§196 space 101
c. Places and spaces are presented to view in response to the inner states of angels and spirits: 5604
[ 5605 ], 9440 , 10146.
do not have distances; and if they do not have distances, they do not
have space. Instead they have states and their changes.
This being the nature of motion, we can see that drawing near is like- 193
ness of inner state and moving away is dissimilarity. This is why the peo-
ple who are nearby are the ones in a similar state and the ones who are far
away are in dissimilar states. It is why space in heaven is nothing but the
outward states that correspond to the inner ones.
This is the only reason the heavens are differentiated from each other,
as are the communities of each heaven and the individuals in each com-
munity. It is also why the hells are completely separate from the heavens:
they are in an opposite state.
This is also why in the spiritual world one individual is present to 194
another if only that presence is intensely desired. This is because one per-
son sees another in thought in this way and identifi es with that individu-
al’s state. Conversely, one person moves away from another to the extent
that there is any sense of reluctance; and since all reluctance comes from
an opposition of affections and disagreement of thoughts, there can be
many people appearing together in one place as long as they agree, but as
soon as they disagree, they vanish.
Whenever people move from one place to another, whether it is 195
within their town, in their courtyards, in their gardens, or to people out-
side their own community, they get there more quickly if they are eager
to and more slowly if they are not. The path itself is lengthened or short-
ened depending on their desire, even though it is the same path. I have
often seen this, much to my surprise.
We can see from all this again that distance and space itself depend
wholly on the inner state of angels;c and since this is the case, no notion
or concept of space can enter their minds even though they have space
just the way we do in our world.
We can illustrate this by our own thoughts, which are also devoid of 196
space; for whatever we focus on intently in our thought is seemingly
present. Then too, anyone who refl ects on it realizes that our eyesight
registers space only through the intermediate objects on earth that we see
at the same time, or from our knowing from experience that things are a
certain distance away. This is because we are dealing with a continuum,
and in a continuum there is no apparent distance except by means of