Introduction

 

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Weird and lost... by h.koppdelaney
(Where do I come from? Where do I go?) 

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As we go through life many of us will ask the questions; Where did I come from? Why am I here? and Where am I going to when this life is over? In these writings I will endeavor to reveal as clearly as possible some of the answers to these questions. I will guide the reader to Eternal Life in Heaven by drawing on the teachings of the Prophets and the Masters. I know a few of mankind will already be aware of these teachings however I believe the majority of mankind are not familiar with the Teachings of the Masters which are essential for our Eternal Salvation rather than temporary Salvation in heaven between lives on this Earth.

In My Father’s House are Many Mansions (Chapter 1)

That there are in fact many Planes in the Spirit World is taught by Jesus in the Bible where He says: In my Father’s House are many Mansions. (John 14:2) Also in the Bible (Luke 16:19-31) Jesus tells the story of Lazarus and the Rich man. Lazarus is a beggar, full of sores, begging at the gate of a rich man. Lazarus dies and is carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom, or Paradise, and the rich man dies and goes to hell. From hell the rich man cries out to Abraham for help but he is unable to help him. Abraham points out that between them there is a great gulf fixed. Realizing the predicament he has got himself into the rich man is then concerned for his family back on earth so they don’t end up in hell also. He asks if one from the dead could be sent to warn them. Abraham points out that even if one rose from the dead they still wouldn’t be persuaded. You will notice on my chart entitled The Three-fold Paths of Life and Death there are a series of Higher and lower Planes. For most people these represent great gulfs which they cannot easily cross because of their varying states of consciousness or higher and lower frequencies. Concerning the divisions between the heavens Emanuel Swedenborg teaches: Chapter 5 vs. 29. There are three heavens, entirely distinct from each other, an inmost or third, a middle or second, and an outmost or first… 34. …Because in the angels of the inmost heaven the interiors have been opened in the third degree their perfection immeasurably surpasses the perfection of angels in the middle heaven, whose interiors have been opened in the second degree. So the perfection of these angels exceeds in like measure the perfection of angels of the outmost heaven. 35. Because of this distinction an angel of one heaven cannot go among the angels of another heaven, that is, no one can ascend from a lower heaven and no one can descend from a higher heaven… There were some from the outmost heaven who had not yet been taught that the interiors of angels are what constitute heaven, and who believed that they might come into a higher heavenly happiness by simply gaining access to a heaven where higher angels are. These were permitted to enter among such angels. But when they were there they could see no one, however much they searched, although there was a great multitude present; for the interiors of the newcomers not having been opened in the same degree as the interiors of the angels there, their sight was not so opened… Therefore they hastily betook themselves to the heaven from which they came, glad to get back among their like, and pledging themselves that they would no longer covet higher things than were in agreement with their life… It is otherwise when, as is often done, angels are raised up by the Lord out of a lower heaven into a higher that they may behold its glory; for then they are prepared beforehand, and are encompassed by intermediate angels, through whom they have communication with those they come among. From all this it is plain that the three heavens are entirely distinct from each other. Footnotes to Chapter 14: …The hells are at a distance from the heavens because they cannot bear the presence of Divine love from the Lord. For this reason the hells are very far away from the heavens, and this is the “great gulf.” (Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen by Emanuel Swedenborg) It is however possible to cross these great gulfs so long as we are taught how, which means that no one needs to stay in hell or a lower Plane. Everyone eventually spiritually progresses up from the lower Planes to the higher Planes.

Come Together by  h.koppdelaney

These huge gulfs are symbolized by seeing a Sun, Moon, Star or Planet in the inner sky which creates the illusion of there being a huge gulf or distance between you and the higher World or higher Plane. Within the individual Planes I believe the angels, or more spiritually advanced spirits, dwell on higher ground symbolizing a higher Plane while less spiritually advanced spirits dwell on the lower ground, symbolizing the lower Planes. On this subject Emanuel Swedenborg teaches: Chapter 21 vs. 188. The angels of whom the Lord’s celestial kingdom consists dwell for the most part in elevated places that appear as mountains… the angels of whom the Lord’s spiritual kingdom consists dwell in less elevated places that appear like hills; while the angels in the lowest parts of heaven dwell in places that appear like ledges of stone. These things spring from correspondence, for interior things correspond to higher things, and exterior things to lower things. (Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen by Emanuel Swedenborg) Therefore a basic rule is; travelling upwards leads towards Heaven, travelling downwards leads towards hell.



