Logopraxis

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7623 Exodus 10 THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY There are two things which proceed from the Lord and from this in their origin are Divine: the one is Good, and the other is Truth. These consequently are the two things which reign in heaven, nay, which make heaven. In the church these two things are called charity and faith. 7624 When Good and Truth proceed from the Lord they are completely united, and so united as to be not two, but one. Consequently they are one in heaven; and because they are one in heaven, heaven is an image of the Lord. It would be the same with the church if charity and faith therein were a one. 7625 An idea of the good which is of charity and of the truth which is of faith may be formed from the sun and its light; when the light which proceeds from the sun is conjoined with heat, as is the case in spring and summer, then all things of the earth sprout forth and live; but when there is no heat in the light, as in winter time, then all things of the earth become torpid and die. Moreover, in the Word the Lord is compared to the "sun;" and truth conjoined with good, which proceeds from Him, is compared to "light;" and also in the Word the truth of faith is called "light," and the good of love is called "fire." Moreover, love is the fire of life, and faith is the light of life. 7626 From all this an idea can also be formed about the man of the church, as to what he is when with him faith is conjoined with charity, namely, that he is like a garden and a paradise; and what he is when with him faith is not conjoined with charity, namely, that he is like a desert and a land covered with snow. 7627 From the mere light of his natural man everyone can see that Truth and Good are in agreement, and also that they can be conjoined together; and that truth and evil are in disagreement, and that they cannot be conjoined together; and in like manner faith and charity. Experience itself testifies the same; that he who is in evil as to life is either in falsity as to faith, or is in no faith, or is quite opposed to faith. And (what is a secret) he who is in evil as to life is in the falsity of his evil, although he believes that he is in truth. That he so believes is because he is in persuasive faith, of which in what follows. EXODUS 10 1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh; because I have made heavy his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may put these My signs in the midst of him. 2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and My signs which I have set in them, and that ye may know that I am Jehovah. 3 And Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, How long dost thou refuse to be humbled before Me? let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4 For if thou refuse to let My people go, behold tomorrow I will bring the locust into thy border. 5 And it shall cover the surface of the land, and one shall not be able to see the land; and it shall devour the residue of that which is escaped that is left to you from the hail; and it shall devour every tree that sprouteth forth to you out of the field. 6 And thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which thy fathers saw not, nor thy father's fathers, since the day that they were upon the ground even unto this day. And he looked back, and went out from before Pharaoh. 7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this be a snare to us? Send the men away, and let them serve Jehovah their God; knowest thou not yet that Egypt is perishing? 8 And Moses and Aaron were brought back unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them, Go ye, serve Jehovah your God; who and who are going? 9 And Moses said, We will go with our boys, and with our old men; with our sons and with our daughters,

And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven, and there shall be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field in the land of Egypt. And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and Jehovah gave voices and hail, and the fire walked unto the land, and Jehovah made it rain hail upon the land of Egypt. And there was hail, and fire walking at the same time in the midst of the hail, very grievous, such as had not been like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote in all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, from man and even to beast, and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, was there no hail. And Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time; Jehovah is just, and I and my people are wicked. Supplicate ye unto Jehovah, for there hath been enough of voices of God and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer. And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread out my palms unto Jehovah, and the voices shall cease, and there shall be no more hail; that thou mayest know that the earth is Jehovah's. And as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the face of Jehovah God.  Exodus 9:22-30 Arcana Coelestia 7573... As regards truth Divine in heaven and in hell, which truth is signified by the “voices,” the case is the same as it is with thunders on earth. On high mountains thunders are heard as a mild and gentle sound, whereas below on the earth they are heard as a terrific noise; and in the same way in heaven truth Divine is mild and gentle, but in hell is terrible. The Word constantly challenges our historical faith and thus constantly perfects AC 7577. And there was hail, and fire at the same time walking in the midst of the hail, very grievous. That this signifies the persuasions of falsity together with the cupidities of evil, is evident from the signification of “hail,” as being falsity from evil (of which above, n. 7574), here the persuasion of falsity, because it is said “hail very grievous;” from the signification of “fire,” as being the cupidity of evil (of which just above, n. 7575); from the signification of “walking in the midst,” as being to be together, and indeed the cupidity of evil inmostly, because this was the source of the falsity. [2] There is here described the state of those who are of the church and infest the upright in the other life when they have been vastated as to what is of the church, that is, as to the goods and truths which they professed; namely, that then persuasions of falsity together with cupidities of evil reign with them; for such is their interior state. The persuasions of falsity and the cupidities of evil are inseparable, for he who is in evil as to life, is in falsity as to doctrine. It may indeed seem otherwise to those who are in evil of life; for when with the mouth they profess truths from the Word, or from the doctrine of their church, they suppose that they are in the belief of these truths. It also appears to them as if they were; but still they are not if the life is evil; for they either profess with the mouth what disagrees with their thoughts, or they think that it is so from a persuasive faith, which is for the sake of gain or of honors; therefore when there is no further canvassing for honors, or chasing of gain, this faith falls to the ground, and then they readily learn falsities which agree with the evils of cupidities. These falsities exist inwardly with those who live evilly, no matter how much they believe that they do not exist. [3] That this is so, clearly shows itself in the other life, when the externals have there been taken away, and such persons have been left to their interiors. Then falsities burst forth,

Arcana Coelestia 7480. I have been instructed that the spirits of Mars have relation to something which is interior in man, and indeed intermediate between the intellectual part and the will part, thus to thought from affection; and they who are the best of them, to the affection of the thought. This is the reason why their face makes a one with their thought, and why they cannot dissemble before anyone (as was said of them above, see n. 7360, 7361). 7479. I have spoken with some from that earth about the faith of those who dwell there. They said that they there believe that there is nothing in them but what is filthy and infernal, and that all good is of the Lord. They even said further that of themselves they are devils, and that the Lord draws them out and continually withholds them from hell. They wondered that so many evil spirits were about me, and also spoke to me; but it was given me to answer that this is permitted them for the purpose that I may thus know their quality, and why they are in hell, and that this is according to their life. It was also given me to say that there were some among them whom I had known when they lived in the world, and that they had then been in stations of great dignity, although nothing but the world was in their hearts; but that no evil spirit, even the most infernal, can do me any harm, because I am continually protected by the Lord. 7478. Once when the Lord was mentioned I saw that those spirits adopted a humbled attitude, so deep and profound as to be indescribable. For in their humility their thought was that if left to themselves they were in hell, which being so they were totally unworthy of setting eyes on the Lord, who is Holiness itself. This thought arising from their belief affected them so profoundly that they were so to speak beside themselves, and it kept them on their knees until the Lord raised them up and so to speak pulled them out of hell. When they accordingly rise from that humbled condition those spirits are full of goodness and love, and consequently of heartfelt joy. But when they adopt that humbled attitude they do not, because they dare not, turn their faces to the Lord; instead they turn them away. Spirits who were around me said that they had never seen any humility like it. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

What is hidden will be revealed Arcana Coelestia 7454[2] How the case stands with this matter is very evident from things that show themselves clearly in the other life. Every spirit, and still more every society, is surrounded with a sphere of the faith and of the life of that spirit or society. This sphere is a spiritual sphere, and by it is known the quality of the spirit, and even better that of the society. For the sphere is perceived by those who have perception, sometimes at a considerable distance; and this although the spirit or the society is in hiding, and does not communicate by thought or by speech. This spiritual sphere may be compared to the material sphere which encompasses the body of a man in the world, which is a sphere of effluvia exuding from him, and is smelled by keen-scented beasts. (Of the spiritual sphere which encompasses spirits, see n. 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504, 1519, 2401, 2489, 4464, 5179, 6206) [3] From all this it can be seen that if infernal spirits were near where they are who are in Divine worship, they would infest them by their sphere, for in this way they who are in Divine worship would perceive what is shocking and abominable. All this shows how it is to be understood that infernal foulness and filthiness would flow in, if they were to worship God in that neighborhood. From what has been said about the spiritual sphere, or the sphere of faith and life, which exhales from every spirit, and still more from a society of spirits, it can also be seen that nothing whatever is hidden of that which a man in the world has thought, spoken, and done, but that it is in the open; for it is these things which make this sphere. Such a sphere also pours forth from the spirit of a man while he is in the body in the world; and from this his quality is also known. Therefore believe not that the things a man thinks in secret and that he does in secret, are hidden, for they are as clearly shown in heaven as are those which appear in the light of noon, according to the Lord's words in Luke: There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; or hidden that shall not be known; therefore whatsoever ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in bed-chambers, shall be proclaimed upon the housetops (Luke 12:2-3). Cast into hell AC 7465.. Be it known that each miracle done in Egypt signifies a peculiar state into which those come who are in falsities and infest in the other life. There are ten states into which they successively come before they are entirely stripped of all truth, thus before they are cast into hell. For they who are in the knowledge of faith, but in evil of life, are not after death at once brought into hell, but successively. They are first convinced that they are in evil, and afterward the knowledge of faith is taken away from them, and at last they are left to the evil of their life. This is effected by means of many successive states, and these states are what are described by the miracles done in Egypt, consequently by the evils which befell the Egyptians before they were immersed in the sea Suph. These secrets cannot be known without revelation, but with the angels they are among things well known. Evils and falsities are rejections of what is good and true Divine Love and Wisdom 268. (iii) Confirmed evils and falsities with man are permanent, and come to be of his love, and consequently of his life. Confirmations of evil and falsity are nothing else than removals of good and truth, and if they increase, they are rejections, for evil removes and rejects good as falsity does truth. Hence indeed it is that confirmations of evil and falsity are closures of heaven, for every good and truth flows in from the Lord through heaven, and when heaven is closed, then man is in hell, and in a society there in which a like evil and falsity reigns, from which hell he cannot afterwards be released. 

A heavy mixture of flies came into the house of Pharaoh and the house of his servants and into all the land of Egypt. The land was ruined because of the presence of the mixture of flies. 25 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said: Go! Sacrifice to your Elohim in the land. 26 Yet Moses said: It is not the established custom to do so, for we shall sacrifice that which is an abhorrence of the Egyptians to Yahweh our Elohim. Behold, should we sacrifice an abhorrence of the Egyptians before their eyes, would they not stone us? 27 A way of three days shall we go into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh our Elohim, just as He said to us. 28So Pharaoh said: I shall dismiss you, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your Elohim in the wilderness, but you shall not fare far, not far to go. Make an entreaty about me. 29 And Moses said: Behold, I am going forth from you, and I will make an entreaty to Yahweh that the mixture of flies withdraw from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his people tomorrow. But Pharaoh must not continue to trifle in not dismissing the people to sacrifice to Yahweh. 30 Then Moses went forth from Pharaoh, and he entreated Yahweh. 31 And Yahweh did according to the word of Moses; and the mixture of flies withdrew from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his people. Not one remained. 32 Yet Pharaoh gloried in his heart, even at this time, and he did not dismiss the people. Exodus 8:24-31 ( Concordant Literal Translation) Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7600 Verses 31-35. And the flax and the barley were smitten; for the barley was a ripening ear, and the flax was a stalk. And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten, because they were hidden. And Moses went out of the city from before Pharaoh, and spread out his palms unto Jehovah; and the voices and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. And Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the voices had ceased, and he sinned yet more, and made heavy his heart, he and his servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was made firm, and he did not let the sons of Israel go, as Jehovah had spoken by the hand of Moses. "And the flax," signifies the truth of the exterior natural; "and the barley," signifies its good; "were smitten," signifies that they were destroyed; "for the barley was a ripening ear, and the flax was a stalk," signifies that this good and truth stood forth and looked downward; "and the wheat and the spelt," signifies the good of the interior natural and its truth; "were not smitten," signifies that they were not destroyed; "because they were hidden," signifies because they did not stand forth, and because they tended inward; "and Moses went out of the city from before Pharaoh," signifies separation from them; "and spread out his palms unto Jehovah," signifies intercession; "and the voices and the hail ceased," signifies that there was an end of this state; "and the rain was not poured upon the earth," signifies that these falsities no more appeared; "and Pharaoh saw," signifies a noticing; "that the rain and the hail and the voices had ceased," signifies that there was an end of this state; "and he sinned yet more," signifies as yet a withdrawal; "and made heavy his heart, he and his servants," signifies obstinacy; "and the heart of Pharaoh was made firm," signifies that from evil they were determined; "and he did not let the sons of Israel go," signifies that they did not leave them; "as Jehovah had spoken," signifies according to the prediction; "by the hand of Moses," signifies by means of the law from the Divine. 7601 And the flax. That this signifies the truth of the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of "flax," as being truth, but truth of the exterior natural (of which below; that the natural is exterior and interior, see n. 4570, 5118, 5497, 5649; consequently that the truth and good therein are interior and exterior, n. 3293, 3294). The truth and good of the exterior natural are signified by "the flax and the barley," and the good and truth of the interior natural by "the wheat and the spelt."[2] The subject treated of in this and in the following verse is the truths and goods which were destroyed and vastated, and the goods and truths which were not destroyed and vastated; thus the truths and goods which were stored up and reserved for use, and those which were not stored up and reserved. For when the evil are being vastated, that is, when they are being separated from truths and goods, and are left to their own evils and falsities, they are then vastated in respect to those truths and goods which are in the exterior natural, and which are adjoined there to falsities and evils. That these truths and goods look downward, and therefore cannot be reserved, will be seen below (n. 7604, 7607); but the truths and goods of the interior natural are not vastated, but are brought further inward, and are there reserved for use; and then the communication between the interior natural and the exterior is so far closed that nothing of good and truth can inflow from the interior natural into the exterior natural, except only something general, to enable them to reason, and to string together arguments to confirm falsities and evils. Those goods and truths which are reserved, are signified in the Word by "remains" (as to which see n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 576, 661, 798, 1738, 1906, 2284, 5135, 5342, 5344, 5897-5899, 6156, 7556).

