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Heavenly Secrets Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia (Heavenly Secrets))

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In Arcana Coelestia (twelve volumes), a divinely-inspired Swedenborg lays out the meaning of the Books of Genesis and Exodus. Through correspondences, the meaning of each chapter, each verse, and each word are explained. Additionally, there are descriptions of resurection and awaking in the spiritual world after death, life after death, and a host of other inter-chapter discussions.

Swedenborg shows that the Bible has a external or natural sense (the stories) and an internal or spiritual sense (the inner meaning). The spiritual sense of the Books of Genesis and Exodus teaches of the development of the human mind and the regeneration of humans.

For example, the spiritual sense of the first chapter of Genesis (the creation story) provides an overview of the regeneration of a person. Specifically, it discusses how God leads us, how we adopt truths and cause those truths to lead us, how those truths are used by God to accomplish good, etc. (Swedenborg claims that the first eight chapters of Genesis are not historically true, but parables told by people to convey the message of the internal sense.)

These twelve volumes are still in print world wide in an amazing array of languages. A new translation (from the original latin) was recently completed. (amazon.com can obtain these books through the Swedenborg Society in New York or the Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, PA, USA.)

The truly astounding thing to me about the Arcana Coelestia is that it tells about the life of Christ--His inner temptations and growth--things we don't learn about in the Bible. So while it gives new light to the Old Testament, it also adds to the New Testament and knowledge about Christ. It is fascinating and inspiring!

~~~Many a people are attracted to Kabbalah, regardless of their associations with Torah, possession of Jewish mindsets, and recognition of hierarchy in every kind of knowledge. Direct involvement with Kabbalah, whilst lacking this awareness, can be tragic, both mentally and physically. Putting aside the debate of religions herewith, for example, do you jump to "Pulse Rejuvenating", "Marrow Cleansing" Practise without slightest foundation of Taoism ? Do you jump to Personal Deity~~ Dharma~~ not knowing general Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism ?
It is great that Dr. Rav Berg provided us with "Kabbalah for the Layman" Volumes. The volumes, in my opinion, serve to extract the worldly applications from mystical orientations.

For the seekers who are looking at spiritual ponders outside the vesper bell, Heavenly Secrets (12 volumes in total) is a set of revealed commentary on Genesis and Exodus. Profuse hidden meanings of the open sentence compositions are explained. Again~~ we~~ wish not debate the source of author Emmanuel Swedenborg's revelations, I merely wish to introduce and share with patrons the deep and profound meanings, in New Thought perspective, of the first two books of the Testament.

The volumes request commitment and as well judgment, yet we, as "average joes", would get more out of Arcana Coelestia, than in risking the senses twisting with Kabbalah, Zohar, Bahir and Palms of Deborah.

Perhaps I should clarify "alternative" does not~~~~ mean and suggest comparison. They are not comparable. Arcana Coelestia stands on its own.~~~