Scientific discovery of Spiritual Laws given in Rational
Scientific Revelations
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Related Articles:
Spiritual
Geography--Part 2: Jacob's Ladder and Other Psycho-Dynamic Applications ||
See also: Discrete Degrees by Ian Thomspson || Discrete Degrees by N.C. Burnham Genes of Consciousness:
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| From Swedenborg's Apocalypse
Explained (AE) 283:2 ... Moreover, according to these goods the heavens are arranged; the highest or third heaven consists of those who are in celestial good, or in the good of love to the Lord; and the heaven that succeeds this, and is called the middle or second heaven, consists of those who are in spiritual good, or in the good of charity towards the neighbor; and as celestial good is good in the highest place, and spiritual good is good in the second place, therefore the latter is round about the former; for that which is above is also within, and that which is below is also without, and what is without is round about. This is why in the Word higher things, and things in the midst, signify things interior; and lower things, and things round about, signify things exterior. |
But humans alone also have an internal mind WITHIN their external, and this for each of the three minds. The functioning of the internal mind is called higher consciousness. Here is a diagram depicting the internal mind within the external mind.
You can see from the diagram that the internal mind is within and above the external mind. "Within" means that the consciousness activity is prior in successive order, while "above" means that it is more interior. "Higher" is more interior in relation to God. Consciousness is the activity in our mind of influx from the Spiritual Sun. The Spiritual Sun inflows with its rays of spiritual heat or love, and its spiritual light or truth. Our mind is a receptacle of this influx. While we are on earth in a physical body our consciousness is filtered down through all the degrees above our sensuous consciousness. This filtering is called our vertical community, to distinguish it from the horizontal community that forms our social relations in our every activities. The vertical community comprises the angels in the three heavens, the spirits in the spiritual world, and the mind of earthlings that reside in the spiritual world. Our feelings, thoughts, and sensations in our three minds occur only after a prior activity in the feelings, thoughts, and sensations of angels in heaven and spirits in the spiritual world. We are thus interconnected in a vertical community that filters the divine influx of consciousness. As the Divine influx descends through the minds of individuals in the vertical community, the quality of consciousness diminishes from highest to lowest. Also, the interiorness of the good or truth in it, diminishes. Thus, there is an externalization of consciousness from the Divine to the animal. We are born animal, with a lower consciousness in our external mind called sensuous consciousness. As we mature and grow mentally, we acquire rational consciousness, which is higher consciousness. Thus we are said to "ascend" to heaven, meaning that our consciousness ascends, that is, the quality of the good and truth in our affective and cognitive mind. The higher this quality, the greater is our potential for wisdom, intelligence, goodness, happiness, and uses (or powers).
As inhabitants of the heavens in the afterlife we are called "angels" and our consciousness then is according to the distance of our dwelling places from the Spiritual Sun where the Divine Human can be seen to dwell. The celestial angels in the Third Heaven are in the highest consciousness since they dwell closest to the Spiritual Sun. The spiritual angels in the Second Heaven who dwell lower, cannot support the nearness of the Spiritual Sun--they get consummated by it (burned out and rendered functionless as if dead). So the spiritual angels must live at a greater distance from the Spiritual Sun. Moreover, they cannot tolerate the direct influx from the Spiritual Sun, but only as filtered through the minds of the celestial angels. Finally, the natural angels inhabit still further from the Spiritual Sun and they receive the influx from the Spiritual Sun through double filtering--from the spiritual angels after they receive it from the celestial angels. Below the natural degree of consciousness is the sensual and corporeal. This consciousness is inactive within, not having a higher consciousness of their own because their rational is not activated. They do not have a functioning internal mind of their own. They do have activity in their inner mind, but this activity is not their own but the angels who are in them. The rational or higher consciousness of devils and satans, as the inhabitants of hell are called, are not their own and are located in the heavens where the angels are. The angels are in their non-conscious internal mind because without this their lower consciousness could not function, and thus they would no longer be human or animal. (See this matrix in a related article for more details.)
Human Consciousness and Divine Influx Through the Vertical Community (diagram 2)
Diagram 2 above shows how mediate influx descends from the Spiritual Sun and passes through the minds of the vertical community in an orderly manner. The minds of angels, earthlings, and devils are constructed in a threefold organic structure made of spiritual substances. The three minds are the affective mind (A), cognitive mind (C), and sensorimotor mind (S). The Divine influx descends through the three heavens: First through the minds in the Third Heaven where the celestial angels dwell. Then through the minds in the Second Heaven where the spiritual angels dwell. Then through the minds in the First Heaven where the natural angels dwell. Then at last into the minds of earthlings whose physical bodies live on earth but whose minds live in the spiritual world. Note that earthlings receive influx from both heaven and hell. This has the purpose of keeping us in balance or spiritual freedom. Note that the degree of consciousness is higher the closer it is to the Spiritual Sun, and it is lowest below the First Heaven. Our minds can be opened or elevated all the way to the Third Heaven, but conditionally (see discussions below).
Influx means that a channel of communication is opened, thus establishing connection and mutual determination through correspondence. The vertical community refers to the fact that the minds of all humanity are interconnected in such a way that the Divine influx is filtered through the degrees of consciousness of humanity. This refers to MEDIATE INFLUX, that is Divine influx that is mediated or filtered through the minds of humanity by degrees downward. But there is also IMMEDIATE influx from the Divine by which the Divine directly (without mediation or filtering) inflows and takes charge of the processes at all levels and units, animate or inanimate.
Human Consciousness and Divine Influx--[A/C/S] Units (diagram 3)
Diagram 3 above is the same as the previous diagram (2) but now the three minds are shown in relation to each other. Note that the affective mind (A) is located within the cognitive mind (C) as in the inmost of the mind. What is inmost is also highest in priority so that the affective mind "rules" over the cognitive and flows into it from within or above. The affective and cognitive minds together are within the sensorimotor mind (S) which is in outmost position, hence in the lowest. The activities in the sensorimotor mind are thus determined completely by the activities in the affective and cognitive mind.
The diagram doesn't show any details about the specific path of the influx. Influx may come from the affective mind of a higher angels into the affective mind of a lower angel, but more complex patterns of communication between angels and earthlings will be discussed in later sections and diagrams.
Diagram 4 above shows that the mind is a spiritual organ that has an external portion and internal portion. The external mind is the locus of sensuous consciousness while the internal mind is the locus of rational consciousness. Both portions of the mind are threefold, so that both are composed of an affective mind (A), a cognitive mind (C) and a sensorimotor mind (S). Note that all portions of the mind operate with both forward (synthetic) [A/C/S] units and reverse (analytic) [S/C/A] units. These differences and distinctions will be discussed in later sections.
Diagram 5 above presents the same information as the previous diagrams but now the diagram portrays the influx through the ver5tical community as distinguished between the external and internal portions of the mind.
Conscious Awareness--The Special [S/C/A]
There are two types of consciousness functions: sensuous and rational. We possess our sensuous consciousness from the orderly activity of the three minds acting together in the external mind. Similarly, rational consciousness is from the orderly activity of the three minds in the internal mind. In both the external mind and the internal mind the affective mind (A) acts into the cognitive mind (C) and the two together act into the sensorimotor mind (S).
Here is a diagram depicting the three minds.
The three minds are constructed one within the other as well as above each other. This is because what is within is also above. What is above is prior and superior to what is below. For instance, the spiritual world is within the physical, and so is above it, by which is meant that it is prior. Any phenomenon in the physical world is the resultant effect of a prior phenomenon in the spiritual world. The prior phenomenon is the cause of the effect or resultant phenomenon. The prior (or cause) and the subsequent (or effect) are linked by the laws of correspondence. In relation to the structure of three minds, the affective (A) is within the cognitive (C), and the two are within the sensorimotor (S). The diagram shows that the affective is the inmost, and therefore the highest; then the cognitive mind is in the middle; and the sensorimotor mind is the outermost and lowest. Remember that the external mind has all three minds (A+C+S) and the internal mind also has all three minds, which is why we can talk about feelings in terms of "interior" vs. "exterior." Also, "interior thoughts" vs. "exterior thoughts" and "interior sensations" vs. "exterior sensations."
Sensuous consciousness refers to the activity of the three minds in their external. Thus, external feelings, thoughts, and sensations constitute our sensuous consciousness or sensual proprium (self). While internal feelings, thoughts, and sensations constitute our rational consciousness or rational proprium (self). While we are in sensuous consciousness our rational consciousness within it is not our own activity but the activity of the angels who inflow. This inflow is unconscious yet it is within our internal mind. Hence our conscious awareness, which is still sensuous, must be distinguished from our entire consciousness. Even when our rational consciousness becomes active from our own activity, there is still unconscious influx taking place that is from those who are in a higher consciousness in our vertical community.
Below or outside these three organs of the mind lie the physical organs such as the brain cells and their networked connections bot in the brain and throughout the physical body. In sensuous consciousness our mind is ordered according the order of the physical world. Our sensuous consciousness is persuaded of materialism and atheism because all our thoughts and all our assumptions are in our knowledge solely from physical sources. In sensuous consciousness anything that refers to non-material and not in time automatically falls into the category of imaginary or unreal.
Sensuous consciousness operates at three levels, as shown in the diagram above: infancy period, childhood period, and adolescence period. It is different during each of these periods. Note that each period is represented on the diagram by an [A/C/S] unit. This indicates that the three minds must act together to form a unit of development or occurrence. The affective mind (A) where are located our feelings, desires, and motives must act into the cognitive mind (C) where our thoughts are activated in such a way as to be relevant and appropriate with the affective component that inflows. Numerous such A/C connections must occur moment by moment as we go about our daily activities to allow for coherence and meaning in what we do. Each A/C connection automatically and instantly seeks a connection with a suitable component in the sensorimotor mind (S). When an activity in consciousness has achieved an [A/C/S] unit it is called an experience or habit. But this is not yet what we call our conscious awareness, though it is a constant activity of the three minds. Clearly, much of this activity goes on in our mind without the need of them being consciously aware. What is in our mind is like an ocean; what about it is in our conscious awareness is like a droplet.
Nevertheless it is upon this droplet that our conjunction with God depends on, and this is everything we care for since our having eternity and heaven depends on our conjunction with God, hence this droplet. Conjunction depends on reciprocity, and this on conscious awareness. So the whole point of regeneration is to develop this droplet into a pool of water so that our conscious awareness from being born and lodged in sensuous consciousness move up into a higher consciousness functioning called rational consciousness. When our conscious awareness is a droplet or pool of water in rational consciousness we have become fully human, in full reality, and thus in a state of conjunction with God. Hence is our full humanness and its characteristic powers--with heavenly felicities in our affective mind, with perception or comprehension of Divine trues in the cognitive mind, and with unbelievable sensory and motor abilities in the sensorimotor mind.
