This spectacular view of the nebula RCW 34 showcases a formation that scientists call "champagne flow" as young stars form. The nebula is located in the southern constellation Vela (The Sails) and observed by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope.
Credit: European Southern Observatory
Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com
67. CHAPTER 2 As of the Lord's Divine mercy it has been given me to know the internal meaning of the Word, in which are contained deepest arcana [or secrets] that have not before come to anyone's knowledge, nor can come unless the nature of the other life is known (for very many things of the Word's internal sense have regard to, describe, and involve those of that life), I am permitted to disclose what I have heard and seen during some years in which it has been granted me to be in the company of spirits and angels.
I am well aware that many will say that no one can possibly speak with spirits and angels so long as he lives in the body; and many will say that it is all fancy, others that I relate such things in order to gain credence, and others will make other objections. But by all this I am not deterred, for I have seen, I have heard, I have felt.
69.
Man was so created by the Lord as to be able while living in the body to speak with spirits and angels, as in fact was done in the most ancient times; for, being a spirit clothed with a body, he is one with them. But because in process of time men so immersed themselves in corporeal and worldly things as to care almost nothing for aught besides, the way was closed. Yet as soon as the corporeal things recede in which man is immersed, the way is again opened, and he is among spirits, and in a common life with them.
70.
As it is permitted me to disclose what for several years I have heard and seen, it shall here be told, first, how the case is with man when he is being resuscitated; or how he enters from the life of the body into the life of eternity. In order that I might know that men live after death, it has been given me to speak and be in company with many who were known to me during their life in the body; and this not merely for a day or a week, but for months, and almost a year, speaking and associating with them just as in this world. They wondered exceedingly that while they lived in the body they were, and that very many others are, in such incredulity as to believe that they will not live after death; when in fact scarcely a day intervenes after the death of the body before they are in the other life; for death is a continuation of life.
71.
But as these matters would be scattered and disconnected if inserted among those contained in the text of the Word, it is permitted, of the Lord's Divine mercy, to append them in some order, at the beginning and end of each chapter; besides those which are introduced incidentally.
Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com
9578.
ON THE EARTHS IN THE STARRY HEAVEN; HERE, ON THE FIRST EARTH SEEN THERE. By means of angels from the Lord I was conducted to a certain earth in the universe, where it was granted me to look at the earth itself; but not to speak with the inhabitants of it, but with the spirits who came from it. For after their life in the world is completed, all the inhabitants, or men, of every earth, become spirits, and remain about their earth. Nevertheless these give information about their earth, and the state of its inhabitants; for men who depart out of the body carry with them all their former life, and all their memory.
To be conducted to the earths in the universe is not to be conducted and transported there as to the body, but as to the spirit; and the spirit is not conducted through spaces, but through variations of the state of the interior life, which appear to him like progressions through spaces (n. 5605, 7381, 9440). Moreover, approaches take place in accordance with the agreements or likenesses of the states, for the agreement or likeness of the state conjoins, and disagreement or unlikeness disjoins. From this it can be seen in what manner removal as to the spirit from one place to another is effected, and also the approach of the spirit to distant regions...
But to conduct a spirit outside his own world by means of variations of the state of his interiors, and to cause these variations to successively advance up to a suitable or like state with that of those to whom he is being led, is in the power of the Lord alone...
9581.
That this has been done, no one who is in the sensuous things of the body, and who thinks from them, can be brought to believe. The reason is that these sensuous things cannot grasp progressions apart from spaces. Nevertheless they who think from the sensuous [relating to the senses] of their spirit somewhat removed or withdrawn from that of the body, thus they who think interiorly within themselves, can be brought to believe and to apprehend it... Therefore the things which follow concerning the earths in the starry heaven are for these men, and not for those first mentioned, unless they are of such a character as to suffer themselves to be instructed.
9582.
In company with some spirits from this earth, and while in a state of wakefulness, I was conducted as to my spirit to a certain earth in the universe, by means of angels from the Lord. The progression took place toward the right, and continued for two hours. Near the end of our solar system, there first appeared a shining but dense cloud, and after it a fiery smoke rising up from a great chasm. A vast abyss separated our solar world on that side from certain worlds of the starry heaven. The fiery smoke appeared for a considerable distance. I was being carried across this middle region, when underneath in that chasm or abyss there appeared very many men, who were spirits (for all spirits appear in the human form, and are actually men, n. 322, 1881). I also heard them speaking to each other there, but was not given to know whence they came and what was their nature; however, one of them told me that they were guards to prevent spirits from this world from passing into any other world in the universe without the needful facilities.
9583. That this was so was also confirmed, for when certain spirits who were in the company came to that great interspace, and who had not received permission to pass over it, they began to cry out vehemently that they were perishing, for they were like persons struggling in the agony of death; and therefore they stayed on that side of the abyss, and could not be conveyed any further; for the fiery smoke which exhaled from the abyss filled them, and thus tormented them. The fiery smoke is falsity from the evils of concupiscences [ardent, usually sensuous, longing.] So does this falsity appear.
9584.
A continuation about the first earth seen in the starry heaven will be found at the end of the following chapter.
9693.
A continuation about the first earth seen in the starry heaven will be found at the end of the following chapter.
9693.
CONTINUATION CONCERNING THE FIRST EARTH SEEN IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. After I had been carried across that great chasm, I at last arrived at a place where I stayed; and then spirits appeared to me above, with whom it was granted to speak. From their speech, and their peculiar way of looking at things, and of setting them forth, I clearly perceived that they were from another earth; for they were quite different from the spirits of our solar system. On the other hand they too noticed from my speech that I had come from afar.
9694.
After speaking together for a while about various matters, I asked them what God they worship. They said they worship a certain angel who appears to them as a Divine man, for he flashes with light; and he instructs them and enables them to perceive what they ought to do. They said further that the Great God is in the Sun of the angelic heaven, and that He appears to their angel, but not to themselves; and that He is so great that they do not dare to adore Him.
9695.
The angel whom they worshiped was an angelic society, to which it was granted by the Lord to preside over them, and to teach them the way of what is just and right. Therefore they have light from a certain flame, which appears like a fiery and yellow torch. The reason of this is that they do not worship the Lord; and consequently have no light from the Sun of the angelic heaven, but from an angelic society; for when allowed by the Lord, an angelic society can present such a light to spirits who are in a lower sphere.
9696.
9696.
For the rest, they were modest, somewhat simple, but still thought very well. The nature of their understanding could be inferred from the light they had; for the understanding is according to the reception of the light which is in the heavens; because the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord as a Sun is what shines there, and enables the angels not only to see, but also to understand.
9697.
They were questioned about the sun of their world, which gives light to their earth; and they said that to them the sun has a flaming appearance. And when I represented to them the size of the sun of our earth, they said that their sun is smaller; but to our eyes their sun appears as a star; and I was told by the angels that it is one of the smaller stars. They also said that the starry heaven is seen from their earth.
9698.
I was instructed that the inhabitants and spirits of that earth relate in the Grand Man [or heaven which is in the form of a Man] to something in the spleen, which was confirmed by an influx into the spleen while they were talking with me.
9699.
My sight was afterward opened so that I could in some measure look upon their earth itself, and there appeared many meadows and forests with trees in foliage, and also woolly sheep.
9700.
The subject of the First Earth seen in the Starry Heaven will be continued at the end of the following chapter.
