From The Doctrines For Spiritual Christianity
Heaven is not a place but a state of life. Those who come from the world all bring with them the belief that heaven is on high, thus in a place. For this reason they say they want to be raised into heaven. But they do not know that heaven is not a place, but a state of life, namely a life of love, charity, and faith, and that they appear in a higher place than the rest, but places there are an appearance. I have seen certain ones ascend on high, as happens with very many, in many ways. But they said that when they are there, they are entirely the same as they were before, and that they see nothing [that is not the same], and so they wondered that heaven was there. But if the state is changed to a good one, with whom this is possible, it becomes heaven for them, to the degree that they accept a state of love. (Spiritual Experiences 5125)
The objects of their thought, which as just noted are truths, are not at all dependent on space and time. While the objects of their sight do seem to be in space and in time, angels do not use them as the basis for their thinking. The reason is that in the spiritual world intervals of space and time are not fixed the way they are in our physical world, but are changeable in response to their states of life. This means that states of life take the place of space and time in the concepts of their thinking. Issues related to states of love are in place of spatial intervals and issues related to states of wisdom are in place of temporal intervals. (Divine Love and Wisdom 70)
It does indeed appear to spirits and angels that they advance and move from place to place, just as it appears to men; but still it is changes of the state of life that produce this appearance; just as it appears to them, as well as to men, that they live from themselves, when yet they do not live from themselves, but from the Divine of the Lord from whom is the all of life. These appearances with the angels are called real, because they appear as if they really were… This cannot but seem a paradox to man, because so long as he is in the world he has ideas from worldly things, and consequently from space and time; whereas in the spiritual world, as said above, the ideas are not from space and time, but from the state of the affections and of the derivative thoughts. (Arcana Coelestia 4882)
In the other life there is no idea of space and of time; but in their stead there is state. It is indeed true that in the other life all things appear as in space, and follow one another as if in time; but in themselves the space and time are changes of state, for they come from this source. This is perfectly well known to every spirit, even to the wicked, who by changes of state induced on others cause them to appear in another place, when yet they are not there. Men may know the same from the fact that insofar as a man is in a state of the affections and of the derivative joy; and insofar as he is in a state of the thoughts and of a consequent absence from the body, so far he is not in time; for many hours then appear to him scarcely as one; and this because his internal man or spirit has states to which the spaces and times in the external man correspond. “Motion,” therefore, being a successive progression in space and time, is in the internal sense a change of state. (Arcana Coelestia 3356)
Now the earthly body is no longer any use to us. We are in another world, with new duties and new strengths and powers to which the body we have there is adapted. This body sees with its own eyes—not the eyes we had in the world but the eyes we have there, or the eyes of our inner self. It was from these eyes through the physical eyes that our spiritual body had formerly looked at worldly and earthly objects. Our spiritual body also feels, not with the hands or sense of touch we enjoyed in this world but with the ones we enjoy there, our spiritual sense of touch being the source of the ability we had to feel things in the world. All our senses there are keener and fuller, because they are the senses of an inner self freed from the outer self. The state of the inner plane is more perfect because it gives the outer plane the capacity for sensation (Arcana Coelestia 5078{4})
The reason is that in the spiritual world the objects are altogether similar to those in the natural world; there are lands, plains, fields, gardens and forests, houses containing rooms, and in them all useful things; moreover, there are garments for women and for men, such as are in the world; there are tables, food, and drinks, such as are in the world; there are also animals both gentle and destructive; there are spaces and times, and numbers and measures. All these things have such a resemblance to the things that are in the world that to the eye they cannot be distinguished, and yet all these are appearances of the wisdom belonging to the understanding of angels, and perceptions of loves belonging to their wills; for these objects are created in a moment by the Lord, and in a moment are dissipated. They are permanent or not permanent according to the constancy or inconstancy of the spirits or angels in the things of which they are the appearances. This is why these things are merely objects of their thoughts and affections, while their subjects are those things of which these are the appearances, which, as has been said, are such things as relate to wisdom and love, thus spiritual things. For example, when they see spaces they do not think of them from space; when they see gardens containing trees, fruits, shrubs, flowers, and seeds, they do not think of these from their appearance but according to the things from which these appearances spring; and so in all other cases. (Divine Wisdom 7{5-2})
Key Points From The Video
The Outer World of Angels: Angels’ outer world includes a rich variety of spiritual analogues to the natural world, which are perceptible and tangible to them but do not occupy space or time as understood by the natural mind.