In the diagram regular consciousness activities in the three minds are symbolized as [A/C/S] units but conscious awareness activities are symbolized as the reverse sequence [S/C/A] units. This is because regular activities we perform all day long proceed from automated habits and inherited unconscious inclinations. All three sources of activation are researched in theistic science. Regular [A/C/S] units are the experiences we undergo moment by moment in our three minds--the feelings we have moment by moment, the thoughts that go with them, and the sensory anticipations or motor executions that accompany them. Thus are our habits of personality formed, and our character and genius as spirits. Inherited unconscious inclinations are in the values or rankings we experience in our affective mind, which includes all the resistances and aversions we automatically feel for many things, as well as all the attractions and desires that want to shape our philosophy and lifestyle. But it is our conscious awareness experiences, and the growth of this ability, that matters to us most centrally, for this alone can save us from remaining and dying in sensuous consciousness. We are born for heaven, not hell. Hell is at the bottom of our consciousness universe while heaven is in the upper regions. Those who do not transfer from sensuous to rational consciousness before death of the physical body continue life in the spiritual world in a spirit body that is called corporeal-natural. In this state their consciousness is corporeal and anything above that level of consciousness is closed, non functional, in state incapable of being activated--see this matrix.
In order for our conscious awareness to be born in sensuous consciousness, then reborn in rational consciousness, we must develop [S/C/A] units in our three minds. While regular [A/C/S] units are "animal" the special [S/C/A] units are "human." They are not fully human or genuine human while still in sensuous consciousness (zones 3,5,7), but they become fully human when reborn in rational consciousness (zones 12,14,16). The acquisition and growth of [S/C/A] units is so special that we cannot acquire them on our own, within our own sensuous consciousness. In the Word we are told that they are acquired by "influx from the angels." By angels is meant our higher consciousness because those who inhabit this higher level are called angels in the Word. Swedenborg had many visits to those regions of consciousness and he found there numerous inhabitations, magnificent cities, and paradisal mountains and woods. These environmental living conditions are created instantaneously from the sensorimotor mind of the inhabitants there, such is our power when we operate from those degrees of the mind. We can inhabit those degrees of the mind only after we are cut off from the physical body and the physical world. But before we are cut off we MUST develop [S/CA] units of conscious awareness in our sensuous consciousness, first, and in our rational consciousness, thereafter.
In spiritual geography maps, like the diagram above, the three periods of the growth of sensuous consciousness are marked infancy (=WHITE), childhood (=YELLOW), and adolescence (=GREEN). Each of the three periods has three minds that need to grow and mature (A, C, S). In the diagram, these locations are marked by numbered zones. The affective mind in the infancy period is zone 1, and its cognitive mind is zone 2. The cognitive mind in our adolescence period is marked zone 8, and so on. You can see from the diagram that the the special [S/C/A] units of conscious awareness have to built up as abstracted components from the regular units of consciousness [A/C/S]. This extraction process from the mind's regular activities can only be done through the help and guidance of higher consciousness. In the diagram this furtherance process is called influx and is marked by downward arrows originating from the upper regions identified as celestial, spiritual, and natural. In the Word the heavens of the angels are described as organized in three levels or degrees of consciousness. The highest region is called the Third Heaven and the inhabitants there are called celestial angels. The middle region is called the Second Heaven and the inhabitants there are called spiritual angels. The lower region is called the First Heaven and the inhabitants there are called natural angels. So in different periods of development of our mind we can create conscious [S/C/A] units of experience under the furtherance of the angels who inflow into our mind at the appropriate moment.
The exact nature and order of these interactions between higher and lower consciousness needs to be researched. For now (April 2001), the above diagram is being discussed by Dr. Ian Thompson and me, in an attempt to research the correct sequences and interconnections (see earlier work we did in this file).
The diagram portrays this order: In infancy we receive influx from the celestial angels into our sensorimotor mind (S). In childhood we receive influx from the spiritual angels into our cognitive mind (C). And in adolescence we receive influx from the celestial angels into our affective mind (A). As a result of these furtherance activities from influx from higher (rational) consciousness, the focus of our conscious awareness as infants is in the sensorimotor mind (S), but in childhood it is in our cognitive mind (C). In the childhood phase, our conscious awareness is more focused or centered on reasoning issues and making sense of things symbolically through language. We learn a tremendous amount of vocabulary, each word representing and mapping the conscious awareness of what these words represent and mean. And we also acquire cognitive reasoning abilities that foreshadow and pertain of the powers that we'll have as adults. In infancy, our conscious awareness (or [S/C/A] units) is less cognitive and more sensory and motor. In adolescence there is a shift of conscious focus to our feelings and emotions. This is the result of the furtherance activities of the natural angels inflowing into our affective mind (A).
The diagram portrays [S/C/A] awareness units as a diagonal descent. In infancy, under the furtherance of influx into our sensorimotor mind (S), we build up our habit development units {A/C/S] in a regular way, but the sensorimotor mind is more conscious that the other two [S/C/A]. Similarly in childhood it is our cognitive mind that is most salient in conscious awareness units [S/C/A]. And in adolescence it is our affective mind that is most salient in conscious awareness units [S/C/A]. It's not until the maturational phases of adolescence that we have all three minds fully represented in our conscious awareness units [S/C/A]. When this stage is reached our sensuous consciousness is fully mature. Now it needs to be consummated in order that its rebirth may occur in rational consciousness. This is called the Inversion.
Note in the diagram that prior to inversion the conscious awareness units of development [S/C/A] are labeled as the descending sequence, while after the inversion, they are labeled as the ascending sequence. This is because the diagonal movement of influx proceeds from the highest third heaven to the first, while after the inversion, the diagonal influx progresses from the natural angels to the celestial. The influx thus descends, then ascends it furthers the progress and growth of our conscious awareness. The [S/C/A] units in rational consciousness develop again in three periods or phases called young adulthood (influx is into the sensorimotor mind), adulthood (influx is into the cognitive mind), and old age (influx is into the affective mind). Note however what has changed.
The natural angels inflow into the affective mind before the inversion, but into the sensorimotor mind after the inversion. On the other hand, the spiritual angels inflow into the cognitive mind before the inversion, and as well after the inversion. The celestial angels inflow into the sensorimotor mind before the inversion but into the affective mind after. The consequences of these different influx patterns create the conditions for our development of rational [S/C/A] units. This may be better understood if it is considered that celestial angels have their conscious focus in the affective mind, spiritual angels have theirs in the cognitive, and natural angels have their focus of conscious awareness in the sensorimotor mind. In sensuous consciousness our conscious awareness is lower, while in rational consciousness our conscious awareness is higher. Note that in rational consciousness there is a greater congruence in the influx pattern between what is higher and what is lower. Natural angels, whose conscious awareness is centered on "uses" have the sensorimotor mind most keenly developed, and it is with this mind that they inflow into our sensorimotor mind. But spiritual angels have their conscious awareness most keenly developed for "trues" in the cognitive mind, and it is with this mind that they inflow into our cognitive mind. But celestial angels have their conscious awareness most keenly developed for "loves" in their affective mind, and it is with this mind that they inflow into our affective mind. As a result of this greater harmony in the influx we are able to develop our own higher consciousness by building up the rational [S/C/A] units. this process of growth is not complete until the old age period, after which we are prepared for separation from the physical body ("death") and resuscitation in our spirit body. At that point we begin life in a rational world called the spiritual world, and our rational consciousness now serves as the arena of our daily life.
| Jacob's Ladder (Matrix 20d) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Influx
from CELESTIAL Angels |
Influx
from SPIRITUAL Angels |
Influx
from NATURAL Angels |
Influx
from NATURAL Angels |
Influx
from SPIRITUAL Angels |
Influx
from CELESTIAL Angels |
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| PERIODS | A | C | S | A | C | S | A | C | S | I N V E R S I O N |
A | C | S | A | C | S | A | C | S | PERIODS |
| INFANCY WHITE |
1 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 17 | 18 | OLD AGE BLACK |
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| CHILDHOOD YELLOW |
4 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 15 | ADULTHOOD BROWN |
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| ADOLESCENCE GREEN |
7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | YOUNG BLUE |
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| A=affective mind C=cognitive mind S=sensorimotor mind |
SENSUOUS
consciousness (external mind) |
RATIONAL
consciousness (internal mind |
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| Descending
[S/C/A] Path (3,5,7) (conscious awareness units) |
Ascending [S/C/A] Path
(12,14,16) (conscious awareness units) |
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| An earlier version of this chart may be found here. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The above spiritual geography map (matrix 20d) portrays the movements previously shown in diagram 1 above.
The arrows in the above diagram point to the ascending and descending paths of regeneration. For the development of sensuous consciousness (on the left--WHITE / YELLOW / GREEN) the arrows point from the center outward. The center is always within, therefore above and prior to what is on the outmost, which also the lowest or mere "effect" of the prior. The path from WHITE consciousness in infancy to GREEN consciousness in adolescence is called in the Word "descent into Egypt" because we begin our connectivity from influx with the highest angels (celestial heaven) and end this phase with the lowest angels (natural heaven). This is the path of descent of the Divine influx from the Spiritual Sun as it is filtered through the mind of the celestial angels, then it is filtered through the mind of the spiritual angels, and finally in this phase, it is filtered through the minds of the natural angels. All this is happening in the external mind and we are conscious of this "mediated" or "mediate" influx.
In infancy the influx is into the sensorimotor mind (S) and this magnifies the focus of awareness of the infant. The infant explores the environment by incorporating the objects it can touch, putting it in its mouth, tasting it, feeling it. It reaches for the distant objects as if space did not matter. It attempts to put large objects into the mouth as if size did not matter. And no doubt as infants we are given psychic powers to become consciously aware of angels as the consciousness of the infant is raised into the higher degrees. But this influence of the celestial angels is consummated and the infant must move on to the influx of the spiritual angels. The consummation takes place by the building up of [A/C/S] units appropriate to the infancy stage.
For rational consciousness (on the right of the diagram--BLUE / BROWN / BLACK), the arrows point from the outmost inward, thus from what is lower to what is higher. The influx we receive from the angels changes in sequence from the natural angels, to the spiritual, to the celestial. This path of regeneration is an "ascent" and in the Word is called "going up to Jerusalem." The change from descending into the outmost of consciousness to ascending into the inmost, is marked by the inversion line. The three ascending steps in rational consciousness are called "higher" consciousness in comparison to sensuous consciousness which is called lower or outer. Creation of the physical world is by a descending path, or exteriorization, from the Spiritual Sun to the physical sun. What descends is the the Divine influx of Good and Truth, which are the substances of spiritual heat and spiritual light streaming out and down from the Spiritual Sun. This stream of substances is filtered (or mediated) through the minds of the angels in the three heavens, and after that through the spiritual world where our mind or spirit-body lives even while we are connected to the physical body. But it is to be noted that there is mediate influx, as just discussed, and also immediate influx from the Divine that is not filtered through the angels. This distinction is to be discussed in another section.
The reason that the building up of rational consciousness requires [S/C/A] units in our experience is that the sequence S-->C-->A is analytic while the sequence A-->C-->S is synthetic. Synthetic units are automatic sequences determined by the organic structure of the three minds in both their internal and external portion. In other words, the animal or human being has a motive or need in the affective mind (A), which engenders a responsiveness in the cognitive mind (C), and the two together (A,C) act into the sensorimotor mind (S). From there the body acts (physical body or spirit body). Our conscious awareness or voluntary cooperation is not required, and in fact, is not even involved much of the time. In this way we are like intelligent apes. This sensuous consciousness, consisting of units like [motives (A)-plans (C)-execution (S)], would not be possible without rational consciousness operating within this sensuous consciousness. There can be no such thing as sensuous consciousness by itself. Rational consciousness must be within in order to exist at all. And so the angels must inflow into our internal mind which is not yet operative on our account. This influx into our internal mind is unconscious.
