1924. The more we grow up and become immersed in worldly and bodily matters, the more our every idea becomes closed toward heaven. And it is not opened except in those in whom the Lord deems it fitting. From this one may understand what it symbolizes that Adam was cast out of Paradise, and that guards were placed before the paradise and the tree of life [Gen. 3:24].
1924. 1/2. With myself I have also observed, by actual and very plain experience, that the angels received a more perfect understanding of the mental images when I was not mixing in my own thinking, but only seeing that they were open toward heaven, and that the angels were thereby understanding inward matters. Then the mental image was more open than when I myself seemed to enter at the same time into the inward contents of it.
1924. In proportion as a man advances in age and becomes immersed in worldly and corporeal things, all his ideas are more closed towards heaven: nor are they opened except in those in whom the Lord is pleased to open them; whence is to be understood what is meant by Adam's being expelled from Paradise, and guards being placed at the entrance and at the tree of life.
1924 1/2. In my own case, I have observed through a living and most manifest experience, that the angels had a more distinct perception of my ideas when I did not mix up or complicate my thoughts, but barely perceived that the ideas were opened towards heaven, whence the angels could perceive interior things; - [I say, I have observed] that then my ideas were more open than when I seemed to enter at the same time into their interiors.
1924. Quo magis homo adolescit, et in mundana et corporea, immergitur, eo magis clauditur versus coelum omnis ejus idea; nec aperta est nisi in iis, in quibus Dominus aperire dignatur; inde intelligitur, quid significat, quod Adamus a Paradiso expulsus est, et custodiae positae ad paradisum et ad arborem vitae [Gen. III: 24].
1924a. Apud me quoque per vivam et manifestissimam experientiam observavi, quod angeli pleniorem intellectum idearum perciperent, cum meas cogitationes non immiscerem 1
, sed [cum] modo perciperem, quod apertae essent ideae versus coelum, et angeli inde perciperent interiora, tunc magis aperta erat idea, quam cum ego viderer intrare simul in interiora ideae.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has imiscerem