Spiritual Experiences (Odhner) n. 3330

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

3330. What the clash of auras is like, namely of the reason and the outer senses, resulting only in rationalizations, in visions and fallacies therefrom, in theories and fantasies therefrom, was shown, for such spirits of our earth could not help attacking the spirits of Saturn. But the latter were not afraid, in fact they came among them, and ours could not do them any harm at all. Then also when they were told that they could not breathe in that aura, they cast themselves out, one here, another there, for they seemed to themselves not to be breathing. Such is the conflict of fantasies from the outer senses with the reason-which can never be vanquished, as they were shown by vivid mental imagery. And they are then disquieted when there is conflict, as everyone is when what is rational conflicts with fantasies arising from the outer senses. That they were seen afar off, and then seemed to be fleeing away, was because the human reasoning faculty is hidden within when fantasies prevail; but when one comes into a state of misfortune, then the rational is present and [the irrational] yields. However, a person absorbed in fantasies is in a rather calm state, so they are prevailing, as was shown by the fact that when the spirits of Saturn did not appear, then at once a calm arose among spirits of this earth. 1748, 25 Sept. They do not know what the spiritual is.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church