Course: Psychology 459, Fall 2006, Generation 25
Instructor: Dr. Leon James
Introduction to Theistic Psychologywww.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/theistic/ch1.htm
My home page: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~tomim
Class Home Page: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm
Instructions for this Report: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonpsy25/59-g25-weekly.htm
My Understanding of Theistic Psychology
By: Tomi Moore
Report 4 for section 1.1.4.3.2- 1.5
Question 1: Explain how divine speech descends through
the three discrete layers of our mind. How do you react to this knowledge?
Answer 1:
Description of How Divine Speech Descends
Through the Layers of Our Mind
Divine Speech travels through the three discrete layers of our mind based on the laws of correspondence and based on the state of ones heavens in the spiritual mind. God established a chain of seven correspondences across the layers of creation. The seven layers are (from inmost to outermost) the spiritual sun, spiritual light and spiritual heat, celestial layer of the mental world of our mind, the spiritual layer of our mind, the rational layer of our mind, the natural layer of our mind, and finally the physical layer of our body and planet.
As we have discussed so many in theistic psychology, divine speech descends through the discrete layers of our mind due to the laws of correspondences. First divine speech starts in the spiritual sun which is the aura around God, then as an extension of Himself divine speech is radiated out as spiritual light and spiritual heat. This is what we know
as the spiritual substances of good and truth. Divine speech than enters the celestial layer of the mental world of our mind. In the celestial layer there is also the affective, cognitive and semnsorimotor organs as there also is in layers three through six.
Divine speech then descends to the spiritual layer, rational layer, and then the natural layer of our mind. Unlike the previous layers one is conscious of the natural layer of there mind while they are here on Earth. Finally, by the law of correspondence divine speech reaches the physical layer of our body and planet. Here at this lowest level of understanding divine speech is in literal meaning in the form of Sacred Scripture. The literal verses of Sacred Scripture here on Earth, layer seven, contain within them the six other layers of correspondences.
After resuscitation one can be in the other higher layers and understanding of Divine speech based on their closeness or conjunction with God. The closer in conjunction with God the higher the level of understanding of Divine Speech. Rational understanding which makes Sacred scripture universal is an example of a higher form of understanding Sacred scripture and thus Divine speech.
My Reaction
My reaction to this knowledge is acceptance. In the beginning this concept was strange to me. It was not strange in the sense that it was hard to understand, but because there was so much detail and description that I never heard of in any of my classes at church. Now after the repetition and all the examples in many different sections this concept is something that I accept could be true and understand well.
Question 2: Explain the hidden correspondential sense of
Commandments 1 through 5. Give examples from your daily life how this may apply
to you.
Answer 2:
Hidden Correspondential Sense of the 10 Commandments
One of the main points made by theistic psychology is that Divine Speech, which is here in the physical world in the form of Sacred Scripture, has multiple levels of understand. As most people only see and understand the literal meaning which is the lowest level of understanding, theistic psychology tells us there is a higher form of rational understanding in the hidden correspondential sense. Swedenborg gave us those tools to help us find the correspondential meanings and I will try to help you better understand this by using the 10 commandments as an example.
The first commandment states, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before my faces”. In the correspondential sense this signifies that truths must not be thought of from any other source but from God. We know this because “Gods” is the equal to saying truths, and “faces” can be thought of as God’s love, mercy, peace, and good.
The second commandment states,” Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness, of that which is the heavens above, or that which is in the earth beneath, or that which is in the waters under the earth”. This signifies that one should not worship a God that is not from God but from man’s own intellect. When we break this down “graven image” is from self intelligence. The rest of this commandment signifies any semblance of those which are from the divine, those things which are in the spiritual light, or those which are in the natural light or those in the sensuous corporeal. This correspondence is based that “likeness” is semblance of those from the Divine, “heavens above” is the spiritual light, “earth beneath” is the natural light, and “waters under the earth” is the sensuous corporeal.
I relate to this when I think of my Hawaiian ancestor’s and all their Gods that I was taught about while growing up. If I were to worship them I would be worshiping things that are not from God but from man. The Ancient Hawaiians worship these Gods because it was there own intelligence at the time that told them which Gods were in charge of certain aspects of the natural world they lived in.
