5125. Heaven is not a place but a state of life
Those who come from the world all bring with them the belief that heaven is on high, thus in a place. For this reason they say they want to be raised into heaven. But they do not know that heaven is not a place, but a state of life, namely a life of love, charity, and faith, and that they appear in a higher place than the rest, but places there are an appearance. I have seen certain ones ascend on high, as happens with very many, in many ways. But they said that when they are there, they are entirely the same as they were before, and that they see nothing [that is not the same], and so they wondered that heaven was there. But if the state is changed to a good one, with whom this is possible, it becomes heaven for them, to the degree that they accept a state of love. When certain ones were on high, a communication with angels who are there was given, for they were invisible, but when this communication takes place, they appear to some slight extent. The evil then cast themselves down headfirst from there because they have a feeling of hell in themselves, its intensity depending on the degree and nature of the evil.
5125. THAT HEAVEN IS NOT A PLACE BUT A STATE OF LIFE.
All who come from the world bring with them the opinion that heaven is on high, thus in place; for which reason, they say that they wish to be raised up into heaven. But they do not know that heaven is not a place, but a state of life, namely, of the life of love, charity and faith; and that, though they appear in a higher place than others, place is an appearance. I saw that certain ones ascended on high, as very many did in many ways; but, when there, they said that they are altogether like they were before, and that they see nothing; and so they wondered that heaven should be there. But if the state is changed to a good one, it becomes heaven with those in whom this can be effected - to just such an extent as they receive the state of love. Certain ones, when on high, were granted communication with the angels there; for they were invisible; but, when communication takes place, they appear for a little while. The evil then cast themselves down from thence, head-foremost; for they feel hell in themselves, grievous according to the degree and quality of their evil.
5125. Coelum quod non sit locus sed status vitae
Qui ex mundo veniunt, omnes secum ferunt opinionem quod coelum sit in alto, ita in loco, quapropter dicunt, quod in coelum elevari velint, sed non sciunt quod coelum non sit locus, sed quod status vitae, nempe vitae amoris, charitatis et fidei, et quod illi appareant in altiori prae reliquis, sed locus tunc est apparentia: vidi quod quidam in altum ascenderint, ut faciunt permulti, multis modis, sed dixerunt cum ibi, quod prorsus similes sibi sint ac prius, et quod nihil videant, et sic mirati quod ibi coelum: sed si mutatur status in bonum, apud quos id potest, fit coelum illis, in tantum quantum recipiunt statum amoris. Quidam cum in alto essent, communicatio data est cum angelis qui ibi, erant enim invisibiles, et cum fit communicatio, aliquantisper apparent, tunc mali dejiciunt se inde praecipites, sentiunt enim in se infernum, grave secundum gradum et quale mali.