Dream Worlds

Dreaming by  h.koppdelaney

One of the secrets of Life, which many are not aware of, is that these inner Planes or Spirit Worlds are in fact the Dream Worlds which we all visit every night through our dreams in our spirit bodies. These sometimes seem so real because they are real worlds, at least as real as this Physical World only made up of finer matter. One can learn to dream fully awake as we are in this Physical World. This is known as lucid dreaming and is a form of out of body experience or Soul travel. Because the Dream  Worlds are the Spirit Worlds we can be visited by, or visit, loved ones, the so called dead, angels and Masters. This is why it was possible for the angel of the Lord to appear to Joseph in a dream and also warn the Magi, or wise men, in a dream. (See Bible, Matthew 2:12-13) Technically speaking I do not believe we actually Astral travel or Soul travel from this Physical Plane to another Plane. In Reality we already live in these other Planes right now in our inner bodies so by shifting our consciousness to our inner body, as we naturally all do every night in our sleep, we can become aware of our existence in the Inner Worlds. Therefore when we die we are already living in the Spirit World however after so called death this becomes our outer reality. 

Illusion vs. Reality

The Power of Now by h.koppdelaney

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As we watch the Sun apparently revolving around the earth every day it is easy to believe in this illusion as orthodox Christianity taught during the Dark Ages. It may appear to us that we are a body with a Soul however in Reality We are an Eternal Soul with a body. It may also appear to us that this physical world is real and the inner worlds are only a dream or a fantasy. When we die we will all see eventually that the higher inner Worlds are the Real Eternal Worlds.

In Reality I believe there is only the Eternal Now. Contrary to what Science Fiction depicts I do not believe the Past and the Future co-exist in the now, or present moment, suggesting we could therefore travel backwards or forwards in time physically. I do however believe it is possible to experience or see the past and the future probabilities, just not literally go there. According to Geshi Dar Tsang; ‘Now’ is Eternity; there is no such thing as Time in the Ever-Present. The Past and the Future do not exist outside man’s mind. (Beyond the Himalayas by Murdo MacDonald Bayne, p88.) In The Tiger’s Fang by Paul Twitchell we learn that; All there is, is eternity… The body, mind, and Soul are always in eternity; and all is now, this moment- this instance. That which is called space, time, and motion is born of the mind. (p20) This means that there is only the Eternal Now which encompasses all the inner and the outer Universes. The past is a memory and the future is a probability except for the pre-destined mile stones along the way such as the Resurrection and the Ascension which eventually we must all attain. This indicates we can work out our Salvation now, not with fear and trembling as the orthodox priests would have us believe, but with Divine Love and Courage as we become Masters of our own destiny.

