From The Doctrines For Spiritual Christianity
That times and spaces in the spiritual world are states of life, and that the all of life is from the Lord, may be seen from the following experience. Every spirit and angel sees the good at the right, and the evil at the left, and this to whatever quarter he turns; the good and the evil so appear to him if he looks toward the east, and so if he looks to the west, or to the south, or the north. This is true of every spirit and angel; so that if two were looking, one toward the east, and the other toward the west, still to both the good would appear on the right, and the evil on the left. (Arcana Coelestia 4882{3})
In heaven however the case is this. On the right are those who are in the light of truth, thus who are in the south; but on the left are those who are in the shade of truth, thus who are in the north; before the face are those who are in the clear perception of good, thus who are in the east; but at the back are those who are in the obscure perception of good, thus who are in the west. These, who are in good, constitute the celestial kingdom of the Lord; and the former, who are in truth, constitute His spiritual kingdom. This is the appearance to the angels there in whatever direction they turn themselves, for the angels have the Lord, who is the very East, continually before the face; but the contrary is the case with those who are in hell, for these have the Lord continually at the back. For in the other life the quarters are not determined toward fixed regions, as they are in the world; but according to fixed and ruling loves. For an angel or a spirit is his own love, and where the love is, thither he turns himself; they who are in love to the Lord and in charity toward the neighbor, and from this in faith, look at the Lord before them wherever they turn their bodies and their faces. For the Lord turns them to Himself, because He enters by the way of the east into them, and constantly keeps them in a determination toward Himself. Hence their external sight, determined by the internal sight that belongs to the understanding, and this by the love that belongs to the will, looks in the direction in which the love carries it. It is similar with men in the world in respect to their interiors that belong to their spirit. Moreover in the other life all are distinguished according to the way in which each one turns himself. That the spaces and places in the other life are of this nature, and that from this they signify states, (n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321, 4882, 5605, 7381, 9440, 9667, 10146). (Arcana Coelestia 10189{2-4})
From this it is that in the other life all societies, how many soever they may be, keep their situation constant in respect to the Lord, who appears like a sun to the universal heaven; and what is wonderful, and can scarcely be credited by anyone, because not apprehended, the societies there keep the same situation in respect to each individual, wherever he may be, and however he may turn himself and move about- as for instance, the societies which appear on the right are continually at his right, and those which appear on the left are continually at his left, however he changes his position as to face and body. (Arcana Coelestia 3638)
All who are in heaven look toward the Lord, for looking forward there is looking to Him. No one in heaven can look backward from Him, however he may turn himself (n. 4321). But this is a secret which the natural man cannot comprehend. (Arcana Coelestia 9668{2})
Key Points From The Video
The Challenge of Perception: The idea that the material world is not independent of the mind contradicts sensory experience, yet spiritual principles reveal it is formed by Divine influx.
The Co-existence of Thoughts, Affections, and Objects: Sensory objects, thoughts, and affections coexist within the conscious mind, not in an independent external space.
Separation of Spheres in the Spiritual World: In the spiritual world, the mind is organised by the quality of love or affection and is reflected in external surroundings.
Sensory Images as Effects of Spiritual Influx: The sensory images of affections in their various forms are created by a spiritual influx of the Divine Life into the sentient faculties of the mind.
Orientation and Receptivity in the Spiritual World: Those aligned with Divine Life face east, with their reception influencing their spatial perception.
Comprehension of Spiritual Realities: Enlightened beings perceive time and space as outbirths of thought and affection, understanding causes over effects.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. According to Spiritual Christianity, what shapes the sensory objects we perceive?
a) purely external physical laws
b) the independent material world
c) the influx of Divine life into finite minds
d) random cosmic forces
Answer c)
2. In the spiritual world, how are external arrangements organised?
a) randomly with no pattern
b) according to arbitrary positions
c) to create confusion and discord
d) to reflect internal qualities and affections
Answer d)
3. In the spiritual world, what direction do those receptive to Divine life generally face?
a) west
b) south
c) north
d) east
Answer d)
4. How do good spirits and angels perceive time and space?
a) as fixed and absolute realities
b) as outbirths of thought and affection
c) as illusions of the mind
d) as independent of consciousness
Answer b)
5. What is the core concept emphasised to understand the relationship between our inner state and the world?
a) the importance of external stimuli
b) the idea of fixed reality
c) the independence of material reality
d) the principle of correspondence
Answer d)
Reflective Questions
1. How does the understanding that sensory objects are not independent of your mind challenge your everyday experience of reality?
2. In what ways can you observe the correspondence between your internal state and your external experiences?
3. How does the concept of Divine influx into our minds affect your understanding of free will and personal responsibility?
Experiential Integration
Throughout the day, take moments to pause and reflect on the link between your thoughts and affections and what you are perceiving around you. When you feel joyful, notice how the world appears; when you are feeling anxious, notice how the world looks and sounds different.
Use these observations to recognise how your inner state shapes your experience of reality.
Further Exploration
All in the heavens without exception turn their faces to the Lord, and wonderful to say, this is the case to whatsoever quarter they may turn. It is from this that all who are in the heavens are conjoined as a one. But those who are outside heaven turn their faces backward from the Lord, and the more so the more remote from heaven they are; consequently with them there is disjunction, because with them there is no love toward God and toward the neighbor; but love toward self and the world. But this secret is incredible to those who think according to the fallacies of the senses. (Arcana Coelestia 9864)
The Lord’s kingdom, which is a spiritual world, is a kingdom of uses, and uses there are ends: thus it is a kingdom of ends. But the ends there follow one another and are also associated together in a varied order; the ends which follow one another being called “intermediate ends,” but the ends which are associated together being called “consociate ends.” All these ends have been so mutually conjoined and subordinated that they look to one end, which is the universal end of them all. This end is the Lord; and in heaven with those who are receptive, it is love and faith in Him. Love is there the end of all their wills, and faith is the end of all their thoughts, these being of the understanding. When each and all things look to one end, they are then kept in an unbroken connection, and make a one; for they are under the view, the government, and the providence of One who bends all to Himself in accordance with the laws of subordination and consociation, and thus conjoins them with Himself; and also at the same time bends them to their companions in a reciprocal manner, and in this way conjoins them with each other. From this it is that the faces of all in heaven are kept turned to the Lord, who is the Sun there, and is thus the center to which all look; and this, wonderful to say, in whatever direction the angels may turn (n. 3638). And as the Lord is in the good of mutual love, and in the good of charity toward the neighbor for He loves all, and through love conjoins all-therefore the angels are also turned to the Lord by regarding their companions from this love. (Arcana Coelestia 9828{1-2})