5646. About walks, that they are changes of state
About spirits' outward appearance and that spirits are appearances
In the other life the actions of walking, coming, and going are nothing but changes of the state of inward elements, but yet to the spirits and angels they appear entirely as walking, coming and going, the same as with people's life: they believe they live from themselves; and from their ability to understand truths and to will good, they believe that they understand truth and will good of themselves, because it entirely appears so. Those appearances are so real that spirits are entirely unaware that they are from that origin, nor do they want to know that they are from that origin, and the angels of heaven do indeed know but they do not think about it. This is from the Lord's Divine Providence, so that everyone may seem to himself to live and to act from himself. This originates in the activities of walking and moving in the world. People there actually walk from a place to a place because there is space there and there is time there; however, in the other life there is neither time nor space other than appearances that accord with states. Nonetheless, when earthly people do walk, then it is certainly the body [that is walking], but it is actually coming from the will, and as much of the will is present, so much the person walks.
[2] Wherefore, since in the other life in place of [actual] spaces and times there are spaces that are only appearances, 1and a spirit too is the appearance of a human being (for there to the eyes of others a spirit has the appearance of a human being, which comes from the Lord's Divine in heaven being human, from which there is such a great variety in respect to the outward features of spirits, depending on the changes of state, their presence or absence.), [therefore] spirits and angels are certainly actual forms, but they have nothing of life from themselves; they are actuated depending on the life [they receive] from the Lord, for in God we live, move, and have our being. These forms are recipients of the Divine; and such as they receive, such they are. Because these forms are forms of an inward nature, that is to say, in the spiritual world, they are adjusted to all changes and variations of state, and this in immense and incredible number; and the more immense the quantity in the inward things, the more incredible is the extent and nature [of them]. From this is evident how much more receptive those are in heaven who have inmost things, than those who are immersed in lower things and are in the world of spirits, consequently how much more receptive they are of wisdom and happiness that are part of the life from the Divine.
Footnotes:
1. At this point in the hand margin appears "N.B"
5646. ABOUT WALKING: THAT THEY ARE CHANGES OF STATE ABOUT THE FORMS OF SPIRITS, AND THAT SPIRITS ARE APPEARANCES.
Walkings, goings, and departures, are nothing else but changes of the state of the interiors; but, still, before the eyes of the spirits and angels, they appear exactly like walkings, goings and departures; which is like the case is with man's life, that he believes he lives from himself; and, by reason of his understanding of truth and will of good, that he believes he understands truth and wills good from himself; because it entirely appears so. Those appearances are so real, that the spirits are altogether unaware that they are from that origin; nor are they willing to know that they are thence; and the angels of heaven know, indeed, but do not talk about it. This is of the Lord's Divine Providence, in order that everyone may seem to himself to live and act from himself. This derives its origin from man's walkings and goings in the world. Naturally, men walk from place to place, because space is there and time is there; but, in the other life, there are neither spaces nor times other than appearances according to states. But, when men actually walk about, then it is indeed the body that does it, but it is from the will in the plane of action; and, so far as the will is present, in that degree the man himself walks. Wherefore, when they are in the other life, instead of spaces and times, there are states and those things which are appearances of state; and a spirit, also, is an appearing man. 1(For a spirit, there, is an appearing man before the eyes of others, owing to the fact that the Lord's Divine in heaven is a man. Hence are so many varieties, as regards forms, in the countenances of spirits, according to the changes of state, their presence and absence.) Spirits and angels are, indeed, actual forms; but they have nothing of life from themselves. They are led by the Lord according to [their] life; for in God we live, move, and are. These forms are recipients of the Divine: and, in whatever manner they receive, just such they are. Because those forms are the forms of interior nature, or are in the spiritual world, they are adapted to all the changes and variations of state, and this to an immense and incredible extent, and in greater extent according as they are in interiors to what extent and of what kind, there, is incredible. Hence is manifest how much [fuller] recipients they in the heavens who are in the inmost [heavens], are, than those in the lower [heavens] and in the world of spirits; consequently, recipients of the wisdom and the bliss which belong to life from the Divine.
Footnotes:
1. In the margin: "N.B."
5646. De ambulationibus quod sint status mutationes
De formis spirituum et quod spiritus sint apparentiae
Ambulationes, itiones, et profectiones in altera vita non sunt nisi quam status mutationes interiorum, sed usque coram spiritibus et angelis apparent prorsus sicut ambulationes, itiones et profectiones - quod se similiter habet ac cum vita hominis quod credat ex se vivere, et ex intellectu veri et voluntate boni, quod credat ex se intelligere verum et velle bonum, quia sic apparet prorsus: apparentiae illae sunt tam reales ut spiritus prorsus nesciant quod inde sint, nec velint scire quod inde sint, et angeli coeli quidem sciunt, sed non cogitant de eo, hoc ex Divina Domini Providentia, ut quisque sibi videatur vivere et agere ex se, hoc ducit originem ex hominum ambulationibus et itionibus in mundo, homines actualiter ambulant a loco in locum, quia ibi est spatium et ibi est tempus, at in altera vita non sunt spatia nec tempora nisi quam apparentiae secundum status, sed homines cum actualiter ambulant, tunc est quidem corpus sed est actualiter a voluntate, et quantum voluntas adest tantum ambulat homo, quare cum in altera vita pro spatiis et temporibus sunt spatia, quae apparentiae solum, et spiritus quoque est apparens homo, (nam spiritus ibi est apparens homo coram oculis aliorum, ex eo quod Divinum Domini in coelo est homo, inde tot varietates quoad spirituum formas in faciebus, secundum status mutationes, praesentiae et absentiae eorum), [ideo] sunt quidem spiritus et angeli formae actuales sed nihil vitae ex se habent, aguntur secundum vitam a Divino, nam in Deo vivimus, movemus et sumus, formae illae sunt recipientia Divini, et qualiter recipiunt tales sunt; quia formae illae sunt formae interioris naturae seu in spirituali mundo, accommodatae sunt ad omnes mutationes et variationes status, et hoc in immensum et incredibile, et hoc magis immensum quantum in interioribus sunt, ibi incredibile est, quantum et quale. Inde patet quantum [magis] recipientes sunt in coelis qui in intimis quam in inferioribus et in mundo spirituum, proinde recipientes sapientiae et felicitatis, quae sunt vitae ex Divino.