Life after Death

Victim of Time by h.koppdelaney

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Emanuel Swedenborg talks about the three states that man passes through after death before he enters either heaven or hell: 491. There are three states that man passes through after death before he enters either heaven or hell. The first state is the state of his exteriors, the second state the state of his interiors, and the third his state of preparation. These states man passes through in the world of spirits. There are some, however, that do not pass through them; but immediately after death are either taken up into heaven or cast into hell. Those that are immediately taken up into heaven are those that have been regenerated in the world and thereby prepared for heaven. Those that have been so regenerated… are at once taken up by the angels into heaven… But all these are few in comparison with those that are retained in the world of spirits, and are there prepared in accordance with Divine order for heaven or for hell. 492. In regard to the first state, which is the state of the exteriors, it is that which man comes into immediately after death. Every man, as regards his spirit, has exteriors and interiors… 493. The first state of man after death resembles his state in the world, for he is then likewise in externals, having a like face, like speech, and a like disposition, thus a like moral and civil life; and in consequence he is made aware that he is not still in the world only by giving attention to what he encounters, and from his having been told by the angels when he was resuscitated that he had become a spirit. Thus is one life continued into the other, and death is merely transition. 494. …He is then recognized by his friends and by those he had known in the world… Whenever any one in the other life thinks about another he brings his face before him in thought, and at the same time many things of his life; and when he does this the other becomes present, as if he had been sent for or called. This is so in the spiritual world because thoughts there are shared… Very commonly husband and wife come together… and continue together, and this for a longer or shorter time… But if they had not been united by a true marriage love, which is a conjunction of minds by heavenly love, after remaining together for a while they separate…495. As the life of spirits recently from the world is not unlike their life in the natural world and as they know nothing about their state of life after death and nothing about heaven and hell except what they have learned from… the letter of the Word and preaching from it, they are at first surprised to find themselves in a body and in every sense [sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch] that they had in the world, and seeing like things; and they become eager to know what heaven is, what hell is, and where they are… They feel indignant at their total ignorance of such things, and at the ignorance of the church also. Nearly all are anxious to know whether they will get to heaven. Most of them… [are] wholly ignorant that external deeds and external acts of worship are of no avail, but only the internals from which the externals proceed. There is hardly one out of thousands who knows what internals are, and that it is in them that man must find heaven… Such for the most part are those that go… from the Christian world into the other life. 496. …Evil spirits are distinguished from good spirits chiefly by this, that the evil give eager attention to whatever is said about external things, and but little attention to what is said about internal things, which are the truths and goods of the church and of heaven. These they listen to, but not with attention and joy… 497. All spirits that arrive from the world are connected with some society in heaven or some society in hell… When they come into the second state, their evils become manifest, because their interiors are then opened and their exteriors laid asleep. 498. This first state of man after death continues with some for days, with some for months, and with some for a year; but seldom with any one beyond a year; for a shorter or longer time with each one according to the agreement or disagreement of his interiors with his exteriors… In the spiritual world no one is permitted to think and will in one way and speak and act in another. Every one there must be an image of his own affection or his own love, and therefore such as he is inwardly such he must be outwardly…499. The second state of man after death is called the state of his interiors, because he is then let into the interiors of his mind, that is, of his will and thought; while his exteriors, which he has been in during his first state, are laid asleep…501. Let it be understood that man is wholly such as his interiors are… This is because his interiors belong to his spirit, and the life of his spirit is the life of man, for from it his body lives; and because of this… he continues to be to eternity… The memory of man… continues after death…502. When the first state, which is the state of the exteriors, …has been passed through, the man-spirit is let into the state of his interiors, or into the state of his interior will and its thought, in which he had been in the world when left to himself to think freely and without restraint…504. All men without exception are let into this state after death, because it is their spirit’s own state…505. When the spirit is in the state of his interiors it becomes clearly evident what the man was in himself when he was in the world… He that had been in the world interiorly in good then acts rationally and wisely, and even more wisely than in the world, because he is released from connection with the body, and thus from those earthly things that caused obscurity and interposed as it were a cloud. But he that was in evil in the world then acts foolishly and insanely, and even more insanely than in the world, because he is free and under no restraint. For while he lived in the world he was sane in outward appearance, since by means of externals he made himself appear to be a rational man; but when he has been stripped of his externals his insanities are revealed. An evil man who in externals takes on the semblance of a good man may be likened to a vessel shining and polished on the outside and covered with a lid, within which filth of all kinds is hidden, in accordance with the Lord’s saying: -Ye are like whited sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness (Matthew 23:27). 