Curtis, after that intro, I'm reminded what a comedian you are. But unlike most comedians I encounter, you have an exceptionally good moral grounding, placing your jokes in the nature of a good jovial spirit. As the dark sense of humor popular with the world often enough rubs me the wrong way, I think you may actually be the best comedian I know! OffTheLeftEye is ever a refreshing dose of sanity in an otherwise misguided world.
@@offTheLeftEye you really do and i try to refer your as much as possible to others online, and spread the message to the people i meet. When i watch your videos it's pure 'hygge' vibes and always uplifting and comforting ❤❤❤
:) Well, that's why it's great to get clear right now what constitutes a "dysfunctional friendship"! If we learn to avoid that on earth, we won't have any problem with it in the afterlife.
You always take me to a higher place that leads to me being a more peaceful person. And that allows me to in turn be a better person. Thank you so much!
Curtis! You have a Heavenly gift of humor and sincerity. This is in itself medicine for the spirit, soul, mind and body. Appreciate these things along with the lessons here. This is the third time, at least, I have listened to this analysis presentation. I actually have thought of this lesson about those we gravitate towards, (for two days now), and I can see readily I needed this particular message to help me sort this world around us. I have labored on several things in our world news, and from that perspective, I readily adopt this thinking and am attempting to correct things in my thinking that are just now dawning on me that need an upgrade. I love goodness, truth and understanding because without striving to discern it, recognize it, find it, I will be alone and without God. Without God, we would be utterly in hell past the elbows. We want to befriend what is good and true, and the fairness, compassion we need is essential to this -- and yes, the greatest thing is to love what is good and true, and this is the quality we love in others -- not the dysfunction they may possess or demonstrate. How do we get another back to something that is good and true is the key question?, and I appreciate you pointing this out. There are situations in life that are not necessarily illegal on earth, but highly dysfunctional to the soul, spirit, emotional and physical health, how then do we get others going down the wrong path to wake up? With children, we are not always completely conscious of this, and then we see it and wake up and try harder the next day. But with adults gone astray, what do we do? Okay, you know I understand we learn eventually by our mistakes -- those things we do not want, but how do we impress this upon others who do not recognize what I like to call the rabid dog in a fence? We watch people slip into that fence unaware of its dangers and when seemingly aware, they are fooled. When they are in this state of mind or of spirit, such people can fool us or themselves more. We can know what is good and true -- but we are in a world that we cannot always know how to help others we either know quite directly as lost, or we sense they are lost even if we have nothing physical we can see to indicate this. Whenever we can get such people to listen, I believe we make some sort of progress, but its seems despite this many project some hellishness back without absorbing any of the good we want them see. Of course, I know that to defeat evil in this world, we begin with ourselves, cleaning our internal world and evacuating those things attempting to contaminate or corrupt us. What techniques can we use to help those not seeking a Heavenly perspective, which to me is truth and goodness with understanding? Of course, I can preach gospels to friends and family who choose to listen, read Swedenborg and use these things to help myself and those who seem to crave this as much as I do, but how do we get the attention of those evil is puppeting? Does Swedenborg ever offer in his accounts of his experiences or interpretations of the Bible specific emergency steps we can take in being the sort of Heavenly instrument that will help wake those on highly destructive paths? I go to sleep each night and in my prayers I am saying to our Lord to please use me as an instrument of Heaven and keep me from being fooled, and still we look into this world and see with great clarity we would otherwise not see, evil misleading and causing horrible contamination and destruction. That love and truth causes us to discern what we are actually seeing and it releases us from blaming such people because we see they are under attack from hell and do not realize it. Our prayers grow stronger then. When we speak to such people we want always the words of Heaven to come in and leave with others something that will help them when they do wake up and begin to develop a consciousness that is beyond the physical and can only be explained by what is spiritual and divine. You know that I love all the work SF does, but I am compelled to ask you for some outline of steps we might follow to get those people we love who are self-destructive to turn their face to the Lord so their hearts can be more receptive like a television antennae. God bless you. Goodnight.
It touches my heart that you strongly desire to learn how to truly help people become their best selves. There is no quick and easy way! And of course, as you say, it has to begin with continual work within ourselves, getting more and more clear about what is good and true. No one can hear or see what they're not yet ready to hear and see. So I think it's a gradual journey of looking for opportunities, while in general making an effort to focus on and encourage the positive in people, and to not enable the negative. Looking for opportunities can involve trying to determine what the person is actually needing in their spirits in order to make positive changes. In our episode "How to Love" we talk about some words of Jesus that can help guide us to notice what kind of specific needs might be going on, which can guide us how to take action: th-cam.com/video/i1vLrF-BeGY/w-d-xo.html But also, overall, trust that God is with each person on his or her journey, and that everyone does need to go through the process at their own pace, and that yes, people often need to learn from mistakes. Just pray to the Lord to open your eyes to times when there is an opening for you to offer some specific help along the way!
Thanks once again for your mind and soul altering episodes, dear oTLE-Team. This time you nailed a topic that is part of my mindset. With you broadcasting Swedenborg's believes, regarding that topic, I'm able to reflect on it and learn the lesson. Your work is so precious, it's hard to put in words 💕
This is wonderful to read, my friend! I am so glad you are touched so deeply by this topic! Thank you for taking the time to express your gratitude. It makes a difference! We are delighted to be in a position to be messengers of hope, and we aim to continue this work into the future. Blessings to you on your journey!
I totally agree with you on those things, Curtis and what Swedenborg writes about. ......I have had my share of those “friendships” . Unfortunately growing up in a poor environment , will lead you into those kinds of relationships. Being young, you really don’t know what’s right or wrong or good and true, only what your parents ( if you have any) or “friends” tell you. Eventually though, you begin to realize those things yourself and move away from the misleading and damaging social circles. It’s better to be by oneself and search for things that are good and true. As I grow older and start to see things in a different perspective, I find that I’m really alone. I would like to use that time to search for what is good and true and live by it ( if It’s possible). I look forward to the day when I can be part of Jehovah’s plan👍🏻❤️❤️❤️😀🌸👍🏻🌼🙂🌺🌲🦋🦜
Julian, as a parent I am sometimes stunned by the responsibility of teaching kids courtesy, conflict resolution, and how to love. How to get along is a skill set that we build over a lifetime, and those of us that don't get these skills early on really can struggle. "Social skills" are the foundation for compassion, faith, understanding, and love. But we can learn them anytime, and it's heartening to know that as an adult you have learned those things and turned your heart and mind towards spheres that benefit you. Your efforts to be kind and loving and create the world and mindset you want are inspiring (because I know now if I mess up, my kids will be okay!). You are ALREADY part of Jehovah's plan! And sharing your thoughts and perspective with others, as you do here, is just one way you create a ripple effect of love and kindness for the rest of us to soak up and contribute to. I think that's the whole plan - love love love! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Julian!
offTheLeftEye.....Thanks, I agree. I never had any of those things growing up and each step in my life was a pitfall. By the grace of Jehovah, I able to reason out those situations, but I learned. It may have been painful but I was able to pick myself up and move on. I’m not a parent myself but I can imagine it can be difficult at times . Some children in todays age don’t realize what priceless parents they have to teach them the right things. But you know you have succeeded when your children are walking in the path to Heaven. .....Life’s journey or voyage is definitely a challenge for people from all walks of life. Let’s hope they all converge onto one road, the road that leads to Jehovah. All my blessings to you and your kids! ❤️❤️❤️🌸👍🏻🙂
Wow!!! You are making such a good point! I grew up poor, and there is no doubt that your "social opportunities" are limited. Children have to socialize!! Add to the mix being severely introverted with introverted parents, so very little role modelling going on, etc. I spend soooooo much time alone in order to avoid the negative co-dependent relationships while waiting to build positive relationships. But guess what! Everyone has some kind of dysfunction. Even choosing to hang out with Curtis and friends on youtube is a social choice, to feel some like-minded companionship and get some good influence. But sometimes the goody-goody vibe is too much to take. So I go hang out with the Great Sinner, Dostoevsky, who's Sonya-the-saintly-prostitute made Raskolnikov-the-murderer turn himself in.
Immensely helpful and thought provoking. I am in my 70s and I find that the older I become, the less I feel sure of, and the more aware I am of how far I have yet to go on this path of Love. When I was younger I had long periods of time where I was quite confident I was doing really well on walking the path of Love. Inevitably, life would present something beyond my mastery, and my beliefs about how great I was doing, what a loving person I was becoming, were shown to be rightly questionable. Now you have given more food for thought that will require re-examination of it all, which is a good thing, but not comfortable at all. Grasping what is real and true on this path of Love and balance seems to be endless!! Where are the lines between being loving, and being an enabler, or, between proper self-care, and service to self?
I relate, Ivorybow, but what comes to mind for me is that you are being too hard on yourself! There is always work to be done on the spiritual path, and no end to our growth and potential progress! But this is not cause for concern. This is proof of your choice to walk the path. And you *are* worthy of it. Just because there is infinitely more to learn doesn't mean that what efforts you have made are meaningless. It's like climbing a mountain. There are many places to stop and enjoy the view, and each view is beautiful and breathtaking. Perhaps it's not depressing that the mountain keeps going, but a gift that we get to experience more views and more triumph to eternity! Self love is crucial to the journey, for without proper care, we will be too weak to keep hiking. I find it humbling to know that I am not God, but empowering to know that I can channel God's love and God's qualities by trying to emulate them in my life. Through that, I get to experience love and compassion and spiritual growth! I don't think God wants us to despair that we are mere humans, but instead, rejoice that we have the gift of life, love, wisdom, and eternity! Remember that as part of an Infinite universe, you too contain qualities from God, and so loving yourself and being kind to yourself is also loving God. You might like this episode, "Why Does The Bible Say We Are Gods?" th-cam.com/video/dU5awiNPX2o/w-d-xo.html
I think that those in the spirit world who have recently passed on are LISTENING to this channel! Things are brought out that they are BEGINNING to see for themselves on this whole other plane of existence. If mediums are right and people eat in the afterlife and drive bikes etc. and come through by way of signals and signs and synchronicities; then I do believe they watch us (watch this channel) while we are watching them! lol ES watches OTLE from heaven - why not!! ;)
I hope so! We like to think they influence our work. Check out "How Angels Connect to You When You Read the Bible," th-cam.com/video/7sbCy7JlCdw/w-d-xo.html because the same could be said for any sort of spiritual meditation and contemplation we do. Spirits are always with us, communicating and connecting and influencing. Very cool to realize that we are all so close together!
Boy oh boy! On first inspection the entire concept seems simple enough and straight forward - however, on closer inspection - of the manifold, varied and more subtle forms in which this simple concept initially appears - and the greater awareness of the complex and insidious magnitude with which it operates, has hit me like a thunderbolt! Many thanks for the insight!
Yes, I agree! There's a simple, surface way to see it. But then there are myriads of subtle ways that this can be going on in our lives. The more that we can get aware of negative kinds of friendships or groupings, the more we can gradually untangle from it all. I'm so glad this concept felt helpful to you!
I've been going through this with my best friend, trying to get him to understand the things he does are leading him to a downward spiral, I find myself doing this a lot with a lot of my friends, and myself sometimes.
Sean, that sounds really hard. It sounds like you love your friend and want to lead him to a better state of mind and a happier life. I think that's wonderful - but also really hard if your friend isn't interested in changing. I hope things get better. I've had friendships that I had to move on from because they didn't share my beliefs about how to treat people, and weren't going to change their minds. I still love them though, and definitely find them entertaining when I'm with them. It's a slipper slope! It's okay to distance yourself if you find it hard to be the person YOU want to be around others, too. You can still love your friends but maintain your boundaries. They will see how happy and peaceful you are and hopefully will want the same for themselves! Check out this episode on "Spiritual Boundaries in Relationships," th-cam.com/video/p1QAWnVZh1k/w-d-xo.html it has some good tips for how to navigate these kind of tricky situations.
OTLE, I am grateful that you allow and even encourage your viewers to leave comments! I love reading them-as time permits-because basically I am learning from them as well! I’ve noticed a pattern among people who are finding their way here, in that we are very similar with similar backgrounds , thought processes, and “paths”! What a joy! I don’t think it is coincidence . Thank you-your work is beyond amazing!❤️
Oh, yes, we are very grateful to be able to learn from so many powerful stories and wise points of view that are posted on our channel! What a blessing. It's a group journey of learning, and everyone has a unique point of view that can add to the bigger picture, and bigger understanding! We sure appreciate having you a part of this community, both learning and sharing! 💖
Yes! And the promise is, if we practice, then eventually it will become a positive habit -- second nature. God can take our efforts and gradually turn them into a change of heart.
