Celebrating Inflow
WEAVE ME THE SUNSHINE
photographs by Susan Wood-Ashton and Robert Bingham
music by Peter, Paul, and Mary
photographs by Susan Wood-Ashton and Robert Bingham
music by Peter, Paul, and Mary
SONGS ABOUT SPIRIT
spirit of the Living God
Holy Spirit, Rain Down
Holy Spirit, Rain Down
SOME QUOTES FROM SWEDENBORG ON INFLUX [INFLOW ]
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DP 42 5. the more closely we are united to the Lord, the more clearly we seem to have our own identity, and yet the more ovbious it is to us that we belong to the Lord.
DP 158 [angels] feel the inflow of divine love and wisdom from the Lord, and since they feel it and in their wisdom realize that these constitute their life, they saw that their life comes from the Lord and not from themselves.
TC 8 There is an inflow from God into us. ...This inflow comes into our souls because the soul is the inmost and highest part of us. the inflow from God reaches that part first and then comes dow into the things below and enlives them, depeding on our openness to what flows in.
2. that notion that there is one god flows into our souls from god because everything that is divine, as a whole and in every detail, is god. and because everything that is divine is integrated into a unity, it cannot help but inspire in us the idea of one god. ...
3. ...as that inflow emselve cause variation.comes down it takes forms that do not correspond to one another, and forms thion. emselves cause variation. tjis variation also occurs in every entity in the 3 kingdoms of nature. the same god who gives live to us gives life life to every animal ....
4. a similar thing happens to the things in the mineral kingdom. the light that flows nto a diamond and into a piece of limestoneis the same; but in one it shines through while in the other it is darkened.
HH569
6190. As the subject here treated of is Influx, and this is mentioned so frequently, it is necessary to say in advance what influx is. What is meant by spiritual influx cannot be better seen than by means of the natural influxes which take place and appear in this world-as by the influx of heat from the sun into all things of the earth, with all variety in accordance with the seasons of the year and the climates of the earth; and by the influx of light into the same, with all variety likewise in accordance with the times of the days and also of the years, also in a varied manner according to the climates. From the influx of heat from the sun into all things of the earth, whence comes vegetative life; and from the influx of light into the same, whence comes support to that life, and also colors and displays of beauties; in like manner from the influx of the same heat into the surface of our bodies, and also of light into the eye; likewise from the influx of sound into the ear; and from other instances of a similar kind, it may be comprehended what is the influx of life from the Lord, who is the Sun of heaven, from whom comes heavenly heat, which is the good of love, and heavenly light, which is the truth of faith. The influx of these is also plainly felt, for heavenly heat which is love produces the vital heat which is in man, and heavenly light which is faith produces his understanding, because the truth of faith which proceeds from the Lord enlightens his intellectual; but in both cases with much variety, for it is according to the reception on the part of manON INFLUX AND SUN
c.L.86. That good and truth are in created subjects according to the form of each, is because every subject receives influx according to its form. The preservation of the whole is nothing else than the perpetual influx of Divine Good and Divine Truth into forms created by that influx. Thus subsistence or preservation is perpetual existence or creation. That every subject receives influx according to its form may be illustrated in various ways, as for instance, by the influx of heat and light from the sun into plants of every kind. Each one of these receives this influx according to its form; thus every tree according to its form, every shrub according to its, every herb and every blade of grass according to its. The influx is the same into them all; but the reception, being according to the form, causes each species to remain the same. It may also be illustrated by the influx into animals of every kind, according to the form of each. That influx is according to the form of each thing, can be seen even by a rustic if he gives heed to the fact that various wind instruments, such as pipes, flutes, cornets, trumpets, and organs, give forth sound from the same blowing or inflow of air, according to their forms
AE
418. Holding the four winds of the earth, signifies the moderation of its influx. This is evident from the signification of "the four winds of the earth" as being everything Divine in heaven (of which presently); also from the signification of "holding them," as being to moderate its influx. But what is meant by moderating the influx of the Divine in heaven no one can know unless it is revealed to him, nor consequently can it be known what is signified by "holding the four winds of the earth." Without revelation, who would not think that "winds" here mean winds held back by angels, since it also follows "that the wind should not blow upon the earth, nor upon the sea, nor upon any tree." But "the winds of the earth," here as elsewhere in the Word signify everything Divine that is from the Lord in heaven, in particular, Divine truth, and because Divine truth flows from the Lord as a sun into the whole heaven, and from that into the whole earth, so "holding the winds" signifies to moderate influx. But that these things may be more clearly understood, it shall be told how it is with respect to that influx. The Lord is the sun of the angelic heaven; from Him as a sun all light and all heat there proceed. The light that proceeds is in its essence Divine truth, because it is spiritual light; and the heat that proceeds is in its essence Divine good, because it is spiritual heat. From the Lord as a sun these flow out into all the heavens accommodated to reception by the angels there, thus sometimes more moderately, sometimes more intensely. When they flow out more moderately the good are separated from the evil, but when more intensely the evil are cast out. When, therefore, the Last Judgment is at hand the Lord first flows in moderately, in order that the good may be separated from the evil. Because this separation is what is treated of in this chapter, the "holding of the four winds of the earth" is first mentioned, which signifies the moderation of the influx of Divine good and Divine truth from the Lord. It is evident from what follows in this chapter that this refers to the separation of the good from the evil, for it is said, "Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor any tree, till we shall have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads" (verse 3); and afterwards, to the end of the chapter, "those sealed," that is, the good separated from the evil are treated of. But respecting this separation more will be said in what follows,
