Heavenly Arcana
Some people believe it is hard to lead the heaven-bound life that is called "Spiritual" because they have heard that we need to renounce the world and give up the desires attributed to the body and the flesh and "live Spiritually." All they understand by this is spurning worldly interests, especially concerns for money and prestige, going around in constant devout meditation about God, salvation, and eternal life, devoting their lives to prayer, and reading the Word and religious literature. They think this is renouncing the world and living for the spirit and not for the flesh. However, the actual case is quite different, as I have learned from an abundance of experience and conversation with angels. In fact, people who renounce the world and live for the spirit in this fashion take on a mournful life for themselves, a life that is not open to heavenly joy, since our life does remain with us [after death]. No, if we would accept heaven's life, we need by all means to live in the world and to participate in its duties and affairs. In this way, we accept a Spiritual life by means of our moral and civic life; and there is no other way a spiritual life can be formed within us, no other way our spirits can be prepared for heaven. This is because living an inner life and not an outer life at the same time is like living in a house that has no foundation, that gradually either settles or develops gaping cracks or totters until it collapses.
Words written by Swedenborg - Taken from Heaven and Hell
Mystic and scientist, born in Stockholm, Sweden. He studied at Uppsala, travelled in Europe, and on his return was appointed assessor in the college of mines. He wrote books on algebra, navigation, astronomy, and chemistry, and in 1734 published his monumental Opera Philosophica Et Mineralia (Philosophical and Logical Works), a mixture of metallurgy and metaphysical speculation on the creation of the World. Curious dreams convinced him that he had direct access to the Spiritual world. He communicated his Spiritual explorations in Heavenly Arcana (1749–56), and spent the rest of his life in Amsterdam, Stockholm, and London where he died in 1772.
Painting V in the series to commemorate
The Swedenborg Society’s 200th Anniversary – London
Painting using acrylics, inks, pigments and gold leaf
for Flickriver ~ Sophie Shapiro
.
Heavenly Arcana
Some people believe it is hard to lead the heaven-bound life that is called "Spiritual" because they have heard that we need to renounce the world and give up the desires attributed to the body and the flesh and "live Spiritually." All they understand by this is spurning worldly interests, especially concerns for money and prestige, going around in constant devout meditation about God, salvation, and eternal life, devoting their lives to prayer, and reading the Word and religious literature. They think this is renouncing the world and living for the spirit and not for the flesh. However, the actual case is quite different, as I have learned from an abundance of experience and conversation with angels. In fact, people who renounce the world and live for the spirit in this fashion take on a mournful life for themselves, a life that is not open to heavenly joy, since our life does remain with us [after death]. No, if we would accept heaven's life, we need by all means to live in the world and to participate in its duties and affairs. In this way, we accept a Spiritual life by means of our moral and civic life; and there is no other way a spiritual life can be formed within us, no other way our spirits can be prepared for heaven. This is because living an inner life and not an outer life at the same time is like living in a house that has no foundation, that gradually either settles or develops gaping cracks or totters until it collapses.
Words written by Swedenborg - Taken from Heaven and Hell
Mystic and scientist, born in Stockholm, Sweden. He studied at Uppsala, travelled in Europe, and on his return was appointed assessor in the college of mines. He wrote books on algebra, navigation, astronomy, and chemistry, and in 1734 published his monumental Opera Philosophica Et Mineralia (Philosophical and Logical Works), a mixture of metallurgy and metaphysical speculation on the creation of the World. Curious dreams convinced him that he had direct access to the Spiritual world. He communicated his Spiritual explorations in Heavenly Arcana (1749–56), and spent the rest of his life in Amsterdam, Stockholm, and London where he died in 1772.
Painting V in the series to commemorate
The Swedenborg Society’s 200th Anniversary – London
Painting using acrylics, inks, pigments and gold leaf
for Flickriver ~ Sophie Shapiro
.