Procreation, development of fetus, soul and spirit in the human being (chapters Earth and Moon)4/28/2016 Earth and Moon, chap. 50 The influences of the spirits during the procreation of human beings "There is very little difference between the procreation of a human being and that of an animal. The soul of a human being must be completely in existence. This means that she must unite all such substantial specifica as are dispersed throughout the whole universe, and these must be supplied to her from all sides. The soul is such a compendium of complete substantial specifica, a unification of the substantial specifica. The specifica in the soul, however, are mixed, so that it might be said that, before procreation, the soul is a snarl that must be disentangled in order that she may acquire her specified form. This disentanglement begins with the progenitive act, because it is there that the soul‑snarl is placed in the mother’s womb and enveloped. Within this shell or envelope the intelligences that correspond with one another begin to approach and hold onto one another. The spirits provide them with the light in their shell so that they may accomplish this task. The substantial specific intelligences recognize one another in this light, segregate, take hold of one another, and unite. All this occurs at the urgent request of the spirits’ will, which are entrusted with the supervision. These spirits are what you would call “guardian spirits.” Angels and higher angels will also exert their influence. Every human being has at least three guardian spirits, two angels and one higher angel; and above these watches a seventh, Whom you know well. From the moment of procreation, these guardian spirits and angels arrange themselves around the new soul, and care incessantly for the soul’s orderly development. Once the soul, in her shell, has attained human form, the mother’s womb will supply her with the corresponding specifica. The soul employs this specifica to bind her intelligences together more firmly. When it has been accomplished, other specifica flow from the mother’s womb to the place of the new incarnation, and are employed for the formation of the nerves. The nerves are fibers which are seized and used by the soul to cause the body to make any possible movement. As soon as these tasks have been accomplished in both structure and connections, new specifica flow in. The new specifica are placed in order for the formation of the viscera. When the main viscera, with their most important organs, are developed, they are then connected with the main nerves.
With the addition of other specifica, the entire formation of the viscera will be completed. Most of the nerves come together in the head, mainly at the back of the head, where the soul also has her head. This is why the formation of the viscera begins with that of the head. The head is the picture corresponding most to the soul, because the entire intelligence of the soul concentrates itself through particular emanations in the head. And since the intelligence mirrors itself in its most complete form in the eyes, it may be best recognized there. All the emanations of the individual intelligences of the soul flow into the eyes, and therewith form their natural power of sight. And through the power of sight the eyes can form the outer world within themselves[1]. When the soul has completed this development with the assistance of the spirits, she is supplied with new specifica, and these will be employed for the formation of flesh, gristle, muscles, tendons, veins, and bones. Those things which belong together seize one another by themselves. When the spirits do not indicate to the specifica of intelligence the proper path through their wise guidance, the direction as well as the form may be wrong. When a woman who is carrying a child is in Hell with her thoughts and feelings, whither My good spirits and angels cannot follow her, a miscarriage usually results. Therefore, every woman should be urgently requested, while pregnant, to conduct herself as virtuously as possible. Chap. 51. The development of the human fetus When the soul has developed the gristle, muscles, bones, and veins, she attends to the outer extremities by bringing them to completion through the proper application of the specifica that belong to them. Once this has been accomplished, the soul withdraws into the viscera and begins to set the muscles of the heart into motion. Thus the organs first open with their own fluids, which are as clear as water. When this breakthrough has occurred, the soul sets the spleen in motion. This causes the spleen immediately to produce blood, which is conducted into the chambers of the heart, from whence it is driven into the organs. Once the blood has completed its first cycle, the stomach is set into activity and begins to bring the nutritive fluids contained in it to greater fermentation. Through this process the nobler specifica are separated. The coarser, indigestible mucous liquids are expelled through the natural eliminatory canal into the amniotic sac. These are the eliminations of the child already physically alive within the mother. When this fetus has spent three months alive in the mother’s womb, the soul, whose heart has grown quiet and reached a certain firmness, will receive an eternal spirit, placed into her heart with