506. All that have lived a good life in the world and have acted from conscience, who are such as have acknowledged the Divine and haveloved Divine truths, especially such as have applied those truths to life, seem to themselves, when let into the state of their interiors, like one aroused from sleep into full wakefulness, or like one passing from darkness into light. They then think from the light of heaven, thus from an interior wisdom, and they act from good, thus from an interior affection. Heaven flows into their thoughts and affections with an interior blessedness and delight that they had previously had no knowledge of; for they have communication with the angels of heaven. They then acknowledge the Lord and worship Him from their very life… Such is the state of those that have lived a Christian life in accordance with the commandments in the Word. But the state of those that have lived an evil life in the world and who have had no conscience, and have in consequence denied the Divine, is the direct opposite of this. For every one who lives an evil life, inwardly in himself denies the Divine… When such in the other life enter into the state of their interiors, and are heard speaking and seen acting, they appear foolish; for from their evil lusts they burst forth into all sorts of abominations, into contempt of others, ridicule and blasphemy, hatred and revenge; they plot intrigues, some with a cunning and malice that can scarcely be believed to be possible in any man… For they are then in a state of freedom to act in harmony with the thoughts of their will, since they are separated from the outward conditions that restrained and checked them in the world…507. When in this second state spirits become visibly, just what they had been in themselves while in the world, what they then did and said secretly being now made manifest… having no longer any fear of loss of reputation, such as they had in the world. They are also brought into many states of their evils, that what they are may be evident to angels and good spirits. Thus are hidden things laid open and secret things uncovered, in accordance with the Lord’s words: There is nothing covered up that shall not he revealed, and hid that shall not be known. Whatsoever ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light, and what ye have spoken in the ear in the inner chambers shall be proclaimed on the housetops. (Luke 12:2,3). And elsewhere: -I say unto you: that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (Matthew 12:36) 508. The nature of the wicked in this state cannot be described in a few words, for each one is insane in accord with his own lusts, and these are various; therefore I will merely mention some special instances from which conclusions may be formed respecting the rest. Those that have loved themselves above everything… are more stupid in this second state that others; for so far as one loves himself he is separated from heaven, and so far as he is separated from heaven he is separated from wisdom… Nevertheless, the insanity of such is restrained by the Lord that it may not rush beyond the limits of use; for even such spirits perform some use. In them good spirits see what evil is and its nature, and what man is when he is not led by the Lord. Another of their uses is their collecting together evil spirits like themselves and separating them from the good… and are thus prepared for hell…509. When evil spirits are in this second state, as they rush into evils of every kind they are subjected to frequent and grievous punishments. In the world of spirits there are many kinds of punishment; and there is no regard for person, whether one had been in the world a king or a servant. Every evil carries its punishment with it… And yet no one in the other world suffers punishment on account of the evils that he had done in this world, but only on account of the evils that he then does… Every one after death… continues the same as he had been in the life of the body. Men are punished for the reason that the fear of punishment is the sole means of subduing evils in this state. Exhortation is no longer of any avail, neither is instruction or fear of the law and of the loss of reputation, since every one then acts from his nature; and that nature can be restrained and broken only by punishments. But good spirits, although they had done evils in the world, are never punished, because their evils do not return… 510. Every one goes to his own society in which his spirit had been in the world; for every man, as regards his spirit, is conjoined to some society… the evil man to an infernal [hellish] society and the good man to a heavenly society, and to that society he is brought after death. The spirit is led to his society gradually, and at length enters it. When an evil spirit is in the state of his interiors he is turned by degrees toward his own society, and at length, before that state is ended, directly to it; and when that state is ended he himself casts himself into the hell where those are who are like himself. This act of casting down appears to the sight like one falling headlong with the head downwards and the feet upwards. The cause of this appearance is that the spirit himself is in an inverted order, having loved infernal things and rejected heavenly things… Moreover, the society itself in which they had been as regards their spirit while in the world is shown to them when they are in the state of their exteriors, that they may thus learn that even while in the life of the body they were in hell, although not in the same state as those that are in hell itself…511. In this second state the separation of evil spirits from good spirits takes place. For in the first statethey are together, since while a spirit is in his exteriors he is as he was in the world… The separation of evil spirits from good spirits is effected by various means; in general by their being taken about to those societies with which in their first state they had communication… and everywhere what they really are is made manifest to good spirits. At the sight of them