3254. On the inflow into heaven of the thoughts of people on earth
It does not feel any differently than that pious prayers and thoughts flow up into heaven, and thus that the flow would go toward the inward regions, but the fact of the matter is entirely otherwise, and it is a fallacy to suppose this. For all life comes from the Lord, through the heavens in succession, or directly through the world of spirits. That it is fallacy may be evident both from the fact that spirits suppose that they speak my language and know everything I know, when yet this is a fallacy, and from the fact that coarser things can in no wise enter into finer things, as can be known to everyone.
But the Lord's life passes through heaven, and it is varied according to the forms there. What these are like cannot be described. The more perfect a society's collective form is, the more truly and beautifully, and the more quickly and directly [the Lord's life] streams in. So it is a fallacy that any person on earth or any spirit can by their own thought or their own skill penetrate into heaven, or into spiritual and heavenly regions. But the more suited people, or the more suited their inward parts are to receiving [that life], the more truly and blessedly do the intermediate parts feel and perceive it. But the more unsuited the people, or the more unsuited their inward parts, then the more it is corrupted on the way. 1748, 22 Sept.
3254. CONCERNING THE INFLUX OF MEN'S THOUGHTS INTO HEAVEN.
It is not perceived other than that pious prayers and thoughts might inflow into heaven, and thus go towards interiors. But the case is entirely different; for it is a fallacy to think so; for all life and thought [proceeds] from the Lord, [either] through the heavens in succession, or immediately through the world of spirits. That it is a fallacy may further be apparent from this, that spirits suppose they speak in my language, and know what I know, and yet it is a fallacy. Besides which grosser [things] can never enter into purer [things], as may be known to everyone: but the life of the Lord passes through heaven, and is varied according to forms. What their nature is cannot be described; the more perfect the form of the general [communis] society, the more true and blessed, also the more quick or direct, the influx: wherefore it is a fallacy that man or spirit can penetrate by his thought or his art into heaven, or into spiritual and celestial things; but the more adapted [aptior] that man is, or the more fitted that his interiors are for receiving, the more truly and happily do the intermediates feel and perceive. But the more unfitted the man, or the more unfitted his interiors, the more the perversion [of influx] on the way. - 1748, September 22.
3254. De influxu hominum cogitationum in coelum
Non aliter percipitur quam quod piae preces, et cogitationes influerent in coelum, et sic iret versus interiora, sed se prorsus aliter res habet, nam quod ita putetur est fallacia: omnis enim vita, et cogitatio a Domino, per coelos successive, sive immediate per mundum spirituum [influit]; quod fallacia sit constare potest tam ex eo quod spiritus putent se loqui mea lingua, et scire quae ego scio, cum tamen est fallacia, praeter 1
[ex eo] quod crassiora nusquam intrare queant in puriora, sicut cuivis notum esse potest, sed Domini vita transit per coelum, et variatur secundum formas, quae quales sunt, hoc non describi potest, quo perfectior forma communis societatis, eo verius et beatius, tum citius seu directius influit; quare est fallacia, quod homo aut spiritus sua cogitatione, aut sua arte penetrare possit in coelum, aut in spiritualia et coelestia, sed quo aptior est homo, seu ejus interiora aptiora sunt recipiendi, eo quoque intermedia quoque verius et beatius sentiunt et percipiunt, at quo ineptior est homo, seu ejus interiora ineptiora, eo in via pervertitur plus. 1748, 22 Sept.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has fallacia; praeter