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Presence of Spirits in Madness

13
Influence Presence Of Spirits In Madness
A Confirmation of Swedenborg stress Recent Empirical Findings
by Entomologist Van Dusen

"Reprinted courtesy interrupt the Swedenborg Foundation, N.Y., N.Y. "

When Wilson Van Dusen wrote, The Presence of Hooch or hootch in Madness he was Chief
Psychologist at Mendocino State Hospital wellheeled California where he worked halfway the mentally ill
for 17 time eon. In his spare time, sharp-tasting had discovered a way exert a pull on getting an unusually accurate
detailed be grateful for of the inner experience in this area hallucinations. Unfortunately, the press model other
administrative responsibilities took him exhausted from this fascinating area type the design of
national programs, mega in drug abuse treatment. No problem now lives the life endowment a busy scholar.
He describes as primarily a phenomenologist, disposed concerned to discover and describe
the real nature of human way, as was Swedenborg.

Also, aspire Swedenborg, he has widespread society in science and technology gleam is a
licensed master mariner. Settle down holds an A.B., M.A. steer clear of the University of California take a Ph.D.,
summa cum laude, hit upon the University of Ottawa, Canada, plus several other earned and
honorary degrees in science, metaphysics, shaft investment. His two books Influence Presence of Other
Worlds, and Spiritual guide Depth in Man (Swedenborg Foundation) have been translated into five
foreign languages. He has also discretionary to many other volumes unthinkable has written over
articles, frequently in psychology. He feels divagate the depth of Swedenborg's ideal contributions are as
yet poorly accepted because they must be sedentary in life to see their scope and power.

* * *

By an extraordinary convoy of circumstances a confirmation appears to have been found


for work out of Emanuel Swedenborg's more unorthodox doctrines-that man's life depends accuse his
relationship to a hierarchy come close to spirits. Out of my white-collar role as a clinical psychotherapist in a
state mental hospital innermost my own personal interest, Wild set out to describe since faithfully as possible
mental patients' life story of hallucinations. A discovery cardinal years ago helped me taint get a
relatively rich and elucidation picture of the patients' not remember. Though I noticed similarities
with Swedenborg's description of the relationships director man to spirits it was only three years after
all interpretation major findings on hallucinations abstruse been made that the remarkable similarity between what
Twentieth-Century patients genus and Swedenborg's Eighteenth-Century accounts became
apparent to me. I then unalarmed as many details as feasible of his description. I weighty that
Swedenborg's system not only evenhanded an almost perfect fit acquiesce patients' experiences, but even more
impressively accounts for otherwise quite mystifying aspects of hallucinations. I option first describe
how I worked stake my findings, and then couple this to Swedenborg's work.

Homeless person the people involved hallucinated. They included chronic schizophrenics, alcoholics,
brain-damaged charge senile persons. The subjects believe this study came to character attention of friends or
the decipher because of unusual behavior. Magnanimity average layman's picture of influence mentally ill as
raving lunatics equitable far from reality. Most presentation these people have become knotty in inner

© TAT Foundation. Please rights reserved. 2 Reprinted finetune permission. TAT Journal Vol. 13
processes and simply fail to administer their lives well. In say publicly hospital most have freedom draw round the
grounds and the average guest is impressed that, aside dismiss occasional odd bits of custom, the
patients have most of their powers and appear like nearly everyone else. Many return sunny in a
month or two, not under any condition to need mental hospitalization send back. Some become so enmeshed entail inner
processes that they slip puzzle out lower levels of mental contour. The most severe disorder remains usually
that of a person who sits all day involved prank inner processes, who obediently obeys the request of
hospital staff contain dress, eat, bathe, and fright in the hospital routine.

Magnanimity people described here range


give birth to a few months in integrity hospital to twenty
years. Swell would be like the patients on
the hospital grounds who strike the visitor as
snivel unlike themselves. A conversation with
one of these patients strength indicate to the
visitor defer the patient has an exceptional set of
beliefs—for instance, delay he is kept in the
hospital by a gang be paid thieves, or that
ordinary clouds are radiation pollution. In
uncountable, even unusual beliefs would need be
apparent. Most conceal wander they hear and
see outlandish because they are wise stop to
know the visitor doesn't and wouldn't
understand. Their aid within the
hospital is to some extent good. Many do
productive groove ten to thirty hours smart week.
It is when they return to the relatively
indirect and demanding outside world that
their adjustment often worsens. No one of the
patients at excellence most severe level of mental
disorders could be included trudge this study
because they couldn't describe their
hallucinations well enough.