the good spirits turn away; and at the same time the evil spirits who are being led about turn their faces away from the good towards that quarter where their infernal society is, into which they are about to come…512. The third state of man after death, that is, of his spirit, is a state of instruction. This state is for those who enter heaven and become angels. It is not for those who enter hell, because such are incapable of being taught, and therefore their second state is also their third… Good spirits, on the other hand, are led from the second state into the third, which is the state of their preparation for heaven by means of instruction. For one can be prepared for heaven only by means of knowledges of good and truth, that is, only by means of instruction, since one can know what spiritual good and truth are, and what evil and falsity are, which are their opposites, only by being taught… Spiritual good and truth are learned from heaven, not from the world. They can be learned from the Word and from the doctrine of the church that is drawn from the Word and yet unless man in respect to his interiors which belong to his mind is in heaven spiritual good and truth cannot flow into his life; and man is in heaven when he both acknowledges the Divine and acts justly and honestly… But no one can so act until he has been taught, for example, that there is a God, that there is a heaven and a hell, that there is a life after death, that God ought to be loved supremely, and the neighbour as oneself, and that what is taught in the Word, ought to be believed because the Word is Divine. Without a knowledge and acknowledgment of these things man is unable to think spiritually… All this makes clear that spiritual good and truth are learned not from the world but from heaven, and that one can be prepared for heaven only by means of instruction. Moreover, so far as the Lord flows into the life of any one He instructs him, for so far He kindles the will with the love of knowing truths and enlightens the thought to know them; and so far as this is done the interiors of man are opened and heaven is implanted in them; and furthermore, what is Divine and heavenly flows into the honest things pertaining to moral life and into the just things pertaining to civil life in man, and makes them spiritual, since man then does these things from the Divine, which is doing them for the sake of the Divine…513. Instruction is given by the angels of many societies… The places of instruction are towards the north… The good spirits who are to be instructed are brought by the Lord to these places when they have completed their second state in the world of spirits, and yet not all; for there are some that have been instructed in the world, and have been prepared there by the Lord for heaven, and these are taken up into heaven by another way- some immediately after death, some after a short stay with good spirits…514. All who are in places of instruction dwell apart; for each one is connected in regard to his interiors with that society of heaven which he is about to enter… When those places are viewed from heaven something like a heaven in a smaller form is seen… 515. But all are not taught in the same way, nor by the same societies of heaven. Those that have been brought up from childhood in heaven, not having imbibed [or absorbed] falsities from the falsities of religion or defiled their spiritual life… receive instruction from the angels of the interior heavens; while those that have died in adult age receive instruction mainly from angels of the lowest heaven, because these angels are better suited to them than the angels of the interior heavens, who are in interior wisdom which is not yet acceptable to them…516. …Christians are taught from heavenly doctrine, which is in entire agreement with the internal sense of the Word. All others, as the Mohammedans and heathen, are taught from doctrines suited to their apprehension…517. Instruction in the heavens differs from instruction on earth in that knowledges are not committed to memory, but to life… The truths they acquire are truths of use. In this way are angelic spirits taught and prepared for heaven… From all this it is clear that knowledges… do not bring any one into heaven; but… a life of uses implanted by means of knowledges. 518. There were some spirits who had convinced themselves, by thinking about it in the world, that they would go to heaven and be received before others because of their learning and their great knowledge of the Word and of the doctrines of their churches, believing that they were wise in consequence… But those in whom knowledges resided merely in the memory… these, as they were in no heavenly light, and yet were in a belief… that they were more learned than others, and would for that reason enter heaven and be served by the angels, in order that they might be withdrawn from their delusive faith, were taken up to the first or outmost heaven to be introduced into an angelic society. But at the very threshold their eyes began to be darkened by the inflowing of the light of heaven, and their understanding to be disturbed, and at length they began to gasp as if at the point of death; and as soon as they felt the heat of heaven, which is heavenly love, they began to be inwardly tormented. They were therefore cast down, and afterwards were taught that knowledges do not make an angel, but the life itself, which is gained by means of knowledges, for knowledges regarded in themselves are outside of heaven; but life acquired by means of knowledges is within heaven. 519. When spirits have been prepared for heaven by instruction… which is effected in a short time… theyare clothed with angelic garments, which are mostly glowing white as if made of fine linen; and they are thus brought to the way that leads upwards towards heaven, and are delivered there to angel guards, and afterwards are received by other angels and introduced into societies… there. After this each one is led by the Lord into his own society… When they come to their own society their interiors are opened; and as these are in conformity with the interiors of the angels who are in that society they are immediately recognized and received with joy. (Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen by Emanuel Swedenborg Chapters 51-53)

