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The other aspect of the Lord’s
inflowing life enters into the mind
through the medium of the spiritual
world, that is, through heaven, the
world of spirits, and hell. This is called
“mediate influx” because it flows
through the medium of angels and
spirits in the spiritual world. It enters
the other hemisphere of the brain,
called the cerebrum. This is what
gives us the ability to enjoy conscious
thoughts and affections.
So we ask again, where do our
thoughts come from? They come to us
from the spiritual world, and although
we are unaware of it we are always in
communion with either angels or spirits of some other quality.
All of our thoughts have a basis in this world of time and space. We see
trees, lakes, flowers, buildings, people, and all the physical objects around us.
But the ability to interpret these images into meaningful concepts of thought
comes by virtue of this mediate influx of the Lord’s life flowing into our minds
through the spiritual world.
The senses of the body simply serve to bring images into the mind from
the world around us, but it is the influx of life from the Lord passing through
the spiritual world into the cerebrum that provides for our ability to formulate
thoughts and perceive their quality.
So we can rightly say that the human mind is actually in communion
with two worlds. The human mind is the meeting ground where influences
from the spiritual world and the natural world meet and come together, giving
rise to our thoughts and affections. But we are not consciously aware of the
spiritual association that is taking place as we experience the thoughts that
come into our mind.
As we all know from experience, however, the thoughts we entertain can
be either good or evil. The Lord has created us to be free beings, and the only
freedom we truly have lies in the choice we make between good or evil. The
Word of the Lord provides a clear distinction between the two. It provides
us with the knowledge of truth which, if we choose to follow it, will lead to a
good and truly fulfilling experience of life. By following the leading of truth
advocated in the Word our thoughts are brought into consociation with the
angels of heaven. But if we choose the contrary course we fall into communion
with the evil spirits of hell.
Where do our thoughts
come from? They come
to us from the spiritual
world, and although
we are unaware of
it we are always in
communion with either
angels or spirits of
some other quality.
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