3605. About "place"
I noticed, whenever I heard something, that although I did not see it, I still conceived of a place and what the place there was like - but this was imaginary, because there was no such place about which fact I had not reflected before this was recalled into my memory and mental view. Then I acknowledged that I had made up the mental picture of the place.
I also noticed that when I had tarried somewhat longer in one room, it became familiar to me, so that I was able to form mental pictures there better than when I was in a different room or place. And yesterday when I switched to a room next to the other one in which I was accustomed to writing, then a calm ensued among the spirits as if they did not know where I was - which surprised me.
Just now I spoke about the fact that spirits like to have a mental image of a place adjoined, which, unless it presents the same picture, appears foreign to them, and they seem not to know where they are, since the idea is not defined unless a place is joined to it. Moreover, it was also observed that they prefer one place to another - and in fact a place from the neighborhood of the spirits, where they seem to dwell, as can be confirmed in many ways, among others from the people who are nearby and in their house. So things of this kind occur in the world of spirits, which, because they have become everyday and familiar, we do not think about, yet they derive their causes from the world of spirits. 1748, 17 Oct. The reason is that a mental image is not defined apart from a space, or, what is the same, apart from a structure. They drew back the foot when places were being thought about - a sign that places and material things serve them as fulcrums, so to speak, on which they rest.
3605. 1/2. About the inward parts of the Word, and how they must be laid bare
In sleep [the Word] was portrayed to me by many sacks of money in which a great deal of silver was stored away, some lower down, and some higher up. Because these sacks lay so exposed that anyone could plunder the silver, for they were not tied, a place was sought where they might be hidden away - first in a stable, by which the human understanding was symbolized. There no suitable place was found, signifying that the human intellect should have no part in laying bare the inward parts of the Word.
[2] Then I passed into a small chamber where it seemed to me at first it would have been pleasant to dwell. In it there were modest virgins in the company of a modest wife, signifying that they should not be explained in the way customary to preachers, so as to stir the feelings, for in this way not much is left. After that I was in a certain wide place where there were two little children, with whom I wanted to play - meaning that it is permissible to associate with them, but not to play in a childish manner.
While I was there, there came out of a very dark chamber a girl among some rather pretty ones. She wanted to violate me, and while I was fleeing from her, I awoke, and I saw the carcass of a horse, symbolizing that eloquence was not to be cultivated, which appears like a beautiful virgin. But because she was a prostitute, bursting out of that room, she appeared to me like a foul carcass of a horse. This girl is how she was portrayed by spirits, so they were not really girls.
I remember also having been in the place where there were sacks of silver, and four persons were sitting on them. The place was dark and unembellished, signifying that such is the sense of the letter, where the inward parts are hidden away as in sacks. 1748, 18 Oct. But these were so portrayed by spirits in whose favor these words have been inserted on account of their worthy purpose.
What kind of fantasies those have who are cunning demons
A cunning demon who had been present with me from behind, I believe for a whole day, is the one who had stirred up others also to feel sorry for him, when yet he was concerned with himself alone. His fantasies upon coming into a different aura were portrayed by snakes.
3605. CONCERNING THE IDEA OF PLACE.
I observed that whenever I heard anything, though without seeing it, I still formed an idea of place, as of what kind of place it was; but this was imaginary, because the place was not such, upon which I had no reflection before this was recalled into memory and idea, thus acknowledging that I had fictitiously formed to myself the idea of place. It was also observed that when I had been for some time in one chamber it became familiar to me so that I could then better command my ideas than when in another chamber or place. Thus for example, yesterday, having removed from the chamber where I was sitting to another adjoining room, in which I was accustomed to write, a kind of tranquillity ensued among the [attendant] spirits, though ignorant, as it were, of where I was, at which I wondered. I am now speaking of the fact, that spirits wish to have their ideas connected with place, as unless [the place is] at the same time in their idea, things have a kind of foreign air to them, and they know not, as it were, where they are, so that the idea is not determinate unless it be connected with place. It was moreover observed that one place has a preference [in their esteem] over another, especially from the vicinity of spirits who seem to themselves to be conversant there, as might be abundantly confirmed by facts, besides that the same effect is produced by the presence of men who are near, and in the house; so that in fact such things exist [with us here] as [do] in the world of spirits; upon which, [however], because they become of such every day and familiar occurrence, man does not reflect; yet he derives [all] his causes from the world of spirits. -l748, October 17. The ground of all this is, that the idea is not finited [or fixed] without space, or which is the same thing, without structure [or form]. They drew back the foot when thinking of places, a kind of sign that places and material things served as fulcra on which [their thoughts] stand.