CONTINUATION ABOUT THE FIRST EARTH SEEN IN THE STARRY HEAVENS. It has also been granted me to see some of the inhabitants of a lower class. They were seen in a garment such as is worn by rustics [living in the country] in Europe. There was also seen a man with his wife. She appeared of handsome figure and becoming mien [character,] as did likewise the man. But I was surprised at his grand style of walking, with steps as it were haughty, while on the other hand the woman walked with a lowly gait. The angels said that such is the custom on that earth, and that the men who are like this are loved, because they are nevertheless good. It was said further that they are not allowed to have more wives than one, because this is contrary to the laws.
A man who is in the spirit, when allowed to do so by the Lord, can look at what occurs in the earth to which he is near; for in the other life there is no space, thus no distance between those who are in a similar state (according to what was said above, n. 9579-9581). What I have just mentioned took place in the same way as with the spirits of some of the earths [or planets] in our solar system, to whom it was given by the Lord to see through my eyes many things in our earth...
The woman who was seen had a wide garment in front of her bosom, behind which she could hide herself. It was so made that she could insert her arms, and clothe herself with it, and so go away. The lower part of it could be drawn up; and when drawn up and applied to the body, it appeared like a stomacher, such as is worn by the women of our earth.
The stomacher was a V-shaped piece of decorative cloth, worn over the chest and stomach by men and women in the 16th century, later only by women.
But the same garment served the man also for a covering, and he was seen to take it from the woman and apply it to his own back, loosening the lower part, which then flowed down to his feet like a gown, and in this manner he walked clad.
Afterward I spoke with spirits who were from that earth, and told them many things about our earth; as that there are sciences here which do not exist elsewhere, such as astronomy, geometry, mechanics, physics, chemistry, medicine, optics, and philosophy; besides arts which also are unknown elsewhere, as the art of ship-building, of casting metals, of writing on paper, and of printing what is written, and thus of communicating it to all in the whole earth, and of preserving it to posterity for thousands of years; and that it has been so done with the Word, which is from the Lord, and that therefore the revealed Word remains unchanged in this earth (see n. 9350-9360).
Lastly there was shown me the hell of those who are from that earth. Those who were seen from it excited the greatest terror. I would not venture to describe their monstrous faces. Sorceresses also were seen there who practice direful arts; they appeared clad in green, and excited horror.
The second earth that was seen in the starry heaven will be described at the end of the following chapter.
CONCERNING THE SECOND EARTH SEEN IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. I was afterward led by the Lord to an earth in the universe which was at a greater distance from our earth than that first one which was treated of at the end of some of the former chapters. That it was further distant was given me to know from the fact that I was two days being led thither as to my spirit. This earth was to the left; but the former was to the right. Remoteness in the other life does not arise from distance of place; but from difference of state, which nevertheless appears there like distance of place (according to what was said above, n. 9440). Wherefore from the time it took to get there, which as already said was two days, I was able to infer that the state of the interiors with those people - which is the state of the affections and the consequent thoughts - differed from the state of the interiors with the spirits from our earth in the same proportion. As I was conveyed thither in respect to the spirit by means of changes of state of the interiors, it was given me to note the successive changes themselves, before I arrived there. This took place while I was awake.
When I arrived there, the earth itself was not seen, but only the spirits from that earth; for as has already been observed several times, the spirits of every earth appear around their own earth, for the reason that they... may be with the inhabitants of their own earth, who are of a similar genius. For a man cannot live apart from spirits, and spirits of a like nature are adjoined to everyone (see n. 5846-5866, 5976-5993). These spirits appeared at a considerable height above the head, and from thence they looked at me as I was coming. [2] Be it known that those who are on high can look at those who are below; and the greater their height, the farther their view extends; and that they can not only look at them, but can also speak with them. From their position they observed that I was not from their earth, but from a greater distance elsewhere; wherefore they addressed to me a variety of questions, to which it was also given me to reply. Among other things I told them from what earth I was, and what was its nature. Afterward I told them about the earths [or planets] in our solar system, and at the same time also about the spirits of the earth or planet Mercury, to whom it is given to wander about to many earths for the sake of acquiring knowledges about various things, with which they are delighted (n. 6808-6817, 6921-6932, 7069-7079). When they heard this, they said that they also had seen these spirits among them.
I was told by angels from our earth that the inhabitants and spirits of this "second" earth bear relation in the Grand Man [or heaven in the form of a man] to the keenness of the external sight; and that on this account they appear on high, and are also remarkably keen of sight.
Because they bear this relation in the Grand Man, which is heaven, and as they clearly see the things which are below, in conversing with them I compared them to eagles, which fly to a great height, and look around with a sharp and far-reaching vision. But at this they were indignant, supposing that I believed them to be like eagles in respect to rapacity [or greed,] and thus that they were evil. But I replied that I did not liken them to eagles in respect to rapacity, but in respect to their keenness of sight; adding that they who are like eagles in respect to rapacity are evil, but that they who are like them only in keenness of sight are good.
Being questioned about the God whom they worship, they answered that they worship a visible and an invisible God; a visible God under a human form, and an invisible God not under any form. And it was found from their speech, and also from the ideas of their thought when communicated to me, that their visible God is our Lord Himself, and they also called Him "the Lord." To all this it was given me to reply that on our earth also a visible and an invisible God is worshiped, and that the invisible God is called "the Father;" and the visible God, "the Lord;" but that the two are One, as He Himself taught us, saying, that "no one hath ever seen the shape of the Father," but that "the Father and He are One," that "whosoever seeth Him, seeth the Father," that "the Father is in Him, and He in the Father;" consequently that both are this Divine in one person. (That these are the words of the Lord Himself, see John 5:37; 10:30; 14:7, 9-11.)
Afterward I saw spirits from the same earth in a place beneath the former, and I spoke with these also. But these were idolaters, for they worshiped an idol of stone like a man, but not beautiful. Be it known that at first all who come into the other life have a worship like their worship in the world, but that they are gradually removed from it. The reason of this is that all worship remains implanted in the interior life of the man, from which it cannot be removed and rooted out except gradually. Upon seeing this, it was given me to tell them that they ought not to worship what is dead, but what is alive. To this they answered that they know that God is alive, and is not a stone; but they think of the living God when they look upon a stone that is like a man, and that otherwise the ideas of their thought could not be fixed and determined to the invisible God. It was then given me to tell them that the ideas of thought can be fixed and determined to the invisible God, by fixing and determining them to the Lord, who is the visible God; and that in this way a man can be conjoined with the invisible God in thought and affection, and consequently in faith and love, when he is conjoined with the Lord; but not otherwise.
A continuation concerning this Second Earth in the starry heaven will be found at the end of the following chapter.
CONTINUATION ABOUT THE SECOND EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. As I have spoken with the spirits of that earth about the invisible and visible God, I may mention that almost all in the universe worship God under a visible form, and in fact in their idea under the human form, and that this is implanted in them. It is by virtue of influx from heaven that it is implanted in them, for wonderful to say the angels who are raised up in the sphere of the third heaven, come into a plain perception about this subject. The reason is that all in that heaven are in the love of the Lord, and from this are as it were in the Lord, and because all perception, such as belongs to the angels there, is from the order and influx of heaven; for heaven in its whole complex bears relation to a man, as can be seen from what has been shown about heaven as the Grand Man, at the end of many chapters (see the places cited in n. 10030). That heaven in its whole complex bears relation to a man, is from the Divine Human of the Lord; for from this the Lord flows into heaven, makes it, and forms it according to His own likeness...