Two images or ideas came to me. One of cliques; and one that is practicing and modeling the inclusive love for all of us. The first was the tight group or clique in my high school that controlled all the cool stuff. The girls were the cheerleaders and they would take turns being the queens at the proms - you get the idea. The other clique is larger and more general. These cliques are found in the various sects of religion which teach that their doctrine, practices, etc. are exclusively the only path to heaven. This happens a lot. Obviously the OTLE crew are modeling and practicing the opposite of exclusivity. You all are showing us how fun, happy and helpful it is to want to make everyone happier than you are. This is the inclusive path that wants everyone to benefit from knowing about the ES ideas of what makes up heaven from loving the Lord and loving our neighbor. good job! Curtis - your description of what makes up a heavenly community is such a good description of the OTLE team and the work you are doing. What I was thinking about before watching this episode was the wonderful attitude of "why wait - why not try it now?" What continues to draw me to OTLE is of course Swedenborg - and how practical he is. He tells us what the next life is like and who is happy or not and what they are doing. Then ES tells us that we can be doing this now and starting the practice now and be proactive - so why wait? what are we waiting for? Death? Putting it off is just not as good for us as making a little effort to try this stuff out now. And ES gives us literally thousands of examples of communities in heaven and hell; hundreds of examples of how the Word is telling what is good and bad behaviour; umpteen suggestions on how to change ourselves for the better in little baby steps; and all because we are so varied ,and we need to be enticed by something he says that will motivate us to take the first steps. What a nearly kaleidoscope of images, ideas and helpful suggestions. You can even do episode after episode from a few paragraphs or pages from his Writings. What a gift from the Lord through our dear Emanuel and his tireless work on our behalf and at the behest of our Lord's sending him forth. Blessings to you all for continuing the work and spreading the Word. ❤️
I love it! "Why wait?" is the perfect question to ask ourselves. Hell will try to make it seem impossible, or boring, or whatever. But just as you have said, all it takes is proactive baby steps, just starting to notice and change habits from knee-jerk, lower-ego reactions to something a little more thoughtful and expansive and inclusive. Small steps and practice is how we get on the path, and then God keeps us going, building the momentum!
When Curtis started talking about groups that deem themselves superior, it really reminded me of the protestant church I was a part of. Very tight community, and there were some very good people in it. But there was this emphasis on on "us VS them". How "awful" the people of the world are. All other Christians who aren't members of that particular church were also deemed untrustworthy and not real Christians. How they discouraged us from maintaining friendships with anyone outside of the church, unless it's with the goal of bringing them in the church. And all kinds of exclusivity principles that made "us better than them". I kept brushing it off and I stayed, I served that church. Until it became too much - too judgemental, too oppressive, too far away from what I believed God would be like. So I left without saying anything. After I left, all of the friendships I had there just faded away. After I wasn't a church member anymore, they did not want me as their friend. Today, a lot of those people don't even say hi when passing me on the street. This was a few years ago, yet it feels like I was in a whole other world. I think Swedenborg has it right. P. S. I was interested in Swedenborg even back then, but I kept it a secret. Thank goodness for your show, I've learned so much.
Emilya St, thank you for sharing your story here. I think many people have had similar experiences and can relate. It makes me so sad to think of people missing out on all the wonderful people in the world who may see things differently, and have incredible perspectives to share. Exclusivity seems to hurt the people who practice it more than anyone else! Exposure to other cultures and ideas doesn't have to threaten what we believe - it can only add on more wisdom, more perspective, more love! I'm glad you found Swedenborg and listened to your intuition, and it lead you to a much more accepting and loving point of view. That makes more sense to me as well, and I hope your old friends can find some way to open their hearts too! They are missing out! Sending love.
Not at all, Jay. Each of us is made uniquely, with specific talents and loves and interests. How wonderful that someone wants to care for plants and animals, that serve so many others. And animals have their own specific correspondences, so loving them is very appropriate! Check out this short clip, "Animals and Plants Embodying God's Qualities," th-cam.com/video/svo2Mcd4yE4/w-d-xo.html Swedenborg even says that there are people who live alone in heaven, maybe with a partner, maybe not. I think we all get to be ourselves, and there is so much wonder and good in that!
@@offTheLeftEye oh good! This is a great answer to a bright question. I loved this episode, & they all are such help making bigger, unbroken, eternal sense of the smaller, fragmentary, temporary world our human brains experience. I'd guess that the "lovers of the good" ("the philokalia" the desert fathers called it way back) on earth today are having a rough ride, but maybe it always was the case. Your work is like a light in a huge smog-fog, to me!
I would like to ask if friendship communities in spirit can be inclusive of like minded people from a few different times in history. As someone interested in Christianity, saints, Art and peace building, could I meet people from different Ages in Earth Time who focused on these themes? Thank you Curtis.. I enjoyed this talk.
super interesting regarding e.g. trauma bounding abusive relationships as it exists as much in friendships as other relationships - i'm curios if the victim in this dysfunctional relationship can detect and detach from it in the after life as most aren't even aware they are mentally abused so probably when many die they continue in the after life with bringing this mind set with them - or do they get help?
Hello, Fanta Sip! That is actually a different kind of dysfunctional friendship than we'll be discussing in this episode, but your question is an excellent one. The answer is that yes, absolutely, people in the afterlife can get help to detach from abusive relationships in the afterlife. They can be clearly taught what a genuine relationship of love or friendship is like, and that can give them able to let go of anything that has no genuine love in it.
Thanks 🙏 Curtis you always habe a friend in me I know that does not make us better than anyone lol 😂 ok love ya take care see you on YOUR channel soon lol 😂 bye 👋
Wow,if we really listen to this presentation we can all relate if we are being truthful.It is easy to justify someones bad behavior if we enjoy in general there company.Same goes for us,we want people to ignore are unclean faults cause we think we are fun to hang out with.Wow eye opening for sure! And Curtis i enjoy that you maintain your true personality and don't try to mold yourself to some preconceived notion how a person in front of a camera should act,i see no act in you and i love it[stick figures and all] Many blessing to the whole crew at 'offTheLeftEye'
I love these insights that you've added, Karl! This concept really is eye opening, and something to ponder. Thank you so much for the kind and encouraging words, and for being a part of our audience!
Wow, am I ever screwed! I live in Southern California . . . and was cut off while driving three times today alone. It is so bad here that Californians think the "birdie" is a standard automotive hand signal. Can't say that I love these people. Did I mention that I am screwed?
I hear you, Gordon! And you are certainly not alone in that. Intense traffic situations are one of the most difficult times to avoid getting hooked by anger and irritation toward others, because people are so often not on their best behavior. But that means it's also an incredible opportunity for intense spiritual growth! :) Loving those people doesn't mean having warm fuzzy feelings for what they are doing at that moment. It can involve considering that they are more than just their behavior at that moment. I have a friend who makes an effort to pray for anyone who is rude to her in traffic, and that helps her. This also might help: "3 Simple Ways to Love Everyone" th-cam.com/video/pl7s8kiLrhE/w-d-xo.html Small steps, Gordon! That's all any of us can do. But the Lord can then work with those small steps.
I think the same can apply, Maitri Yah. Swedenborg does share stories of people reuniting in the afterlife and hashing out differences, solving problems and finding closure. There are also others who just need to part ways.
@@SMacCuUladh Oh, yes, thanks for bringing that up! There is a story about a dysfunctional family that was able to work out their differences in the afterlife. It's right at the beginning of "5 Reunions in the Afterlife" th-cam.com/video/wpWrtwlyvE0/w-d-xo.html
Having lived remote for ten years of my working life in aboriginal communities you noticed patterns of behaviour repeated each year which trended toward sorting newbe's into social groups ... where many would lose it, go troppo by years end with city stuff once were hidden now hung out for all to see. Being agreeable and social with the various groups that formed and separating work/social life became a no brainer over time. The greatest experiences and friendships came from within the murri communities and other kadia who worked there. In the end these influences became life changing, whereas opportunities given over by most who worked and played together had it's own lessons. It just seemed to mirror what you were talking of here Curtis where groups of friends spirit side became unaware of what they were missing out on.
More thoughts...on a second listening. "if you don't have that mindset, God is going to make you as happy as you could possibly be, but you can't be in Heaven." I understood that Heaven is not something that happens in the "afterlife,' but now. The fact of loneliness, sadness, heartbreak, mean that we/I have not yet reached true love for others. I see it in the struggle with categorizing those who have caused harm to others and to me, those who have betrayed, and caused great suffering to me and to others, as excluded. How to get from the hurt, to that place of wanting those in that group, to be happier than I am? Wow...seems insurmountable.
Yes, Ivorybow, such hard work! There is so much sorrow in life, and we encounter many people and circumstances that break our hearts. How to get past these? I think it's a gradual process that involves a will to hope for better, and compassion for those who have hurt us. You might like our episode, "Rediscovering Forgiveness" th-cam.com/video/2CJ_W9lE0co/w-d-xo.html The episode talks about how forgiveness is *not* about being okay with hard things, but rather, removing the burden of hard memories and trauma from our own lives through forgiveness. It's a process that helps us move forward. Let us know how it resonates with you! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Wishing you love and peace around all of the hard things you have experienced and witnessed.
Yes, Nicole, we do have free will. We can choose to not be negative ourselves, though we cannot control the choices of people we live with or spend time with. Sometimes I picture myself doing ti chi, not blocking another person's energy but deflecting it. Or if someone is complaining I imagine how they may be hurting inside, causing them to blame others. But yes our free will is something God protects like the apple of His eye.
@@offTheLeftEye If I died and see a family member or friend who hurt me when I was human, I can choose not to be near their negative energy. I am so grateful for free will.
This subject matter is puzzling. I once had a nonphysical experience where I was in a realm where everything seemed nice, the people in this realm were basically good, and the realm didn't include the difficulties this world includes. Nevertheless, the feeling I got is that I have experienced more love, peace and joy while in this world than the people in this realm experienced, because they weren't interested in connecting with God. Therefore, what I experienced is in line with what Swedenborg said. On the other hand, a person like Howard Storm has an NDE (near death experience), he experiences hell first, asks for help, Jesus helps him, and he immediately appreciates what God has to offer, even though while he was a person, he had no interest in what God has to offer. Other NDErs have experienced the same. It is not surprising that people find what God has to offer quite appealing, despite what they were interested in beforehand. I have found that I can receive spirit messages through my dreams. Not too long ago I had a dream where I first experienced activities that seemed to represent world-based interests. Then I walked into a building and saw about 7 people looking at a person they were mesmerized by (in a good way). I thought this foolish, looked at the man they were mesmerized by, and it was Jesus. I immediately became mesmerized (in a good way). The feeling that came from Jesus was too enticing to not be very interested in what he represented. The dream came to an end, and this positive feeling remained with me for a while. Emanuel Swedenborg is not the only OBEr (out of body experiencer) who has found that people go to a realm that most represents what they love after they die. How this relates with what some NDErs experience, I don't know. I'm not speaking of people who end up in hell-like realms. Some NDEers, Swedenborg and other OBErs collaborate the existence of such realms. But what about people that weren't negative, but had no interest in God? Perhaps our Souls are able to easily recognize the wonderful way of existence God offers, if we give ourselves a moment to recognize such way. It is important to acknowledge that many NDErs have stated that they still have issues to deal with, after their NDE. This suggests that spiritual growth is still required, after we experience God's presence in some way. Going by the divine guidance I have received, it is important to try to grow spiritually while we are in this world. Going by what I have read, some people make the mistake of believing that you automatically become enlightened when you die, so there is no need to put in spiritually directed effort while you are here in this world. I think that in some way Jesus was probably correct when he taught the "as you sow, so you reap" principle.
Yes, Albert, Swedenborg definitely aligns with the thought that you will reap as you sow. But he also says that sometimes the concerns of earthly life so cloud our minds that we don't even know who our spirits are or what we are capable of loving. To me, it seems like it's going to involve both steps -- a willingness HERE to reflect on ourselves and try to be our best selves, and then a continued journey of learning (about ourselves, about God, about the truth of the way things are) on the other side, when we are relieved of some physical-level baggage. Blessings to you on this journey, and thanks for adding to the conversation.
@@offTheLeftEye Perhaps people who recognize love in their fellow man, have an easier time recognizing it when it comes from God directly. You have a lot of videos, so I hope you don't mind me asking, have you made one that discusses what the ultimate goal of our souls is? I figure this might include rejoining God in a more complete way. Also, when Swedenborg says "providence" does he mean God's will?
@@alberthaust4542 I think that makes a lot of sense, that having cultivated a desire to look for love in others and share it, we would see God's love more as well! As I understand it, the purpose of our creation is simply to have an opportunity to love each other and live in heaven - "to create a heaven from the human race." It's like when we find something we love, that makes us happy, and we want to talk about it with anyone who will listen so that they TOO can be happy! Love wants to share itself with others, that's the core of its very nature. God is love, so God wants to share that love and has created us for that purpose. But we struggle to accept it, understand it, and share it ourselves. Swedenborg also said the world wasn't always so hard as it is now - but as we turned away from God throughout history, we have made life harder on ourselves and each other as a result. I believe that things have and will continue to get better though as we slowly rediscover the importance of love. So after all that rambling, see these for further discussion: "The Purpose of Creation," th-cam.com/video/gmXFh4yaWRs/w-d-xo.html "How to Find Your True Self" th-cam.com/video/3m9uAecvftM/w-d-xo.html Swedenborg's understanding of Divine Providence is often likened to the concept of fate, but it's more complicated than that. At its core, Divine Providence is the way God interacts with people - always loving and leading us toward love and heaven, maintaining balance and creating opportunities for us to learn and grow spiritually. Here is an episode about that: th-cam.com/video/wFuGb3G2ZVw/w-d-xo.html Let me know what you think, Albert! Seems you have some powerful spiritual experiences of your own! Thanks for sharing with us.
