ds; for
thought is man's internal sight, and resembles the external sight in
this, that to whatever point it is directed or aimed, thither it
turns and there it rests. Therefore when the internal sight or the
thought is turned towards the world and rests there, the thought in
consequence becomes worldly; when it turns to self and self-honor it
becomes corporeal; but when it is turned heavenwards it becomes
heavenly. So, too, when turned heavenwards it is elevated; but when
turned selfward it is drawn down from heaven and immersed in what is
corporeal; and when turned towards the world it is also turned
down-wards from heaven, and is spent upon those objects that are
presented to the natural sight. [2] Man's love is what constitutes
his intention and determines his internal sight or thought to its
objects; thus the love of self fixes it upon self and its objects,
the love of the world upon worldly objects, and the love of heaven
upon heavenly objects; and when the love is known the state of the
interiors which constitute the mind can be known, that is, the
interiors of one who loves heaven are raised towards heaven and are
opened above; while the interiors of one who loves the world or who
loves himself are closed above and are opened outwardly. From this
the conclusion follows that when the higher regions of the mind are
closed above, man can no longer see the objects pertaining to heaven
and the church, but those objects are in thick darkness to him; and
what is in thick darkness is either denied or not understood. And
this is why those that love themselves and the world above all things
since the higher regions of their minds are closed, in heart deny
Divine truths; and if from their memory they say anything about them
they nevertheless do not understand them. Moreover, they regard them
in the same way as they regard worldly and corporeal things. And
being such they are able to direct the mind to those things only that
enter through the senses of the body, and in these alone do they find
delight. Among these are also many things that are filthy, obscene,
profane and wicked; and these cannot be removed, because into the
minds of such no influx from heaven is possible, since their minds,
as just now said, are closed above. [3] Man's intention, by which his
internal sight or thought is determined, is his will; for what a man
wills he intends, and what he intends he thinks. Therefore when his
intention is heavenward his t