The question was asked, whether in their earth they live under the commands of chiefs or kings; to which they replied that they do not know what commands are, and that they live under themselves, distinguished into nations, families, and households. It was further asked whether in this way they are safe. They said that they are safe, because one family never envies another, nor wishes to take away anything from it. They were indignant at being asked such questions; as though it involved a charge of hostility, and of some need of protection against robbers. "What more do men need," said they, "than to have food and clothing, and thus to dwell content and quiet under themselves?" [2] It was perceived from the most ancient people who were from our earth that they had so lived in their time, and that they then knew not what it was to exercise command over others from the love of self, and from the love of the world to heap up wealth beyond what is necessary; and that they then had inward peace, and at the same time outward peace, and from this heaven among men. Those times were therefore called by ancient writers the Golden Age, and they were described by saying that the people did what was just and right from the law written on their hearts. [3] The state of life of those times is described in the Word by "dwelling under themselves safely and alone without gates and bars" (Ezek. 38:11). And as their habitations were tents, therefore in memory of this a tent was erected which was for a house of God, and afterward the feast of tents was instituted, in which they were glad from the heart. And as they who lived in this way were free from the insane love of exercising command for the sake of themselves, and of gaining the world for the sake of the world, therefore heaven then let itself down to them, and the Lord was seen by many in a human form.
Being questioned about their earth, they said that they have meadows, beds of flowers, groves full of fruit trees; lakes in which there are fish; birds of a sky-blue color with golden feathers; and animals larger and smaller. Among the smaller animals they mentioned some which have a humped back, like that of camels on our earth. Nevertheless they do not feed on their flesh, but only on the flesh of fishes, and also on the fruits of trees, and on vegetables. They said further that they do not dwell in built houses, but in groves, in which amid the foliage they make for themselves roofs as a protection against rain and the heat of the sun.
Being asked about their sun, which is seen as a star from our earth, they said that it is of a fiery color, in appearance no larger than a man's head. I was told by angels that the star which is their sun is among the lesser stars, not far from the celestial equator.
Spirits were seen like what they had been when they were men on their earth. Their faces are not unlike the faces of the men of our earth, except that their eyes are small, and also their noses. As this appeared to me somewhat of a deformity, they said that to them small eyes and noses are beautiful. A woman was seen clad in a mantle on which were roses of various colors. When I asked how they procure their garments on that earth, they replied that they gather from plants such things as they can entwine into threads, and that after laying the threads straight they place them together in double and triple rows, and moisten them with a glutinous fluid, and in this way they induce a consistency, and afterward color this fabric with the juices of plants...
They also said that on that earth a husband has one wife, and no more; and that they procreate children there to the number of from ten to fifteen. They added that harlots are also found there, but that after the life of the body, when they become spirits, these are sorceresses and are cast into hell...
ON A SIXTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. Once more was I conducted to another earth that was in the universe outside our solar world, and this also by means of changes of state continued for about twelve hours. In company with me there were a number of spirits and angels from our earth, with whom I conversed on the way or during the progression...
When the angelic spirits who were from that earth came into view, they accosted us, asking who we were, and what we desired. We said that we were travelers, and that we had been conveyed thither, and that they need not be afraid of us. For they were afraid that we were of those who disturb them about God, about faith, and about other like things, on account of whom they had betaken themselves into that quarter of their earth, avoiding them wherever they could. They were asked by what those persons disturb them. They replied, "By the idea of Three, and by the idea of a Divinity in God without any Humanity, when yet they know and perceive that God is one, and that He is a Man. It was then perceived that those who disturbed them, and whom they fled from, were from our earth. This was perceived also from the fact that those in the other life who wander about in this way from an eagerness and delight in traveling which they contracted in the world, are from our earth; for on other earths there are no such travelings about. It was afterward found that their visitors were monks who had traveled about on our globe from a zeal for converting the Gentiles; and therefore we said that they do well to avoid them, because their intention is not to teach, but to get rich, and to rule; and that they first take pains to captivate the minds of others, and then they subject them to themselves as slaves. We also said that they do well in not suffering their own idea about the Lord to be disturbed by such persons.
They said further that these persons also confuse them by telling them that they ought to have faith, and to believe all that they say; and that they reply to them that they do not know what faith is, or what it is to believe, seeing that they perceive within themselves that the thing is so. For they were of the Lord's celestial kingdom, where all know from interior perception the truths which with us are called truths of faith, because they are in enlightenment from the Lord, differently from those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom. That they were of this nature it was also given to see from the flame-like source of their ideas. When there is discourse about truths, those who are of the Lord's celestial kingdom say no more than Yea, yea, or Nay, nay; and they never reason about them as to whether they are so or are not so. These are they of whom the Lord says, "Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; that which is more than these is from evil." From this it is that these spirits said that they do not know what it is to have faith, or to believe. They consider this to be like someone telling his companion, who sees houses or trees with his own eyes, that he ought to have faith or believe that they are houses and trees, while he clearly sees that such is the fact. Such are they who belong to the Lord's celestial kingdom, and such were these angelic spirits. We told them that there are few on our earth who have interior perception, for the reason that in their youth they learn truths and do not practice them. For man has two faculties, which are called the understanding and the will; and as those who do not admit truths further than into the memory and thus a little into the understanding, but not into the life, that is, into the will, cannot be in any enlightenment or in interior sight from the Lord, they say that things must be believed, or that people must have faith. And they also reason about these things as to whether they are true or not; nay, they do not wish them to be perceived by any interior sight or understanding. They speak in this way because with them truths are devoid of light from heaven, and to those who see without light from heaven, falsities can appear as truths, and truths as falsities. From this a blindness so great has taken possession of many there, that although a man does not practice truths, that is, live according to them, they nevertheless say that he can be saved by faith alone...
A continuation about this sixth earth in the starry heaven will be found at the end of the following chapter...
CONTINUATION ABOUT THE SIXTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. These spirits, with whom I now conversed, were from the northern part of their earth. I was next conducted to others who were from the western part...
They then asked how the Lord appears with the angels from our earth. I said that He appears in the Sun as a Man, encompassed there with solar fire, from which the angels in the heavens have all their light; and that the heat which proceeds from it is Divine good, and that the light which is from it is Divine truth, both from the Divine love, which is the fiery appearance round the Lord in that Sun; but that that Sun is seen only by the angels in heaven, and not by the spirits who are beneath, because these are more remote from the reception of the good of love and the truth of faith than are the angels who are in the heavens. But as regards the sun of the world, it is seen by no one in the other life, yet it appears in their idea as something that is black and not visible, from its being opposite to the Sun of heaven, which is the Lord. The reason why it was given them to inquire about the Lord and about His appearance before the angels from our earth, was that it then pleased the Lord to present Himself as present with them, and to reduce into order the things that had been disturbed by the evil ones there about which they had complained. It was in order that I might see these things that I had been brought there.
There was then seen a dim cloud toward the east descending from some height, and which as it came down gradually appeared bright, and in the human form; and finally this form was in a flaming radiance, around which were little stars of the same color. In this way did the Lord present Himself before the spirits with whom I was conversing. To this presence then were gathered from every side all the spirits who were there; and as they came the good were separated from the evil, the good to the right, and the evil to the left, and this at once as of their own accord. And those who were to the right were arranged in order according to the quality of their good, and those who were to the left according to the quality of their evil. Those who were good were left to form a heavenly society among themselves; but the evil were cast into the hells. I afterward saw that the flaming radiance descended into the lower parts of the earth there to a considerable depth, and as it did so appeared at one time as a flaming that verged to brightness, at another as a brightness that verged to dimness, and at another as a dimness. And I was told by the angels that this appearance is according to the reception of truth from good, and of falsity from evil, with those who inhabit the lower parts of that earth; and that it was not at all because that flaming radiance underwent such variations. They also said that the lower parts of that earth are inhabited by both the good and the evil; but that they are well separated, to the intent that the evil may be directed by the Lord by means of the good. They added that the good are by turns raised up by the Lord from thence, into heaven, and that others succeed in their place; and so continually. As the flaming radiance descended, the good were in the same way separated from the evil, and all things were reduced into order. For by various arts and cunning tricks the evil had introduced themselves there into the abodes of the good, and had infested them; and this was the cause of that visitation.