@@offTheLeftEye Left Eye, I don't know your name, thank you for the info and the links. I'll watch them when I get the chance which will probably be soon. I'll let you know what I think.
☀️=❤+⏹ This episode was really full of SO MANY TRUTHS. It sounds like Swedenborg is describing psychic vampires which I never really understood until now. Curtis, your description of mapping people in relation to the human form according to your love and the mechanics of consciousness and us being "an individual neuron in this grand human consciousness machine", both resonated with me. If only everyone could be of Service to the Whole, what a wonderful world it would be 😇
Matthew, so true. It would be wonderful! We can all do our part - and start changing the world, a little kindness at a time. It's such a powerful image, to see ourselves as part of something so grand and wonderful. It makes me feel so purposeful and important (as we all are!). God bless, Matthew, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
How is 'love of community' balanced with those we grow up with, our friends, even if we know that they are involved with bad things? We still love them, but feel we cannot associate with them. In real life, here and now, we still love them. Thank you for the explanation. Our foremost focus must be for the Lord and our neighbour.
Yes, James, we do still love them. Swedenborg points out that we can always love the goodness in our neighbor -- everybody has something good in them, created by God as we all are. So love what's good in them, and set good boundaries -- that's one approach. Blessings to you.
P.S. Here's a short clip called "Loving Your Neighbor through Loving God" -- th-cam.com/video/Cx6DeFWqsdY/w-d-xo.html. It's taken from the longer video, "The Four Kinds of Love." -- th-cam.com/video/pPxZjSWzmPw/w-d-xo.html. Perhaps these shows will give you more food for thought as you ponder your question.
Was Swedenborg talking about friendships in the spiritual world, or the earth? Having a bad judgment of character and living in poor areas, I came across a few “ friends” who seemed okay at the time, but were not on the right track in a sense, so I couldn’t find anyone else who was “ “good and true” in those days and even now. But I wish I had. Its true what comes around, goes around. Even today much has changed and people are different. My two neighbors seem like nice people but are they good and true? As I‘ve said before, I’m not a good judge of character and don’t know what’s in their hearts. I’m looking forward to the day when I can get the chance to really befriend someone who is good a true. That would be were my heart is.❤️❤️🙂
Julian, great question! It's so hard to know what's in someone else's heart. And in some ways, we don't even fully know what's in our OWN hearts! The best we can do is offer love and kindness to everyone, as authentically as we can, and work to love the part of them that is receptive to love. Each of us is connected and supported by Divine love - we are all, in a sense, Divine. We can ALWAYS love that part of a person, and trust it is in them, even if they try to hide it. That doesn't mean we can trust them though - it just means we can enter each relationship as fully as we are able and if they can do the same, we know we've found a kindred spirit! In the next life, it will be easier to find your people for sure, but it's possible here too! I think finding the balance between vulnerability and courage is challenging, but that's where we need to be if we are to truly connect with someone. It doesn't always work out, but when it does, it's so wonderful to have those powerful relationships. Remember, that just by being yourself, loving yourself, and loving God, you are opening the door to greater love and greater friendship!
Julian, have you seen this episode yet? "Angels Make You Love Your Friends," th-cam.com/video/HxX0Vtw7nP4/w-d-xo.html Seems appropriate to send it to you! LMK what you think!
Hello from Australia . A question re which show it is ?? . I began watching this video last night , I didn't get to finish it . Curtis was showing an analogy of a video game and showing an animated video game graphic and was talking about Divine Truth and Divine Love , he also said you have to fight for what is true , he was also mentioning how Swedenborg was saying as you get further away from evil ,you recognise it and are more repulsed by it . I want to finish this video but, I can't find it . Would you know the name by any chance of this particular show re video game might give you a clue . He had an animated video game graphic as he was explaining it .Thanks so much , very frustrating I cannot remember the name of the show 😊🙏
Hi Suzanna -- I sympathize with not being able to remember show titles! I (Chara) can't remember what show that clip was in either, but I'll toss it out to our writers. Stay tuned -- we'll get you an answer eventually!
In the meantime, just last night Curtis did a show called "What a Toy Taught Me About Spirituality", involving the old Super Mario video games. -- th-cam.com/video/t35-V5DPpDI/w-d-xo.html But I think you're talking about an older show? Let us know if this Super Mario show is the one you were talking about!
OK Suzanna -- Karin thinks she found what you're looking for. Could it be in this video? "The Purpose of Death" -- th-cam.com/video/Gmd2q1BLriM/w-d-xo.html At timestamp 17:16. Let us know if that's the one!
@@offTheLeftEye Yes it's the Purpose of Death . Thanks so much . I accidentally turned viewing history off TH-cam ,so I could not find it . Thanks , your customer service is fantastic . I don't know any other channel , that would help out viewers the way you do . Thanks 👍👍
I have visited this episode a few times really wondering…..Of course I love what is good and true no doubt, but being born into a somewhat dysfunctional type of family and then attending schools where the friendships were also dysfunctional didn’t give me much of a chance. Today, many years later, I have no real friends, because I’ve learned that everyone is different. I’m afraid to get involved again because I don’t want to get “ dragged into” another type of those relationships. I just help others when it’s possible like my neighbors for instance. Of course Emmanuel Swedenborg grew up in an entirely different situation than myself, but there is the desire for goodness and truth which I feel in my heart is important regardless of the differences. In a sense I’ve lost the trust because it’s difficult to find a “ good” friend when a lot of people today have different issues so to speak. It’s a complicated physical world, but my greatest trust is with God and I think where I am very limited, He can make it right for those who choose His guidance❤️❤️🙂
Julian you are on to something when you put your trust in God. Bless you for helping your neighbors. That is a lovely way to attract goodness and kind people. Yes we are all different and that can add to the glory of heaven. Still finding people that resonate with you and love the same things is a real gift. We hope these videos continue to inspire you. Here is one about Should We Love God or People More? th-cam.com/video/zF1Btuo1JNc/w-d-xo.html Take care, Julian.
@@offTheLeftEye Thanks, I always appreciate those videos, they offer such an important learning tool. …. It doesn’t matter who you are, it’s what’s in your heart that matters and love is the most important thing❤️❤️🙂
Hi folks, do anyone there remember the part in the gospels where our Lord told us that anyone that loved someone more than him, is not worth of him? For that´s the whole point, to wich the bodily analogy of the whole of the body and the organs stand. To indulge is not the same as to Love. As for the practical reasons, we should not turn from others, but we should learn to hold the right distance, no matter how hard our hearth could be broken at times. I´ve heard of mothers of drug dealers, I´ve be aquainted with people that were manipulated and ruined the whole life by their family to death... It must be very sad to see people you love go astray... All of you that are running a family out there probably know those concerns. Do all you can, and pray: if prayer is the only and last resort, pray hard. The Lord listens, but be not surprised when he starts with yourself. No matter how hard it is, always remember the he went to the cross, and without that cross of him, you wouldn´t not even had made it so far to this point. Jesus. Life of my life, soul of my soul. St. Augustinus.
Hi, Klaus! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Yes, it is a difficult practice to stay focused on our own choices and allow the choices of others to be their own.
If you love your dogs, you will certainly have your dogs around you in the afterlife! And you will also find community with other people that you can relate to. Maybe through your love of dogs! Here's a short clips called "Pets in the Heaven" th-cam.com/video/e_juw6tmXQY/w-d-xo.html
I really felt like this ended with a foggy paradox. We are supposed to love everyone and not think that we are better than others. But don't hang out with those people who think they are better than others! Only hang out with the people who do not do so. Who are these people? I haven't met many. I heard something today, but can't remember where I heard it. Something to the effect of, "Your friends don't agree with you, and those people over there who do agree with you are not your friends." That could be taken any number of ways. How do you walk the fine line of gravitating toward people who are positive influences in your life while not disdaining those who would be negative influences if you let them get too close? Isn't that in-crowd/out-crowd? Calvinism?
I think that's the ultimate question, fancynancylucille! Truly, we can't know what anyone else's motives or spiritual state actually is. We have no control over what others think, or do, and we can't know if they truly are spiritually aligned with us. But we can know who brings out the best in us, and so we can do our best to gravitate towards those people! That said, how often in life do we get to choose our company? The real challenge is holding our own firm boundaries and sense of self while also showing love, mercy, and compassion to everyone we interact with, whether they feel like our kindred spirits or not. True peace doesn't come from the company we keep, or any external factors. True peace comes from the Divine, which we can access within ourselves. By cultivating an internal connection to love and wisdom, we become free of external stress. What happens around us doesn't matter so much, because we can connect with a heavenly state anytime we want. We can be the eye at the center of the storm. Of course this state can and will fluctuate, and it takes practice to get there. There are many ways to do this. For some it may be prayer or meditation, for others it could be art, or time in nature, or exercise or sports or work...maybe it comes from being with a group of people who motivates and inspires you! Maybe it's lots of things. We have to create space in our lives to access a peaceful state. In time, we get better at knowing how to find it, so that no matter where we are or who we are with, we can return to that internal state of peace! Eventually, it becomes second nature with practice! It is part of the work of loving ourselves in order to love others more effectively! And sometimes we are better at it than others! That's okay, because life is a work in progress! It has been my personal experience (Melissa here) that when I make time to connect with the Divine, through prayer or meditation or things that bring me joy, I become a more authentic version of myself. And when that happens, somehow, it is easier for me to find people who I really love, and for them to find me! It also is easier for me to be around people who I struggle with, because I have a sense of confidence from the Lord that love still exists, whether others share it with me or not! Also, sometimes the most loving thing we can do for another person is to limit their behaviors, either by setting firm boundaries, sometimes ending a relationship, or even seeking justice against a crime (such as sending a criminal to prison). Swedenborg learned that while we can't know what anyone's spiritual state is, we CAN certainly stop behaviors that are harmful, and we can do this with the hope that ending their bad behavior will give them the opportunity to reevaluate their choices and repent. And it keeps us safe in the process! We can do all this without any disdain, though, and instead set boundaries with *love.* You might like this episode that talks about justice in the spiritual world: "What Happens With Unsolved Crime in the Afterlife" th-cam.com/video/JOEiAETaQug/w-d-xo.html Let me know if that resonates with you! I hope it's useful!
Curtis was referring to the human form as a kind of "table of contents." When you say "so that we can tell what we're interacting with," do you mean, so we can tell whether we're interacting with a negative or positive aspect of a person? If so, think of it like, how would you determine if something is negative or positive in terms of the body? You'd do so by determining whether it's doing harm to the greater whole, or helping the greater whole. So, I think of it like that. Is some aspect of myself or of another person doing harm to others (harm to their long-term physical and spiritual health and well-being)? Or is it helpful and beneficial to the long-term well-being of others and the greater good?
So, in the afterlife in those friendship communities.. if I like football or basketball, is a lot of what we are going to do is talk about them and play them.. but what if I get bored of those things
Curtis is pointing out that communities just based on superficial kinds of friendship like that are not a good thing. That WOULD become very boring! Heavenly communities, and heavenly friendship, is based on finding some useful cause that you all believe in, and working together in teamwork on that cause -- some cause that makes a positive difference to the common good.
It's like the domino affect... When one falls they all fall eventually. Because it's not in line or properly positioned. Like the spirit, heart, mind and body. When one is affect with negativity, sooner or later there is imbalance that will throw the whole into sickness. Whether physical, emotion, psychological or spiritual. Neither can stand alone to properly work to stay in homeostasis ( balance ). It needs all to be strong and whole in one component, the body of many different parts that make the whole to all function. Whatever analogy works for anyone to understand... Whether medical terms, mechanics, music, dance etc. It all follows one principle and that is... It takes many for the whole to work. Love and blessings😇🙏🌺 Forgot to mention: Sometimes we all need to do a reality check on ourselves. To see why we are doing whatever it is we are doing. Is it for self, gratification for self or all about me, myself and I. Or is for the usefulness of someone needing help or good of all. I find avoiding situations that can take you down the rabbit hole works. But at the same time letting individuals know that there is a line I will not cross if it jeopardizes my principles or theirs. I love, honor, appreciate and acknowledge everyone as they are and for who they are. For there is a lesson to learn for all and a purpose. So I do a reality check all the time so I'm not taken of track or off course. My course is steadfast today to be in line and light with God. As imperfect as I am...
Well said! Developing a habit of doing regular "reality checks" is such a wise thing to do! We need that wisdom to go along with any loving intentions, so God can keep us clear about whether it's really going in a loving direction, or veering off course. And I love your analogies about the need to seek a balanced harmony, and watch out for the disharmony that negativity inserts into any situation. Thank you so much!
@@offTheLeftEye , And thank you humbly for your programs that surely reaches people to think and ponder. Understand in a simple way how God's truth and wisdom really works. Religion has misguided congregations far too long. It is time for the real truth ( God's Truth ) to reign in the hearts of people. This is my hope and prayer everyday. That changes in the hearts of people can begin to open up to God. So we can have a world where all can live in true harmony in this life!
I'm so sorry you had to suffer such a difficult upbringing, Michelle. Thank Goodness that you came to an awareness that something could be changed! Sending prayers for healing and peace, and a productive and happy future!
