3464. Afterwards he was let back into the company of those like himself, and then the respiration streamed in from there, so that I would learn their quality. The respiration had then been separated from the chest, and was in the abdomen around the navel - nor did it extend beyond that - which symbolized a life separated from goodness and truth.
At this point several species of respiration were shown to me about which I also spoke quite a lot, i.e. that there is an outer kind with the normal breathing, which is the one common to the world of spirits; then an inner one together with an imperceptible outer one - this being quite good; then there is an inner one without any outer, which is better; then there is also an imperceptible one almost none of which I could perceive, and which is angelic. These are the kinds of respiration.
But there are more kinds of respiration, and countless species pertaining to the regions in the body and their borders - which will be discussed elsewhere, as the Lord sees fit.
[2] I first became accustomed to breathing in this way in early childhood during the praying of the morning and evening prayers, as well as later, at times, while I was investigating the harmonies of the lungs and heart, especially when my mind was engaged in writing the works that have been published over many years. At such time I noticed now and then that there was a tacit breathing, hardly perceptible, about which I was later prompted to think, and to write. So for many years from early childhood I had been introduced to such breathing, most of all during intense moments of insight, when breathing comes to rest, and if it does not, an intense insight of truth is not given.
Then later, when heaven was opened, so that I would speak with spirits, and thus would not breathe in at all for the space of a short hour. I only drew in as much air as I needed to think. In this way I was introduced by the Lord to inward ways of breathing.
[3] Perhaps even in sleep, I have also observed time and again that while I was falling asleep, my breathing was almost taken away, so that I would wake up and draw breath. When observing nothing of this, and I am writing, and thinking, without reflecting on the fact that my breathing is stopped - which I guess has happened a countless number of times - then neither could I, being without reflection, number the variables. To this let me now add that every single state of mind, and every single aura, and every single society, most of all the inward ones, have in me their concordant respiration, to which I am adapted without having to reflect - by which means it is also granted me to be among spirits and angels.
3464. I was afterwards remitted into the company of those of this character, from whence respiration flowed in, that I might know their quality; the respiration was then separated from the pectoral region, and removed to the abdominal about the naval, nor did it extend itself any further; and this signifies a life separated from good and truth. There were then shown to me certain species of respirations, concerning which much conversation also was had, as, for instance, that there is conjoined with the usual respirations an external one, which is common to the world of spirits; then an internal with an insensible external, which is sufficiently good; then an internal without an external, which is better; and finally an insensible one that was to me scarcely perceptible, which is angelic. But these in general; there are still other genera, and an indefinite number of species, pertaining to different regions of the body and the determinations thence, concerning which, by the favor of the Lord, I shall speak elsewhere. I was first accustomed thus to respire in my early childhood, when saying my morning and evening prayers, and occasionally afterwards, when exploring the harmonies of the lungs and heart, and especially when deeply engaged in writing the works that have been published. For a course of years I continually observed that there was a tacit respiration, scarcely perceptible, concerning which it was subsequently given me to reflect, and then to write. I was thus during many years, from the period of childhood, introduced into such respirations, especially by means of absorbing speculations, in which the breathing seems to become quiescent, as otherwise the intense study of truth is scarcely possible. Afterwards, when heaven was opened to me, and I was enabled to converse with spirits, I sometimes scarcely breathed by inspiration at all for the space of a short hour, and merely drew in enough of air to keep up the process of thinking. Thus I was introduced by the Lord into interior respirations. I have also again and again observed, that when I was passing into a state of sleep, my respiration was almost taken away, so that I would awake and catch my breath. When I observe nothing of the kind, I continue to write and think, and am not aware of my respiration being arrested, unless I reflect upon it. This I may say has happened in instances innumerable. Nor was I at such times able to observe the various changes, because I did not reflect upon them. The design of all this was, that every kind of state, every kind of sphere, and every kind of society, particularly the more interior, might find in my own a fit respiration, which should come into play without any reflection on my part, and that thus a medium of interaction might be afforded with spirits and angels.
3464. Postea remissus in consortium talium, qualis is, et tunc influebat respiratio inde, ut scirem quales essent, tunc respiratio erat separata a pectorali, et erat abdominis circa umbilicum, nec ulterius se inde extendebat, quod significat vitam separatam a bono et vero. Tum ostensae mihi quaedam species respirationum, de quibus multa satis quoque loquutus, nempe quod externa cum respiratione solita, quae est mundi spirituum communis, tum interna cum insensibili externa; quae satis bona; tum interna absque externa quae melior, tum etiam insensibilis, paene nulla mihi percepta, quae angelica, haec in genere; sed plura ejus genera sunt, et indefinitae species, quoad regiones in corpore, determinationes inde; de quibus dignante Domino, alibi. Ita respirare assuefactus primum sum in infantia cum matutinae et vespertinae preces precatae, tum aliquoties postea, cum explorarem pulmonum et cordis concordantias, imprimis cum ex mente scriberem ea quae publicata sunt, per plures annos, tunc observabam passim, quod tacita respiratio esset, vix sensibilis, de qua postea cogitare datum, tum scribere, ita per plures annos ab infantia introductus sum in tales respirationes, maxime per intensas speculationes, in quibus respiratio quiescit, aliter non intensa speculatio veri datur: tum postea, cum apertum esset coelum, ut loquerer cum spiritibus, ita prorsus ut nihil respirarem intus, per spatia horulae, modo tantum aeris attractum, ut inde cogitare possem; ita a Domino introductus sum in interiores respirationes. Forte etiam in somnis, observavi quoque semel iterumque quod cum laberer in somnum, respiratio mihi fere adempta sit, sic ut evigilarer, et attraherem spiritum: praeter cum nihil tale observo, et scribo, et cogito, quod sistatur respiratio, praeter quod reflectam, quod toties factum reor, ut vices innumerae sint; tunc nec varietates, quia absque reflexione, potueram [observare] ; hoc nunc, quod unusquisque status, tum quod unaquaevis sphaera, sic unaquaevis societas, maxime interiores, in me habeant convenientem respiationem, cui applicor, absque reflexione; qua media spiritibus et angelis interesse quoque datur.