That cloud, which as it descended appeared gradually brighter, and in the human form, and afterward as a flaming radiance, was an angelic society, in the midst of which was the Lord. From this it was given to know what is meant by the Lord's words, where He speaks in the Gospels about the Last Judgment: that "He will come with the angels in the clouds of heaven with glory and power."
Afterward there were seen monkish spirits, who in the world had been traveling monks or missionaries, as above related. And there was also seen a crowd consisting of spirits of that earth, most of them evil, whom they had drawn over to their party and had seduced. These were seen at the eastern quarter of that earth, from which they drove away the good, who as before related appeared at the north side of the earth. That crowd, together with those who had seduced them, were gathered into one to the number of several thousands, and were separated, and the evil from among them were cast into the hells. It was also granted me to converse with one spirit, a monk, and to ask him what he was doing there. He said that he was teaching them about the Lord "What else?" "About heaven and hell." "What else?" "About belief in all things which I shall say." "What else?" "About the power of remitting sins and of opening and closing heaven." He was then examined as to what he knew about the Lord, about the truths of faith, about the remission of sins, about the salvation of man, and about heaven and hell; and it was found that he knew scarcely anything, and that he was in obscurity and falsity about each and all things, and that there was nothing seated in him but the cupidity [or greed] of acquiring wealth and dominion. He had contracted this cupidity in the world, and consequently he had it in him, and he was therefore told that as he had traveled so far under the influence of this cupidity, and as such was his condition in respect to doctrine, his presence among the spirits of that earth could have no other result than the taking away of heavenly light, and the introduction of the darkness of hell, the effect of which would be that hell would rule in them, and not the Lord. Moreover, in spite of his stupidity in respect to the things that belong to heaven, he was cunning in leading people astray; and being of such a character he was then cast into hell. In this manner were the spirits of that earth freed from those monkish missionaries.
Among other things, the spirits of that earth also said that those visitors who as has been said were monkish spirits, were extremely desirous that they should live together in a society, and not separated and solitary. For spirits and angels dwell and live together in a like manner as in the world, because everyone's life in the world follows him. Those who in the world have dwelt congregated together, so dwell there; and those who have dwelt separated into houses and families dwell there in the same way. When these spirits lived on their earth, they dwelt separate, household by household, family by family, and thus nation by nation; and consequently they did not know what it is to dwell together in a society; so that when they were told that the reason why those visitors desired this was in order that they might command or have dominion over them, and that otherwise they could not subject them to themselves and make them slaves, they replied that they did not at all know what it is to command and have dominion. That they flee at the mere idea of command or rule, I observed from the fact that when I showed the city in which I dwelt to one of them who accompanied us back, at the first view of it he fled away and was seen no more. Be it known that when it pleases the Lord, spirits and angels can see through a man's eyes the things which are in the world; but the Lord allows this solely with one to whom He grants to speak with spirits and angels, and to be with them. It was granted them to see through my eyes the things which are in the world as plainly as I myself see them, and also to hear men speaking with me.
10814.
It was then given me to speak with the angels who were with me about rule of various kinds, and to say that there are two kinds of rule; one of love toward the neighbor, and the other of the love of self; and that the rule of love toward the neighbor prevails among those who dwell separated into houses, families, and nations; but the rule of the love of self among those who dwell together in a society. Among those who live separated into houses, families, and nations, it is the father of the nation, and under him the fathers of families, and under these the fathers of each household, who rule. He is called the father of the nation from whom come the families, and from the families the households. But all these rule from love like that of a father toward his children, who teaches them how they ought to live, bestows benefits upon them, and as far as he is able gives them of his own. Nor does it ever enter into his mind to subject them under himself as subjects or as servants; but he loves that they should obey him as sons obey their father. And as this love grows as it descends (as is known), therefore the father of the nation acts from a more interior love than the immediate father of the sons himself. Such also is the rule in the heavens, because such rule is of the Lord; for His rule is from His Divine love toward the whole human race. [2] But the rule of the love of self, which is opposite to the rule of love toward the neighbor, began when man estranged himself from the Lord; because insofar as a man does not love and worship the Lord, so far he loves and worships himself; and so far also he loves the world more than heaven. It then became a matter of necessity-for the sake of their safety-for the nations with their families and households to betake themselves into a united body, and to begin governments under various forms. For insofar as this love increased, so far increased evils of every kind, such as enmities, envyings, hatreds, revenges, deceits, and fierce ragings against all who opposed them. Moreover, this love is of such a nature that insofar as the reins are given it, it rushes on until at last all such persons wish to rule over all in the whole world, and everyone wishes to possess all the goods of others; and even this is not enough; he also wishes to rule over the universal heaven; as can be seen from the modern Babylonia [or the Roman Catholic Church.] This then is the rule of the love of self; from which the rule of love toward the neighbor differs as heaven does from hell. [3] But although such is the nature of the rule of the love of self in societies, there is nevertheless a rule of love toward the neighbor even in kingdoms, with those who are wise from faith and love to God, for these love the neighbor. That these also dwell in the heavens, divided into nations, families, and households (although they are at the same time in societies, but according to spiritual relationships, which are those of the good of love and the truth of faith) of the Lord's Divine mercy elsewhere. A continuation about this sixth earth in the starry heaven will be found at the end of the following chapter...
CONTINUATION ABOUT THE SIXTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. I afterward questioned those spirits about various things in the earth from which they were; and first about their Divine worship. To this they replied that the nations together with their families assemble every thirtieth day at one place, and hear preachings, and that from a pulpit raised somewhat above the ground the preacher then teaches them truths Divine which lead to the good of life. They were asked from what source they have a knowledge of truths Divine. They said that it is from revelation; and with regard to revelation they stated that it takes place in the morning, in a state midway between sleep and waking, when they are in interior light not yet interrupted by the senses of the body, and by worldly things; and that they then hear angels of heaven speaking about truths Divine and a life according to them; and that when they become awake an angel appears to them at the bedside in a white garment, who then suddenly disappears from their eyes, and from this they know that the things which they have heard are from heaven. In this way a vision of Divine origin is distinguished from a vision that is not Divine; for no angel appears in a vision that is not Divine. They added that revelations are made to their preachers, and sometimes also to others, in a similar way.
With respect to the sun of that earth, which to us is a star, they said that it appears to the inhabitants of the size of the human head, of the color of flame; that their year is two hundred days long, and that a day is equal to nine hours of our time, which they were able to infer from the length of the days of our earth as perceived in me; and further that they have perpetual spring and summer, and consequently that the fields are in bloom, and the trees bear fruit, continuously. The reason of this is that their year is so short, being equal only to the time of seventy-five days of our year; and where the years are so short, there the cold does not linger in winter, nor the heat in summer, in consequence of which the ground is constantly in a state of spring.
10835.
In reply to a question about their houses, they said that they are low, of wood, with a flat roof, around which is a coping sloping downward; and that in the front part of the house dwell the husband and wife, the children in the part adjoining, and the menservants and maidservants behind. With respect to their food, they said that they live on fruit and vegetables, and that they drink milk with water, and have the milk from cows which are woolly like sheep...