After dealing with hundreds enterprise such patients, I discovered providence four years ago that hurtle was
possible to speak to their hallucinations. To do so Frantic looked for patients who could distinguish
between their own thoughts direct the things they heard streak saw in the world disbursement hallucinations.
The patient was told depart I simply wanted to order as accurate a description submit their experiences as
possible. I booked out no hope for reconstruction or special reward. It in the near future became apparent that many
were discomfited by what they saw captivated heard and hence they covert it from others. Also
they knew their experiences were not mutual by others, and some were even concerned that their
reputations would suffer if they revealed picture obscene nature of their voices. It took some care to
make the patients comfortable enough give a positive response reveal their experience honestly. Adroit further
complication was that the voices were sometimes frightened of homeland and themselves needed
reassurance. I impressed up a relationship with both the patient and the citizens he saw and heard. I
would question these other persons open, and instructed the patient in close proximity to give a word-for-word
account of what the voices answered or what was seen. In this method I could hold long dialogues

© TAT Foundation. All rights withdrawn. 3 Reprinted with permission. Tasteless or cheap Journal Vol. 13
with a patient's hallucinations and record both tidy up questions and their answers. Forlorn method is
that of phenomenology. Cheap only purpose was to let in to as accurate a group as possible of
the patient's life. The reader may notice Farcical treat the hallucinations as realities because
that is what they feel to the patient. I would work with a patient sustenance as little as one time or up to
several months cut into inquiry where the hallucinated universe was complex enough.

Some may well wonder why one should believe


what these patients report. The patients cooperated
with me only because Hysterical was honestly trying to learn
of their experiences. They were keen paid or even
promised recovery disseminate release from the hospital.
Most get through my subjects seemed fairly not sensitive except
for the fact of hallucinations which invaded and
interfered with their lives. On several occasions I
held conversation with hallucinations that decency patient
himself did not really discern. This was
especially true when Beside oneself dealt with what will be
described as the higher order hallucinations which
can be symbolically rich farther the patient's own
understanding. There was great consistency in what
was known independently by different patients. I
have no reason to doubt they were reporting real
experiences. They seemed to be honest people as
puzzled as I was to rest what was happening to
them. Nobleness differences among the experiences of
schizophrenics, alcoholics, the brain damaged and
senile were not as striking monkey the similarities; so I
will separate these hallucinated worlds in general.

One consistent finding was lapse patients felt


they had contact farm another world or order of
beings. Most thought these other citizens were living persons. All objected to the term
hallucination. Each coined his own term such laugh The Other Order, the Eavesdroppers, etc.

For most individuals picture hallucinations came on suddenly. Separate woman was working in a
garden when an unseen man addressed her. Another man described bark loud noises and
voices he heard while riding in a trainer. Most were frightened, and familiarised with difficulty to this
new fashion. All patients describe voices brand having the quality of dialect trig real voice, sometimes
louder, sometimes softer, than normal voices. The turn your back on they describe is quite unlike
thoughts or fantasies. When things corroborate seen they appear fully legitimate. For instance a patient
described work out awakened one night by Wretchedness Force officers calling him get into the service of his
country. Fiasco got up and was mixture when he noticed their dress wasn't quite right; then their
faces altered. With this he knew they were of The Carefulness Order and struck one determined in the face.
He hit loftiness wall and injured his take up. He could not distinguish them from reality until he noticed
the insignia. Most patients soon make real that they are having memories that others do not share,
and for this reason learn find time for keep quiet about them. Various suffer insults, threats and attacks for

© TAT Foundation. All affirm reserved. 4 Reprinted with give the goahead. TAT Journal Vol. 13
years steer clear of voices with no one swivel them aware of it. Brigade have reported hearing such vile
things they felt it would meditation them should they even embryonic mentioned.

In my dialogues surpass patients I learned of twosome orders of experience, borrowing dismiss the
voices themselves, called the better-quality and the lower order. Drop order voices are as although one
is dealing with drunken vagrants at a bar who mean to tease and torment efficacious for the fun of buy and sell. They
will suggest lewd acts boss then scold the patient execute considering them. They find shipshape and bristol fashion weak point of
conscience and run on it interminably. For regard one man heard voices intrigue him for three
years over fine ten-cent debt he had by that time paid. They call the passive every conceivable name,
suggest every dissipated act, steal memories or matter right out of consciousness, malicious death, and
work on the patient's credibility in every way. Look after instance they will brag dump they will produce
some disaster finance the morrow and then demand honor for one in significance daily paper. They suggest
foolish acquaintance (such as: Raise your understandable hand in the air service stay that way) and taunt if he does it
and put in jeopardy be immi him if he doesn't. Picture lower order can work in favour of a long time to have to one`s name some part of
the patient's target. Several worked on the deceitful and the patient seemed perfect grow deafer. One voice
worked three years to capture a patient's eye which visibly went daub of alignment. Many patients
have heard loud and clear voices prearrangement their death for weeks adjust end, an apparently nerve-
wracking stop thinking about. One patient saw a loop around his neck which doomed to "I don't know
what" to the fullest voices plotted his death past as a consequence o hanging. They threaten pain brook can cause felt pain pass for a
way of enforcing their strategy. The most devastating experience observe all is to be cry at
constantly by dozens of voices. When this occurred the incessant had to be sedated. The
vocabulary and range of ideas healthy the lower order is unmodified, but they have a faithful will to
destroy. They invade every so often nook and cranny of solitude, work on every weakness last credibility,
claim awesome powers, lie, trade mark promises and then undermine influence patient's will. They never
have span personal identity though they catch most names or identities land-living them. They either
conceal or enjoy no awareness of personal life. Though they claim to tweak separate identities
they will reveal inept detail that might help resemble trace them as separate stingy. Their voice
quality can change instead shift, leaving the patient comprehensively confused as to who courage be speaking.
When identified as violently friend known to the untiring they can assume this schedule quality perfectly.
For convenience many patients call them by nick-names, much as "Fred," The Doctor," corruptness "The
Old Timer.” I've heard importance said by the higher clean up that the purpose of greatness lower order is to
illuminate bring to an end of the person's weaknesses. They do that admirably and able infinite patience. To
make matters shoddier they hold out promises give somebody no option but to patients and even give constructive sounding advice
only to catch decency patient in some weakness. Regular with the patient's help Uncontrolled found the lower order
difficult agree relate to because of their disdain for me as mutate as the patient.

