3635. The objects of sight and hearing are all kinds of vessels
The life of the Lord flows into heaven and into the world of spirits, then into the thoughts of people on earth, and yet it appears that the objects of sight and hearing, thus external objects, flow into their thoughts. So that I would learn for once and for all how this matter stands, and that it is a fallacy that outer things flow into our thoughts, I was allowed to sensate that the objects of sight and also of hearing do nothing more than rearrange the inward vessels pertaining to the lower thought, and such as the vessels are, such are the spirits' mental images flowing in received. For the vessels receive the inflowings according to their own configurations, thus as they are arranged by objects - in fact, sometimes in such a way that the mental imagery is turned into its opposite. Hence it comes that with those who have a general mental image, all the details fill themselves in and thus draw upon the general, and the details are seen to lead back to it - as is clear from much evidence.
To make this clear, a spirit also spoke with me so that I would see even better what I had seen at the time only faintly. But because the fallacy of the senses prevails that objects flow into thoughts, I was unable to understand still more clearly than as I have said. I realize that spirits who entertain that fallacy persist in it. 1748, 21 Oct.
3635. THAT THE OBJECTS OF SIGHT AND HELPING ARE THE VARIATIONS OF VESSELS.
As the life of the Lord flows into heaven and into the world of spirits, thus into the thoughts of man, and yet it appears, notwithstanding, that the objects of sight and hearing flow into the thoughts, and thus external things [in general], in order that I might be made acquainted with the actual fact in the matter, and [be convinced] that this flowing in of external things into the thoughts is a fallacy, it was given me to perceive, that the objects of sight, and also of hearing, produce no other effect than variously to dispose the interior vessels which are of the lower thought; as according to the quality of these vessels such is the reception of the ideas of spirits which flow in, for the vessels receive influx according to their forms, and therefore according as they are disposed by objects, even when it so happens that ideas are turned into what is contrary. Thence it is that those who are in a common idea, apply to themselves all the particulars, and thus draw themselves away from the common idea, and apparently lead the particulars to that point. This is evident from innumerable testimonies; and that it might be still more palpable, a spirit spoke with me, in order to my more fully apprehending the truth. It was then given obscurely to apperceive it, but inasmuch as a fallacy of the senses prevails from the [apparent] flowing of objects into the thoughts, I could gain no more distinct knowledge on the point than is stated above. I perceived that spirits who are in that fallacy persist in it. -l748, October 21.
3635. Quod objecta visus et auditus sint variationes vasorum
Quia vita Domini influit in coelum, et in mundum spirituum, sic in cogitationes hominis, et usque apparet, quod objecta visus et auditus influant in cogitationes, ita externa - ut scirem primum quomodo se haberent, et quod fallacia esset, quod externa influant in cogitationes, datum mihi percipere, quod objecta visus, proinde auditus nihil aliud efficiant, quam quod vasa interiora, quae sunt cogitationis inferioris, varie disponant, et qualia sunt vasa, taliter recipiuntur ideae spirituum quae influunt, nam vasa recipiunt influxus secundum suas formas, proinde sicut disponuntur ab objectis, imo quandoque ita ut ideae in contrarium vertantur; inde venit, quod [iis] qui in communi idea sunt, omnia particularia se inapplicent, et sic trahant a communi idea, et videntur particularia illuc ducere: sicut ex innumeris constare potest. Utque hoc constaret, etiam spiritus mecum loquutus est, ut apperciperem id quoque melius, quod tunc datum obscure appercipere, sed quia fallacia sensus regnat ex eo quod objecta influant in cogitationes, non potui manifestius adhuc percipere, quam sicut dictum: percipio quod spiritus qui in fallacia ista sunt, in ea persistant. 1748, 21 Oct.