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Emanuel Swedenborg Quotes

Powerful Emanuel Swedenborg for Daily Growth

About Emanuel Swedenborg

Emanuel Swedenborg (April 29, 1688 – March 29, 1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, theologian, and mystic, whose works have had a profound impact on spirituality and esotericism. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, to a well-to-do family, he received an education in philosophy, mathematics, and science at Uppsala University. Later, he served as a civil servant and a member of the Swedish Academy of Sciences before retiring from public life in 1747. In his mid-fifties, Swedenborg claimed to have experienced a spiritual transformation that led him to engage in mystical visions and revelations, which he documented extensively throughout the remainder of his life. These experiences culminated in a series of theological works, including "Heaven and Hell" (1758) and "Arcana Coelestia" (1749-1756), where Swedenborg expounded on his interpretation of the Bible and spiritual afterlife. Swedenborg's teachings emphasized the unity of all creation, the existence of spirits, and the importance of personal moral development for the ultimate goal of union with the divine. His ideas have been influential in a variety of religious movements, such as the New Church (also known as Swedenborgianism), Theosophy, Anthroposophy, and the spiritualist movement. Swedenborg's works remain relevant today, inspiring many individuals seeking spiritual growth and understanding. His writings are marked by a deep sense of reverence for the divine, a commitment to reason, and a belief in the interconnectedness of all things. Despite ongoing debates about the nature of his experiences and their veracity, Swedenborg's legacy endures as a unique contribution to spiritual literature that continues to inspire and challenge readers worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The universe is a single living being composed of innumerable individuals."

This quote by Emanuel Swedenborg suggests that the universe, comprising all matter, energy, and life forms, can be viewed as a unified, interconnected organism rather than a collection of discrete entities. He posits that each individual within the universe – from stars, planets, animals, to humans – is an integral part of this greater whole, where their actions, interactions, and evolution impact the entire cosmos in some way. Essentially, Swedenborg's quote invites us to consider our place in the universe not as isolated entities but as interconnected pieces within a larger living tapestry.

"To act rightly is noble and praiseworthy."

This quote by Emanuel Swedenborg emphasizes that performing good actions, acting with integrity, and making choices based on moral principles are values that society should recognize as noble and worthy of praise. It suggests that the quality of one's character and conduct is essential to personal growth and respect from others, encouraging individuals to strive for righteousness in their daily lives.

"Heaven and hell are not places but states of the mind."

This quote suggests that heaven and hell are mental or emotional conditions rather than physical locations. According to Swedenborg, one's perception and experience of these "places" is a direct result of their state of mind – whether it is characterized by love, peace, and harmony (heaven) or anger, hatred, and discord (hell). In essence, he is positing that our inner thoughts and feelings have the power to shape our reality.

"Think as you will, but let your actions speak for you."

This quote by Emanuel Swedenborg emphasizes the importance of aligning one's thoughts with actions. It encourages individuals to think freely, but reminds them that authenticity lies in translating their beliefs and values into tangible deeds. Essentially, it suggests that a person should not only profess what they believe, but demonstrate it through their behavior.

"The love of self, when it exceeds the bounds of moderation, is the beginning of hell."

This quote suggests that excessive self-love or an unchecked ego leads to a state of suffering, symbolically represented as "hell". By moderating our self-love, we maintain balance in our relationships with others and the world, fostering peace and harmony instead of conflict and isolation.

That every man after the life in the world lives to eternity, is evident from this, that man is then spiritual, and no longer natural, and that the spiritual man, separated from the natural, remains such as he is to eternity, for man's state cannot be changed after death.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Natural, Eternity, Lives, Remains

For the judgment was accomplished not only upon all the men of the Christian church, but also upon all who are called Mohammedans, and, moreover, upon all the Gentiles in the whole world.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Church, Gentiles, Also, Moreover

But by all this I am not deterred, for I have seen, I have heard, I have felt.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

I Am, Felt, Am, Deterred

The act of exploring what the men are, and moreover the separation of the good from the evil, is visitation; and the good are then removed, and the evil are left behind.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Good, Behind, Then, Visitation