Hi Jeremy! Great question! According to Emanuel Swedenborg, our state of mind and life on earth remain with us in the next life. Though we have the opportunity to learn and grow and change in the world of spirits, we will ultimately become our most authentic selves - in other words, our spirits are simplified to who we really are, and all the externals pass away. So if we were dysfunctional in life, we will probably remain so in death. The mission of this channel is to share the first-hand reports of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772). He had direct, daily spiritual experiences for 27 years. Here is a short video about him: "Who Was Swedenborg?" th-cam.com/video/HEa0e8AcS78/w-d-xo.html Here is a full length introduction episode to Swedenborg's worldview, called "Swedenborg 101: The Basic Nature of Everything." th-cam.com/video/3Q14EcEwQVQ/w-d-xo.html Let me know if this resonates with you!
parents who love their children know what god's love is like. I'm lucky to have my nephew who teaches me what god's love must be like for me. when I question why would God love me, what's so special about me? I think about my nephew and imagine what it would do to me if he questioned my love for him and doubted by asking "how am I special to you, why do you bother to love me?" It would devastate me if he really was sincere. I can't articulate why I love him but I know I do then I switch it back to God and realize he feels the same way about me with the exception he knows exactly why he loves me. Then I try to honor God's love for me and not doubt. Think about this also. He knew you before he laid the foundations of the Earth. He has more thoughts of you and your welfare then the numbers of stars in the Universe. He chose you to exist, he wanted you to live. You are an endless treasure to him and he adores you more then any mother can ever adore her own child. It's hard to fathom this but then again.... he is God. He ignited all the stars in the sky and his power is greater still. Now imagine the power of his love which is greater then our created Universe. It's unfathomable but that is our father God.
Rick! Excellent insight! This is what I was trying to express in my reply, but I deleted it. The first sentence you have written here is IT!!! That's the key that opens the door of love. After teaching abused children for 26 years, if the child isn't loved, you have a deeply hurt and angry child. YOU are special because you exist! G-d loves each of His children as though He only had eyes for them. ( Now, to convince myself:) What I was trying to say was , if we are to love our neighbors, we need know how to love ourselves.
@@pattiambrecht6792 People who had NDE's said that in the presence of Jesus or God it felt they were loved like they were the only one in the Universe and they described the love as very profound and personal. Howard Storm said something very important. He said Jesus not only loved him but actually liked him. That was important for me to hear. It's hard to explain but love without like is lesser then love and adoration. I love animals but I would not like bears because I can't live with them so there is no bear I can like. Something like this. What if God's love was like that, he loves you but kinda keeps his distance because he doesn't chose you, he tolerates you. Again it's hard for me to articulate all of this. Does any one else feel the same way or am I just confused, lol?
@@rickrouse7865 G-d's love is a perfect love. I completely understand what you mean by love AND like! Especially IF we heard from someone close to us like a parent say, " I love you, but I DON'T like you! G-d is pure love! And He knew you before He formed you in your mother's womb. I try and hold onto the positive things and tune out the negative. I have to work hard at this, but I am making strides. G-d loves you, Rick and He also likes you! He will embrace you when you move on not just tolerate you. I hope this helps:)
If a friend in need is a friend indeed didn't exist in my life, how can I be sure that this person would be good? Should I just abandon everyone I knew so far?
Everyone has a spark of God's life in them, yahia. I guess all we can do is look for the good in the people we're with, and if keeping healthy boundaries means no longer having them in your life, that's a choice to be made. There are plenty of dysfunctional people who are good at their core! It's hard to tell, and we can't make spiritual judgments, but we can try to keep ourselves in a functional place.
@@yahiawaleed828 There seems to be multiple fractals of the "human-shaped heaven." Every individual in heaven is a small, individual heaven. Then each community functions as a collective human, with each person playing a vital role for the good of the whole. Then there's a collective human form of people from our planet. And then there is an even bigger human form of people from mulitiple planets!
@@offTheLeftEye so.... Can I marry an alien or is it someone predetermined that I don't know of for some reason? Like... I'm not expecting perfection but I do expect creating a personal distance even in the area of selecting marriage mates
@@yahiawaleed828 God foresees who you will marry, but that does not mean that you will not choose your marriage mate. It just means that God knows who you will choose, and can help you get ready to meet and bond with that person! Whoever it is will feel just right to you. Will WILL choose who you want to be with! Free consent is crucial for an eternal marriage relationship.
I will not be there if there are toxic souls. I finally got rid of a draining,toxic,superficial, backstabbing, two faced friend for several years are common connection was going out having drinks happy hours, but that's it,scratch the surface she was a full blown narcissist and did nasty things to people. She didn't have time to be burdened by anything you were going through. I'd rather be friendless than have those surface connections with toxic souls
I'm glad you are not dealing with that relationship any more! If you have managed to detach from toxic friendships in this life, then those relationships will not follow you into the afterlife. Just make sure to work on forgiveness to insure that there is no lingering attachment. For that, see our episode "Rediscovering Forgiveness" th-cam.com/video/2CJ_W9lE0co/w-d-xo.html
I think, if I remember correctly, Swedenborg didn't have much good to say about friendships unless the friendships are involved in doing good for others. IOW, a group like the Elks Lodge, which is based on charity, brotherly love, justice, and fidelity, is a very different kind of connection than a social group that is based only on having fun together going to different activities for self indulging, with no philanthropy or charity to the community.
He used a strange term, Sally -- "friendship of love." Which meant, to my understanding, be careful about getting wrapped up in a friendship that blinds you to behaviors or attitudes that can be damaging. Yes, let usefulness be your guide. But he also says that married partners should be friends. And he discusses the value of recreation. So I wouldn't want to write off all friendships that are social support! People need people!
@Off The Left Eye When my children were teens, I facilitated their small group at church. Part of the meetings were spent on activity for the group one week, alternating with a charitable activity to serve others in the church the next week. It's always a question of balance, IMO, to keep us from too much focus on egos and our selfish desires. BTW, after so many years have passed, that core group are still in contact and are close friends. 😇
Aleh, here are a couple episodes that I think will answer that: "What Does It Feel Like to Die?" th-cam.com/video/hWU0PA-PDDo/w-d-xo.html and "Why Some People In The Afterlife Don't Know They're Dead" th-cam.com/video/bRYJUXQ4-Xc/w-d-xo.html Let me know if that helps!
Excellent food for thought. Maybe these would pertain to people who are in gangs or are bullies? Less obvious may be people who are racist, those who gossip and judge others, those who have wealth or particular talents that they believe make them superior to others less blessed or able.
Swedenborg does speak in terms of various kinds of government, but there is no corruption, only a desire to serve the community in useful and loving ways. So I can't imagine there would be divisive politics. That might be a real relief, eh, Barbara?
I grew up in a family of narcissists. I was always a very spiritual person so I knew early on how wrong this narcissistic mindset was. The family members I am referring to are now in their sixties and aren't any more further forward in realizing how evil narcissism is . I think some people come into this world not too highly evolved. I think this is the case with murderers, rapists, paedophiles, and other criminals.
I think so too, Keith. Not all of us have the same intentions in our journey, or come to the same conclusions. Some seem to dive deeper than others! I'm sorry to hear you had that experience of narcissism in your family, but very glad that you have broken the cycle!
Hi Debbie, I'm sorry that this format doesn't appeal to you. Other viewers do find the drawings helpful, and we make an effort to have different kinds of programming for different tastes. Other series on our channels present quotes without pausing for drawings or diagrams. This series is called "News From Heaven," and you might get more out of our other series: "Swedenborg & Life," "Swedenborg & Life Live," or "Good Question!" You can also access the texts and read for yourself if you prefer, and if you read them on your own and want to discuss feel free to comment even if you don't watch the episode! We are happy to talk about them with you here, or you might enjoy the facebook group the Swedenborg Foundation runs for readers of Swedenborg, called "Watching and Reading Swedenborg," here is a link to request to join that group: facebook.com/groups/WatchingReadingSwedenborg/ The book and number are provided in the episode description, and you can look it up on New Christian Bible Study. Here is the link to the passage Curtis reads in this episode: newchristianbiblestudy.org/exposition/translation/arcana-coelestia-potts/gen-37/48040 You can also download many of Swedenborg's books for free or at very low cost from the Swedenborg Foundation, and here is that link: swedenborg.com/bookstore/e-books/ Hope that helps you!
"goodness in the form of service to others" can be robbed by selfish people too. Humility is not an art that many like to practice. Everyone seems to think 'they know what's right and what's wrong', while differing of opinions is not welcome, thus rendering conflict. As long as everyone 'knows'- then everyone around them 'doesn't know'. I like taoism. Just be like a lily in the field, and do nothing. Sounds about right.
Erin, I had not heard that image about the lily. I do heartfully agree about the damage that comes from believing we have a monopoly on the truth. Bless you for being open to what others offer.
@@offTheLeftEye :) On that note Curtis, I smile every time you shrug your shoulders and say "gee I don't know" . Thanks for all your commentary. Bless you all as well!!
Does Mr. Swedenborg address abuse by beings (e.g., a "husband'" or groups as described in this video), who have the power to harass others by violating their privacy and peace in various ways? How can you tell what is spiritual? How can you get an abusive one to go away? I want him to leave, and he knows this. He/it/they seem to derive some kind of juice from the gaslighting and other BS. Like cowardly playground bullies grown large. I wish him/them healing and great peace; frankly they're not going to get any charge for long by stealing it from others.
Your question is a great one. Swedenborg devotes most of his effort to illuminating the influence of the spiritual world on us, as opposed to the influence of human beings on each other on this earth. Swedenborg says, though, that each person on earth -- whether he knows it or not -- carries with him (or her) the influence of spirits. We can assume that those who are willing to inflict abuse on others are getting their ideas from spirits who intend harm. Have you seen our video called, "Do Spirits Play a Role in Addiction?"? th-cam.com/video/lMxdZiguxlI/w-d-xo.html You may find it relevant to your question. Another one that comes to mind is, "The Lies Evil Spirits Tell Us." th-cam.com/video/Qaqd9Fhsxpg/w-d-xo.html Both abusers and victims (so, all of us) can be enslaved by lies which inform our beliefs and actions. May it bring you clarity and hope, my friend! Blessings to you on this path to greater peace in your relationships!
If you could hear your parents' voices right now, what do you think they would be saying to you? Did they want you to find friendship when they were still living on earth?
Curtis, after that intro, I'm reminded what a comedian you are. But unlike most comedians I encounter, you have an exceptionally good moral grounding, placing your jokes in the nature of a good jovial spirit. As the dark sense of humor popular with the world often enough rubs me the wrong way, I think you may actually be the best comedian I know! OffTheLeftEye is ever a refreshing dose of sanity in an otherwise misguided world.
Hi Keith, Melissa here, and I'm so glad Curtis's comedic style resonates with you, and brings some peace into the chaos! Wishing you well!
I totally agree you Keith. "A list" comedy seems to always have to be nasty or unkind in some way. I really appreciate kind funny :)
Its like a sermon, i feel spiritually bathed when i listen to these videos 😊
Nice, bkkmk! Glad to hear they feel helpful and meaningful!
@@offTheLeftEye you really do and i try to refer your as much as possible to others online, and spread the message to the people i meet. When i watch your videos it's pure 'hygge' vibes and always uplifting and comforting ❤❤❤
@@bkkmk that is so sweet of you to say! I will share that comment with the whole team!
@@offTheLeftEye please do 😊❤❤
Great. All I need is problems in the afterlife! 🙃
I had the exact same thought!
:) Well, that's why it's great to get clear right now what constitutes a "dysfunctional friendship"! If we learn to avoid that on earth, we won't have any problem with it in the afterlife.
Carrie Parsons 😂
Oy vey! 🤧
You'll be all right ... you have a beaut sense of humour.
You always take me to a higher place that leads to me being a more peaceful person. And that allows me to in turn be a better person. Thank you so much!
It makes us so happy to know that, Ken! ❤
they cause problems in this life too...
They sure do, Nick.
