255. About the very inward Realm, and about Cherubs

When I was brought into thoughts about how the very inward and innermost angels influence human minds, and was reflecting that they do so in an imperceptible manner, being in the realm of the very beginning points of human thought, consequently in a like realm of mental imagery or depiction, which is imperceptible (such an imperceptibility must be the plane proper to thoughts) - while I was pondering on these matters, then I was given from the mercy of God the Messiah to sense a gentle kind of turning motion overhead, into which I later even seemed to be raised up, or which enfolded my thoughts. At the first sensation, when I was not yet in it, it was like the turning motion of a soft cloud settling down, and it was said that this can be called "the Cherubs," to whom "wheels" are ascribed [Ezekiel 1:9, 10] on account of that turning motion. After this, that field encompassed me, and I experienced a great calmness. The last heaven, in which I had been previously, was below me, and in fact, at my feet and below the feet. There I heard someone speaking, but as if out of the lowest place, complaining that I had been raised up away from them, and that therefore he did not want to live.

When I was later thinking about the very inward realm, which must as yet be called strictly "cherubic" and in which realm I am while writing these things, I am able to understand not only why wheels, but also why four faces, were ascribed to them [Ezekiel 1:10], i.e. "of a lion, of a man, of an eagle" - namely: "that of a lion," because of its strength [extending] into the lower realm, or last heaven, for it holds that in proper order, otherwise it would fall to pieces; "the face of a human," because the very inward person, to which this realm properly relates, is "human" - the kind of thought we have pertains merely to the inward person, which in turn is governed by the very inward realm [see 241:4]); "the face of an eagle," because it rises up high above the realm in which our perception or sense-based understanding lies. "The face of an ox" is omitted, and afterwards by Ezekiel "the face of a cherub" is named in the first place [10:14], because then he understood that it was the cherub to whom three faces were being ascribed. 1747, the 20th day of November (old calendar).

242. It is a spiritual paradox that in human beings, especially in their inner parts, there is nothing but a fluid stream, like the spirit outside of the person

It cannot but seem paradoxical to everyone that in the most minute human fibres, there is nothing solid, or fixed together, and thus at rest; for if it were fixed together, or thereby standing still, it would be exceedingly breakable and would most quickly perish, because not attachable to anything. But in the inner regions, not even the least part of a part of a part, even unto the more and the most inward spiritual substances, is at rest, but they are most fluid, as in spirits and angels.

Only physical elements can be said to be fixed together - but not in the way that the fallacy of sight and touch leads one to believe: for the less something is concretized or approaches solidity, the more durable it is. This is apparent from many examples, as in old age, when the parts begin to harden and become more solid - thus to all appearances, more firm - whereas they are then more fragile, and more susceptible to deterioration.

From these considerations it therefore follows that man is a spirit, also while living in the body, and that the coherence of the individual parts depends upon their being yielding, and thus upon their being at the disposal of very inward and most inward elements, and through both of these, of God the Messiah. 1747, the 6th day of November (old calendar).