a sevenfold shell by an angel. No one should here entertain the idea that this is a material shell; it is a spiritual one, which is much stronger and more enduring than a material one. Once the spirit has been placed into the heart of the soul – this happens to some children sooner, others later, and, among many, not until three days before birth – then the body matures quickly, and birth will soon occur. When the child is born, the lungs are set in motion. The child begins with every breath to take in a large amount of specifica, which is immediately used for the formation of the nerve spirit and the strengthening of the soul, which means in regard to her formal substantial being. The soul receives her internal nourishment of specifica and intelligence through the senses of the body, and everything is arranged in an orderly manner by the good spirits of this sphere. This explanation clearly discloses to you the spiritual sphere of the first region, and what is contained and occurs therein. A more comprehensive or complete disclosure is not possible, because the spiritual cannot be portrayed with necessary clarity in earthly words. But whoso has the ability to enter into the spirit concerning what has been said here will soon be fully convinced of the truth, and will gain a deeper understanding. Chap. 52 The soul and spirit in a human being The soul is the receptive organ for the countless ideas of the Prime Source, out of which she came forth like a breath. The soul is the carrier of forms, proportions, and practices. All these have been laid down in her in the smallest of envelopes. The proper measure of all of these, comprised in one being, makes up a complete human soul. Since the soul consists of many different particles of intelligence, she is a compound body as such, and therefore may be divided into her parts again. The whole universe is filled with the ideas of the divinity; even in a single monad all can be found – on the smallest of scales, of course. Although the spirit is formless, he is yet the one who produces the forms. In other words, not until the forms are produced may the spirit effectively appear in them. Any force or energy, if it is to appear as a force or energy, must provide itself with a counteracting force. Only as a consequence of this point of support may the force express its effects and bring that power to its representation. Therefore the spirit is like the light that, in itself, continues eternally to be light. But it may not appear observable as light as long as there are no objects which it may illuminate. The light emanates continually and consistently, the sun being the best example of this. But without an object the eye cannot perceive its existence. A moonless night has just as much light emanating from the sun as a moonlit night. But in the first instance the light has no object in the ether, and that is why no one sees it, even though it is present. When, however, the moon, as a body, occupies that place during the night, the sunlight is immediately perceptible, because it strikes the moon and illumines it. You can already recognize the spiritual effect of the light in Nature. On the earth, in the air, and in apparent matter, all forms of existence and development lie motionless together. But as soon as the light appears, the forms that lie together as if dead receive life and assume new forms. Now compare summer with winter, and the light’s spiritual activity will not escape you. Now you know what the spirit actually is: he is the light which produces itself out of its own warmth from eternity to eternity, and warmth is like love, and wisdom is like light[2]. Even when a human being possesses ever so complete a soul but has little or no light at all, he will manifest little or no activity in his soul and also in his body. When, however, light comes into the soul, she becomes active in accordance with the measure of light which is within her. The soul of a feeble‑minded human being is just as complete as the soul of a scholar. But the body of this soul is too plump, and allows only little or no light into the soul. The light spark that is placed in the soul cannot flare up, because it is compressed too much by the firm mass of flesh. The soul of a philosopher, however, lets more light through, for the fleshy matter has become looser through much study, and it does not compress the spiritual flame in one point. This is why little or no activity may be found in the first example. Yet in the second instance the individuum will find little or no rest because of too much activity. Certainly we cannot speak of wisdom when everything becomes light in the soul. Here we can only speak of more or less light. This leads to the conclusion that, without spirit or light, everything is dead, while in the light everything can ardently and effectively develop and perfect itself. Light in itself has no form, but it creates the forms, and as it forms them it works in them. The forms may be separate or connected, and new forms may be created in great variety. The light cannot be separated; instead it penetrates everything that is capable of receiving light. That which is not capable of receiving light remains within itself dark and dead. " [1] the process of representation… [2] Swedenborg – exact cf.
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