Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8734

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8734. Spirits' speech generally is composed of ideas constituting thought which pass into words according to their fullness and the affection for them. And since the entire idea of something is in that way presented and conveyed, spirits can express more within a minute than a person in the world can within an hour; and every idea of something, as it exists in their thought, is introduced fully into another's thought. This has demonstrated to me what the unity of minds or spiritual togetherness is, known as charity or mutual love; that is to say, this unity exists when the mind of one person presents itself in the mind of another with all the good present in its thought and will towards that other, and thereby stirs his affection; and vice versa. And conversely it has demonstrated what spiritual division is, known as enmity and hatred, that it is the mind of one presenting itself in the mind of another with the thought and desire to destroy him, which leads to rejection.


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