The third commandment states, “Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain, for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain”. This signifies that if one commits profaning and blaspheming of the truth and good of God that upon resuscitation they will choose to be in the hells of their minds. This is derived from “the name of God” as being in the complex by which God is worshiped, all the truth and good, and “taking in vain” as being to turn truth into evil and good into falsity, that is to believe it is truth and good, and therefore live in evil.
An example in my life is when I all into temptation. I am so caught up in the hells of my mind that I start to reason and justify my hellish actions. I almost convince myself that what I am doing is not bad due to special circumstances. If I am not quick to change these characteristics I will be set in my ways and upon resuscitation I will choose the hells in my mind because I did not rid myself of these traits.
The fourth commandment states, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”.
This signifies to avoid temptations while perpetuating the thought of your conjunction with God and heaven with no violations at any moment. This interpretation is given by “remember” as being perpetual in thought, “Sabbath day” as meaning the supreme sense of conjunction with God the Divine Human, and “to keep it holy” as meaning no violations at any moment.
Finally, the fifth commandment states, “ Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged upon the land which Jehovah thy God gave thee”. This signifies to choose Good and Truth and after resuscitation one will choose to be in the heavens of their mind for eternity. This was interpretation is given by “honor” meaning love, “father” meaning good and “mother” meaning truth.
Conclusion
These interpretations were just and example of how one can get the hidden correspondential sense from the literal sense of Sacred Scripture. The table or interpretations of meanings I used can be used for all of Sacred Scripture. At every instance in Sacred Scripture the same words always have the same correspondential meaning. A sample of these interpretations were given to Swedenborg and can be found in theistic psychology or in Dr. James writings on Swedenborg.
Question 3: Explain the hidden correspondential sense of
Commandments 6 through
10. Give examples from your daily life how this may apply to you.
Answer 3:
Hidden Correspondential Sense of Commandments 6 through 10
The first five hidden correspondential meanings of the commandments were explained in the previous question. Here I will interpret the hidden meanings of commandments six through ten.
The sixth commandment is Thou shalt not kill. This signifies not to take the spiritual life from anyone and also not to extinguish faith and charity or to hold thy neighbor in hatred. This includes not to hold thy neighbor in hatred because to hold in hatred continually is the same as to wish to skill and also hatred is evil. This applies to our physical world because when people talk about the people they hate they say things like, “I want to kill him”. They think that it is just an expression when really it has a spiritual sense which is to take their spiritual life.
Commandment number seven is Thou shalt not commit adultery. This signifies that those things which are of the doctrine of faith and charity are not to be perverted, thus the Word is not to be applied to confirm falsities and evils. This can apply to one when people use Sacred Scripture and twist or pervert its meaning best fit their needs even though it was not the true meaning. This can be thought of as committing adultery in the spiritual sense.
The eighth commandment is Thou shalt not steal. In the correspondential sense it signifies that no one’s spiritual goods must be taken away from him and those things which belong to the Lord are not to be attributed to the self. We know this because “to steal” is to take away spiritual goods from someone. As like the rest of the commandments all of them are written in the natural sense but are to be understood in the spiritual sense. In the spiritual sense riches and wealth are analogous to the knowledge of good and truth. “Stealing” is signified by attributing to one’s self what belongs to the lord, therefore this is another meaning to this commandment.
The ninth commandment is Thou shalt not answer against thy neighbor the witness of a lie corresponds to good is not to be called evil, nor truth falsities, thus conversely neither evil to be called good nor falsity truth. This correspondential meaning is derived from the fact that “witness of a lie” is conformation of falsity to truth and “to answer against a neighbor” is to speak in a manner against anyone. This commandment is similar to “love thy neighbor” in that neighbor represents everyone.
Lastly, the tenth commandment is Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, and his manservant, and his ox and his ass, and anything that is thy neighbor’s. This commandment corresponds to one must be aware of the love of self and the world, and thus lest the evils which are contained in the preceding commandments become the will and so come forth. This meaning is derived from “coveting” as corresponding to will from an evil love. We know that nothing is coveted unless it is loved and in this case the love of self or the world. The other hidden correspondential meanings are “house” is all good “general, “wife” is all truth in general, “manservant” is the affection of spiritual truth, “maidservant” is the affection of spiritual good, “ox” is the affection of natural good, and “ass” is the affection of natural truth.
Question 4: Many people uncritically repeat the idea
that “God is energy”. Give a rational proof that this belief is illogical. Then
compare the logic of the opposite idea that “God is a person”. In your opinion,
why is there so much opposition to this view?