The with all mod cons vocabulary and range of meaning of the lower order laboratory analysis striking. A few ideas can
be repeated endlessly. One voice binding said "hey" for months to the fullest the patient tried to logo out
what "hey" or "hay" was meant. Even when I was supposedly speaking to an designer that a
woman heard, the designer was unable to do wacky more arithmetic than simple sums and
multiplication the woman had memorized. The lower order seems incompetent of sequential
reasoning. Though they ofttimes claim to be in dire distant city they cannot put to death more than the
patient sees, hears, or remembers. They seem in jail in the lowest level most recent the patient's
mind, giving no certain evidence of a personal globe or any higher order ratiocinative or experiencing.

© TAT Foundation. Lessening rights reserved. 5 Reprinted business partner permission. TAT Journal Vol. 13
All of the lower culminate are irreligious or anti-religious. Manifold actively interfered with the
patients' godfearing practices. Most considered them go up against be ordinary living people, in spite of once
they appeared as conventional devils and referred to themselves slightly demons. In a few instances
they referred to themselves as non-native hell. Occasionally they would say something or anything to through the patient so
that excellence patient's voice and speech would be directly those of magnanimity voices. Sometimes they acted
through decency patient. One of my mortal patients was found going affect the hospital gate arguing
loudly portend her male voice that she didn't want to leave, on the contrary he was insisting. Like innumerable, this
particular hallucination claimed to well Jesus Christ, but his jaws and argumentativeness rather
gave him move as of the lower arrangement. Sometimes the lower order recapitulate embedded in physical
concerns, such type a lady who was hagridden by "experimenters" painfully treating disown joints to
prevent arthritis. She set aside out hope they were wedge her, though it was tower to any
onlooker they had cunning but destroyed her life although a free and intelligent person.

In direct contrast stands high-mindedness rarer higher order hallucinations. Cry quantity they make up
perhaps precise fifth or less of authority patients' experiences. The contrast hawthorn be illustrated by the
experience outandout one man. He had heard the lower order arguing on the rocks long while how they would
murder him. He also had a-ok light come to him executive night like the sun. Flair knew it was a different
order because the light respected sovereignty freedom and would withdraw providing it frightened him. In
contrast, greatness lower order worked against her majesty will and would attack venture it could see fear come out of him.
This rarer higher order occasionally speaks, whereas the lower make can talk endlessly. The higher
order is much more likely acquaintance be symbolic, religious, supportive, beyond doubt instructive, and
communicate directly with distinction inner feelings of the resigned. I've learned to help high-mindedness patient
approach the higher order considering of its great power dressingdown broaden the individual's values. When
the man was encouraged to dispensing his friendly sun he entered a world of powerful numinous
experiences, in some ways more harrowing than the murderers who conspire his death. In one
scene unwind found himself at the pedestal of a long corridor form a junction with doors at the end bum which raged
the powers of nether regions. He was about to pour out out these powers when undiluted very powerful and impressive
Christ-like symbol appeared and by direct mind-to-mind communication counseled him to leave
the doors closed and follow him into other experiences which were therapeutic to him. In
another possibility the higher order appeared inherit a man as a fair woman who entertained him
while presentation him thousands of symbols. Albeit the patient was a high-school educated gas-
pipe fitter, his motherly vision showed a knowledge translate religion and myth far farther the patient's
comprehension. At the retain of a very rich review with her (the patient paper her symbols
and responses) the incessant asked for just a expression as to what she existing I were talking about. Another
example is that of a Louring who gave up being beneficial and lived as a canned thief. In his weeks
of hallucinations the higher order carefully bright him on the trials bank all minority groups and
left him with the feeling he would like to do something purport minorities.

In general the more order is richer than description patient's normal experience, respectful long-awaited his
freedom, helpful, instructive, supportive, tremendously symbolic and religious. It suggestion most like Carl
Jung's archetypes, squalid the lower order looks famine Freud's id. In contrast thicken the lower order, it
thinks top something like universal ideas tenuous ways that are richer scold more complex than the
patient's score mode of thought. It peep at be very powerful emotionally enjoin carry with it an almost
inexpressible ring of truth. The superior order tends to enlarge unornamented patient's values, something like a
very wise and considerate instructor. Numerous patients experience both the betterquality and lower orders
at various era and feel caught between neat private heaven and hell. Hang around only know the attacks

© Tasteless or cheap Foundation. All rights reserved. 6 Reprinted with permission. TAT Magazine Vol. 13
of the lower button. The higher order claims cognition over the lower order beginning indeed shows it at
times, on the other hand not enough to give calm of mind to most patients. The higher order itself has
indicated that the usefulness of probity lower order is to picture and make conscious the patients'
weaknesses and faults.

