From the Arcana Coelestia 8985
…in heaven they think about a thing apart from the person, because when the person also is there thought of, the society which is in the thing in question is excited, and thus the thought is determined thither, and is fixed. For in heaven where the thought is, there the presence is; and presence would bend to itself the thoughts of those who are in the society, and would thus disturb the influx from the Divine there. It is otherwise when they think abstractedly about a thing; in this case the thought diffuses itself in every direction according to the heavenly form which the influx proceeding from the Divine produces, and this without the disturbance of any society. For it insinuates itself into the general spheres of the societies, and in this case does not touch or move anyone in the society; thus does not divert anyone from the freedom of thinking according to the influx from the Divine. In a word, abstracted thought can pervade the whole heaven without stopping anywhere; but thought determined to person, or to place, is fixed and stays.
This has been a concept and practice in Logopraxis which I have found difficult–“let’s celebrate and love one another–the personhood of each other!” But this is message of the importance of rising above personhood is what came out to me from the current readings. Jacob represents all of Truth as presented in the natural and it has nothing to do with Jacob…then it goes on to say people correspond to the natural world, it gives clarification of correspondence’s meaning as like that of ear to sound, i.e., totally passive to what is higher. Our “own” personhoods are like the ear… Read more »
Hi Kent. Yes it’s thats concept of having to see one in order to see the other; to see good so that we can see evil, to love the Lord to not love self or at least put it in its place, to see the Word so that we can see what is without, to see cause so that we can see effect, to see spiritual so that we can truly see natural. To see the Lord in others so that we may find our own “self in the Lord”. And the Word is what provides the light to see… Read more »
Another good thing about not mentioning names in our sharing is that it leaves all speakers in more freedom. No one has to think about whether their share will be commented on or not.
Thanks Dianna, this is another “point to ponder” and integrate into the practice of being with others from the Word.