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Audio/Video reading of chapter 2

Description

In this chapter, Swedenborg describes the essence of heaven and how one attains it.

Summary Notes

On Earth, Christians see heaven as a place where good people are gathered after death

People believe that those who are inherently good in their earthly lives are allocated a place in a kingdom called Heaven.

But rather heaven is a state of being when a spirit is able to be influenced and then lives by divine ideas

One is in heaven to the degree that one is open to the reception of divine ideas and is willing to be led by these ideas to do good and say true things.

There are two kinds of joys. One that arises from acknowledging the self’s guidance of the self and the other from the divine’s guidance of the self.

We feel a certain joy when we believe that our thoughts, good fortune and actions come from our own inherent goodness, knowledge and talents. But these joys cannot be compared with the heavenly joys of our thoughts and actions being sourced from our readings or reflection of divine teachings. In the former state. we boast about and seek to make our neighbour envious of our joys and wisdom whilst in the later we are able to feel the joy of the Lord in doing good, seeking truth and inspiring others to rely on this joy of the Lord.

The belief of the angels is that they refuse all thanks for the good they do, and are displeased and withdraw if anyone attributes good to them

A heavenly state of mind attributes the state of their life to divine providence. Such people shy away or deflect praise because they know that whatever goodness or wisdom they have in their life has all come about through a reliance on divine providence. Any glorification of the self makes them feel disconnected from this reliance.

Summary

Here Swedenborg highlights that heaven is not to be thought of as a place where good people gather but it is a state of mind of those who rely on a divine source for their ability to do good and to be wise from. This reliance is what pushes them to excel even higher in their goodness and wisdom.