell is under the hinder part of the knees, where these are joined to the lower part of the thighs. They plot so maliciously, and also cunningly, against conjugial love, as can scarcely be told. Their operation penetrates towards the heart. Those who are so malicious, were driven somewhat backwards, and deeply, into the hell there, where they were shut up so that they may not be able to injure anybody any more. They were those who, in the life of the body, would not tolerate married partners living together in love.

CONCERNING HEAVEN, AND THE SUN THERE. ((There was shown me, by a vision, a sun, which is the Lord as He appears in the third or inmost heaven. To those [in this heaven], there appears a very fiery redness, and a very gleaming flame, 4639-1 whose redness and gleaming cannot be described. The whole [of the sun] is such, since it is everything. When it verges towards noon, then that very fiery flaming [color] forms a great zone, and in the middle is obscurity: when towards evening, the flaming [color] first begins to be less red, then less, and afterwards to become as it were white, and, at length, so that it is a cloudy white; and then it is the first evening state. When it has so appeared, then, that quasi lucidity begins to advance towards the right there, in the direction of the moon, and to add itself to the moon; from this the moon begins to gather luster, and then it becomes morning, in the spiritual heaven. There, also, the splendor of the moon diminishes by degrees; and then morning thus begins in the inmost heaven, and so forth. For, when it is morning in the inmost heaven, it is evening in the second or spiritual heaven. The reason is, because the flaming [quality], or celestial good, in the second heaven produces that change, since they are not able to admit it. There are such general changes of state; and they are changes of state as to wisdom, and, in the second heaven, as to intelligence. To these alternations correspond the alternations of the times of day in the world. There, states appear as the times of day from the appearance of the daily gyration of the sun; but, in, themselves, they are states: in heaven they are states, because it is wisdom and intelligence which are varied, and because the sun, there, does not gyrate as in the world; but [the equivalent of] its absence becomes apparent by a diminution of the flaming redness. In the heavens are things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard; wherefore, if they were described, they would not be believed. Who would credit that there are palaces there, in which they live, of the most magnificent character, and that in them, there, there are utensils of every kind? But why relate such things? they would not be believed.))

Between the third heaven and the second there is a medium. Through the medium there is conjunction. [In] the third heaven, the internal is represented [by] Judah, the external by Joseph, the medium by Benjamin. [In] the second heaven, the internal [is representd] by Israel, the external by Jacob. In the lowest or first heaven, are spirits who are simple, to whom correspond the exteriors of man, as, for instance, the skins.

CONCERNING THE HELLS. At the left side, in front, are abominable and most filthy hells. Certain ones from thence, appeared there in the gates. They appeared as frightful monsters - some as corpses clothed in their shrouds; some bony as to the head; some in a most filthy situation, and in a frightful form. I am not able to describe these things. They are horrible. Those who appear there, in the gates, are images of those who are in the hells: from the former is known of what quality the latter are. But when these were seen, they [the hells] were immediately closed, lest they should infect the sphere. Those who are on the left, farthest to the front, are bold; they care neither for God nor men.

They who are at a distance on the left, in an oblique line, [inclining] a little backward, are those who compel people to worship them as God; and he who can subjugate another is worshipped for so long as he can retain the upper hand; and it is thus, in succession. These things were also seen in a gate. This hell is lower down. The gate of the hell of those who are in front at the right, appears quite high, and, in fact, in the plane of the armpit, under the upper aim. On the right hand, towards the front, are those who are in the knowledge of faith, but in an evil life, thus not in a life according to the precepts of faith.

CONCERNING THE HELLS. To the right, a little in front, at some distance, is a hell where are those who are in the evils of violation of charity, by reason of falses - like those who do nothing else during all their life but kill and plunder, as do many in Asia, and [in places] where there are great deserts. These are in that hell.

CONCERNING HEAVEN WITH MAN. The communication of heaven with man is wonderful; and, unless one is instructed by the Lord, it can never be known, nor, if known, believed. Influx is rarely of such a kind that it falls into manifest thought; for this [that falls into manifest thought] comes from spirits who are near man - but influx is of the following character. With man are such things as he believes, and by which he is affected from the heart. When the angels who are with him are in such things, and speak together concerning them, then inflows with the man cheerfulness, contentment, and tranquillity of mind; but, when such things are not in the faith and affection of the man, then inflows sadness and disquiet, and similar things; and this influx no otherwise falls into the thought of the man - who may be thinking of quite another matter, at the time. Concerning this, I have been at length instructed by much experience; for I did not know whence was sadness, and whence cheerfulness of mind, when I was not thinking or speaking, of such things as occasion them - but I then perceived that the cause was thence.

From this it may be evident, that the affection of truth and the will of good, is heaven with man. When this is delightful and pleasant to man, then angels inflow and communicate to them [i. e., men] the sphere of their pleasantness and delight, and so produce [it in him]. It is the communication of spheres which causes it; and one sphere has communication with another, according to similitude. Similar is the case with the evil; if evil spirits speak of things agreeable to the man, then [men] have pleasantness and tranquillity; but, if otherwise, they have disquiet and unpleasantness.