Curtis! You have a Heavenly gift of humor and sincerity. This is in itself medicine for the spirit, soul, mind and body. Appreciate these things along with the lessons here. This is the third time, at least, I have listened to this analysis presentation. I actually have thought of this lesson about those we gravitate towards, (for two days now), and I can see readily I needed this particular message to help me sort this world around us. I have labored on several things in our world news, and from that perspective, I readily adopt this thinking and am attempting to correct things in my thinking that are just now dawning on me that need an upgrade. I love goodness, truth and understanding because without striving to discern it, recognize it, find it, I will be alone and without God. Without God, we would be utterly in hell past the elbows. We want to befriend what is good and true, and the fairness, compassion we need is essential to this -- and yes, the greatest thing is to love what is good and true, and this is the quality we love in others -- not the dysfunction they may possess or demonstrate. How do we get another back to something that is good and true is the key question?, and I appreciate you pointing this out. There are situations in life that are not necessarily illegal on earth, but highly dysfunctional to the soul, spirit, emotional and physical health, how then do we get others going down the wrong path to wake up? With children, we are not always completely conscious of this, and then we see it and wake up and try harder the next day. But with adults gone astray, what do we do? Okay, you know I understand we learn eventually by our mistakes -- those things we do not want, but how do we impress this upon others who do not recognize what I like to call the rabid dog in a fence? We watch people slip into that fence unaware of its dangers and when seemingly aware, they are fooled. When they are in this state of mind or of spirit, such people can fool us or themselves more. We can know what is good and true -- but we are in a world that we cannot always know how to help others we either know quite directly as lost, or we sense they are lost even if we have nothing physical we can see to indicate this. Whenever we can get such people to listen, I believe we make some sort of progress, but its seems despite this many project some hellishness back without absorbing any of the good we want them see. Of course, I know that to defeat evil in this world, we begin with ourselves, cleaning our internal world and evacuating those things attempting to contaminate or corrupt us. What techniques can we use to help those not seeking a Heavenly perspective, which to me is truth and goodness with understanding? Of course, I can preach gospels to friends and family who choose to listen, read Swedenborg and use these things to help myself and those who seem to crave this as much as I do, but how do we get the attention of those evil is puppeting? Does Swedenborg ever offer in his accounts of his experiences or interpretations of the Bible specific emergency steps we can take in being the sort of Heavenly instrument that will help wake those on highly destructive paths? I go to sleep each night and in my prayers I am saying to our Lord to please use me as an instrument of Heaven and keep me from being fooled, and still we look into this world and see with great clarity we would otherwise not see, evil misleading and causing horrible contamination and destruction. That love and truth causes us to discern what we are actually seeing and it releases us from blaming such people because we see they are under attack from hell and do not realize it. Our prayers grow stronger then. When we speak to such people we want always the words of Heaven to come in and leave with others something that will help them when they do wake up and begin to develop a consciousness that is beyond the physical and can only be explained by what is spiritual and divine. You know that I love all the work SF does, but I am compelled to ask you for some outline of steps we might follow to get those people we love who are self-destructive to turn their face to the Lord so their hearts can be more receptive like a television antennae. God bless you. Goodnight.
It touches my heart that you strongly desire to learn how to truly help people become their best selves. There is no quick and easy way! And of course, as you say, it has to begin with continual work within ourselves, getting more and more clear about what is good and true. No one can hear or see what they're not yet ready to hear and see. So I think it's a gradual journey of looking for opportunities, while in general making an effort to focus on and encourage the positive in people, and to not enable the negative. Looking for opportunities can involve trying to determine what the person is actually needing in their spirits in order to make positive changes. In our episode "How to Love" we talk about some words of Jesus that can help guide us to notice what kind of specific needs might be going on, which can guide us how to take action: th-cam.com/video/i1vLrF-BeGY/w-d-xo.html But also, overall, trust that God is with each person on his or her journey, and that everyone does need to go through the process at their own pace, and that yes, people often need to learn from mistakes. Just pray to the Lord to open your eyes to times when there is an opening for you to offer some specific help along the way!
Thanks once again for your mind and soul altering episodes, dear oTLE-Team. This time you nailed a topic that is part of my mindset. With you broadcasting Swedenborg's believes, regarding that topic, I'm able to reflect on it and learn the lesson. Your work is so precious, it's hard to put in words 💕
This is wonderful to read, my friend! I am so glad you are touched so deeply by this topic! Thank you for taking the time to express your gratitude. It makes a difference! We are delighted to be in a position to be messengers of hope, and we aim to continue this work into the future. Blessings to you on your journey!
This is so important, here and there. Can't wait to absorb.
Yes, it's a very important issue to get some clarity about!
@@offTheLeftEye Yes you did! Well articulated!
I totally agree with you on those things, Curtis and what Swedenborg writes about. ......I have had my share of those “friendships” . Unfortunately growing up in a poor environment , will lead you into those kinds of relationships. Being young, you really don’t know what’s right or wrong or good and true, only what your parents ( if you have any) or “friends” tell you. Eventually though, you begin to realize those things yourself and move away from the misleading and damaging social circles. It’s better to be by oneself and search for things that are good and true. As I grow older and start to see things in a different perspective, I find that I’m really alone. I would like to use that time to search for what is good and true and live by it ( if It’s possible). I look forward to the day when I can be part of Jehovah’s plan👍🏻❤️❤️❤️😀🌸👍🏻🌼🙂🌺🌲🦋🦜
Mine's not friends it's one of my sisters and one of my daughter-in-law but I have forgave him them it's up to them now
Julian, as a parent I am sometimes stunned by the responsibility of teaching kids courtesy, conflict resolution, and how to love. How to get along is a skill set that we build over a lifetime, and those of us that don't get these skills early on really can struggle. "Social skills" are the foundation for compassion, faith, understanding, and love. But we can learn them anytime, and it's heartening to know that as an adult you have learned those things and turned your heart and mind towards spheres that benefit you. Your efforts to be kind and loving and create the world and mindset you want are inspiring (because I know now if I mess up, my kids will be okay!). You are ALREADY part of Jehovah's plan! And sharing your thoughts and perspective with others, as you do here, is just one way you create a ripple effect of love and kindness for the rest of us to soak up and contribute to. I think that's the whole plan - love love love! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Julian!
offTheLeftEye.....Thanks, I agree. I never had any of those things growing up and each step in my life was a pitfall. By the grace of Jehovah, I able to reason out those situations, but I learned. It may have been painful but I was able to pick myself up and move on. I’m not a parent myself but I can imagine it can be difficult at times . Some children in todays age don’t realize what priceless parents they have to teach them the right things. But you know you have succeeded when your children are walking in the path to Heaven. .....Life’s journey or voyage is definitely a challenge for people from all walks of life. Let’s hope they all converge onto one road, the road that leads to Jehovah. All my blessings to you and your kids! ❤️❤️❤️🌸👍🏻🙂
Marilyn Allen..... Right, it may not be just about friends but family members too. Once we all forgive, it’s a load off of ourselves.❤️🙂
Wow!!! You are making such a good point! I grew up poor, and there is no doubt that your "social opportunities" are limited. Children have to socialize!! Add to the mix being severely introverted with introverted parents, so very little role modelling going on, etc. I spend soooooo much time alone in order to avoid the negative co-dependent relationships while waiting to build positive relationships. But guess what! Everyone has some kind of dysfunction. Even choosing to hang out with Curtis and friends on youtube is a social choice, to feel some like-minded companionship and get some good influence. But sometimes the goody-goody vibe is too much to take. So I go hang out with the Great Sinner, Dostoevsky, who's Sonya-the-saintly-prostitute made Raskolnikov-the-murderer turn himself in.
Immensely helpful and thought provoking. I am in my 70s and I find that the older I become, the less I feel sure of, and the more aware I am of how far I have yet to go on this path of Love. When I was younger I had long periods of time where I was quite confident I was doing really well on walking the path of Love. Inevitably, life would present something beyond my mastery, and my beliefs about how great I was doing, what a loving person I was becoming, were shown to be rightly questionable. Now you have given more food for thought that will require re-examination of it all, which is a good thing, but not comfortable at all. Grasping what is real and true on this path of Love and balance seems to be endless!! Where are the lines between being loving, and being an enabler, or, between proper self-care, and service to self?
I relate, Ivorybow, but what comes to mind for me is that you are being too hard on yourself! There is always work to be done on the spiritual path, and no end to our growth and potential progress! But this is not cause for concern. This is proof of your choice to walk the path. And you *are* worthy of it. Just because there is infinitely more to learn doesn't mean that what efforts you have made are meaningless. It's like climbing a mountain. There are many places to stop and enjoy the view, and each view is beautiful and breathtaking. Perhaps it's not depressing that the mountain keeps going, but a gift that we get to experience more views and more triumph to eternity!
Self love is crucial to the journey, for without proper care, we will be too weak to keep hiking. I find it humbling to know that I am not God, but empowering to know that I can channel God's love and God's qualities by trying to emulate them in my life. Through that, I get to experience love and compassion and spiritual growth! I don't think God wants us to despair that we are mere humans, but instead, rejoice that we have the gift of life, love, wisdom, and eternity! Remember that as part of an Infinite universe, you too contain qualities from God, and so loving yourself and being kind to yourself is also loving God.
You might like this episode, "Why Does The Bible Say We Are Gods?" th-cam.com/video/dU5awiNPX2o/w-d-xo.html
I think that those in the spirit world who have recently passed on are LISTENING to this channel! Things are brought out that they are BEGINNING to see for themselves on this whole other plane of existence. If mediums are right and people eat in the afterlife and drive bikes etc. and come through by way of signals and signs and synchronicities; then I do believe they watch us (watch this channel) while we are watching them! lol
ES watches OTLE from heaven - why not!! ;)
I hope so! We like to think they influence our work. Check out "How Angels Connect to You When You Read the Bible," th-cam.com/video/7sbCy7JlCdw/w-d-xo.html because the same could be said for any sort of spiritual meditation and contemplation we do. Spirits are always with us, communicating and connecting and influencing. Very cool to realize that we are all so close together!
Boy oh boy! On first inspection the entire concept seems simple enough and straight forward - however, on closer inspection - of the manifold, varied and more subtle forms in which this simple concept initially appears - and the greater awareness of the complex and insidious magnitude with which it operates, has hit me like a thunderbolt! Many thanks for the insight!
Yes, I agree! There's a simple, surface way to see it. But then there are myriads of subtle ways that this can be going on in our lives. The more that we can get aware of negative kinds of friendships or groupings, the more we can gradually untangle from it all. I'm so glad this concept felt helpful to you!
AWESOME! ARTICULATES A Very UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH MY LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME.
@iWaveKatie
Thank you for your enthusiasm.
Profound, WOW! Standout message.
So glad it felt so powerful to you, James!
Very good topics and it resonated immensely...thank you!
I'm so glad! Thank you for watching!
I've been going through this with my best friend, trying to get him to understand the things he does are leading him to a downward spiral, I find myself doing this a lot with a lot of my friends, and myself sometimes.
Sean, that sounds really hard. It sounds like you love your friend and want to lead him to a better state of mind and a happier life. I think that's wonderful - but also really hard if your friend isn't interested in changing. I hope things get better. I've had friendships that I had to move on from because they didn't share my beliefs about how to treat people, and weren't going to change their minds. I still love them though, and definitely find them entertaining when I'm with them. It's a slipper slope! It's okay to distance yourself if you find it hard to be the person YOU want to be around others, too. You can still love your friends but maintain your boundaries. They will see how happy and peaceful you are and hopefully will want the same for themselves! Check out this episode on "Spiritual Boundaries in Relationships," th-cam.com/video/p1QAWnVZh1k/w-d-xo.html it has some good tips for how to navigate these kind of tricky situations.
Wonderful as always. 🙌🏼👏🏼
Thank you for the kind words, and for watching! I'm glad this resonated with you.
I wish you much success! Your videos are very well done!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Diva!
OTLE, I am grateful that you allow and even encourage your viewers to leave comments! I love reading them-as time permits-because basically I am learning from them as well! I’ve noticed a pattern among people who are finding their way here, in that we are very similar with similar backgrounds , thought processes, and “paths”! What a joy! I don’t think it is coincidence . Thank you-your work is beyond amazing!❤️
Oh, yes, we are very grateful to be able to learn from so many powerful stories and wise points of view that are posted on our channel! What a blessing. It's a group journey of learning, and everyone has a unique point of view that can add to the bigger picture, and bigger understanding! We sure appreciate having you a part of this community, both learning and sharing! 💖
offTheLeftEye thank you. You know I love being here!🥰
I enjoyed that. it reminds me to mind what is important. the trick is to not need a reminder and instead have it become ones nature.
Yes! And the promise is, if we practice, then eventually it will become a positive habit -- second nature. God can take our efforts and gradually turn them into a change of heart.
That was very good Curtis! I needed that!
So glad it felt helpful, Gregg!
Two images or ideas came to me. One of cliques; and one that is practicing and modeling the inclusive love for all of us. The first was the tight group or clique in my high school that controlled all the cool stuff. The girls were the cheerleaders and they would take turns being the queens at the proms - you get the idea. The other clique is larger and more general. These cliques are found in the various sects of religion which teach that their doctrine, practices, etc. are exclusively the only path to heaven. This happens a lot. Obviously the OTLE crew are modeling and practicing the opposite of exclusivity. You all are showing us how fun, happy and helpful it is to want to make everyone happier than you are. This is the inclusive path that wants everyone to benefit from knowing about the ES ideas of what makes up heaven from loving the Lord and loving our neighbor. good job! Curtis - your description of what makes up a heavenly community is such a good description of the OTLE team and the work you are doing.
What I was thinking about before watching this episode was the wonderful attitude of "why wait - why not try it now?" What continues to draw me to OTLE is of course Swedenborg - and how practical he is. He tells us what the next life is like and who is happy or not and what they are doing. Then ES tells us that we can be doing this now and starting the practice now and be proactive - so why wait? what are we waiting for? Death? Putting it off is just not as good for us as making a little effort to try this stuff out now. And ES gives us literally thousands of examples of communities in heaven and hell; hundreds of examples of how the Word is telling what is good and bad behaviour; umpteen suggestions on how to change ourselves for the better in little baby steps; and all because we are so varied ,and we need to be enticed by something he says that will motivate us to take the first steps. What a nearly kaleidoscope of images, ideas and helpful suggestions. You can even do episode after episode from a few paragraphs or pages from his Writings. What a gift from the Lord through our dear Emanuel and his tireless work on our behalf and at the behest of our Lord's sending him forth. Blessings to you all for continuing the work and spreading the Word. ❤️
I love it! "Why wait?" is the perfect question to ask ourselves. Hell will try to make it seem impossible, or boring, or whatever. But just as you have said, all it takes is proactive baby steps, just starting to notice and change habits from knee-jerk, lower-ego reactions to something a little more thoughtful and expansive and inclusive. Small steps and practice is how we get on the path, and then God keeps us going, building the momentum!