3605 1/2. CONCERNING THE INTERIORS OF THE WORD, [AND] HOW THEY ARE TO BE EXPLAINED.
There was a representation made to me in sleep by means of a number of sacks of money, in which was contained a vast quantity of silver, that was buried, some in a lower and some in a higher place, so exposed that anyone could plunder the treasure, as the sacks were not tied. The place was then explored where [the sacks] were concealed, which was a manger in a stable, by which was signified the human intellectual. But that was an unsuitable place, signifying that the human intellect ought not to have a part in explaining the interior things of the Word. I then went into a small arched room [or saloon] where it seemed at first that it would have been pleasant for me to dwell. There were modest virgins there, with a modest wife, signifying that these things were not to be expounded, as is usually done by preachers, with a view to excite the affections, for thus not much [besides the declamation] remains. Afterwards I was in a place of ample extent, where were two little children with which I wished to sport, signifying that it was proper to engage myself with them, but not to sport in an infantile manner. There then came out of the saloon a most dissolute maiden among the fairer ones, who would fain have prevailed upon me by force; and when I was in the act of flying, I awoke, and saw the carcass of a horse, signifying that human eloquence was not to be cultivated, which appears as a beautiful virgin but because she was a harlot breaking out from such a saloon, she appeared to me to be such as was the black carcass of the horse. These things were represented by spirits, and therefore not as a pastime. I recollect also that I was in a place where were sacks of silver, and two persons sitting upon them, of whom one was obscure, and very plainly dressed, signifying that such is the sense of the letter, while its interior things are stored away in the sacks. - 1748, October l8.
But these things were represented by spirits, and with a view to favor them on account of their worthy aim, they are here inserted. 1
CONCERNING THE QUALITY OF THE PHANTASIES OF THE DECEITFUL GENII. 2
A deceitful genius was with me behind for the space, I think of a whole day, -the same who had moved others to compassion in his behalf when yet he regarded himself alone. His phantasies, when he came into another sphere, were represented by serpents.
Footnotes:
1. The incidents narrated in the above article are thus given in the SS no. 26: "To prevent any person from entering into the spiritual sense, and perverting the genuine truth which belongs to that sense, there are guards set by the Lord, which are signified in the Word by the cherubs. This was made known to me by the following representation: It was given to me to see great purses which had the appearance of bags, in which was stored up money in great abundance and as they were open, it seemed as if anyone might take out, yea, steal away, the money therein deposited: but near those two purses sat two angels, as guards. The place where they laid appeared like a manger in a stable. In a neighboring apartment were seen modest virgins with a chaste wife; and near that apartment stood two infants, and information was given, that they were to be treated in their sports, not in a childish way, but according to wisdom. Afterwards there appeared a harlot and lastly, a horse lying dead. On seeing these things I was instructed, that thereby was represented the literal sense of the Word, in which is contained the spiritual sense. Those large purses full of money signified the knowledges of truth in great abundance. Their being open, and yet guarded by angels, signified, that anyone might take thence the knowledges of truth, but that there was need of caution lest he should falsify the spiritual sense, in which are naked truths. The manger in the stable, in which the purses lay, signified spiritual instruction for the understanding this is the signification of a manger, because a horse that feeds there signifies understanding. The modest virgins who were seen in a neighboring apartment, signified the affections of truth: and the chaste wife signified the conjunction of goodness and truth. The infants signified the innocence of wisdom therein; they were angels from the third heaven, who all appear as infants. The harlot with the dead horse, signified the falsification of the Word by many at this day, whereby all understanding of the Word is destroyed; a harlot signifies falsification, and a dead horse signifies the non-understanding of truth." Compare AR 255, and TCR 277.