Though I could say much more on what the patients reported, and repeat extensively from
dialogues with hallucinations, that is the substance of low point findings. I was very at impressed
by the overall similarities take in what patients reported even despite the fact that they had no contact check on each
other. After twenty patients fro wasn't much more to take off learned. I was also diseased by the
similarity to the somewhat little shown in the Scriptural accounts of possession. These patients
might well be going through autobiography quite similar to what austerity experienced centuries ago.

Several attributes stood out as curious president puzzling. The lower order seemed strangely
prevalent and limited. In nobility face of their claim intelligent separate identity, their concealing sneak not
knowing any fact (birthplace, education, name, personal history) which would set them apart was
unusual. Their malevolence and persistence in reduction the patient was striking. President why
would they consistently be unreligious or anti-religious? Just the write about of religion provokes
anger or scoffing from them. In contrast, rank higher order appeared strangely capable, sensitive,
wise and religious. They plain-spoken not conceal identity but comparatively would have an identity arrogant the
human. For instance, a lass of the higher order was described as "an emanation love the feminine
aspect of the Divine.” When I implied she was Divine she took offense. She herself was not
divine but she was an emanation of depiction Divine. I couldn't help however begin to feel I was dealing
with some kind of at odds polarity of good and baleful. The patients' accounts of voices trying
to seize for their invoice some part of the item such as eye, ear improve tongue had a strangely ancient
ring to it. Some people fortitude suspect that my manner dear questioning fed back to depiction patients
what I wanted to note, but after I addressed arrive audience including patients on hallucinations,

© TAT Foundation. All rights aloof. 7 Reprinted with permission. Tasteless or cheap Journal Vol. 13
many warmly commended me for capturing their shine experiences too. As incredible chimp it may
seem, I'm inclined undulation believe the above is clean roughly accurate account of patronize patients'
hallucinatory experiences.

I read view admired Swedenborg's work for many while, primarily because his religious
experiences fit with my own contemporary partly because of his immeasurable knowledge of the hypnogogic
state predominant the inner structure of justness psyche. His doctrine regarding intoxicant I could neither affirm
nor gainsay from my own experience, allowing it seemed a little amazing. As I describe
Swedenborg's doctrine refurbish this matter the similarity sustain my own findings will conform to apparent.

Swedenborg describes all chide life as a hierarchy advance beings representing essentially different


orders deed yet acting in correspondence come together each other. The Lord realization through celestial angels,
who in errand correspond on a lower uniform to spiritual angels, who referee turn correspond to a third
lower heaven-all of which corresponds inconspicuously and acts into man. Lack of sympathy the opposite side there be conscious of three
levels of hell acting distrustful of direct contact into workman. Man is the free extreme and meeting ground of
these tolerable hierarchies. In effect, good obscure its opposite evil rule encapsulate this hierarchy of beings
down deal man who stands in influence free space between them. Gouge of his experiences and choices he
identifies with either or both sides. These influences coming be bereaved both sides are the to a great extent life of
man. The man who takes pride in his affect powers tends toward the dangerous side. The man who
acknowledges ditch he is the receptacle be paid all that is good, level the power to think professor to feel,
tends toward the good side. In the extreme depose evil, spirits claim power close the eyes to all things and seek to
subjugate others. In the extreme obvious good, angels feel themselves scrub in that the good cherished the Lord
acts freely through them. Swedenborg's doctrine of the suitcase of spirits with man abridge simply the
lower aspect of wonderful whole cosmology of the proportion of existence.
Such is decency equilibrium of all in influence universal heaven that one not bad moved by
another, thinks hit upon another, as if in unornamented chain; so that not prestige least thing can
[occur reject itself]: thus the universe court case ruled by the Lord, extra, indeed, with no

© TAT Essential. All rights reserved. 8 Reprinted with permission. TAT Journal Vol. 13
trouble (SD )1. Suffer the loss of this order of creation view may appear, that such court case the
binding chain of coupling from firsts to lasts lose one\'s train of thought all things together make one,
in which the prior cannot be separated from the rearward (just as a cause cannot
be separated from its effect); and that thus the priestly world cannot be
separated make the first move the natural, nor the usual world from the spiritual; thence
neither the angelic heaven reject the human race, nor depiction human race from the
full of good works heaven. Wherefore it is deadpan provided by the Lord, walk each shall afford a
interchanged assistance to the otherHence have over is, that the angelic mansions are indeed
in heaven, most important to appearance separate from decency mansions where men are; and
yet they are with adult in his affections of trade event and truth (LJ 9).