Thank you I needed this today x
I'm so glad this felt helpful, Julia! God bless!
When Curtis started talking about groups that deem themselves superior, it really reminded me of the protestant church I was a part of. Very tight community, and there were some very good people in it. But there was this emphasis on on "us VS them". How "awful" the people of the world are. All other Christians who aren't members of that particular church were also deemed untrustworthy and not real Christians. How they discouraged us from maintaining friendships with anyone outside of the church, unless it's with the goal of bringing them in the church. And all kinds of exclusivity principles that made "us better than them". I kept brushing it off and I stayed, I served that church. Until it became too much - too judgemental, too oppressive, too far away from what I believed God would be like. So I left without saying anything. After I left, all of the friendships I had there just faded away. After I wasn't a church member anymore, they did not want me as their friend. Today, a lot of those people don't even say hi when passing me on the street. This was a few years ago, yet it feels like I was in a whole other world. I think Swedenborg has it right.
P. S. I was interested in Swedenborg even back then, but I kept it a secret. Thank goodness for your show, I've learned so much.
Emilya St, thank you for sharing your story here. I think many people have had similar experiences and can relate. It makes me so sad to think of people missing out on all the wonderful people in the world who may see things differently, and have incredible perspectives to share. Exclusivity seems to hurt the people who practice it more than anyone else! Exposure to other cultures and ideas doesn't have to threaten what we believe - it can only add on more wisdom, more perspective, more love! I'm glad you found Swedenborg and listened to your intuition, and it lead you to a much more accepting and loving point of view. That makes more sense to me as well, and I hope your old friends can find some way to open their hearts too! They are missing out! Sending love.
When a person is happy taking care of animals and farming rather than being around lots of people is this a bad thing?
Not at all, Jay. Each of us is made uniquely, with specific talents and loves and interests. How wonderful that someone wants to care for plants and animals, that serve so many others. And animals have their own specific correspondences, so loving them is very appropriate! Check out this short clip, "Animals and Plants Embodying God's Qualities," th-cam.com/video/svo2Mcd4yE4/w-d-xo.html
Swedenborg even says that there are people who live alone in heaven, maybe with a partner, maybe not. I think we all get to be ourselves, and there is so much wonder and good in that!
@@offTheLeftEye oh good! This is a great answer to a bright question. I loved this episode, & they all are such help making bigger, unbroken, eternal sense of the smaller, fragmentary, temporary world our human brains experience. I'd guess that the "lovers of the good" ("the philokalia" the desert fathers called it way back) on earth today are having a rough ride, but maybe it always was the case. Your work is like a light in a huge smog-fog, to me!
Phew, glad to hear that reply OTLE.
@@lizafield9002 Nice reference. The Desert Fathers rock !
I would like to ask if friendship communities in spirit can be inclusive of like minded people from
a few different times in history. As someone interested in Christianity, saints, Art and peace building, could I meet people from different Ages in Earth Time who focused on these themes? Thank you Curtis.. I enjoyed this talk.
This is really good stuff!
So glad it strikes you that way, Jason!
@@offTheLeftEye haha, yes! There’s real depth, observation to it… so refreshing!
@@jasonsherwood7539 aw shucks, thank you! 😁
Man this was needed. :)
Yeah, this is really an important concept to think about! Thanks for watching, Nikki!
super interesting regarding e.g. trauma bounding abusive relationships as it exists as much in friendships as other relationships - i'm curios if the victim in this dysfunctional relationship can detect and detach from it in the after life as most aren't even aware they are mentally abused so probably when many die they continue in the after life with bringing this mind set with them - or do they get help?
Hello, Fanta Sip! That is actually a different kind of dysfunctional friendship than we'll be discussing in this episode, but your question is an excellent one. The answer is that yes, absolutely, people in the afterlife can get help to detach from abusive relationships in the afterlife. They can be clearly taught what a genuine relationship of love or friendship is like, and that can give them able to let go of anything that has no genuine love in it.
Thanks 🙏 Curtis you always habe a friend in me I know that does not make us better than anyone lol 😂 ok love ya take care see you on YOUR channel soon lol 😂 bye 👋
Thanks, Michael, likewise! See you soon! (=
Wow,if we really listen to this presentation we can all relate if we are being truthful.It is easy to justify someones bad behavior if we enjoy in general there company.Same goes for us,we want people to ignore are unclean faults cause we think we are fun to hang out with.Wow eye opening for sure! And Curtis i enjoy that you maintain your true personality and don't try to mold yourself to some preconceived notion how a person in front of a camera should act,i see no act in you and i love it[stick figures and all] Many blessing to the whole crew at 'offTheLeftEye'
I love these insights that you've added, Karl! This concept really is eye opening, and something to ponder. Thank you so much for the kind and encouraging words, and for being a part of our audience!
We your family.
Amen, Marilyn!
Put others needs before our own Goodness and truth leads to charity
Yes!
Wow, just wow excellent 👏 👌 👍 😀
So glad you found it helpful and meaningful, Barbara!
Wow, am I ever screwed! I live in Southern California . . . and was cut off while driving three times today alone. It is so bad here that Californians think the "birdie" is a standard automotive hand signal. Can't say that I love these people. Did I mention that I am screwed?
Gordon Brown yikes! Road rage is the worst, hang in there. Practice kindness, i’ll practice with you!!
I hear you, Gordon! And you are certainly not alone in that. Intense traffic situations are one of the most difficult times to avoid getting hooked by anger and irritation toward others, because people are so often not on their best behavior. But that means it's also an incredible opportunity for intense spiritual growth! :) Loving those people doesn't mean having warm fuzzy feelings for what they are doing at that moment. It can involve considering that they are more than just their behavior at that moment. I have a friend who makes an effort to pray for anyone who is rude to her in traffic, and that helps her. This also might help: "3 Simple Ways to Love Everyone" th-cam.com/video/pl7s8kiLrhE/w-d-xo.html Small steps, Gordon! That's all any of us can do. But the Lord can then work with those small steps.
@@offTheLeftEye Thank you for the recommendation. I will watch and try to implement.
offTheLeftEye yay! Faith in action at 85 miles an hour!!
If that's the case for friends what about dysfunctional family
I think the same can apply, Maitri Yah. Swedenborg does share stories of people reuniting in the afterlife and hashing out differences, solving problems and finding closure. There are also others who just need to part ways.
@@offTheLeftEye you guys did a video about that, 4 reunions in the afterlife I think you called it?
@@SMacCuUladh Oh, yes, thanks for bringing that up! There is a story about a dysfunctional family that was able to work out their differences in the afterlife. It's right at the beginning of "5 Reunions in the Afterlife" th-cam.com/video/wpWrtwlyvE0/w-d-xo.html
Having lived remote for ten years of my working life in aboriginal communities you noticed patterns of behaviour repeated each year which trended toward sorting newbe's into social groups ... where many would lose it, go troppo by years end with city stuff once were hidden now hung out for all to see.
Being agreeable and social with the various groups that formed and separating work/social life became a no brainer over time.
The greatest experiences and friendships came from within the murri communities and other kadia who worked there. In the end these influences became life changing, whereas opportunities given over by most who worked and played together had it's own lessons.
It just seemed to mirror what you were talking of here Curtis where groups of friends spirit side became unaware of what they were missing out on.
What amazing experiences you have had, Ian. Thank you for sharing some of what you learned!
More thoughts...on a second listening. "if you don't have that mindset, God is going to make you as happy as you could possibly be, but you can't be in Heaven." I understood that Heaven is not something that happens in the "afterlife,' but now. The fact of loneliness, sadness, heartbreak, mean that we/I have not yet reached true love for others. I see it in the struggle with categorizing those who have caused harm to others and to me, those who have betrayed, and caused great suffering to me and to others, as excluded. How to get from the hurt, to that place of wanting those in that group, to be happier than I am? Wow...seems insurmountable.
Yes, Ivorybow, such hard work! There is so much sorrow in life, and we encounter many people and circumstances that break our hearts. How to get past these? I think it's a gradual process that involves a will to hope for better, and compassion for those who have hurt us.
You might like our episode, "Rediscovering Forgiveness" th-cam.com/video/2CJ_W9lE0co/w-d-xo.html
The episode talks about how forgiveness is *not* about being okay with hard things, but rather, removing the burden of hard memories and trauma from our own lives through forgiveness. It's a process that helps us move forward. Let us know how it resonates with you! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Wishing you love and peace around all of the hard things you have experienced and witnessed.
What happened to free will? Can we choose not to be around negative energy?
Yes, Nicole, we do have free will. We can choose to not be negative ourselves, though we cannot control the choices of people we live with or spend time with. Sometimes I picture myself doing ti chi, not blocking another person's energy but deflecting it. Or if someone is complaining I imagine how they may be hurting inside, causing them to blame others. But yes our free will is something God protects like the apple of His eye.
@@offTheLeftEye If I died and see a family member or friend who hurt me when I was human, I can choose not to be near their negative energy. I am so grateful for free will.
@@Nicole-gb4ze Yes! In the afterlife, you will only be with people that you want to be with.
This subject matter is puzzling. I once had a nonphysical experience where I was in a realm where everything seemed nice, the people in this realm were basically good, and the realm didn't include the difficulties this world includes. Nevertheless, the feeling I got is that I have experienced more love, peace and joy while in this world than the people in this realm experienced, because they weren't interested in connecting with God. Therefore, what I experienced is in line with what Swedenborg said.
On the other hand, a person like Howard Storm has an NDE (near death experience), he experiences hell first, asks for help, Jesus helps him, and he immediately appreciates what God has to offer, even though while he was a person, he had no interest in what God has to offer. Other NDErs have experienced the same. It is not surprising that people find what God has to offer quite appealing, despite what they were interested in beforehand.
I have found that I can receive spirit messages through my dreams. Not too long ago I had a dream where I first experienced activities that seemed to represent world-based interests. Then I walked into a building and saw about 7 people looking at a person they were mesmerized by (in a good way). I thought this foolish, looked at the man they were mesmerized by, and it was Jesus. I immediately became mesmerized (in a good way). The feeling that came from Jesus was too enticing to not be very interested in what he represented. The dream came to an end, and this positive feeling remained with me for a while.
Emanuel Swedenborg is not the only OBEr (out of body experiencer) who has found that people go to a realm that most represents what they love after they die. How this relates with what some NDErs experience, I don't know. I'm not speaking of people who end up in hell-like realms. Some NDEers, Swedenborg and other OBErs collaborate the existence of such realms. But what about people that weren't negative, but had no interest in God? Perhaps our Souls are able to easily recognize the wonderful way of existence God offers, if we give ourselves a moment to recognize such way. It is important to acknowledge that many NDErs have stated that they still have issues to deal with, after their NDE. This suggests that spiritual growth is still required, after we experience God's presence in some way. Going by the divine guidance I have received, it is important to try to grow spiritually while we are in this world. Going by what I have read, some people make the mistake of believing that you automatically become enlightened when you die, so there is no need to put in spiritually directed effort while you are here in this world. I think that in some way Jesus was probably correct when he taught the "as you sow, so you reap" principle.
Yes, Albert, Swedenborg definitely aligns with the thought that you will reap as you sow. But he also says that sometimes the concerns of earthly life so cloud our minds that we don't even know who our spirits are or what we are capable of loving. To me, it seems like it's going to involve both steps -- a willingness HERE to reflect on ourselves and try to be our best selves, and then a continued journey of learning (about ourselves, about God, about the truth of the way things are) on the other side, when we are relieved of some physical-level baggage. Blessings to you on this journey, and thanks for adding to the conversation.
@@offTheLeftEye Perhaps people who recognize love in their fellow man, have an easier time recognizing it when it comes from God directly.
You have a lot of videos, so I hope you don't mind me asking, have you made one that discusses what the ultimate goal of our souls is? I figure this might include rejoining God in a more complete way. Also, when Swedenborg says "providence" does he mean God's will?
@@alberthaust4542 I think that makes a lot of sense, that having cultivated a desire to look for love in others and share it, we would see God's love more as well!
As I understand it, the purpose of our creation is simply to have an opportunity to love each other and live in heaven - "to create a heaven from the human race." It's like when we find something we love, that makes us happy, and we want to talk about it with anyone who will listen so that they TOO can be happy! Love wants to share itself with others, that's the core of its very nature. God is love, so God wants to share that love and has created us for that purpose.
But we struggle to accept it, understand it, and share it ourselves. Swedenborg also said the world wasn't always so hard as it is now - but as we turned away from God throughout history, we have made life harder on ourselves and each other as a result. I believe that things have and will continue to get better though as we slowly rediscover the importance of love. So after all that rambling, see these for further discussion: "The Purpose of Creation," th-cam.com/video/gmXFh4yaWRs/w-d-xo.html
"How to Find Your True Self" th-cam.com/video/3m9uAecvftM/w-d-xo.html
Swedenborg's understanding of Divine Providence is often likened to the concept of fate, but it's more complicated than that. At its core, Divine Providence is the way God interacts with people - always loving and leading us toward love and heaven, maintaining balance and creating opportunities for us to learn and grow spiritually. Here is an episode about that: th-cam.com/video/wFuGb3G2ZVw/w-d-xo.html
Let me know what you think, Albert! Seems you have some powerful spiritual experiences of your own! Thanks for sharing with us.
