Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 3662

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

3662. What kind of respiration, and thence delightfulness, accompanies the persuasion of the pontiffs that they are gods, and utter everything from the fancied prompting of the Holy Spirit, was shown and communicated, as, for instance, when they sit in conclave, and regard everything which they say as divine. The pontiff above mentioned was with me, in the state in which he was when sitting in conclave, and supposing that everything he spoke was divine. A pleasant respiration was perceived within the breast, free, slow, and regular, which respiration implied that he was in such a state, for it is [then] slow, regular, and deep, freely expanding itself to the upper region of the breast, with a delightfulness from the persuasion that what he utters is divine. When anything [uttered by himself] is contradicted, as also when anything is advanced by another which he sees is to be approved, inasmuch as it originates not with himself he then perceives something rolling and creeping in the abdomen, which was also communicated to me; and when he thinks any opinion he pronounces to be divine, he perceives it also from a certain respiration more tacit, and, as it were, consenting. That such is the quality of the pontiffs when in conclave, was also confirmed by themselves. They are under the left foot. The things [above stated] were communicated [by interaction] with them, who immediately confessed it, acknowledging that when pontiffs they were such.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church