Answer 4:
Rational Proof that God is not Energy
The idea that God is energy is a natural idea. All natural ideas are based on experiences people have with the physical environment. This is the lowest level of thinking about God. The idea of God is impossible to understand at the natural level of thinking because God is outside of the physical world and not in the world of time and space.
Another proof that God is not energy is because it goes against what is said in the Old Testament Sacred Scripture. The Old Testament Sacred Scripture was meant to be read and understood by people who are in the natural idea and literal meaning level of understanding. In the Old Testament is tells us that God is not natural because He is a person and a person is a spirit or mind. In another Sacred Scripture it says that we are “created in His image”. If we are human beings and were created in His image He too must be a human and not energy because energy has no form. Therefore, it is logical to conclude that God is not energy rather He is a Person.
God is a Person
To say that God is a person is to say that He is a spirit in eternity who has feelings, thoughts, and sensations. This view is a rational perspective and gives God more realism then to say that He is energy. This form of thinking that God is a person is a higher level or rational thinking and reasoning then the natural level which thinks of God as energy, the universe, or nature.
Why I Think There is Opposition to This View
The reason I think there is opposition to this view is that people are not able to see God and can only “feel” God while there are in the physical world of time and space. If there were given the opportunity to see Him there would be no doubt that He is a person. As we have discussed in previous sections we know that that is not possible while we are in the physical world. Rather while we are here people say that the “feel” God.
People who have this view that God is energy “feel” Him when they do good deeds etc. They claim to feel the sensation of warmth in their bodies and hearts. Since they have never seen God before and can only “feel” Him within themselves they associate that feeling with energy and conclude that God must therefore be energy and not a person.
Question 5: The
highest idea of God is also the most rational. What is this celestial view of
God in relation to the substances of good and truth? Can you imagine having
this view?
Answer 5:
The Celestial View of God
God as truth from good is the celestial idea of God. This means to love God at the celestial level of thinking and feeling means to love good and truth as God. At this highest level of rational thinking we will calibrate and make distinction in what we love. One should only love that which is good and true.
An example given in the readings is to consider the commandment to “love thy neighbor”. This does not mean just because you are neighbors with someone you must love them no matter what they say or do. Rather from the writings of Swedenborg we know that there is a hidden correspondential meaning. To love thy neighbor corresponds to loving only the good and truth in ones neighbors. We are only to love the good and truth in that particular person because no person, except the Divine Human, is full of only good and truth and we should therefore not love there hells.
We are to love our neighbor’s good and truth because this is God’s good and truth and we must love God’s good and truth for that is what it means to love God.
Can I Live This Way
I think that in some ways I already do live this way. I have many friends and family members that I love for certain things and at the same time do not approve of other things that they do. This is what is meant by loving only their good and truth.
Contrary to that it is hard to apply this when it comes to my children. I feel that I love them unconditionally. I am not sure if this is the same thing because I do not love when they misbehave but that doesn’t mean that I stop loving them. After thinking about it I think my definition of unconditional love is still the same thing as loving only their good and truth and therefore loving God which is in them.
I say unconditional love is the same thing because when I disapprove what they do but love them anyway I am loving the part of them that are good and true. The feeling of disappointment or disapproval to me is not loving them when they are in their hells, but I say I still love them because I am thinking about them when they are in their heavens and are good and truthful.
Question 6: How
does rational consciousness of God differ from sensuous consciousness of God?
What is the role of Sacred Scripture? How would you describe your consciousness
of God? Contrast your consciousness of God with that of a friend or two. How do
they differ, or how are they similar?
Answer 6:
Differences Between Rational Consciousness and
Sensuous Consciousness
The difference between rational consciousness and sensuous consciousness is that rational consciousness of God never depends on direct sensuous experience but only on the understanding of scientific revelations contained in Sacred Scripture as Divine speech. In rational consciousness the spiritual truths or meanings are continually streaming into every person to their upper portion of there rational mind. While conscious in the physical world we are not directly conscious of these rational truths in our spiritual mind, however we can benefit from their presence if we can acquire conscious rational ideas that correspond to them.
On the contrary sensuous consciousness is “sensing oneness with God” or “the experience of God”. This sensing and experiencing are the operations of the corporeal-sensuous portion of the mind. This portion of the mind is very close to the natural order of the physical body, but far from the rational operations in the rational portion of the mind. These orders of operations will reflect physical objects and laws rather than rational spiritual orders of operations.