In reply to a question about their houses, they said that they are low, of wood, with a flat roof, around which is a coping sloping downward; and that in the front part of the house dwell the husband and wife, the children in the part adjoining, and the menservants and maidservants behind. With respect to their food, they said that they live on fruit and vegetables, and that they drink milk with water, and have the milk from cows which are woolly like sheep...
Note from this Blogger: I believe the residents of the Planets in our Solar System exist at least at an Etheric level, or what I call the Higher Physical Plane, which is the next higher Plane above the Physical Plane we dwell on.
According to Theosophy the Higher Physical Plane is known as the Etheric plane where our Etheric body resides. It is the first inner Spirit world. Ginny Katz is taught in her book Beyond the Light that; the supra-physical World [or the Higher Physical Plane is] very close to physical manifestation… Your supra-physical body resembles your physical body in every way, it lies just beyond physical sight- between the body and your astral sheath. (p261-263) The supra-physical sheath’s protection is constantly required by most individuals… The supra-physical body is formed within several weeks of Soul’s entrance into a new, infant physical form. (p264) The supra-physical world is more like the Physical World than any of the inner, non physical realms. It is so close to the Physical Plane that physical matter can move in and out of it. When you travel in the supra-physical realm the laws simply become a bit less limiting than the Physical Plane. Just like airplanes opened the skies for travel, other modes of travel will access the supra-physical realities. (p331)
Benjamin Creme, who claims to represent the Master Maitreya, was asked the question: After reading your information regarding so-called UFOs being from Mars and Venus, I wonder how this can be possible. The surface temperature of Venus is over 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Mars has been photographed by satellite for a number of years and recent probes have found no sign of life… Answer: The Physical Plane, as understood by our scientists, has three levels only, solid, liquid and gaseous physical. In fact, it has seven levels, the top four being Etheric, and to our sight invisible. To Martians, Venusians and other Space Brothers, they are not only visible but are their normal, Physical Level of being. The UFO vehicles are also made of Etheric energy and would normally be invisible; but they do lower the vibration of the atoms of the vehicles to bring them in range of our sight. This is a temporary manifestation only. (Share International Magazine, September, 2007.)
According to Theosophy the Higher Physical Plane is known as the Etheric plane where our Etheric body resides. It is the first inner Spirit world. Ginny Katz is taught in her book Beyond the Light that; the supra-physical World [or the Higher Physical Plane is] very close to physical manifestation… Your supra-physical body resembles your physical body in every way, it lies just beyond physical sight- between the body and your astral sheath. (p261-263) The supra-physical sheath’s protection is constantly required by most individuals… The supra-physical body is formed within several weeks of Soul’s entrance into a new, infant physical form. (p264) The supra-physical world is more like the Physical World than any of the inner, non physical realms. It is so close to the Physical Plane that physical matter can move in and out of it. When you travel in the supra-physical realm the laws simply become a bit less limiting than the Physical Plane. Just like airplanes opened the skies for travel, other modes of travel will access the supra-physical realities. (p331)
Benjamin Creme, who claims to represent the Master Maitreya, was asked the question: After reading your information regarding so-called UFOs being from Mars and Venus, I wonder how this can be possible. The surface temperature of Venus is over 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Mars has been photographed by satellite for a number of years and recent probes have found no sign of life… Answer: The Physical Plane, as understood by our scientists, has three levels only, solid, liquid and gaseous physical. In fact, it has seven levels, the top four being Etheric, and to our sight invisible. To Martians, Venusians and other Space Brothers, they are not only visible but are their normal, Physical Level of being. The UFO vehicles are also made of Etheric energy and would normally be invisible; but they do lower the vibration of the atoms of the vehicles to bring them in range of our sight. This is a temporary manifestation only. (Share International Magazine, September, 2007.)
Earths in the Universe, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758], tr. by John Whitehead [1892] at sacred-texts.com
Since, from the Divine mercy of the Lord, the interiors, which are of my spirit, have been opened to me, and thereby it has been granted me to speak with spirits and angels, not only with those who are near our earth, but also with those who are near other earths; because I had a desire to know whether there are other earths, and what their nature is, and the quality of their inhabitants, therefore it has been granted me by the Lord to speak and converse with spirits and angels who are from other earths, with some for a day, with some for a week, and with some for months; and to be instructed by them concerning the earths, from which and near which they were; and concerning the lives, customs, and worship of the inhabitants thereof, and of various other things worthy to be related: and because in this manner it has been granted me to know these things, it is permitted to describe them from what has been heard and seen. It is to be known that all spirits and angels are from the human race; [1-1 There are no spirits and angels who are not from the human race (Arcana Coelestia 1880)] and that they are near their own earths; [1-2 The spirits of every earth are near to their own earth, because they are from the inhabitants of that earth, and of a similar genius; and they are serviceable to those inhabitants (n. 9968).] and that they know what is there; and that by them man may be instructed, if his interiors are so far opened that he can speak and converse with them; for man in his essence is a spirit, [1-3 The soul, which lives after death, is the spirit of man, which is the real man in him, and also appears in the other life in a perfect human form (n. 322, 1880 1881, 3633, 4622, 4735, 6054, 6605, 6626, 7021, 10,594).] and he is together with spirits as to his interiors; [1-4 Man, even when he is in the world, as to his interiors, thus as to his spirit or soul, is in the midst of spirits and angels, of a quality such as he is himself (n. 2379, 3645, 4067, 4073, 4077).] wherefore he whose interiors are opened by the Lord, may speak with them as man with man; [1-5 Man can speak with spirits and angels, and the ancients on our earth frequently spoke with them (n. 67-69, 784, 1634, 1636, 7802).] But at this day it is dangerous to speak with them, unless man is in true faith, and led by the Lord (n. 784, 9438, 10, 751). which has been granted me now for twelve years daily. FROM THE ARCANA COELESTIA; WHERE THESE AND THE FOLLOWING NOTES ARE EXPLAINED AND SHOWN.
That there are many earths, and men upon them, and spirits and angels thence, is well known in the other life, for it is there granted to every one who desires it from a love of truth, and thence of use, to speak with the spirits of other earths, and thereby to be confirmed concerning a plurality of worlds, and to be informed that the human race is not from one earth only, but from innumerable earths; and moreover to be informed what is their genius, manner of life, and their Divine worship.
I have occasionally spoken on this subject with the spirits of our earth, and it was said that any man of keen understanding may conclude from many things that he knows that there are many earths, and that there are men there; for it may be concluded from reason that such great masses as the planets are, some of which exceed this earth in magnitude, are not empty masses, and created only to be conveyed in their revolutions round the sun, and to shine with their scanty light for one earth, but that their use must needs be more excellent than that. He who believes, as every one ought to believe, that the Divine created the universe for no other end than that the human race may exist, and thence heaven, for the human race is the seminary of heaven, must needs believe also, that wherever there is an earth, there are men. That the planets which are visible to our eyes, as being within the boundaries of this solar system, are earths, may be manifestly known from this, that they are bodies of earthy matter, because they reflect the light of the sun, and when seen through optical glasses, they appear, not as stars glittering by reason of their flame, but as earths variegated from darker portions. The same may further appear from this, that they, in like manner as our earth, are conveyed by a progressive motion round the sun, in the way of the zodiac, whence they have their years, and seasons of the year, as spring, summer, autumn, and winter; and in like manner, as our earth, revolve about their own axis, whence they have their days, and times of the day, as morning, noon, evening and night. Moreover some of them have moons, which are called satellites, and which revolve round their globes at stated times, as the moon does round our earth. Also the planet Saturn has besides a large luminous belt, because it is very far distant from the sun, which belt supplies that earth with much light, although reflected. Who that knows these things and from reason thinks about them can say that these are empty bodies?
