became stony; it was then at first of a pearly, afterwards of a dusky
colour; but although without life, it kept on flying. While this bird
was flying about my head, and still in the vigour of life, a spirit
was seen rising up from below, through the region of the loins to that
of the breast, and from there he wished to take that bird; but because
it was so beautiful, the spirits who were about me prevented his doing
so, for the eyes of all were fixed upon it. But this spirit who had
risen up from below used all his power to persuade them that the
Lord was with him, and consequently that he was acting from the Lord.
Although the most of them did not believe this, they nevertheless no
longer hindered him from taking the bird; but as at that moment heaven
inflowed he was unable to retain it, but immediately, opening his
hand, set it free. When this had taken place, the spirits who were
around me, and who had intently watched the bird and its successive
changes, began talking with each other about it, and they continued
talking for a considerable time. They perceived that such a sight
could not but signify something heavenly; they knew that what is
flaming signifies celestial love and its affections; that a hand, to
which the flaming object adhered, signifies life and its power; that
changes of the colours signify the varieties of life as to wisdom
and intelligence; that a bird has the same signification with this
difference, however, that what is flaming signifies celestial love
and the things that belong to celestial love, while a bird signifies
spiritual love and the things that belong to that love; (celestial
love is love to the Lord, and spiritual love is charity towards the
neighbour,[note gg]); and that the changes of the colours and at the
same time of the life in the bird, till it became stony, signify the
successive changes of spiritual life as to intelligence. They also
knew that the spirits who ascend from below, through the region of the
loins to that of the breast, are in a strong persuasion that they