Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772), the source of the quotes in this book, was a spiritual writer in the eighteenth century. In Europe, this was the age of reason, and many  established religious beliefs were being re-examined. Swedenborg’s development was one of a strong childhood sense of God and angels, a classical education, a major interest and involvement in the sciences of the day, a practical ability to invent, a seat in Sweden’s parliament, and a position on its national Board of Mines. When he was with others, he was regarded as sociable and kind, with a clear mind and a friendly disposition.

The last thirty years of Swedenborg’s life, however, were entirely given over to the things of spiritual life: to things about God, eternal life, the meaning of the Bible, the created world, and most of all, our inner spiritual life and growth. Swedenborg saw us as beings capable of receiving the life and light of God, each in our own way. For Swedenborg, real religion is embedded in life, in active living based on understanding that we receive life from God. We are to live responsibly, with goodness and usefulness being our purpose.

Swedenborg’s earlier scientific interest and research was a valuable lead-in for his spiritual writing. His wide experience in researching geology, cosmology, astronomy and especially anatomy trained him in being meticulous, and at times gave him an ability to propose causes and results which have been found to be correct. When he was led to focus on spiritual things, he was able to bring the same wide detailed and connected approach to his explanations. For Swedenborg, God is universally present in absolutely everything, even though the physical world appears to exist from itself.

Swedenborg wrote extensively during these thirty years, and published his writings at his own expense. He sent copies to people he felt would find his concepts interesting and well-founded. Swedenborg said he received all his spiritual teachings from God, who led his mind to see what is true. He writes that it was God who opened his mind for the purpose of explaining the spiritual meaning of scripture, but which then broadened into other matters over time. He was shown the spiritual world, the world of the afterlife, where he witnessed many things. He did not advocate making contact with this spiritual world that he witnessed, because this is not meant for us in this life, and could harm the divine intention for our lives.

Since Swedenborg’s time, many people have found his spiritual writings to be helpful and inspiring. Many famous people have appreciated his approach and coverage of spiritual realities, including Helen Keller, Johnny Appleseed, William Blake, Arthur Conan Doyle, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Honoré de Balzac, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Jorge Luis Borges, Dr Eben Alexander, Kenneth Ring, Carl Jung, Norman Vincent Peale, Colin Wilson, C.S. Lewis, and many others.

For Swedenborg, we are already in the spiritual world in our mind and heart, our thoughts and emotions, and we come into it completely when our physical life ends.