@@offTheLeftEye Left Eye, I don't know your name, thank you for the info and the links. I'll watch them when I get the chance which will probably be soon. I'll let you know what I think.
@@alberthaust4542 I appreciate that, and look forward to your thoughts! We have a team of different moderators. This is Melissa. (=
☀️=❤+⏹
This episode was really full of SO MANY TRUTHS. It sounds like Swedenborg is describing psychic vampires which I never really understood until now. Curtis, your description of mapping people in relation to the human form according to your love and the mechanics of consciousness and us being "an individual neuron in this grand human consciousness machine", both resonated with me. If only everyone could be of Service to the Whole, what a wonderful world it would be 😇
Matthew, so true. It would be wonderful! We can all do our part - and start changing the world, a little kindness at a time. It's such a powerful image, to see ourselves as part of something so grand and wonderful. It makes me feel so purposeful and important (as we all are!). God bless, Matthew, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@@offTheLeftEye So true. And Bless you and OTLE for spreading the message so far and wide 😇😇😇
How is 'love of community' balanced with those we grow up with, our friends, even if we know that they are involved with bad things? We still love them, but feel we cannot associate with them. In real life, here and now, we still love them. Thank you for the explanation. Our foremost focus must be for the Lord and our neighbour.
Yes, James, we do still love them. Swedenborg points out that we can always love the goodness in our neighbor -- everybody has something good in them, created by God as we all are. So love what's good in them, and set good boundaries -- that's one approach. Blessings to you.
P.S. Here's a short clip called "Loving Your Neighbor through Loving God" -- th-cam.com/video/Cx6DeFWqsdY/w-d-xo.html. It's taken from the longer video, "The Four Kinds of Love." -- th-cam.com/video/pPxZjSWzmPw/w-d-xo.html. Perhaps these shows will give you more food for thought as you ponder your question.
Was Swedenborg talking about friendships in the spiritual world, or the earth? Having a bad judgment of character and living in poor areas, I came across a few “ friends” who seemed okay at the time, but were not on the right track in a sense, so I couldn’t find anyone else who was “ “good and true” in those days and even now. But I wish I had. Its true what comes around, goes around. Even today much has changed and people are different. My two neighbors seem like nice people but are they good and true? As I‘ve said before, I’m not a good judge of character and don’t know what’s in their hearts. I’m looking forward to the day when I can get the chance to really befriend someone who is good a true. That would be were my heart is.❤️❤️🙂
Julian, great question! It's so hard to know what's in someone else's heart. And in some ways, we don't even fully know what's in our OWN hearts! The best we can do is offer love and kindness to everyone, as authentically as we can, and work to love the part of them that is receptive to love. Each of us is connected and supported by Divine love - we are all, in a sense, Divine. We can ALWAYS love that part of a person, and trust it is in them, even if they try to hide it. That doesn't mean we can trust them though - it just means we can enter each relationship as fully as we are able and if they can do the same, we know we've found a kindred spirit!
In the next life, it will be easier to find your people for sure, but it's possible here too! I think finding the balance between vulnerability and courage is challenging, but that's where we need to be if we are to truly connect with someone. It doesn't always work out, but when it does, it's so wonderful to have those powerful relationships. Remember, that just by being yourself, loving yourself, and loving God, you are opening the door to greater love and greater friendship!
Julian, have you seen this episode yet? "Angels Make You Love Your Friends," th-cam.com/video/HxX0Vtw7nP4/w-d-xo.html
Seems appropriate to send it to you! LMK what you think!
lol @ 'we dont love what is good and true. we love eachother.' 😅 you explain it so funny curtis. its like swedenborg for kids.
:)
Hello from Australia . A question re which show it is ?? . I began watching this video last night , I didn't get to finish it .
Curtis was showing an analogy of a video game and showing an animated video game graphic and was talking about Divine Truth and Divine Love , he also said you have to fight for what is true , he was also mentioning how Swedenborg was saying as you get further away from evil ,you recognise it and are more repulsed by it . I want to finish this video but, I can't find it . Would you know the name by any chance of this particular show re video game might give you a clue . He had an animated video game graphic as he was explaining it .Thanks so much , very frustrating I cannot remember the name of the show 😊🙏
Hi Suzanna -- I sympathize with not being able to remember show titles! I (Chara) can't remember what show that clip was in either, but I'll toss it out to our writers. Stay tuned -- we'll get you an answer eventually!
In the meantime, just last night Curtis did a show called "What a Toy Taught Me About Spirituality", involving the old Super Mario video games. -- th-cam.com/video/t35-V5DPpDI/w-d-xo.html
But I think you're talking about an older show? Let us know if this Super Mario show is the one you were talking about!
OK Suzanna -- Karin thinks she found what you're looking for. Could it be in this video?
"The Purpose of Death" -- th-cam.com/video/Gmd2q1BLriM/w-d-xo.html
At timestamp 17:16.
Let us know if that's the one!
@@offTheLeftEye Yes it's the Purpose of Death . Thanks so much . I accidentally turned viewing history off TH-cam ,so I could not find it . Thanks , your customer service is fantastic . I don't know any other channel , that would help out viewers the way you do . Thanks 👍👍
I have visited this episode a few times really wondering…..Of course I love what is good and true no doubt, but being born into a somewhat dysfunctional type of family and then attending schools where the friendships were also dysfunctional didn’t give me much of a chance. Today, many years later, I have no real friends, because I’ve learned that everyone is different. I’m afraid to get involved again because I don’t want to get “ dragged into” another type of those relationships. I just help others when it’s possible like my neighbors for instance. Of course Emmanuel Swedenborg grew up in an entirely different situation than myself, but there is the desire for goodness and truth which I feel in my heart is important regardless of the differences. In a sense I’ve lost the trust because it’s difficult to find a “ good” friend when a lot of people today have different issues so to speak. It’s a complicated physical world, but my greatest trust is with God and I think where I am very limited, He can make it right for those who choose His guidance❤️❤️🙂
Julian you are on to something when you put your trust in God. Bless you for helping your neighbors. That is a lovely way to attract goodness and kind people. Yes we are all different and that can add to the glory of heaven. Still finding people that resonate with you and love the same things is a real gift. We hope these videos continue to inspire you. Here is one about Should We Love God or People More?
th-cam.com/video/zF1Btuo1JNc/w-d-xo.html
Take care, Julian.
@@offTheLeftEye Thanks, I always appreciate those videos, they offer such an important learning tool. …. It doesn’t matter who you are, it’s what’s in your heart that matters and love is the most important thing❤️❤️🙂
What is in our hearts, yes, Julian. That is the real core of who we are.
Hi folks, do anyone there remember the part in the gospels where our Lord told us that anyone that loved someone more than him, is not worth of him?
For that´s the whole point, to wich the bodily analogy of the whole of the body and the organs stand. To indulge is not the same as to Love.
As for the practical reasons, we should not turn from others, but we should learn to hold the right distance, no matter how hard our hearth could be broken at times. I´ve heard of mothers of drug dealers, I´ve be aquainted with people that were manipulated and ruined the whole life by their family to death... It must be very sad to see people you love go astray... All of you that are running a family out there probably know those concerns. Do all you can, and pray: if prayer is the only and last resort, pray hard. The Lord listens, but be not surprised when he starts with yourself. No matter how hard it is, always remember the he went to the cross, and without that cross of him, you wouldn´t not even had made it so far to this point.
Jesus. Life of my life, soul of my soul. St. Augustinus.
Hi, Klaus! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Yes, it is a difficult practice to stay focused on our own choices and allow the choices of others to be their own.
If I love my dogs the most, will I end up withy dogs? Is that okay ?
If you love your dogs, you will certainly have your dogs around you in the afterlife! And you will also find community with other people that you can relate to. Maybe through your love of dogs! Here's a short clips called "Pets in the Heaven" th-cam.com/video/e_juw6tmXQY/w-d-xo.html
@henree simp I'm sure he will!
I really felt like this ended with a foggy paradox. We are supposed to love everyone and not think that we are better than others. But don't hang out with those people who think they are better than others! Only hang out with the people who do not do so. Who are these people? I haven't met many. I heard something today, but can't remember where I heard it. Something to the effect of, "Your friends don't agree with you, and those people over there who do agree with you are not your friends." That could be taken any number of ways. How do you walk the fine line of gravitating toward people who are positive influences in your life while not disdaining those who would be negative influences if you let them get too close? Isn't that in-crowd/out-crowd? Calvinism?
I think that's the ultimate question, fancynancylucille! Truly, we can't know what anyone else's motives or spiritual state actually is. We have no control over what others think, or do, and we can't know if they truly are spiritually aligned with us. But we can know who brings out the best in us, and so we can do our best to gravitate towards those people!
That said, how often in life do we get to choose our company? The real challenge is holding our own firm boundaries and sense of self while also showing love, mercy, and compassion to everyone we interact with, whether they feel like our kindred spirits or not.
True peace doesn't come from the company we keep, or any external factors. True peace comes from the Divine, which we can access within ourselves. By cultivating an internal connection to love and wisdom, we become free of external stress. What happens around us doesn't matter so much, because we can connect with a heavenly state anytime we want. We can be the eye at the center of the storm.
Of course this state can and will fluctuate, and it takes practice to get there. There are many ways to do this. For some it may be prayer or meditation, for others it could be art, or time in nature, or exercise or sports or work...maybe it comes from being with a group of people who motivates and inspires you! Maybe it's lots of things.
We have to create space in our lives to access a peaceful state. In time, we get better at knowing how to find it, so that no matter where we are or who we are with, we can return to that internal state of peace! Eventually, it becomes second nature with practice! It is part of the work of loving ourselves in order to love others more effectively! And sometimes we are better at it than others! That's okay, because life is a work in progress!
It has been my personal experience (Melissa here) that when I make time to connect with the Divine, through prayer or meditation or things that bring me joy, I become a more authentic version of myself. And when that happens, somehow, it is easier for me to find people who I really love, and for them to find me! It also is easier for me to be around people who I struggle with, because I have a sense of confidence from the Lord that love still exists, whether others share it with me or not!
Also, sometimes the most loving thing we can do for another person is to limit their behaviors, either by setting firm boundaries, sometimes ending a relationship, or even seeking justice against a crime (such as sending a criminal to prison). Swedenborg learned that while we can't know what anyone's spiritual state is, we CAN certainly stop behaviors that are harmful, and we can do this with the hope that ending their bad behavior will give them the opportunity to reevaluate their choices and repent. And it keeps us safe in the process! We can do all this without any disdain, though, and instead set boundaries with *love.*
You might like this episode that talks about justice in the spiritual world: "What Happens With Unsolved Crime in the Afterlife" th-cam.com/video/JOEiAETaQug/w-d-xo.html
Let me know if that resonates with you! I hope it's useful!
OTLE, where do we find out this "Table Of Contents", so that we can tell what we are interacting with?
Curtis was referring to the human form as a kind of "table of contents." When you say "so that we can tell what we're interacting with," do you mean, so we can tell whether we're interacting with a negative or positive aspect of a person? If so, think of it like, how would you determine if something is negative or positive in terms of the body? You'd do so by determining whether it's doing harm to the greater whole, or helping the greater whole. So, I think of it like that. Is some aspect of myself or of another person doing harm to others (harm to their long-term physical and spiritual health and well-being)? Or is it helpful and beneficial to the long-term well-being of others and the greater good?
Befriend what is good and true!
Yes!
So, in the afterlife in those friendship communities.. if I like football or basketball, is a lot of what we are going to do is talk about them and play them.. but what if I get bored of those things
Curtis is pointing out that communities just based on superficial kinds of friendship like that are not a good thing. That WOULD become very boring! Heavenly communities, and heavenly friendship, is based on finding some useful cause that you all believe in, and working together in teamwork on that cause -- some cause that makes a positive difference to the common good.
It's like the domino affect... When one falls they all fall eventually. Because it's not in line or properly positioned. Like the spirit, heart, mind and body. When one is affect with negativity, sooner or later there is imbalance that will throw the whole into sickness. Whether physical, emotion, psychological or spiritual. Neither can stand alone to properly work to stay in homeostasis ( balance ). It needs all to be strong and whole in one component, the body of many different parts that make the whole to all function. Whatever analogy works for anyone to understand... Whether medical terms, mechanics, music, dance etc. It all follows one principle and that is... It takes many for the whole to work. Love and blessings😇🙏🌺
Forgot to mention:
Sometimes we all need to do a reality check on ourselves. To see why we are doing whatever it is we are doing. Is it for self, gratification for self or all about me, myself and I. Or is for the usefulness of someone needing help or good of all. I find avoiding situations that can take you down the rabbit hole works. But at the same time letting individuals know that there is a line I will not cross if it jeopardizes my principles or theirs. I love, honor, appreciate and acknowledge everyone as they are and for who they are. For there is a lesson to learn for all and a purpose. So I do a reality check all the time so I'm not taken of track or off course. My course is steadfast today to be in line and light with God. As imperfect as I am...