The Role of Sacred
Scripture
Sacred Scripture plays a role in our level of consciousness in that it contains the facts about God that are needed for us to do in order to be conjoined with Him. It also tells us what we must do to prepare adequately for life in immortality and eternity. When we study Sacred Scripture as Divine Speech our rational mind is elevated to the celestial level of enlightenment by means of higher-order correspondences we acquire for ourselves. As we have explained before this knowledge and facts about God and the afterlife is only contained in the underlying hidden correspondential meanings of Sacred Scripture as Divine Speech.
My Consciousness With God
I have always been conscious of God. Since I was raised in the church I was always taught that God was present in all that we do and controls all that happens in the world around us. At that point in my life I would say that my friends shared the same level of consciousness of God as me. However I would say that after taking this class my level of consciousness has been elevated above that of my friends.
I am now equipped with specific rational and logical explanations of the inner workings of the spiritual world of the afterlife in eternity. I have also be given the instructions on how to rid myself or my inherited hellish traits in order for me to be able to give them up and choose the heaven of my mind after my resuscitation.
Question 7: Explain who is Swedenborg.
Contrast the rational perspective on Swedenborg with the mystical perspective
that some people may have. How do you relate to both of these perspectives?
Answer 7:
Who Was Swedenborg?
Swedenborg was a scientist who was given the opportunity to be conscious in the physical world of time and space as well as in the mental world of eternity outside of time and space. According to the readings on Swedenborg in hindsight he believes that God had been preparing him for this for his whole life. He was an accomplished scientist who was known for his scientifically sound observations and documentations.
He used the observational and scientific skills and applied them to understanding the mental world of eternity and trying to convey this information for others. At this time he wrote the Writings of Swedenborg which was later turned into Theistic Psychology. Other scientist that read his writings of the mental world said that it was valid and consistent with the requirements of a scientific writing, others also that that it was writing with the highest level of rationality and logic.
The Rational
Perspective Contrasted With the Mystical Perspective
When comparing the two views of Swedenborg, mystical and sensuous and rational and scientific, they seem to be almost opposites. The view of Swedenborg from the mystical and sensuous thinkers Swedenborg is called a visionary and what he reports are called visions. They also feel that his communication with sprits is nothing more than mystical oneness with God. There criticisms get harsher saying that he was a genius but at the time he claimed to be present in the two worlds simultaneously he was on the edge of sanity and insanity. The people in this view say that his writings are hard to understand, written in a pedantic theological style, dull, and should not be taken seriously.
As I mentioned earlier this is opposite of what those who are in the rational and scientific perspective. To them Swedenborg is thought of as a revelator and what he reports are scientific revelations. They claim that Swedenborg had the orientation of a rational and empirical scientist doing field work in the spiritual world who described what he could see and hear in the spiritual world in a rational and scientific way. The acknowledge that he was a unique case in history and was granted the ability to be conscious in both worlds at the same time with a task to record the happenings of the mental world of eternity and to reveal the hidden correspondential sense in Sacred Scripture as Divine Speech.
How I Relate To These
Two Perspectives
I can definitely relate to both of these perspectives. When I first started this class I didn’t know what to think of Swedenborg and his claims to being conscious in the afterlife. It was hard to accept that what I have been taught all my life in church was not completely true and to have a teacher sit there and tell you that. However at the same time the information I was presented with was put in a rational and logical was that it was hard to dispute it. The other thing that I found was that it agreed with a majority of the things I was taught in church only it went into deeper detail and was very specific and left nothing up to blind faith. Till this day I cannot come to a firm decision on what perspective I side with. This new knowledge of Theistic Psychology gives me something to think about far beyond my educational means for this class.
Question 8: Google
the concepts “substantive dualism” and the concept of “theism and science”.
Summarize your assessment of this literature indicating how it relates to
theistic psychology.
Answer 8:
What I Found On The Google Search
When I googled the word “substantive dualism” the results that I found were mainly writing by Dr. James or other students of his class. This literature directly relates to Theistic Psychology because it is the basics of theistic psychology as we know it. Another thing that popped up in that search was article on Descartes. It referred to some type of dualism however it does not go into as deep of an explanation as theistic psychology does and is rather vague.