In order for our sensuous consciousness to evolve into containing our own rational consciousness, we must develop analytic [S/C/A] units by following the reverse sequence of the actual and synthetic: [sensations (S)--->cognitions (C)--->affections (A)]. In other words, we must first "witness" the environment through our senses. This exploratory activity engenders a continuous activity of sensations and motor determinations in our sensorimotor mind (S). This is reflected by correspondence in the growth of synapses and connectivity in the sensory and motor areas of the brain. The sensorimotor mind is in the spirit-body, not in the physical body. But the brain is in the physical body. There is an orderly sequence in the collection of sensations and motor determinations that are produced in the sensorimotor mind through our experience of witnessing the environment. The shape and structure of these packets of sensations in the sensorimotor mind are reflected in the shape and structure of the brain cells in the sensory and motor functions and their synaptic extensions throughout the body. Meanwhile, as we witness the environment and collect the sensations, the cognitive mind keeps track and sets itself in like representative structures. Soon cognitions are organized into knowledges and these manipulated or used in intelligence--problem solving, decision making, explanation, and prediction. Note that this constitutes a growth in conscious awareness of what is in our mind, and from this, sensuous consciousness of the world around. But these S--->C connections cannot be acquired without affections from our affective mind. Our affective mind is always on the look out for S--->C connections passing by. Some it loves, some it hates. Those S--->C connections that are loved become [S/C/A] units, but the others are put aside and ignored. The more of these [S/C/A] units we gather for ourselves the more mature and complete our sensuous consciousness can develop, until at last it is consummated. Now an inversion must take place where the new [S/C/A] units are rational, not sensuous. This requires a change in the locus and sequence of influx from the angels. Remember that "angels" are people who dwell in the higher regions of consciousness when they are liberated from connection with the physical body (the so called afterlife). The close connectivity of operation between people in higher consciousness and people in lower is called the vertical community and its function is mutual furtherance up and down Jacob's Ladder of regeneration. For regeneration continues to eternity in our afterlife.
The development of sensuous consciousness is portrayed in the diagram above with three steps of the descending path of regeneration: from infancy (WHITE) to childhood (YELLOW) to adolescence (GREEN). This development is furthered by the influx of the angels: the celestial into our sensorimotor mind (S), then the spiritual into the cognitive mind (C), and finally, the natural into the affective mind (A). this influx is into the internal mind, while our sensuous consciousness grows in the external mind. But when adolescence is consummated, and we cross the inversion line, we enter young adulthood (BLUE). This is the beginning of our rational consciousness, just beginning to replace the activity of the angels in our internal mind. But we have entered, and now the [S/C/A] units we acquire through our witnessing is internal, not external. The inversion means that our conscious awareness has shifted from the external environment to the internal environment. The external environment is sensory but the internal environment is rational. It's important to remember that rational is spiritual substance. Reality is rational because it is created out of Truth that has Good in it. Infinite Trues, with Goods in them, flow out of the Spiritual Sun where God is seen to dwell by the highest angels. Therefore any conscious awareness of these Truths must be rational substances acting in our mind. The divine trues must actually inflow as a stream of substance, just like the sunlight and its heat must inflow into the cell of the plant to initiate and support growth.
Sensuous consciousness is not rational but the consequence of the rational in the natural. To have conscious awareness of real things, that is, interior trues, we must acquire for ourselves rational [S/C/A/], and again this is done with the furtherance from the angels. As the diagram depicts, the influx is now reversed. The natural angels inflow into the sensorimotor mind (before they inflowed into the affective mind) and the celestial angels inflow into the affective mind (before they inflowed into the sensorimotor mind). This is portrayed in the this and other diagrams and charts. The result of this inversion or reversal of influx is that we develop our rational consciousness in an ascending path, back to the celestial angels. At the end of the journey, called the old age period, we are complete human beings. Our sensuous consciousness is now enlivened by our own rational consciousness. From here on we can drop off the physical body and in our spirit-body continue everlasting life in the spiritual world.
See also: Discrete Degrees by Ian Thomspson || Discrete Degrees by N.C. Burnham
Let us now characterize the six steps of consciousness--three descending and three ascending. You will note that we are to think generally of sequences and development and not only that which applies to our age periods. This is because human consciousness is the image and likeness of the universe. The universe and its reality is rational, that is, created out of truth and arranged according to wisdom and intelligence. The underlying substance and framework that holds up the physical universe is the rational universe, which is called the spiritual world. This is one with our mind. This may be rendered by the formula:
spiritual geography = mental anatomy = eternity
Hence you can say that the physical universe is created through the mind as its cause, and is arranged according to the order of the mind, and serves the mind as an extension of itself, just as the effect is an extension of the cause, and the cause is within the effect. Hence the mental world is within the physical world and the two are not continuous but correspond to each other. This is why all things in the physical universe proceed into existence according to a rational sequence modeled after, and corresponding to the rational order in the human mind. Physics and chemistry are nothing but the outward natural form of psychology and theology. And this is because the human mind is a model of the mind of the Divine Human or God. When we refer to "white consciousness" for instance, the infancy or beginning of any process is meant since any physical process is determined by a rational order, and infancy is the first step of that order or sequence. Future research in theistic science will have to show how consciousness creates physical sequences and order in the formation of galaxies and the progress of a chemical transformation.
More on the color system for trigrams and hexagrams may be viewed in this article.
More on the description of the six periods may be found in an earlier version of this article.
Lower consciousness, which is the external mind, is sensuous rather than rational. Its very existence and foundation is centered in the sensorimotor mind (S). The infancy period of any recursive unit serves to establish the foundation of the entire unit. For instance, infants characteristically put everything they grasp into their mouth. They explore the world through touch and taste more than through hearing and sight (see this matrix). One might call this consciousness focus the "incorporation" phase, which is the inclination to unite bodily with the environment in order to know and experience it. This inclination is the effect of the influx into our sensorimotor mind from the celestial angels (zone 3).
A representation of this occurs in all developmental sequence, even if not human or animate, as in the steps of a manufacturing project or the phases of a rock's formation. With humans, the formation of rational [S/C/A/] units is achieved through this unmerited celestial advance into our sensorimotor mind, a foundation for our rational consciousness and salvation. This experiential foundation is called "the human remains" in the Word. Upon this foundation our heaven depends. These are all WHITE concerns in the hexagrammatic structure--WHITE consciousness.
In the history of the Churches the infancy period is called the Adamic Church in the Writings. They did not have a written Word because it "was written on their heart." They had "truth immediate" by psychic communication with their ancestors and spiritual teachers in their vertical community. They were in direct communication with the "departed" and had visions and dreams in which they were instructed directly in the Word which was in the heavens. Their sensuous consciousness was celestial and they saw in all things of nature nothing but heavenly representatives. In this infancy state of the human race, the Divine operated from firsts as celestial good in their affective mind (A) through lasts as psychic visions and joys of ends in their sensorimotor mind (S). But this age was consummated and then perverted by successive generations.
The inherent properties of "white consciousness" are impressed from creation on all organic processes of formation in the universe at all levels of unitization. The "initializing" phase of any process-chemical, physical, atomic, ontological, historic, artistic, economic, social, political--contains and represents characteristics of the infancy period. The beginning phase always incorporates the entire process within itself (the "remains" mentioned above), so that the end is a revisitation of the beginning, and the mature is a fuller image of the immature, the end a fuller actualization than the beginning. The celestial angels, who signify our highest degree of consciousness, imparts the end of the process to the beginning if it, and they can do this since the they are with and in the end of any phase, as the diagram and chart both show. The beginning unit of any discourse segment (e.g., Genesis 1:1) encapsulates the entire book like a title encapsulates and refers to the entire novel. WHITE consciousness properties are contained within the initial definition of a mathematical proof, a chemical reaction, the formation of a crystal in the earth or of a galaxy in space. The empirical evidence for this idea will be found in the research of Dr. Ian Thompson.
More on WHITE consciousness here
The second component of sensuous awareness in the [S/C/A] units is in the cognitive mind (C) (zone 5). This is called the childhood period of any developing sequence and its characteristic focus and function is entirely different from the infancy period. For example, children have their conscious focus centered on territoriality and ranking issues. They constantly bicker and jostle each other for who's next, who's on top, who won't make it, whose it is, who should be kept out, what's the difference between this or that, why this rather than that is to be selected, and so on. These are mental absorptions into the architecture of cultural semantics--their reward and happiness comes from navigating through these social and group distinctions of ranks, successes, losses, distances, relations. They include implications by connectivity. These are all YELLOW concerns in the hexagrammatic structure.
Please see also Dr Thompson's diagram 1 below regarding additional hypotheses regarding the complexities of influx during the childhood period.
More on YELLOW consciousness here
The concerns in the third step of descent are focused more and more intensely in the affective mind of the adolescent, in the case of human beings. In the case of physical projects, mathematical proofs, or forest development, the adolescent period is focused on functionality in relation to the goal or end. The affective mind is the locus of our goals, ends, motives, and desires. In the adolescent period of development the affect becomes the center of consciousness. Teenagers are absorbed by emotionalism and feeling, love and jealousy, fear of rejection and desire for inclusion. The influx is responsible for this, though the precise description needs further research (see Dr Thompson's section below).
In ethnosemantics, GREEN consciousness relates to function, direction, inclusion-exclusion, coherence, uniformity, consistency, self-aggrandizement, projection, universality, conflict, equity, etc.
More on GREEN consciousness here.
The Inversion to rational consciousness is furthered by the angels is specific ways, still to be researched. In diagram 1 above the first ascending step in young adulthood (BLUE) is furthered by influx from the natural angels into the internal of our sensorimotor mind (S--zone 12), whereas in the prior period of adolescence their influx was into the external of the affective mind (A--zone 7). This crucial difference is still to be explained by research.
Regeneration starts with the descending path then shifts to the ascending path after the inversion. We must first make a descent of consciousness in the sense that in infancy our sensuous consciousness is infilled by the celestial angels who are in the Third Heaven, then by the spiritual angels who are in the Second Heaven, and at last by the natural angels who are in the First Heaven. This is spoken of in the Word as the "descent into Egypt" because Egypt represents the outmost consciousness that is based on memory-knowledges or scientific gathered through the physical senses. The literal of the Word and the surrounding creation inflow into our external mind and this inflowing is most external with he natural angels and most internal with the celestials.
The First Coming of the Lord to our consciousness is called Incarnation. This must take place in our outmost externals of sensuous consciousness because the Lord comes to us in a natural sensuous incarnation ("Word was made Flesh"). Until the adolescent period our idea of God is celestial and spiritual sensuous due to influx, but in adolescence the inflow from the natural angels gives us a natural sensuous idea of God (zones 7,8,9). Our inversion to rational consciousness must be initiated by the Lord in an incarnate idea. This is the reason we must "descend into Egypt" before we can be "reborn" into a higher rational consciousness. With the incarnate idea of a Human God we can cross the inversion so that the natural angels are now able to inflow into the internal mind, though in the outmost of the internal mind called sensorimotor (S). This inflow is into the interior natural consciousness (zones 11,12,13).
