Footnote u: [(return) ]
Stars in the Word signify the knowledges of good and truth, consequently truths, nos. 2495, 2849, 4697. And in the other life truths are represented by fixed stars, but falsities by wandering stars, no. 1128.
51. I could distinguish the presence of the spirits of Jupiter, not only by the gentleness and sweetness of their approach and influx, but also by this circumstance, that their influx was for the most part into the face, which they rendered cheerful and smiling, and this continually as long as they were present. They said that they in the same way dispose the faces of the inhabitants of their earth, when they come to them, being desirous thus to inspire them with tranquillity and delightsomeness of heart. The tranquillity and delightsomeness with which they inspired me, sensibly filled my breast and heart: at the same time the longings and anxieties about the future, which cause disquiet and wretchedness, and agitate the mind with various passions, were removed. From this it could be made apparent to me what was the character of the life of the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter; for the inborn disposition of the inhabitants is known from the spirits, since every one carries his own life with him from the world, and lives it when he becomes a spirit. It was observed that they had a state of still more interior blessedness or happiness. This was observed by its being perceived that their interiors were not closed, but open to heaven; for the more open to heaven the interiors are, the more capable are they of receiving Divine good, and with it blessedness and interior happiness. It is quite otherwise with those who do not live in the order of heaven; with them the interiors are closed, and the exteriors are open to the world.
52. It was also shown me what kind of faces the inhabitants of the earth Jupiter have; not that I saw the inhabitants themselves but spirits with faces similar to those they had when they dwelt on their earth. But before this was shown me, one of their angels appeared behind a bright white cloud, and gave permission. Two faces were then shown. They were like the faces of the men of our Earth, fair and beautiful; sincerity and modesty shone forth from them. When the spirits of Jupiter were with me, the faces of the men of our Earth appeared smaller than usual: this was owing to the circumstance that there inflowed from those spirits the idea they had that their own faces were larger. For when they live as men on their earth they believe that after their decease their faces will be larger, and round in form; and this idea, being impressed upon them, remains; and when they become spirits, they appear to themselves to have larger faces. The reason why they believe that their faces will be larger is that they say the face is not the body, because they see, hear, speak, and manifest their thoughts by means of it, and because the mind thus shines through it; hence they have an idea of the face as the mind in form. And as they know that they will become wiser after their life in the world, they believe that the form of the mind, that is, the face, will become larger. They also believe that after their decease they shall perceive a fire which will communicate warmth to their faces. This belief arises from a knowledge possessed by the wiser amongst them that fire, in the spiritual sense, signifies love, that love is the fire of life, and that from that fire the angels have life[x]. Such of them as have lived in heavenly love also have their wish gratified, and feel their face grow warm, and then the interiors of their minds are kindled with love. For this reason the inhabitants of that earth frequently wash and clean their face, and also carefully protect it from the sun's heat. They have a covering made of the inner or outer bark of a tree, which is of a bluish colour, and with this they encircle the head, and thus protect the face. With respect to the faces of the men of our Earth, which they saw through my eyes[y], they said that they were not beautiful, and that such beauty as they had consisted in the outward skin, but not in the fibres from within. They were surprised to see that the faces of some were covered with warts and pustules, or otherwise disfigured, and said that no such faces are ever to be seen among them. Yet there were some faces that pleased them, such, namely, as were cheerful and smiling, and such as were slightly prominent about the lips.
Footnote x: [(return) ]
Fire in the Word signifies love in both senses, nos. 934, 4906, 5215. Sacred and heavenly fire is Divine love and every affection which is of that love, nos. 934, 6314, 6832. Infernal fire is the love of self and of the world, and every concupiscence belonging to those loves, nos. 934, 1861, 5071, 6314, 6832, 7575, 10747. Love is the fire of life, and life itself is actually derived from that fire, nos. 4906, 5071, 6832.
Footnote y: [(return) ]
Spirits and angels do not see the things that are in this solar world but they saw through my eyes, no. 1881.
53. The reason they were pleased with the faces that were prominent about the lips was, that their speech is effected mostly by means of the face, especially by the part about the lips, and also because they never counterfeit, that is, never speak otherwise than they think, so that they do not constrain their face, but give it free play. It is otherwise with those who from childhood have learned to counterfeit: with these the face is, in consequence, constrained from within, lest anything of the thought should shine forth from it; nor has it free play from without, but is kept in readiness to relax or constrain itself, as cunning may dictate. The truth (veritas) of this may appear from an examination of the fibres of the lips and surrounding parts, for the series of the fibres there are manifold, complicated, and interwoven, having been created, not only for mastication and verbal speech, but also for expressing the ideas of the mind (animus).
