The Doctrines of the New Church Briefly Explained/Chapter26
XXVI.—Spiritual Spheres.
The doctrine of mental or spiritual spheres was unknown to the first Christian Church. And to the great majority of Christians even in our own day, it is entirely new. But nearly every one recognizes its truth as soon as it is clearly stated; yet not until it is thoughtfully pondered, can we expect one to see how important it is in a practical point of view.
It is easy to believe that there are particles too small for the eye to discern even by the aid of the most powerful microscope, constantly emanating from all material objects, and forming around each a kind of atmosphere which, in its essential nature, is similar to the object itself. This atmosphere is generally too refined and subtle to be detected by the senses; yet its existence round about thousands of objects, often manifests itself to the sense of smell; and in a dog this sense is so acute that he can scent his master's sphere in the print of his shoes, and distinguish his tracks from all others many hours after they were made. The perfume of the lily or the rose, is but the extension of the flower's own substance—the radiation or emanation of its own essence in the most subtile form. And so of all other objects that diffuse an odor, grateful or otherwise.
From the analogies of nature, therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that souls also have their encompassing spheres; and that these must be spiritual, and of the same quality in every case as the souls whence they emanate. We should expect that every mind would have an encompassing atmosphere similar in its essential nature to the mind itself; that thought, true or false—affection, good or evil—would have extension, and exert an unconscious influence upon other minds, healthful or baleful according to its own nature. We should expect that every heart would constantly carry with it its own sphere—a sphere more penetrating and powerful, especially in its effect on the young and persons oftenest within its reach, than any oral or written instruction. We should expect, therefore, that there would be spheres of selfishness, hatred, conceit, pride, jealousy, avarice, contempt and revenge; spheres of doubt, fear, anxiety, melancholy, discouragement and despair; also spheres of an opposite character—spheres of love, joy, peace, humility, reverence, resignation and confiding trust; and that the particular character or quality of the spiritual sphere emanating from and encompassing each individual, would be in all cases according to the character of that individual—not according to his words or outward actions, unless these were in agreement with his internal feelings and purposes. The spiritual sphere being the unavoidable and unconscious outgoing of the individual's inner and real life, should be—must be—of precisely the same nature as that life; heavenly or hellish (in varying degrees) according as the life's love is angelic or infernal.
And any one of much spiritual discernment, or who is at all susceptible to the influence of mental spheres, if he has ever been long in the immediate presence of very saintly or very vile persons, knows from personal experience that what we have here spoken of as altogether reasonable, is actually true. In the humble cabin or poorly furnished chamber of some saintly soul, how many have often felt a sweet and heavenly peace as perceptibly as he ever smelled the perfume of clover-blossoms or new-made hay!—an experience inexplicable upon any other theory than that of the existence of spiritual spheres. Accordingly Swedenborg says:
"In the spiritual world the will or love of every one constitutes the whole man; and a sphere of life thence proceeds from him as an exhalation or vapor, and encompasses him, and makes as it were himself around him; like the effluvium encompassing vegetables in the world, which is also made sensible at a distance by odors; like that also encompassing beasts, of which a sagacious dog is exquisitely sensible." (A. C. 10,130.)
"Man does not know that a certain spiritual sphere encompasses him according to the life of his affection, which sphere is more perceptible to the angels than a sphere of odor is to the most exquisite sense in the world. If his life has been in external things alone, viz., in pleasures derived from hatred against his neighbor, from revenge and consequent cruelty, from adultery, self-exaltation and the consequent contempt of others, from clandestine rapine, avarice, deceit, luxury and the like, the spiritual sphere which encompasses him is as foul and offensive as is the sphere of odor in the world arising from dead bodies, dunghills, stinking filth, and the like. The man who had led such a life, carries this sphere along with him after death; and because he is entirely in that sphere, he cannot be anywhere but in hell where such spheres exist.
"But they who are in internal things, viz., who have had delight in benevolence and charity toward their neighbor, and especially who have found blessedness in love to the Lord, are encompassed with a grateful and pleasant sphere which is essentially celestial; on which account they are in heaven. The spheres which are perceived in the other life, all arise from the loves and consequent affections in which the spirits had been principled, consequently from the life; for loves and consequent affections make the very life itself. And since they arise from loves and consequent affections, they arise from the intentions and ends for the sake of which man so wills and acts. For every one has for an end what he loves; therefore ends determine a man's life, and constitute its quality. Hence especially is his sphere." (A. C. 4464.)
The same illumined author further says, that in the other world these spiritual spheres sometimes manifest themselves as odors—offensive or fragrant, according to the nature of the sphere; "for odors correspond to spheres." The sphere of those who have acted the part of hypocrites so habitually that they have contracted a hypocritical nature, "when changed into an odor, is like the stench of vomit," this being the correspondence of such a sphere. And the sphere of those who have lived in hatred, revenge and cruelty, "when changed into an odor, has the stench of a putrid carcass." While "such as have been immersed in sordid avarice, give forth a stench like that of mice." But when the spheres of saintly souls—such as have lived in charity and faith—"are perceived as odors, they are most delightful; the odors are sweet and delicious like those of flowers and spices of divers kinds, with an indefinite variety." (A. C. 1514, 1519.)
Now, let this doctrine concerning spiritual spheres be cordially accepted, and it is plain that its practical tendency and legitimate effect upon the receiver must be most salutary. It shows the parent and guardian and teacher and all who have the shaping of other minds, that it is not so much what they seem or say or do, as what they are—not what they are outwardly but what they are inwardly—not so much their oral instruction, wise or otherwise, as the vital currents of thought and feeling perpetually flowing forth from their innermost and ruling love, that moulds the character of those under their charge. Their own spiritual sphere—the unconscious but resistless influence of their cherished thoughts and purposes—this, as a formative and educatory power, is vastly more potent than any instruction by word or printed page. It is this spiritual atmosphere, extensive and far-reaching enough to encompass a multitude of younger and feebler minds, that the souls of our children are inhaling continually—day by day and hour by hour. How important, then, that this atmosphere be pure and sweet—as the breath of heaven fresh wafted from the throne of God!