2. For an account of the spirits termed Genii, see AC 5035.
3605. De idea loci
Observatum, quoties aliquid audivi, tametsi non viderim, [quod] usque ideam loci conceperim, qualis ibi locus fuisset, sed hoc fictum, quia talis non locus, super quod nullam reflexionem habui, priusquam revocaretur hoc in memoriam et ideam, sic agnoscens, quod ideam loci mihi finxerim; observatum etiam est, cum in uno conclavi diutius fuerim, quod familiare factum, ut ibi ideas melius potuissem habere, quam cum in alio conclavi seu loco; tum heri cum in conclave [proximum] juxta alterum, ubi assuefactus eram scribere, transferrem me , tunc tranquillum factum apud spiritus, nescientes quasi ubinam essem, quod miratus; loquutus nunc de eo, quod spiritus junctam habere velint ideam loci, quae nisi simul in idea, peregrinum obvenit, non quasi scientes, ubinam, cum idea non sit determinata, nisi etiam locus sit: praeterea etiam observatum, quod unus locus praestet altero, et quidem ex vicinia spirituum, qui ibi sibi videntur versari, sicut pluribus confirmari potest, praeter quod ex hominibus qui prope sunt, et in domo sunt; sic ut in spirituum mundo talia existant, super quae, quia quotidiana et familiaria sic facta, homo non reflectit, usque ducunt suas causas a spirituum mundo. 1748, 17 Oct. Causa est, quod idea non finita sit absque spatio, seu quod idem, absque structura. Retrahebant pedem, cum cogitaretur de locis, signum quod quasi eis loca et materialia essent fulcra quibus insistunt.
3605b. De interioribus Verbi, quomodo exponenda
In somno repraesentatum mihi [Verbum] per saccos pecuniae multos, in quibus argentum multum et grande reconditum, in loco inferiori, tum in superiori, qui quia exstabant unicuivis, ut diripere posset argentum, nam sacci non erant ligati, tunc exploratus locus ubi reconderentur, primum in stabulo, quo significabatur intellectuale humanum, ibi non erat aptus locus, significans quod intellectus humanus non debeat habere partem in exponendis interioribus Verbi: tum itum in cameram parvam, ubi habitare mihi jucundum fuisse primum visum; ibi erant virgines modestae, cum uxore modesta, significantes quod non exponerentur ita, ut solent praedicatores, ad movendum affectiones, nam sic non multum remanet, postea eram in quodam loco amplo ubi bini infantes, cum quibus ludere vellem, significans, quod cum iis conversari liceat, sed non infantiliter ludendum, cum ibi exibat ex camera obscurissima, puella inter pulchriores, quae me rapere vi vellet, et cum aufugiebam, expergefactus, et videbam equinum cadaver, significans quod non studendum eloquentiae, quae apparet sicut pulchra virgo, sed quia scortum erat, ex camera tali erumpens, visum mihi quod talis esset, quale cadaver equinum tetrum; haec a spiritibus repraesentata, quare non tales. Memini quoque me fuisse in loco ubi sacci argenti, et super iis bini sedentes, ubi quidem obscurum, non decoratum, significans quod talis sit sensus literae, ubi interiora recondita sunt [sicut] in saccis. 1748, 18 Oct. Sed haec a spiritibus repraesentata sunt, quibus favendi causa, haec inserta sunt, propter finem eorum probum.
Quales phantasiae eorum qui genii dolosi sunt
Genius dolosus apud me a tergo, ut reor per integrum diem, is qui in misericordiam sui causa movit quoque alios, cum sibi soli studeret: ejus phantasiae cum in sphaeram aliam venirent repraesentatae ut serpentes.