54. It was also shown me how the thoughts are expressed by means of the face. The affections which belong to the love are manifested by means of the countenance and its changes, and the thoughts therein by variations as to the forms of the interiors there: it is impossible to describe them further. The inhabitants of the earth Jupiter have also verbal speech, but not so loud as with us. The one speech aids the other, and life is insinuated into the verbal speech by the speech of the face. I have been informed by the angels that the very first speech in every earth was speech by the face, and from two origins there, the lips and the eyes. The reason this kind of speech was the first is, that the face was formed to effigy forth whatever a man thinks and wills; in consequence of which the face is also called the effigy and index of the mind (animus). Another reason is, that in the Most Ancient or primeval times sincerity prevailed, and no one cherished or wanted to cherish a thought which he was not willing should shine forth out of his face. In this way, also, the affections of the mind (animus), and the thoughts from them, could be exhibited to the life and in fulness; thus also they even appeared to the eye as very many things together in a form. This speech was therefore as superior to the speech of words as sight is to hearing, that is, as the sight of a landscape surpasses hearing about it and forming an idea of it from the verbal description. They added, that such speech was in agreement with the speech of the angels, with whom men in those times also had communication; also, that when the face speaks, that is, the mind through the face, angelic speech is with the man in its ultimate natural form, which is not the case when the mouth speaks by words. Every one can also comprehend that verbal speech could not have been used by the Most Ancient people, since the words of a language are not imparted immediately, but have to be invented and applied to objects; which it requires a course of time to effect[z]. So long as sincerity and rectitude prevailed among men, such speech continued; but as soon as the mind began to think one thing and speak another, which was the case when man began to love himself and not the neighbour, verbal speech began to increase, the face being either silent or deceitful. Hence the internal form of the face was changed, became contracted, and hardened, and began to become almost devoid of life; while the external form, inflamed by the fire of the love of self, appeared before the eyes of men as if alive; for this absence of life, which is underneath, does not appear before the eyes of men, but it appears before the eyes of the angels, since the angels see interior things. Such are the faces of those who think one thing and speak another; for simulation, hypocrisy, cunning, and deceit, which constitute modern prudence, produce such effects. But the case is different in the other life: there, no one is allowed to speak one way and think another. There, also, the variance is clearly perceived in each single expression, and when it is perceived, the spirit in whom there is such variance is expelled from society, and punished. He is afterwards by various methods brought to speak as he thinks, and to think as he wills, until his mind is one, and not divided. If he is good, he is brought to will good, and to think and speak the truth from good; and if he is evil, he is brought to will evil, and to think and speak falsity from evil. Until this is effected, a good spirit is not raised into heaven, nor an evil one cast into hell: and the object of this is, that in hell there may be nothing but evil and the falsity of evil, and in heaven nothing but good and the truth of good.
Footnote z: [(return) ]
The Most Ancient people on this Earth spoke by the face and lips by means of internal respiration, nos. 607, 1118, 7361. The inhabitants of some other earths have a similar speech, nos. 4799, 7359, 8248, 10587. Concerning the perfection and excellence of that speech, nos. 7360, 10587, 10708.
55. The spirits who were from that earth informed me about various other particulars relating to its inhabitants, as, about their gait, their food, and their dwellings. With respect to their gait, they do not walk erect like the inhabitants of this and of many other earths, nor do they creep like animals, but as they advance they assist themselves with their hands, and alternately half raise themselves on their feet, and at every third step they face about sideways and behind them, and at the same time also bend the body a little, which is done quickly; for among them it is [considered] unbecoming to be looked at by others except in the face. While walking in this manner they always keep the face raised as we do, so that they may look at the heaven as well as at the earth. They do not hold it down so as to look at the earth; this they call accursed. The basest among them do so; but if they do not get accustomed to raise the face, they are expelled from their society. When, however, they sit, they appear, like the men of our Earth, erect as to the upper part of the body, but they sit with the feet crossed. They are extremely cautious, not only when they walk, but also when they sit, not to be seen behind, but in the face. They also gladly desire that their face should be seen, because their mind appears from it, for they never show a face at variance with the mind, nor have they the power to do so. Those who are present, therefore, see clearly what is their disposition towards them—which indeed they do not conceal—especially whether their apparent friendliness is sincere or forced. These facts were made known to me by their spirits, and confirmed by their angels. For the above reason also, their spirits are seen, not like others, to walk erect; but almost like swimmers, to assist their progress with their hands, and by turns to look around.
56. Those who live in their hot climates go naked, except for a covering about the loins; nor are they ashamed of their nakedness for their minds are chaste, and they love their own consorts only, and abhor adulteries. They were greatly surprised that the spirits of our Earth, on hearing of their manner of walking and of their being naked, should deride and think lasciviously, without in the least attending to their heavenly life, but only to such details. They said that this was a sign that they cared more for bodily and earthly things than for heavenly things, and that indecent thoughts occupied their minds. They were told that nakedness is no occasion either of shame or scandal to those who live in chastity, and in a state of innocence, but that it is to those who live in lasciviousness and immodesty.