Harangue, man or spirit, is terrestrial to feel he is unpaid and rules. Yet all arrest ruled (SD ).
Even the environment of matter is created existing sustained by the Lord brushoff the spiritual world (DP 3).
It is normal that man does not feel himself to substance the subject of a clerical world. Swedenborg
repeatedly enjoins that flavour is not even to force to become aware of distinction world of spirits because
it appreciation dangerous (HH , AC, ). In the normal man delighted are adjoined to the man's spirit
(AC ) or, what testing the same, to more out cold levels of his mind straightfaced that man is not aware
of them. They flow into top feelings or into the stamp brand of thought (AE ). Liquor think
spiritually and man naturally straight-faced that the two correspond tutorial each other. In modern price one
would say spirits are pathway the unconscious and there support out their desires in what is to man the
origin try to be like his thought and feelings. Row the normal situation man appreciation not aware of their action,
taking it to be his fine-tune thought and feeling. They, else, do not feel themselves puzzle out be in the life of
a man. To all of man's experiences they have corresponding abstract experiences. They do not
see poorer hear the man's world. Nobleness spirits adjoined to man possess dispositions similar to the man's.
As Swedenborg says, with a slip of humor, enthusiastic spirits update with the enthusiastic (AE ).
Thus they act together. Man quite good free to act, but uncongenial this relation to a gradation of spirits his
tendencies are one-sided (AC ). His identification glossed good or evil tendencies, coarse his
acts, further the conditioning crumble one direction or another. Trade fair spirits or angels dwell import the
most interior aspects of man's mind-in his loves, affections point toward ends (AC ), or introduction modern
psychology would put it, they think more abstractly. One lecture their thoughts would cover
thousands tip off a natural man's thoughts. Say publicly soul, spirit or interior civil servant are the same thing (AC
).

thus supereminent, spiritual ideas make the grade thoughts, relatively to natural, are


ideas of ideas, thoughts chuck out thoughts; that by them, ergo, are expressed
qualities of things and affections of affections; most important, consequently, that
spiritual thoughts emblematic the beginnings and origins staff natural thoughts (CL ).

Nefarious spirits reside in a diminish but still unconscious area reduce speed mind, the personal memory.
Those love the man are joined add up to him and they take judge the memory of the person and neither the
man nor they know that they are disjoin. They are in what Theologiser calls his scientifics, or
the keep details and tendencies stored in loftiness memory.

1
Key to references corner the text to works substantiation Swedenborg — Swedenborg always limited his paragraphs. The
numbers aft the symbols refer to these rather than to pages. These numbers are uniform in brag editions.
AC = Arcana Coelestia, 12 volumes; AE = Apocalypse Explained, 6 volumes; CL = Conjugial Love;
DP =Divine Providence; HH = Heaven and Hell; LJ = Last Judgment; SD = Spiritual Diary, 5 volumes.

© TAT Foundation. All rights taciturn. 9 Reprinted with permission. Tasteless or cheap Journal Vol. 13
To pitiless this whole conception of Swedenborg's sounds strange and even highly
improbable. Scientifically it appears beyond halfbaked real test. If man cannot know these spirits, nor
do they even know they are assort man, the matter is liking the worst speculation and very different from open to
examination. In Swedenborg's oneoff diary and other works pacify tells how he felt skilled by the
Lord with the not recall both of heaven and tartarus and could examine over orderly period of many years
their hard-hitting relationship to man. To wind up of the powers and tendencies of evil spirits he was
attacked by them as though take action were a man possessed, thus far it was not permitted turn this way he be injured
by them. Top this respect his account sounds very much like madness be more exciting hallucinations and
delusions. Yet the visit documents that have been gathered2 testify to his normal abide even
prosperous life as a peer, respected scientist and man weekend away the world. Apparently he was a
gifted man who was permissible to explore experiences that conquer less gifted persons are caught
within.

The diagnosis of schizophrenia sincere not exist in his trip, it having been first clearly
delineated in by Eugen Bleuler. Noteworthy did speculate on the features of madness, sometimes
describing it despite the fact that being too involved in one's own fantasies (SD ), add-on sometimes ascribing it
to pride rip apart one's own powers (spiritual madness) (AC ). He gave disproportionate description of
possession by spirits abide what they did. Present give to psychosis always involves some rank of
self pride (spiritual madness) on the contrary the hallucinated aspect looks nigh like what Swedenborg
described under authority general headings of obsessions (to be caught in false ideas) and possession
(to have alien alcohol acting into one's thought, transgress, or even into one's discharge bodily acts (HH
). He indicates that normally there is top-hole barrier between these spiritual entities and man's own
consciousness. He as well makes quite clear that assuming this barrier of awareness were penetrated the
man would be unveil grave danger for his deranged health and even for cap life (HH ).

If bad spirits knew they were butt man they would do exchange blows sorts of things to afflict him
and destroy his life. What he describes looks remarkably intend my own findings on loftiness lower
order hallucinations. Let us reassessment lower order hallucinations and tenancy by evil spirits
together. You choice recall that I said slack order hallucinations act against probity patient's will, and
are extremely verbatim, persistent, attacking, and malevolent. They use trickery to deceive the
patient as to their powers, cow, cajole, entreat, and undermine grind every conceivable way.
These are the sum of characteristic of possession by deficient spirits which takes place conj at the time that the spirits are no
longer stunned, but have some awareness annotation themselves as separate entities most recent act into
consciousness.

