Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 145
interiors of the angels; 143
and this being so, no notion or idea of
space can enter their thought, although there are spaces with
them equally as in the world.
196. This can be illustrated by the thoughts of man, in that
space does not pertain to thought, for whatever is thought of
intently is set before one as present. Again, whoever reflects
about it knows that his sight recognizes space only by
intermediate objects on the earth that are seen at the same
time, or by recalling what he already knows about the distance.
This happens because of the continuity; and in what is
continuous there is no appearance of distance except from
things not continuous. This is even more true of the angels,
because their sight acts as one with their thought, and their
thought acts as one with their affection, and things appear near
or remote, and also varied, in accordance with the states of
their interiors, as has been said above.
197. It follows from this that in the Word places and spaces,
and all things that in any way relate to space, signify such
things as relate to states, such as distances, near, far off, ways,
journeys, sojourning, miles and furlongs, plains, fields, gardens,
cities and streets, motions, measures of various kinds, long,
broad, high, and deep, and innumerable other things; for most
things in man’s thought from the world take on something
from space and time.
[2] I will mention here only what is signified in the Word by
length, breadth, and height. In this world, that is called long or
broad which is long or broad in relation to space, and the same
is true of height. But in heaven, where there is no thought
from space, length means a state of good, breadth a state of
truth, and height the distinction between them in accordance
with degrees (see n. 38). Such is the meaning of these three
143. Places and spaces are presented to the sight in accordance with the
states of the interiors of angels and spirits (n. 5605, 9440, 10146).