Next I googled “theism and science”. Most of the articles there was some sort of compare and contrast of theism and science; never were they ever discussed as being compatible with each other. One of the more interesting articles I read was on Charles Darwin. It stood out to me because I have always thought of him as being against the belief of God since all of his evolutional theories that we were taught in public schools and in the university system are the theories that are directly against the ideas taught to me by my religion. The article said that he used to be an avid church goer until he got deep into his studies and the laws of the natural world chipped away his belief in God and religion.
How This Relates to
Theistic Psychology
I feel that this relates to theistic psychology because it shows that there is no other publishing that can adequately explain the concepts that Swedenborg explained so rational. I also feel that it pertains to this subject because it shows that other well know scientists of the past were also baffled by the idea of where thoughts and feeling exists and that there is not part in the physical body that can be pin pointed as to where those thoughts and feelings are located. People like Descartes tried hard to describe that there must be some type of dualism but since he was not allowed to be conscious in the mental world of eternity at the same time as being conscious in the physical world he never got the full understanding.
Question for week 10
section 1.3.2 to 1.5
Question 1: Explain
the concept of “discrete layers of substances” in the mental world. What was
the role of correspondences?
Concept of Discrete
Layers of Substances
The concept of discrete layers of substances in an important concept to understand in order to understand theistic psychology at a higher level of rationality. To put it in simple terms it means that in any created object there are discrete layers which are discontinuous and have no connection or medium of transfer. They are forever separated so that nothings can cross between them.
Those layers are arranged like concentric circle around each other. From the outside going inward they are natural substances in time-space-matter, human mental substances of feelings and thoughts, and the uncrate substances of good and truth in eternity that exists in God the Divine Human. This is why it is said that God is in all things created; He is the inmost layer.
Role of
Correspondences
The law of correspondences relates directly to this topic of discrete layers. God creates all things by means of correspondences and He maintains rational order in the universe by allowing only those phenomenon to come into existence which obey the laws of correspondences. The law of correspondences is the means in which divine speech descends through the discrete layers. At each layers it corresponds to something at the higher level.
Question 2: Explain the meaning of “space” in the mental world of eternity. What is there in your own experience that gives you a sense of space in the mental world? What creates this appearance of space when there is none?
Answer 2:
Space In The Mental World Of Eternity
Space in the metal world of
eternity depends on the mental state of the person. One can only be in contact
with other people who share the same mental state as them. Swedenborg often
talked with well known scientist like
This idea of space in the mental world of eternity is much different then that of the physical world of time and space. In our world space is just there, accessible to anyone. If some one wants to go to place all they need to do is drive, walk, or fly there. They do not need to make sure they are in the correct mental state.
Dreams Are Similar to Space in Eternity
When we dream our perception of space is similar to that of space in the mental world of eternity. Out of sight out of mind is a saying that rings true to the mental world of eternity. If we want to see something it is there and when we no longer want to see something it s out of our sight. Also, as you may know from your own dreams you can do anything. If you want to fly over the tallest mountain you can, if you want to create the scariest monster all you do is think it and it is there in your space.
What Creates This Appearance Of Space?
Space in the mental world of eternity does not exist, rather our interaction depends on our thoughts. The illusion of space is there so that we can interact with stimuli in our thought. As I mentioned what is in our “space” is things that we are thinking of consciously and people that are in the same mental states as us too.
Question 3: Define sensations, thoughts, and feelings in
terms of spiritual substances. Explain this concept to a friend or two. What
difficulty do they run into as they try to comprehend this new idea? What is
your conclusion?
Answer 3:
Definitions in Terms of Spiritual Substances
Sensations, thoughts, and feelings are organic mental substances that arise from the continual inflow of the spiritual substance, divine good, that flows from the spiritual sun to the affective organ. Sensations, thoughts, and feelings are made of the mental substance divine good. These mental substances are more real and more permanent then any of the physical substances of the brain. This is so because these thoughts, feelings, and emotions exist in eternity and therefore are eternal as well. It is also the inflowing substance of good into our affective organ which causes our human emotions and feelings which make us immortal too.
Thoughts, feelings, and sensations become yours through identification. One does not need to identify all the feelings, thoughts and emotions in their mind as there own. This is so because there is only one mental world for everyone, therefore, another persons thoughts are in the same place as ones own.