And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For I this time will send all My plagues into thy heart, and into thy servants, and into thy people; that thou mayest know that there is no one as I in the whole earth. For now I would put forth My hand, and smite thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou wouldest be cut off from the earth; but yet for this cause have I made thee to stand, that thou mayest see My power, and that My name may be told in the whole earth. As yet thou exaltest thyself against My people, in thy not letting them go. Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now. And now send, gather in thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; every man and beast that shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought to the house, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die. He that feared the word of Jehovah of the servants of Pharaoh, made his servants and his cattle flee unto the houses; and he that did not set his heart unto the word of Jehovah left his servants and his cattle in the field. Exodus 9:13-21 The sorting of the good and evil states of mind Arcana Coelestia 7541...[2] It is according to order that one plague should follow another, and the evil be thus successively cast down into hell, and therefore it is here said that it might come to pass that they would all rush in together. As the man of the church has no knowledge about the state of the life after death, he believes that after his life in the body a man is either at once uplifted into heaven, or cast into hell; when nevertheless this takes place successively, although with much variety in respect to times and in respect to states. With the good who are to be uplifted into heaven, evils are successively separated, and the good are filled with goods according to the faculty of reception acquired in the world. And with the evil who are to be cast into hell, goods are successively separated, and the evil are successively filled with evils, according to the faculty of reception acquired in the world. [3] Moreover a man in the other life enters into new states, and undergoes changes. Those who are being uplifted into heaven, and afterward when they have been uplifted, are perfected to eternity; but those who are being cast down to hell, and afterward when they have been cast down, endure evils continually more grievous, and this until they dare not do evil to anyone. After this they remain in hell to eternity, whence they cannot be taken out, because it cannot be given them to will good to anyone, but only, from fear of the penalty, not to do evil, the desire to do it always remaining. On those who infest in the 'other life' AC 7545... How the case is with this communication has already been told, namely, that those who infest the upright in the other life are such as in the world have been in the church and have read the Word, and have known the doctrinal things of faith of their church and have also professed them, but have lived a life of evil. So long as such in the other life retain the things of faith, they have communication with heaven, and so long they cannot be cast down into hell; and therefore it is these things that are by degrees taken away from them; and after these have been taken away, the evil no longer have anything to hold them up; but then like weights without support, or like birds with their wings cut off, they fall downward, or into the deep. From all this it is evident what is meant by the possibility of the communication being taken away from them. On remains AC 7556... the good and truth which are reserved by the Lord, even with the evil; for the good and truth which have not been adjoined to evils and falsities,

And Jehovah did so; and there came the grievous noisome fly into the house of Pharaoh, and into the house of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt; the land was destroyed from before the noisome fly. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. And Moses said, It is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God; lo, we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians unto their eyes, and will they not stone us? We will go a way of three days into the wilderness, and will sacrifice to Jehovah our God, as He hath said unto us. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, and ye shall sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away; supplicate for me. And Moses said, Behold I go forth from thee, and I will supplicate unto Jehovah that He may remove the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh mock anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and he supplicated unto Jehovah. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there was not one left. And Pharaoh made heavy his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go. Exodus 8: 20-28 Anxiety Arcana Coelestia 7280. 'And may the Egyptians know that I am Jehovah' means that they will have a fear of the Divine. This is clear from the meaning of 'knowing that I am Jehovah' as having a fear of the Divine, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the Egyptians' as those who are steeped in falsities and engage in molestation. As regards the fear which those steeped in falsities and engaging in molestation will have of the Divine, it should be recognized that fear is the one and only means by which those in hell can be constrained and held in bonds. For fear is a bond shared by both those who are upright and those who are evil. But with the upright it is an inward fear, that is, fear for their salvation, or fear lest they should lose their own souls, to be exact, and on that account lest they should do anything contrary to conscience, that is, contrary to the truth and goodness which compose conscience. Consequently they fear lest they should do anything contrary to what is just and fair, thus contrary to their neighbour. But this fear becomes holy fear to the extent that it is wedded to charitable affection in them, and especially to the extent that it is wedded to love to the Lord. Such fear then becomes like that which young children feel towards their parents whom they love. When this happens, then so far as they are governed by the good of love fear is not apparent; but so far as they are not governed by good it is apparent, and develops into anxiety. This is what the fear of God is like to which the Word refers many times. Depression Heaven and Hell 160. When angels are in this last state, which is when they are involved in their sense of self, they begin to feel depressed. I have talked with them when they were in this state and witnessed their depression. They kept saying, though, that they lived in hope that they would soon return to their earlier state and be in heaven again, so to speak, since heaven for them is being kept free from their sense of self. Articles on Depression and Anxiety in Spiritual Work https://logopraxis-institute.online/understanding-states-of-anxiety-and-depression-in-the-spiritual-life https://logopraxis-institute.online/general-vs-spiritual-states-of-anxiety-and-depression Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Heaven and Hell 38. He who does not know how degrees are related to Divine order cannot comprehend how the heavens are distinct or even what is meant by the internal and the external man. Most people in the world have no other idea of what is interior and what exterior, or of what is higher and what lower, than as something continuous or coherent by continuity from what is purer to what is grosser. But the relation of what is interior to what is exterior is not continuous but discrete. There are two kinds of degrees, those that are continuous and those that are not. Continuous degrees are related like the degrees of the waning of light from a bright blaze until it is obscured, or like the degrees of the decrease of vision from objects in the light to those in the shade, or like degrees of purity of the atmosphere from its depths to its highest point. These degrees are determined by distances. [2] On the other hand, degrees that are not continuous but discrete are distinguished like prior and posterior, like cause and effect or like what produces and what is produced. Whoever looks into the matter will see that in each and all things in the whole world, whatever they are, there are such degrees of producing and compounding, that is, that from one thing comes another, and from the other a third and so on. [3] One who does not acquire for himself a perception of these degrees cannot possibly discern the distinctions of the heavens, nor between the interior and exterior faculties of man, nor the distinction between the spiritual and the natural world, nor between the spirit of man and his body. So neither can he understand the nature and source of correspondences and representations nor what influx is. Sensual men do not apprehend these distinctions, for even where these degrees are concerned, they make increases and decreases to be continuous. Therefore, they cannot have any conception of what is spiritual otherwise than as a purer natural. Consequently, they stand outside, and are far removed from intelligence.  Arcana Coelestia 880. [2] There are three things in man which concur and unite together, namely, the Natural, the Spiritual, and the Celestial. His natural never receives any life except from the spiritual, and the spiritual never except from the celestial, and the celestial from the Lord alone, who is life itself. But in order that a still fuller idea may be gained: the natural is the receptacle that receives the spiritual, or is the vessel into which the spiritual is poured; and the spiritual is the receptacle which receives, or is the vessel into which is poured, the celestial. Thus, through things celestial, life comes from the Lord. Such is the influx. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

On flow and alignment Arcana Coelestia (Cooper) 3318 [2] A human being is nothing else but an organ or vessel that receives life from the Lord; we do not live on our own (§§290, 1954, 2021, 2536, 2706, 2886-2889, 3001). The life that flows into us from the Lord comes from his divine love. This love, or the life that radiates from it, flows in and bestows itself on the vessels in our rational and earthly minds. Such vessels in us face away from the life force because of the evil we inherit by birth and the evil we ourselves acquire by committing it. However, so far as it can do so, the inflowing life repositions the vessels to receive itself.  The vessels in our rational and earthly selves are what are called truths. In itself, truth is nothing but a perception of the way these vessels change shape and of the alterations of state under which the various changes occur, taking place as they do in indescribable ways in the most refined substances (§2487). Goodness itself-which possesses life from the Lord, or is life-is what flows in and realigns the vessels.  [3] These vessels, whose shape is ever changing, face backward and upside down, away from life, as just mentioned. Clearly they need to be brought into alignment with life, or subordination to it. This can in no way be done as long as we remain in the state we were born in and reduce ourselves to, because our vessels are not subordinate to life. They stubbornly resist life and oppose the heavenly paradigm by which life acts, hardening themselves against it. The good that moves them-the good they obey-is the good sought by love for oneself and one's worldly advantage. The crude heat burning within this love gives such vessels their character. Before they can become submissive, then, and fitted for accepting any of the life belonging to the Lord's love, they have to soften, and the only way they can be softened is through times of trial. Tribulation takes away elements of self-love, contempt for others, and therefore vain pride, and elements of a consequent hatred and vengefulness as well. So when these evils are somewhat lessened and conquered by our trials, the vessels start to become yielding and obedient to the life of the Lord's love, which is constantly flowing into us.  According to the form Conjugial Love 86. Goodness and truth are present in their created vessels according to each one's form because whatever flows into any vessel is received by it according to its form. The preservation of the whole is nothing but the constant flowing in of Divine goodness and Divine truth into forms created by that influx - continued existence or preservation being thus constant birth or creation. On vastations, temptations and infestations 7474[2] As regards the spiritual church, which is here represented by the sons of Israel, be it known that it is internal and external; and that those are in the internal church who are in the good of charity, and that those are in the external church who are in the good of faith. Those are in the good of charity who from charity toward the neighbor see the truths which are of faith; but those are in the good of faith who from faith look to charity, thus who do what is good, not from the affection of charity, but from the obedience of faith, that is, because it has been so commanded. It is these who are here properly represented by the sons of Israel, for these are they who in the other life are infested by those who are in falsities. Those who are in the affection of charity cannot be so infested, for the spirits who are in falsities and evils cannot approach those who are in this good, because the Lord is in this good. If these are infested, it is merely in respect to the fallacies and appearances through which they have believed what is not true to be true, and also in respect to such things as the doctrine of their church has taught for truths, which yet are not truths. Such in the other life willingly reject falsitie...

From the Daily Practise Guide - Day 5 - Posting Your Task Online Once you have your task or work focus, you may wish to post it to the Logopraxis website. Sharing your task can help others relate to the Text in an expanded way. Posting also helps you commit to a line of action. Sharing our work in this way also adds to an expanded sense of community across the Life Groups themselves. Often recurring themes can be seen as yet another witness to the wonders of the Lord's work in our lives and in the desire of the Divine Love to draw and gather all to itself. If would like to post and share your work online but are unsure how to - please Contact Us or speak to your Life Group facilitator. Transcipt of this Third Round post So the thing to remember is that a lot of this is about learning to trust the process in the sense that what you are offered is for the group or for the community. So if you've given attention to it and what you have is what you have, then it's not about having our doctrine right. None of us know what the perfect doctrinal understanding is and we're never going to get there either. But our understanding of things is where they are needed to be at the moment, and there can be others who are there as well. So the whole idea of having the option to post it up or not ... part of it is really about offering those who might be struggling to find a way through the Text, a point of reference that can support them. And if someone to disagrees with what's put up, then that gives them their work as well. So nothing's wasted in that sense. So I think if it's given to us through our work, then it's given to us by the Lord and it's given to us for the sake of others. It's always given to us for the sake of others, you know, we get our work, but it's about building a sense of connection with others through the practice of the Word. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7566 Verses 22-26. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven, and there shall be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field in the land of Egypt. And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and Jehovah gave voices and hail, and the fire walked unto the land, and Jehovah made it rain hail upon the land of Egypt. And there was hail, and fire walking at the same time in the midst of the hail, very grievous, such as had not been like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote in all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, from man and even to beast, and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, was there no hail. "And Jehovah said unto Moses," signifies a command; "Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven," signifies attention, and the approach of heaven; "and there shall be hail in all the land of Egypt," signifies destroying falsity in the natural mind; "upon man, and upon beast," signifies interior and exterior good; "and upon every herb of the field in the land of Egypt," signifies every truth of the church in the natural mind; "and Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven," signifies communication with heaven; "and Jehovah gave voices," signifies the withdrawal and separation of the communication with those who are in good and truth; "and hail," signifies falsities destroying these goods and truths; "and the fire walked unto the land," signifies the evils of cupidities; "and Jehovah made it rain hail upon the land of Egypt," signifies the natural mind taken possession of by the falsities of evil; "and there was hail, and fire walking at the same time in the midst of the hail, very grievous," signifies the persuasions of falsity together with the cupidities of evil; "such as has not been like it in all the land of Egypt," signifies that no others had such a state of the natural mind; "since it became a nation," signifies from the day in which it was made capable of admitting good and the derivative truth; "and the hail smote in all the land of Egypt," signifies that this falsity destroyed the things that were in the natural mind; "all that was in the field," signifies whatever was of the church; "from man and even to beast," signifies its interior and exterior good; "and the hail smote every herb of the field," signifies that these falsities destroyed every truth of the church; "and broke every tree of the field," signifies that they also destroyed all the knowledges of truth and good of the church; "only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, was there no hail," signifies that it was not so where those were who were of the spiritual church. 7567 And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies a command, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being a command (see n. 7036, 7107, 7310). 7568 Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven. That this signifies attention, and the approach of heaven, is evident from the signification of "stretching forth the hand," as being to cause to pay attention, for by the stretching forth of the hand, something has the attention directed to it and is shown; and from the signification of "heaven," as being the angelic heaven; and as when anyone has his attention directed to heaven, and it is shown to him, he also directs his sight and thought thither, from this there is also signified approach, for all approach in the spiritual world is effected by the determination of the thought. How the case herein is has indeed been told above (n. 7519), but as these things are such as have been unknown in the world, they may be illustrated a little further. When any change of state is to be effected with the evil who are to be vastated, as with those described in these chapters, this change is effected by a more present influx of ...