Well said! Developing a habit of doing regular "reality checks" is such a wise thing to do! We need that wisdom to go along with any loving intentions, so God can keep us clear about whether it's really going in a loving direction, or veering off course. And I love your analogies about the need to seek a balanced harmony, and watch out for the disharmony that negativity inserts into any situation. Thank you so much!
@@offTheLeftEye ,
And thank you humbly for your programs that surely reaches people to think and ponder. Understand in a simple way how God's truth and wisdom really works. Religion has misguided congregations far too long. It is time for the real truth ( God's Truth ) to reign in the hearts of people. This is my hope and prayer everyday. That changes in the hearts of people can begin to open up to God. So we can have a world where all can live in true harmony in this life!
@@pamelyncaldwell4060 Amen!
@@offTheLeftEye 😇🙏🌺
Hate the evil love the person.
That about says it, Vanessa!
❤
I GREW UP IN AWFUL DYSFUNCTION, ABUSE AND TRAUMA. IT UNTIL RECENTLY WAS A ONGOING THEME IN MY LIFE UNTIL I REALIZED IT NEEDED ADDRESSING
I'm so sorry you had to suffer such a difficult upbringing, Michelle. Thank Goodness that you came to an awareness that something could be changed! Sending prayers for healing and peace, and a productive and happy future!
does it really though, what could possibly cause psychological problems in the astral?
Hi Jeremy! Great question! According to Emanuel Swedenborg, our state of mind and life on earth remain with us in the next life. Though we have the opportunity to learn and grow and change in the world of spirits, we will ultimately become our most authentic selves - in other words, our spirits are simplified to who we really are, and all the externals pass away. So if we were dysfunctional in life, we will probably remain so in death.
The mission of this channel is to share the first-hand reports of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772). He had direct, daily spiritual experiences for 27 years. Here is a short video about him: "Who Was Swedenborg?" th-cam.com/video/HEa0e8AcS78/w-d-xo.html
Here is a full length introduction episode to Swedenborg's worldview, called "Swedenborg 101: The Basic Nature of Everything." th-cam.com/video/3Q14EcEwQVQ/w-d-xo.html
Let me know if this resonates with you!
parents who love their children know what god's love is like. I'm lucky to have my nephew who teaches me what god's love must be like for me. when I question why would God love me, what's so special about me? I think about my nephew and imagine what it would do to me if he questioned my love for him and doubted by asking "how am I special to you, why do you bother to love me?" It would devastate me if he really was sincere. I can't articulate why I love him but I know I do then I switch it back to God and realize he feels the same way about me with the exception he knows exactly why he loves me. Then I try to honor God's love for me and not doubt.
Think about this also. He knew you before he laid the foundations of the Earth. He has more thoughts of you and your welfare then the numbers of stars in the Universe. He chose you to exist, he wanted you to live. You are an endless treasure to him and he adores you more then any mother can ever adore her own child. It's hard to fathom this but then again.... he is God. He ignited all the stars in the sky and his power is greater still. Now imagine the power of his love which is greater then our created Universe. It's unfathomable but that is our father God.
Rick, I love the way you put it -- that you strive to honor God's love for you. Beautiful! I would like to do the same thing!
Rick! Excellent insight! This is what I was trying to express in my reply, but I deleted it. The first sentence you have written here is IT!!! That's the key that opens the door of love. After teaching abused children for 26 years, if the child isn't loved, you have a deeply hurt and angry child. YOU are special because you exist! G-d loves each of His children as though He only had eyes for them. ( Now, to convince myself:) What I was trying to say was , if we are to love our neighbors, we need know how to love ourselves.
@@pattiambrecht6792 Beautifully said, Patti!
@@pattiambrecht6792 People who had NDE's said that in the presence of Jesus or God it felt they were loved like they were the only one in the Universe and they described the love as very profound and personal. Howard Storm said something very important. He said Jesus not only loved him but actually liked him. That was important for me to hear.
It's hard to explain but love without like is lesser then love and adoration. I love animals but I would not like bears because I can't live with them so there is no bear I can like. Something like this. What if God's love was like that, he loves you but kinda keeps his distance because he doesn't chose you, he tolerates you. Again it's hard for me to articulate all of this. Does any one else feel the same way or am I just confused, lol?
@@rickrouse7865 G-d's love is a perfect love. I completely understand what you mean by love AND like! Especially IF we heard from someone close to us like a parent say, " I love you, but I DON'T like you! G-d is pure love! And He knew you before He formed you in your mother's womb. I try and hold onto the positive things and tune out the negative. I have to work hard at this, but I am making strides. G-d loves you, Rick and He also likes you! He will embrace you when you move on not just tolerate you. I hope this helps:)
If a friend in need is a friend indeed didn't exist in my life, how can I be sure that this person would be good? Should I just abandon everyone I knew so far?
Everyone has a spark of God's life in them, yahia. I guess all we can do is look for the good in the people we're with, and if keeping healthy boundaries means no longer having them in your life, that's a choice to be made. There are plenty of dysfunctional people who are good at their core! It's hard to tell, and we can't make spiritual judgments, but we can try to keep ourselves in a functional place.
@@offTheLeftEye where do these aliens reside? Do they reside in another body of some kind other than the human shaped heaven?
@@yahiawaleed828 There seems to be multiple fractals of the "human-shaped heaven." Every individual in heaven is a small, individual heaven. Then each community functions as a collective human, with each person playing a vital role for the good of the whole. Then there's a collective human form of people from our planet. And then there is an even bigger human form of people from mulitiple planets!
@@offTheLeftEye so.... Can I marry an alien or is it someone predetermined that I don't know of for some reason? Like... I'm not expecting perfection but I do expect creating a personal distance even in the area of selecting marriage mates
@@yahiawaleed828 God foresees who you will marry, but that does not mean that you will not choose your marriage mate. It just means that God knows who you will choose, and can help you get ready to meet and bond with that person! Whoever it is will feel just right to you. Will WILL choose who you want to be with! Free consent is crucial for an eternal marriage relationship.
I will not be there if there are toxic souls. I finally got rid of a draining,toxic,superficial, backstabbing, two faced friend for several years are common connection was going out having drinks happy hours, but that's it,scratch the surface she was a full blown narcissist and did nasty things to people. She didn't have time to be burdened by anything you were going through. I'd rather be friendless than have those surface connections with toxic souls
I'm glad you are not dealing with that relationship any more! If you have managed to detach from toxic friendships in this life, then those relationships will not follow you into the afterlife. Just make sure to work on forgiveness to insure that there is no lingering attachment. For that, see our episode "Rediscovering Forgiveness" th-cam.com/video/2CJ_W9lE0co/w-d-xo.html
@@offTheLeftEye thank you yes I'm asking god to help me forgive her
I think, if I remember correctly, Swedenborg didn't have much good to say about friendships unless the friendships are involved in doing good for others. IOW, a group like the Elks Lodge, which is based on charity, brotherly love, justice, and fidelity, is a very different kind of connection than a social group that is based only on having fun together going to different activities for self indulging, with no philanthropy or charity to the community.
He used a strange term, Sally -- "friendship of love." Which meant, to my understanding, be careful about getting wrapped up in a friendship that blinds you to behaviors or attitudes that can be damaging. Yes, let usefulness be your guide. But he also says that married partners should be friends. And he discusses the value of recreation. So I wouldn't want to write off all friendships that are social support! People need people!
@Off The Left Eye When my children were teens, I facilitated their small group at church. Part of the meetings were spent on activity for the group one week, alternating with a charitable activity to serve others in the church the next week. It's always a question of balance, IMO, to keep us from too much focus on egos and our selfish desires. BTW, after so many years have passed, that core group are still in contact and are close friends. 😇
Positive and negative energy when in the afterlife🤔🤷😳
Yep -- just like here. But in the afterlife, they are separated so they can't hurt eachother.....
So when do you find out when you have passed ?
Aleh, here are a couple episodes that I think will answer that:
"What Does It Feel Like to Die?" th-cam.com/video/hWU0PA-PDDo/w-d-xo.html and "Why Some People In The Afterlife Don't Know They're Dead" th-cam.com/video/bRYJUXQ4-Xc/w-d-xo.html
Let me know if that helps!
Excellent food for thought. Maybe these would pertain to people who are in gangs or are bullies? Less obvious may be people who are racist, those who gossip and judge others, those who have wealth or particular talents that they believe make them superior to others less blessed or able.
Yes, those are all good examples! Friendships that support negative habits or points of view, some being more obvious, some much more subtle!
I sure hope there are no politics in heaven. That will keep alot of friends
Swedenborg does speak in terms of various kinds of government, but there is no corruption, only a desire to serve the community in useful and loving ways. So I can't imagine there would be divisive politics. That might be a real relief, eh, Barbara?
@@offTheLeftEye absolutely 💯 👌 😍 as always rhank you
I grew up in a family of narcissists. I was always a very spiritual person so I knew early on how wrong this narcissistic mindset was. The family members I am referring to are now in their sixties and aren't any more further forward in realizing how evil narcissism is . I think some people come into this world not too highly evolved. I think this is the case with murderers, rapists, paedophiles, and other criminals.
I think so too, Keith. Not all of us have the same intentions in our journey, or come to the same conclusions. Some seem to dive deeper than others! I'm sorry to hear you had that experience of narcissism in your family, but very glad that you have broken the cycle!
@@offTheLeftEye Thank you for your kind note.
Please read the writing no drawling
Its prolonging the presentations
Hi Debbie, I'm sorry that this format doesn't appeal to you. Other viewers do find the drawings helpful, and we make an effort to have different kinds of programming for different tastes. Other series on our channels present quotes without pausing for drawings or diagrams. This series is called "News From Heaven," and you might get more out of our other series: "Swedenborg & Life," "Swedenborg & Life Live," or "Good Question!"
You can also access the texts and read for yourself if you prefer, and if you read them on your own and want to discuss feel free to comment even if you don't watch the episode! We are happy to talk about them with you here, or you might enjoy the facebook group the Swedenborg Foundation runs for readers of Swedenborg, called "Watching and Reading Swedenborg," here is a link to request to join that group: facebook.com/groups/WatchingReadingSwedenborg/
The book and number are provided in the episode description, and you can look it up on New Christian Bible Study. Here is the link to the passage Curtis reads in this episode: newchristianbiblestudy.org/exposition/translation/arcana-coelestia-potts/gen-37/48040
You can also download many of Swedenborg's books for free or at very low cost from the Swedenborg Foundation, and here is that link: swedenborg.com/bookstore/e-books/
Hope that helps you!
Thank god for my friend Curtis Childs and we will not live in some stupid friendship community peace ☮️
Peace to you too, Cube! May you find the perfect community here and beyond!
💖😘
"goodness in the form of service to others" can be robbed by selfish people too. Humility is not an art that many like to practice. Everyone seems to think 'they know what's right and what's wrong', while differing of opinions is not welcome, thus rendering conflict. As long as everyone 'knows'- then everyone around them 'doesn't know'. I like taoism. Just be like a lily in the field, and do nothing. Sounds about right.
Erin, I had not heard that image about the lily. I do heartfully agree about the damage that comes from believing we have a monopoly on the truth. Bless you for being open to what others offer.
@@offTheLeftEye :) On that note Curtis, I smile every time you shrug your shoulders and say "gee I don't know" . Thanks for all your commentary. Bless you all as well!!
@@riptidespecial31 😊
😘💚💚💚🙏
Thanks for the love, Masli!
Does Mr. Swedenborg address abuse by beings (e.g., a "husband'" or groups as described in this video), who have the power to harass others by violating their privacy and peace in various ways? How can you tell what is spiritual? How can you get an abusive one to go away? I want him to leave, and he knows this. He/it/they seem to derive some kind of juice from the gaslighting and other BS. Like cowardly playground bullies grown large. I wish him/them healing and great peace; frankly they're not going to get any charge for long by stealing it from others.
Your question is a great one. Swedenborg devotes most of his effort to illuminating the influence of the spiritual world on us, as opposed to the influence of human beings on each other on this earth. Swedenborg says, though, that each person on earth -- whether he knows it or not -- carries with him (or her) the influence of spirits. We can assume that those who are willing to inflict abuse on others are getting their ideas from spirits who intend harm. Have you seen our video called, "Do Spirits Play a Role in Addiction?"? th-cam.com/video/lMxdZiguxlI/w-d-xo.html You may find it relevant to your question. Another one that comes to mind is, "The Lies Evil Spirits Tell Us." th-cam.com/video/Qaqd9Fhsxpg/w-d-xo.html Both abusers and victims (so, all of us) can be enslaved by lies which inform our beliefs and actions. May it bring you clarity and hope, my friend! Blessings to you on this path to greater peace in your relationships!
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Your videos and responses are helpful. Blessings to you as well!
😐 *You are the company you keep.*
Oooh -- pithy! Good food for thought!
They will do everything in their power to destroy life believe me I have seen it !!!
I hear you! May we protect ourselves and our loved ones with our own love and positive thoughts and deeds!
Do not say that Curtis I am your friend one of your deeepest friends believe me ???
Hi Cube! Melissa here. Your kindness and love are deeply appreciated! I hope you feel the same from our team!
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I don’t have friends in this shit Of World ! 🌎
If you could hear your parents' voices right now, what do you think they would be saying to you? Did they want you to find friendship when they were still living on earth?