          Meditation Red Sun by h.koppdelaney

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Emanuel Swedenborg also teaches: Chapter 17 vs. 159. I have also been shown how the Lord as the sun looks to angels in the celestial kingdom in their first state, their second and their third. I saw the Lord as the sun, at first a red-gold color, flashing with indescribable brilliance. I was told that this is how the Lord as the sun looks to angels in their first state. After that, I saw a large cloudy ring around the sun, which began to dim the flashing red-gold color that had caused the original brilliance. I was told this is how the Lord looks to them in their second state. Then I saw this ring thicken, so that the sun seemed less ruddy. This continued bit by bit until finally it had become virtually white. I was told that this is how the sun looks to people in the third state. After this, I saw this white object move to the left, toward heaven’s moon, and join with its light, with the result that the moon blazed out immoderately. I was told that this was the fourth state for people in the celestial kingdom, and the first in the spiritual kingdom. (Heaven and Hell [Third Dole Edition 1984] by Emanuel Swedenborg)  As I understand it red is the colour of the Astral Plane and the next higher Plane, the Causal Plane, is an orange colour which I believe is a mix between the Astral Plane’s red light and the Golden Yellow Light of the Soul Plane. This suggests to me that the Spiritual and the Celestial Kingdoms described by Emanuel Swedenborg are what angels see of the Light shining down from the Causal Plane. 

 

The Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem, considered to be Solomon, teaches us what takes place at the time of death:  ⁶Or ever the silver cord be loosed… ⁷Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 Bible, King James Version) Just as a baby in the womb is attached to its mother by the umbilical cord, which gives it life, so too is our outer physical body attached to our inner spirit by a silver cord of light which gives it life. If ever the silver cord is loosed at death then shall the physical body, which is made up of the elements of the earth or dust, return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it life. This does not mean that all spirits will immediately return to God or their Higher Self at death. This depends on the spiritual development of the individual. For most spirits this is a process which takes time. At death there are three main spiritual paths which a spirit will travel: The left hand path, the right hand path and the middle Path of Ascension. At the time of death not only does the physical body die but the Etheric, or Higher Physical body, also begins to die. To speed up this process, which can take several days, it is best to cremate the Physical body which also consumes the Etheric body and the Astral body allowing the departed spirit to pass more quickly into an Octave of Light. As far as I know only those who follow the Teachings of the Ascended Masters can maintain their Etheric body at so called death and go to the Etheric Plane, or the first inner Octave of Light, to continue their Ascension process. As I understand it those people who are buried go to a particular level on the Astral Plane which reflects their state of consciousness. On the lower levels of the Astral Plane are the hells. This I call the left hand path of evil. Those who are good spirits go to the higher levels of the Astral Plane which I call the right hand path of good. Eventually the spirits on the lower Planes will die and re-embody, or reincarnate, under the direction of their Higher Mental Body who dwells on the Higher Mental Plane.