4.
Moreover, when I have spoken with spirits, I have said that men may believe that in the universe there are more earths than one, from this, that the starry heaven is so immense, and the stars therein are so innumerable, each of which in its place, or in its world, is a sun, and like our sun, in various magnitude. Whoever duly considers, concludes that so immense a whole must needs be a means to an end, which is the ultimate of creation, which end is the kingdom of heaven, wherein the Divine may dwell with angels and men; for the visible universe, or the heaven resplendent with stars so innumerable, which are so many suns, is only a means for the existence of earths, and of men upon them, of whom may be formed a heavenly kingdom. From these things a rational man must needs be led to conceive, that so immense a means, adapted to so great an end, was not constituted for a race of men and for a heaven thence derived from one earth only; for what would this be to the Divine, which is infinite, and to which thousands, yea, ten thousands of earths, all full of inhabitants, would be small and scarce anything.
Moreover, when I have spoken with spirits, I have said that men may believe that in the universe there are more earths than one, from this, that the starry heaven is so immense, and the stars therein are so innumerable, each of which in its place, or in its world, is a sun, and like our sun, in various magnitude. Whoever duly considers, concludes that so immense a whole must needs be a means to an end, which is the ultimate of creation, which end is the kingdom of heaven, wherein the Divine may dwell with angels and men; for the visible universe, or the heaven resplendent with stars so innumerable, which are so many suns, is only a means for the existence of earths, and of men upon them, of whom may be formed a heavenly kingdom. From these things a rational man must needs be led to conceive, that so immense a means, adapted to so great an end, was not constituted for a race of men and for a heaven thence derived from one earth only; for what would this be to the Divine, which is infinite, and to which thousands, yea, ten thousands of earths, all full of inhabitants, would be small and scarce anything.
Moreover, the angelic heaven is so immense, that it corresponds [as a Grand Man] with all the particulars with man, myriads corresponding to every member, organ, and viscus, and to every affection of each; and it has been given to know, that this heaven, as to all its correspondences, can by no means exist, except from the inhabitants of very many earths. [5-1 Heaven corresponds to the Lord, and man as to each and all things corresponds to heaven, and hence heaven, before the Lord, is a man in a large effigy, and may be called the Greatest Man (n. 2996, 2998, 3624-3649, 3636-3643, 3741-3745, 4625) Concerning the correspondence of man, and of all things pertaining to him, with the Greatest Man, which is heaven, in general, from experience (n. 3021, 3624-3649, 3741-3751, 3883-3896, 4039-4051, 4215-4228, 4318-4331, 4403-4421, 4527-4533, 4622-4633, 4652-4660, 4791-4805, 4931-4953, 5050-5061, 5171-5189, 5377-5396, 5552-5573, 5711-5727, 10,030).]
There are spirits whose sole study is to acquire to themselves knowledges, because they are delighted only with knowledges. Therefore these spirits are permitted to wander about, and even to pass out of this solar system into others, and to procure for themselves knowledges. They have declared that there are earths inhabited by men, not only in this solar system, but also out of it in the starry heaven, to an immense number. These spirits are from the planet Mercury.
As to what in general concerns the Divine worship of the inhabitants of other earths, those of them who are not idolaters, all acknowledge the Lord as the only God; for they adore the Divine not as invisible, but as visible, also for this reason, because when the Divine appears to them, He appears in the human form, as He also formerly appeared to Abraham and others on this earth; [7-1 The inhabitants of all the earths adore the Divine under a human form, consequently the Lord (Arcana Coelestia 8541-8547, 10,159, 10,736-10,738). And they rejoice when they hear that God actually became Man (n. 9361). It is impossible to think of God except in a human form (n. 8705, 9359, 9972). Man can worship and love what he has some idea of, but not what he has no idea of (n. 4733, 5110, 5633, 7211, 9267, 10067).] and they who adore the Divine under a human form, are all accepted by the Lord. [7-2 The Lord receives all who are in good and who adore the Divine under a human form (n. 9359, 7173).] They say also, that no one can rightly worship God, much less be joined to Him, unless He comprehends Him by some idea, and that God cannot be comprehended except in the human form; and if He be not so comprehended, the interior sight, which is of the thought, concerning God, is dissipated, as the sight of the eye when looking upon the boundless universe; and that in this case the thought cannot but sink into nature, and worship nature as God.
Then they were told that the Lord on our earth assumed the Human, they mused awhile, and presently said, that it was done for the salvation of the human race...
It is to be known that the sun of the world does not appear to any spirit, nor anything of light thence. The light of that sun is as dense as thick darkness to spirits and angels. That sun remains only in the perception with spirits from having seen it during their abode in the world, and is presented to them in idea as somewhat darkish, and this behind at a considerable distance, in an altitude a little above the plane of the head. The planets which are within the system of that sun appear according to a determinate situation in respect to the sun; Mercury behind, a little towards the right; the planet Venus to the left, a little backwards; the planet Mars to the left in front; the planet Jupiter in like manner to the left in front, but at a greater distance; the planet Saturn directly in front, at a considerable distance; the Moon to the left, at a considerable height: the satellites also to the left in respect to their planet. Such is the situation of those planets in the ideas of spirits and angels; spirits also appear near their planets, but out of them...
THE EARTH OR PLANET VENUS, ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS. The planet Venus, in the idea of spirits and angels, appears to the left a little backwards, at some distance from our earth. It is said, in the idea of spirits, because neither the sun of this world, nor any planet, appears to any spirit; but spirits have only an idea that they exist. It is in consequence of such idea that the sun of this world is presented behind as something quite dark, and the planets not movable as in the world, but remaining constantly in their several places; see above (n.42).
In the planet Venus there are two kinds of men, of dispositions opposite to each other; the first mild and humane, the second savage and almost like wild beasts. They who are mild and humane appear on the further side of the earth, they who are savage and like wild beasts, appear on the side looking this way. But it is to be known that they appear thus according to the states of their life, for in the spiritual world the state of life determines every appearance of space and of distance.
Some of those who appear on the further side of the planet, and who are mild and humane, came to me and were presented visibly above the head, and I spoke with them on various subjects. Amongst other things, they said that during their abode in the world, and more so since they were become spirits, they acknowledged our Lord as their only God. They added that on their earth they had seen Him, and they represented also how they had seen Him. These spirits in the Greatest Man [or heaven in the form of a man] have relation to the memory of things material, agreeing with the memory of things immaterial, to which the spirits of Mercury have relation: wherefore the spirits of Mercury have the fullest agreement with these spirits of Venus...
But I did not speak with those spirits who are on the side that looks this way, and who are savage and almost like wild beasts; but I was informed by the angels concerning their quality... I was informed further, that those inhabitants are for the most part giants, and that the men of our earth reach only to their navels; also that they are stupid, making no inquiries concerning heaven or eternal life, but immersed solely in earthly cares and the care of their cattle...