This starts the ascending path of regeneration which in the Word is called "going up to Jerusalem" because this is where the holy temple was located in the Jewish and Christian Churches. This ascension back to celestial angels is called the Second Advent and is initiated by the coming of the "Holy Spirit" in our rational consciousness now opened and activated in the lower degrees (zones 10,11,12). The Holy Spirit comes in the internals of the mind while the incarnation was into the external mind. The "Holy Spirit" is the Word's reference to the internal rational of human consciousness where the Divine Human dwells. While the First Coming (Incarnation) must occur at the end of the descending path of regeneration, the Second Advent must occur at the beginning of the ascending path. But it must be remembered that the Second Advent progressed by steps and is not fully completed until the last step in the old age period (zones 16,17,18). From here on regeneration proceeds to eternity in heaven.
What happens if we arrive at the inversion but refuse to cross?
The influx from the angels continues into our sensuous consciousness but we can no longer benefit from it as we sink BELOW the sensuous consciousness into corporeal consciousness. This is the consciousness that shapes our intelligence, which turns away from the rational to the superstitious. Instead of religion, we have cultism. Instead of faith, we have persuasion. Instead of the sacred, we have magic and sorcery. Instead of dualism and rationality we have denial and materialism. Instead of intelligence that is filled with rationality and wisdom we have ingenuity that appears like intelligence but has very different consequences in our lives and for society. Once our consciousness has taken its third step of descent, we can only go up and become rational and eternal, or we can refuse to go up, in which case we sink down and become sub-human corporeal spirits who spend their eternity in sorry conditions and miserable experiences. When then do we refuse to ascend to rational consciousness? More details will be found here: article 1 and article 2.
So many people do this because they become so attached to the corporeal appearances of reality that they are unwilling to give these up no matter what. A very common example is our resistance in GREEN consciousness to acknowledge a higher power than self. In this state we persuade ourselves that if we give up the idea of "self" and "own" we have nothing left we care about and we lose the reason to exist as a person. Thus, there is resistance, even refusal, to accept the idea of as-of-self. The idea of as-of-self is a rational idea and opens up rational consciousness, while the idea of self, closes it, and keeps us in sensuous consciousness, eventually precipitating us down in the corporeal consciousness made of mere appearances of the senses without any higher or deeper truth or reality.
GREEN consciousness wants to hold on to the self so we resist the idea of a higher power that governs our self. Our self wants to be independent and we imagine in this state that we would lose our independence if God pulled all the strings in our mind, strings called as-of-self. Thus we cannot discover that reality that as-of-self freedom is far greater than the apparent freedom of the self, which in actuality is nothing but slavery to corporeal appearances.
And so the inversion must be made to reach our full humanity. We must be reborn into a new rational consciousness that is capable of perceiving rational truths, hence true reality. We then love the idea of the as-of-self and shun with aversion the idea of self. We then love the Divine to intervene in our inmost personality traits and shun the idea that we are independent and on our own. Thus we grow in consciousness, ascending on the steps of truths, ever more interior, ever closer to the Spiritual Sun where the divine Human dwells and from where the universal influx proceeds. This is our humanity, our humanness, our angelicness, our full maturity as created, namely, to feed our mind with the interior truths called celestial truth within which is celestial good.
Additional details on the Inversion may be found in an earlier version of this article.
The fourth overall step in regeneration, and the first of the ascending steps, is called the period of young adulthood (zones 10,11,12). BLUE consciousness is represented by such issues as culture, ethnicity, medium, drama, self-assertiveness, depth, inner connectedness, identity, history, etc. It is the unconscious interior presence of the natural angels in our sensorimotor mind (S) that gives a new perception of the world, a sensorimotor perception that pertains to the rational. We are forming the S component of the internal rational [S/C/A] unit.
BLUE consciousness is transitional. In the history of the Churches the young adulthood was the new Christian Church established by the Lord, and especially after the Ascension, when the Holy Spirit was given by an internal means. The Holy Spirit is the Divine influx of interior truth that is developing in our rational consciousness.
More on BLUE consciousness here.
The second ascending step, and the fifth overall, is focused on issues of framing, justifying, arguing, confirming, networking, tracing the roots, taxonomizing, inventorying, standardizing, evaluating, etc. In our adulthood we stand on our ability to create a life philosophy we can justify and support ourselves. We are not satisfied with renting, we want to own. Our rationality is active under the furtherance of the spiritual angels who are inflowing into our internal cognitive mind (C). In childhood these angels inflowed into our external cognitive, but now in our internal cognitive.
BROWN consciousness in the history of the Churches represents the New Church prior to recognizing that the Doctrine we extract from the Word is spiritual and celestial, not natural (see this article for a discussion).
More on BROWN consciousness here
The last ascending step is called the period of old age and is focused on issues such as appearance vs. reality, performance and execution, uses, ethics, goodness vs. wickedness, spirituality, holiness, saintliness, regeneration, education, character reformation, Doctrine of the Church, theistic science, etc. BLACK consciousness is furthered by the activity of the celestial angels inflowing into our affective mind. Now for the first time we have the A element to complete the {S/C/A] unit. We come into possession of the "Crown of Churches" -- of the highest degree of consciousness humans can achieve: LOVE. The spiritual heat of the Spiritual Sun carries this Divine love down into the minds of the angels. The celestial angels receive it most purely and their influx into our interior affective mind opens up our highest degree--the interior celestial. This is the most rational of human consciousness. Now all the other degrees are available and controlled by this new influx which sits in the highest position--love. Love seeks the truth that is compatible with it, and this is wisdom. Love and wisdom together act out into the external mind, the body, the world, the social order.
More on BLACK consciousness here.
The Regenerating Mind When All Six Degrees Have Been Opened (diagram 6)
Diagram 6 above shows the constituent structure of the mind after all six degrees have been opened through regeneration. The first ascending step following inversion (zones 10,11,12) involves the growth of the interior natural (BLUE consciousness) within the external natural (GREEN consciousness). This is the opening of the lower degrees of consciousness and progresses under the furtherance of the natural angels. This is the regeneration of our natural mind and must take place first. The rational consciousness for this mind is called the interior natural or the spiritual-natural (BLUE consciousness). It is implanted in sensuous consciousness already opened (YELLOW or Childhood period), as a seed is implanted in the ground, and grows there until a plant is produced that reflects what was in the seed.
After the natural mind is regenerated, the second ascending step consists of regenerating the spiritual mind (zones 13,14,15). Now the external rational (BROWN consciousness), also called the spiritual-rational, is implanted as a seed into the previously opened sensuous consciousness in the Childhood period (YELLOW consciousness). This is done with the furtherance of the spiritual angels.
Finally, after the spiritual mind is regenerated, the third ascending step consists of regenerating the celestial mind (zones 16,17,18). Now the interior rational (BLACK consciousness), also called the celestial-rational, is implanted as a seed into the previously opened sensuous consciousness in the Infancy period (WHITE consciousness). This is done with the furtherance of the celestial angels.
When all three minds are regenerated they act in simultaneous order, all together, synchronously. The regenerated celestial mind is within the regenerated spiritual mind, and the these two together are within the regenerated natural mind. Now we are complete human beings. From then on we continue to regenerate as angels, thus in the spiritual world.
The main theme of the diagram 6 above is that our rational consciousness is within sensuous consciousness. In other words, the seeds of rational consciousness must be implanted within the ground of sensuous consciousness. The process starts with the regeneration of the natural mind when BLUE consciousness is implanted as a seed within GREEN consciousness that is already developed. This is why sensuous consciousness MUST organically develop BEFORE rational consciousness can begin its existence. Hence we are born earthlings, but destined for heaven. The seeds that are implanted are interior truths from the Word. Since these interior truths are purely rational, they are seeds that can grow to become our own by appropriation. In this way we grow in rational consciousness, Rational consciousness is a seeing or a perceiving capacity, namely, the capacity to perceive and recognize truths when heard. This is also the basis of rational intelligence called "wisdom" in the Word.
The implanted seed may not survive, for it depends on the condition of the ground--as explained in the New Testament parable. When we love the seed, accept the interior truth, love it as the Divine Rational, confirm it in our mind, rehearse it, follow it by thinking and choosing in accordance with it, THEN and only then, is the ground well prepared as-of-self, and thus the Divine seed can grow within our intelligence or consciousness. This is called the Inversion and involves the interior natural truth (BLUE consciousness) to live and grow within our external natural truth (GREEN consciousness). This is the turning point of our lives, and of any project or process in the universe. It is accomplished in both animate and inanimate objects at the micro and macro levels by the furtherance activities of influx, both mediate through angels (that is, our higher consciousness), and immediate or directly from the Divine.
The interior natural is also called spiritual-natural. The regenerated natural mind has the spiritual-natural truths in its interior portions and the external natural truths in its external portion. This regenerated mind is magnificent in terms of of our ideal human being. The regenerated natural mind is represented by the natural angels who dwell in the First Heaven in the afterlife. These are the earthlings whose natural mind has been regenerated while still connected to the physical body. Outwardly they look like superb athletes in the prime of youth which is the adolescence period in our biography. They are handsome or beautiful, intelligent, peaceful in nature, moral in character, social and civic minded, obedient to authority, and wildly happy all the time. They are absorbed in art, education, craftsmanship, business, class relations, administration, justice. They are faithful partners in marriage, shunning all adulteries and pornography, and they enjoy zestful living as expressed in trade, sports, drama, and festivals. Intellectually the natural angels far excel our greatest geniuses in earths' history, so much that a single sentence they utter would be "infallible" or inexpressible in our natural languages.
We thus assume an excellent character, a wonderful personality, and amazing powers when our natural mind is regenerated. This is the first ascending step.
The second ascending step in regeneration is the implantation of a still more interior truth (BROWN consciousness) within the ground of our Childhood period in sensuous consciousness (YELLOW consciousness). The regeneration of the spiritual mind is furthered now by the spiritual angels who are in a more interior truth (Second or Middle Heaven) than the natural angels. We are told that the spiritual angels are so far above the natural angels that wen the spiritual angels utter a sentence the natural angels are incapable of understanding it or translating it that they may comprehend. The only communication possible between them is that of correspondence, so that the rational spiritual truths are filtered when they come down and enter the minds of the natural angels, and the truth they then comprehend is a correspondence of the truth that came from the spiritual angels.
Now these more interior truths, which are called spiritual-rational truths, are implanted by the Divine in our sensuous consciousness where we determine what is going to happen to them. When we love them and follow them in our thinking and decisions, THEN and only then will they live and grow, and thus open our rational consciousness to the spiritual level. If we pass on at this stage, we will live as spiritual angels in the Second or Middle Heaven. And if we go on the having our celestial mind regenerated we will dwell in the highest regions of human consciousness called the Third Heaven. The celestial angels are so far above the spiritual angels that nothing they say or think can have any translation or comprehension to spiritual angels. The only possible communicatio9n between them is by correspondence, in the vertical community.
