As I have mentioned several times before [§§ 34 , 42 , 69 , 147 , 186 ,
296 ], the human mind is divided into three regions. From our highest
region we focus on God; from our second or middle region we focus on
the world; and from our third or lowest region we focus on ourselves.
Because our mind has this structure, it can be lifted up or can lift itself
up to focus on God and heaven; it can be spread out or spread itself out
in every direction to focus on the world and its nature; and it can be low-
ered down or can lower itself down to focus on the earth and hell. In
these respects physical sight emulates mental sight—physical sight too
can look up, around, and down.
[ 2 ] The human mind is like a three-story house with stairs that pro-
vide transitions between levels. There are angels from heaven living on
the top floor, people of the world on the middle floor, and demons on
the bottom floor. People for whom these three categories of love have
been prioritized in the right way can go up or down whenever they want.
When they go up to the top floor, they are like angels among the angels
there. When they go down to the middle floor, they are like angelic peo-
ple with the people there. When they go even farther down, they are like
worldly people with the demons there—they give the demons instruc-
tions, confront them, and tame them.
[ 3 ] When these three categories of love are properly prioritized in us,
they are also coordinated in such a way that the highest love, our love for
heaven, is present in the second love, our love for the world, and through
that in the third or lowest love, our love for ourselves. In fact, the love
that is inside steers the love that is outside wherever it wants. Therefore if
a love for heaven is present in our love for the world and through that in
our love for ourselves, with each type of love we accomplish useful things
that are inspired by the God of heaven.
In operation these three loves function like the will, the intellect, and
action: the will flows into the intellect, where it finds the means of pro-
ducing action. There will be more on these last points in the next part of
the discussion [§§ 403 – 405 ], which shows that if these three loves are pri-
oritized in the right way, they improve us, but if they are not prioritized
in the right way, they damage us and turn us upside down.396 To present the points that follow in this chapter in such a way that
they can be seen clearly (not to mention the points in chapters to follow
on free choice [§§ 463 – 508 ], reformation and regeneration [§§ 571 – 625 ],
and so on), I first need to present some points on the will and the intellect;