Reactions Of My Friends
When I try to explain this to my friends they show mixed feelings as I did when I first heard this concept. The first obstacle that they have difficulty understanding is that thoughts, feelings and emotions are organic mental substances. They are used to thinking of them as merely something that is experienced but never tangible. It took me a while to explain that these are real in the mental world of eternity; they are more real then physical objects in the physical world of time and space because they exist in eternity and are immortal.
They did however like that this explanation or way of thinking acknowledges that thoughts, feelings, and sensations are something real and not just chemical reactions in the brain. My friend expressed that it was good to find out that there is a scientific explanation to where her thoughts, feelings and sensations exists instead of pretending that they don’t like she has learned in all her other classes.
My Conclusion
My conclusion is that it is hard at the beginning for a person to change what they have always heard, that thoughts, feelings, and sensations are not physical, but instead are real organic mental substances. Once they are able to overcome this first obstacle they feel that the explanation of thoughts, feelings, sensations are better then one they have heard in any of their psychology or science classes. Most people that I have talked too especially like that they are given an explanation of what gives rise to their thoughts, feelings, and sensation. They like being given a description of what they are made of and also being told where they exist.
Question 4: What is your idea of a vacuum as you learned it
from science classes? Describe the encounter between Swedenborg and
Answer 4:
My Idea of A Vacuum
Since I have been taking physics for the past
few years the idea of a vacuum in science is fresh in my head. “Vacuum” refers
to a given space filled with gas at pressures bellow that of the atmosphere’s.
As an example the density of molecules is less then 2.5 x 1019
moles/cm3. Vacuums in our
physics class is used to show how objects behave differently when the
atmospheric pressure is absent. One of the most interesting experiments I saw
using a vacuum id that you can get a cup of water to boil when enough pressure
is released. This same phenomenon can be witnessed when high enough up a
mountain where the pressure us also considerable lower then that here at sea
level.
Swedenborg and
The conversation between
Swedenborg and
Their problem with the idea of nothing as he explained is that when there is the idea of nothing the idea of existence of things also perishes. When the idea of the essence of things perishes, the idea of thought, understanding, affection, love, and of will with en and angels perishes, which things are not given in nothing.
Question 5: Explain
the difference between the concept “God as He is in Himself” vs. the concept
“God as He is outside of Himself”. What’s the importance of making this
distinction?
Answer 5:
Difference Between God in Himself and God
Outside of Himself
All created things are created out of God’s own mental substances of good and truth, these things can never be God, just as our own minds are created by God’s mental substances but we are not God. God the Divine Human created a reciprocal relationship between himself and every member of the human race by creating things outside of Himself using the mental substances from inside Himself.
This means that God created human minds in such a way that they are human at the level of immortal self and personality, but they are not themselves at the level of infrastructure of their self or personality. God is the infrastructure of every created thing. Therefore, we can think about God in two ways, God as He is in Himself and God as He is outside Himself.
God as He is in Himself always has a Divine name in various religions—Jehovah, Allah, God the Father, Creator of the Universe and many others. He in Himself is infinite love; made of only good and truth.
God as He is outside Himself is the infrastructure of all things. The relationship between God and created things is a relationship called conjunction. This process of conjunction is what makes human beings immortal. God is conjoined to our thoughts and feelings as we grow into unique human beings. All our thoughts and feelings, and hence the totality of our self and personality, exists and rests upon the mental infrastructure that is not ones own but God as He is Outside Himself.
The Importance of Separation of God Inside and Outside Himself
I think the importance of defining God as He is inside Himself versus God outside of Himself is because they are two completely different things. As mentioned above God as He is in Himself is the most divine and powerful human being. He is infinite in love and of the mental substances of good and truth. From Him our mental organs receive good and truth which allow us to mental grow. While God as He is outside Himself is still God it is allowed that the created thing which He is in develop their own personality and will. It is the innermost level or infrastructure but heavenly ways need not always be chosen.
If these two were the same then everything would be heavenly and full of an infinite variety of good and truth.
Question 6: Explain the concept of “being consciously
in the Presence of God”. Select a convenient day to practice being continuously
in the presence of the Divine Psychologist. You can do this in various ways as
you see fit.
Answer 6:
Being Consciously In the Presence Of God
God is present in our mind in two was. One way is unconscious to us and is universal, which is the infrastructure of each thought and feeling we experience from birth to eternity (which was talked about in the previous question). God can also be present in our mind in a way that is conscious to us this is also know as human conjunction with God.
