169. I was brought into a state where my physical senses were rendered insensible, that is, into the state almost of people who are dying, but with my interior life, together with my ability to think, remaining intact. This was done so that I might perceive and retain in the memory what happens to people who have died and are being awakened, with enough breathing to support life, and after that with a soundless breathing. ¹

Imibhalo yaphansi:

6008. 'And Joseph will put his hand on your eyes means that the internal celestial will impart life to it. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal celestial, dealt with in 5869, 5877; and from the meaning of 'putting a hand on the eyes' as imparting life. For 'putting a hand on the eyes' is used to mean that the external or bodily senses will be closed and the internal senses opened, thus that a raising up will be effected and life will thereby be imparted. A hand was placed on people's eyes when they were dying because 'death' meant an awakening into life, 3498, 3505, 4618, 4621. For when a person dies he does not really die; he merely lays aside the body that has served him for his use in the world and passes into the next life in a body which serves him for his use there.