322. That the universe of the spiritual world resembles in an image the human being can be plainly seen from the fact that all the phenomena just enumerated in no. 321 vividly appear and take form around an angel and around angelic societies as effects seemingly produced or created by them - effects that remain around them and do not go away. Their being effects seemingly produced or created by them follows from the fact that when an angel leaves, or when a society transfers elsewhere, the phenomena no longer appear. Moreover, when other angels come in their stead, the appearance of all their surroundings changes. Parks change in respect to the trees and fruits they contain. Flower gardens change in respect to the kinds of roses and seeds found in them. Fields change as well in respect to their herbs and grasses, and the species of animals and birds change, too.
[2] These phenomena take form and change as described because they all exist in accordance with the affections and consequent thoughts of the angels. For they are correspondent forms. And because forms that correspond accord with that to which they correspond, therefore they are a representative image of it.
This image is not apparent when any of these phenomena are viewed in terms of their forms, but it is seen when they are viewed in terms of their uses.
I have been given to see that when angels have their eyes opened by the Lord and view these phenomena from the perspective of their corresponding uses, they recognize and see themselves in them.