Before on is consciously in the presence of God or the Divine Psychologist one is continuously in transition between the heavens and hells of our minds. This up and down pattern is hard on ones mind. However, if one is continuously in the presence of God the Divine Psychologist one will always be in heaven; one cannot fall out of heaven unless one all of a sudden forgets his presence. Theistic psychology provides scientific knowledge of acquiring the skill of staying in the conscious presence of the Divine Psychologist. With these skills the Divine Psychologist will keep you in your heaven no matter what happens in the outside world around you.
My Attempt to Monitor My Consciousness of The Divine Psychologist
When I took the challenge to monitor my thoughts for a day and see for myself how many times I fluctuate from my thoughts being heavenly to hellish I was shocked. I choose to do this experiment on a Monday morning when my days start particularly early. My thoughts started off heavenly as I was trying to be conscious of God the Divine Psychology. I dropped off my children at my mother’s house and started my hour and a half drive in to town and might I mention rush hour traffic.
My thoughts quickly turned hellish as other drivers cut me off and would not allow me to merge almost causing me to miss my cutoff. Just as fast, my mind was back in heaven as I had a 50 minute aerobic workout to start off my morning. Next it was off to my second class of the day. I was still in my heaven as I tried hard to keep God conscious in my mind. That class went by smoothly I was able to keep my mind in heaven the entire time. My next class was not as good. I found out that my teacher still has not graded or returned my exam #2 and we have exam #3 due the day before Thanksgiving. I had to consciously calm down and get myself back into the heaven of my mind.
The rest of my day went similar. It was hard to keep my mind consciously on God and heavenly thoughts. I decided to give it a try the next day and vowed to work even harder. This time I stayed calm and in the heavens of my mind a majority of the day. I found that it gets easier the more you try and am going to try to do this more often.
Question 7: Explain the benefits of studying theistic
psychology. For each item you mention, explain also how you relate to that
particular benefit. Are you planning to continue studying theistic psychology
on your own? Explain your thinking.
Answer 7:
Benefits of Studying Theistic Psychology
The benefits of studying Theistic psychology can be put into three categories; they are enlightenment, empowerment, and ecstasy. There are nine specific benefits that are listed in the reading however I will only pick a few to speak on.
A benefit to studying Theistic Psychology is that we will be able to see every event in our lives as motivated towards a rational and good end or purpose. In theistic psychology God allows only those events to occur which He can use to our spiritual benefit in eternity. I can directly relate to this benefit. My grandfather recently passed away and it was hard for my son to understand why he has to get cancer and eventually get so emancipated that he passed away. From the knowledge I obtained from this class and from my church I tried my best to explain to my four year old that this was for the better and that his “Papa” would now be in eternity and some day he will be able to see and speak to him again.
Another benefit of studying Theistic Psychology is to be able to understand Sacred Scripture in both modes—the literal meaning and the hidden spiritual meaning. When I started this course in studying I thought the only meaning was the literal meaning. It was only form Theistic Psychology that I learned the literal meaning is for one’s religion and our rational understanding of religions in general but more importantly that there is a hidden meaning that is universally applicable and provides scientific knowledge about God, mental anatomy, and the afterlife in eternity.
Another benefit of studying Theistic Psychology is that we will be able to prepare effectively for our life of immortality in eternity. From the hidden sense of Sacred Scripture we are given rational concepts to aid us in our daily lifelong efforts of character reformation. This will help one to rid themselves of their inherited hellish traits so that after recitation they will choose to be in the heavens of their mind where they can be closer in conjunction with God. I can relate to this benefit as I explained in the previous question.
In that question I gave a detailed account of one of my typical days where I tried to keep God conscious in my mind all day and by doing so I was hoping to stay in the heavens of my mind. Even though Theistic Psychology equipped me with the tools it was hard to keep hellish thoughts out of my mind. I am currently consciously working on keeping only heavenly thoughts and feelings in my mind so I can be closer with God.
My Future With
Theistic Psychology
I think that Theistic Psychology will always be part of my life now that I have learned it. I agree with what I have been taught thus far and will continue to use the tools that I learned to better prepare myself for the afterlife in eternity. I do not think that I will actively continue to study theistic psychology for the time being as my time is consumed with college work and raising two young children. However, later in life when I have more time I do see myself looking further into this and also in my current religion.
Question 8: Identify five revelations found in the
literal meaning of the Writings of Swedenborg. Describe each and indicate your
thoughts on it. How does this relate to anything else that you have learned on
these subjects?
