Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 393
[2] As the life of everyone is determined by these different
kinds of love, as soon as men after death enter the world of
spirits they are examined to discover their quality, and are
joined to those that are in a like love; those that are in heavenly
love to those that are in heaven, and those that are in corporeal
love to those that are in hell; and after they have passed
through the first and second state they are so separated as to no
longer see or know each other; for each one becomes his own
love, both in respect to his interiors pertaining to his mind,
and in respect to his exteriors pertaining to his face, body, and
speech; for everyone becomes an image of his own love, even in
externals. Those that are corporeal loves appear gross, dusky,
black and misshapen; while those that are heavenly loves
appear fresh, bright, fair and beautiful. Also in their minds and
thoughts they are wholly unlike, those that are heavenly loves
being intelligent and wise, while those that are corporeal loves
are stupid and as it were silly.
[3] When it is granted to behold the interiors and exteriors of
thought and affection of those that are in heavenly love, their
interiors appear like light, and some like a flamy light, while
their exteriors appear in various beautiful colors like rainbows.
But the interiors of those that are in corporeal love appear as if
black, because they are closed up; and the interiors of some
who were interiorly in malignant deceit appear like a dusky
fire. But their exteriors appear of a dirty color, and disagreeable
to the sight. (The interiors and exteriors of the mind and
disposition are made visible in the spiritual world whenever the
Lord pleases.)
[4] Those that are in corporeal love see nothing in the light
of heaven; to them the light of heaven is thick darkness; but
the light of hell, which is like light from burning coals, is to
them as clear light. Moreover, in the light of heaven their
inward sight is so darkened that they become insane;
consequently they shun that light and hide themselves in dens
and caverns, more or less deeply in accordance with the falsities
in them derived from their evils. On the other hand those who