there are four
quarters, which are called east, west, south, and north. In the natural
world, these four quarters are constant, determined by the sun on the
meridian; opposite this is north, on one side is east, on the other, west.
These quarters are determined by the meridian of each place; for the sun's
station on the meridian at each point is always the same, and is therefore
fixed. In the spiritual world it is different. The quarters there are
determined by the sun of that world, which appears constantly in its own
place, and where it appears is the east; consequently the determination
of the quarters in that world is not from the south, as in the natural
world, but from the east, opposite to this is west, on one side is south,
and on the other, north. But that these quarters are not determined by
the sun, but by the inhabitants of that world, who are angels and spirits,
will be seen in what follows.

121. As these quarters, by virtue of their origin, which is the Lord as
a sun, are spiritual, so the dwelling-places of angels and spirits, all
of which are according to these quarters, are also spiritual. They are
spiritual, because angels and spirits have their places of abode according
to their reception of love and wisdom from the Lord. Those in a higher
degree of love dwell in the east; those in a lower degree of love in the
west; those in a higher degree of wisdom, in the south; and those in a
lower degree of wisdom, in the north. From this it is that, in the Word,
by "the east," in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, and in a relative
sense love to Him; by the "west," a diminishing love to Him; by the "south"
wisdom in light; and by the "north" wisdom in shade; or similar things
relatively to the state of those who are treated of.

122. Since the east is the point from which all quarters in the spiritual
world are determined, and by the east, in the highest sense, is meant the
Lord, and also Divine Love, it is evident that the source from which all
things are, is the Lord and love to Him, and that one is remote from the
Lord in the measure in which he is not in that love, and dwells either in
the west, or in the south, or in the north, at distances corresponding to
the reception of love.

123. Since the Lord as a sun is constantly in the east, the ancients,
with whom all things of worship were representative of spiritual things,
turned their faces to the east in their devotions; and that they might do
the li