We probably all have a general idea of what affections are. Still, it's helpful to focus on them directly, to develop an understanding of the role they play in our spiritual development.

An affection is a response to something that affects you, that has a mental and spiritual effect on you. Each one of us has a whole unique collection of affections that makes us what we are. The stronger ones of these we can call loves. I can say that I love my grandchildren, and when I think of each one, it affects me in a different way. I also have an affection for strawberries, but the ranking of that affection is far lower than an affection for a grandchild! What is inmost in a person, the mind or spirit that will live onward in the spiritual world, is this collection of loves.

This love can be thought of as a tree, a single thing, but one with many branches and very many small twigs at the ends. All these twigs may be thought of as affections, or "continuations of love" (Arcana Coelestia 3938), the love that is the complete tree. Each affection, or twig, is singular and different, but they are all connected to form the tree. (When trees are mentioned in the Word, some general human characterization or type of love is what is represented. See Judges, 9:7-20.)

Affections can be attached to physical things or mental ones, but the affection itself is spiritual. You can have affection for a piece of furniture, because it is well proportioned and beautiful, or because you built it yourself, or because it belonged to your grandmother and the bottom drawer was where she kept special toys for you. On a higher plane you can have an affection for truth. When you hear something or read something that clicks in your mind and makes you see clearly something that you had been wondering about, you have a feeling of delight because now you understand. But regardless of the plane they are on you can see that everyone has countless affections of all sorts, and if you contemplate your own you can see that you, the real you, is the total of all them, but that some are more powerful than others, more important to you.

We all usually have evil affections as well as good. We can want revenge on people who have hurt us, we can want more things just to have them, we can want our own way regardless of who we hurt. If we think about our affections and which ones are more powerful than others we can be warned about who we are and so have motivation to change for the better.

One of the things that makes human beings somewhat unique is that we can try to change our natures. We start out with a mixture of affections - some evil, and some good. If we're lucky, our parents and friends help to encourage the good ones, and quash the bad ones. As we mature, we start to take responsibility, and make more of our own choices. We can see things in ourselves that we don't like, and try to build habits that lead away from the destructive loves, and towards good ones.

If our own blend of affections is primarily steered by loving the Lord, and loving our neighbor, we're on the road to heaven. If it's primarily steered by a love of ourselves, we're not on a good road, and we need to change direction.

(Riferimenti: Arcana Coelestia 1016 [3], 1895, 2363)

1016. 'Swarm over the earth and multiply in it' means increases in good and truth in the external man, which man is 'the earth' - 'swarming' having reference to goods, and 'multiplying' to truths. This is clear from what has just been stated, and also from the meaning of 'the earth' as the external man. For these matters, see what has been stated and shown at verse 1 of this chapter, in 983.

[2] The expressions 'swarm over the earth' and so 'multiply in it' are used for the following reason: With a regenerate person nothing multiplies in his external man, that is, no good or truth at all is ever increased, unless it is the product of charity. Charity is like the warmth in springtime or summer that causes grass, plants, and trees to grow. Without charity, or spiritual warmth, nothing grows, and this is why the first expression used here is 'swarm over the earth' which has reference to goods that flow from charity, by means of which good and truth are multiplied. Anyone may grasp how this is so; nothing with a person grows and multiplies unless some affection is there. The delight that is part of the affection not only causes something to take root, but also causes it to grow. Everything depends on the influence of the affection.

[3] That which a person loves he freely takes in, retains, and treasures - and so everything that supports some affection. Those which do not support it he has no interest in, regards as worthless, in fact rejects. But the character of the affection determines that of the multiplication. With somebody who is regenerate it is an affection for good and truth deriving from charity given by the Lord. Consequently whatever supports an affection deriving from charity he takes in, retains, and treasures, and so strengthens himself in goods and truths. This is what is meant by 'swarm over the earth and multiply'.