And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you in the fullness of your fists ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven unto the eyes of Pharaoh. And it shall be dust over all the land of Egypt, and it shall be upon man and upon beast a sore breaking forth in pustules in all the land of Egypt. And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it toward heaven, and it became a sore of pustules breaking forth on man and on beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the sore; for the sore was on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. And Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken unto Moses. Exodus 9:8-12 Arcana Coelestia 7519(2)... So long as evil or infernal spirits are removed and separated from heaven, that is, from the good of love and the truth of faith which are there, they do not know that they are in evils and falsities, for they then believe falsities to be truths, and evils to be goods; but as soon as heaven comes nearer to them, that is, some heavenly society, they notice the falsities and evils; for the truth of faith which then flows in causes them to notice the falsities; and the good of love which flows in causes them to notice the evils; and the nearer that heaven comes, or the more presently there inflows its good of love and truth of faith (seeing that they cannot endure these), the more grievously are they reproached by their own evils and falsities. [3] From all this it can now be seen why it was commanded that Moses should take ashes of the furnace and sprinkle them toward heaven, and that he should do this in the eyes of Pharaoh; also why it was commanded that he, and not Aaron, should sprinkle the ashes toward heaven. For by ashes being sprinkled toward heaven is signified the influx of heaven; by this being done in the eyes of Pharaoh is signified in the presence of those who infest; that Moses was to do this, and not Aaron, is because the truth proceeding immediately from the Divine presents this effect with the evil; Moses being the truth which proceeds immediately from the Divine, and Aaron that which proceeds mediately (n. 7010) Sores are works of the proprium Apocalypse Explained 962. The reason why by sores are signified works from the proprium, and thence evils is, that from man's proprium nothing but evil can be produced. For a man's proprium is that into which he is born, and which he afterwards acquires by his own life. And because his proprium is thus, from its very birth, formed of mere evils, therefore a man must be, as it were, created anew, or regenerated, in order that he may be in good, and thus be received into heaven. When he is regenerated, then the evils from the proprium are removed, and in their place goods are implanted, and this is effected by truths. That evil works, and the falsifications of truths are with those who acknowledge faith alone in doctrine, and confirm it in life, is meant by what follows - that a great and noxious sore is upon the men who have the mark of the beast, and who worship his image.That sores signify works from the proprium, is evident from the Word, where sores and wounds and various diseases are mentioned; as leprosies, fevers, hemorrhoids, and others; all of which correspond to lusts arising from evil loves, and thence signify them. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7443. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, upon which My people stands, that no noisome fly be there. That this signifies that they shall not be able to infest by falsities of malevolence those who are in the spiritual church, although they are near them, is evident from the signification of “severing,” as being to separate so that there is no communication; from the signification of “day,” as being state (see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850), and therefore “to sever in that day” denotes to separate in that state; from the signification of “the land of Goshen,” as being the midst or inmost in the natural (n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068), and as the sons of Israel were in Goshen, as being also the church (n. 6649); from the representation of the sons of Israel who are here the “people of Jehovah,” as being those who are of the spiritual church (see above, n. 7439); and from the signification of the “noisome fly,” as being the falsity of malevolence (n. 7441). Thus “no noisome fly being there,” denotes that they could not flow in, consequently could not infest by means of these falsities. That they could not infest by means of these falsities, is because these falsities are falsities from the evils in the outermost parts of the natural mind, that is, in the sensuous, from which sensuous, thus from the falsities therein, they who are in good and truth can be elevated (according to what was said just above, n. 7442); and when they are being elevated, they are then also separated from those who are in falsities there. 7449. The land was destroyed from before the noisome fly. That by this is signified that the natural mind was corrupted in respect to all truth, is evident from the signification of “being destroyed,” as being to be corrupted; from the signification of “the land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind (see n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301); and from the signification of “the noisome fly,” as being the falsity of malevolence (n. 7441). It is said that it was corrupted in respect to all truth, because truth is wholly corrupted by means of falsity from evil. [2] It was from this signification that the Lord commanded His disciples to shake off the dust of their feet if they were not received, as in Matthew: Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city (Matthew 10:14-15; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; 10:10-12); by the “disciples” here are not meant disciples, but all things of the church, thus all things of faith and charity (n. 2089, 2129, 2130, 3354, 3858, 3913, 6397); by “not receiving, and not hearing,” is signified to reject the truths of faith and the goods of charity; and by “shaking off the dust of the feet,” damnation. That “it would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city,” is because by “Sodom and Gomorrah” are meant those who are in evil of life, but who have known nothing of the Lord and the Word, and thus could not receive. From this it can be seen that there is not meant a house or city which would not receive the disciples, but those who are within the church and do not live the life of faith. Everyone can see that a whole city could not be damned because they did not receive the disciples and at once acknowledge the new doctrine which they preached. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

From The Logopraxis Workbook - Spiritual Literacy Thinking spiritually, or practising spiritual literacy skills, underpins all of our Logopraxis work, and relies on the tools detailed throughout the Workbook, particularly in Step 3, How to Meet and the Appendix. It refers to the ability to ‘read 'what presents into our conscious awareness, in the light of what the Word teaches is true. In cultivating these skills, we seek to observe the spiritual principles within the literal meaning of the Text, and from these to then recognise states of thought or feeling that arise in us while engaging with the Word, or while people in our Life Group share their experience with the Word. Our day-to-day activities and relationships are the field in which our inner reactions and responses can be observed, and seen to illustrate what the Word teaches regarding the nature of self and the nature of the Divine, of the Lord. Natural or material thinking is dominated by worldly concerns that involve people (including ourselves), places, events, memories of the past, or projections regarding the future - and in general terms, this mode of thought functions from the belief that what the senses perceive are ‘real 'things. Spiritual thinking is not concerned with that but rather is focused on those things that belong to our states of mind: the relations of goods and truths, thoughts and affections, motivations and intentions, beliefs and attitudes, shunning evils and falsities, and the activity of the hellish proprium and the hells versus what is of the Lord and heaven. So, the practise of spiritual literacy skills involves working to remove the natural material world elements of person, place, time, and space from the content of what we are reading or listening to, and to hold the intention to see how what's being offered might be framed in a way that captures the universal aspects of spiritual process. This divided attention of observing both internal and external states while engaging with the Word is a valuable tool in stilling the mind and helps us to be consciously present to what arises both in ourselves and in our Life Group. When universal aspects are shared, others are then more easily able to resonate with them in relation to their own work with the Word, and to see how it is true for the processes they personally experience. When this is seen, it more fully supports the Lord's end - which is the regeneration of the human mind. In this way, the good of the Word as the Lord is made more visible in our midst. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Divine Providence 177. It is the continual operation of the Divine Providence of the Lord to withdraw man from evils. If anyone were to perceive and feel this continual operation, and yet were not led as one bound, would he not continually struggle against it, and thus either dispute with God or mingle self with the Divine Providence? If he did the latter he would make himself also God; if the former he would release himself from restraint and deny God. It is very evident that there would then be two powers continually acting against each other, the power of evil from man and the power of good from the Lord; and when two opposites act against each other then either one conquers or both perish. In this case if one conquers they both perish; for the evil that belongs to man does not receive good from the Lord in a moment, nor does good from the Lord cast out the evil from man in a moment; for if either were done in a moment no life would be left to man. These and many other harmful results would follow if man were manifestly to perceive or feel the operation of the Divine Providence.  Conjugial Love 447. III. THAT FORNICATION BELONGS TO THE NATURAL MAN in like manner as does love of the sex which, if it becomes active before marriage, is called fornication. Every man is born corporeal, becomes sensual, then natural, and successively rational, and if he does not stop there, he becomes spiritual. The reason why his progress is such, is that planes may be formed upon Which higher planes may rest as a palace on its foundations. The ultimate plane with its superstructure may also be likened to a ground in which, when prepared, noble seeds are planted. [2] As specifically regards love of the sex, it also is first corporeal, for it commences from the flesh. It then becomes sensual, for from its general [delight] the five senses are delighted. After that it becomes natural, like the same love with animals, being a roaming love of the sex. But because man was born that he may become spiritual, it later becomes natural-rational, and from natural-rational, spiritual, and at last spiritual-natural. Then that love, now become spiritual, inflows into and actuates the rational love and through this the sensual love, and finally through this the love in the body and the flesh; and this being its ultimate plane, it acts into it spiritually and at the same time rationally and sensually. It inflows and acts successively in this way when man is in meditation upon it, but simultaneously when he is in the ultimate. [3] That fornication belongs to the natural man is because it proceeds proximately from the natural love of the sex, and while this love may be natural-rational, it is not spiritual. Love of the sex cannot become spiritual until it becomes conjugial, and from being natural it becomes spiritual when man recedes from roaming lust and devotes himself to one, to whose soul he unites his own soul. Arcana Coelestia 7442 [2] How it is that the interiors also of the natural mind shall be taken possession of by the falsities of evil which are in the outermost parts of this mind, must be briefly told. The things that flow in with man through heaven from the Lord, flow into his interiors, and advance down to the ultimates or outermost parts, and there they are presented to man in a sensible form, consequently they flow down into the sensuous, and through this into the things of the body. If the sensuous has been filled with phantasies from fallacies and appearances, and especially if it has been filled with phantasies from falsities, then the truths which flow in are there turned into similar things, for they are received there according to the form that is induced on them (see n. 7343). Insofar also as truths are turned into falsities, so far the interiors through which they pass are closed, and at last there is no opening beyond that which is necessary for a sufficient transflux to confer the faculty of reasoning,

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7536 Verses 13-18. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For I this time will send all My plagues into thy heart, and into thy servants, and into thy people; that thou mayest know that there is no one as I in the whole earth. For now I would put forth My hand, and smite thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou wouldest be cut off from the earth; but yet for this cause have I made thee to stand, that thou mayest see My power, and that My name may be told in the whole earth. As yet thou exaltest thyself against My people, in thy not letting them go. Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now. "And Jehovah said unto Moses," signifies instruction again as to what was to be done; "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh," signifies the uplifting by means of presence of the attention of those who infest; "and say unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews," signifies a command from the Lord, who is the God of the church; "Let My people go that they may serve Me," signifies that they should leave those who are of the spiritual church that they may worship the Lord their God; "for this time I will send all My plagues," signifies that it might come to pass that all the coming evils would together rush upon them; "into thy heart," signifies into the inmost; "and into thy servants, and into thy people," signifies into all things in general and in particular; "that thou mayest know that there is no one as I in the whole earth," signifies made known to them from this that the Lord is the only God; "for now I would put forth My hand," signifies that all communication might be taken away; "and smite thee and thy people with pestilence," signifies thus total devastation; "and thou wouldest be cut off from the earth," signifies that thus there would no longer be communication through the things that belong to the church; "but yet for this cause have I made thee to stand," signifies that communication would still remain, and they will pass through states by reason of order; "that thou mayest see My power," signifies that they may notice how great the Divine power is; "and that My name may be told in the whole earth," signifies that thus where the church is the Lord may be acknowledged as the only God; "as yet thou exaltest thyself against My people," signifies because he does not yet desist from infesting those who are in truth and good; "in thy not letting them go," signifies and does not as yet leave them; "behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail," signifies falsities destroying all things of the church with them; "such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now" signifies that with others there is no such destruction in the natural mind. 7537 And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies instruction again as to what was to be done, see above, n. 7517. 7538 Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh. That this signifies the uplifting by means of presence of the attention of those who infest, is evident from the signification of "rising up early in the morning" (see n. 7435); from the signification, of "standing before" anyone as being presence (n. 7527); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest (n. 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228). 7539 And say unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews. That this signifies a command from the Lord, who is the God of the church, is evident from the signification of "saying," when by Jehovah or the Lord to those who are in evils and infest, as being a command (see n. 7036, 7310); and from the signification of "the Hebrews,

And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh, and speak unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, Let My people go that they may serve Me. For if thou refuse to let them go, and if thou still withhold them, behold, the hand of Jehovah shall be on thy cattle which is in the field, on the horses, on the asses, on the camels, on the herd, and on the flock; a very grievous pestilence. And Jehovah shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of the Egyptians, and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to the sons of Israel. And Jehovah appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow Jehovah shall do this word in the land. And Jehovah did this word on the morrow, and all the cattle of the Egyptians died; and of the cattle of the sons of Israel died not one. And Pharaoh sent, and behold there was not so much as one of the cattle of Israel dead; and Pharaoh's heart was made heavy, and he did not let the people go. Exodus 9: 1-7 Arcana Coelestia 7496. “And Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies instruction anew; “Come unto Pharaoh, and speak unto him,” signifies the appearance of truth from the Divine with those who infest; “Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews,” signifies a command from the Lord the God of the church; “Let My people go that they may serve Me,” signifies that they should leave those who are of the spiritual church so that they may worship the Lord; “for if thou refuse to let them go, and if thou still withhold them,” signifies if they should still be determined to infest; “behold the hand of Jehovah shall be on thy cattle which is in the field,” signifies the vastation of the truth and good of faith which they have from the church wherein they had been; “on the horses, on the asses, on the camels,” signifies the intellectual things and the memory-knowledges of the truth that is of faith; “on the herd, and on the flock,” signifies the things of the will; “a very grievous pestilence,” signifies a consumption in general; “and Jehovah shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of the Egyptians,” signifies the difference between the truths and goods of faith of those who are of the spiritual church, and the truths and goods of faith which are of the church with those who infest; “and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to the sons of Israel,” signifies that they shall not be consumed; “and Jehovah appointed a set time,” signifies predetermination; “saying, Tomorrow Jehovah shall do this word in the land,” signifies theirs forever in respect to the things that belong to the truth and good of faith of the church; “and Jehovah did this word on the morrow,” signifies the effect according to the predetermination; “and all the cattle of the Egyptians died,” signifies the consumption of the truth and good of faith with those who infest; “and of the cattle of the sons of Israel died not one,” signifies that nothing of faith was consumed with those who were of the spiritual church; “and Pharaoh sent, and behold there was not so much as one of the cattle of Israel dead,” signifies that this was made known to those who infest; “and Pharaoh's heart was made heavy,” signifies obstinacy; “and he did not let the people go,” signifies that they did not leave them. Faith alone AC 7502 [4] That such is the case no one can know except from revelation, for man has no knowledge of the things that exist in the other life except from revelation; and as man is but little solicitous to explore the truths and goods which are of faith from the Word (for he is in no affection of truth for its own sake, still less for the sake of life), therefore such things are not revealed to him; nevertheless they stand forth in the Word (and this in respect to every series and process) in its internal sense. As therefore the man of the church is in no affection of knowing truth from the Word, but only in the affection of confirming the doctrinal things of his own church whether true or false,

From Documents concerning the life and character of Emanuel Swedenborg by Tafel, J. F. I. (Johann Friedrich Immanuel), 1796-1863; Smithson, J. H. (John Henry), 1803-1877, ed. and tr; Bush, George, 1796-1859, ed, Vol 1. HIS LETTERS TO DR. OETINGER. Pg 153 Document 25 Concerning the Natural and Spiritual Sense of the Word. That there is an internal or spiritual sense in the Word, in its external or natural sense, as a diamond in its matrix, or as a beautiful infant in its swaddling clothes, is a truth which has heretofore been altogether unknown in the Christian world, and hence also it is altogether unknown what is meant by the Consummation of the Age, the Coming of the Lord, the Last Judgment, and by the New Jerusalem, on which subjects many things are spoken and predicted in the Word of each Testament, both Old and New. Without the unfolding and unswathing of the literal sense of the Word by its spiritual sense, who can know intellectually what is signified by the things which the Lord predicted in Matt, xxiv., and also in the Revelations, and in like manner in Daniel, and in the Prophets, in many passages. Make the experiment yourself, if you are so disposed, by reading those passages of the prophetical Word, which treat sometimes of wild beasts and cattle, sometimes of forests and brakes, sometimes of valleys and mountains, sometimes of bats, of ochim, tziim, satyrs ; try whether you can perceive anything Divine therein, unless you believe it to lie concealed inwardly, inasmuch as it was inspired of God, just as a diamond lies concealed in its matrix, as was said above. That the diamonds, or treasures, which lie concealed within, are those things which the internal sense contains, is fully demonstrated in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, concerning the Sacred Scripture, 5-26 : and in the same doctrine it is further proved, that the literal sense is the basis, continent, and firmament of its spiritual sense, 27-36 ; also, that the Divine truth in the literal sense of the Word is in its fulness, in" its sanctity, and in its power, 37-49 ; and, likewise, that the doctrine of the church is to be drawn from the literal sense of the Word, and to be confirmed thereby, 50-61 ; and, moreover, that by the literal sense of the Word, through the medium of its spiritual sense, there is effected conjunction with the Lord, and consociation with the angels, 62-69. Exodus 8. 1. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 2. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 3. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments, and caused frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 4. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Supplicate ye unto Jehovah that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Jehovah. 5. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Have thou honor over me, till when shall I supplicate for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to cut off the frogs from thee, and from thy houses? Only in the river shall they be left. 6. And he said, Unto the morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word; that thou mayest know that there is none like Jehovah our God. 7. And the frogs shall be removed from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; only in the river shall they be left. 8. And Moses and Aaron went out from before Pharaoh; and Moses cried unto Jehovah upon the word of the frogs which He had laid on Pharaoh. 9. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. 10. And they gathered them together in heaps and heaps; and the land stank. 11. And Pharaoh saw that there was breathing, and he made heavy his heart, and heard them not,