Heaven as a State of Mind: Heaven is perceived not as a physical place but as a state of mind achieved through spiritual regeneration. This involves developing a will receptive to goodness and an intellect open to spiritual truth.
Perception of the Natural Mind: The natural mind, focused on physical realities and material pleasures, finds it difficult to grasp the concept of heaven as a mental state rather than a physical location.
Reconciling Perspectives: The natural mind may attempt to reconcile the spiritual concept of heaven with material ideas, but this often falls short of understanding the deeper spiritual reality of heaven as beyond space and time.
Heaven Beyond Space and Time: Spiritual Christianity teaches that heaven does not exist in spatial or temporal dimensions. Angels have spiritual bodies and experience a perceptible outer world, but this world is fundamentally different from the physical world, being non-material and not confined by space and time.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. According to Spiritual Christianity, what is heaven?
a) A specific place in the sky.
b) A reward given after physical death.
c) A physical realm similar to earth.
d) A state of mind achieved through regeneration.
Answer: d)
2. Why does the natural mind struggle with the concept of heaven as a state of mind?
a) It is too focused on spiritual matters.
b) It associates delight and satisfaction with physical pleasures.
c) It naturally aligns with Divine principles.
d) It is inherently drawn to non-material concepts.
Answer: b)
3. How do spiritual bodies of angels differ from physical bodies?
a) They are subject to decay.
b) They occupy space and time.
c) They have none of the properties of material bodies.
d) They lack sensory organs.
Answer: c)
4. What does Spiritual Christianity emphasise about the nature of heaven?
a) It is a physical place with specific boundaries.
b) It is a condition subject to space and time.
c) It is beyond spatial and temporal dimensions.
d) It is a realm with physical pleasures similar to earth.
Answer: c)
4. What does the outer world of angels reflect?
a) The superior order and beauty of the spiritual nature of heaven.
b) The limitations of material existence.
c) The chaos of the physical world.
d) The exact replication of the earthly environment.
Answer: a)
Reflective Questions
1. How might viewing heaven as a state of mind rather than a physical place affect your daily actions and spiritual practices?
2. How can you begin to cultivate a state of mind that aligns with the concept of heaven as described in Spiritual Christianity?
3. In what ways do the teachings of Spiritual Christianity challenge your current understanding of reality and the afterlife?
Experiential Integration
Morning Reflection: Spend 10 minutes in the morning reflecting on your intentions for the day. Focus on cultivating a receptive will towards goodness and an open intellect towards spiritual truth.
Mindful Practice: Throughout the day, whenever you find yourself facing a decision, pause and ask how your choice aligns with Divine love and wisdom. Reflect on how it contributes to your internal state of spiritual harmony.
Evening Review: At the end of the day, review your actions and thoughts. Consider how well they reflected a heavenly state of mind and identify areas where they did not. Resist the urge to judge or condemn the states where they did not, instead practice just observing them.
Creative Integration
Choose one of the key points from the video and try to express and integrate it creatively through your senses. Pick a modality to do this through, perhaps a different one from what you chose for the previous module. Consider drawing or painting, making or listening to music, poetry, exercise, gardening, cooking, or even just watching the colourful or dramatic impressions of the natural world. There are so many ways you can engage with it. Record your insights from this exercise and also document any differences in what is awakened in you with this new modality.
You will have your own personal preferences, but here are two pieces of music and art that you might like to use for inspiration to get you started. Try to be sensitive to the emotions and thoughts that present as you engage with these, and reflect on how this might relate to your chosen key point.
Music
“Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy
Visual
“The Artist’s Garden at Giverny” by Claude Monet
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 2 (YouTube channel)