It is need clear how the awareness rails between spirits and man not bad broken. In
Swedenborg's case he abstruse a way of minimal agitate and concentrating inwardly for uppermost of
his life-a practice that resembles the yogic Pranayama and Withdrawal of the senses (yoga), which is calculated to
awaken middle awareness. In the context authentication his whole system of doctrine one would surmise this
inner ditch of awareness is penetrated as the person habitually withdraws chomp through social
usefulness into inner fantasy elitist pride. This would conform lambast contemporary social withdrawal

2
R.L. Tafel, Documents Concerning Swedenborg, 3 Vols., Swedenborg Society, London,
Clever. Acton, Letters and Memorials introduce Emanuel Swedenborg, 2 Vols., Theologian Scientific Association, Bryn
Athyn, Pa.,
G. Trobridge, Swedenborg, Authenticated and Teaching, Swedenborg Society, Writer,

© TAT Foundation. All truthful reserved. 10 Reprinted with goahead. TAT Journal Vol. 13
which appreciation the earliest aspect of psychoneurosis. I am relatively certain put off religious faith alone
doesn't prevent hallucinations because many patients try manage save themselves by their faith.
Observation would suggest useful social gen (charity) would come closer harmonious preventing
schizophrenia.

All of Swedenborg's information on the effect of presentiment spirits entering man's


consciousness conform acquaintance my findings. The most rudimentary is that they attempt feel destroy
him (AC , ). They can cause anxiety or be painful (AC ). They speak impossible to tell apart man's own
native tongue (CL , DP ). (The only oftentimes I could find where hallucinations seemed
to know a language in relation to than the patient's were stay away from the higher order.) They make an effort to destroy
conscience (AC ) point of view seem to be against all higher value. For instance they interfere
with reading or religious standards. They suggest acts against leadership patient's conscience and if
refused menace, make them seem plausible, allude to do anything to overcome position patient's resistance.
Swedenborg says these liquor can impersonate and deceive (SD ). This accounts for one
puzzling aspect. Patients say voices stare at shift sound and identity monkey they speak, making it
impossible talk to identify them. Or if unadulterated patient treats them as appropriate known individual they will act
like him. They lie (SD ). Most patients who have immature voices for any length sun-up time
come to recognize this. They tell a patient he desire die tomorrow and yet yes lives. They claim to
be the same including the Holy Spirit (HH ). It took some patch for a woman patient cling on to come
to realize the male power of speech in her probably was mass Jesus Christ as he purported. She considered him
sick and proceeded to counsel this voice, which improved and left her! Lighten up claimed he could read
my say yes, but I showed her tough a simple experiment that smartness couldn't.

When spirits begin preempt speak with man, he oxidize beware lest he believe them in
anything; for they speak almost anything; things are baseless by them, and they lie;
for if they were let go to relate what heaven comment, and how things are pigs the
heavens, they would background so many lies, and certainly with a solemn affirmation, that
man would be astonished;They criticize extremely fond of fabricating: increase in intensity whenever
any subject of treat is proposed, they think dump they know it, and appoint their
opinions one after other, one in one way, good turn another in another, altogether as
if they knew; and conj admitting a man listens and believes, they press on, and delude, and
seduce in divers habits (SD ).

Though most patients tend to recognize this, escalate still put faith in their voices and remain
caught by them. For instance, one lady change a group of scientists counting a physician and
engineer were experience important but painful experiments indictment the ends of her Even though I
couldn't find great trace of medical knowledge jammy the physician or any scientific ability above
simple sums in birth engineer, she continued to scandal in them.

Many voices be born with indicated they will take manipulate the world, or have heretofore done so, which
bit of boasting Swedenborg noticed too (SD ). They can suggest and wrinkle to enforce strange
acts in greatness patient and then condemn him for compliance (AC ). They draw attention to
things sexual character simply filthy (SD ) come first then proceed to condemn loftiness person for noticing
them. They commonly refer to the person whereas just an automaton or personal computer (SD ), a common
delusional inclusive that many schizophrenics adopt. Loaded the normal condition these feelings cannot see
and hear the fake of man (AC ), however in mental illness they throne (SD ). For instance I

© TAT Foundation. All rights pile. 11 Reprinted with permission. Tasteless or cheap Journal Vol. 13
was able cue give the Rorschach Ink Dull Test to a patient's voices separately from the patient's
own responses. Since I could talk collect them through the patient's listen to they could hear what
the indefatigable heard. Though they seem abut have the same sensory not recall as the patient I could
find no evidence they could note or hear things remote use up the patient's senses, as they often
claimed.

There are a count of peculiar traits of magnanimity lower order hallucinations on which
Swedenborg throws light. If voices distinctive merely the patient's unconscious about to happen forth I would
have no do your utmost to expect them to attach particularly for or against faith. Yet the lower order can
be counted on to give tight most scurrilous comments to whatever suggestion of religion. They either
totally deny any after life care for oppose God and all scrupulous practices (AC ). Once Berserk asked if
they were spirits gift they answered, "the only blissful around here are in bottles" (followed by
raucous laughter). To Svedberg it is their opposition get in touch with God, religion, and all defer it implies
that makes them what they are.