Arcana Coelestia 5664. [2] It is known in the church that truth is instilled and given by the Lord; for it is taught that faith is not from man but from God; thus not only confidence, but also the truths of faith are from Him. Still it appears as if the truths of faith were procured by the man, for he is profoundly ignorant that they flow in, because he does not perceive it. The reason why he does not perceive it is that his interiors are closed, so that he cannot have perceptible communication with spirits and angels; and when the interiors are closed the man can know nothing whatever about influx. [3] Be it known, however, that it is one thing to know the truths of faith, and quite another to believe them. They who merely know the truths of faith, charge their memory with them just as they do with the facts of any other branch of knowledge. These truths man can procure for himself without such an influx, but they have no life, as is plain from the fact that an evil man, even the worst, can know the truths of faith just as much as an upright and pious man. But as before said with the evil these truths have no life; for when an evil man brings them forth he regards in everyone of them either self-glory or gain; so that it is the love of self and of the world that inflates them and makes a sort of life; but it is such life as there is in hell, which is called spiritual death. Hence it is that when he brings them forth, he brings them forth from the memory, and not from the heart, whereas he who believes the truths of faith brings them forth from the heart at the same time as from the lips; for with him the truths of faith are so deeply rooted in as to have their root in the outer memory, and to grow from there toward what is interior or higher, like fruit-bearing trees; and like trees they deck themselves with leaves, and at last with blossoms, for the sake of the end of bearing fruit. So it is with such a man. [4] He also aims at nothing else through the truths of faith than uses, which are the practices of charity, which to him are the fruits. These are the truths which man cannot procure for himself, even in the smallest degree; but they are gratuitously bestowed on him by the Lord, and this in every moment of his life, nay, if he will believe it, without number in every moment. But as man is of such a nature as to have no perception of their flowing in, for as before said if he had the perception he would resist, because he would believe that he would then lose his own, and with his own his freedom, and with his freedom his delight, and would thus become a thing of nought, it is therefore brought about that man does not know but that he procures truths of himself. This then is what is meant by saying that it will seem as truth procured by them. Moreover, in order that a heavenly own and heavenly freedom may be bestowed on man, he must needs do good as of himself and think what is true as of himself; but when he reflects he should acknowledge that these are from the Lord (see n. 2882, 2883, 2891). Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 40. The truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are in part not naked truths, but appearances of truth, and are as it were likenesses and comparisons taken from things such as exist in nature, and thus accommodated and adapted to the apprehension of the simple and of little children. But being correspondences they are receptacles and abodes of genuine truth; and are like enclosing and containing vessels, as a crystal cup encloses noble wine, and as a silver plate holds palatable food. They are also like garments which clothe, as swathings do an infant, and a pretty dress a maiden. They are also like the memory-knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man which contain within them perceptions and affections of truth of the spiritual man. The naked truths themselves which are enclosed, held, clothed, and contained, are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and the naked goods are in its cel...

Transcript: So there are a couple of things. There's the content, which is what I think you're mainly focused on. And then there's the process. So what you've expressed just then is a submission. It might not appear to be that, but it's what's happening in being here. And so the struggles that we have in trying to give expression to things puts us in front of tendencies to critique ourselves in the light of how others hearing this, how are they seeing this. So there's a lot of things that can arise in the struggle to bring what we have to bring. So, you know, it's not really about repeating the content. What it's about is what arises in the struggle to do that because in Logopraxis, the key elements are becoming aware of the patterns that operate within us. And the format just provides a means of doing that. So what you've just shared there reveals certain patterns in terms of what happens when I'm in a situation that I feel that, you know, either I'm not coping or I'm not meeting expectations or, you know, however that's framed. It reveals a lot about those habitual patterns that are hidden, which is what this whole reading is about, right. So what has been shared is an awareness of patterns. And so the Word has actually undertaken to produce an illustration through your frustration that is of benefit to us all because we get to see how subtle these things work. So, you're free to modify things in any way you like. What I would say is that whatever it is, the Lord is wanting you to see through this process, modify to your heart's delight. You still will be brought to see what it is you need to see. And thanks for this submission that you're bringing now. This is gold, right? This is the living edge of the human struggle to bring what is higher into the lower. You know, that's the struggle and it illustrates this text like, you know, you have Jehovah, you have Moses, you have Aaron, you have the sons of Israel, you have Pharaoh, you have all these levels. And Moses doesn't think anyone's listening to him. Pharaoh is disrupted by the whole thing. Aaron, he's having to carry out what Moses is sort of telling him that Jehovah said to him. And like, it's all a struggle, you know, like the whole spiritual life trying to bring what is higher into a form that can meet us, that can be accommodated to the level that we live at. Is the struggle. And that's what Logopraxis is about. So as I said, look, we're free to approach things in the way that we feel we must, but also be aware of what's arising as we try to do that, because that's where the revelation is so far as our contact with our work is concerned. Just one other thing also, there's what we say and then there's what others are hearing and people are processing things through their own inner connection with the Lord. And so what's being heard out of the shares is not necessarily what's being said. So again, the content is a means, it's a structural element, but the real material is what sits within that. So it's not just about being able to express things according to how we feel we should be able to express them, because people are listening and the Lord is pulling together within their own mind what's needed for the group. So this is a very different way of functioning in group work than we find in most forms of group work that, yeah, even like biblical study or studying of the doctrines here, because it's what gets bound together. And, you know, look, what you've spoken about has initiated this conversation and that's of benefit to everybody, right? So the Lord brings everything together into a human form, which feeds the group, feeds everybody. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7516 Verses 8-12. And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you in the fullness of your fists ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven unto the eyes of Pharaoh. And it shall be dust over all the land of Egypt, and it shall be upon man and upon beast a sore breaking forth in pustules in all the land of Egypt. And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it toward heaven, and it became a sore of pustules breaking forth on man and on beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the sore; for the sore was on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. And Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken unto Moses. "And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron," signifies instruction anew; "take to you in the fullness of your fists," signifies power given, as much as could be received; "ashes of the furnace," signifies of exciting the falsities of cupidities through presence with those who infest; "and let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven," signifies these falsities shown to those who are in heaven; "unto the eyes of Pharaoh," signifies in the presence; "and it shall be dust over all the land of Egypt," signifies the damnation of these falsities in the natural mind; "and it shall be upon man and upon beast," signifies which are from evil interior and exterior; "a sore breaking forth in pustules," signifies filthy things together with the consequent blasphemies; "in all the land of Egypt," signifies in the whole natural mind; "and they took ashes of the furnace," signifies falsities of cupidities; "and stood before Pharaoh," signifies in the presence of those who infest; "and Moses sprinkled it toward heaven," signifies these things shown to those who are in heaven; "and it became a sore of pustules breaking forth on man and on beast," signifies filthy things together with blasphemies from evil interior and exterior; "and the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the sore," signifies that those could not be present who abused Divine order by portraying the like in the outward form; "for the sore was on the magicians," signifies that the like filthy things came forth from them; "and on all the Egyptians," signifies as were in those who were infesting; "and Jehovah made firm the heart of Pharaoh," signifies that they were determined; "and he heard them not," signifies that they did not obey; "as Jehovah had spoken unto Moses," signifies according to the prediction. 7517 And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron. That this signifies instruction anew, is evident from the signification of "Jehovah said," as being instruction (as above, n. 7497); that it is instruction anew, is because a new state is now treated of, the former being ended. The instruction which is from Jehovah is given by means of the truth which proceeds from Him. The truth which proceeds from Jehovah is represented by Moses and Aaron; internal truth by Moses, and external truth by Aaron (n. 7382). 7518 Take to you in the fullness of your fists. That this signifies power given, as much as could be received, is evident from the signification of the "fists," or palms of the hands, as being power; that the "fists," or palms of the hands, denote power, is because the "hands" signify power (of which below); as much as can be received is signified by "fullness." As regards the signification of the "fists," or the palms of the hands, be it known that the arms in the Grand Man correspond to power; and from this not only do the arms themselves signify power, but also the shoulders, and likewise the hands, down to the fingers. (That the "arms" denote power, see n. 878, 4932, 4934, 4935, 7205; and the "shoulders," n. 1085, 4937; and the "hands," n. 878, 3387, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189; also the "fingers," n. 7430; for their correspondence in general, see above, n.

7450. Verses 21-28. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. And Moses said, It is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God; lo, we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians unto their eyes, and will they not stone us? We will go a way of three days into the wilderness, and will sacrifice to Jehovah our God, as He hath said unto us. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, and ye shall sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: supplicate for me. And Moses said, Behold, I go forth from thee, and I will supplicate unto Jehovah that He may remove the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh mock any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses went out from before Pharaoh, and he supplicated unto Jehovah. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there was not one left. And Pharaoh made heavy his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go. “And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron” signifies the presence of the law Divine; “and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land,” signifies that they would not oppose their worshiping their God, but it must be done in their neighborhood; “and Moses said,” signifies the answer; “it is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God,” signifies that infernal foulness and filthiness would flow in; “lo, we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes,” signifies that Divine worship would be infested by such if done in their presence; “and will they not stone us?” signifies that thus they would extinguish the truths of faith which are of worship; “we will go a way of three days into the wilderness,” signifies that they would utterly depart so as to be in freedom; “and will sacrifice to Jehovah our God,” signifies that in this way there would be worship; “as He hath said unto us,” signifies as He has commanded; “and Pharaoh said, I will let you go, and ye shall sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness,” signifies that they would leave them, and not infest them, so that they may worship their God in freedom; “only ye shall not go very far away,” signifies although they are in the neighborhood; “supplicate for me,” signifies that they should intercede; “and Moses said, Behold, I go forth from thee,” signifies the removal of the appearance of truth Divine among them; “and I will supplicate unto Jehovah,” signifies intercession; “that He may remove the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people” signifies that there may be an end of this state in respect to the falsities of malevolence; “tomorrow,” signifies forever; “only let not Pharaoh mock anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Jehovah,” signifies provided he does not deceive by a lie, and does not [fail to] leave them to worship their God in freedom; “and Moses went out from Pharaoh” signifies the removal of the appearance of truth Divine among those who are in falsities of malevolence; “and he supplicated unto Jehovah,” signifies intercession; “and Jehovah did according to the word of Moses,” signifies that it was so done according to the word of the Lord; “and he removed the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people,” signifies the end of this state of falsity; “there was not one left,” signifies a full removal; “and Pharaoh made heavy his heart this time also,” signifies obstinacy again; “and he did not let the people go,” signifies that they would not leave those who were of the spiritual church. Interchapter linkages 7480. I have been instructed that the spirits of Mars have relation to something which is interior in man, and indeed intermediate between the intellectual part...

Arcana Colestia 7392. That He remove the frogs from me, and from my people. That this signifies that they might not be driven to reasonings from mere falsities, is evident from the signification of “removing,” as being not to be driven, for the cause of the supplication was weariness arising from being driven to reason from mere falsities; from the signification of “frogs,” as being reasonings from mere falsities (see n. 7351, 7352); and from the representation of Pharaoh and also of the Egyptians, as being those who are in falsities and infest (of which frequently above). [2] As regards the weariness which is the cause of the supplication or humiliation of those who infest, be it known that this is undelightful to them, for they cannot do mischief by reasonings from mere falsities, because the upright-here those who are of the Lord's spiritual church whom they were infesting-laugh at mere falsities, which are negations of truth; but they could do mischief by means of the falsities from the fallacies and appearances by which truths are falsified (which falsified truths are signified by the blood into which the waters of Egypt were turned, n. 7317, 7326), because fallacies and appearances seduce, for they are like a shade and veil to truths. And because they cannot do mischief by means of reasonings from mere falsities, that is, from utter negations of truth, it is undelightful to them, and therefore they deprecate it; for nothing delights the infernals except doing mischief in every possible way; doing mischief being the very delight of their life, insomuch that it is their very life; and therefore when they are not allowed to do mischief, they are in weariness. This is the reason why Pharaoh prayed for deliverance from the evil of the frogs, but not from the evil of the blood, of which above; nor from the evil of the lice, of which below; for by the evil of the frogs is signified infestation by means of reasonings from mere falsities, by which reasonings they cannot do mischief; whereas by the evil of the blood is signified infestation by means of falsities from fallacies and appearances, which infestation is delightful to them, because they can do mischief by its means; and by the evil of the lice are signified evils, which are delightful to them because they are evils. [3] In the other life all those perceive delight in doing mischief who in the world do not impart benefits to the neighbor for the sake of the neighbor, nor to their country for the sake of their country, nor to the church for the sake of the church, but for the sake of themselves; thus who do not do truth and good for the sake of truth and good. That they have delight in doing mischief does not show itself in the world, because the external man hides it; but in the other life when the outward things are being taken away and the man is left to his inward things, then this delight comes forth and manifests itself. From this it is that they are in hell, for all who are there love to do mischief, whereas all who are in heaven love to impart benefits. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7385. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt. That this signifies the effect of the power of internal truth through external truth against falsities, is evident from the representation of Aaron, as being the doctrine of truth and good, thus external truth (see n. 6998, 7009, 7089); from the signification of “hand,” as being power (n. 878, 4931-4937), here the power of internal truth through external (as above, n. 7382); and from the signification of “the waters of Egypt,” as being falsities (n. 6693, 7307). The effect is signified by “stretching out the hand and the frogs coming up.” From all this it is evident that by “Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt,” is signified the effect of the power of internal truth through external truth against falsities. 7381. Say unto Aaron. That this signifies the influx of the internal law into the external law, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752); and from the representation of Aaron, as being the doctrine of good and truth (n. 6998, 7089); the doctrine of good and truth which Aaron represents is nothing else than the external law coming forth from the internal law, that is, through the internal law from the Divine; and from the signification of “saying,” as being influx (n. 6152, 6291, 7291). That “to say” here denotes influx is because Moses was to say to Aaron, and Moses is the internal law, and Aaron the external, and influx from the Divine takes place through the internal into the external. The internal law is the truth Divine itself such as it is in heaven, and the external law is the truth Divine such as it is on earth; thus the internal law is truth accommodated to angels, and the external law is truth accommodated to men. [2] As the internal law which Moses represents is truth accommodated to angels, and the external law which Aaron represents is truth accommodated to men, I may here say something about them. Truth accommodated to angels is for the most part incomprehensible to men, as is evident from the fact that things are seen and said in heaven such as eye has never seen, nor ear has ever heard. The reason is that the things said among the angels are spiritual things which have been abstracted from natural things, and consequently are remote from the ideas and expressions of human speech; for man has formed his ideas from the things in nature, and indeed in grosser nature, that is, from those which he has seen in the world and upon the earth, and has touched by sense, which things are material. The ideas of interior thought with man, although they are above material things, nevertheless terminate in material things, and where they terminate, there they appear to be, and from this he perceives that which he is thinking. Hence it is evident how the case is with that truth of faith, and what is its quality, which falls into the thought of man, and is called the external law, and is represented by Aaron. [3] To illustrate this by an example: man cannot possibly think without the idea of time and space, which idea adheres to almost everything which he thinks; if idea from time and space were taken away from man, he would not know what he is thinking; and scarcely whether he is thinking. But in the ideas of the angels there is nothing from time and space, but instead of these there are states, and this because the natural world is distinguished from the spiritual world by time and space. The reason why there are time and space in the natural world, and instead of these there are states in the spiritual world, is that in the natural world the sun seems by apparent revolutions to make days and years, and to divide the days into four times, night, morning, noon, and evening; and the years also into four times, winter, spring, summer, and autumn; and also to do this by means of variations of light and shade, and of heat and cold.