The seeds of interior truths that are implanted by the Divine must be nurtured by us seemingly as-of-self. This means we must put up the effort of nurturing and growing them because this is the process of appropriating them to ourselves. There is no other way. If they are implanted, and then they are grown by the Divine without the effort and struggling we put up when nurturing them, then these truths in us will not feel like our own. They cannot save us or keep us in eternal happiness in union with the Divine Human. Only if we step through the process provided for can we be saved, that is, grow a mind for ourselves that can be united to God and receive from God immortality and blessedness with all things good and true.
This appropriation process of rational truths implanted within our sensuous consciousness must be understood that we may properly and effectively6 perform our required behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. In earlier diagrams we discussed the acquisition of the special rational units [S/C/A] as distinguished from the regular [/A/C/S\ units. The regular units proceed from the affective mind, into the cognitive mind, and both into the sensorimotor mind. The special units proceed in reverse order because they are "analytic." First we obtain information about the outside through our senses, and this information is organized into the sensorimotor mind (S). At the same time we adjoin cognitions to these sensations. This is the process of "making sense" which is automatic and spontaneous to us, even to animals in a lower degree. We therefore establish a conscious connection between a sensation and its meaning. This connection is represented as S--->C (the "AC connection" in earlier articles). But the connection cannot survive unless we adjoin an affective element of the AC connection or sub-unit, so that it becomes triadic and complete: S--->C--->A. And this is accomplished when we acknowledge, accept, love, and seek out the particular AC connection. In this way we accumulate more and more [S/C/A] units, and these are collected into packets and arranged in taxonomic relations that are dictated by rational truths and reality.
The rational truths that open our rational consciousness can be listed and memorized in sensuous consciousness but their rational meaning and referent can only be seen in rational consciousness. Rational truths only exist in the internal mind. The external mind can recite rational truths by name or phrase or chart, but cannot see these truths within oneself. The external cannot see inward or above, but the internal can see downward and below. The three minds each have an external and internal portion (sensuous vs. rational). Each of these in turn has three functions or domains consisting of [A/C/S] units (synthetic) and [S/C/A] units (analytic). Diagram 7 above shows only [S/C/A] units. As we ascend in rational consciousness the truths that serve to open the internal mind at a higher degree must be more interior truths. The most interior truths are those in the internal mind of the celestial degree (BLACK within WHITE consciousness). The diagram identifies a key rational truth for each of the three ascending steps.
The first ascending step is the implanting of interior natural truths within our external sensuous mind in the natural degree (BLUE within GREEN consciousness, or, young adulthood period within adolescence period). The external natural cognitive mind (GREEN C) receives within itself a new seed that is natural-spiritual (BLUE C). A primary rational concept for this degree is illustrated on the right of the diagram by showing that within the external natural cognition called the "self" there is an internal vivification of the concept of "as-of-self." The as-of-self is rational and its actual existence cannot be seen by the external natural mind for which the self is real, while the idea of the as-of-self is abstract. But in the internal mind we can see that the as-of-self is real while the self is only a sensuous appearance.
The as-of-self is the rational truth that our self is only an appearance. We have the sensuous feeling that the self is free and alone by itself. But we have the rational acknowledgement from the Word that the self cannot be free because nothing is free except God, and nothing has power to act except God. Hence the self is an appearance created by God for the sake of our happiness, that we may have the feeling that we act from our own self, that we think from our own self, that we choose within ourselves what we want, that we are alone in the mind, and like things. Moreover, the Word reveals the existence of the vertical community, hence our feelings are not from ourselves but from those higher up, and our thoughts are not from ourselves, but from those higher up. Of course this relation is by correspondence, and there is no implication of conscious awareness throughout the vertical community. The angels know that they are doing furthering work in our mind, but they cannot see any of us, talk to any of us, or know consciously what we are thinking at any moment. Our connectivity is by correspondence, but this is enough to show that the idea of an independent self is an appearance and to confirm it would turn it into falsity, and this into evil and hell in us.
The serpent urging us to eat of the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge is to be tempted to confirm the self as a reality. But our refusal to eat of this tree, and eating only of the Tree of Life, is to acknowledge the rational idea of the as-of-self as within the natural idea from the appearance of the self. There are other concepts that can be similarly analyzed and listed for the first ascending step.
The second ascending step is taken when a new set of truths from the spiritual heaven is implanted in our spiritual mind (BROWN consciousness within YELLOW consciousness, or, adulthood period within childhood period. The diagram identifies the rational concept of "regeneration" (BROWN consciousness) being implanted in the external spiritual concept of "forgiveness." We learn from the Old and New Testament that in order to be saved we must be forgiven by God who abhors our sins and turns away from them. In the Old Testament this saving forgiveness was achieved through ritual sacrifices and the avoidance of transgressing the commandments and statues. Salvation was thus something the external body had to do. In the New Testament the forgiveness of sins was accomplished by faith in Christ as the Son of God who came down from Heaven, took on the sins of humankind, suffered and was crucified, and thus propitiated God the Father who can now forgive us for the sake of this great sacrifice. Salvation is thus something we do with our mind, not body, for it is the acknowledgement of Christ as Savior, by which we achieve our forgiveness from God. But in the Third Testament, or the Writings of Swedenborg, it is revealed that God is pure Love so that He cannot but forgive everyone the moment they sin. And so we need to understand forgiveness in a rational sense in order to see the truth of it. And this is the idea of regeneration and how it takes place, and why.
Regeneration is a rational truth for it does not involve any sensuous or external ritual or belief system like faith as described in the Christian Church. Regeneration must be understood rationally and scientifically, apart from the idea of forgiveness. It is necessary to include the idea of our dual citizenship, that our mind is spirit, and that spirit is organic and grows like an organ. It is necessary to include also the idea that the spirit is the mind and that it grows through the feelings and thoughts we have moment by moment. And finally, it requires the idea of the vertical community, namely that we are born connected to the hells through our character inclinations, and that regeneration is a lifelong process of cutting away and discarding these ties, and building up new ties with the heavens by a new life, new decisions, new truths, new affections--all according to the Word.
When the rational idea of regeneration is implanted and nurtured in the internal mind of the spiritual degree, then we are regenerating and our way to the third ascending step. Other ideas proper to this period are needed to mature our spiritual mind.
The third ascending step is made by the implantation by the Lord of celestial truths through the mediation of the Third Heaven (BLACK consciousness within WHITE consciousness). The diagram above identifies the Doctrine of the Church as a key rational concept that is needed to build up the [S/C/A] units of our interior celestial consciousness. This rational idea must be implanted within the earlier external idea of the Writings as the Third Testament. The arguments surrounding this issue are discussed in part 1 of the Hemelsche Leer Article.
In order to gain a better understanding of how the internal rational cognitions work to vivify the external sensuous cognitions, let us look at a diagram presented first in another article. But now it shall be discussed differently than before. We will consider how the dark trigram (BLUE, BROWN, BLACK) of the ascending path of rationality is the internal to be implanted into the light trigram (WHITE, YELLOW, GREEN) of the descending path of sensuous consciousness. The table bellow defines each of the six degrees in terms of semantic categories that are proper to each level of rationality. Semantic categories determine the level of our thinking and communication.
Conceptual Categories in Thinking in Relation to Degrees of Consciousness (Matrix 17) |
|||
DEGREES |
HEXAGRAM COLOR SYMBOL |
SEMANTIC CATEGORIES OR COGNITIVE PROPERTIES |
THINKING AND COMMUNICATION LEVEL Community Cataloguing Practices (CCPs) |
| SENSUAL EXTERNAL CELESTIAL |
I WHITE |
Ideal Substance, Spiritual Form, Essence, Nominative, Schema, Creative, etc. |
Presuppositions
|
| SENSUAL EXTERNAL SPIRITUAL |
II YELLOW |
Structure, Connectedness, Association, Relationship, Part, Delimitation, Plan, Script, etc. | Implications |
| SENSUAL EXTERNAL NATURAL |
III GREEN |
Function, Quality, Property, Force, Dynamics, Direction, Instruction, etc. |
Meanings |
I N V E R S I O N |
|||
RATIONAL |
IV BLUE |
Medium, Intermediate, Context, History, Goal, Purpose, Interspace, Intervention, etc. | Assertion |
RATIONAL |
V BROWN |
Frame, Role, Venue, Guidance, Justification, etc. |
Argument |
RATIONAL |
VI BLACK |
Appearance, Use, Performance, Execution, Product, Accounting, etc. |
Text |
| External=Sensual=Descending Pathway=Light Trigram (Pre-topical) (I, II, III) | Interior=Rational=Ascending Pathway=Dark Trigram (Topical) (IV, V, VI) | ||
| Inversion=Double Line=Origin of Contention Point | |||
According to our discussion thus far rational consciousness is the internal mind growing within the external mind by means of the implantation of truths appropriate to each of the three ascending steps.
The FIRST ascending step to rationality is the regeneration of the NATURAL mind. We have seen that for the first ascending step of rationality, BLUE consciousness is implanted and grows within GREEN consciousness, and this constitutes the regeneration of the NATURAL mind. Looking at the diagram above, we can see that this first step would involve the category of "Assertion" growing within the category of "Meanings." By itself, the idea of "meanings" involves something indeterminate for communication purposes. For instance, the sentence "I'm hungry now" does not have a determinate meaning for communicating anything unless the context when I say it indicates what type of assertion I'm making. If I say it to my wife right after we finished lunch, it would sound to her like a joke sentence type, but if I say it to her before lunch, it would sound to her like a request or proposal for eating. So it's only when a social context is provided for (assertion type--BLUE consciousness) that a sentence can have a determinate meaning for communication. In communicative acts, this is BLUE consciousness within GREEN consciousness or, Assertion Type within Meaning and Reference. If we're going to communicate rationally, the first step is to identify what social purpose is within a sentence. Once this is identified by categorizing the sentence into an Assertion Type, the sentence then has a rational meaning--but only in the natural degree.
The SECOND ascending step to rationality is the regeneration of the SPIRITUAL mind. This involves placing BROWN consciousness in communicative acts within YELLOW consciousness, or, as the chart indicates, placing the"Argument" within the "Implications." If we are dealing with a communicative act, this consists of identifying the implications (YELLOW) of the sentence and implanting in them the correct "Argument" frame (BROWN). The implications of my saying to my wife before lunch "I'm hungry now" are that I'm uncomfortable and want to eat. I'm uncomfortable is the implication--that's why I said that I'm hungry now. I want to eat now, is the argument. The nominal of the argument is "Because I'm uncomfortable and it's near lunch time" and the complement of the argument is "therefore I want to eat now." Rational communication requires that the argument be within the implication (BROWN consciousness within YELLOW consciousness). And still there is one more step to achieve full rational communication.
The THIRD ascending step to rationality is the regeneration of the CELESTIAL mind. The chart indicates that this is BLACK consciousness within WHITE consciousness, or, in the case of communicative acts, the text of the sentence (BLACK) implanted within the presuppositions (WHITE) contained in them. The text is called the literal, while the presuppositions are called the inner sense that is contained within the literal. To continue with our example of my saying I'm hungry to my wife just before lunch, the natural of it was completed in the first step, and it determined that I'm making a request or proposal that we eat. The spiritual of it was completed in the second step, and it determined that I'm making this proposal not because I'm joking around, but because I'm uncomfortable and desire to eat. The third step now must identify the presuppositions contained in the specific choice I made of the sentence. This includes the entire style of presenting the sentence--how I said, when I timed it, what my expression was, and the like having to do with appearances and showings. One case might be that I say it with hesitation. Or, with excitement. Or, some other putting on of affections that reflect our relationship in broad terms and in narrow. This is the last step that completes rational communication. And this is typical of how humans communicate.
