Swedenborg and the afterlife

[Javblanc]

In the course of his astral travels through the Otherworld, Swedenborg had the chance to admire couples of Heavenly married angels: and while at first, these angels seemed to be individuals, soon, when he got closer to them, they revealed themselves dual. However, he could not perceive them clearly, because their beauty was such that it overwhelmed him. He also explains how one gets to those marriages. He says: “I have also been permitted to see how marriages are contracted in the heavens. As everywhere in heaven those who are alike are united and those who are unlike are separated, so every society in heaven consists of those who are alike. Like are brought to like not by themselves but by the Lord and equally consort to consort whose minds can be joined into one are drawn together, and consequently, at first sight, they mostly love each other, and see themselves as consorts, and enter into marriage.” (Emmanuel Swedenborg, Heaven and Hell, 367, translation by John C. Ager)