Arcana Coelestia 7398. Only in the river shall they be left. That this signifies that they should remain with the falsities where these are, is evident from the signification of “river,” here the river of Egypt, as being falsity (see n. 6693, 7307); and from the signification of “being left,” as being to remain. With this the case is that whatever enters with man, remains with him, especially what is received from affection. It is believed that the things which enter have been completely obliterated and cast out when the man no longer remembers them; but they have not been obliterated or cast out, but they stick fast either in the interior memory, or in the exterior, among things which have become familiar. For the things which become familiar, are as it were natural, which flow of their own accord, and are not excited by a conscious recalling from the memory; like man's speech, the words of which flow spontaneously from thought, as also do the gestures and actions, and even the steps; and also the thought. These enter successively from infancy, and in time become familiar, and then flow spontaneously. From these as well as from other similar facts, it is evident that all things which enter with man, remain, and that the things which have become habitual, that is, familiar, are no longer noticed as being in the man, although they are in him. Such is the case with the falsities and evils that enter with man, and also with the truths and goods. Such are the things that form him and determine his quality. (That all things which a man has seen, heard, thought, spoken, and done, have been inscribed on him, (see n. 2474-2489.) From all this it is now evident how it is to be understood that the reasonings would remain with the falsities where these are; for after falsities are being removed, they are allotted their places elsewhere in the natural, and together with the falsities the endeavor and cupidity of reasoning; but not as before in the midst directly under the mind's view. Hence it is that, as related in what follows, the frogs were gathered together in heaps, and the land stank by reason of them, whereby is signified that these reasoning falsities were arranged in bundles in the natural, and there was what was foul and loathsome therefrom (see below, n. 7408, 7409). AC 7370. That man is in the love of self who despises his neighbor in comparison with himself, who regards him as his enemy if he does not favor and reverence him; he is still more in the love of self who therefore hates and persecutes his neighbor; and he still more who therefore burns with revenge against him and desires his destruction. Such persons at last love to rage against their neighbor; and the same, if they are also adulterers, become cruel. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7488 Exodus 9 THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY From all that has been said about the loves of self and of the world, it is evident that all evils spring from them, and because all evils spring from them, so do all falsities; and on the other hand, from love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor spring all goods, and because all goods spring from them, so do all truths. 7489 This being the case, it is evident that insofar as a man is in the loves of self and of the world, so far he is not in love toward the neighbor, still less in love to the Lord; for these are opposites. 7490 It is also evident that insofar as a man is in the loves of self and of the world, so far he does not know what charity is, until at last he does not know that it exists; also that so far the man does not know what faith is, until at last he does not know that it is anything; and that so far the man does not know what conscience is, until at last he does not know that it exists; nay, that so far the man does not know what the spiritual is, nor what the life of heaven; and finally that he does not believe there is a heaven and a hell; consequently he does not believe that there is a life after death. These are the effects of the loves of self and of the world when they reign. 7491 The good of heavenly love and the truth of its faith continually flow in from the Lord, but are not received where the loves of self and of the world reign; but on the contrary where these loves reign, that is, are continually in the thought, are the end, are in the will, and make the life, the good and truth which flow in from the Lord are either rejected, or extinguished, or perverted. 7492 With those with whom they are rejected, the good which is of love and the truth which is of faith are held in contempt, and also in aversion. With those with whom they are extinguished, the good of love and the truth of faith are denied, and the contrary evils and falsities are affirmed. But with those with whom they are perverted, the good of love and the truth of faith are misinterpreted and are applied to favor evil and its falsity. 7493 The loves of self and of the world with man begin to reign when he comes to years of discretion and self-government; for then the man begins to think from himself or from his own, and to appropriate these loves to himself, and this the more as he confirms himself in a life of evil. Insofar as a man appropriates evils to himself, so far the Lord separates the good of innocence and charity which the man has received in infancy and childhood and at times afterward, and stores them up in his interiors; for the good of innocence and the good of charity can in no wise abide with the evils of these loves; and the Lord is not willing that they should perish. 7494 They therefore who either pervert or extinguish or reject in themselves the good of love and the truth of faith, have no life in them; for the life which is from the Divine is to will good and believe truth. But they who do not will good but evil, nor believe truth but falsity, have what is contrary to life. This contrary to life is hell, and is called "death," and they are called "dead." That the life of love and faith is called "life," also "eternal life," and that they who have it in themselves are called "living men;" and that the contrary of life is called "death," also "eternal death," and such men "dead," is evident from many passages in the Word (as in Matt. 4:16; 8:21, 22; 18:8, 9; 19:16, 17, 29; John 3:15, 16, 36; 5:24, 25; 6:33, 35, 47, 48, 50, 51, 53, 57, 58, 63; 8:21, 24, 51; 10:10; 11:25, 26; 14:6, 19; 17:2, 3; 20:31; and elsewhere). EXODUS 9 1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh, and speak unto him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and if thou still withhold them, 3 Behold,

And Pharaoh saw that there was breathing, and he made heavy his heart, and heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, and it shall become lice in all the land of Egypt. And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the land, and there was louse on man and on beast; all the dust of the land became louse in all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, and they could not; and there was louse on man and on beast. And the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; and Pharaoh's heart was made firm, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he goeth forth unto the waters; and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if thou let not My people go, behold I send against thee, and against thy servants, and against thy people, and into thy houses, the noisome fly; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with the noisome fly, and also the land whereon they are. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, upon which My people stand, that no noisome fly be there; to the end that thou mayest know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land. And I will set redemption between My people and thy people; unto the morrow shall this sign be. And Jehovah did so; and there came the grievous noisome fly into the house of Pharaoh, and into the house of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt; the land was destroyed from before the noisome fly. Exodus 8: 11-20 Arcana Coelestia 7417.... The reason why before the Coming of the Lord the things done within the church by Divine command were done by means of representatives, was that all things and each represented the Lord and His kingdom in the heavens, and His kingdom on earth, that is, the church.  AC 7418. And smite the dust of the land. That this signifies that he should remove the things in the natural that had been damned, is evident from the signification of “smiting,” as being to remove; from the signification of “dust,” as being that which is damned (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “the land,” here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 7409). That “dust” denotes that which is damned is because the places where evil spirits are, at the sides beneath the soles of the feet, appear as land, and in fact as land untilled and dry, under which are certain hells. This land is called “damned land,” and the dust there signifies that which is damned. It has sometimes been granted me to see that the evil spirits shook off the dust there from their feet, when they desired to give anyone to damnation. This was seen to the right a little in front, in the border toward the hell of the magicians, where spirits are cast into their hell who during their life in the world have been in the knowledge of faith, and yet have led a life of evil. From this then it is that by “dust” is signified what is damned, and by “shaking off the dust” damnation. AC 7444. To the end that thou mayest know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land. That this signifies a noticing that the Lord is the only God of the church, is evident from the signification of “knowing,” as being to notice; and from the signification of “the midst of the land,” as being where truth and good are with those who are of the Lord's church; the inmost being where truth from good is (n. 3436, 6068, 6084, 6103); thus by “the midst of the land” is signified the church, the same as by “the land of Goshen” just above spoken of (n. 7443); by “I am Jehovah” is signified that He only is the I AM, thus that He only is God. (That “Jehovah” in the Word denotes the Lord, see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956.

The whole land is covered with frogs Arcana Coelestia 7387. And covered the land of Egypt. That this signifies that the natural mind was made such, is evident from the signification of “covering,” which, being said of the natural mind, denotes that it was filled with falsities and reasonings therefrom, thus that it was made such. AC 7367. The love of self reigns with a man, that is, he is in the love of self, when in what he thinks and does, he does not regard his neighbor, thus not the public, still less the Lord, but only himself and those who belong to him; consequently when he does all things for the sake of himself and those who belong to him; and if for the sake of the public and his neighbor, it is merely for the sake of the appearance. Supplication AC 7391. And said, Supplicate ye unto Jehovah. That this signifies humiliation from weariness, is evident from the signification of “to supplicate unto Jehovah,” as being humiliation; for he who supplicates is in humiliation, and likewise he who requests another to supplicate for him. The reason why “to supplicate” denotes humiliation is that the angels do not attend to the supplication, but to the humiliation in which the man is when he is supplicating; for supplication without humiliation is only a vocal sound which does not come to the hearing and perception of the angels. The relocation of falsities AC 7398... after falsities are being removed, they are allotted their places elsewhere in the natural, and together with the falsities the endeavor and cupidity of reasoning; but not as before in the midst directly under the mind's view. Hence it is that, as related in what follows, the frogs were gathered together in heaps, and the land stank by reason of them, whereby is signified that these reasoning falsities were arranged in bundles in the natural, and there was what was foul and loathsome therefrom (see below, n. 7408, 7409). Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

The Life Group as a Human Form or Collective Person The human form is the Divine form, and is that which comes into being as the only possible expression of the Lord's life within those He is creating. This means that on the largest or smallest scale of creation all is organised or strives towards a more complete and thereby perfect, human form. In Heaven and Hell 73 it's explained that “Heaven in its whole complex resembles one man, as does any one society in heaven. From the sequence of reasons there set forth, it follows that this is equally true of each angel. As heaven is man in the greatest form, and a society of heaven in a less form, so is an angel in the least form. For, in the most perfect form such as that of heaven is, there is a likeness of the whole in the part and of the part in the whole”    Although we can relate to being supported by the Text at the level of our personal work, the idea that we are part of a collective human being that takes form as we meet together can be rather abstract, and difficult to grasp. The descriptions of heaven as a Grand Human composed of countless societies, with each society being a fully functioning human form composed of individual angels, provides an illustration of how the group can be, and of our function and use in it. This requires a perceptual shift where our sense of person expands from being limited to a single individual to incorporate many individuals functioning as one, in support of a common use. Expanding our sense of what actually constitutes a human being is important to contemplate and asks where our sense of self sits in relation to that. Logopraxis group life is concerned to provide an environment that leads us towards an ever-deepening sense of the Lord in our collective midst, as the Word. The more conscious we are of working - not only for ourselves, but for others in the group, and for the group as a whole - the deeper will become our sense of spiritual community; and the spiritual literacy skills and methods discussed throughout the Workbook are very much part of this shift in environment. The Lord is looking to be present in our midst, and He is present when the things of the Word are made the basis for our being together. The collective human that forms when a Life Group meets together is brought into being as we share our direct experience of the Word working in our lives; forming a sacred space where the Word can be known as the Lord.               “By the Lord's name is meant the Word, for the Lord is the Word” (Arcana Coelestia 5502; John 1:1) In the very act of meeting, what we bring from our experience of the Word's operation in our life becomes a live conjoining presence, creating connections: Between individuals in the group Between the group and the spiritual world Between the group and the Lord It is this lived experience of the Word, when shared with others, that serves as the soul or life of the group. It's what connects each to the other. Arcana Colestia 7359 Spirits from thence came to me, and applied themselves to my left temple, and there breathed on me with their speech, but I did not understand it. It was soft in its flow, nor do I remember ever to have perceived a softer, it being like the softest aura. It breathed first upon the left temple, and the left ear from above; and the breathing extended thence to the left eye, and by little and little to the right, and then flowed downward, especially from the left eye, to the lips; and when it was at the lips, it entered through the mouth, and by a way within the mouth, in fact by the Eustachian tube, into the brain. When the breathing came thither, I then understood their speech, and it was given me to talk with them. While they were talking with me I observed that my lips moved, and my tongue also a little, because of the correspondence of interior speech with exterior. Exterior speech is that of articulate sound falling toward the external...