The description above presents the rational idea that our communicative acts proceed from our mind's celestial degree, through our spiritual degree, and into our natural degree from where they activate the body by correspondence. This is how truths descend from the Divine through the minds of the angels in the three heavens and from there into the spiritual world where our mind is located for reception and participation in the vertical community. The truths that are in the minds of the celestial angels activate the truths in our celestial mind; the truths that are in the minds of the spiritual angels activate the truths in our spiritual mind; the truths that are in the minds of the natural angels activate the truths in our natural mind. You can see the real intimacy of our relationships in the vertical community since those angels are participating in every little act or sentence we produce all day, as each act becomes actual by making the three ascending steps just described.
None of us are conscious of this intimate interaction and connectivity because the system would cease to function if we were conscious of its singular steps. These connections exist not for the sake of our conscious knowledge, but for the sake of acting in a united mode. This is the rational meaning of "humanity" or the human race. The Lord is creating the human race, increasing its numbers daily and to eternity. As the race increases in number and variety, its increased perfection depends on it staying in a unity. God's perfection consists in the reality that in Him infinity makes a unity. This is the character of perfection, that the more a unity consists of diverse elements, the more that unity is perfect. And so God's purpose is to increase the perfection of the human race to eternity, and this then requires that all individuals created be united in the eyes or reality of God. In order to describe this to us, Swedenborg was given the experience of looking at the entire masses of lands of the inhabited heavens, Third, Second, and First, containing all the people born on the earths in the universe who now dwell in rational consciousness. A tremendous number of humanity. And as he was given the vision "from afar" as if zooming out in sensuous consciousness, Swedenborg saw a Single Man. All the anatomical parts were there, inside and outside. From then on he discussed it many times under the subject of "the Grand Man" or "the Grand Human." This sensuous consciousness of the Grand Human was given to Swedenborg in his external mind. Within this vision of the Grand Human was the rational consciousness of the truth that this Grand Human was the integrated human race in the consciousness of the Divine Human--and all that this implies in terms of the Heavenly Doctrines that he was given to reveal.
Swedenborg was then given the contrastive vision of the masses of lands and caves of the hells where dwell the inhabitants from the earths since the beginning of creation who arrived into the spiritual world without being regenerated, thus without rational consciousness. Lacking an internal mind of their own, the angels who dwell above them infill the internal mind of the devils and satans who lack this on their own. Without their internal mind being infilled or vivified by the angels, these devils and satans would have no sensuous experience whatsoever, and thus would be worse off then any hell, lacking all sensation and voluntary motion. Zooming out, as it were, Swedenborg was given the vision of this vast mass of humanity, and he called it a Monstrous Man.
The Monstrous Man and the Grand Human together constitute the entire human race collected and integrated into two shapes, one good and angelic, the other evil and infernal. The integration of these two with those who are still on the earths in a physical body constitutes the vertical community.
There are two types of research in theistic science--theoretical and empirical. Theoretical research involves the methodological extraction of knowledge from the Writings of Swedenborg. Empirical research involves the application of knowledge to applied uses. For example, making up the charts in this and related articles, is a theoretical research effort. The structure of the charts are designed to represent statements and their implications from the Writings. Different researchers working independently may not agree on some of these details because there may not be a one-to-one translation between the theory and the text of the Writings, or their implications and presuppositions. This is especially the case when the chart or theory is rendering explicit some structure of implication that is not explicit in the text. Nevertheless, harmonizing attempts by independent workers may succeed in formulating compromise charts, or theories held in common. An example of this process is the attempt described in this article (see below) and the prior article, of Dr. Ian Thompson and I to harmonzie our models, diagrams, and theoretical constructions.
See also: Discrete Degrees by Ian Thomspson || Discrete Degrees by N.C. Burnham
The diagrams and charts used for spiritual geography represent theories or hypotheses about the detailed workings of regeneration. Our understanding of these processes is proportional to the degree of our regeneration, overall as well as within sub-segments when these theories and explanations are given. The attempt made by Dr. Ian Thompson and me to harmonize our two models has followed the procedures and attitudes of objective research. Our attempt to reconcile and integrate goes only so far as both of us can rationally confirm by means of our knowledge, observation, or reference to passages in the Writings. Many of the issues that have been raised will be answered only by future research and development. We have kept track to some extent of our various proposals, and this may help future researchers.
As an example, it might be useful to present a version of Matrix d above that I first had (back in December 1988 when I was studying Ernst Pfeiffer's elucidation of Harrie Goreneweld's 1928 address to the Dutch Society and printed in De Hemelsche Leer Fascicle III pp.86-108.
| Jacob's Ladder (Matrix 20d) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Influx
from CELESTIAL Angels |
Influx
from SPIRITUAL Angels |
Influx
from NATURAL Angels |
Influx
from NATURAL Angels |
Influx
from SPIRITUAL Angels |
Influx
from CELESTIAL Angels |
|||||||||||||||
| PERIODS | A | C | S | A | C | S | A | C | S | I N V E R S I O N |
A | C | S | A | C | S | A | C | S | PERIODS |
| INFANCY WHITE |
1 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 17 | 18 | OLD AGE BLACK |
|||||||||||||
| CHILDHOOD YELLOW |
4 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 15 | ADULTHOOD BROWN |
|||||||||||||
| ADOLESCENCE GREEN |
7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | YOUNG BLUE |
|||||||||||||
| A=affective mind C=cognitive mind S=sensorimotor mind |
SENSUOUS
consciousness (external mind) |
RATIONAL
consciousness (internal mind |
||||||||||||||||||
| Descending
[S/C/A] Path (3,5,7) (conscious awareness units) |
Ascending [S/C/A] Path
(12,14,16) (conscious awareness units) |
|||||||||||||||||||
| An earlier version of this chart may be found here. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The only difference between this older and the present version is the description of where influx takes place from the angels during the descending path. In this older version the descending path is 1,5,9 rather than 3,5,7. In other words, the celestial angels inflow into our affective mind (A) while the natural angels into our sensorimotor mind (S). Possibly several kinds of movements and flows occur that we still need to discover.
Another example of theoretical development is described elsewhere in a section titled "Spiritual Blindness--The End of a Puzzle that Lasted 26 Years--My Discovery of BLACK consciousness within WHITE consciousness" found here.
Errors and blindnesses thus affect the theoretical work in theistic science. Like any intellectual enterprise the outmost formulations in statements and diagrams are not perfect products. Reconciliation efforts by independent researchers using objective methods are thus necessary activities to maintain the integrity and accuracy of theistic science formulations.
The literal and external forms of theistic science knowledge may contain "excess meaning" in the sense that this is hidden or not apparent to the creator and user of the formulations. For instance, the spiritual geography maps and charts in this and related articles, have only been partially described in the various narratives supplied with each chart and diagram. Much longer and more extensive narratives can be "extracted" from each chart, both by the creators and the subsequent users. Later researchers may "discover" information and properties of earlier charts that were not seen by the creators of the chart or their previous users. This "richness" of theory and models comes from the fact that the models and statements are about rational truths and their series and arrangements. The infinite knowledge contained in a single statement from the Writings, or a single idea or concept of rational truth, is to some extent transferred to the models and statements of them in theistic science.
Moreover, a clear and absolute distinction must be drawn between creating a chart or model in theistic science, and understanding it. Understanding rational truths depends entirely on the degree of consciousness and its sub-phase that we are in at the time we are attempting to understand such truths, statements, or models. When we create a chart or write a statement we may be in a higher degree of consciousness. Later, we may try to understand what it is in its fullness, what all its implications are, what its presuppositions are, and so on. This understanding may be less rational, or it may deeper and new truths may be seen in one's own model or statement which have not been seen before. Similarly when other independent researchers attempt to understand, confirm, or verify a chart, model, or statement, the result may vary depending on the degree of consciousness they are in at the time.
These "fluid" characteristics of theistic science are even more evident in applied research where the attempt is to harmonize theistic science theory with data and observations culled from non-theistic sources. One example is the attempt I made to use the chart model to analyze the steps of my biography--which may be viewed here. Another example is the work of homeopathy when its procedures are based on the Writings, as in this 19th century article that was reprinted in the journal Arcana: Inner Dimensions of Spirituality (Vol. VI, No.1, 2001), special Homeopathy Issue: "Homeopathy Or the Science of Medicine Considered in its Relation to the Doctrine of the Church (pp.57-79)" by William E. Payne. Another example is Dr. Ian Thompson's attempt to create charts of human development that contain data from the observations of well known psychologists like Eriksson and Piaget. His charts are also theoretical since they attempt to represent the system of discrete degrees described in the Writings of Swedenborg (see section below). Abie Venter's diagrams are also examples of applied research (see section below).
The simplest type of extraction process in theistic science is to quote a piece of text from the Writings, whether a single word or name, or an entire passage. The quote is "lifted" from the literal of the Word and this itself is an extraction process that involves identifying the passage, segmenting it, and reproducing it. We make the process more complex when we lift several passages into a single collection designed to make a certain point or argument. A good example of this approach is the book by John Worcester titled "Physiological Correspondences" (1889). We can also attach explanations to the quoted passages and even create charts and diagrams that explicitly represent certain properties of the quoted passages. Some of these properties may be explicit in the original, or they may be implicit, in which case the extraction process needs to be explained or shown in various ways. My use of color coded chart segments is an example of this, especially since the color code remains constant throughout all the charts--an important aspect of this work.
There is also an obvious issue to consider when discussing theistic science research. How is it possible to describe the degrees of consciousness through its entire scale when some of these degrees are above our current consciousness as individuals regenerating in a physical body? To what extent can we describe rational truths that are with the angels? Is not theistic science theory limited to earthlings and the consciousness of earthlings in a physical body? I think the answer would be that, according to the Writings, our cognitive mind or "understanding" can be "elevated all the way to the heaven of the highest angels." This elevation is necessary for our successful regeneration. During the ascending steps, rational truths that are with the angels of the three heavens, are implanted as seeds into the internal mind that is growing within the already developed sensuous mind (three descending steps). These seeds, when nurtured by us consciously and lovingly, grow into rational truths that elevate our consciousness all the way to the celestial angels. In our third ascending step (BLACK within WHITE) the influx of interior rational truths are communicated to us. This is the communication, or illustration, that we are able to translate into statements and diagrams, charts and models. We do not stay alert to these interior truths as our regeneration progresses, and we have blindnesses as well. Nevertheless, inspiration or illustration is given us while studying the literal of the Word with the appropriate motivation. The products of these extractions are attributable to the inspiration rather than to our own intelligence.
