3607. Heavenly gyres cannot at all be understood
Spirits who wanted to investigate heavenly gyres, because they were unable to conceive of them, began to doubt and deny their existence, as they are apt to do in regard to anything they do not understand.
[2] That heavenly gyres cannot possibly be understood, or the manner in which thoughts, efforts and forces move, was shown by comparison with the manner of flowing in the tissues of our body, which it is impossible to fathom. Take for example how they originate from their beginnings or cortical substances, how they interconnect in the brain, which has the appearance of porridge, and when examined looks like a series of knots; how they intertwine with the tissues of the medulla oblongata, with those of the cerebellum, how they unite in the spinal marrow and enfold themselves there with its tissues; how they then join in the knots or ganglia, how they run out from there united and separate, how they develop between each other joining branches [or anastomoses], thus coming together and separating, how they intertwine in numerous ways and thence flow into the internal organs, how they behave in the individual internal organs.
Since no one grasps these particulars in physical matters and in grosser Nature, how is one to understand the things that exist in the world of spirits and in heaven with regard to the forms, influxes and effluxes, of thoughts and efforts? Tissues portray spiritual qualities, the beginnings of the tissues or cortical substances portray heavenly ones - within which are forms still more undefined. Therefore they must admit, when attempting to investigate such [mysteries], that nothing whatever is known - and still less, because they do not know, and therefore ought not to doubt, anything concerning matters of faith. 1748, 18 Oct.
3607. THAT THE CELESTIAL GYRES CAN NEVER BE UNDERSTOOD.
Spirits who are prompted to inquire into the nature of the celestial gyres, if they do not succeed in comprehending it, are prone to doubt and deny, as they are accustomed to do in regard to every subject which they do not understand. That the celestial gyres are never intelligible, as how [for instance] the thoughts, endeavors, and forces flow, was shown by the courses [fluctiones] of the fibers in our bodies, which it is impossible to trace, as in what manner they proceed [or flow] from their principles or cortical substances, how they attach themselves to the cerebrum, which has the appearance of a mass of jelly, and upon inspection resemble a series of knots, how they are intertwined with the fibers of the medulla oblongata, how with the fibers of the cerebellum, how they are united in the medulla spinalis, and then fill themselves with its fibers; how they afterwards arrange themselves in knots or ganglia, how they thence issue forth united or separate, how they anatomize with each other, and thus unite or separate, how they come into pluriform junctions, and thence flow into the viscera, and how they act in each of the viscera themselves; - since no one can understand how the fact is in regard to these matters, in things corporeal and of a gross nature, how [can the truth be grasped] as to those which exist in the world of spirits, [considered] as to the forms, influxes and effluxes, of thoughts and endeavors? The fibers represent spiritual things, the principles of the fibers, which lie under the cortical substances, represent things celestial, in which there are forms still more indefinite [or numerous]. Wherefore it is to be confessed, that since scarcely anything can be known, upon investigation, on these subjects, there is very little reason why anyone, from mere ignorance, should doubt respecting the things that are of faith. - 1748, October 18.
3607. Quod coelestes gyri nequaquam intelligi queant
Spiritus, qui inquirere voluerunt in coelestes gyros, quia non potuerunt percipere, inde dubitare et negare [incipiebant], ut solent, ex quibuscunque, quae non intelligunt: quod nusquam intelligibiles sint gyri coelestes, quomodo nempe cogitationes, conatus et vires fluant, ostensum est per fibrarum fluxionem in nostro corpore, quam perscrutari impossibile est, sicut quomodo ex principiis suis seu substantiis corticalibus fluunt, quomodo se consertant in cerebro, quod apparet instar pulmenti, et inspectis apparent continui nodi, quomodo se conserunt fibris medullae oblongatae, quomodo fibris cerebelli, quomodo unitae in medulla spinali, et ibi se ejus fibris implicant, quomodo se consertant dein in nodis seu gangliis, quomodo inde excurrunt unitae et separatae, quomodo forment inter se anastomoses, et sic consertant et separent, quomodo in pluriformibus consertionibus, et inde influant in viscera, quomodo se habent in visceribus singulis; haec cum in corporeis et crassa natura nullus capit, quomodo quae existunt in mundo spirituum et coelo, quoad formas, influxus et effluxus cogitationum et conatuum? fibrae repraesentant spiritualia, principia fibrarum, quae substantiae corticales, repraesentant coelestia, in quibus adhuc formae sunt indefinitiores; quare fatendum, cum talia inquirere conantur, quod nihil prorsus sciatur, minus quia non sciunt, ideo dubitare [debeant] de iis quae sunt fidei. 1748, 18 Oct.