Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 503
599. In order that man may be in freedom, to the end that
he may be reformed, he is conjoined in respect to his spirit
both with heaven and with hell. For with every man there are
spirits from hell and angels from heaven. It is by means of hell
that man is in his own evil, while it is by means of angels from
heaven that man is in good from the Lord; thus is he in
spiritual equilibrium, that is, in freedom. That angels from
heaven and spirits from hell are joined to every man may be
seen in the chapter on the conjunction of heaven with the
human race (n. 291–302).
600. It must be understood that the conjunction of man
with heaven and with hell is not a direct conjunction with
them, but a mediate conjunction by means of spirits who are in
the world of spirits. These spirits, and none from hell itself or
from heaven itself, are with man. By means of evil spirits in the
world of spirits man is conjoined with hell, and by means of
good spirits there he is conjoined with heaven. Because of this
the world of spirits is intermediate between heaven and hell,
and in that world is equilibrium itself. (That the world of
spirits is intermediate between heaven and hell may be seen in
the chapter on the world of spirits, n. 421–431; and that the
essential equilibrium between heaven and hell is there may be
seen in the preceding chapter, n. 589–596.) From all this the
source of man’s freedom is evident.
601. Something more must be said about the spirits that are
joined with man. An entire society can have communication
with another society, or with an individual wherever he is; by
means of a spirit sent forth from the society; this spirit is called
the subject of the many. The same is true of man’s conjunction
with societies in heaven, and with societies in hell, by means of
spirits from the world of spirits that are joined with man. (On
this subject see also Arcana Coelestia in the passages referred to
below.)
602. Finally something must be said respecting man’s
intuition in regard to his life after death which is derived from