AC 10551 - Enlightenment

AC 10551 [2, 5]

Those who
when reading the Word
are in enlightenment,
see it from within,
for their internal is open,
and when the internal is open
it is in the light of heaven.
This light flows in and enlightens,
although the man is unaware of it.
The reason why he is unaware of it,
is that this light flows into the knowledges
that are in the man's memory,
and these knowledges are in natural light.
And as the man thinks from these knowledges
as from himself,
he cannot perceive the influx,
nevertheless from various indications
he is able to know that he has been in enlightenment.
But yet everyone is deceived
who believes himself to be in enlightenment,
unless he loves to know truth for the sake of truth
and for the sake of the good of life,
thus unless he loves Divine truth for the sake of life,
because to live according to Divine truths from the Word
is to love the Lord,
and all enlightenment comes from the Lord
when He is loved. 

It shall also be briefly stated how the influx
from which comes enlightenment is effected.
Equally with men,
the angels also perceive the Word when it is read;
but the angels perceive it spiritually,
and men perceive it naturally.
The man whose internal is open
also perceives the Word spiritually;
but while he lives in the world
he is unaware of this,
because his spiritual thought flows into
the natural thought in the external man,
and there presents itself to view.
Nevertheless it is this interior thought which enlightens,
and by means of which
the influx from the Lord is effected.