From The Doctrines For Spiritual Christianity
Angels do not know what time is, although with them there is a successive progression of all things, as there is in the world, and this so completely that there is no difference whatever and the reason is that in heaven instead of years and days there are changes of state; and where there are years and days there are times, but where there are changes of state there are states. (Heaven and Hell 163)
For the states of love and light vary with the angels as vary in the world the states of the times of the day, which are morning, noon, evening, night or twilight, and again morning. When the angels are in a state of love, it is morning with them, and the Lord appears to them as a rising Sun; when they are in a state of light, it is noon with them; but when they are in a state of light in obscurity, it is evening with them; and afterward when they are in a state of love is obscurity or in some cold, it is night with them, or rather twilight before the morning. Such states succeed continually with the angels, and by means of them they are continually perfected. But these variations do not arise from the Sun there, its rising and setting, but from the state of the interiors of the angels themselves. (Arcana Coelestia 10135{1,2})
The variations of the light of heaven are not variations like those of the light of the world every day and every year, but are variations of intelligence and love; for the light of heaven is nothing else than Divine intelligence from the Lord, which is bright before the eyes; and the heat of this light is the Lord’s Divine love, which is warm to the sense. It is this light which gives man understanding, and this heat which gives him vital warmth and a will of good. Morning in heaven is a state of enlightenment as to those things which are of good and truth, which state exists when it is acknowledged, and still more when it is perceived, that good is good and that truth is truth. Perception is internal revelation; hence by the “morning” is signified what is revealed; and because then that becomes clear which before was obscure, by “morning” is also signified what is clear. Moreover by “morning” is signified in the supreme sense the Lord Himself, for the reason that the Lord is the Sun from which comes all the light in heaven, and He is always in the rising, thus in the morning. Moreover He is always rising with everyone who receives the truth which is of faith and the good which is of love, but He is setting with everyone who does not receive these-not that the Sun there sets, for as just said He is always in the rising; but that he who does not receive, causes Him as it were to set with himself. (Arcana Coelestia 5097{1,2})
That by “morning” is signified a state of love and of the consequent light in the internal man, is because when an angel is in a state of love and light, he is then in his internal man; but when he is in a state of light and love in obscurity, he is then in the external man. For the angels have an internal and an external, and when they are in the internal, the external is almost quiescent; but when they are in the external, they are in a more gross and obscure state. Consequently when they are in a state of love and light, they are in their internal, thus in their morning; and when they are in a state of light and love in obscurity, they are in the external, thus in their evening; from which it is plain that variations of states are made by elevations toward more interior things, thus into a higher sphere of heavenly light and heat, consequently nearer to the Lord; and by lowerings toward more exterior things, into a lower sphere of heavenly light and heat, and thus more remote from the Lord. (Arcana Coelestia 10134{4})
Times which are proper to nature in its world are in the spiritual world pure states, which appear progressive because angels and spirits are finite, it may be seen that in God they are not progressive because He is Infinite, and infinite things in Him are one. From this it follows that the Divine in all time is apart from time. (Divine Love and Wisdom 75)
Key Points From The Video
Time in the Natural Mind: For humans, time appears as an external progression tied to sensory change and the sun’s movement, reinforcing a belief that time exists independently of the individual.
Time in the Angelic Mind: Angels perceive time as rooted in mental changes rather than external sequences, seeing it as an internal succession within the mind.
Connection to Space: In the spiritual realm, time and space are experienced as internal changes rather than continuous, independent realities, unlike natural perception.
Ceasing Natural Thought: In spiritual life, individuals transcend natural conceptions of time and space, viewing them as mere appearances rather than reality.
Dawn of Spiritual Light: In spiritual understanding, truths are recognised as originating from the mind, not from an independent reality of space and time.
The Necessity of Sensuous Appearances: Appearances of space and time remain important in the angelic mind to make inner states perceptible, allowing self-awareness and communication.
Boundaries in Spiritual and Natural Worlds: Space and time set thought boundaries in both worlds, defining natural thought through fixed perceptions, unlike the fluidity in spiritual thought.
Difficulty in Comprehending Divine Omnipresence: The natural mind struggles to understand Divine omnipresence, mistakenly associating it with physical space and time rather than an independent, mental reality.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In the natural mind, how is time primarily perceived?
a) as a succession of mental changes
b) as an independent external progression
c) as entirely nonexistent
d) as a mental construct only
Answer b)
2. How do angels perceive the concept of time?
a) as dependent on external objects
b) as an independent, continuous stream
c) as a series of internal mental changes
d) as a concrete measure of external reality
Answer c)
3. What challenge does the natural mind face in understanding Divine Omnipresence?
a) identifying God as an abstract concept
b) equating God’s presence with natural space and time
c) denying any existence of space and time
d) completely separating God from all creation
Answer b)
4. What does the “dawn of spiritual light” help individuals realize about truths?
a) that they come from an external reality of space and time
b) that they are inherently unknowable
c) that they originate within the perceiving mind
d) that they have no connection to the mind
Answer c)
5. Why are sensuous appearances of space and time still necessary for angelic minds?
a) to create a feeling of progression
b) to understand natural thought
c) to make interior states perceptible
d) to experience material life
Answer c)
Reflective Questions
1. How does your perception of time affect your inner peace or state of mind?
2. In what ways do you notice external events as a reflection of your internal state?
3. How can you begin to understand Divine Omnipresence in a way that goes beyond physical space and time?
Experiential Integration
Practice observing your perception of time throughout the day. When feeling hurried or stressed by time, pause and reflect on whether this sense of urgency is an external reality or an internal state.
Note any shifts when you focus on a calm, present-centred awareness rather than a rushed timeline.
Write down a few notes about this reflection in a journal to track any patterns over time.