Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 123
once, but in one society after another. Furthermore, I was told
that these alternations are not fixed, but come upon them
sooner or later without their knowledge. And it was added that
the sun in itself is not thus changed or moved; but it takes on
this appearance in accord with their successive progressions of
state, since the Lord appears to everyone in accord with what
his state is, thus glowing when one is in intense love and less
glowing and finally shining white as his love subsides; and the
quality of each one’s state was represented by the obscure belt
that induced upon the sun these apparent variations in its glow
and light.
160. When angels are in the last of these states, which is
when they are in what is their own, they begin to be sad. I have
talked with them when they were in that state and have seen
their sadness; but they said that they hoped to return soon to
their former state, and thus into heaven again, as it were; for to
them it is heaven to be withheld from what is their own.
161. There are also changes of state in the hells, but these
will be described later when hell is treated of.