In Service of Spirit: Leveraging the Power of our

Bodies

Using a knowledge of correspondences to support us in our

efforts to live a spiritual life

And the LORD said to [Moses], "What is that in your hand?"

And he said, "A rod.“

And He said, "Cast it on the ground."

And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent.

And Moses fled from it.

Then the LORD said to

Moses, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail."

And he reached out

his hand and caught it, and it became

a rod in his hand.

It’s all about bringing outer things

into harmony with inner things

What are “outer things”?

… “inner things”?

Four loves

Love to the LordSpiritual

loves

Natural loves Love of self

Love to the neighbor

Love of the world

AC 5651:3Regeneration is nothing else than that the natural [self] be subjugated, and the spiritual [self] obtain the dominion. And the natural [self] is subjugated when it is reduced to correspondence.

AC 5651:3When the natural has been reduced to correspondence, it does not react any more, but acts as it is commanded, and obeys the spiritual.

AC 911With the regenerate person outer things correspond to inner ones, that is, they conform and are subservient to them. Outer things are rendered subservient when a person is being regenerated. At that point he becomes an image of heaven.

(→)

AC 911But before he has been regenerated outer things have dominion over inner ones, and during that time he is an image of hell.

• corresponds to (is respon-sive to) the inner self

• conforms • obeys /acts as commanded• is rendered subservient• is subjugated

(sub-jugo)(under-yoke)

Before Regenerationthe Outer Self:

• Is unresponsive to the inner self

• fails to conform• disobeys• reacts against• has dominion/ has its

way

After Regenerationthe Outer Self:

What is something “outer” in your life—which (sometimes) has

dominion over something “inner” that you aspire to—that you would

like to become subservient?

The power of acting in correspondence

AC 8615.3Correspondences have all power, insomuch that what is done on earth according to correspondences has force in heaven, because correspondences are from a Divine origin.

AC 3632Divine order, and the heavenly order derived from it, are not terminated except in a person in the natural world, in what is of his body, namely, in his gestures, actions, looks, speech, external sensations, and their delights. These are the extreme aspects of order, and the extreme limits of influx.

AE 475.21Heaven is joined to a person when the person is in ultimates, that is, in such things as are in the world in regard to his natural self, while he is in such things as are in heaven in regard to his spiritual self. In no other way is conjunction [with heaven] possible.

Bringing our body into correspondence

Keys to working with our bodyNoticing…• what delights we are feeling

Keys to working with our bodyNoticing…

• what delights we are feeling• our body posture– e.g. signs of cold

Keys to working with our bodyNoticing… • what delights we are feeling• our body posture– e.g. signs of cold

• where our heads are turned and what we are looking at– response to evil spirits in other life (SE 5068)

Keys to working with our bodyNoticing…

• what delights we are feeling• our body posture– e.g. signs of cold

• where our heads are turned and what we are looking at– response to evil spirits in other life (SE 5068)

• our breathing (also pulse, sweating, saliva-production, etc.)

Keys to working with our bodyIntentionally re-positioning …

• our body posture– e.g. in worship

Keys to working with our bodyIntentionally re-positioning …

• our body posture– e.g. in worship

• our heads and gaze– e.g. face to face (communication & conjunction)

Keys to working with our bodyIntentionally re-positioning …

• our body posture– e.g. in worship

• our heads and gaze– e.g. face to face (communication & conjunction)

• our breathing

Keys to working with our bodyIntentionally re-positioning …

• our body posture– e.g. in worship

• our heads and gaze– e.g. face to face (communication & conjunction)

• our breathing• the tone of our voices

Keys to working with our bodyIntentionally practicing …

• appropriate touch– e.g. summoning spiritual purpose when we touch– e.g. am I being an instrument to convey good to

the other or am I serving myself? (AC 4215)

AC 4215:1-4

… because outer acts [of the body] correspond, they are signs of inner things, and in them as signs there is an inner element from which they take their character. Moreover, with those who desire to counterfeit inner things by means of outer ones, such outer acts are also signs, but signs of simulation, hypocrisy, and deceit. (→)

AC 4215:1-4

Such is the case with kissing. By kissing every one wishes to signify that he loves another from the heart. For he knows that the act of kissing comes from such love, and is a mark of a joining from affection. And by it he desire to persuade his neighbor that he loves him for the sake of the good that is in him—when in fact it may be for his own sake, and for his own honor and gain, and thus not for the sake of good, but of evil. (→)

AC 4215:1-4

For he who regards himself as the end, and not as an intermediate end to good, and who desires to be conjoined to another as to that [selfish] end, is in evil.

Keys to working with our bodyIntentionally practicing …• appropriate touch– e.g. summoning spiritual purpose when we touch– e.g. am I being an instrument to convey good to

the other or am I serving myself? (AC 4215)• civil behaviors– e.g. greeting, acts of courtesy

Keys to working with our bodyIntentionally practicing …• appropriate touch– e.g. summoning spiritual purpose when we touch– e.g. am I being an instrument to convey good to

the other or am I serving myself? (AC 4215)• civil behaviors– e.g. greeting, acts of courtesy

• actually moving our body to serve!

What is one area that you would like to work on to bring your

habitual behaviour into greater correspondence with your

better self?

And the LORD said to [Moses], "What is that in your hand?"

And he said, "A rod.“

And He said, "Cast it on the ground."

And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent.

And Moses fled from it.

Then the LORD said to

Moses, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail."

And he reached out

his hand and caught it, and it became

a rod in his hand.