From The Doctrines For Spiritual Christianity
As all things that correspond to interiors also represent them they are called representatives; and as they differ in each case in accordance with the state of the interiors they are called appearances. Nevertheless, the things that appear before the eyes of angels in heaven and are perceived by their senses appear to their eyes and senses as fully living as things on earth appear to man, and even much more clearly, distinctly and perceptibly. Appearances from this source in heaven are called real appearances, because they have real existence. There are appearances also that are not real, which are things that become visible, but do not correspond to interiors. These will be treated of further on. (Heaven and Hell 175)
The things presented to view in the world of spirits and in heaven are more than can be told. In this place, as the light is treated of, it is proper to tell of the things that are immediately from the light; such as the atmospheres, the paradisal and rainbow scenes, the palaces and dwellings, which are there so bright and living before the outer sight of spirits and angels, and are at the same time perceived so fully by every sense, that they say that these are real, and those in the world comparatively not real. (Arcana Coelestia 1620)
Almost all the people who arrive in the other life are ignorant of the nature of heavenly bliss and happiness. This is because they do not know what inner joy is or what its quality is except on the basis of their grasp of physical and worldly good cheer and pleasure. Since they do not know about it they think it is not real, when in fact physical and earthly pleasures are nothing in comparison. So in order that they may know and recognize it, honest people who do not know what heavenly joy is are first taken to parks that surpass every image of their imagination. Just when they think that this is a heavenly paradise, they are told that this is not real heavenly happiness. So they are allowed to recognize deeper states of joy as these are perceptible to their deepest natures; and then they are transported into a state of peace that reaches their very inmost nature. They confess that no part of this can be expressed or even comprehended. Then they are taken into a state of innocence, again all the way to their own deepest feeling. In this way they are enabled to realize what real spiritual and heavenly goodness are. (Heaven and Hell 412)
The internal sense of the Word consists of two distinct elements – the spiritual and the celestial. The spiritual involves a discernment – abstractedly, apart from the letter – of subject matter or real things, the literal sense serving these as an object, in the same way as things seen with the eye may serve as objects of thought regarding more exalted matters. The celestial involves pure perception of the affection present within the real things which belong to the internal sense. That discernment of real things exists with spiritual angels, whereas this pure perception of that affection exists with celestial angels. The latter, that is, those who are percipients of the affection, perceive immediately, purely from the affection there, what the letter embodies within itself when this is being read by man. And from this they form celestial ideas for themselves, doing so with unending variety and in an indescribable fashion in accordance with the sequence and harmony of the celestial things of love comprising the affection. (Arcana Coelestia 2275)
A human being is nothing else but an organ or vessel that receives life from the Lord; we do not live on our own (§§290, 1954, 2021, 2536, 2706, 2886-2889, 3001). The life that flows into us from the Lord comes from his divine love. This love, or the life that radiates from it, flows in and bestows itself on the vessels in our rational and earthly minds. Such vessels in us face away from the life force because of the evil we inherit by birth and the evil we ourselves acquire by committing it. However, so far as it can do so, the inflowing life repositions the vessels to receive itself. The vessels in our rational and earthly selves are what are called truths. In itself, truth is nothing but a perception of the way these vessels change shape and of the alterations of state under which the various changes occur, taking place as they do in indescribable ways in the most refined substances (§2487). Goodness itself-which possesses life from the Lord, or is life-is what flows in and realigns the vessels. These vessels, whose shape is ever changing, face backward and upside down, away from life, as just mentioned. Clearly they need to be brought into alignment with life, or subordination to it. This can in no way be done as long as we remain in the state we were born in and reduce ourselves to, because our vessels are not subordinate to life. They stubbornly resist life and oppose the heavenly paradigm by which life acts, hardening themselves against it. The good that moves them-the good they obey-is the good sought by love for oneself and one’s worldly advantage. The crude heat burning within this love gives such vessels their character. Before they can become submissive, then, and fitted for accepting any of the life belonging to the Lord’s love, they have to soften, and the only way they can be softened is through times of trial. Tribulation takes away elements of self-love, contempt for others, and therefore vain pride, and elements of a consequent hatred and vengefulness as well. So when these evils are somewhat lessened and conquered by our trials, the vessels start to become yielding and obedient to the life of the Lord’s love, which is constantly flowing into us. (Arcana Coelestia 3318{2-3})
Key Points From The Video
Defining “Real”: A Spiritual Perspective: “Real” is defined differently in spiritual and material viewpoints. The spiritual views tangible objects of the natural world as less real, as they are assumed to be independent of a spiritual or mental cause and fixed in space.
Common Misunderstandings About Reality: Many misunderstand the spiritual world as real, failing to recognise that our minds or spirits are more fundamental than the images presented to our senses.
A Spiritual Definition of Reality: Perception of reality can be defined by the alignment between the true order of creation and our correct understanding of that order, which is enhanced by divine revelation.
The Limitations of Natural Thought: Natural thought, based on the appearances of the physical world, often leads to faulty assumptions and entrenched falsehoods, diverging from spiritual understanding.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. According to Spiritual Christianity, what is the origin of the spiritual world?
a. physical sensations
b. natural observation
c. angelic minds
d. scientific experimentation
Answer c )
2. In a spiritual perspective, how do objects in the spiritual world relate to the perceiver’s mental state?
a. they are fixed and independent
b. they correspond to an aspect of the perceiver’s mental state
c. they are randomly generated
d. they are completely unrelated
Answer b )
3. What is a major limitation of natural thought?
a. it is overly complex
b. it is based on the alignment of the true order of creation
c. it relies solely on divine revelation
d. it relies solely on sensory perception
Answer d )
4. What is the relationship between natural thought and sensory perception?
a. they do not relate to each other
b. natural thought comes from what is perceived through the senses
c. natural thought cannot rely on appearances
d. natural thought has a harmonious alignment to the spiritual world
Answer b )
5. What does Spiritual Christianity suggest is required to achieve a deeper, more authentic sense of reality?
a. sensory experience
b. logic and reasoning
c. Divine revelation
d. material wealth
Answer c )
Reflective Questions
1. How does your current understanding of “reality” align with or diverge from the spiritual perspective presented in the material?
2. In what ways might you be unconsciously limiting your understanding of reality by relying solely on sensory perception?
3. How can you actively incorporate spiritual principles, like order and correspondence, into your daily life to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you?
Experiential Integration
Throughout the day, choose an object, interaction, or experience that you encounter. Instead of accepting it at face value, pause and consider what inner state or principle it might be reflecting. For example, if you experience frustration in traffic, ask yourself what internal resistance or lack of flow this might mirror. If you see a beautiful sunset, contemplate what harmonious order or sense of Divine beauty it might represent.
Keep a journal of these reflections, noting how your perspective shifts as you look beyond the surface appearances and seek the deeper, spiritual meaning behind them.