Arcana Coelestia 7357. Be it known that they who are in hell, and who have been deprived of the truths which they had known in the world, cannot do otherwise than speak falsities; and therefore when any such infernal speaks, as when they appear in the world of spirits, it is at once known that what he speaks is false. This is known to the upright in the other life from common experience. That they speak nothing but what is false, is clear also from the words of the Lord in John: Ye are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father ye will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stood not in the truth, because the truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh from his own; because he is the speaker of a lie, and the father of it (John 8:44); for everyone speaks according to the affection of his love, and no one can speak contrary to it, except from dissimulation, hypocrisy, fraud, and deceit, as is the case with the evil when they speak truths. But these truths which they so speak, are nevertheless falsities with them. But on the other hand, they who are in truth from good cannot but speak truths. AC 4151[3] Speaking generally, the case is that no one ever has good and truth which is his own, but all good and truth flow in from the Lord, both immediately, and also mediately through angelic societies; and yet it appears as if the good and truth were the man's, to the intent that they may be appropriated to him, until he comes into a state to know, and then to acknowledge, and at last to believe, that they are not his, but the Lord's. AC 3246 [2] From what has already been shown in several places (as n. 3235, and elsewhere) concerning those who constitute the Lord's spiritual kingdom and are called the spiritual, it can be seen that they are not sons born of the marriage itself of good and truth, but of a certain covenant not so conjugial; they are indeed from the same father, but not from the same mother; that is, they are from the same Divine good, but not from the same Divine truth. For as the celestial are from the very marriage of good and truth, they have good and thence truth; wherefore they never inquire what is true, but perceive it from good; and they discourse not about truth beyond affirming that it is so-according to what the Lord teaches in Matthew: Let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, Nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil (Matthew 5:37); whereas the spiritual, because they are from a covenant not so conjugial, do not know from any perception what truth is, but call that true which they have been told to be so by parents and masters; and therefore in them there is not the marriage of good and truth; but still the truth which they thus believe is adopted by the Lord for truth when they are in the good of life. AC 141. Countless things can be said about the proprium - about what the proprium is like in the case of the bodily-minded and worldly man, what it is like in the case of the spiritual man, and what in the case of the celestial man. With the bodily-minded and worldly man the proprium is his all. He is unaware of anything else but the proprium. And, as has been stated, if he were to lose his proprium he would think that he was dying. With the spiritual man the proprium takes on a similar appearance, for although he knows that the Lord is the life of all, and that He confers wisdom and intelligence, and consequently the ability to think and to act, it is more a matter of something he says and not so much something he believes. The celestial man however acknowledges that the Lord is the life of all, who confers the ability to think and act, because he perceives that this is so. Nor does he ever desire the proprium. Nevertheless even though he does not desire it the Lord grants him a proprium which is joined to him with a complete perception of what is good and true, and with complete happiness. Angels possess a proprium such as this,

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7450 Verses 21-28. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. And Moses said, It is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God; lo, we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians unto their eyes, and will they not stone us? We will go a way of three days into the wilderness, and will sacrifice to Jehovah our God, as He hath said unto us. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, and ye shall sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: supplicate for me. And Moses said, Behold, I go forth from thee, and I will supplicate unto Jehovah that He may remove the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh mock any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses went out from before Pharaoh, and he supplicated unto Jehovah. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there was not one left. And Pharaoh made heavy his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go. "And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron" signifies the presence of the law Divine; "and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land," signifies that they would not oppose their worshiping their God, but it must be done in their neighborhood; "and Moses said," signifies the answer; "it is not meet to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God," signifies that infernal foulness and filthiness would flow in; "lo, we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes," signifies that Divine worship would be infested by such if done in their presence; "and will they not stone us?" signifies that thus they would extinguish the truths of faith which are of worship; "we will go a way of three days into the wilderness," signifies that they would utterly depart so as to be in freedom; "and will sacrifice to Jehovah our God," signifies that in this way there would be worship; "as He hath said unto us," signifies as He has commanded; "and Pharaoh said, I will let you go, and ye shall sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness," signifies that they would leave them, and not infest them, so that they may worship their God in freedom; "only ye shall not go very far away," signifies although they are in the neighborhood; "supplicate for me," signifies that they should intercede; "and Moses said, Behold, I go forth from thee," signifies the removal of the appearance of truth Divine among them; "and I will supplicate unto Jehovah," signifies intercession; "that He may remove the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people" signifies that there may be an end of this state in respect to the falsities of malevolence; "tomorrow," signifies forever; "only let not Pharaoh mock anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Jehovah," signifies provided he does not deceive by a lie, and does not [fail to] leave them to worship their God in freedom; "and Moses went out from Pharaoh" signifies the removal of the appearance of truth Divine among those who are in falsities of malevolence; "and he supplicated unto Jehovah," signifies intercession; "and Jehovah did according to the word of Moses," signifies that it was so done according to the word of the Lord; "and he removed the noisome fly from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people," signifies the end of this state of falsity; "there was not one left," signifies a full removal; "and Pharaoh made heavy his heart this time also," signifies obstinacy again; "and he did not let the people go," signifies that they would not leave those who were of the spiritual church. 7451 And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron. That this signifies the presence of the law Divine,

And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments, and caused frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Supplicate ye unto Jehovah, that He remove the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Have thou honor over me, till when shall I supplicate for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to cut off the frogs from thee, and from thy houses? Only in the river shall they be left. And he said, Unto the morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word; that thou mayest know that there is none like Jehovah our God. And the frogs shall be removed from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; only in the river shall they be left. And Moses and Aaron went out from before Pharaoh and Moses cried unto Jehovah upon the word of the frogs which He had laid on Pharaoh. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. And they gathered them together in heaps and heaps; and the land stank. Exodus 8: 1-10 Arcana Coelestia 7376. From all this it can now be seen that these two loves( love of self and love of the world) are the origins of all evils, for they are diametrically opposed to love toward the neighbor, and to love to the Lord; thus diametrically opposed to heaven, where love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor reign. Consequently it is these loves, namely, the love of self and the love of the world, that make hell with man, for these two loves reign in hell. AC 7379. “And Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies instruction; “Say unto Aaron,” signifies the influx of the internal law into the external law; “Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod,” signifies the power of internal truth through external truth; “over the streams, over the rivers, and over the pools,” signifies against falsities; “and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt,” signifies reasonings from mere falsities; “and Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt,” signifies the effect of the power of internal truth through external truth against falsities; “and the frogs came up,” signifies reasonings from mere falsities; “and covered the land of Egypt,” signifies that the natural mind was made such; “and the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments,” signifies the abuse of Divine order, whence there was the like in the outward form; “and caused frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt,” signifies in respect to reasonings from the natural mind; “and Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron,” signifies the presence of the law Divine; “and said, Supplicate ye unto Jehovah,” signifies humiliation from weariness; “that He remove the frogs from me, and from my people,” signifies that they should not be driven to reasoning from mere falsities; “and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Jehovah,” signifies that they would then leave those who were of the spiritual church so that they may worship their God; “and Moses said unto Pharaoh,” signifies the answer; “Have thou honor upon me,” signifies that the law Divine ought to be trusted; “till when shall I supplicate for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people,” signifies intercession for those who are in falsities and infest; “to cut off the frogs from thee, and from thy houses,” signifies that the reasonings may cease; “only in the river shall they be left,” signifies that they should remain with falsities where these are; “and he said, Unto the morrow,” signifies forever; “and he said, Be it according to thy word,

Arcana Coelestia 7408. [2] That forms or substances are recipient of life can be seen from every single thing that appears in living creatures; and also that recipient forms or substances are arranged in the way most suitable for the influx of life. Without the reception of life in substances, which are forms, there would be no living thing in the natural world, nor in the spiritual world. Series of the purest filaments, like bundles, constitute these forms. It is the same with those things therein which are highly modified; for modifications receive their form from the forms which are the substances in which they are, and from which they flow, because the substances or forms are the determining subjects. The reason why the learned have regarded the things belonging to man's life, that is, to his thought and will, as being devoid of recipient substances or forms, has been that they believed life or the soul to be something either flamy or ethereal, thus such as after death would be dissipated; hence comes the insane notion of many, that there is no life after death. From all this it is evident how it is to be understood that the reasoning falsities were arranged in groups in the natural. Divine Love and Wisdom 41. But because this is contrary to appearance, it may seem not to merit belief unless it be proved; and since it can be proved only by such things as man can perceive from his bodily senses, it will be proved by these. Man has five external senses which are called touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight.  The subject of touch is the skin by which man is enveloped. The very substance and form of the skin cause it to feel the things applied to it. The sense of touch is not in the things applied, but in the substance and form of the skin which are the subject. That sense is only an affecting of it by the things applied.  It is the same with taste. This sense is only an affecting of the substance and form which belong to the tongue; the tongue is the subject.  It is the same with smell. It is well known that odour affects the nostrils, and that it is in the nostrils, and smell is an affecting of them by the odoriferous things touching them.  It is the same with hearing. It appears as if the hearing were in the place where the sound originates, but the hearing is in the ear, and is an affecting of its substance and form.  That the hearing is at a distance from the ear is an appearance. It is the same with sight. When a man sees objects at a distance, the seeing appears to be there, but yet the seeing is in the eye which is the subject and is likewise an affecting of it. Distance is solely from the judgment inferring about space from intermediate things or from the diminution and the consequent indistinctness of the object, an image of which is produced interiorly in the eye according to the angle of incidence.  From this it is evident that sight does not go out from the eye to the object, but that the image of the object enters the eye and affects its substance and form. Thus it is just the same with sight as it is with hearing. Hearing does not go out from the ear to catch the sound, but the sound enters the ear and affects it.  From these considerations it can be established that the affecting of substance and form which causes the sense is not a something separate from the subject, but only causes a change in it, the subject remaining the subject as before and afterwards. Hence it follows that sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch are not a something volatile flowing out of their organs, but that they are the organs themselves, considered in their substance and form, and that when the organs are affected, sensation results.  DLW 363. (i) Love and wisdom, and the will and the understanding therefrom, make the very life of man. Hardly anyone knows what life is. When one thinks about it, it seems as if it were a volatile something, of which no idea is possible. It seems so,

Excerpt from the Logopraxis Workbook: Loving the Neighbour & Practising Charity To be in the effort to hear the Lord in another person is one aspect of what it means to love the neighbour, or what is of the Lord in another. To listen consciously is not about judging whether their state is of the Lord or not. It is about attending to the thoughts and affections within our own state, in response to what is being shared. We're watching for the thoughts and affections that want to judge, condemn, criticise, praise, analyse and solve rather than simply listening for spiritual principles or truths found in what's being shared. When these self-crediting qualities and condemning tendencies are observed and acknowledged then it affirms that what the Word teaches us about the nature of the self is true. That the self, when left to its own loves and inclinations, will always own what flows into its awareness without the Word reminding it that it is instead a conduit of life. That it does not have agency but is instead a mere agent, a vessel. However, knowing this about the self intellectually and then seeing it as something active in our direct experience, are two very different things. When an illustration of the nature of self is illuminated before us in the application of life events and circumstances then it also affirms the Word's presence in our mind as the manifestation of the Divine Human. For it is experienced as a living truth bought down into our conscious awareness to be amongst those states of life that constitute our earthly existence. It is a living truth then because it communicates the perpetual striving of the Lord's love to expose what is opposed to the life of heaven, so that what is of heaven might become the basis for our life. So that it might become the basis from which we feel, think and act.  In that moment that we truly recognise that what the Word has pointed to and called out is the hellish self, it is effectively shunned. This self is the self that exists separated from the Lord and it believes that it is the source and owner of the life that flows into it. It believes that it is God. The act of shunning the loves of this self as sins, that is, as that which misses the mark of what the Lord's love is and strives towards, is the true meaning of charity. For then in that act of our recognition of this self and in seeing how what the Word teaches is saving us from it, the Word is actively acknowledged to be the Lord. It may not always be a conscious acknowledgement, but it is a lived acknowledgment. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Excerpt from the Logopraxis Workbook: Logopraxis Life Groups are an opportunity to practise spiritual literacy as we speak and listen when we meet. They are a hermetically sealed container within which the material gathered from each individual's practice can serve as the basis for creating a unique environment. It is where we may learn to be with others in a new way, and where the practise of the Word is what is central. To that end, participants are asked to be consciously present to what arises as they take part in group life through the practise of what are termed spiritual literacy ‘skills'. Each of the skills is designed to assist us in engaging in group life consciously, and be present so as to bear witness to what's arising within our minds as we speak and listen. It is the call to a different way of being with ourselves, with others, and with the Word as the Lord. So, in order to hear the Lord, which really is about hearing the spiritual principles that are being illustrated in each other's experience, we need to be able to divide our attention between what's going on externally in the group, and what is arising inwardly so far as our responses are concerned. It's not so much about listening to the words that a person is speaking, but listening to what arises within us in response to what's being shared. So, it's a state of divided attention, where we are working to be conscious of the fact that we are seeing our own states reflected back to us in what is being presented through our interactions with the Word and with others. Arcana Coelestia 7359 Spirits from thence came to me, and applied themselves to my left temple, and there breathed on me with their speech, but I did not understand it. It was soft in its flow, nor do I remember ever to have perceived a softer, it being like the softest aura. It breathed first upon the left temple, and the left ear from above; and the breathing extended thence to the left eye, and by little and little to the right, and then flowed downward, especially from the left eye, to the lips; and when it was at the lips, it entered through the mouth, and by a way within the mouth, in fact by the Eustachian tube, into the brain. When the breathing came thither, I then understood their speech, and it was given me to talk with them. While they were talking with me I observed that my lips moved, and my tongue also a little, because of the correspondence of interior speech with exterior. Exterior speech is that of articulate sound falling toward the external membrane of the ear, and thence by means of little organs, membranes, and fibers, which are within the ear, being conveyed to the brain. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7410 Verses 11-15. And Pharaoh saw that there was breathing, and he made heavy his heart, and heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, and it shall become lice in all the land of Egypt. And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the land, and there was louse on man and on beast; all the dust of the land became louse in all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, to bring forth lice, and they could not; and there was louse on man and on beast. And the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; and Pharaoh's heart was made firm, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. "And Pharaoh saw that there was breathing," signifies that the weariness ceased; "and he made heavy his heart," signifies obstinacy; "and he heard them not," signifies no obedience; "as Jehovah had spoken," signifies according to the prediction; "and Jehovah said unto Moses," signifies instruction anew; "Say unto Aaron," signifies the influx of the internal law into the external law; "stretch out thy rod," signifies that he should show Divine power; "and smite the dust of the land," signifies that he should remove the things in the natural that had been damned; "and it shall become lice," signifies that evils will rise up therefrom; "in all the land of Egypt," signifies through the whole natural mind; "and they did so," signifies the effect; "and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod," signifies the power of internal truth through external truth; "and smote the dust of the land," signifies that things damned were removed; "and there was lice on man and on beast," signifies the interior and exterior evils of cupidities thence derived; "all the dust of the land became louse in all the land of Egypt," signifies that these evils were from the things that had been damned; "and the magicians did so with their enchantments, to bring forth lice," signifies an endeavor to pervert Divine order, and to portray the like in these things also; "and they could not," signifies in vain; "and there was louse on man and on beast," signifies the interior and exterior evils of cupidities; "and the magicians said unto Pharaoh," signifies perception and its communication with those who were in evils; "This is the finger of God," signifies that the power was from the Divine; "and Pharaoh's heart was made firm," signifies obstinacy; "and he heard them not," signifies disobedience; "as Jehovah had spoken," signifies according to the prediction. 7411 And Pharaoh saw there was breathing. That this signifies that the weariness ceased, is evident from the signification of "there being breathing," as being that there was no longer what was undelightful, thus that there was no longer weariness. (That it was wearisome and undelightful to them to reason from mere falsities, see above, n. 7392.) That which is delightful causes man to breathe freely and fully; but that which is undelightful causes him to breathe neither freely nor fully; hence it is that by "there being breathing," is signified that what was undelightful or wearisome ceased. 7412 And he made heavy his heart. That this signifies obstinacy, is evident from the signification of the "heart being made heavy," and also of "being hardened," and "being made firm," as being obstinacy (see n. 7272, 7300, 7305). 7413 And he heard them not. That this signifies no obedience, is evident from what was said above (see n. 7224, 7275, 7301, 7339), where are the like words. 7414 As Jehovah had spoken. That this signifies according to the prediction, see above (n. 7302, 7340). 7415 And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies instruction anew, see n. 7186, 7226, 7267, 7304, 7380. 7416 Say unto Aaron. That this signifies the influx of the internal law into the external law, see above (n.