There are conceptual difficulties involved in describing angelic (or higher rational) cognitions in human language (lower sensuous cognitions). Let's consider the thinking of angels with respect to spatial and temporal relations, that is, how rational truths in higher consciousness are represented in sensuous truths of lower consciousness. I quote Dr. Ian Thompson from an email exchange:
| Date: Thu, 3 May 2001
12:07:11 -1000 From: Ian Thompson I.Thompson@surrey.ac.uk To: Leon James <leon@hawaii.edu> Subject: Re: escape from the spatial? Dear Leon, But please note that I did NOT say that I was removing TEMPORAL images! I deliberately only removed spatial metaphors, for in the spiritual world we DO have 'succession of states', instead of 'regular clock time'. So I believe that the heavenly language does have 'before and after', but no MEASUREMENT of times. Thus 'prior', 'becoming', 'discover', 'change', 'precondition' are still spiritual concepts. (ONLY: maybe not with the Lord, who is outside time!?). More serious are concepts of 'part of', and others: 'ingredient'. My belief is that spiritual substances are still 'multiple', and therefore can be 'composed' of 'parts' as 'ingredients'. HOWEVER, the is NO sense of three-dimensional space in the internal mind of this: ONLY in the external mind. This external mind is the mind WE think with every day, and is ALSO the mind that is with the angels continuously and spontaneously produced in accordance with their internal mind. Thus I quite agree with you: > I think the angels use spatial concepts daily in order to instantiate or validate their sensuous environment (cities, streets, rooms, lower lands, Sun). Then you ask: > I can see that "similar to the Divine" is not in itself spatial, but when you add the idea of similar in degrees, is not degrees like steps or distance on a continuum? I say that 'similar in degrees' is something we often note of for psychological and spiritual things, but these are degrees of quality, not degrees of quantity! They can be APPROXIMATELY represented by degrees of quantity, e.g. with spatial metaphors, in the sensual mind. I do not think that we will ever completely get rid of spatial metaphors, or ideas of measured time. Only that we should see how to remove specific such metaphors as and when necessary. Cheers, |
So we can make a distinction between spatial and temporal features of a rational truth. As Dr. Thompson explains it, higher cognitions in the internal mind refer to sequences and relationships among the states in rational consciousness. Prior states are distinguished from later states because they undergo change of quality. Rational truths keep track of and express changes in quality of states. If we consider the charts in this and related articles, the chart segments represent states and their quality. Their spatial juxtaposition in lower consciousness (visual charts) reflects their temporal sequence in higher consciousness. Thus, WHITE segments referring to Infancy periods are placed first, followed by YELLOW segments referring to Childhood periods, and so on. The last state in temporal sequence (BLACK referring to Old age) appears at the bottom of the juxtaposed segments. In diagrams showing the angelic heavens and influx from the Spiritual Sun (e.g., diagram 5 above), the Third Heaven is placed closest in location to the Spiritual Sun and the other heavens are placed below this, in their sequence of order transmitting the influx.
Similarly, when we say "third ascending step" in lower consciousness (external mind), the rendering in the internal mind (rational consciousness) is in terms of maturity of state in relation to the state most similar to the Divine. Similarity of state in higher consciousness translates into closeness of placement in lower consciousness. Another method of representation to be explored in theistic science is frequently used by Swedenborg to describe in sensuous consciousness what is in fact a distinction in quality of state. This is the method of spiritual physiology and anatomy, another branch of theistic science. Here the map used is the anatomy and physiology of the body because the rational qualities of state that distinguishes societies in the spiritual world, corresponds to the anatomical and physiological distinctions in the body. This applies equally to the physical body and the spirit-body since these two fully correspond. Thus, the angles who dwell in "the region of the heart" are different in rational quality from the angels who dwell in "the region of the tongue." The difference in rational quality corresponds to the functional features and properties of the heart in contrast to the tongue. Shape differences translate into one dimension of rational differences. These are true for the overall shape of the two organs as well as the shape of the constructing units or cells and sub-cells. Function differences also translate into rational differences in quality among the two societies, e.g., pumping blood vs. tasting food--both have to do with feeding but in different ways. Feeding in sensuous consciousness corresponds to being instructed in rational consciousness.
| From Swedenborg's Arcana
Coelestia 2998. The existence of such correspondences has for many years been made something so familiar to me that scarcely anything could be more so. This has happened to me even though man's condition is such that he does not know of the existence of that correspondence and does not believe that he has any connection with the spiritual world. Yet all his connection is from that world and without it neither he nor any part of him could continue to exist for a single moment. On that connection depends the whole continuance of his existence. I have also been given to know which angelic communities belong to which particular part of the body, and also to know what they are like. I have been given to know, for example, which communities belong to the region of the heart, and what these are like; which ones belong to the lungs, and what these are like; which communities belong to the liver, and what they are like; and which ones belong to the sensory organs, such as the eye, the ears, the tongue, and the rest, and what those communities are like. In the Lord's Divine mercy these will be dealt with as a separate subject. From Swedenborg's De Verbo 17 [2] What is true of heaven as a whole is also true of every society in heaven, for every society of heaven is a heaven in smaller form, and it likewise appears in the Lord's sight as a single person (on which subject, see the book Heaven and Hell, nos. 41-87). In each society, too, those who are at the center similarly resemble the heart and the lungs, and they possess the greatest light. This light, with a resulting perception of truth, radiates out from that center in all directions toward those on the peripheries and gives them their spiritual life. I have been shown, moreover, that when those who were in the middle, who formed the region of the heart and lungs and who therefore possessed the greatest light, were removed, those who lived round about were left in comparative darkness, and that they then had such a weak perception of truth as to have scarcely any. But as soon as the others returned, their light reappeared as before, and they recovered their former perception of truth. From Swedenborg's Spiritual Experiences 669. There are also those who interrelate with the mouth, who likewise are afterwards transferred elsewhere. They are those who continually want to talk, from which they get their enjoyment. Insofar as that enjoyment is purified, so that they do not want to speak anything other than what is useful to their companions, to the community, to heaven, to the Lord, or insofar as the desire to regard themselves in talking, or the effort to be thought wise, passes away, so far they are raised to a more distinguished place. This was shown to me today by a gold coin, which a hand representing the hand of the Lord, took and gave to one who was indignant after having been given to know that he was in the province of the mouth. It meant that he can be transferred, and even to the region of the heart, if he is found worthy. 1748, 7 February. 4574. CONCERNING THE HELLS OF THOSE WHO ARE EVIL WITHIN AND GOOD WITHOUT. THE TONGUE. There are those, who, in the world, appeared externally good, gentle and obliging; but their delight, which they concealed within, was that they might injure the neighbor in every possible manner. Such are not distinguished from others-as, for example, (Losche . . .)* Such, in the other life, also hold themselves on high a long time, on account of their being externally gentle and good. (They do) this with the simple, who do not go very deeply (into things); for, thus, they raise themselves up through a way to the right, where are such as have been similar; and they especially desire that such may injure each other. They sit there, to the right, at a side place, and there delight in such things. Such spirits are sent to the hell in that region. They are swallowed up by the thousand. Some are precipitated thither, and this through many vicissitudes: others for ever following. They are malignant genii. Those who are raised up by these, are of such a character, also. While they think those things which are of faith-for they have thought and believed in something of the kind-they compel others, into whom they are operating, to put the tongue between the teeth in order that they may bite it, and so cut it off very many times, it was granted me to experience (this) attempt of his, and of such like ones, so that I might know of what quality they are. (They are such) as (would have) rejoiced, if they could (thus) have effected it, that they had destroyed me utterly; for, without a tongue, I should be deprived of the faculty of eating, and also of speaking, thus, of associating with men. Hence it is, that their greatest desire is the desire of such things; hence, also, their delight is augmented according to the magnitude of the injury (they are able to inflict). I have now seen, for two days, many thousands thus swallowed down into their new hell. |
Another application of the chart with regards to regeneration of husbands may be seen in this article.
Here is Dr. Thompson's description of the influx taking place during the descending path. A prior version of this proposal may be found in these two files: article 1 and article 2.
Heavens (interior mind) love 1. |
exterior mind: understanding 2. |
||||
| Celestial: 1.1 | Internal Rational: 2.1 | ||||
| Love of good: 1.11 | Truth from good: 1.12 | Delight of good: 1.13 | Regeneration into Wisdom: 2.11 (wisdom of love) | Reformation: 2.12 (wisdom of faith) | Conscience: 2.13 (wisdom of righteousness) |
| Spiritual: 1.2 | External Rational (Scientific/Egypt): 2.2 | ||||
| Good from truth: 1.21 | Love of truth: 122 | Delight of truth: 123 | Love of external truth: 2.21 | Understanding of external truth: 2.22 | Use of external truth: 2.23 |
| Natural Heaven: 1.3 | Sensual: 2.3 | ||||
| Celestial Natural (natural good): 131 | Spiritual natural (natural truth): 132 | Delight of use: 133 | Natural
good: 2.31 (love of this: 2.311, understanding of this: 2.312) |
Natural
cognitions & memories: 2.32 (love of these: 2.321) |
Sensorimotor:
2.33 (The sensual ultimate) |
Figure of Thompson's "Discrete Degrees", labelled with Swedenborg's names. The 'external rational' and 'sensual' degrees are often called together the 'natural mind'.
Description of child development, as seen by Ian Thompson:
We can always translate A=1, C=2 and S=3 between Leon's and Ian's labels. Note the Leon's zones 1-36 are all in the external mind (interior and exterior rational, and sensual): see further figure below.
ANGELS
We first have to realise the structures of the different angels:
Celestial angels receive influx as love directly into their affections in the will A (1.11). This will produces ideas in their understanding C (1.12) only as and when necessary, so most of the influx of their affections A is into their sensory S (1.13), where it supports delightful perceptions and actions (delight of good).
Spiritual angels receive influx directly into truth in their understanding C (1.22), and then good A (1.21) is implanted by means of this truth in the intellectual part C.
Spiritual-natural angels are those whose understanding C (1.32) does not receive truths so readily, through incomplete regeneration, and are therefore maintained according to a combination of partial understanding C and monitoring of actions in S (1.33) by their conscience.
Celestial-natural angels are those whose will A (1.31) does not receive good loves so readily, through incomplete regeneration, and are therefore maintained according to a combination of that A (1.31) which corresponds to natural good (2.31) and their conscience monitoring their actions S (1.33).
In the spiritual kingdom (after the 'flood'), affections are in a will which is grown in the understanding, whereas in the celestial kingdom, the original will is primary and the understanding always follows this will.
CHILDREN: Descending path
I am now going to discuss the development of children in the spiritual kingdom, and the mediate influx they receive through the heavens (there is always direct influx from the Lord as well). We have little experience of the children growing up to be celestial, only of adult celestial regeneration.
Children have both a will and an understanding. However, in the spiritual kingdom, these are developed to some extent independently, and not in strict tandem coordination.
In the foetus and in infants, the celestial and celestial-natural angels have the leading role. The infant's interiors A (2.31 and 2.3*1) are still being formed, and their partial soft malleable state is furthermore corresponding to celestial innocence. Their externals S (2.33) are almost entirely sensual-natural, but this also connects with the sensual delights of the celestial angels (1.13). Thus an initial will is being created by celestial influx, and this will be the basis (the 'remains') on which later life will be received.
