From The Doctrines For Spiritual Christianity
For in general, whatever appears in heaven has precisely the same appearance as the things which exist in our material world in its three kingdoms; and such things appear before the eyes of the angels in just the same way as the things of the three kingdoms appear before the eyes of men in the world. There appear there gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, stones precious and not precious, soil, lands, mountains, hills, valleys, waters, fountains, and other things of the mineral kingdom. There appear paradises, gardens, forests, fruit-trees of every kind, lawns, fields of grain, meadows filled with flowers, plants, and grasses of every kind; also things produced from these, as oils, wines, strong drinks, and other things of the vegetable kingdom. There appear animals of the earth, flying things of heaven, fishes of the sea, creeping things, and these of every kind, and so much like those on our earth that they cannot be distinguished. I have seen them, and could see no difference. Still there is this difference, that the things seen in heaven are from a spiritual origin, but those seen in our world are from a material origin; and things from a spiritual origin affect the senses of the angels because their senses are spiritual, as those from a material origin affect the senses of men because they are material. For spiritual things are homogeneous with spiritual beings, and material things are homogeneous with material beings. It is said that they are from a spiritual origin because they exist from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord as a sun; and the Divine proceeding from the Lord as a sun is spiritual. For the sun there is not fire, but is the Divine love, which appears before the eyes of angels as the sun of the world appears before the eyes of men; and whatever proceeds from the Divine love is Divine and is spiritual. That which proceeds appears in general as light, and is felt as heat; and yet that light as well as the heat is spiritual. For that light is the Divine wisdom, and is called the Divine truth, and that heat is the Divine love, and is called the Divine good, consequently that light inwardly enlightens the understanding of angels, and that heat inwardly fills the will of angels with the good of love. From that origin are all things that exist in the heavens; and they appear in forms like those in our world in its three kingdoms, as has been said above. Their appearing in such forms is according to the order of creation, which is that when the things pertaining to the wisdom of angels and to their love descend into the lower sphere in which angels are as to their bodies and their bodily sensations they are manifested in such forms and types. These are correspondences. (Apocalypse Explained 926{1-2})
The light which is life from the Lord in heaven is there called Divine truth, because it shines in the minds of those who are there, and thence shines before their eyes. From this it is that in the Word “light” signifies Divine truth, and intelligence and wisdom therefrom, and that the Lord Himself is called “the Light.” (Apocalypse Explained 186{11})
The Divine spiritual is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good; this appears in heaven as light, and moreover is the light which illumines the external as well as the internal sight of the angels. The modification of this light according to the recipient subjects, which are angels, presents to the sight various phenomena, such as clouds, rainbows, colors, and splendors, of various kinds; and it also presents shining garments about the angels. From this it can be seen that the spiritual kingdom of the Lord was represented by Aaron’s garments of holiness. For there are two kingdoms into which the heavens have been divided, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom (n. 9277); they who are in the celestial kingdoms naked, but they who are in the spiritual kingdom appear clothed. From this it is again evident that it is Divine truth, or the Divine spiritual, and which appears as light, that invests or clothes. (Arcana Coelesita 9814)
Key Points From The Video
Beyond Materialism: The Mind’s Capacity for Generating Sensuous Experience: The human mind can generate sensuous experiences without requiring a material world. Naturalist perspectives, which attribute sensations to matter and external spatial influences, are limited and fail to consider the mind’s ability to produce these experiences independently.
Angelic Sensory Experience: While angels experience sensations similar to humans, appearing to exist in space and time, they understand these appearances are underpinned by Divine love and wisdom rather than external matter.
The Source of Sensuous Experience: Angels recognise the Divine as the sole source of their sensory experiences. The outward world they perceive is a manifestation of their mental states and their reception of Divine love and wisdom, which imparts the living appearance of external reality.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What assumption do naturalists make about the origin of sensory experiences?
a) They arise purely from mental states
b) They are created by Divine love and wisdom
c) They originate from matter in an external spatial world
d) They are illusions without a true cause
Answer c)
2. How do angels perceive the appearance of space and time in their sensory experiences?
a) As a physical reality outside the mind
b) As entirely irrelevant to their perception
c) As a projection of Divine wisdom within their faculties
d) As dependent on external material support
Answer c)
3. What do angels understand to be the true substratum of their sensory experiences?
a) External matter and space
b) The inflowing life of Divine love and wisdom
c) The complexity of their sensory organs
d) Their personal desires and affections
Answer b)
4. How does the Divine Life create the appearance of an outward world for angels?
a) Through the manifestation of physical objects in external space
b) Through the construction of a tangible, material environment
c) Through eliminating the need for sensory perception
d) Through the manifestation of representative properties based on mental states
Answer d)
5. Why is a material world unnecessary for generating sensuous experience?
a) Because the mind creates all sensory data independently
b) Because angels do not rely on sensory input
c) Because Divine wisdom replaces material properties
d) Because sensations are purely mental representations
Answer d)
Reflective Questions
1. How does the idea that the mind can produce sensory experiences without material objects challenge your perception of reality?
2. In what ways can recognising the Divine as the source of all perception inspire gratitude or devotion in your daily life?
3. How might shifting your focus from material causes to spiritual origins change how you interpret the world around you?
Experiential Integration
Choose a moment of sensory engagement (e.g., listening to music, observing nature, or eating a meal). Reflect on the experience not as arising from external matter but as a gift of Divine life and wisdom manifesting within your mind. Consider how this shift in perception affects your appreciation of the moment,
Record your reflections in a journal.
Further Exploration
Listen to the audio recording of the book Spiritual Christianity. Collected from the theological works of Emmanuel Swedenborg by Charles Augustus Tulk which is what this short course series is based on.
Listen HERE to Spiritual Christianity: Chapter 6 Part 3 (YouTube channel)