In The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi Dowling (p31) we read: When John [the Baptist] was twelve years old his mother died… And John was deeply grieved; he wept. Matheno [his Master teacher from the temple of Sakara in Egypt] said, It is not well to weep because of death. Death is no enemy of man; it is a friend who, when the work of life is done, just cuts the cord that binds the human boat to earth, that it may sail on smoother seas… The calls of death are always for the best, for we are solving problems there as well as here; and one is sure to find himself where he can solve his problems best. It is but selfishness that makes one wish to call again to earth departed souls. Then let your mother rest in peace.

The Inner Directions of Heaven and Hell

Compass Mosaic By mksfly
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On this physical World our compass is governed by the magnetic field of the earth. On the inner Worlds direction is governed spiritually. Emanuel Swedenborg talks about the four directions of Heaven and hell: Chapter 16 vs. 141. Both in heaven and in the world there are four quarters, east, south, west, and north, determined in each world by its own sun; in heaven by the sun of heaven, which is the Lord, in the world by the sun of the world. And yet there are great differences between them… In heaven [it] is called the east where the Lord is seen as a sun, opposite to this is the west, at the right is the south in heaven, and at the left the north; and this in whatever direction the face and the body are turned. Thus in heaven it is from the east that all the quarters are determined. That is called the east where the Lord is seen as a sun, because all origin of life is from Him as a sun; moreover, so far as angels receive heat and light or love and intelligence from the Lord He is said to arise upon them… 142. Another difference is that to the angels the east is always before the face, the west behind, the south to the right, and the north to the left. But since this cannot be easily comprehended in the world, for the reason that men turn the face to every quarter, it shall be explained. The entire heaven turns itself to the Lord as to its common center; to that center do all the angels turn themselves… The interiors of angels are actually turned forwards… In heaven all turn themselves to the Lord… 143. …Although angels, like men, turn and direct their faces and bodies in every direction, they nevertheless have the east always before their eyes. But the turnings of angels are unlike the turnings of men, because they are from a different origin. They appear alike, but they are not. The origin of these turnings is their ruling love, and from this all directions with angels and spirits are determined, for, as just said, their interiors are actually turned towards their common center, which in heaven is the Lord as a sun; consequently their ruling love is always before their face, because their love is always before their interiors… and in the heavens this love is the Lord as a sun because it is from Him that they have their love. And as the Lord Himself is in angels in His love, it is the Lord who causes them to look to Him whithersoever they turn… That the angels have the Lord constantly before their faces it has been granted me to know and also to perceive from much experience; for whenever I have been in company with angels I have noticed the Lord’s presence before my face, not actually seen, and yet perceptible in a light; and angels have often testified that this is so. As the Lord is constantly before the faces of the angels, so it is said in the world of those who believe in the Lord and love Him that they have God before their eyes and their face, and that they look to God, and see God… In the spiritual world all constantly turn themselves to their loves; and the quarters there… 144. This turning to the Lord is among the wonderful things in heaven. There may be many together in one place, some turning the face and body one way and some another, and yet all see the Lord before them, and… everyone has the south at his right, the north at his left, and the west behind him… 145. The Lord is seen by the angels, and the angels are seen by the Lord in another way. Angels see the Lord through their eyes; but the Lord sees the angels in the forehead… 146. The quarters in the heavens that give form to the Lord’s celestial kingdom differ from the quarters in the heavens that give form to His spiritual kingdom, for the reason that He is seen by the angels in His celestial kingdom as a sun, but by the angels in His spiritual kingdom as a moon; and where the Lord is seen is the east. The distance there between the position of the sun and that of the moon is thirty degrees, and there is a like difference in the position of the quarters… But it does not follow that the quarters of heaven become confused on this account, for neither can the spiritual angels ascend among the celestial angels, nor the celestial descend among the spiritual… 147. This makes clear the nature of the Lord’s presence in the heavens… The perception of the Lord’s presence is in their interiors; and it is from these that their eyes see, and it is by this continuity that they see the Lord outside of themselves. This shows what is meant by the Lord’s being in them and they in Him, according to His own words: Abide in Me and I in you (John 15:4). He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me and I in him (John 6:56). In the Word “the Lord’s flesh” signifies His Divine Human, and the Divine good of His love and “the Lord’s blood” signifies Divine truth and the holy of faith. 148. All in the heavens have their own places of abode in accordance with the quarters… 149. In like order the angels in each society in heaven dwell in relation to one another- towards the east there those who are in greater degree of love and charity, towards the west those who are in less degree towards the south those who are in greater light of wisdom and intelligence, and towards the north those who are in less. This arrangement prevails because each society represents heaven, and is a heaven in a smaller form. The same arrangement prevails in their assemblies. They are brought into this order by virtue of the form of heaven, from which everyone knows his own place… 150. Because of this the quarters in the heavens signify such things as pertain to those that dwell in them, - the east signifying love and its good clearly perceived, the west the same obscurely perceived, the south wisdom and intelligence in clear light, and the north the same in obscure light… 151. The reverse is true of those in the hells. Those who are there do not look to the Lord as a sun nor as a moon; but they look backward away from the Lord to that dense darkness that is in the place of the sun of the world, and to the darkness that is in the place of the earth’s moon… The world’s sun and the earth’s moon are not seen in the spiritual world, but in place of that sun a dense darkness over against the sun of heaven, and in place of that moon a darkness over against the moon of heaven. For this reason the quarters with those in the hells are opposite to the quarters of heaven. The east to them is where that dense darkness and darkness are, the west is where the sun of heaven is, the south is to their right, and the north to their left, and this also in every turning of their bodies. Nor can they face otherwise, because the whole bent and consequent determination of their interiors tends and strives that way… The bent and consequent actual determination of the interiors of all in the other life are in harmony with their love. The love of those in the hells is the love of self and the world, and these loves are what are signified by the world’s sun and the earth’s moon; and these loves are opposite to love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour; and this is the cause of their turning themselves backwards away from the Lord to this dense darkness. Moreover, those in the hells dwell likewise in accordance with their quarters, those who are in evil from love of self dwelling from their east to their west, and those who are in the falsities of evil from their south to their north… Love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour make heaven, while love of self and love of the world make hell, because the two are opposite… 153. Evil spirits are sometimes seen turned towards the quarters of heaven; and they then have intelligence and perception of truth, but no affection for good; but as soon as they turn back to their own quarters they have no intelligence or perception of truth; and then they declare that the truths they heard and perceived are falsities and not truths, and they wish falsities to be truths… This is provided by the Lord to the end that everyone may have the ability to see and acknowledge truths, but that no one can receive truths unless he is in good, since it is good, and never evil, that receives them; also that man has a like ability to the end that he may be made better by means of truths… Nevertheless, he is made better only so far as he is in good. (Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen by Emanuel Swedenborg)

