5623. They do not know what time and space are in the other life
Those who die as little children and those who come into the more inward heavens do not know what time and space are. As regards time, it is because the sun does not make a circuit as in the world, so there are no years or days. The sun there, which is the Lord, is always in the east. Consequently no other changes exist there than of states of life as to good and truth which make their own cycles, and because the sun is not of such a nature as in the world they can have no [physically based] notion of time but only of state, although with respect to the duration of states, there is time equally as in the world. But from this they cannot have a notion of time because the states do not recur with fixed alternations. In the more inward heaven even the concept of time perishes, because with those who come there the natural element,
[5623] 1/2 which has the [physical] notion of time, is put to sleep. They do not know what spatial distances are because these change variously according to the state of their life. Consequently they are [only] what appear to be spaces, and they are not fixed as in the world. The spaces also vary as to distances and dimensions according to states of life; and because their spatial distances are like this, they do not have any notion of them, even though they still exist.
5623. THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TIME AND SPACE ARE IN THE OTHER LIFE.
Those who die while infants, and who come into the interior heavens, do not know what time and space are. As regards time, the reason is this: because the sun, there, does not perform a revolution like the one in the world, consequently, neither does it produce the years and days. The sun, there, which is the Lord, is always in the east; therefore, no other variations exist there than of the states of life as to good and truth, which make their periods. And, since the sun is not of such a nature as the one in the world, they are, therefore, unable to have any notion of time, but only of state - albeit, relatively to the duration of state there is time, just as much as in the world; but they cannot thence have the notion of time, because the states do not recur in regular alternations. In the interior heaven, even the idea of time perishes; because, with those who come thither, the natural, which is in the notion of time, is put to sleep.
5623a. Nor are they acquainted with spaces, because these are variously changed according to the states of their life: hence they are the appearances of states; neither are these fixed as are those in the world. Those spaces, also, are varied as regards distances and magnitudes, likewise according to the states of life; and, because their spaces are of such a nature, neither do they have the notion of them, although they still exist.
5623. Quod non sciant quid tempus et spatium in altera vita
Qui moriuntur infantes, et qui in interiores coelos veniunt non sciunt quid tempus et spatium, quod tempus attinet, est inde quia ibi non sol agit circuitus sicut in mundo, ita nec annos ac dies, Sol ibi qui Dominus semper in oriente est; inde non aliae variationes ibi dantur quam statuum vitae quoad bonum et verum, quae suas periodos faciunt, et quia non sol est talis qualis in mundo, ideo nullam notionem temporis habere possunt, sed modo status, quamvis respective ad durationem status aeque est tempus sicut in mundo, sed inde non notionem temporis habere possunt, quia non statis vicibus recurrunt, in interiori coelo etiam perit idea temporis, quia qui illuc veniunt apud illos sopitur naturale, quod in no
[5[623] 1/2. tione temporis est. Spatia nec sciunt, quia mutantur illa varie secundum status vitae eorum, inde sunt apparentiae spatiorum, nec fixa sunt ut in mundo; variantur etiam spatia illa quoad distantias dimensiones, etiam secundum status vitae; quia spatia illorum talia sunt, nec habent illorum notionem, tametsi usque sunt.