From The Doctrines For Spiritual Christianity
In the spiritual world there appear all the things which are seen in the natural world. There appear houses and palaces; paradises and gardens, and in them all kinds of trees; fields and fallow lands, also plains and shrubberies, and likewise herds and flocks: all exactly resembling those which are upon our earth. Nor is there any difference between them, except that the latter are from a natural origin, and the former from a spiritual origin. Therefore, angels, because they are spiritual, see those objects which are from a spiritual origin, just as men see those which are from a natural origin. (Doctrine of Faith 63)
The universe in general is divided into two worlds, the spiritual and the natural. In the spiritual world are angels and spirits. In the natural world are men. These two worlds are entirely alike as to the external appearance, so alike that they cannot be distinguished; but as to internal appearance they are entirely unlike. The men themselves in the spiritual world, who, as said above, are called angels and spirits are spiritual. And because they are spiritual, they think spiritually and they speak spiritually. But men who are in the natural world are natural, and therefore they think naturally and speak naturally. And spiritual thought and speech have nothing in common with natural thought and speech. From this it is plain that these two worlds, the spiritual and the natural, are entirely distinct from each other, so that in no way can they be together. (Divine Love and Wisdom 163)
It is believed in the world that the angels are in a region above that of the atmosphere, and that they subsist there as aerial beings, and that they have no plane to stand upon The reason why there is such an opinion in the minds of many men, is that they do not apprehend that angels and spirits are in a like form to that of men on earth, thus that they have faces, that they have arms and hands, that they have feet, in a word, that they have a body, and still less that they have dwellings or abodes; when yet angels and spirits dwell among themselves upon land, just as do men on the earth; the celestial angels upon mountains, and the spiritual angels upon rocks, and those who have not yet become angels, in the plains between the mountains, and between the rocks; while infernal spirits dwell beneath the mountains and the rocks. (Arcana Coelestia 10608)
It should be known that the spiritual world is in external appearance, wholly like the natural world. Lands, mountains, hills, valleys, plains, fields, lakes, rivers, springs of water are to be seen there, as in the natural world; thus all things belonging to the mineral kingdom. Paradises, gardens, groves, woods, and in them trees and shrubs of all kinds bearing fruit and seeds; also plants, flowers, herbs, and grasses are to be seen there; thus all things pertaining to the vegetable kingdom. There are also to be seen there, beasts, birds, and fishes of every kind-; thus all things pertaining to the animal kingdom. Man there is an angel or spirit. This is premised that it may be known that the universe of the spiritual world is wholly like the universe of the natural world, with this difference only, that things in the spiritual world are not fixed and settled like those in the natural world, because in the spiritual world nothing is natural but every thing is spiritual. (Divine Love and Wisdom 321)
There are correspondences between the things which are of the light of heaven and those which are of the light of the world; and that the things which take place in those which are of the light of the world are representations (n. 3225). But what the light of heaven is and what is its quality cannot be very well known to man, because he is in the things that are of the light of the world; and insofar as he is in these, the things that are in the light of heaven appear to him as darkness, and as nothing. It is these two lights which-life flowing in-produce all the intelligence of man. The imagination of man consists solely of the forms and appearances of such things as have been received by bodily vision wonderfully varied, and so to speak modified; but his interior imagination, or thought, consists solely of the forms and appearances of such things as have been drawn in through the mind’s vision still more wonderfully varied, and so to speak modified. The things which come forth from this source are in themselves inanimate, but become animate through the influx of life from the Lord. (Arcana Coelestia 3337)
Key Points From The Video
Natural and Spiritual Origins of Sensory Objects: Objects in the natural world have a natural origin (aligned with a natural mode of thought), while spiritual objects have a spiritual origin (aligned with a spiritual mode of thought), both sustained by the spiritual.
Creation of Sensory Objects in the Spiritual World: In the spiritual world, objects are mental images created by the inflowing life of the Lord, reflecting the spirit or angel’s active mental state.
The Anatomy of Spirits and Angels: Spiritual beings understand their nervous systems not as mere conduits of external information, but as tools through which they perceive how their inner states create their experience.
The Impact of Divine Truth on Perception: Spiritual beings understand that sensory experiences are created by their own minds, which protects them from the illusion of an independent material world.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is the primary distinction between objects in the natural world and the spiritual world, according to Spiritual Christianity?
a) their size and shape
b) their physical composition
c) their origins; natural versus spiritual
d) their level of complexity
Answer c)
2. What does it mean then for an object to have a natural origin?
a) it is made of matter that is independent of the mind
b) it is governed by a separate set of natural laws
c) it displays qualities aligned with a natural mode of thought
d) it has no connection to the spiritual world
Answer c)
3. In the spiritual world, what are sensory objects understood to be?
a) mental images created by the inflowing life of the Lord
b) material objects that exist separately
c) independent external entities
d) illusions or figments of the imagination
Answer a)
4. How do spiritual beings understand their nervous systems?
a) as mere conduits of information from an external world
b) as tools to perceive how their inner states create their experiences
c) as separate from their mind and thoughts
d) as biological systems with no spiritual relevance
Answer b)
5. What key illusion is avoided by spiritual beings, due to their understanding of sensory creation?
a) the belief in a static and unchanging universe
b) the belief in the superiority of the natural world
c) the belief in the non-existence of any spiritual reality
d) the belief in an independent material world functioning under its own separate laws
Answer d)
Reflective Questions
1. How does understanding the concept of the external world as ‘a theatre of the mind’ change how you perceive cause and effect in your daily life?
2. In what ways can you begin to observe your own thoughts and feelings as a kind of ‘internal world’ that shapes your external experience?
3. How does recognising the role of consciousness in creating sensory reality impact your understanding of personal responsibility and spiritual growth?
Experiential Integration
Throughout the day, take moments to consciously reflect on the source of your perceptions. Instead of assuming your senses are merely passively receiving information from an external world, consider how your inner thoughts and feelings might be contributing to the way you’re experiencing your surroundings.
Ask yourself: “What internal ‘scene’ am I creating that is reflected in this external reality?”.
Try to see the world as a theatre where your inner state plays out in the things you see, hear and feel.