THE EARTHS IN THE STARRY HEAVEN. They who are in heaven can speak and converse with angels and spirits who are not only from the earths in this solar system, but also with those who are from other earths in the universe out of this system; and not only with the spirits and angels there, but also with the inhabitants themselves, but only with those whose interiors are open, so that they can hear such as speak from heaven. The same is the case with man during his abode in the world, to whom it has been granted by the Lord to speak with spirits and angels. For man is a spirit as to his interiors, the body which he carries about in the world only serving him for performing functions in this natural or terrestrial sphere, which is the ultimate [outer.] But it is granted to no one to speak as a spirit with angels and spirits, unless he be such that he can consociate with angels as to faith and love; nor can he so consociate, unless he have faith and love to the Lord; for man is joined to the Lord by faith and love to Him, that is, by truths of doctrine and goods of life from Him; and when he is conjoined to the Lord, he is secure from the assaults of evil spirits from hell. With others the interiors cannot be so far opened, since they are not in the Lord. This is the reason why there are few at this day to whom it is granted to speak and converse with angels; a manifest proof whereof is, that the existence of spirits and angels is scarcely believed at this day, much less that they are with every man, and that by them man has connection with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord. Still less is it believed that man, when he dies as to the body, lives a spirit, even in a human form as before.
Because at this day with many in the church there is no belief in the life after death, and scarce any belief in heaven, nor in the Lord as the God of heaven and earth; therefore the interiors which are of my spirit have been opened by the Lord, so that while still in the body, I can at the same time be with angels in heaven, and not only speak with them, but also see the stupendous things there, and describe them; so that it may not chance to be said hereafter, "Who has come to us from heaven and told us that there is such a place, and what there is there?" But I know that they who in heart have before denied heaven and hell and the life after death, will still confirm themselves against them, and deny them... The reason is, that they always think of such things from the negative, and not from the affirmative. Nevertheless, let what has been said hitherto, and what is still further to be said concerning angels and spirits, be for the few who are in faith. And that the rest also may be led along to something of acknowledgment it has been conceded to relate such things as delight and attract the man who is desirous of knowing; and now about the earths in the starry heaven.
He who does not know the arcana [or secrets] of heaven, cannot believe that a man can see earths so distant, and relate anything about them from the experiences of the senses. But let him know that the spaces and distances, and thence the progressions in the natural world, are, in their origin and first cause, changes of the state of the interiors, and with angels and spirits appear according to these changes; [125-1 Movements, progressions, and changes of place in the other life are changes of state of the interiors of the life, and still they appear to spirits and angels as real changes of place (Arcana Coelestia 1273-1277, 1377, 3356, 5605, 10,734).] and that thus they can by these changes be apparently transferred from one place to another, and from one earth to another, even to the earths which are at the end of the universe. So also may a man be transferred as to his spirit, his body still remaining in its place. Thus it has been done with me, since by the Divine mercy of the Lord it has been given me to have interaction with spirits as a spirit, and at the same time with men as a man. That a man can be so transferred as to his spirit, the sensual man cannot understand, since he is in space and time, and measures his movements according to them.
126
That there are many worlds, may be evident to every one, from there being so many constellations visible in the universe; and it is known in the learned world that every fixed star is like a sun in its place; for it remains fixed like the sun of our earth in its place; and that the distance makes it appear small in form like a star. Consequently that like the sun of our world, it has round it planets, which are earths; and the reason that these do not appear to our eyes, is their being at such an immense distance, and having only the light of their star, which cannot be reflected again as far as here. For what other purpose is there so great a heaven with so many stars? For the end of the creation of the universe is man, that from man there may be an angelic heaven. What would the human race, and thence an angelic heaven, from one earth, be for the Infinite Creator, for Whom a thousand earths, nay, tens of thousands, would not be enough? ...On these matters I have spoken with angels, who said that they have a similar idea of the fewness of the human race in comparison with the infinity of the Creator, although they do not think from spaces, but from states; and that according to their idea, earths to the number of as many myriads as could be conceived by thought, would still be as nothing at all to the Lord. But in what now follows, the earths in the starry heavens shall be described from experience itself; from which it will also be evident how I was transferred thither as to my spirit, my body remaining in its place.
That there are many worlds, may be evident to every one, from there being so many constellations visible in the universe; and it is known in the learned world that every fixed star is like a sun in its place; for it remains fixed like the sun of our earth in its place; and that the distance makes it appear small in form like a star. Consequently that like the sun of our world, it has round it planets, which are earths; and the reason that these do not appear to our eyes, is their being at such an immense distance, and having only the light of their star, which cannot be reflected again as far as here. For what other purpose is there so great a heaven with so many stars? For the end of the creation of the universe is man, that from man there may be an angelic heaven. What would the human race, and thence an angelic heaven, from one earth, be for the Infinite Creator, for Whom a thousand earths, nay, tens of thousands, would not be enough? ...On these matters I have spoken with angels, who said that they have a similar idea of the fewness of the human race in comparison with the infinity of the Creator, although they do not think from spaces, but from states; and that according to their idea, earths to the number of as many myriads as could be conceived by thought, would still be as nothing at all to the Lord. But in what now follows, the earths in the starry heavens shall be described from experience itself; from which it will also be evident how I was transferred thither as to my spirit, my body remaining in its place.
THE FIRST EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS; FROM THINGS HEARD AND SEEN. I was led by the Lord by means of angels to a certain earth in the starry heaven, where it was given me to look into the earth itself, yet not to speak with the inhabitants there, but with the spirits who were from it. All the inhabitants or men of every earth, after the life in the world is finished, become spirits, and remain near their own earth. From these spirits, however, information is given about their earth, and about the state of the inhabitants there; for men who leave the body bring with them all their former life, and all their memory. [127-1 Man after death retains the memory of all his affairs in the world (Arcana Coelestia 2476-2486).] To be led to earths in the universe is not to be led and transferred thither as to the body, but as to the spirit; and the spirit is led by variations of the state of the interior life, which appear to it as progressions through space. [127-2 Movements, progressions, and changes of place in the other life are changes of state of the interiors of the life, and still they appear to spirits and angels as real changes of place (n. 1273-1277, 1377, 3356, 5605, 10,734).] Approaches also are made according to agreements or similarities of states of life; for agreement or similarity of life conjoined[,] disagreement and dissimilarity disjoin. From this might be evident how transference is made as to the spirit, and approach to what is distant, the man still remaining in his place. But to lead the spirit beyond its own world by variations of the state of its interiors, and to make the variations advance successively even to a state agreeing with or similar to that of those to whom it is led, is in the power of the Lord alone. For there must be continual direction and foresight from first to last, in going and returning; especially with a man who is still in the world of nature as to the body, and thereby in space. That this has been done, those who are in the bodily senses and think from them, cannot be induced to believe, for the reason that what is of bodily sense cannot comprehend progressions without space. But still they who think from the sense of their spirit, somewhat removed or withdrawn from the sense of the body, thus interiorly in themselves, may be led to believe and to comprehend; since in the idea of the interior thought there is not space nor time, but instead thereof those things from which spaces and times exist. It is for such persons that what follows concerning the earths in the starry heaven is related, and not for others, unless they will suffer themselves to be instructed.
In a state of wakefulness I was led as to the spirit by the Lord, by means of angels, to a certain earth in the universe, accompanied by some spirits from this world. Our progress was made toward the right, and lasted two hours. Near the limit of our solar system, there appeared at first a shining bright cloud, but dense, and beyond it a fiery smoke ascending out of a great chasm. It was a vast gulf separating our solar world on that side from some worlds of the starry heavens. That fiery smoke appeared at a considerable distance. I was borne across the middle of it; and then there appeared beneath in that chasm or gulf very many men, who were spirits; for spirits all appear in the human form, and actually are men. I also heard them speaking with one another; but whence they were and their quality was not given me to know. Yet one of them said to me that they were guards, lest spirits should pass from this world into another in the universe without leave having been given. That it was so, was also confirmed; for some spirits who were in our company, but had not received the ability to pass over, when they came to that great interspace, began to cry out vehemently that they were perishing; for they were like those who are struggling in agony with death, and therefore they stopped on that side of the gulf, nor could they be taken any further, as the fiery smoke that exhaled from the gulf enveloped them and thus tortured them...
A FOURTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS. I was conducted to still another earth in the universe beyond our solar system, which was effected by changes of the state of my mind, and thus as to the spirit. For, as has been sometimes said before, the spirit is conducted from place to place in no other way than by changes of the state of its interiors, which changes appear to it altogether like movements from place to place, or like journeyings. These changes lasted continuously for about ten hours, before from the state of my life I arrived at the state of their life; thus before I was brought thither as to my spirit... Meanwhile I spoke on various subjects with the spirits who went with me. A certain spirit was also with us, who when he lived in the world had been a primate [the chief bishop or archbishop of a province] and a preacher, and likewise a very pathetic writer. From my idea of him the accompanying spirits supposed that in heart he must be eminently a Christian. For in the world an idea is received and a judgment formed from one's preaching and writings, and not from his life, unless this is conspicuous [attracting notice or attention;] and if there appears anything inconsistent in his life, still it is excused; for the idea, or the thought and perception concerning any one, draws everything to its own side.
After I had observed that as to my spirit I was in the starry heaven far beyond the world of our sun, for this might be observed from the changes of state and from the apparent continual progression thence, which lasted nearly ten hours, I at length heard spirits speaking near some earth, which was afterward also seen by me. When I came near to them, after some conversation, they said that visitors sometimes come to them from elsewhere, who speak with them about God and confuse the ideas of their thought. They also showed the way by which they come, from which it was perceived that they were of the spirits from our earth. Being then asked wherein their thoughts were confused, they answered that it was by those spirits saying that one must believe in the Divine as distinguished into three Persons, which they still call one God... And when they examine the idea of their thoughts, it is presented as a trine not continuous, but discrete; and with some, as three persons speaking together one to another; and with some, as two seated together, and a third hearkening to them, and then going from them; and though they call each Person God, and have a different idea concerning each, they still call them one God. They complained exceedingly that they confuse them by thinking three and saying one, when yet one ought to think as he speaks, and speak as he thinks. The spirit who in the world had been a primate and a preacher, and was with me, was then examined as to what idea he had concerning one God and three Persons. He represented three Gods, but these as one by continuity, but he presented this trinal one as invisible because Divine... Being then asked what idea they had of God, these spirits answered that they did not conceive of God as invisible, but as visible under the Human form; and that they know this not only from interior perception, but also from His appearing to them as a Man; adding that if according to the idea of some visitors they should conceive of God as invisible, thus without form and quality, they could not think at all of God, since what is thus invisible does not fall into any idea of thought. On hearing this, it was given me to say to them that they do well to think of God under the Human form; and that many from our earth think in like manner, especially when they think of the Lord; and that the ancients thought in no other way. I then told them about Abraham, Lot, Gideon, and Manoah and his wife, and what is related of them in our Word, namely, that they saw God under the Human form and acknowledged Him thus seen as the Creator of the universe, and called Him Jehovah, and this also from interior perception; but that at this day that interior perception has perished in the Christian world, and only remains with the simple who are in faith.
(-Swedenborg)
The Physical Plane consists of Worlds which reflect varying degrees of glory. In time we will all progress spiritually to dwell on ever more glorious Worlds. Our Sun is a Celestial Kingdom of Heaven on this Physical Plane and It is Home to the Ascended Masters Who reside there. The Great Central Sun is an even more glorious World where the Cosmic Masters reside. Our Sun is apparently one of seven Suns which revolve around the Great Central Sun. The Planets, Suns, Stars, Solar Systems, Galaxies and Universes are the Physical Bodies of Cosmic Beings Who have spiritually evolved beyond the human body form.
In his book The Masters and the Path (p259-260 & p227) C. W. Leadbeater talks about the seven great Beings or Planets in our Solar System: In Christian terms… these seven great Beings are found in the vision of St. John the Evangelist, who said: And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the Seven Spirits of God. (Bible, Revelations 4:5) Those are the… great Planetary Logoi, who are life-centres in the very Logos Himself. [The whole of our solar system is a manifestation of its Logos, and every particle in it is definitely part of His vehicles. All the physical matter of the solar system taken as a totality constitutes His physical body; all the Astral matter within it constitutes His astral body; all the Mental matter, His mental body, and so on… This Solar Logos contains within Himself Seven Planetary Logoi, who are as it were centres of force within Him, channels through which His force pours out.] Those are the true Heads of our Rays- the Heads for the whole solar system not for our world only. Out through one or other of that mighty Seven every one of us must have come. …They are the Seven Sublime Lords. …I, dust in the Sunshine, yet am part of it, and looking upward to the Sun I see the sign of my own Divinity, and the embodied promise of my ultimate achievement. As is our Lord the Sun so shall we all be, for He has willed it so. In the book The Twelve Blessings by George King (p40-41) the Master Jesus teaches: The Mighty Sun… the Solar Logos… this most Wondrous Being… the greatest living Entity in thy System… This is the God of your Bible, it is the Brahm of the Hindu scripts. This is the nearest thing to God in your concept of manifestation. The Elohim Cyclopea points out that; you must go back to the Source from whence you came- the Great Central Sun- and there the Pattern of Perfection… can you draw back into yourselves. (The “I AM” Discourses Volume 14 p121)
When Jesus spoke of His Heavenly Father in the Bible He was referring to His Mighty I AM Presence and the Great Central Sun on which It resides. There on the Great Central Sun we gained our Individualization and became human beings millions of years ago. As I understand it, the Electronic Body of our I AM Presence dwells on the Physical Sun therefore when we become one with this Higher Self we can dwell on the Physical Sun as an Ascended Master. Our I AM Presence Itself dwells on the Great Central Sun so when we become literally one with this Higher Self we can dwell on this Star as a Cosmic Being.
When Jesus spoke of His Heavenly Father in the Bible He was referring to His Mighty I AM Presence and the Great Central Sun on which It resides. There on the Great Central Sun we gained our Individualization and became human beings millions of years ago. As I understand it, the Electronic Body of our I AM Presence dwells on the Physical Sun therefore when we become one with this Higher Self we can dwell on the Physical Sun as an Ascended Master. Our I AM Presence Itself dwells on the Great Central Sun so when we become literally one with this Higher Self we can dwell on this Star as a Cosmic Being.
The Mighty Ascended Master Victory teaches that He came forth from His Great Planet of Complete Freedom, Venus, to dwell in our earth. When the Earth is cleansed, permanently harmonized, the Kumaras, including the Great Presence Sanat Kumara, will return to Their Home on Venus. In his book The Hidden Life in Freemasonry, C. W. Leadbeater teaches: Referring to King Solomon’s temple… the two great pillars… at the… entrance… were Tat… and Tattu. (p58) In Tat the lilies represented always the flower of humanity. Arranged in line around the edge of the disc they indicated the Great White Brotherhood- the jewels in the crown of mankind, hovering above the human race and directing its evolution. The four pendant flower-chains symbolized the Holy Four who reside at Shamballa- the Spiritual King and His three pupil-assistants, the sole representatives on earth of the Lords of the Flame who came down long ago from Venus to hasten the evolution of mankind. ( p68)
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