{Footnote 1} Man’s own [proprium] is loving self (n. 694, 731, 4317, 5660).  The Lord cannot be present unless what is man’s own is set aside (n. 1023, 1044).  It is actually set aside when one is held in good by the Lord (n. 9334-9336, 9447, 9452-9454, 9938).

{Footnote 2} The angels are being perfected to eternity (n. 4803, 6648).  In the heavens one state is never just like another, and from this there is an unceasing process of perfection (n. 10200).

159.  I have been shown how the Lord as a sun appears to the angels of the celestial kingdom in their first state, in their second state, and in their third state.  I saw the Lord as a sun, at first glowing and brilliant with a splendor that cannot be described; and I was told that such is the appearance of the Lord as a sun to the angels in their first state.  Afterwards there appeared a great obscure belt about the sun, and by this its first glow and brilliancy, which gave it such splendor, began to be dulled, and I was told that such is the appearance of the sun to them in their second state.  Then the belt seemed by degrees to grow darker, and the sun to appear less glowing, and this by degrees until at length it took on a shining whiteness; and I was told that such is the appearance of the sun to them in their third state.  After this, that shining whiteness was seen to move to the left towards the moon of heaven, and to add itself to her light; and in consequence the moon shone forth with unwonted splendor; and I was told that such is the fourth state of those in the celestial kingdom and the first state of those in the spiritual kingdom, and that in both kingdoms changes of state have such alternations; yet not in the whole kingdom at once, but in one society after another.  Furthermore, I was told that these alternations are not fixed, but come upon them sooner or later without their knowledge.  And it was added that the sun in itself is not thus changed or moved; but it takes on this appearance in accord with their successive progressions of state, since the Lord appears to everyone in accord with what his state is, thus glowing when one is in intense love and less glowing and finally shining white as his love subsides; and the quality of each one’s state was represented by the obscure belt that induced upon the sun these apparent variations in its glow and light.

160.  When angels are in the last of these states, which is when they are in what is their own, they begin to be sad.  I have talked with them when they were in that state and have seen their sadness; but they said that they hoped to return soon to their former state, and thus into heaven again, as it were; for to them it is heaven to be withheld from what is their own.

161.  There are also changes of state in the hells, but these will be described later when hell is treated of.

162.  XVIII.  Time in heaven.

Although there is a succession and a progression of all things in heaven, as in the world, yet angels have no notion or idea of time and space; and this so completely that they do not even know at all what time and space are.  Time in heaven will here be considered, and space in its own chapter.