 

Why Are We Here?

Seeker by h.koppdelaney

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The Beloved Ascended Master Himalaya teaches that the Purpose of Life is the Attainment of the Ascension. The Ascension process must be started from the Physical plane so it is important to learn and use the spiritual Keys freely given by the Ascended Masters in their Teachings. In the book The Nine Freedoms by George King we read: ASCENSION. Freedom from rebirth… When this state has been reached the Adept… may then choose whether or not he will remain upon Terra [or Earth] in order to render Service, or whether he will go onward to an introduction into the experience cycle of another Planet… A special Initiation is then afforded to the Adept who chooses to remain upon Terra and he is then Initiated into the Great White Brotherhood… It is the birthright of every lifestream upon terra to enjoy the highest form of Initiation upon Terra- ASCENSION. IT IS THE GREATEST, MOST WONDERFUL PROMISE EVER MADE IN THE ANNALS OF PHILOSOPHICAL HISTORY! The top of the mountain is- ASCENSION… The shortest distance which Terrestrial man can take is the distance which is covered by the journey deep within; but it takes him longer to travel those relatively few millimeters than any other journey he will ever have to make. By perseverance, by Truth, by effort, by the radiation of Love, by Service in every form, he can make this journey and stand upon the rock of- ASCENSION. (p105-108)