e heaven, and who believed that
they might come into a higher heavenly happiness by simply gaining
access to a heaven where higher angels are. These were permitted to
enter among such angels. But when they were there they could see no
one, however much they searched, although there was a great multitude
present; for the interiors of the newcomers not having been opened in
the same degree as the interiors of the angels there, their sight was
not so opened. Presently they were seized with such anguish of heart
that they scarcely knew whether they were alive or not. Therefore
they hastily betook themselves to the heaven from which they came,
glad to get back among their like, and pledging themselves that they
would no longer covet higher things than were in agreement with their
life. Again, I have seen some let down from a higher heaven; and
these were deprived of their wisdom until they no longer knew what
their own heaven was. It is otherwise when, as is often done, angels
are raised up by the Lord out of a lower heaven into a higher that
they may behold its glory; for then they are prepared beforehand, and
are encompassed by intermediate angels, through whom they have
communication with those they come among. From all this it is plain
that the three heavens are entirely distinct from each other.

36. Those, however, who are in the same heaven can affiliate with any
who are there; but the delights of such affiliation are measured by
the kinships of good they have come into; of which more will be said
in the following chapters.

37. But although the heavens are so distinct that there can be no
companionship between the angels of one heaven and the angels of
another, still the Lord joins all the heavens together by both direct
and mediate influx-direct from Himself into all the heavens, and
mediate from one heaven into another.{1} He thus makes the three
heavens to be one, and all to be in such connection from the First to
the Last that nothing unconnected is possible. Whatever is not
connected through intermediates with the First can have no permanent
existence, but is dissipated and becomes nothing.{2}

{Footnote 1} Influx from the Lord is direct from Himself and
also mediate through on heaven into another, and in like manner
into man's interiors (n. 6063, 6307, 6472, 9682, 9683). Direct
influx of the Divine from the Lord (n. 6058, 6474-6478, 8717,
8728). Mediate influx through the spiritual world into t