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On flow and alignment
Arcana Coelestia (Cooper) 3318 [2] A human being is nothing else but an organ or vessel that receives life from the Lord; we do not live on our own (§§290, 1954, 2021, 2536, 2706, 2886-2889, 3001). The life that flows into us from the Lord comes from his divine love. This love, or the life that radiates from it, flows in and bestows itself on the vessels in our rational and earthly minds. Such vessels in us face away from the life force because of the evil we inherit by birth and the evil we ourselves acquire by committing it. However, so far as it can do so, the inflowing life repositions the vessels to receive itself.
The vessels in our rational and earthly selves are what are called truths. In itself, truth is nothing but a perception of the way these vessels change shape and of the alterations of state under which the various changes occur, taking place as they do in indescribable ways in the most refined substances (§2487). Goodness itself-which possesses life from the Lord, or is life-is what flows in and realigns the vessels.
[3] These vessels, whose shape is ever changing, face backward and upside down, away from life, as just mentioned. Clearly they need to be brought into alignment with life, or subordination to it. This can in no way be done as long as we remain in the state we were born in and reduce ourselves to, because our vessels are not subordinate to life. They stubbornly resist life and oppose the heavenly paradigm by which life acts, hardening themselves against it. The good that moves them-the good they obey-is the good sought by love for oneself and one’s worldly advantage. The crude heat burning within this love gives such vessels their character. Before they can become submissive, then, and fitted for accepting any of the life belonging to the Lord’s love, they have to soften, and the only way they can be softened is through times of trial. Tribulation takes away elements of self-love, contempt for others, and therefore vain pride, and elements of a consequent hatred and vengefulness as well. So when these evils are somewhat lessened and conquered by our trials, the vessels start to become yielding and obedient to the life of the Lord’s love, which is constantly flowing into us.
According to the form
Conjugial Love 86. Goodness and truth are present in their created vessels according to each one’s form because whatever flows into any vessel is received by it according to its form. The preservation of the whole is nothing but the constant flowing in of Divine goodness and Divine truth into forms created by that influx – continued existence or preservation being thus constant birth or creation.
On vastations, temptations and infestations
7474[2] As regards the spiritual church, which is here represented by the sons of Israel, be it known that it is internal and external; and that those are in the internal church who are in the good of charity, and that those are in the external church who are in the good of faith. Those are in the good of charity who from charity toward the neighbor see the truths which are of faith; but those are in the good of faith who from faith look to charity, thus who do what is good, not from the affection of charity, but from the obedience of faith, that is, because it has been so commanded. It is these who are here properly represented by the sons of Israel, for these are they who in the other life are infested by those who are in falsities. Those who are in the affection of charity cannot be so infested, for the spirits who are in falsities and evils cannot approach those who are in this good, because the Lord is in this good. If these are infested, it is merely in respect to the fallacies and appearances through which they have believed what is not true to be true, and also in respect to such things as the doctrine of their church has taught for truths, which yet are not truths. Such in the other life willingly reject falsities and receive truths, because the good of charity is recipient of truth, for it loves and desires it.
[3] As infestations have been so often mentioned, it is to be told what they are, and what is their nature. Infestations are effected by means of injections of falsity against truths, and these falsities are refuted in those who are being infested, by means of an influx from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord. In such a state are those held who are in vastation in respect to falsities, until they are imbued with the truths which are of faith, and by degrees with interior truths; and insofar as they are imbued with these truths, so far they are liberated from infestation. Infestations are not temptations, for temptations take place with anguish of conscience, those who are in temptations being kept in a state of condemnation, and hence of anguish and grief.
[4] From all this it is evident what is the nature of the vastations in the other life in which are those who are in the good of faith. These vastations are vastations of falsity. But vastations with those who have not been in the good of faith, but in some truth of faith in the memory, while in a life of evil, are vastations of truth. Those who are vastated in respect to falsities, become successively imbued with the truths and goods of faith and charity; but those who are vastated in respect to truths, successively put off truths, and put on the evils which have been of their life. From all this it can be seen what is meant in the Word by “vastations” and “desolations.”
Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.