igence and
wisdom. But the communication of one heaven with another is
different, that is, of the third or inmost with the second or middle,
and of this with the first or outmost. But the communication between
the heavens should not be called communication but influx. About this
something shall now be said. That there are three heavens distinct
from each other can be seen above in its own chapter (n. 29-40).

207. That between one heaven and another there is influx but not
communication can be seen from their relative position. The third or
inmost heaven is above, the second or middle heaven is below, and the
first or outmost heaven is still lower. There is a like arrangement
in all the societies in each heaven, for example, some dwell on
elevated places that appear like mountains (n. 188); on the top of
which those of the inmost heaven dwell; below these are the societies
of the second heaven, below these again the societies of the outmost
heaven. The same is true every where, both in elevated places and in
those not elevated. A society of a higher heaven has no communication
with a society of a lower except by correspondences (see above,
n. 100); and communication by correspondences is what is called influx.

208. One heaven is joined with another, or a society of one heaven
with the society of another, by the Lord alone, both by direct and by
mediate influx, directly from Himself, and mediately through the
higher heavens in order into the lower.{1} As the conjunction of the
heavens by this inflowing is from the Lord alone there is a most
careful precaution against any angel of a higher heaven looking down
into a society of a lower heaven and talking with any one there; for
the angel is thus immediately deprived of his intelligence and
wisdom. The reason of this also shall be told. As there are three
degrees of heaven, so each angel has three degrees of life, those in
the inmost heaven having the third or inmost degree open, while the
second and first degrees are closed; those in the middle heaven have
the second degree opened and the first and third closed; and those in
the lowest heaven have the first degree opened and the second and
third closed. Consequently, as soon as an angel of the third heaven
looks down into a society of the second heaven and talks with any one
there his third degree is at once closed; and as his wisdom resides
in that degree, if that is closed he is deprived of his wisdom, for
he has