Answer 8:
Revelations Found in the Literal Meaning of
the Writings of Swedenborg
The first revelation, found in the literal meanings of the writing of Swedenborg, that I will discuss is that the nature of one’s life in heaven or eternity, and in hell, revealed in great detail through his journeys and conversations in the spiritual world. What this is trying to say is that in most cases one’s life in eternity is not that different, in terms of being in the heaves or hells of their minds, then it is here in the physical world. This is explained when he talks about those who are mainly in the hells of their mind while in the physical world and after resuscitation almost immediately choose to be in the hells of their mind in eternity. He says that there is only so much good that they can handle that they are miserable being in the heavens of their mind. Since they were unable to give up their inherited hells of their mind while in the physical world it stays with them in the mental world of eternity. In that way the nature of their life in the physical world is like their life in the afterworld or eternity.
Another revelation is the methods of regeneration must follow in order to prepare for heavenly life, how we must live our daily lives in orderly obedience to God through religion conscience. Thus we choose heavenly or hellish life in eternity by our cumulative choices which form our permanent inner character as an immortal “spirit”. It also says that people who have good character enter heaven regardless of their religion or belief system. This is one of my favorite revelations. I have always thought that it would not matter the religion, but rather the deeds of the person. I feel that religions are there to help guide people in the right directions.
Another revelation is that the human mind has three rational religions; natural, spiritual, and celestial. This is one of the topics that were heavily covered in our readings. We know that each of these levels are discrete and are only connected through the laws of correspondences. Divine speech travels through these layers and our understanding is based on our consciousness at the time, depending on if we are conscious in our physical mind of time and space or our mental mind outside time and space.
The fourth revelation that I will talk about is that animals are not immortal and their soul dissipated back into the spiritual world. They cannot be immortal because they do not have the upper region of the mind known as the rational level. Animals do not have the freedom of will as humans do and therefore cannot be immortal. The spiritual world of eternity does however contain animals but they are there spiritually created animals and they have spiritual characteristics. When I first learned that there were no animals in eternity I was shocked. Then after I learned why it made sense to me. It was also comforting to hear that we can still see our pets as long as we are thinking about them, when we stop thinking about them then they vanish because they are not immortal.
The final revelation that I will report is that children inherit their parents’ character traits as a character tendency which becomes their own unless they undergo character reformation. Those who do not undergo this character reformation remain inhabitants of the lower regions of the mind in this world and continue on into the afterlife of eternity. This is the same as what we have been discussing when we say that one must rid themselves of their inherited hells and have the freedom to choose to be in the heavens or hells of their mind. I think this is the best part of God’s plan. We are given the opportunity to freely choose our thoughts and feelings whether good or bad; either way someone else did not make the choice for us.
How Does This Relate to What I Have Already
Learned?
This is almost identical to what I have been taught by my church. That is part of the reason why I like it so much. I enjoy knowing that what I have been practicing is going to benefit me in the afterlife of eternity.
Question 9: Google Swedenborg. What is your impression
of the activity around his name? Give examples.
Answer 9:
Impression Of
Activity Around Swedenborg
When I googled Swedenborg the impression that I get from the information the popped up was that there are a lot of people with mixed feelings about his writings. Some of the sights I looked at claim that he was a great scientist who at the end of his life was on the edge of insanity and wrote delusional accounts of the happenings in the afterlife. Others claim that he was a great scientist and was fortunate to be given the ability to be conscious in both worlds at the same time. They say while he was there he took sound scientific observations and from them people on earth can learn a great deal.
Examples
One of the sites that looked on was the Swedenborg Foundation. On this site there were all sorts of books and videos fir sale on the biography of Swedenborg and his writings. Another site I visited was The New Earth Swedenborg BBS. On this site I could find articles on his life, his contributions to science, and also theology and spirituality. In several of the biographies that I read this gives mixed feelings on Swedenborg as I stated earlier. They all explain how he was a great scientist and was known for his observation techniques but when it comes to his work in his later years which was his writings in Theistic Psychology they differ in their perspectives.
The most
interesting site that I found was the
As I explored this site they gave a description of what there religion focuses on. In their own words they are, “a Christian faith with a deeper aspect of the Bible”. They are most likely referring to the fact that they have the tools to find the hidden correspondential sense in the bible and can therefore raise ones level of rational understanding of divine speech.