And seven days were fulfilled after that Jehovah had smitten the river. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold I will smite all thy border with frogs; and the river shall make frogs to creep forth, and they shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants and of thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs; and on thee, and on thy people, and on all thy servants, shall the frogs come up. Exodus 7: 25-29 Arcana Coelestia 7345: “And seven days were fulfilled after that Jehovah had smitten the river,” signifies the end of that state after truths had been falsified; “and Jehovah said unto Moses” signifies new instruction “Come unto Pharaoh, and say unto him,” signifies a command to those who infest; “Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me,” signifies that they should leave those who are of the church to worship their God in freedom; “and if thou refuse to let them go,” signifies if they would not leave them; “behold I will smite all thy border with frogs,” signifies reasonings from mere falsities; “and the river shall make frogs to creep forth,” signifies that there will be reasonings from these falsities; “and they shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy bed-chamber,” signifies that they shall fill the mind even to its interiors; “and upon thy bed,” signifies to the inmosts; “and into the house of thy servants, and of thy people,” signifies all things that are in the natural; “and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs,” signifies into the delights of cupidities; “and on thee, and on thy people, and on all thy servants, shall the frogs come up,” signifies that reasonings from falsities shall be in all things both in general and in particular. True Christian Religions 11(3). Faith in God enters into a man by an inner way, from the soul into the higher parts of the understanding. Knowledge concerning God, from which are formed conceptions of Him, enters by an outer way, because it is derived from the revealed Word by the understanding through the senses of the body. Both these forms of influx meet midway in the understanding. There natural faith, which is merely persuasion, becomes spiritual faith, which is real acknowledgment: the human understanding therefore, is, as it were, a place of exchange, or a refining vessel, in which the change takes place. AC 7359 Spirits from thence came to me, and applied themselves to my left temple, and there breathed on me with their speech, but I did not understand it. It was soft in its flow, nor do I remember ever to have perceived a softer, it being like the softest aura. It breathed first upon the left temple, and the left ear from above; and the breathing extended thence to the left eye, and by little and little to the right, and then flowed downward, especially from the left eye, to the lips; and when it was at the lips, it entered through the mouth, and by a way within the mouth, in fact by the Eustachian tube, into the brain. When the breathing came thither, I then understood their speech, and it was given me to talk with them. While they were talking with me I observed that my lips moved, and my tongue also a little, because of the correspondence of interior speech with exterior. Exterior speech is that of articulate sound falling toward the external membrane of the ear, and thence by means of little organs, membranes, and fibers, which are within the ear, being conveyed to the brain. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

True Christian Religion 11. (4) AS TO THE NATURE OF THIS ONE GOD, NATIONS AND PEOPLES HAVE DIFFERED AND STILL DIFFER, FROM SEVERAL CAUSES. The first cause is that a rational conception of God, and a consequent acknowledgment of Him, are not attainable without revelation. Such a conception, with the consequent acknowledgment that "in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," is not attainable, except from the Word, which is the crown of revelations. For by the revelation there given man can approach God and receive influx from Him, and thereby, from being natural can become spiritual. In the earliest ages of the world revelation existed everywhere, but natural men perverted it in many ways, with the result that there arose disputes, dissensions, heresies and schisms in religion. The second cause is that the natural man cannot perceive and apply to himself the things of God, but only the things of the world. It is therefore one of the doctrines of the Christian Church that the natural man is opposed to the spiritual, and that they war against each other. Hence it is that those who have learned from the Word, or other revelation, that there is a God, have differed and still differ, concerning His nature and unity. [2] Those whose mental vision depended upon the senses of the body, but who still wished to see God, made for themselves images of gold, silver, stone and wood, in order that under the guise of visible objects they might worship God. Others, rejecting this form of worship, formed their idea of God from the sun, moon and stars and other objects of nature. Others, again, who thought themselves wiser than the common people, but who yet remained natural, from the immensity of God and His omnipresence in creating the world, acknowledged nature as God, some recognizing Him in her inner operation and some in her outer manifestations. Some, on the other hand, in order to distinguish between God and nature, formed a conception of something most universal, which they termed the Being (Ens) of the universe. As, however, they know nothing more of God, this Being is merely a creature of their own reason, and has no meaning at all. [3] Conceptions of God are like mirrors in which He may be seen. Those who know nothing of God look for Him, as it were, on the back of a mirror; but this, being covered with quicksilver or some black preparation, does not reflect any image. Faith in God enters into a man by an inner way, from the soul into the higher parts of the understanding. Knowledge concerning God, from which are formed conceptions of Him, enters by an outer way, because it is derived from the revealed Word by the understanding through the senses of the body. Both these forms of influx meet midway in the understanding. There natural faith, which is merely persuasion, becomes spiritual faith, which is real acknowledgment: the human understanding therefore, is, as it were, a place of exchange, or a refining vessel, in which the change takes place. Arcana Coelestia 7349. Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. That this signifies that they should leave those who are of the church to worship their God in freedom, is evident from the signification of “letting go,” as being to leave; from the representation of the sons of Israel, who are here “My people,” as being those who are of the spiritual church (see n. 6426, 663, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223); and from the signification of “serving Me,” as being to worship their God. That it denotes to worship in freedom, is because there could be no worship where falsities were infesting; and because all worship which is truly worship must be in freedom (n. 1947, 2875, 2876, 2880, 2881, 3145, 3146, 3158, 4031). Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner li...

Transcipt: So getting better is not about meeting some ideal of what it is to be a good person. That's not getting better in this work. What getting better in this work is to be better able to discern what is evil and false. That's getting better. So the struggle is coming to terms with that because the Lord is omnipresent. What is good and true is omnipresent. The problem is not that what is good and true isn't available. It is. The issue is that we are caught up in our self and believing in our self and that blocks the light. So the whole work is about identifying what blocks our access to what is omnipresent. And as that is removed, as the blockages are removed, then what IS appears. It's here. It's already here. And so it's not about striving to be better. It's about removing what constricts and constrains what is genuinely loving. That's what the work is. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7317. And they shall be turned into blood. That this signifies that they shall falsify truths, is evident from the signification of “blood,” as being truth falsified (see n. 4735, 6978); for “blood” in the genuine sense denotes the truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the holy of faith; this is signified by “blood” in the Holy Supper; but in the opposite sense “blood” denotes violence done to Divine truth, and as this violence is done by means of falsifications, “blood” denotes the falsification of truth. From what is here said, and from what follows, it can be seen who are specifically represented by Pharaoh, that is, who are specifically meant by those who infest, namely, those within the church who have made a profession of faith, and have also persuaded themselves that faith saves, and yet have lived contrary to the precepts of faith; in a word, those who have been in persuasive faith and in a life of evil. [2] When these come into the other life they bring with them the principles that they are to be introduced into heaven because they have been born within the church, have been baptized, have had the Word and doctrine therefrom which they have professed, and especially because they have professed the Lord, and because He suffered for their sins, and thus saved those within the church who have from doctrine professed Him. When these persons come fresh from the world into the other life they do not desire to know anything about the life of faith and of charity, but make it of no account, saying that because they have had faith, all evils of life have been wiped off and washed away by the blood of the Lamb. When they are told that these things are contrary to the Lord's words in Matthew, where He says, “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied through Thy name, and through Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name have done many mighty deeds? But then will I confess, I know you not; depart from Me ye workers of iniquity; everyone that heareth My words and doeth them, I will liken to a prudent man, and everyone that heareth My words, and doeth them not, I will liken unto a foolish man” (Matthew 7:22-26); and in Luke, “Then shall ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but He answering shall say to them, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets; but He shall say, I say unto you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:25-27), they reply that by these are meant no others than such as have been in miraculous faith, but not in the faith of the church. [3] Yet the same after some time begin to know that no others are let into heaven than they who have lived the life of faith, thus who have had charity toward the neighbor; and when they begin to know this, then they begin to despise the teachings of their faith, and also their faith itself; for their faith was not faith, but only the knowledge of such things as are of faith; and was not for the sake of life, but for the sake of gain and honors. Consequently what they have had of the knowledge of faith they then despise, and also reject; and presently they cast themselves into falsities that are contrary to the truths of faith. Into this state the life of those is turned who have confessed faith, and have lived a life contrary to faith. These are they who in the other life infest the upright by means of falsities, thus who are specifically meant by “Pharaoh.” And from the 'Awakening to Spiritual Life' paper -State of Exteriors: From the section on 'Spiritual Friends' When a spirit comes to see what's actually involved in a heavenly life, they then have what's needed to be able to draw a comparison between this and what they thought in the world.  For those who thought that entry to heaven was based on outer behaviour and so hadn't paid a lot...

Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7366 Exodus 8 THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY It was said above that the loves of self and of the world make hell with man; and now the quality of these loves is to be told, in order that a man may know whether he is in them, and consequently whether hell or heaven is in him; for in man himself is either hell or heaven. That the kingdom of God is within man, the Lord teaches in Luke 17:21; consequently hell also is within him. 7367 The love of self reigns with a man, that is, he is in the love of self, when in what he thinks and does, he does not regard his neighbor, thus not the public, still less the Lord, but only himself and those who belong to him; consequently when he does all things for the sake of himself and those who belong to him; and if for the sake of the public and his neighbor, it is merely for the sake of the appearance. 7368 It is said "for the sake of himself and those who belong to him," because he together with these, and these together with him, make a one; just as when anyone does anything for the sake of his wife, of his children, grandchildren, sons-in-law, or daughters-in-law, he does it for the sake of himself, because they are his. In like manner one who does anything for the sake of relatives and of friends who favor his love and thereby conjoin themselves with him; for by such conjunction they make one with him, that is, regard themselves in him, and him in themselves. 7369 Insofar as a man is in the love of self, so far he removes himself from the love of the neighbor; consequently insofar as a man is in the love of self, so far he removes himself from heaven, for in heaven there is the love of the neighbor. From this it also follows that insofar as man is in the love of self, so far he is in hell, for in hell there is the love of self. 7370 That man is in the love of self who despises his neighbor in comparison with himself, who regards him as his enemy if he does not favor and reverence him; he is still more in the love of self who therefore hates and persecutes his neighbor; and he still more who therefore burns with revenge against him and desires his destruction. Such persons at last love to rage against their neighbor; and the same, if they are also adulterers, become cruel. 7371 The delight which these men perceive in such things is the delight of the love of self. This delight in a man is infernal delight. Everything that is according to love is delightful; and therefore the quality of the love can be known from the delight. 7372 From what has now been described (n. 7370), as a test, it is known who are in the love of self. It matters not how they appear in the outward form, whether pretentious or unassuming; for such they are in the interior man; and the interior man is at this day hidden by most people, and the exterior is trained to make a show of love of the public and the neighbor, thus for contrary things; and this also for the sake of self and for the sake of the world. 7373 But the love of the world reigns with a man, that is, a man is in the love of the world, when in what he thinks and does he regards and intends nothing but his own advantage, not caring whether this involves harm to his neighbor and to the public. 7374 Those are in the love of the world who desire to possess themselves of the goods of others by artful devices, and still more those who do this by cunning and deceit. They who are in this love envy others their goods, and covet them; and insofar as they do not fear the laws, they take them away, even by robbery. 7375 These two loves increase insofar as the reins are given them, and insofar as the man is borne along into them; and at last they increase beyond measure, so that they desire to govern not only all things in their own kingdom, but also what is beyond, even to the ends of the earth; nay, these loves when unbridled ascend even to the God of the universe, that is,

And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is made heavy, he refuseth to let the people go. Go unto Pharaoh in the morning; behold he goeth out unto the waters; and stand thou to meet him near the bank of the river; and the rod which was turned into a serpent take in thy hand. And thou shalt say unto him, Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness; and behold hitherto thou hast not heard. Thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; behold I smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned into blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall labor to drink waters from the river. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, and over their pools, and over every gathering of their waters, and they shall be blood; and there shall be blood in all the land of Egypt, both in the woods and in the stones. And Moses and Aaron did so, as Jehovah commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, unto the eyes of Pharaoh, and unto the eyes of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned into blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river; and there was blood in all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart was made hard, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. And Pharaoh looked back, and came unto his house, and did not set his heart even to this. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for waters to drink; for they could not drink of the waters of the river. Exodus 7: 14-24 Arcana Coelestia 7303. “And Jehovah said unto Moses” signifies Divine instruction; “Pharaoh's heart is made heavy, he refuseth to let the people go,” signifies that they obstinately determined not to release those whom they infest; “go unto Pharaoh in the morning,” signifies elevation to things more confirmatory; “behold he goeth out unto the waters,” signifies that then they who were infesting would be in falsities from fallacies; “and stand thou to meet him near the bank of the river,” signifies influx according to the state; “and the rod that was turned into a serpent take in thy hand,” signifies power like the former; “and thou shalt say unto him,” signifies command; “Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying,” signifies from the Divine of the church to those who were infesting; “Let My people go,” signifies that they should release; “that they may serve Me in the wilderness,” signifies worship in what is obscure; “and behold hitherto thou hast not heard,” signifies no obedience; “thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah,” signifies that they may be in fear of the Divine; “behold, I smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river,” signifies power over the falsities which are from fallacies; “and they shall be turned into blood,” signifies that they shall falsify truths; “and the fish that is in the river shall die,” signifies that the memory-knowledge of truth shall be extinguished; “and the river shall stink,” signifies aversion for it; “and the Egyptians shall labor to drink waters from the river,” signifies that they would desire to know scarcely anything about it; “and Jehovah said unto Moses,” signifies execution; “Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt,” signifies power against the falsities of those who infest; “over their streams, over their rivers,” signifies against the things of doctrine; “and over their pools,” signifies against the memory-knowledges that were of service to them; “and over every gathering of their waters,