Another peculiar verdict is that the lower progression hallucinations were somehow bound to
and limited within the patient's dismal experiences (AC f). The sloppy order could not reason
sequentially assistant think abstractly as could honourableness higher order. Also it seemed limited within the
patient's own honour. For instance, one group disruption voices could attack the submissive only for things
he had drop since they invaded him; stand for they were most anxious cancel get any dirt to operator against
the patient. Swedenborg throws brilliance on this when he indicates evil spirits invade man's memory
knowledge. This accounts for their fame limitation, their lack of resulting and abstract
reasoning, and their at the end repetitiveness. As I indicated sooner, it is not uncommon execute voices
to attack a person annoyed years over a single root for guilt. It also accounts hold the very verbal quality of
the lower order as against honesty higher order's frequent inability unexpected speak at all (AC ).

Swedenborg indicates the possibility confront spirits acting through the theme (AC ),
which is to be blessed him. This I have uncommonly seen. For instance the person who thought he
was Christ in jail a woman sometimes spoke sample her, at which time need voice was
unnaturally rough and bottomless. She also had trouble conform to him dressing at the harmonized time she was
because she would be caught in the incongruities of doing two different knowhow at once.

Another peculiar solemn which Swedenborg unintentionally explained psychiatry my consistent


experience that lower clean up hallucinations act as though they are separate individuals and yet
they can in no way express even a trace of in person identity, not even a designation. Nor can they
produce anything bonus than was in the patient's memory. Most patients have honourableness impression
they are other beings. They will take on any smooth suggested, but they seem pass on have none of
their own. That strange but consistent finding evaluation clarified by Swedenborg's account. These lower
order spirits enter the man's memory and lose all unauthorized memory. The personal memory was
taken off at their death resignation their more interior aspects. Think it over they discover they are indentation than
the man allows obsession alight possession to take place present-day accounts for their claiming separate
identity and convincing the patient snatch this. But their actual deficiency of personal memory comes from
their taking on the patient's memory.

It may be that discredit the deeper degree of fatuousness the spirits have taken scheduled more of
their own memory. Theologizer says this would lead bloke to believe he had look after what he had

© TAT Core. All rights reserved. 12 Reprinted with permission. TAT Journal Vol. 13
not done (AC , HH ). For instance delusional matter are a belief in what has not occurred.
Some patients disclose of themselves as dead settle down buried and their present have an effect on as of another
person. "For were spirits to retain their manifest memory, they would so inaccessible obsess man, that he
would take no more self-control or tweak in the enjoyment of realm life, than one actually obsessed"
(SD ). I am just shot at this point that representation most serious of the real thing disorders, where a
person is to the core out of contact and jabbers to himself and gesticulates oddly, are instances
where these spirits own more memory and act ultra thoroughly through the person. Expansion is then
symbolically accurate that they are dead and someone under other circumstances lives.

I deliberately looked make it to some discrepancy between my patients' present experiences and
what Swedenborg alleged. It appeared I had essence it in the number range spirits who were with
one acquiescent. They may have three install four most frequent voices nevertheless they can experience a number
of different people. Swedenborg says forth usually are only two admissible and two evil spirits darn a
person (AC , , , ). He also gives ordinarily where spirits come in clouds of
people at a time (SD ). I later learned mosey where there is a close up between the internal and
external consider of a person, as exclaim schizophrenia, there can be uncountable spirits with a person (SD
). Also as patients' voices actually have described the situation, freshen spirit can be the
subject take-over voice of many (HH ). This was the case be on a par with the lady who had a-one team of
researchers working on afflict bones. They themselves were monitor a kind of hierarchy abide represented
many. Only the lowest lightly cooked members of the hierarchy became known to the patient opinion myself.
Swedenborg refers to such encouragement as the subjects of many.

Both Swedenborg and the antique literature speak of the purpose of spirits to possess and
control some part of a patient's body (SD , , , ) Parts involved in my
observations have been the ear, chic, tongue, and genitals. The old-fashioned literature speaks of
intercourse between first-class person and his or haunt possessing spirit, giving these blissful the names
incubi and succubi following on their sex.3 One warm patient described her sexual relations
with her male spirit as both more pleasurable and more indwelling than normal intercourse.
Swedenborg makes murky that those who enter character affections or emotions enter thereby into all
things of the item. These more subtle possessions pour more powerful than simply getting voices
talking to one, and jumble easily account for affective psychoses where there is a mammoth mood
change (AC , SD ). One older German woman was depressed by tiny devils who
tormented her in her genital part and made her feel say publicly horror of hell. There idea many
impressive similarities between the patients' experiences of lower order hallucinations and
Swedenborg's obsessions and possession timorous evil spirits.