Spirits spoke together, and thence was communicated a sphere which produced that effect on me. I wondered whence it was; and, at length, it was granted me to know whence, and that it was from that cause. This has happened very often: it is in order that I may be certified that this is how the matter stands.

CONCERNING THE HELLS. I was conducted through a hell which was under the hell of adulterers, where were those who were in faith separated from charity and in a life of evil, thus, who were from the church; and when I was conducted through it, I was withheld from all thought, and, so, protected, lest falses from evils should be injected, and should infest me. When I was being conducted along, I felt, as it were, waters around me. This is the hell which is represented by the sea Suph. 4647-1 When I came to another region, then I came into thoughts concerning worldly things, and heard those who were there, saying that they were in temptations; and it was granted me to comfort them. That place is what is represented by the desert, where the sons of Israel were for forty years. It was dark there; it was not given me to see anything, but [only] to hear them speaking. Afterwards, I was conducted along back from the upper region, to the left, in the plain of the scapula, or highest part of the shoulder; and it was perceived that there is a way there for those who are liberated from [their] temptations, and elevated into heaven. It is that passage which is signified by the Jordan, which the sons of Israel crossed.

CONCERNING THE HELLS. There was a certain one, who, in the world, took pleasure in exasperating others, and leading them to reply in anger, that so he might have a handle for doing them ill. He, or another one like him, appeared to me, and wished to bite me, which was also a customary practice with him, in the world. It also appeared, that, with an axe, which was not then seen, he lightly turned over something continually before himself, which was, [or, represented] his exasperating conduct, and his perpetual wish to do ill. But, with those who appear with an axe, the axe is tied to the left arm. Afterwards [something else] is many times whirled round by the right arm, and by means of the neck, which is a sign that [these are the ones who] appear with an axe, and also who [appear] with knives. This appears afterwards; and they are not able to cast off [the appearance]. So also this one. He was afterwards let down under the sole of the left foot, almost to the hell there; and it was observed, that, as often as he moved himself, a noise was heard, beneath, like the noise of punishings which comes thence, because, by many exasperating actions, and endeavors to do evil, he had opened to himself the hells which punish; and so, it happened, that when he moved himself, which representation occurs when he thinks actively concerning others, such punishings commenced there. This was often heard before, but it was not granted to know the cause. He was transferred towards the back, to the hells of the malicious genii; and, there, likewise, as often as he moved himself a similar noise was heard. At length he was conducted still farther, until he came to that place, [i. e., the hells which punish], that he himself might be punished by the means by which he wished to punish or do ill to others, thus that they [i. e., his efforts] might as often return upon him. Such is the fate of those who continually endeavor, and as far as they can and dare, do actually harass, injure, and do ill to, others.

CONCERNING THE HELLS. Sometimes there are burstings forth, as it were expulsions, by way of the back, which are efforts [on the part of the hells] to struggle forth; but they are repressed by the Lord, and those from whom such efforts come are let down into deeper places, and are also grievously punished there by their associates.

[A CONVERSATION] WITH THE JEWS CONCERNING THE INTERNAL MAN. There were Jews, who were not of the worst sort, and who also listened to reasons. At first, they were not willing to hear the internal man named. I perceived that this was because Christians so often speak concerning the internal man. They asked whether it is not enough to worship God with the external worship enjoined; but they were told that they must also be humble before God, interiorly as well as exteriorly. They did not understand this; but when it was said that they should also be humble in heart, they began to understand somewhat. Then I made use of a comparison, to wit, of a comedian on the stage, who carries himself most humbly in presence of some one who acts the king, and, yet, in his heart, utterly despises him. It was asked whether they wished to be like such comedians; they said, No, but that they ought to be entirely humble in the presence of God. In this way they better understood what the internal is, to wit, [that they have it] who thought [as well as acted] humbly, before God. It was said that externals are but gestures significant of the internal: if these were separated it would appear ridiculous. It was said, moreover, that we read, in the Word, that this people worship me with the mouth, but their heart is far from me. From this saying, they understood that the heart ought to be in unison [with the mouth], and then the state would be internal. They then declared that they now knew what the internal man is. They added that they had supposed that those who are internal men did almost nothing with the body, that they scarcely spoke, but only thought, and, so, that the thing was a phantasy. Nor did they understand what faith is. They supposed it was to think, and wondered that this should effect anything. It was said to them that faith embraces that which ought to be known, acknowledged and done: as, for instance, that Jehovah is the only God, and that He is to be acknowledged as the only God - this belongs to faith; also, that they should believe, from the Word, that Messiah is to come and save; likewise, that they ought to comport themselves humbly in the presence of Jehovah - this is of faith, namely, it ought to be known, acknowledged and done. I wished to say that this ought to be believed; but they were not willing to allow that word.

Footnotes

4639-1 Sidenote: "Brillancy."

4647-1 Called, in the Authorized English version of the Bible, "the Red Sea."