CLICK TO PRINT READING CLICK TO GO TO COMMENTS 7345 Verses 25, 26,* 27, 28, 29. And seven days were fulfilled after that Jehovah had smitten the river. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold I will smite all thy border with frogs; and the river shall make frogs to creep forth, and they shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants and of thy people,* and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs; and on thee, and on thy people, and on all thy servants, shall the frogs come up. "And seven days were fulfilled after that Jehovah had smitten the river," signifies the end of that state after truths had been falsified; "and Jehovah said unto Moses" signifies new instruction "Come unto Pharaoh, and say unto him," signifies a command to those who infest; "Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me," signifies that they should leave those who are of the church to worship their God in freedom; "and if thou refuse to let them go," signifies if they would not leave them; "behold I will smite all thy border with frogs," signifies reasonings from mere falsities; "and the river shall make frogs to creep forth," signifies that there will be reasonings from these falsities; and they shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy bedchamber," signifies that they shall fill the mind even to its interiors; "and upon thy bed," signifies to the inmosts; "and into the house of thy servants, and of thy people," signifies all things that are in the natural; "and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs," signifies into the delights of cupidities; "and on thee, and on thy people, and on all thy servants, shall the frogs come up," signifies that reasonings from falsities shall be in all things both in general and in particular.Numbered as in the Hebrew in the English text Chapter VIII. begins with this verse.** Et in populum tuum, but et populi tui below. 7346 And seven days were fulfilled after that Jehovah had smitten the river. That this signifies the end of that state after truths had been falsified, is evident from the signification of "seven days," as being an entire period from beginning to end, thus a full state (see n. 728, 6508), the same as a week (n. 2044, 3845), thus "seven days fulfilled" denotes the end of that period or state; and from the signification of "after that Jehovah had smitten the river," as being after truths had been falsified; for that the river smitten with the rod of Aaron, and the waters made blood, denotes that truths had been falsified, see n. 7316, 7317, 7330, 7332. 7347 And Jehovah said unto Moses. That this signifies new instruction is evident from the signification of "Jehovah said," when anything is commanded anew, as being new instruction (see n. 7186, 7267, 7304). 348 Come unto Pharaoh, and say unto him. That this signifies a command to those who infest, is evident from the signification of "coming or entering in and saying," when said by Jehovah, as being a command; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest by falsities (see n. 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142). 7349 Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. That this signifies that they should leave those who are of the church to worship their God in freedom, is evident from the signification of "letting go," as being to leave; from the representation of the sons of Israel, who are here "My people," as being those who are of the spiritual church (see n. 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223); and from the signification of "serving Me," as being to worship their God. That it denotes to worship in freedom, is because there could be no worship where falsities were infesting; and because all worship which is truly worship must be in freedom (n. 1947, 2875,

The following is an excerpt from the The Logopraxis Workbook(Step 3) ... The Purpose & Focus of Our Task We set tasks to create opportunities to observe the behaviour of the hellish proprium, and our identification with it. We are not working to change it or make it better; we are working to affirm what the Word teaches concerning it and its nature. It is our acceptance of what the Word teaches concerning the hellish proprium that weakens and breaks its power. Alternatively, when we are in states of denial regarding what truths teach concerning its nature, it holds power over us. To see it in the light of truths from the Word is also to see the mercy of the Lord. When we see evil for what it is, as destructive of all spiritual life, then we will seek the Lord's help to be separated from it. Separating from evil involves seeing the evil for what it is.  The freeing is in the seeing. The purpose and focus of our task is to support a change of mind, to become more conscious of how the inner and outer dimensions of life connect and are brought into proper and harmonious relationship, through the practice of the Word. The task helps to hold situations and circumstances of everyday life in the frame of our spiritual focus; where our mental and emotional states are illuminated, and may be examined; and where we are reminded of the Lord's love for our salvation. Through practice we recognise and experience that truths are true, and how they are true; and in this process the structures of our mind are reorganised – by the act of seeing itself. And this is not ordinary ‘seeing' because a conscious awareness of the recognition of truth causes an engagement with that truth, and a desire to relate ourselves to it. This is possible through the practise of truths from the Word because an experience of recognition arises from the good of charity, which is present in those truths that we practise.  It is the way the Word as the Lord continually saves us. Outer Life Conditions are Not the Focus The change of mind also includes the direction of our focus. In Logopraxis we seek to maintain focus on the inner life of the mind with its thoughts and affections which, as they change, will also change our relationship to outer-life conditions - but changing those conditions themselves is not the focus. It is perhaps one of the most difficult things of all, to withdraw our attention from the external world with its events, circumstances, and people - and not see it as being the cause of how we feel internally. But from a Logopraxis perspective, external events and people are not held responsible for how we think and feel, but instead may be seen as triggers for emotional states in us that rely on hidden beliefs structures, that we have overlooked. The real cause of our responses is found in the quality of our mental life, which, through Logopraxis, is supported by the focus given to applying the truths from the Word to our life. Proper Use of Outer Life Conditions Outer life conditions can be used as reminders to bring attention to our task. For example: ‘When I am talking with others, I will remember to…' (statement from your task goes here). ‘When I am running late and get in my car I will…..' (statement from task). ‘When I feel angry, I will remember….' (statement from task).  The inner and outer dimensions of life then come into a new relationship. This can be seen when we become aware of the quality of our inner responses as we look to meet outer-life demands; in our effort to work faithfully and sincerely in our dealings with others; and to operate with integrity so far as our external employments, relationships, situations, and circumstances are concerned. Logopraxis work is psychological work, and we're called to work with the Word in a way that brings light to our inner mental life for purposes of self-examination. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the onl...

Arcana Coelestia 730…anyone undergoing temptation experiences vastation of all things that belong to the proprium and of things that are bodily - for things of the proprium and those that are bodily have to die, doing so indeed through conflict and temptation, before he is reborn a new man, that is, before he becomes spiritual and celestial. AC 5246. And they brought him hastily out of the pit. That this signifies a speedy rejection of such things as from the state of temptation were a hindrance; and thereby a change, is evident from the signification of a “pit,” as being a state of vastation and also of temptation (see n. 4728, 4744, 5038); and from the signification of “bringing him hastily out of it,” as being a speedy rejection of such things as are from it, that is, from a state of temptation. For when a “pit” denotes a state of temptation, “to bring anyone hastily out of it” denotes to remove such things as are from that state, and consequently to reject them, as is plain also from what follows; for he rejected what was of the pit, inasmuch as he shaved himself and changed his garments. [2] A state of temptation in respect to the state after it is also like the condition of a pit or prison-squalid and unclean; for when man is being tempted, unclean spirits are near him, and surround him, and excite the evils and falsities with him, and also hold him in them and exaggerate them, even to despair. Hence it is that the man is then in squalor and uncleanness. Moreover when this state is presented to view in the other life (for all spiritual states can there be presented to the sight) it appears like a thick mist exhaled from unclean places, and a stench from it is also perceived. Such is the appearance of the sphere that encompasses one who is in temptation, and also in vastation, that is, who is in a pit in the lower earth (see n. 4728). [3] But when the state of temptation ceases, the mist is dispersed, and the sky clears. The reason of this is that by means of temptation the falsities and evils with man are laid open and removed; when they are laid open that mist appears, but when they are removed the clear sky appears. The change of this state is also signified by Joseph's “shaving himself and changing his garments.” [4] Moreover, a state of temptation may be compared to the state of a man when among robbers; on escaping from which his hair is disheveled, his countenance wild, and his clothing torn. If he yields in temptation, he remains in a state like this; but if he conquers in temptation, then after he has composed his face, combed his hair, and changed his clothing, he comes into a cheerful and serene state. Moreover, there are infernal spirits and genii, who like robbers surround and attack the man at these times, and bring on the temptations. From this it is now plain that by their “bringing him hastily out of the pit” is signified a speedy rejection of such things as from the state of temptation were a hindrance, and thereby a change. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7258. The doctrine of celestial good, which is that of love to the Lord, is the most ample and at the same time the most secret; but the doctrine of spiritual good, which is that of charity toward the neighbor, is also ample and secret, but less so than the doctrine of celestial good, which is the doctrine of love to the Lord. That the doctrine of charity is ample can be seen from the fact that charity is not the same with one as with another, and that one is not the neighbor the same as another. 7259. As the doctrine of charity was so ample, the ancients, with whom the doctrine of charity was the very doctrine of the church, distinguished charity toward the neighbor into many classes, which they also subdivided, and gave a name to each class, and taught how charity was to be exercised toward those who are in one class, and how toward those in another; and in this way they reduced the doctrine of charity into order, and also the exercises of charity, that these might fall distinctly under the view of the understanding. 7260. The names which they gave to those toward whom they were to exercise charity, were many; some they called blind, some lame, some maimed, some poor, also miserable and afflicted, some orphans, some widows; but in general they called those hungry to whom they were to give to eat, those thirsty to whom they were to give to drink, sojourners whom they were to gather in, naked whom they were to clothe, sick whom they were to visit, and in prison to whom they were to come (as to which see above, n. 4954-4959). Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 7296... And from the signification of “sorcerers,” as being those who pervert Divine order, thus who pervert the laws of order. That sorcery and magic are nothing else, can be seen from sorcerers, especially in the other life where they abound. For they who in the life of the body have practiced cunning, and have devised various arts for defrauding others, and at last from their success have attributed all things to their own prudence, in the other life learn magic, which is nothing but abuse of Divine order, especially of correspondences. For it is according to Divine order that each and all things correspond; as for example, the hands, arms, and shoulders correspond to power, and from this so does a rod; and therefore they form for themselves rods, and also representatively present shoulders, arms, and hands, and in this way exercise magical power; and so in thousands of other things. There is abuse of order and of correspondences when things of order are not applied to good ends, but to evil ones, as to that of exercising command over others, and to that of destroying; for the end of order is salvation, thus to do good to all. From this then it is evident what is meant by the abuse of order which is signified by “sorcerers.” AC 7298(2) Be it further known that it is according to the laws of order that no one ought to be persuaded about truth in a moment, that is to say, that truth should be so confirmed in a moment as to leave no doubt whatever about it; because the truth which is so impressed becomes persuasive truth, and is devoid of any extension, and also of any yielding quality. Such truth is represented in the other life as hard, and as such that it does not admit good into it so as to become applicable. Hence it is that as soon as in the other life any truth is presented before good spirits by a manifest experience, there is soon afterward presented something opposite which causes doubt. In this way it is given them to think about it, and to consider whether it be so, and to collect reasons, and thus to bring that truth into their minds rationally. By this there is effected an extension in the spiritual sight in respect to that truth, even to its opposites; and thence it sees and perceives in the understanding all the quality of the truth, and thence can admit influx from heaven according to the states of the objects, for truths receive various forms according to the circumstances. This is the reason why the magicians were allowed to do as Aaron did; for thereby doubt was excited among the sons of Israel about the miracle, whether it was Divine; and thus an opportunity was given them of thinking and considering whether it was Divine, and of finally confirming themselves that it was so. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

The First State: The State of Exteriors (HH 491-498) The first state of awakening to life in the spiritual world is called “a state of exteriors”.  It is the first state a spirit awakens to on their entry into the spiritual world and, as is suggested in the name given to it, it is largely concerned with the more external aspects of one's inner or mental life.   This first state of man after death continues with some for days, with some for months, and with some for a year; but seldom with any one beyond a year; for a shorter or longer time with each one according to the agreement or disagreement of his interiors with his exteriors. For with everyone the exteriors and interior must make one and correspond. In the spiritual world no one is permitted to think and will in one way and speak and act in another. Everyone there must be an image of his own affection or his own love, and therefore such as he is inwardly such he must be outwardly; and for this reason a spirit's exteriors are first disclosed and reduced to order that they may serve the interiors as a corresponding plane.  (HH 498) Removal of Exteriorly Held Images of the Self  The main function involved in this first state is to create a plane in the exterior mind that can faithfully express what is more interior.  This is achieved through a process involving the stripping away of the exteriors of the spirit and then reforming them so that they are responsive to interiors (HH 498).  This process of stripping and ordering is necessary... For man is accustomed from childhood to maintain a semblance of friendship, benevolence, and sincerity, and to conceal the thoughts of his own will, thereby living from habit a moral and civil life in externals, whatever he may be internally. As a result of this habit man scarcely knows what his interiors are, and gives little thought to them. (HH 492) A spirit's introduction to the spiritual world involves coming to terms with a few home truths concerning their sense of self and what the quality of the “thoughts of [their] own will” actually are.  This process involves the removal of any self-deceptive images a spirit carries of themselves and the false thinking that supports this. As we can see in HH 498 the length of time (reflective of states) a newly arrived spirit undergoes of being processed in the world of spirits, is related to the depth of attachment they have to these false images they carry of themselves. This is described as a difficult and even a painful experience. It needs to be remembered that it is a spiritual law that exteriors must match interiors and that it is not permitted for a spirit to have an exterior that doesn't align with their interiors. Excerpt taken from  Logopraxis : Awakening to Spiritual Life : Heaven and Hell 491-520 Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.

Arcana Coelestia 2888. The truth is that the life of everyone, both of man, of spirit, and also of angel, flows in solely from the Lord, who is life itself; and diffuses itself through the whole heaven and also through hell, thus into everyone; and this in an order and series incomprehensible: but the life which flows in is received by each one according to his disposition. Good and truth are received as good and truth by the good; but good and truth are received as evil and falsity by the evil, and are also turned into evil and falsity in them. The case with this is comparatively like the light of the sun, which diffuses itself into all the objects of the earth, but is received according to the quality of each object, and becomes of a beautiful color in beautiful forms, and of a disagreeable color in disagreeable forms. In the world this is an arcanum, but nothing is better known in the other life. That I might know that influx is of such a nature, it has been given me to speak with the spirits and angels who were with me, and also to feel and perceive their influx; and this so often that I cannot number the times. But I know that the fallacy will prevail, the fallacy that is to say, that men will believe that they will from themselves, and think from themselves, and thus have life from themselves; whereas nothing is further from the truth. AC 3001. That there is one only life, that of the Lord, which flows in and causes man to live, whether he be good or evil, is evident from what has been said and shown above, in the explication of the Word (n. 1954, 2021, 2536, 2658, 2706, 2886, 2889). To that life correspond the recipient things which are vivified by that Divine influx, and this in such a manner that they appear to themselves to live from themselves. This correspondence is that of life with the recipients of life. Such as are the recipients, so they live; those men who are in love and charity are in correspondence, for they are in agreement, and the life is received by them adequately; but those who are in things contrary to love and charity are not in correspondence, because the life itself is not received adequately; hence they have an appearance of life in accordance with their quality. This may be illustrated by many things; as by the organs of motion and of sense in the body, into which the life flows through the soul; according to the qualities of these, such are their actions and sensations. The same may be illustrated also by the objects into which light flows from the sun; the light producing colorings according to the quality of the recipient forms. But in the spiritual world all the modifications that come into existence from the influx of life are spiritual, whence come such differences of intelligence and wisdom.  AC 7270 [4] But be it well known that the truth Divine which flows into the third heaven nearest the Lord, also at the same time and without successive formation flows in down to the ultimates of order, and there from the First immediately also rules and provides each and all things; whereby the successives are held together in their order and connection. That this is so can also in some measure be seen from a maxim not unknown to the learned in the world, that there is only one substance which is substance, and that all other things are formations thence; and that in the formations that one only substance reigns, not only as form, but also as non-form, as in its origin. Unless this were so, a thing formed could not possibly subsist and act. But these things are said for the intelligent. Third Round posts are short audio clips taken from Round 3 comments offered in the online Logopraxis Life Group meetings. The aim is to keep the focus on understanding the Text in terms of its application to the inner life along with reinforcing any key LP principles that have been highlighted in the exchanges.