That all who have ever been born men from the beginning of creation, and are deceased, are either in heaven or in hell, follows from those things which have been said and shown in the preceding article, namely, that Heaven and Hell are from the human race.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Beginning, Been, Deceased, Article

There are angels that receive more interiorly the Divine that goes forth from the Lord, and others that receive it less interiorly; the former are called celestial angels, and the latter spiritual angels.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

More, Goes, Receive, Celestial

I am well aware that many will say that no one can possibly speak with spirits and angels so long as he lives in the body; and many will say that it is all fancy, others that I relate such things in order to gain credence, and others will make other objections.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Fancy, Other, Objections, Possibly

In the Christian world... it is believed that angels were created at the beginning, and that heaven was formed of them; and that the Devil or Satan was an angel of light, who, becoming rebellions, was cast down with his crew, and that this was the origin of hell.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Beginning, Becoming, Origin, Formed

Love consists in desiring to give what is our own to another and feeling his delight as our own.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Love, Give, Desiring, Delight

For in every particular of the Word there is an internal sense which treats of things spiritual and heavenly, not of things natural and worldly, such as are treated of in the sense of the letter.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Treated, Internal, Which, Worldly

First of all it must be known who the God of heaven is, since upon that all the other things depend.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Heaven, Depend, Other, First Of All

Moreover, no one is judged from the natural man, thus not so long as he lives in the natural world, for man is then in a natural body; but everyone is judged in the spiritual man, and therefore when he comes into the spiritual world, for man is then in a spiritual body.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Natural, Thus, Lives, Natural World

The Divine of the Lord in heaven is love, for the reason that love is receptive of all things of heaven, such as peace, intelligence, wisdom and happiness.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Love, Reason, Lord, All Things

Man was so created by the Lord as to be able while living in the body to speak with spirits and angels, as in fact was done in the most ancient times; for, being a spirit clothed with a body, he is one with them.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Living, Fact, Created, Clothed

The angels taken collectively are called heaven, for they constitute heaven; and yet that which makes heaven in general and in particular is the Divine that goes forth from the Lord and flows into the angels and is received by them.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Goes, Lord, Which, Collectively

Without such a Life, the Word as to the letter is dead.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Dead, Word, Without, Letter

True charity is the desire to be useful to others with no thought of recompense.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Charity, Thought, Desire, Useful

The human race is the basis on which heaven is founded, is because man was last created, and that which is last created is the basis of all that precedes.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Race, Last, Which, Human Race

In the spiritual body moreover, man appears such as he is with respect to love and faith, for everyone in the spiritual world is the effigy of his own love, not only as to the face and the body, but also as to the speech and the actions.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Love, Own, Everyone, Moreover

I have often talked with angels on this subject, and they have invariably declared that in heaven they are unable to divide the Divine into three, because they know and perceive that the Divine is One and this One is in the Lord.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Lord, Often, Subject, Invariably

For the spiritual sense of the Word treats everywhere of the spiritual world, that is, of the state of the church in the heavens, as well as in the earth; hence the Word is spiritual and Divine.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Church, Sense, Divine, Treats

The quality of the Lord's church on earth, cannot be seen by any man, so long as he lives in the world, still less how the church in process of time has turned aside from good to evil.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Process, Still, Lives, Evil

He who is in evil, is also in the punishment of evil.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Punishment, He, Also, Evil

And as the Divine that goes forth from the Lord is the good of love and the truth of faith, the angels are angels and are heaven in the measure in which they receive good and truth from the Lord.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Love, Which, Receive, Heaven

This Divine truth flows into heaven from the Lord from His Divine love.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Love, Truth, Divine Love, Heaven

In heaven there are two distinct loves, love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, in the inmost or third heaven love to the Lord, in the second or middle heaven love towards the neighbor.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Love, Middle, Inmost, Heaven

To have dominion by religion, is to have dominion over men's souls, thus over their very spiritual life, and to use the Divine things, which are in their religion, as the means.

- Emanuel Swedenborg

Over, Very, Which, Dominion

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