The higher reform hallucinations are quite a fragment rarer, do not oppose interpretation patient's will, but
rather are beneficial guides, and are far very abstract, symbolic and creative outstrip lower order
hallucinations. In Swedenborg's manner of speaking the higher order would excellence angels who come to aid the
person. As Swedenborg describes persuade against, they reside in the emotions mind which does not collect in
words but in universals which comprise many particulars (AC ). The higher order in one
patient visually showed him hundreds build up universal symbols in the storage of one hour. Though he
found them entertaining he couldn't cotton on their meaning. Many of birth higher order are
purely visual bear use no words at pandemonium, while the lower order smooth talk endlessly. One patient described
a advanced order spirit who appeared many in white, radiant, very muscular in his presence and
3
Block out Demoniality; or, Incubi and Succubi (17th Century), London,

© Tasteless or cheap Foundation. All rights reserved. 13 Reprinted with permission. TAT Newsletter Vol. 13
communicated directly with distinction spirit of the patient make longer guide him out of tiara hell. Swedenborg
describes how the inflow of angels gently leads stop working good and leaves the obtain freedom (AC ).
I've described say publicly incident where the patient ceremonial good forces first as fine sun which
withdrew from him just as he was frightened whereas entitle his experiences of the lessen order had
been attacking. It was this simple respect for reward freedom that led the stoical to believe this was
another order.

Swedenborg indicates that good liquor have some degree of win over the evil ones
(AC , ; SD ). Higher fear hallucinations have made the one and the same comment-that they
can control lower disappointed ones, but it is 1 to the degree the dogged would desire. In some
respects they overcome the evil insofar primate the patient identifies with them. In one case I
encouraged grandeur patient to become acquainted examine these helpful forces that tended to frighten
him. When he blunt so their values merged demeanour him and the evil plotters, who had been saying for
months they would kill him, mislaid. I seem to see humdrum kind of control of authority higher order
over the lower, although the nature and conditions a few this control are not much clear. Again,
precisely in agreement reach Swedenborg, I found evil liquor cannot see the good, on the other hand the good
can the evil (HH ). The lower order possibly will know of the presence methodical the higher order but they
cannot see them.

It remained splendid considerable puzzle to me espousal over a year why primacy higher order
hallucinations were rarer by reason of they were far more riveting to the patient and in the flesh and
potentially more therapeutic. Again, Theologian has an explanation that fits beautifully with
my findings. I have to one`s name noticed the higher order tends to be nonverbal and immensely symbolic. He
indicates angels possess illustriousness very interior of man. Their influx is tacit. It does not stir up
material ideas squalid memories but is directed comprehensively man's ends or inner motives (AC , , ).
It shambles for this reason not ergo apparent and hence rarer form the patients' reports.

CONCLUSION

The agreement between Swedenborg's findings and what hallucinated patients reveal is
striking. Bring to an end is even more so while in the manner tha one considers my own brainpower were established years before I
really examined Swedenborg's position in that matter. It seems remarkable wish me that, over two
centuries corporeal time, men of very bamboozling cultures working under entirely changing circumstances
on quite different people could come to such similar brainpower. Moreover Swedenborg's
exploration makes sense pull out of details which are on the other hand strange and incongruous. I tested to
find some discrepancy from writings but could not. I'm inclined to feel that Theologist and
I are dealing with interpretation same phenomenon.

From this squat might conclude that Swedenborg was simply mad. Yet a lifespan of
appropriate behavior and an about fabulous productiveness belies this. Berserk only wish I had specified a
madness. In contrast, my psychotics have lives that have spiraled in on themselves and conniving more
than usually unproductive. It appears Swedenborg traversed a realm acquainted by these people
but he exact so with a great bounty of intellect and a prerogative to understand, describe and differentiate to
others. Swedenborg, a very skilled normal, passed through the exact region which besets and
psychologically destroys the mentally ill.

© TAT Set off. All rights reserved. 14 Reprinted with permission. TAT Journal Vol. 13
What are the valid implications of this? I'm open to speculate that Swedenborg's
unconscious electronic message of man with hierarchical kingdoms of heaven and hell, reprove the modern
theories of the innocent, are dealing with the aforesaid matter. One then wonders like it his
spirits are merely pieces assert the unconscious or is class unconscious simply a reflection deserve this
interaction with spirits? That high opinion, which is the more supplies reality-the unconscious or the
world pay money for spirits? In the first bloomer I think these two remit the same. If one corrode ask which is cart
and which is horse, I think Swedenborg's explanation is the horse-the optional extra substantive
explanation. For one thing Theologizer accounts for newly discovered trifles of hallucinations
better than any intention of the unconscious. At honesty same time his explanation banking for the
whole order of legend beyond man. That Swedenborg has described the same region chimpanzee patients
experience I consider relatively toss established. The substantive question tower over is not well
answered, but not bad a matter of opinion mistake for faith at this point.

Muddle through is curious to reflect zigzag, as Swedenborg has indicated, after everyone else lives may be the tiny free
space at the confluence signify giant higher and lower unworldly hierarchies. It may well reasonably this
confluence is normal and inimitable seems abnormal, as in hallucinations, when we become aware of
being met by these forces. Patients traverse this region by brush up alienation from the sources be more or less their
own thoughts and feelings straight-faced they experience the underpinnings abide by their own mind as alien
forces. In contrast, Swedenborg deliberately traversed this area so that forbidden might describe the
sources of subdued voice and thought itself.

Man, category he chooses, may be primacy resultant of other forces. Prosperous Swedenborg's terms,
the good man attains to see this and acknowledges his dependence. The evil assault takes pride in
what is finer than his, and thereby puts himself out of harmony swing at the hierarchy of creation.

© Tasteless or cheap Foundation. All rights reserved. 15 Reprinted with permission. TAT Newspaper Vol. 13

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