In childhood (2 years on), the exterior sensory S (2.3) is being further developed. In the will A (2.31, 2.321), however, a greater sense of self-determination and independence is beginning. This sense is incompatible with celestial influx, so the celestial angels retreat, to be replaced by affections from the spiritual angels. This gives an endless curiosity and delight in learning and doing. External sensation and memory-knowledges CS are being built up in S (2.33), and then the understanding C (2.32) receives external cognitions from the spiritual-natural kingdom (1.32+1.33). At the end of this period, the understanding in degree 2.312 begins to learn about affections, and this learning replaces the previous direct celestial influx into 2.31.
In adolescence (8 years on), the sensual cognitions and memory-knowledges in S 2.3 are sufficiently developed that external rationality C (2.2) can be implanted. This is the intellectual or 'scientific' part of the mind, with creative (2.21), formal (2.22) and operational (2.23), components, that deals with the love, understanding and use of external truths respectively. These greater cognitive capacities in the external understanding now receive influx from the spiritual heavens ('spiritual in the external rational' AC5150).
At the same time as the source of the influx into the understanding has moved from the spiritual-natural S (1.33) in childhood to the spiritual A (1.32) in adolescence, the influx into the will makes the opposite transition. The innocent delight of learning in childhood (from 1.32) becomes replaced by more pragmatic and self-centred loves A, and by a sense of independence that can only receive A influx from the external spiritual-natural heavens S (1.33). This heaven relays a conscience that the adolescent can/should learn to follow. At the end of adolescence we have the ironic situation of a new adult using extensive cognitive skills from the spiritual heavens in the service of increasingly selfish loves (from the edge of heaven, and beyond).
This interchange of spiritual and spiritual-natural influxes into the will and the understanding appears to be a feature of children of the spiritual kingdom, who need to build up their own understanding C 'as of self' beginning from sensual externals at the same time as their wills A are being generated while descending through the heavens.
ADULTS: Ascending path
After inversion, the correspondences of the interior rational (2.1 1/2/3) with the heavens (1.1/2/3) are much simpler.
To see the connection between the James' Matrices and Thompson's Discrete Degrees, we have to remember that, for progeny of the spiritual kingdom (since the flood), the influxes into the will and into the understanding do not come from the same heavens. We have now to try to represent this dual influx in tabular form, and, as a first attempt, I present the following picture:
exterior mind: understanding 2. |
||
| Internal Rational: 2.1 (Ascending path in Adulthood) | ||
16 A: influx from 1.11 17 C: influx from 1.12 18 S: influx from 1.13 |
13 A: influx from 1.21 14 C: influx from 1.22 15 S: influx from 1.23 |
10 A: influx from 1.31 11 C: influx from 1.32 12 S: influx from 1.33 |
| External Rational (Scientific/Egypt): 2.2 (Descending path, third part in 'adolescence') | ||
7 A: influx from 1.31 8 C: influx from 1.22 9 S: influx locally from 7 and 8 |
||
| Sensual: 2.3 (Descending path, first two parts in childhood) | ||
4 A: influx from 1.21 5 C: influx from 1.32 6 S: influx from 1.33 |
1 A: influx from 1.11 and 1.31 2 C: influx locally from 1 into 3. 3 S: influx from 1.13 and 1.33 |
|
Figure of Thompson's "Discrete Degrees", labelled also with the zone numbers of Leon James taken from the 'Jacobs Ladder' Matrix 20d above.
This figure supersedes the 'discrete degree' numerical labels in Matrix 19b in harmonizing3.htm. See also: article 2.
| Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001
09:22:02 -1000 From: Leon James <leon@hawaii.edu> Subject: Re: Your diagrams Ingenious! They look like the kind of diagrams that should appear in Psychology 100 High School or College courses. Maybe they will one day if you write that book! Perhaps the evolution of consciousness has now progressed enough to allow Psychology textbooks to present the theistic science perspective. With this theistic science education individuals can be involved in their regeneration in the way many today are involved in their physical health with vitamins, workouts, diet programs, drugs, yoga, etc. Your contribution can be very valuable. This means transmitting what you have come to see and understand to others who are still deprived of this liberating knowledge about regeneration and the true psychology. Your Diag.1 to 3 show people that regeneration is the furthering of one's individuality and uniqueness. They also show people that regeneration concerns our relationship to a Personal God who is intimately involved in all aspects of our feelings, thoughts, and sensations. At no time do we have this "proprial" activity of our "self" and "self-awareness" and "self-identity" jut on our own, or just by ourselves. Our Divine Lord is involved in each and all particular events in our mental life, even beyond, far beyond, what we know ourselves about ourselves. Hence our identity and security is entirely in God's decision making process, not our own. But God wants us to have the feeling of as-if of our own (or: "as-of-self") so that we may be happy. That's His Love for each of us. That Love makes us not only happy and secure, but immortal. (You might consider a diagram on this theme of the "proprium" vs. the "as-of-self" -- for this is the key to crossing the Inversion line). Your vertical and horizontal diagram gives people the idea that their biography and personality is threefold, and that they are integrated and together create one's personality and character and style. The diagram illustrates the progressive vs. retrogressive paths in people's biography. It suggests that one can end at the top where we should be going by many ways. I think people need help with this idea and its details (more diagrams?). One important idea is to understand that the affective is the most crucial--more crucial than the other two minds. So two biographies may be very similar on the outside aspects of personality and style, yet be very different in the INTERNAL MIND (which contains its own affective--this is the ruling love--secret and unknown unless one cooperates in regeneration--then the Lord shows it to us gradually, step by step). (See latest diagrams in (this file) that depict the three minds [A/C/S] in both the external and internal portion.) So we all need to ask ourselves about anything we desire, think, or do: Why? Why do I want this? Why do I think this? Why do I do this? For IN EVERY CASE WITHOUT EXCEPTION the answer is either from Heaven or from hell. Never in-between! How many of our generation are prepared to accept this rational truth, which as at the base of the whole thing?? Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 02:26:28 -1000 Subject: Diagram commentary In Diag 1 to 3 I try to illustrate the regeneration process. The Lord is really at the core of our being (inner most circle). Even in the devils of the deepest hell he is present in the center of their spirits, because we are the microcosm of the spiritual world. Thus the Spiritual Sun has Its corresponding structure within us as the Lord. In devils the Lord is however tightly locked in by a very effective proprium (presented by the next black circle). The Lord is locked in and cannot penetrate the 3 modalities (aff, cogn, sen-mot) In my model regeneration is the cracking (making holes in) the tight circle of the proprium. The old folks said that the Lord "has to break ones will.. Suffering can soften the inner wall between us and God, causing holes in the proprium's wall separating us and the Lord-within. Thus the Lord's love can seep through holes and start enlightening parts of the 3 modalities. This is the half-regenerate man (Diag 2). This process continues, and its really ALL the Lord's work. We can assist the Lord only by helping to break down the proprium's wall of pride and selfishness. Ultimately one becomes regenerate (Diag 3). The proprium cannot be destroyed, as we will then loose our personality and individuality. Thus the regenerate man is presented in my drawing as a self with a dotted line. The Lord can penetrate the three modalities almost fully from within. Thus the Spiritual-Sun Within can shine through down to the last detail of our feeling, thought and deed. All the Lords work. No real meritoriousness. The Lord broke free from our Innermost, to manifest outward. Almost like childbirth. Or like the Sun rising over a Dark Horizon. Diag1-3 signifies the NT saying : "I knock, you must open." My diagram Horizontal vs. Vertical development indicates that we always decide to proceed horizontally or vertically in our psycho-spiritual development. One person will choose to learn only enough of a modality in order to proceed to a higher modality. Another will choose to tarry longer in a modality. E.G. Person A will only pass the grade sensori-motorlike and start cognitive studies in earnest, e.g. become a mathematician up un- till his fortieth year. Then suddenly he is gripped with an interest in affective study. He becomes devoutly religious and start art classes. Thus he starts his affective journey. What I'm trying to say is that one should not overestimate "very clever" people like natural scientist. They are often busy with horizontal development. Thus it is possible that a postal clerk is already fully developed affectively, although his cognitive development only passed the grade barely. This clerk could end up in the 3rd heaven, because of his beautiful affective development, while the mathematician can only be in the 1st or 2nd heaven. Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 18:44:16 -1000 Subject: Re: Diagram commentary Yes, I concur. Your training makes you have a fear of meritoriousness so you want to emphasize that regeneration is the Lord's work entirely, except for this part that we have to do, like opening the door to Him, or stop resisting with our proprial affections by putting them ahead of Him. My training wants to emphasize what we have to do, and the effort we have to put up, and how it is our responsibility, and our victory, and our accomplishment, and our effort and struggle--EVEN WHILE I acknowledge and love the fact that He supplies ALL the power needed. Your statement and mine are somewhat different in focus, but they are not disharmonious or contradictory to one another. You want to make sure that we don't claim the new powers and happinesses of regeneration for ourselves, our own doing. I'm anxious about making sure we give people the message: it's up to you to fight like hell, because that's what's required to get rid of the proprium. And any slack in your struggle because you think it's the Lord who is doing it, will arrest your progress. I know you don't disagree with this, so it's what we each are led to emphasize--hence Yes this is a good description that is lacking from my charts so far--personality differences and how they play out in regeneration. Yes. I think it's important to emphasize that it is WHY we do things, not what we do, when deciding about good and evil courses in life. The external acts are not indicative unless the internal motive is known. In the other world, internal motives are perceived by spirits and angels as someone approaches them. |
DIAGRAM
1 The Trigrammatic Universe
DIAGRAM
2 The Three Layers of the Universe
DIAGRAM
3 The Three Levels of Science
DIAGRAM
4 The Three Divine Aspects
DIAGRAM
5 Male and the Female Mind (part 1)
DIAGRAM
6 Male and the Female Mind (part 2)
DIAGRAM
7 Trigrammatic Series
DIAGRAM
8 Substances: Celestial, Spiritual, Natural
DIAGRAM
9 Trinitarian God in Theistic Science
DIAGRAM
10: The Divine Human
NOTE: We would be delighted to know your reactions to this collaborative
research effort in Theistic Science (April 2001).
Please email us both: Dr.
Leon James and Dr. Ian Thompson
Related articles
De Hemelsche Leer--A Spiritual Bombshell (related article by Leon James)
See also: Discrete Degrees by Ian Thomspson || Discrete Degrees by N.C. Burnham
You might also be interested in consulting related matrices involving the affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor domains in the following articles:
The Will and Understanding || The Heart and Lungs || Good and Truth || Religious Behaviorism || Religious
Psychology || Comprehensive Discourse Analysis || Driving Behavior || Phases of Development in Becoming Internet Literate || In
Psychotherapy || The Threefold Self || Symbols
and Drawings || Topical
Organization in Social Psychology || Titles of Articles || Resistance to Health Behaviors || Language
Teaching || Song Analysis || Genetic Culture || Cross-cultural
Atlas of Affective Meanings || Swedenborg's Theory of Trisubstantivism
Some additional articles are available here:
Spiritual Associations or The Vertical Community || The Vertical Community || Spiritual Psychology || Cyberpsychology: Cyberspace and the Spiritual World || The Postmodern Paradigm Shift in Psychology || Swedenborg's Status and Significance: A Great Paradox || Elements of Biological Theology
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